Multi-Tasking

This morning I decided to multi-task.

So after working out, I tossed a saddle on Andy.

It rained last night.

Hard.

Darn.

  I was hoping you'd be able to see the little droplets.

Every needle had a drop.

I got WET!!!!!

It was like I was riding AND taking a shower.

Score....



It was a beautiful morning.

The sun was shining into my camera, so it looks dark, but

it was a glorious, green, fresh, clean, wet refreshing ride.

Gratuitous shot of Andy's ears...

Meanwhile...

Doesn't that just make you NEED a marshmallow?

SO cute!



It's the Little Things

I have a friend in my ward who is also a patient at our clinic.

When she found out I work here and post the $$$,

she devised a way to say "Howdy".



I get a payment from her several times a month, and each one has a happy little sticker on it.

It always makes me smile!

Sometimes its just the little things...

Yummmmm

I'm not a food blogger.

I'm not a food cooker!

LOL

Jim, on the other hand, is a great cook.

A couple of weeks ago, he made a yummy "Hawaiian" sandwich.

We fell in love with it.

Last night I decided to make some, but had no bread.

(Jim wasn't home)

I often have no bread in this house.

We don't eat much bread here at all.

So we made it on tortilla shells.

It was good.

Not as good as on that yummy hawaiian sweet bread.

But still good.

Spam.  Fried in butter in a pan.

Yah, I know.

Spam.

But still.....

Ok, so:

Spam, fried in butter.

Pineapple, fried in butter.

Cheese.  (use the fake stuff in individual cellophane wrappers.  We used shredded and it wasn't as good.)

Avacado.

Mango Habanero Sauce.

(Jim made it, we had 2 jars, we are down to 1... it's YUMMMMM)

It was tasty.

Give it a try!  You might love it as much as we do!

Course, you'll either have to ask Jim how to make the sauce,

Or google it.

I'm pretty sure that's what he did...



Happy Talk

It is so fun to ride with Kyle.

He is so creative in his comments!

He has a running commentary going on with his horse, Buddy.

And it is FUNNY!

He is convinced Buddy is an idiot.

(Well, mostly he's right...)

Buddy has large ears.

Looks a little like donkey ears.

You can't see how big they are in this picture.  But trust me.

They are big.

He often carries them to the side, or back.

Like he's embarassed by them.

But when he walks...

They wag.

It's HILARIOUS!

And Kyle comments on them.

Constantly.

Buddy is also a little bit of a pansy.

Andy, ahem, pooped in the trail.

Buddy nearly walked through a tree to avoid it!

Banging Kyle's knees in the process.

Kyle is very creative in his comments.

Naturally, I can't think of a SINGLE example of what he said.

But believe me.

The entire ride.

I was LAUGHING!





Catching Up

Wow!

It's been a busy couple of days.

I knew it was coming.

But I'm glad it's over! 

LOL

Thursday found me in Ft. Lauderdale (Coconut Creek to be exact) for an all-day meeting.

I love those meetings.

It's wonderful to be with the other instructors and pick their brains.

I always come away with such marvelous ideas!

(And a new oomph for my own teaching...)

Except now we aren't instructors/teachers.

Our new title is

Ta Da....

Licensing Coach

Impressive, much?

Instead of just breezing in, teaching for 40 hours and breezing back out again, we are now going to be interfacing with our students a ton more.  Starting with phone calls/emails before class begins to welcome them to class, remind them of what they need to bring, reassure them they CAN do this, etc.

Then when class is over, we are again on the phone/email, encouraging, motivating, answering questions, tutoring or mentoring if necessary.  Basically following through and assisting them to get their license.

Normally I've been encouraging them to take the state exam within 2 weeks of end of class.

The new standard is FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS!!!!!  Whew!  Fast Turnaround!

But when I think about it, we went to school all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday and had a 4 hour review class Monday evening and took the State Mortgage Broker Exam on Tuesday... And it's not any easier than my class... so this is totally do-able.  I just needed to rethink MY position.

Anyhow.  It was a great day.  Full of new information, motivation, inspiration, and sandwiches.

After class I hopped in my truck and dashed up the highway (132 miles) to the house where I packed my suitcase, ate some yummy ravioli (Thanks Sabrina!) and headed on up to Winter Garden (another 97 miles) to my hotel.

Oh.  And at the class on Thursday I met a lady who informed me she was training with me starting Friday.  LOL  I was excited, cuz when I have a trainee - they get to do some of the teaching and ALL of the administrative nonsense.  Yippeeeeeee!  (I "might" get my knitting done yet!)

Four days of a great school.

A great trainee... (she's gonna ROCK)

A hysterical story from another recent trainee.

A good meeting with my Regional Vice President to set in motion the new system.

And a bunch of YUMMY dinners.

(I love Ruby Tuesdays...)

And then it was back in the truck and head for home.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

Last week we were struck by lighting.  Probably the power pole in the yard.

It took out the HDMI on Kyle's fancy new TV.

And the DTV box in our bedroom.

And part of the DTV box in the living room.

And the TV in our bedroom.

And the motor on the electric gate into the property.

And the vinyl cutter for the graphics business.

AND THE HEATER IN THE WATERBED!!!!!!!!!

Rod is such a furnace, he didn't even notice.

But let me tell you - I sure did! 

Hopped into bed Monday night after a LONG couple of days (I don't typically sleep really well in a hotel)

and it was COLD!!!  Like sleeping on a slab of ice!

I tossed and turned all night long!

I did finally fall asleep at one point, but dreamed I was at Burger King, writing Brrrrrr on all their signs!

I finally got up (who knows what time, the clock was flashing some random number) and gathered up some blankets to wrap up in.  Helped some, but I was still cold.

Layed there and kept thinking I should really get up and turn off the ceiling fan, but just couldn't make myself.  I figured Rod would be home soon to warm me up.

Poor guy didn't get home until after 6:00 am!!!!!

(So I stayed in bed until after 8 - thawing out!)

Rod met me for lunch (Sonic) so we could actually talk face-to-face for the first time in what felt like Weeks!  (Probably was...)  I'm looking forward to being off Saturday and getting to spend some time with him!

This morning Kyle and I went for a horseback ride.  Checked out all the trails we trimmed a week or so ago.  Some of them were already overgrown again!  Sheesh.  Florida.

That might be everything.

Or it might just be everything I can remember.

But anyway... it's LOTS!

Oh.  And last night I let Rocky out of her cage, into the garden.  I didn't let the others out, since we were leaving to go grocery shopping and the girls get into mischief if I'm not there watching them.

When we got home, it was nearly dark so I dashed out to get Rocky back in her house.

But she had already put herself away!

Good Chicken!!!

(I didn't think she could "fly" up to the door - she's still a little gimpy - guess she's better than I thought!)

And she laid a lovely big brown egg this morning.

I might need to get some more like her...



Don't You WANT One?

Last night I went out to dinner after class.

It was delicious, as usual.  I got my favorite server.

She's a sweetie!

Hope she wins the contest!

But on the way OUT of the restaurant, 

this is what I saw in the parking lot...

What a SUPER fun thing to do with your golf cart!

There was a gaggle of folks out looking at it.

Bet it's a show stopper wherever they go...

'Sup?

It's a typical Wednesday here.

Except we got a new "job chart" at our house, and today JIM took out the trash.

YEA!

I hate taking out the trash.  LOL

(Not that it's hard or anything, it's just not my "thing"....)

Yesterday we had a big thunder/lightning storm. 

Florida is the lightning capital of the country.

We are pretty sure either the house or the power pole outside got hit.

We had no internet.

And our Direct TV is acting funny. 

(The living room and bedroom units don't even turn on, but Kyle's works!  UNFAIR!!!  lol)

So this morning the internet guy came by and fixed the internet.

Just need to get the TV guy out there to fix the TV.

But I'm going out of town for the next 5 days.

So... its hard to coordinate having a repair man and having someone home/awake to let them in.

Rod is home, but sleeping!

And I hate to disturb him - he NEEDS to get 7-8 hours uninterupted.

Yesterday the lightning strike nearly knocked him out of bed!

And today he had to get up to deal with the repairman.

(I was out at the barn when they called him to say they were on the way...)

I took some video of Rocky and her funny little walk she does now.

She sort of "tosses" her leg out to walk.

But she WALKS!

And she lays a nice big brown egg every day.

But since my internet was down, I couldn't upload it.

I uploaded it at work, but the computer didn't know what to do with it.

LOL

As I mentioned, I'll be out of town for the next 5 days.

And the hotel I use has WIRE internet.  Are you KIDDING ME???

The wire is SHORT, so you have to sit at the DESK to use it.

So.....  unlikely there will be posts for the next few days.

Unless I can't control myself.



Rocky - lookin' good girl!
She thought I was going to catch her and put her
back in her cage, so she was on the RUN!




Blondie



Herd 'o Birds
Still watching for them to start laying.
Any time now girls!

Eggs. (Not mine...)

One of my students brought me some eggs from her Easter Egger hens.

Aren't they pretty? 

The light brown one on the right in the middle is considered "pink".

Who knew.

So I pulled out one of Blondie's recent eggs and compared them.

Identical.

So I guess she is a pink easter egger.

Meanwhile - Mom sent me a cute picture the other day.

I guess I've ALWAYS been a rider!

(and cranky)

LOL



Yup, It's Monday.....

It started out pretty good.

I got up ON TIME!  (That's always amazing on a Monday...)

I did a great workout!

Then I went and slipped on my "outside shoes" and felt something funny, but whatever.

Then I went to the dog room to let the dogs out.

And was pretty sure the "something funny" was a bug.

So I slipped the shoe off, and out hopped the bug.

EEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUWWWWWWW!

But the good news (well, not good for the BUG) was it hopped out and ran under the cabinet in the "dog room".  The very same dog room Rod just sprayed and sprayed and sprayed with bug spray yesterday.

So the bug is a goner.

But still....

EEEEEEUUUUUUWWWWWW!

Then outside to feed the horses and chickens.

The kids forgot to gather the eggs yesterday, so I got a couple!

AND Blondie finally layed up in the nest instead of down in the dirt!

So that was good.

In the house to grab a quick shower,

empty the dishwasher,

post a "Jobs" sign on the fridge,

and hard boil some nice brown eggs for lunches this week.

Speaking of eggs...

One of my students this weekend has 5 "Easter Egger" hens.

They lay light blue, light green and light pink eggs!

Yesterday she brought me 18 fresh, pretty eggs!

And when I looked at Blondie's egg this morning, it's PINK!

(I just figured it was light brown, but compared to Ine's pink eggs, Blondie's are exactly the same color.)

I wondered if she was an Easter Egger based on her coloring,

but since she didn't lay blue or green eggs I decided she wasn't.

Good to know her breed.

Anyhow.

I took some pictures of the pretty colored eggs.

Then I left my phone AND my iTouch on the kitchen counter.

So...  no pictures today.  (or music...)

And no way to tell anybody about the missing electronics.

Because everybody's phone numbers are saved in my phone.

(Well, except Rod, but I don't want him to have to drive all the way over here.)

So.  I'm "out of touch" today.

And celebrating "Monday".

Hope your's is great!

(And tomorrow there will be pictures...)

Cluck Cluck

The other evening I was chatting on the phone with Mom while sitting out in the chicken pasture, enjoying my "chicken television".  The girls are so silly and are pretty entertaining to watch.

So I thought I would share a minute in their/our lives...

So here they are.

The chickens.

Take it away girls!

Enjoy!

Hunt...

Here's what we have so far.......  Thanks for playing along!  Keep sending your pictures...

1. A pier
2. A clothesline
3. A border
4. A roadside stand selling something
5. A train



Got caught by the train this morning on the way to work...
Kyle was driving.
He's detailing my truck for me today.
What a guy!



6. A historical landmark
7. A person playing a musical instrument

Grandma Hanna and her Ukelili

Dad and his harmonica

8. A person dressed as an angel or a statue of an angel



Gary's snow angel



Rozann's snow angel

SLC Temple Angel Moroni

9. A fountain



Boynton Beach



10. A horse



Boynton Beach




Andy (and Buddy's legs...)



11. A shadow

12. A maze, labyrinth, or trail.

13. A library

14. A person playing with a ball.



Bocci Ball in Calgary



Grandkids playing ball in Tucson

15. Someone dancing.

16. A bride.



Joyce and Kent	Sondra and Greg	Nancy and Reid
Collette and Rod	Rozann and Greg	Gary and Lisa



 17. A church, chapel, cathedral, mosque or temple.

18. A movie poster

19. An outdoor stairway

20. A swing hanging from a tree (or a hammock)



Otis in Orem



Tree Swing in Tucson

21.  A picture of you standing with something that symbolizes your nation.



Ally.com

So, this is twice.

2 months ago somebody hacked my BOA debit card and racked up $120 in charges using Pay Pal to play video games.  It took a couple days for them to refund the money to my account.

But they handled it all, no problem.

I just got a call from Ally.com

Somebody is vacationing in FRANCE with my card!

The charges hit at 3:30, were declined at 3:32, they were on the phone with me at 3:34 and the card was cancelled ("Hot Carded") at 3:36.

The charges never hit my account.

I AM going to have to get a new debit card, but that's no big deal...

But this is getting to be a disturbing trend...

Do we have to all go back to paying with cash?

What a pain.



#9 and #10

Scavenger hunt photos #9 and #10 are a fountain and a horse.

There is a little "park" in Boynton Beach.

It's actually the drive into a cute little shopping complex.

I stopped there this morning to snap these quick pictures.

They remind me of the bronze horse statues in Dallas.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Even while on vacation, Rozie still came through and rescued me!

Here is the list for the scavenger hunt...

1. A pier
2. A clothesline
3. A border
4. A roadside stand selling something
5. A train
6. A historical landmark
7. A person playing a musical instrument
8. A person dressed as an angel or a statue of an angel

9. A fountain

10. A horse

11. A shadow

12. A maze, labyrinth, or trail.

13. A library

14. A person playing with a ball.

15. Someone dancing.

16. A bride.

17. A church, chapel, cathedral, mosque or temple.

18. A movie poster

19. An outdoor stairway

20. A swing hanging from a tree (or a hammock)  Rozann did this one already!
21.  A picture of you standing with something that symbolizes your nation.

Play with us!

Random Stuff

I have all sorts of random stuff today.

Yesterday was July 4.  (Duh...)  Rod, Jim and Sabrina all had to work.

Kyle and I had the day off.

So we went to the Ward breakfast.

I brought 2 SUPER yummy baked french toast dishes.

One peaches and cream and one blueberries and cream.

Kyle loved the blueberries one, so I'm making it again tonight for breakfast tomorrow.

(Jim and Rod both have Friday off, so a yummy breakfast/brunch might go over well...)

I didn't take any pictures.

Then Kyle and I went home so I could hard boil some eggs for Rod.

And then we loaded up the kayaks and headed to Turkey Creek.

I didn't take any pictures.

But we had a BLAST!

The water was much higher than the last time I went, but MUCH lower than the "Extreme Kayaking" trip Rod and Kyle went on a few weeks ago.  You could see how high the water was (based on stuff hanging off the lower branches of trees and on the banks...).  It was probably 2 feet higher then!

There was a nice breeze and just enough current to make it fun.

And there were a gazillion manatees.

We even paddles by/with a Mom/Baby combo!

The baby was so cute!

Then Jim and Sabrina got home from work and the three kids went to a friend's for fireworks, etc.

Which meant, since Rod was at work, I was ALONE.

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh.

I took a book and sat in the garden keeping an eye on the chickens while they free ranged.

It was relaxing!

The neighbors set off some fancy fireworks (which I watched from inside my french doors, since the mosquitoes were big as birds and trying desperately to carry me away...)

The poor dogs were completely freaked out.

Then the kids came home and had their own "mini" show on the patio.



Kyle on the left, Jim on the right.



They bought LOTS.   Plenty left over for another "show" tonight.

And again Friday night when Rod can join them!

This morning we all managed to be ready at the same time and left at the same time.

Not bad for just holding my phone over my head and hoping they were in the frame!



My view at the river light.




Looking north up the river.




Isn't it a pretty morning?  A little hazy, but calm...




Hey!  How did they get ahead of me?????







Sheesh.



And yes, I know you aren't supposed to take pictures while you are driving.

But I wasn't looking at my camera.

So these are the only ones (of the MANY) I took that you can actually see something other than the hood of my truck.  LOL