Paying it Forward

I don't participate in a lot of stuff on Facebook -- but this I thought was cool.  You post that you are going to Pay It Forward by sending something homemade to the first five people to comment on your post.  They in turn must do the same.  So, of course, my five people are getting these... two boxes are ready to ship, and the other three are local and I will work on them this week.  I got to comment on several posts myself, so I will be getting a few freebies also... looking forward to one in particular from a friend who makes pottery.

We are enjoying our PS3, especially the sports.  I have played volleyball, table tennis, bocce ball, and archery.  Very fun.  Haven't played any shoot 'em up games yet myself, but Chris, Amy, and Ally are learning Call of Duty (Black Ops).  I downloaded pac-man, played karaoke, and Ally and I have been playing a game together called Little Big Planet.  I'm sure there is much more to do, but I haven't figured out the on-line stuff yet.  One thing is for sure -- our ceiling fan has to go.  We move around way too much with the PS Move and that thing is going to go flying.  Let's see -- who do I know who can take out a ceiling fan and put in can lights for me?  Oh yeah, my work guys!  Mwah ha ha.

It's nice that Ally has been able to drive herself lots of places lately.  She drove to Alpine in the dark over the weekend -- freaked me out, but she did fine (as far as I know).  Tonight there is a concert in La Mesa.  It's at a church, so I told her she could drive.  I'm just glad we have a GPS, so I don't have to worry too much about her getting lost.  We have had talks about not looking at the GPS while driving, just look at it ahead of time to see where you are going, listen to it, and look at it while stopped if necessary.  One of her friends already totalled her mother's car while looking at a GPS while driving and hit a parked car.

She's saving up for a car and has $700.00, which is pretty good considering she doesn't have a regular job.  She does babysitting here and there and is hoping for a summer job.

Hair to Dye For

Amy is the middle of training for her cosmetology license.  She is learning hair, nails, skin, feet, and so on...  I took her the last time I got a haircut so she could watch.  My hair is not fancy, and I haven't changed it in years, but I am particular.  I don't want any hair on my neck or touching my neck.  I don't want it touching my ears.  I want short sideburns, but not thick.  Nothing tapered and fluffly bothering my neck or ears.  Short, short all around and in the back -- top not so much -- so that I don't have to get it cut in two more weeks.  It takes me about one or two minutes to do my hair in the morning.

Amy cut my hair for the first time this weekend -- a great job.  She put some highlights in again, so now I have even more.  I had her make a couple minor adjustments when she was done, and I was happy.  Which is saying a lot, considering if I lose a hairdresser, it takes me awhile to find one I like.  I don't have a photo, might post one when it grows out a bit in a couple weeks.  Amy introduced me to some hair wax, which I really like -- rub a little in and fluff and go!

I asked her if cutting hair was anything like she thought it would be.  She said no, it is so much interpretation and artistry.  People don't normally tell you exactly what they want, and if they do you may have to guess at how to get that result with that person's hair.  She really likes it!

We've been having warm, warm weather.  In the 80's.  I made this fave drink with fat free frozen cool whip and diet orange soda.  I tried to drink and drive, but the whip creme melted enough to make a seal, so had to wait until I got to work and eat it with a spoon... yum!

A recent photo of my girls...

Ally has been released from the boot!  No more cast, walking boot, walking shoe, etc.  She is still supposed to take it easy for a few weeks, but she played volleyball last night for the first time in nine weeks, so I guess she's better.

I took a notary class to renew my commission.  Wow, it's been four years since I took the first one.  Here's me at the class, exhausted from all the learning at the DoubleTree that day.

We are all four going to breakfast in the morning then off to find a PS3 gaming system for our new TV.  We will start at Costco.  The kids are so excited.  I don't know much about the Wii, the X-Box, or the PS3 so I am paranoid.  But Amy did the research, tried her friends' systems, and picked the PS3.  Fine with me, I don't plan to be on it too much (unless they come out with a Harvest Moon game for it)... or unless I get sucked into some bottomless pit of addicition to some time management game which I am known to do...

Out With the Old... In With the New

2011 is here... and we finally brought our TV up to date!  The TV we had was one that was passed on from Chris's mom.  I don't think we have ever bought a TV in our lives, except one for our bedroom.  They have always been given to us, even both of the TV's for our kids were given to us.

This is our old TV (probably 15 to 20 years old):

This is our new TV (with the entertainment cabinet Chris put together!):

And the best part -- we still didn't buy one!  We received it as a Christmas gift from a boss!  Now we have high def and are beside ourselves with the difference.

We had a great Christmas and holiday break.  So many blessings.  We also celebrated our 26th anniversary on the 30th.  Went to see Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 3D and ate at the Cheesecake Factory.

Some of my goals for 2011:  Finish reading through the Bible (I only made it about 2/3 of the way in 2010 -- however I was reading all of the notes in my study Bible at the same time) and lose my last 10 pounds (which goes along with eating healthier and going to the gym).  That's it for me -- I actually hate making New Year's resolutions and especially writing them down.  My mantra is -- don't make 'em, can't break 'em!