Jas is ready...

....to be packed for moving day! Ha ha!

Home improvements

One view of the mountains from our backyard!

These are the four paint samples we picked, then we settled on the middle two colors.

Apple White is the color we picked for the bathrooms and the kitchen.

Swiss Coffee is the color we picked for all the other rooms.

The very, very light, pink tinged carpet is gone!

Our newly Swiss Coffee painted walls and Mojave carpeted floors!

Jas checking out one of the floor vents before Bill put the grate back on!

The family room with gas fireplace #1 and sliding glass door #1...

One of the 3 extra bedrooms, this will be the guest bedroom after we have kids. (yes, Moms, grandkids are in the plans and no not expecting yet!)

Living room with gas fireplace #2.

Master bedroom with sliding glass door #2.

Bill is very happy with the new carpet and new paint, though I had to beg and plead to convince him to do it now before we move in!

Happy Birthday Jasmine!

For Jasmine's first birthday, we went to Rufus, a doggy boutique and bakery to get her some birthday goodies. She got some special baked goodies, a special turkey and fish oil rawhide chew stick, and a new ball that she can't chew the felt off!

Here she is checking out her "Paw Pal" baked cookie birthday treat! It was made of oatmeal, honey, and ginger, with a yogurt frosting!

She licked all the frosting off first!

Then, she ate the cookie! Overall, I think she enjoyed her first birthday pretty well!

A new roof on the new house!

The old cedar shake shingles.

Where old shingles were removed and new paper was in place!

About 13% of the shake shingles were missing, others were lifted, so it was only a matter of time until the barrier was broken and a leak occurred.

Our new 30 year composite shingle roof in Weathered Wood!

A not so good cut...

So, Baby Jas doesn't seem to know what a bad haircut she got...

here she is happily snoozing on her daddy's foot.

But, as her mommy I have been terribly upset and traumatized by the shaving of my poor baby girl,

when we simply asked that she be trimmed a little shorter for the summer.

And, even that was her daddy's idea. So, he has been fired from ever having a say in future haircuts.

She is a Pom and should have long, fluffy hair.

Thankfully, it will grow back,

though, Jas will never go to PetSmart for a grooming again!

New T.V.

So, after our splurges on Sunday...our T.V. broke on Monday! Of course. So, off we go to buy a new T.V. Here it is in all it's glory. A Samsung 46 inch LCD, 120 Hertz, 100,000:1 resolution HD television. Bill wanted to go all out for a Blu-ray DVD player, surround sound, etc., etc., but I reminded him we are in the process of trying to buy a house. Blu-Ray and surround sound will have to wait. For now we can enjoy the television which is a huge improvement over our much smaller, much older t.v., though we didn't really need the expense at this time. Oh well, we're loving it anyway!

Easter splurge!

So, many of my nearest and dearest friends know of my long-held desire for a Coach purse. Yes, it's petty and materialistic. Normally, I am not materialistic. But, I love Coach purses! I have staved off my desires for quite a long time. Then, Bill bought some fancy schmancy golf clubs and I felt justified in fulfilling my long held desire. Then, co-workers told me of the Coach outlet store in Vacaville, Ca. where I could really get a bargain. So, Easter Sunday found Bill, Baby Jas, and I driving to Vacaville in search of such a bargain. Score! I bought two Coach purses and a wallet! Dream and petty desires fulfilled! Yea me!

By the way, Bill did not go without...he hit up the Nike outlet store and the Calloway golf store (of course) to buy golfing stuff (of course). It just doesn't make as pretty a picture as the Coach bags! ;-)

What the heck?

I swear this house is a jinx for us! First day we move in to a swarm of wasps or hornets in the downstairs bathroom. Then, just a week or so later the microwave caught fire. Then, the window in our master bedroom broke. Last Saturday morning I came home from work to find this...with Bill's handy note, "Do Not Use"! Apparently the tank just broke! The repairman will be here next Monday to replace said tank. Hopefully, this is the last "crisis" until we move! (Fingers crossed!)

Love my apron!

Domestic Diva, that's me! Giving Martha Stewart a run for her money, hee hee! When I was home in February my mom bought me this adorably cute apron, that I just love. When they were here for Thanksgiving I complained about the mixer getting my clothes dirty and needing an apron. Now I have one! Thanks mom!

A spa day!

So, Baby Jas had a day of being pampered at the groomer's. She was so pretty when I picked her up. And, you can't really see it in the pic, but they put a pretty pink bow in her hair. Awww! They said she was very good and they all raved about how cute she was. As if we don't already know that!

He says he doesn't even like her...

Yeah, sure...not at all.

She loves to relax!

Jas plays hard, but when shes ready to relax, she is ready to relax!!!

And, I just found out last week, our little girl is not 100% Pomeranian like we thought! She is a Pom Chi. Apparently, her mom is Pomeranian and her dad is a Pom Chi, or a Pomeranian Chihuahua mix.

She's still the cutest, sweetest baby girl in the world, though!

Snow!!!

Last week we got the most snow we've had since Christmas day! So, Bill grabbed the camera and took a couple pictures of Jas out in the snow. She doesn't do much in the snow, though. She mostly walks around with her nose in it, then she'll stop and eat some. She's funny!

Our girls!

It's so hard to get pictures of the girls together! Bill managed to snap these, such as they are. The Miss has her tongue hanging out in the first, and Jas barely made it in the second! But, aren't they cute?

Valentine's Tulips!

Bill is so sweet. When I returned home from my weekend in Albuquerque, he had these beautiful pink Tulips waiting for me for Valentine's Day! He stayed home with Jasmine for the weekend. So he missed out on visiting our friends and family (not that there was a lot of that); he missed out on eating at Garduno's, Popeye's, & Taco Bueno. Well, he doesn't miss Taco Bueno, but I do! But, he still bought me flowers! What a guy!

Thanks Terry!

We love our Dallas monkey! He will watch every football game with us from here on out! Though, depending on how Dallas is playing, we can't promise he won't get strangled or thrown at a wall! Ha ha!

Look who's a year old!

I spent one evening of my trip with Crystal & Mongo, so I also got to see Robert! He turned a year old in January! Poor kid....his mom lets his dad put an awful Redskins bib on him. Luckily, I think he may be young enough to forget this childhood trauma!

Yummy, cookies!

He's walking and running! Look out world!

He's growing!

While I was home, I spent as much time as I could with Caroline & Daryl. A bonus was getting to spend time with Dylan, who was 9 months. He is getting to be such a big boy! And, what a happy boy!

He can crawl around so quickly!

Sitting up all by himself! Look at that smile!

Quick trip home

I flew home on February 13 for a quick weekend trip to be with my dear friends Caroline and Daryl at Caroline's mom's memorial. Elida Garbin, or Mrs. Garbin as I always called her, passed away February 12 and her memorial was February 14. Caroline is one of my oldest and best friends in Albuquerque; we've been friends since we started at Eldorado High School. So, of course, I've known her mom just as long. Her mom was a kind, sweet woman and I was so happy to be able to be at her memorial. I just wish my trip home had been for happier reasons and that there was more I could do. Our thoughts and love are with you Caroline & Daryl.

This is how we roll...

For Christmas this year, we got each other the authentic Dallas Cowboys football jerseys we've been wanting!

For Bill, it was the traditional Terrell Owens (T.O.) jersey...

while for me it was the throwback Tony Romo jersey!

We wore them today to the Superbowl party we went to. We went to one of Bill's friends from work. It would have been great to see the Cardinals win. Now the Cowboys really (REALLY) have to win next year, so that the Steelers aren't the only team in the league with 6 Superbowl rings for too long!!

Good News!

Actually, great news! Bill got word earlier this week that he's being promoted to Board Test Technician II at work. He's currently a Tech I. He had, in his manager's words, "more than met the criteria" some time ago, but they just now promoted him. It is quite an accomplishment, as he achieved it in just 15 months at G.E. and it normally takes people at least 2 years before they move up to Tech II! He gets a small raise, so that will be nice, but he's more excited about the achievement. He's been working very hard for it.

Oh, how I miss them!

My gorgeous sisters and their families on Christmas. It feels likes AGES since I've seen them or the kids. Can't wait to see them all again, even Daniel the outcast Raiders fan!! Hee hee! (Just kidding, Daniel!) Love you all!!!

Jasmine's new coat!

Okay, yes, I know Jasmine just may be the most spoiled dog on the planet, but she is the cutest, sweetest most spoiled dog on the planet! When my parents came to visit in November they brought her a couple of sweaters and Barbara sent her a coat. I had to exchange the coat for a slightly larger size (hard to believe, I know), so here she is showing off her new coat!

Christmas morning

Thanks to everyone for our gifts, we enjoyed opening each and every one! Thanks Charlotte & Jeff for our gingerbread cookies, they were cute and delicious! Here's some pics of our Christmas gift opening...

Please sign this petition!!!

Find the petition at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/182/petition-to-cure-SMA

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO HELP CURE SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY, THE #1 GENETIC KILLER OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 2.

We need your help to move landmark legislation through Congress that will allocate federal resources to non-profit and research organizations focused on finding a treatment and/or cure for SMA.

• SMA is an inherited genetic disease that results in loss of nerves in the spinal cord and weakness of the muscles connected with those nerves.
• SMA is the #1 genetic killer of children under the age of 2.
• SMA is estimated to occur in nearly 1 out of every 6,000 births.
• The gene mutation that causes SMA is carried by 1 in every 40 people or nearly 7.5 million Americans.
• There is currently no cure, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have selected SMA as the disease closest to treatment of more than 600 neurological disorders.
• Researchers estimate that we are as close as only a few years away from finding a treatment and/or cure.

Bill's birthday!

Bill celebrated his 34th birthday on December 2nd. When he got home from work that night I had his favorite cake, yellow cake with chocolate frosting, waiting! Along with his birthday cards! He still hasn't gone shopping with his birthday money!

From 7 weeks to 6 months

See how much her coat has lightened up? She still has a little dark, and her nose is black, but she really lightened up!

Jas at six months, (repeat)

Enjoying her bone,

playing with her rope.

In her sweater we bought her for winter,

and her winter coat! On the back it says, "Glamour to the bone", and it has a hood with fur around it! But, she refuses to wear the hood up, and you can't really see the fur, because it matches her own fur!

Little Jas sitting pretty...so cute, isn't she?

Another birthday gift, another repeat...

With the money I had left from Mom Jenny & Mac, and a little from Bill & I, I bought myself this fabulous Coach key chain! I justified the expense because I rarely spend money on myself (I still haven’t bought myself a Coach bag I’ve wanted for years!!) and 20% of the proceeds went to breast cancer research! So it wasn’t for me…it was for the cause! Hee hee!

Birthday thanks...(repeat)

I got myself this shirt with the birthday money sent from Mom Jenny & Mac…I didn’t have a long-sleeved UT shirt to wear in the winter here. Now I do…yea! Thank you!