Silly Daddy or should I say Tree Killer

It has ever been thus, Daddy professing his machoism with the phrase "I could pull that tree out by the ROOTS". In parking lots, out in the forest, at friends houses, you name it and Daddy has claimed to be strong enough to rip it from the ground. This is good fun, where I get to goad him about how there is NO WAY he could pull it from the ground. It has been a back and forth we have enjoyed many many, oh so many, times in our 11 years together. Our precious Longnose, about 5 months ago, decided to strip a tree in the backyard of its bark. Despite many attempts at loving medicinal treatments, the poor tree could not pull through.

Daddy decided to plant a Peach tree in its place, while at Costco all of a sudden, a peach tree it was. So, Daddy and I went out back. I am usually quite a good helper. Jokingly we call me Jordi when we are doing projects (cause I loved his glasses). But, with the torn ACL, this was not a job for me. Daddy started laughing and said, "I can just pull this out by the roots". Well, if there was ever an appropriate way to try... this was it. Now, the tree in question was dead, but with around a 7-8" diameter trunk.

So, I made Daddy wait while I got the camera to capture what was sure to be a memorable moment.... and boy was it ever. I have laughed a dozen times or more, holding my stomach. Auntie K wants me to send it to America's funniest home videos... but no. This is just for me and mine to enjoy... so ENJOY.

#10 Memorize a Bible Verse

Cool moment just now. Little Miss made a sign at Sunday school today. It says "Love God" and is attached to a popsicle stick. She walked around after church holding it up for people to read, and got a good number of people to chant when she held up her sign. Our pastor wrote a bible verse on the back of her sign.

At home, Daddy was making dinner and Little Miss was chanting "Love God, Love God, Love God" walking around the kitchen holding her sign like a Picketing Labor worker. She came and asked me what was written on the back, and I said "John 3:16".
Now I know that this is like the most known verse on Earth, but when my 4 year old said "Mommy what is that" and I responded. Not from a bible, or a church sheet, I told her that it was a verse from that pink Bible she loves so much. That it says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish from this Earth". She smiled, then changed her chant to "John 3- 16", in the same picket line method.

Daddy told me to update my 101 list, as I just quoted a bible verse all by myself. Yeah Me!

Doctor Bates

Little Miss decided tonight that playing Doctor would be fun. Her usual subjects (Mr. Bell the Bear, Sara the Cat, Loppy the Mouse, and Mr Turtle) were all upstairs, and she wanted to play downstairs where Mom and Dad were. Daddy offered Longnose and Blackbear as subjects. Surprisingly, Longnose was much more patient and willing to go with the flow. I thought for sure that the doctor toys would end up in her mouth. But other than a few looks at me that seemed to say "Seriously, do you see what is going on over here?", she sat for over 20 minutes while Little Miss gave her a thorough check up. We discussed shots, medicine, bandaids, pumping pressure, and even being too tired. Little Miss had a great time. Our great big dogs are finally getting used to being ruled by a 4 year old.
(Longnose's face here tells the story better than I could.. DO YOU SEE WHAT THE CHILD IS DOING TO ME)

101 IN 1001

A few months back, I was reading a blog of an old friend. She has inspired my life in so many ways this year, that I thought I would copy this too. I started Project Zero. That means setting 101 goals, big and small and in between, all to be accomplished in 1001 days. It took me nearly 3 months to write my list, it being much more difficult than I had anticipated. Not too many of this or that, not stretching myself too thin, but making sure that it hurt just a little. The purpose is self discipline and making achievable goals. Here it is, my 101 list. Feel free to comment, come along, or make your own list. Thanks Snob, for the list idea and being there for me this year.

101 IN 1001 DAYS
DAY ZERO PROJECT - SETTING GOALS IN LIFE
START 10/21/2009 END 07/18/2012

1 Make the 101 things to do list (Completed 1/2/10)
2 Post the 101 things to do list on my blog (Completed 1/2/10)
3 Adopt Little Miss (Completed 3/18/10)
4 Have a conversation entirely in Spanish
5 Post 10 new pictures on my "event wall" in the living room
6 See a National Park in Alaska
7 Take Little Miss to meet Grammy, Auntie T, etc in Hawaii
8 Take a yoga class
9 Take a cooking class
10 Memorize a verse from the New Testament (Completed 1/10/09)
11 Memorize a verse from the Old Testament (Completed 3/5/10)
12 Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity
13 Volunteer at a soup kitchen
14 Volunteer at a school event for Racer and Princess
15 Take a day trip to the Aravaipa Canyon
16 Babysit kids and give Auntie K & Uncle R Date Night (Completed 12/15/09)
17 Take whole family camping (everyone!)
18 Go to a movie with Katie
19 Have lunch with Jayson
20 Use all of our Monarch Points for a year
21 Take Shannon to the 2011 Homecoming at Dobson
22 Go see Cunningham family (baby Marinn) (Completed 11/3/09)
23 Paint Little Miss's Room Purple with Flowers (Completed 12/9/09)
24 Go to Disneyland
25 Visit with Nana
26 Buy Daddy Final Fantasy XIII (Completed 3/16/10)
27 Mail Christmas Cards by Dec 10th, 2009 (Completed 12/8/09)
28 Mail Christmas Cards by Dec 10th, 2010 (Completed 12/8/10)
29 Mail Christmas Cards by Dec 10th, 2011
30 Clean Office Floor to move in Gym Equipment (Completed 11/1/09)
31 Send Daddy on a fishing trip/charter
32 Teach Longnose to walk on a gentle leader
33 Teach Little Miss how to sing her ABC's (Completed 12/29/09)
34 Get a pedicure with Auntie K
35 Introduce Little Miss to Grandma Suk and Terry (Completed 1/27/10)
36 Introduce Little Miss to the Ramz and the girls (Completed 5/20/10)
37 Take a sick day, take Little Miss to the park (Completed on secret day)
38 Learn to play Madden 2010 for time with Daddy
39 Have a game night at our house with at least 2 other couples
40 Get Daddy to come to church with me (Completed 12/24/09)
41 Attend a Small Group Game/Holiday night with Daddy (Completed 6/3/10)
42 Get a new tattoo
43 Take Longnose and Blackbear to the dog park by myself (Completed 8/20/10)
44 Take an exciting adventure to all the pet stores in town
45 Take old blankets to a no killer shelter
46 Donate old clothes to the Big Brother Truck
47 Buy the tools Daddy needs to build my closet out
48 Design my new closet
49 Build the new closet
50 Find 3 new foods I like to eat with 7 grams of fiber or more (Completed 2/27/10)
51 Run another 5k with Katie, beat our old time, or do it again
52 Walk in a cancer walk
53 See a Broadway play in New York (Completed 11/13/2010) Rock of Ages
54 Do something (big) I don’t want to, just to please Daddy
55 Check all the National Parks in California off on my map
56 Spend a weekend in Cancun Resort Vegas
57 Teach Little Miss a new game on her leapster
58 Read the Road by Cormack McCarthy
59 Donate 15 cases of food to 2nd Sunday
60 Payoff my MGV loan (Completed 11/10/2010)
61 See a movie with adoption girls (Completed 5/4/2010)
62 Send Dad on a 60th adventure (Completed 2/7/10)
63 Send birthday cards/present to every family member for a year
64 Get Uncle M to come to church with me (Completed 2/21/10)
65 Go see a scary movie, that I don't want to see, with Daddy in a theatre
66 Make Daddy take me to a chic flic that he doesn’t want to see, in a theatre
67 Teach Little Miss to recognize 1-10 (Completed 4/24/10)
68 Take a day to curl up with a good book by myself (Completed 12/1/10)
69 Take Princess and Little Miss on an adventure, send Racer/Daddy fishing
70 Organize paperwork in office (Completed 11/03/09)
71 Rollerblade the Scottsdale trail from McDowell to Cactus
72 Teach Little Miss to ride bike wo/ training wheels
73 Take a community college class
74 Finish Financial Peace Baby Steps
75 Play catch with Dad once a month for 6 months
76 Host Thanksgiving at MY house (Completed 11/26/09)
77 Take Little Miss to snow/ learn to ski
78 Volunteer at Sun Valley ministry (Completed 10/17/10)
79 Stick to a prepared budget for 6 months
80 Make Lasagna
81 Go to the Sidewalk Art sale in Tempe
82 Go to a local company play (Mesa Amp or similar)
83 Get a new fish for the fish tank (Completed 12/10/09)
84 Stop what doing what is for me; do something for Little Miss instead (2/26/10)
85 Read all Nicholas Sparks books (Completed 9/24/10)
86 Find a job idea that would light my fire
87 Take all of those recycled bags to the grocery store, three times in a row
88 Learn a new song on my guitar
89 Organize a craft day at my house for all the kiddos (Completed 10/25/10)
90 Get Beth to take cool pics of Little Miss, me, and Daddy
91 Host Christmas at our house (Completed 12/25/2010)
92 Frame Robert Plant and find somewhere to put him (Completed 4/10/10)
93 Make treats for everyone in small group to thank them for being them
94 Hit a double in Sun Valley Softball
95 Introduce myself to 5 new people
96 Organize and Facilitate an Adoption group get together
97 Skydive - real or in tunnel
98 Go shopping an buy more than 4 pieces of clothing, not for work use
99 Put a Sun Valley sticker on my car
100 Go on a mission trip (big or small)
101 Go to Somewhere Amazing to celebrate Little Miss's adoption (Completed 11/11/10)

New Years Eve Eve Party

Little Miss's preschool decided to have a pajama party and celebrate New Years at noon on the last day of school. It was a great idea! All of the kids were so excited to wear their pj's to school. Little Miss was in a ton of trouble the day before the party. Fits and problems all day. Finally, during bath time, I had enough. I made Little Miss sit on the stool, not moving in time out. She was not behaving very well, so we sat there a LONG time. I decided to make myself useful, and braided her hair into four intricate braids for the party. I wrapped a Do Rag around her head, hoping that the braids would stay overnight. They did. Sorry, no pictures of the actual braids. I was already at work when Daddy got Little Miss ready for the party. I had to take a few before she went to bed though. Can you say "how do you cross a toddler, biker, and a cancer patient?" Answer: Put Little Miss in a white tank, pajamas and do rag! ! Daddy and I laughed all night.