Weird!

I have enough weirdness in my life to keep me laughing.

Exhibit A:  Honesty is the best policy

 

The phone rang one evening and this popped up on caller id.  For some reason we weren't tempted to answer!

Exhibit B:  Frosty the Hunter

 
In case the picture doesn't make it clear, between the white icicles and candy cane border we find Mr. Snowman (I'm certain he isn't really named Frosty) holding a gun while proudly observing his deer which is hanging upside down from a tree draining blood onto the ground.  Doesn't it make you want to burst out caroling?

Actually, it makes me glad that these neighbors live several blocks away.  Marianne reminded me that these guys bought several boxes of Girl Scout cookies from her.  It wasn't until halfway through her sales pitch that we realized they were all drunk.   They were also drunk when we delivered the cookies, but they DID pay!

Exhibit C:  Pillow Talk

Last night I was tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable position when this conversation ensued.

Thoughtful Husband: "Are you okay?"
Me:  "I'm fine."
TH:   "Let me know if you need me to take you across the border."
Me:  "Across the border??"
TH: "Yeah, to Mexico."
Me:  "Why would I want to go to Mexico?"
TH:  "I don't know, but I can take you if you need me to."

I'm not sure if he was suggesting a vacation, an alternative medical treatment or just wants to get rid of me.  But it wasn't until the end that I realized he was talking in his sleep.

The Angels Did It!

Although we are missing our wings and halos (and Brenda!) in this photo, we are still Annie's Angels and together we raised $12,255 to fight against breast cancer!  We are still accepting donations, so it's not too late to help out.

It was a tough 3 days with not enough sleep, too many porta-potties, lots of blisters and very sore muscles, but it was worth it!  We joined 3,600 walkers in San Diego and we raised a total of $9.2 million to defeat breast cancer.

I stuck with my plan to walk about 10 miles a day for a total of 30 miles.  At times it was hard to leave my team and take a shuttle to lunch, but I know it was the right thing to do.  My back hurt during the walk and I had Braxton-Hicks contractions (the first of my pregnancy) so I know I needed the rest during lunch.  I usually waited about 2 hours for my team, but it gave me a chance to meet so many great people and hear some wonderful stories.  Telling people that I was 6 months pregnant was a great ice-breaker.  There weren't too many pregnant moms on the walk!

One of the sweetest stories I heard was from a woman from Colorado.  She was walking in honor of a friend with breast cancer.  She had been training for 7 months and was so excited.  On the first day she fell off a huge curb (some of them were over a foot high!) and sprained her ankle.  She kept walking and ended up injuring her other leg in an effort to compensate.  That evening the medical staff told her she shouldn't walk any more.  She was crushed to have to give up her dream.  Her husband went out and rented a wheelchair so he could push her the rest of the way.  She started crying as she told me about it and I was really touched.

I met many other women who lost their mothers to breast cancer and walked in their memory.

Crowds of people cheered for us along the way.  They played music for us, sang, danced, offered gifts, candy, water and kleenex.  Some cute Girl Scouts even gave me a sleeve of thin mints which we enjoyed for our FHE snack tonight.  On Saturday John, Marianne, Evan, my Dad and Carolyn came to cheer us on.  They walked with us for a mile or so and it really lifted my spirits to see them.

The crew at camp was fantastic.  They fed us and took good care of us.  They even found the money and credit card I dropped!  However, I do not regret our decision to stay in a hotel.  It was worth every penny sleep in a real bed and have a real bathroom after a long day on our feet.

I am grateful for my experience on the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Walk. Hugs to my fabulous teammates and thanks to everyone who donated!  Most of all, I send my love to the three women I walked to honor:  my mom who was a 15 year breast cancer survivor, my grandma who at nearly 90 is still going strong after defeating breast cancer, and my daughter Marianne who I pray will someday live in a world without cancer!

Our Annie's Angels theme:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.               2 Timothy 1:7

Splash!

Remember when Marianne sold ALL those Girl Scout cookies? She's gotten to do some really fun things thanks to the money the girls earned. They've gone horseback riding, sailing, whale watching and much more. But this week was our favorite GS activity. We went to Sea World's Dolphin Encounter!

We got to pet Deke the dolphin. He's 8 years old and very friendly.

He also loves to splash . . .

Almost as much as he loves to jump!

But he didn't get us as wet as the Journey to Atlantis ride!

It was great to have a "girls' day" with my favorite girl!

Cookie Time

Marianne joined Girl Scouts this year and has had a great time trying new things like rock climbing, sailing and horseback riding.
I have also had my turn at trying new things! In an effort to be helpful (or maybe it was just ignorance) I volunteered to be the "Cookie Mom" for our group.
I was shocked when I went to the orientation meeting and received not one, but two instruction books and a huge packet of forms and paperwork.
Today I had another chance to try something new when I went to pick up nearly 2300 cookies. Fortunately we are a "two van family"!
John took the seats out of both of our minivans and we headed off to the warehouse. I admit to being stressed about picking up the cookies and counting to be sure I had them all. After all, I didn't read every page of those instruction manuals. Who knows what I might have missed.
Fortunately it all worked out!

Here's Marianne who was very excited with two vans full of cookies.

Evan wasn't going to miss out on the action.

Best of all, this has been a great experience for Marianne!
Since she's never been in public school, she's never had a chance to participate in a sales fundraiser. She has been very excited and motivated to work hard at cookie sales. She has learned to be brave and step outside her comfort zone.
She is also excited because she's part of "Operation Thin Mint".
Customers are able to buy "zero calorie cookies" by donating $4 to send a box of cookies to a member of the military serving overseas.
While my Mom was in the hospital, she met a nurse who was in the reserves and was on duty a couple of years ago. He told her it was wonderful to receive postcards & cookies from Girl Scouts back home in the US.

Now we just have to get these cookies delivered!
You know where to find us if you need a snack.