Summer

It has been so long since I posted, I'm not sure that I even read my blog anymore. After reading Mer's Bos/Mas blog, I had to post this pic. There is definitely some sibling magic that can turn two kids who can torment each other like no other back into the best of friends in the blink of an eye. On a side note, this picture is just way too 21st century for me. Also, meet Sonny, the soccer dog. He is learning a few new sports. Soccer with Emma, Tennis with Lauren (pictures to come), etc.

Emma can be a pretty harsh coach! We all miss her, she went to Utah with her Fullmer Grandparents. When we talked to her on the phone, she said that she was cold. I had a hard tinme feeling sorry for her when it's about 110 degrees outside.

Hey Sonny, quit hoggin' the ball!Oh yeah, something about blogging just seemed a little too much like work for me to focus on it for the last 2 weeks, but I will try to do better.

Life is just so daily

I'm borrowing a little quote there from Mary Engelbreit that just so aptly describes my life lately. (Many other peoples' as well)

Last week on wednesday, my dad had a major stroke. I found as I read Megan and Tom's posts that I don't think I'll be able to write about it. Megan was pretty thorough if you want to read her blog. The first day I was at school while Megan was texting me all that was happening. Luckily, my students had just left when I got the text that said the doctors thought that my dad wouldn't ever talk or walk again. I absolutely broke down. My poor mom has been at the hospital non-stop. My dad gets very anxious when she's not there and she hates to leave him because they usually end up strapping him down. Unfortunately, yesterday she got that stomach flu that's been going around and has had to stay home in bed.

On a good note, my dad seems to be doing hugely better than they expected. We went to see him for home evening on Monday since he got moved out of ICU. The girls had made him get well cards and Lauren read them to him. Both girls said that they needed their tickle monster to get better quickly. Dad reached over (with his left hand) and started tickling Emma's side and smiled. They told him funny little stories and he smiled and nodded. Earlier that day, he said his name and sorta counted to 10. I don't know much since then but I think that his therapy has been rather hard on him. They also have had a really difficult time with his feeding tube. The first 2 times at least that they tried to place it, it didn't go all the way down past his stomach the way it is supposed to. The next time, I think it was making him uncomfortable and he pulled it out. Yesterday, when he coughed it dislodged it and they had to take it out. I don't really know much about it, but I think that my mom is getting worried about him getting the proper nutrition. Anyway, I wish I knew more right now and I'll have to get over there tomorrow and check on him. This week was also progress reports, so it was a little crazy.

On a much lighter note, thanks to Megan, Rueben, and Catcher for coming to visit me at school today! It was so much fun for me, the girls, my students, the other teachers. You can't imagine how much joy a little 4 month old brings to the dreary walls of a school. Thanks also to all who called, texted and came by to brighten my day as I begin my 38th year.

Well, it is late and I am going to go find something else to distract me from going to bed on time.

Hung Jury

Somehow it seems that my trial was only interesting when nobody was allowed to hear about it. Anyway, the poor kid who got killed last year by PIR got no justice this time around. Of course, he was the one who started waving a gun around. I'll give him credit. He was going to put it down and fight with his fists before his girlfriend grabbed the gun, but I'm just guessing that the other gun probably wouldn't have come out if his hadn't first. Also, poor guy had weak taste in girls. The problem was his girlfriend blamed the same guy for grabbing her gun and shooting her boyfriend. Sadly, that was not the gun that killed him so it kinda damaged her credibility. Wait, credibility? Of the NINE witnesses, not one was believable. So, seven guilty, five not, but this guy went home free.

ps. don't let your kids party in the desert.

also, I didn't think you could get the same cold twice in a row! Blast!

fun, fun

Well, who would have thought that this "2 week" jury duty would be well into its 3rd week and threatening to go next week. At least we are through with testimony and such. We are going into deliberation and hopefully that won't take too long, but I won't be the one holding my breath. I'm dying to talk about it. It's not really all that exciting, but you know me, I'm a talker. Even with jury duty, spring break was fun. We had a great time at the ball game on Thursday, "Go Cubs", when in rome or chicago, or mesa or whatever.

Easter was a great time with all the cousins at Nana B's. My kids didn't want to come home or go to school the next day. Oh wait, with mom at jury duty, they didn't go to school the next day. They took a little extra vacation. Will post pics soon.

Lame, lame again

Ok, I have to beg for a little break. I know that I haven't been on in a while and I miss it so much, but life is crazy right now. I'm afraid that I have a bit more than just jury duty. I've been spending most weekends trying to work on water tower stuff and feeling like its not really going anywhere. There are now official people involved, but they don't seem to be looking for random helpers right now, mostly money, which I cant help with much.

On top of this, I got sick. At first I jusst thought that I had a scratchy throat from, um, raising my voice, at my students. Then my brains started leaking out my nose nonstop. I got called to jury duty on Tuesday. Jury selection continued the next day. Of course, I have to make the lesson plans any time I have a sub, so I was doing both jobs. The second day of jury selection, the judge had to call up a whole new group of people because he released so many the first day. So, being a half day at school, I taught in the morning, rushed to jury duty, got picked to sit on the jury, and got out of there by 6. So, the next day, I got to go to school to make my sub plans and my sub hadn't shown up so I taught for about an hour or so and then made copies for future subs. Then I went back to jury duty for the first day of a trial that the judge says should last about 2 weeks. Read into that whatever you want. Although, none of the jury pool raised their hands when asked if they had heard about this case on the news.

So, lucky me, hacking away, my nose stopped leaking and plugged up, we didn't have court on friday, so I got to go to field day and spend the day yelling to get kids attention with about 250 kids outside where I added a sunburn to my list. Oh yeah, and my team mate is getting married this weekend and so she had a sub all week who turned out to be crazy hat woman. Wait, we already called her that before this week. We just thought we were talking about the crazy HATS, now we know it was the crazy LADY. I swear, she showed up late every day and never stopped talking for one single moment and always ran out of things to say so kept repeating herself, over and over and over again.

Did I mention that this is the end of the quarter, grades are due and I get to spend my spring break next week on jury duty? Jury duty doesn't start till after lunch, but what can you do in the morning and still get back downtown, parked in a garage 4 blocks away and up to the 9th floor of superior court by 1pm.

At least court should make for a good post when it is over. Is it coincidental that there are 3 teachers on the jury? Well, that is my excuse.... I know, still lame

Home Evening

We had Fullmer family Home Evening tonight at Karen's house. It was soup night and I was lame and took pillsbury fake croissants. However, here are some of the soups that were there. In the back left corner, is Rose's Pasta Fagioli which was absolutely fabulous. Rose also brought the potato soup in the back right corner that she adds crumbled bacon to for added flavor and hip girth. The brocolli potato on the front left is Karen's and although I didn't eat any tonight, it is wonderful and I am eagerly awaiting the recipe. The front right is Chicken enchilada soup that Rose also made (Rose was busy), I just had a little taste of that, but it was super yummy. Because I had to save room for this...Lindy made fried ice cream cake. Oh, my, gosh... it was to die for
Just to give credit where credit is due, Karen also made homemade bread that was so yummy and warm. Thad and Lily made their famous much requested chili. Dave and Phyllis brought a tasty green salad with Milae's homemade ranch dressing that is literally the best ranch dressing ever. There was more to the evening than eating, but I'm not sure I remember what. J/K. It is lovely though to have a fun evening filled with family and loud children and good conversation.

So, I decided to stock up on my posts since I rarely get to them during the week. Just read one every other day and they will last all week.

ps. David laid down about 450 square feet of sod in our backyard yesterday. It looks like such a tiny patch in our backyard, but it will continue to grow as we can afford it. We can't play on it yet, and the girls are anxious. Sonny has not given up his plant eating habit. David put up a fence around the grass, but unfortunately it is not Sonny proof- dang it.

Childhood has its moments of pure joy!

Is there anything better than learning how to do a cartwheel? Straight legs will come eventually, I think.
She got up after one series of cartwheels and said, "I love cartwheels, they're so fun!"

Ah, change...

Last weekend, I put a new faucet on my sink. It was actually kind of fun. When we bought our house, the design center showed us several lovely new faucets for around $500. I thought this was a little high, so we decided that we would take the plain one that came with the house and change it later. Well, faucets,that I wanted anyway, are still about $250 at Lowe's and such. However, a few weeks ago, Tuesday Morning had some faucets on sale for $99. I found this one and David thought that this was a project that could wait, but he's not the one using the sink with water splashing all over the place from that low faucet. So, I decided to undertake this project. Once I was down on the floor under the cabinet, Lauren wanted to come help, which was fine of course. We only needed David's help for one little pin that we couldn't quite push in to lock the sprayer into place. I love it. It was easy and we donated the old faucet to a friend who was in need of one.

And the outgoing one?

Lauren on the other hand, was awake, but unwilling. Who would have thought that this is the actress, the one whose life is a stage? And yet, she will not let me take a picture of her. What is her problem anyway? The goofball tackled me with a pillow and practically slammed my camera into my face.
Does she really think that this is going to be a better shot?

Or this? Well, my silly teenager is having a blast in middle school and we seem to be surviving 13 so far. We did have a little "no boyfriends allowed" issue, but I'll let her tell that story.

What, photos?

So, I've been feeling guilty about my lame posts lately and decided to take a couple pics that I could post. Of course, Emma's in bed, so...
poor Emma doesn't even know that I'm taking pictures of her in her sleep. Of course the flash in her eyes may have been a big hint. She's been such a help and inspiration. When I get down and feel like I want to give up on this water tower thing, she chimes in with, "We can't let them tear down the water tower mommy." She gets her shy little self out there and asks people to sign our petition and reminds me that it is the future generation that we are doing this for. She's also really impressed with the whole Tom and Reuben farmer thing. She tells me how glad she is that they're doing this and she even said that when she grows up, she hopes that she can marry a farmer. What a doll!

I'm the lame blogger

Yes, I am aware of the fact, but there is a new post on the Save the Water Tower site that includes a reference to the account that the Chandler Historical Society has set up for the cause. Yay, more people involved! I love it!

One step closer

Okay, for anyone following the water tower progress, a blog has been set up and I'd love to have you post. For anyone who wishes I would post more often, I'm sorry, just really busy and tired. If it's not report card time, it's midterm time, etc. I will post and respond soon, I promise. Oh yeah, the water tower site is www.savethewatertower.blogspot.com I'm working on getting the bank account and paypal set up soon.

Stealing the tag

A...attached or single: attached for almost 17 years.
B... best friend: My sisters
C... cake or pie: Cathy's Rum cake or my apple pie (not so humbly)
D... day of choice: As a school teacher, definitely Friday.
E... essential item: Totally copying, my glasses.
F... favorite color: Ask Emma. I either tell her, "Emma color" or "Rainbow", meaning, I just can't choose.
G... gummy bears or worms: Wow, with a mom who loves these, you would have thought, but I don't like either one either.
H... hometown: Chandler AZ, land that I love!
I... indulgence(s): pedicures
J ...January or July: Um, uh, wow, probably 2 of my least favorite months. I always have post-Christmas let down in January although of course I love the weather. I heart the 4th of July and no school, but not much else about July unless we're out of town, think Oregon or Utah.
K... kids? Lauren- 13, my, yay, teenager!, and Emma- 9, my little one
L... life is incomplete without: Stealing again- my family... and books
M... marriage date: May 25, 2001
N ...number of siblings: 4 sisters. Elise,Merilee, Emily, and Megan. 5 brothers. Bobby, Jaimie, Tom, Chris, and Ty.
O... oranges or apples: I love both, but they have to be fresh
P ...phobias or fears: Strange little bird phobia that only occasionally induces panic attacks
Q... quotes: "Try a little harder to do a little more." G.B. Hinckley
R... reason to smile: My kids at the end of the day, pretty things, fun music
S ...season: The holiday season, right before Thanksgiving straight through to New Year's
T... tag you're it.
U ...unknown fact about me: I'm really picky.
V ...very favorite store: Melrose Vintage on 7th ave north of Indian School.
W... worst habit: I think I should just let Merilee fill this out for me, oh wait, that would be... being lazy
X... x-ray or ultrasound: Do some people actually prefer one or the other?
Y... your favorite food: Have I mentioned that I have a hard time with favorites? I love crab legs, steak, Elmer's tostadas, Mary's mom tacos, chicken n noodles, curried meatballs w/rice, yum this list could go on...
Z... zodiac: taurus
Characteristics considered positive
Positive traits of Taurus people are:
discipline
hard-working
good sense of humor
prudent
great work-ethic
artistic
loving
creative
romantic
sensual
sexual
attentive
comforting
strong
steady
shy
organized
cautious
harmonious
trustworthy
calm
tenacious
stable
patient
resourceful
easygoing
careful
dependable
honest

Characteristics considered negative
Negative traits are:
controlling
stubborn
hyper-sensitive
gets stuck in ruts
little to say
resentful
moody
horrible temper
possessive
Jealous
overly self-conscious
are these the traits they write for everybody?

Saturday, 9am, Soccer fields

Ok, here's a quick update. We decided to put out feelers to see how people really do feel about the water tower. We're (yes, that may be me and Emma) going to go out to the soccer field this Saturday and try to get people to sign petitions that we can present to the city to encourage them to be more helpful with the support of the tower. If anyone can make it, we should be setting up a table at the soccer fields about 9am on Saturday. Any and all support will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Water Tower Update

Ok, Mom talked to JC and he said that the window of opportunity for tearing down the water tower is blocked until March because they can not tear it down during soccer season. Who knew that those thousands of van driving, gazebo toting soccer moms would come in handy for historic preservation? So, the way I figure it is we have at least a month and a half to get 3% of the population of Chandler to donate $10 to save the tower. Everyone should be feeling nice and happy about living in Chandler again now that they've captured the rapist. So, maybe we should try to start the three people thing. Like I'll ask 3 people to donate $10 and ask them to ask 3 people, etc. Except, I'm going to ask everyone who reads this blog to donate and ask 3 people, so it shouldn't take as long, unless of course only 3 people read this blog. This can really grow exponentially. Let's say maybe 9 people read this. If you ask 3 people, we're already at 27, if they each ask 3, we're at 81 and if they all ask 3, we're at 243, then 729. Add those up and in 4 rounds we're already at 1,089 and we only need a total of 10,000 to save the water tower. By the way, the next bump would be to 2,187 and a total of 3,276. We'd be a third of the way there. See how easy this is! Only $10 to save a piece of history so that future generations do not forget that one day, there were farms in Chandler Arizona. Cotton comes from fields that once filled the space where they live and play.

"Save the History"

This is my official notification that I am starting a foundation called "Save the History". Either its first mission will be to save the Ocotillo water tower, or it will be in memory of the water tower. We are losing so much of the short little history that Arizona has a state of the United States. There are already many foundations in order to pursue and secure the stability of the the prehistory of this area. I would like to be an instrument for saving things like the old black school that was recently torn down.

When we found out that the complaints about the water tower in Ocotillo were such that it was going to be torn down, my daughter Emma began to ask what she could do to help. At 9 years old, her plan was to sell lemonade to raise the $100,000 or so dollars that it would take to pay for improvements on the tower. Her battlecry was, "Save the water tower, save the history." While her sweet little plan was more than I was doing, I couldn't actually see it amounting to success, nor did I really want it to.

You see, I can't see what is so wrong with the tower the way it is. If it were a public safety hazard, I would say, definitely fix its instability. However, who is to say that the fading red paint is unsightly? I think it is beautiful. It reminds me of a simpler time when children swam in ditches without permission and cotton and corn grew down Alma School road, rather than the sprouting houses and restaurants. This may seem a little strange coming from a member of the family who sold the land in the first place, but of course, I had no control over that.

I'm not a fanatic who thinks that zero population is the answer and that people should crawl back into caves where they belong, but just every once in a while, could we leave a few things the way they are and recognize the beauty that just is? Do we really need to tear all of the old things down and replace them with shiny newness? Are we so afraid that someone might get a glimpse off the golf course and see that we gave away our agricultural roots?

In addition, I have many other places that I have fallen in love with over the 37 years that I have lived in this valley. There is a cozy little spot on Scottsdale rd. that I haven't driven by lately and I wonder if the tiny little white cottages still stand. I still cringe as I drive by the corners where once beautiful homes stood and see the vacancy of whatever stands there now. If you have any desire to help me save the history for those who haven't seen it and who may never get a chance to, let me know.

Countdown to Christmas

Aaahhh, the actual countdown! This is no longer the fun paper chain countdown, this is the real deal! It is 9am Christmas eve. I still have to go to the grocery store to get stuff to take to Mom's tonight, Karen's tomorrow, wrap more presents, contemplate going to buy the stuff that my kids requested YESTERDAY, clean up my house so we're not embarrassed when Santa gets here, consider the fact that cereal for breakfast on Christmas morning is not very festive and feel guilty that I don't have piles of cinnamon rolls on my stove like Darilyn or stacks of cookies like Merilee, oh shoot, that reminds me, we haven't made cookies for Santa yet, and while our santa is not particularly fond of cookies, it will devastate Emma if we miss that detail. I love this craziness, but just hope that there is enough time left in the countdown to get it all done.
12, 11, 10, 9, .... gotta go!

The holidays

I love the Holidays! We had 4 parties to go to over the weekend. When else does that happen? Yesterday was David's birthday and I will do a "David post" soon. Thanks to Ru and Meg for coming over to install his present! He's in love. We only have 2 days left of school before break. I actually had a student tell me that her mom was going to complain to the principal that kids don't need a Winter Break. It sounds like someone has to find a babysitter. I need to find her and torture some sense into her. It is crazy I always try to get stuff done early so that I won't be so rushed, but somehow, this time of year moves faster than all the others and here it is one week to Christmas and I still have so much to do. If anyone talks to Mom before I do, is it possible for me to work with you to make some beef tamales for Christmas Eve. I sort of invited Risa to come over (she said that she never gets invited anywhere for Christmas Eve. Of course, being Jewish...) and well, she and her fiancee don't eat pork. I think I can handle a "chalupa alternative" but I'm not sure about making tamales on my own. That might be frightful.
Anyway, I actually love the craziness that is involved in Christmas and allowing myself to get wrapped up in doing things for other people. I never do get everything done I want to. The addressed unstamped Christmas cards usually sit on the table until I throw them out in the middle of January. Especially lame, because I often handmade them. But hey, you just have to let some things go. Like me, now...

e-mail tag

Place an X by all the things you've done and removethe X from the ones you have not, and send it to your friends (including me).
( ) Smoked a cigarette. (Not really, but I did pick up grandma's plastic filter one time and inhale because I thought it was the end of a party horn. Ughh, it was awful!)
( ) Jumped out of plane sky diving.
( x) Had feelings for someone who didn't have themback
( ) Been arrested
( x ) Gone on a blind date
(x ) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( x ) Been to Mexico
( ) Been to Florida
( x ) Been on a plane
( x ) Been lost
( x) Been on the opposite side of the country,
( x) Gone to Washington , DC
( ) Been to Yosemite No, but so close I could almost taste it and David wouldn't go!
( x ) Swam in the ocean
( ) Felt like dying
( x ) Cried yourself to sleep
( x) Sang karaoke
(x ) Paid for a meal with only coins
( x ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
( x ) Made prank phone calls
( x ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came outof your nose
( x ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue and made snow angels too
( x ) Danced in the rain
( x ) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( x ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( x ) Watched the sunrise with someone you careabout
( x ) Blown bubbles
( ) Made a bonfire on the beach?
( x) Crashed a party
( x) Gone ice-skating
( x) Been skinny dipping
1. Any nickname: Mo, Moses, Mojo, this list could go on and on.
2. Mother's name? Betty
3. Favorite drink? Vanilla diet coke w/extra ice from Sonic.
4. Body piercing? ears, normal two in the lobes and one more in the left that stays empty.
5. How much do you love your job? Depends on the day, love is an overstatement.
6. Birthplace: Mesa, AZ
7. Favorite vacation spot? Usually where ever I was last.
8. Ever been to Africa? No
9. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Don't remember.
10. Ever been on TV? On the news at a BNL concert when they were giving admission for $20 for everyone you could fit on a blanket and then donate the blanket to the homeless. A couple other times too, but ...
11. Ever steal any traffic signs? No, but I've had them left in my yard for me.
12. Ever been in a car accident? yes, many, including a rollover.
13. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle: 4-door
14. Favorite salad dressing? Depends on the salad. Ranch, italian, ceasar, asian...
15. Favorite pie? MMMmmm, pie. Why pick a favorite?
16. Favorite movie? 6hour Pride and Prejudice, Stranger Than Fiction, Mars Attacks,
17. Favorite holiday? The whole Thanksgiving to New Year period.
18. Favorite dessert? What's with you people and your choices. Why do I have to make all of these choices? You and Emma both!
19. Favorite food ? Really, this is getting somewhat annoying.
20. Favorite day of the week? Any day I don't have to work
21. Favorite brand of bodywash? Ginger Fish soap and my new favorite, Margarita from Philosophy.
22. Favorite smell? See previous question, plus wet dirt, rain, baking bread, apple cider, pie, curried meatballs at my mom's
23. What do you do to relax? take a bath and reading. ditto Elise, on this part anyway.
24. Do you have a message to your friends reading this? Hi!
25. How do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years Lauren will be 23 and Emma will be almost 19. David will be one day away from 51 and I'm not sure that I want to visualize any of that right now. Just the fact that we are 3 years away from a child with a driver's license is scary enough.
26. Furthest place you will send this message? The world wide web, but the furthest anyone will read it is probably Oregon.
27. Who will respond to this the fastest? Well, I haven't seen Mer respond yet. I laughed when I saw that I was supposed to respond to Meg fastest, did you forget that I don't read my e-mail anymore? I did respond once I saw it, just that was 10 days later.
28. Who is the least likely to respond? People I don't know.

Weird things about Emma

Kas tagged Emma, so...
1.I'm the only blond haird person in my family.
2.I,m shy
3.I ate a raw mussel from a lake.
4.My favorite food is crab legs.
5.Turquoise has been my favorite color since I was old enough to talk.
6.I can't decide if I should say neither (ee) or neither (I) or either (ee) or either (I).