Doin' It Seamons Style

When it's Cool Outside...

2010-06-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

...we can venture out of our houses. Yesterday morning was so lovely, we decided to go to the playground near our house. We had Anaya swing and go down a slide for the first time. She was so cute. Well, she didn't seem to be that excited about it, but I still thought she was cute in the act.
Anaya's first time at the playground.

I just wanna eat those perfect chubby legs.

She looks so dignified in this shot waving to the camera.

Practicing sitting in her superseat.

Anaya rolled over from her back this morning! She's been so close for awhile, but she finally succeeded today. She's been practicing her sitting (which she could care less about) in her "superseat" my friend Carey got her. We feed her in it and she enjoys playing for awhile in it. It's good practice for sitting which I am determined for her to learn so she can stop killing my back. Her favorite foods so far are bananas, applesauce and sweet potatoes. Needless to say, she doesn't care too much for peas. She'll eat them though. I hope she has her father's palette 'cuz mine consists of cotton candy, seafood and pasta. I probably didn't eat my peas either when I was her age. She is now 6 months old and still topping the percentile charts! Yes!

Not My Little Sister Anymore...

2010-05-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

My sister, Natalie, graduated from Highschool last Tuesday. I can't believe she is already done and ready for the big world. I am really proud of her. I got teary-eyed as she walked across the stage to get her diploma. She has worked hard for this and she deserves it. She was very involved in school, got good grades, had lots of friends and really applied herself. She has turned into quite a mature, sophisticated lady. I remember graduating from highschool when she was only 7 years old, and now it was her turn. Way to go Natalie!!

A graduate hopeful...atta girl!

She is the love of my life.

Mother's Day #1!!!

2010-05-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

I finally get a Mother's Day for ME!!! I'm so excited. Reed made me a drawing of a precious picture of Anaya and me. I can't wait to frame it and put it up. He is so talented. I also got 2 snickers bars...that's right...2, and cookie dough bites. Then Anaya interrupted me upstairs whilst making up my face for church to present me with this...

Also, we went as a family to Texas Roadhouse for some good ol' fashioned country cookin' the Friday before. Mmmm-mmmm.

A pretty good 1st Mother's Day indeed. Thanks Babe!

Happy Mother's day to you Mom and to you Jeani. You both are such good support systems for our family. Thanks for all you do. We love you both!!

Why do I always have to have a title?

2010-04-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

Anaya's new towelie. We call it Towelie.
Anaya Jumper...or hanger

Natalie in her awesome play. Very professional.

Way to go Sis!!! I was so proud I almost cried. I really admire you. Love you.

Natalie's boyfriend

1. We have been to see my sister in her play. She did an awesome job. I am so proud of her and all her accomplishments the past 4 years.

2. Anaya rolled over for the first time yesterday evening. I was afraid she might be too big and that was why she wasn't doing it yet.

3. Reed's mom and nieces got in a car accident on Tuesday, but they are fine and back to their regularly scheduled programming.

4. I found out I will be teaching an academic class next year. Yes! I need a change. I have been teaching life skills (MDSSI-multiply disabled and severe sensory impairment) kiddos for 10 years.

5. Reed took his qualifying engineering exam. He feels good about it but won't know the results for 12 weeks. Crap.

6. Anaya weighs over 16 lbs. Hee hee.

7. Reed has his truck running finally. Yay...more gas money.

This is a video of Anaya in her jumper for the first time. It was mine when I was a little tike. It's sideways. Sorry. Just tilt your head. Kay, thanks.

In Her Easter Bonnet...

2010-04-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

Our first Easter with our babe went swimmingly. We went to the park with Reed's family and had a great time.

"Do I look alright?"

...with Serena

"Yes! Got one."

"Whoopsy!"

"Thanks cousin Shannita"

"What am I supposed to do with these?"

Easter Girls

Happy Easter family

All tuckered out.

Great Grandma Dorothy

Her new toy for Easter. Thanks Cousins Donna and Tom!!

Look Who's Talking...

2010-04-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Practicing her B's...

Photo Shoot!

2010-02-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

Friends of ours from church were angels enough to take pictures of our new little family...for FREE! I am so grateful fo this awesome act of kindness. The pictures turned out professional and beautiful. I have been showing them off to everyone who stops by. Yes, my baby is naked in most of them, and she peed and pooped on me in the process, but all newborn pictures are naked ones and the result is inevitable defecation. Right? I love these pictures and cannot wait till we are not destitute to have them blown up and strewn across our walls!

Photo shoot aside, Reed has been gone for a week on another one of his field jobs. I have been totally alone for an entire week. I have had much appreciated help here and there, but have had sole responsibility of a newborn for 6 days. I wanted to prove to myself that I could successfully do it alone and did so the first night. That was all I could handle. Thanks to my mother-in-law and friend Sandra for keeping me company the next 3 nights. I felt so vulnerable being alone in this big house with a 2 month-old. I did go shopping one rainy day though to break the monotony and just to get out of the house and take up time. That made me feel better. Even if the "greeter" lady basically told me my baby was fat. "Does she get her big cheeks from Mom or Dad?" What!?! See ya later lady. I would tell her not to quit her day job if that probably was not in fact her day job. Reed comes home today though providing the equipment they are using does not run out of batteries again. Argh! It was nice though to spend a whole week admiring my baby and all her special qualities. She is so amazing!

Well, enjoy these pictures. I sure do!

Updates...

2010-01-12T20:08:00.000-08:00

Since my last post about Christmas, we have been very busy visiting family and enjoying the outdoors. I have decided to let go of my fear of germs and winter weather...partially. I still do not fancy the idea of sitting in a building with 200+ kids aged 2 to 12 who are sneezing and/or coughing and/or harboring some infectious disease that is undetectable from an innocent bystander (aka...church). However, I let down my guard (since it's now summer-time) and have allowed Anaya to immerge out into the open. We have walked around the park by our house, strolled down Sabino Canyon, attended my cousin Elizabeth's wedding reception in Gilbert, and even gone shopping. I know..that place has germs too, but they are not sitting right next to you in the form of small children.
Anaya is well and growing everyday. Literally. Is that normal? I swear she's like a small person. It's hard to remember she's still a newborn. She has also begun smiling a lot...so cute I could just eat her up. We are having such a great time with her.

At Sabino Canyon with Daddy...

At the park by our house. Anaya is clearly having a blast...

Much more interested now that the walk is finished...

Ain't she gorgeous?...

Elizabeth's (Lizzie's) reception. Looks so natural Lizzie, but wait a few more years...

Posing with Aunt Natalie...

Anaya meets Great Grandma for the first time. Oh my gosh, I'm gonna cry. Four generation picture to come...

Cute videos just for fun...

Disclaimer: May be boring for non-family members. So watch at your own risk.

Baby's First Christmas!

2009-12-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

It was fun to spend Christmas with our new baby. There were few presents, but the joy we felt as we celebrated what we did under our tree were priceless. I am so blessed to have one of Heavenly Father's children in my home to nurture and enjoy. Anaya is the best Christmas present we could have ever received.

Our daughter shows her true feelings about Christmas morning...

Deciding to put on a good face for documentation sake...

Still not in the Christmas spirit I suppose...dirty diaper?...

Our ornament (still to come) for 2009...

Visiting with family...cousin Phil...

Merry Christmas everyone!...

Graduation Numero Dos

2009-12-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

I have finally done it...I am finished with school! I had some serious debate with myself whether I should go to my graduation or not and after much deliberation decided I should most definitely. I worked hard for this and I deserve to walk across the stage. These past three and a half years I got my masters degree, ended one job and started another, purchased a new home and had a baby...all while working full-time. Phew! Glad I did it though.

Mommy Grad and her babe...

My professors and I with some of the other grads...

Moving forward...

2009-12-14T09:24:00.000-08:00

It has been over one week after my big moment and things are doing well. Anaya is the best thing that has ever happened to us. She is healthy and happy, except when she's hungry...she's so needy! I am happy to announce that her umbilical cord has fallen off and no longer reeks to high heaven. Holy cow...that thing smelled worse than her frequent poo explosions. Anyone else ever experience that magical smell?

Reed is even getting the hang of the whole Daddy thing. He's been so helpful. It's nice to have a support system when you're in the throws of postpartum gook (no depression, just gook...ya know what I mean).

I am healing nicely and can walk normally now for almost 15 minutes. Yes!!! I am almost down to my "beginning of my pregnancy" weight, too. But...will my ugly belly skin go away anytime soon? Oh, I hope so.

She's Here!!!!

2009-12-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

Well...I am happy to report that after 9 long months and 9 not so long hours of labor (thanks epidural lady!...I love you), my long awaited moment of sheer joy has come. Her name is Anaya Elyse and she made her grand debut into this world Thursday, December 3rd, at 11:58am. She weighed 8 lbs. 12.9 oz, 21 inches long and she is amazing. I couldn't love anything more. Now I know what women meant when they said they never thought they could love someone so much. I am so in love! She is beautiful and I am so proud of her. I find myself in tears quite often purely from the love I have for her. What a blessing.

As far as the infamous "labor story" goes,...my water broke at 3:00am-ish after two days of on and off cramping (which I chalked up to diarrhea pains that wouldn't go away and let me sleep) and we rushed to the hospital, tears, heavy breathing and all. 40 minutes later we arrived and I meeeeeeaaaaaandered down the hall to my room. I managed to make it to 6 centimeters all by myself until the lovely epidural lady came to take away my woes. I highly recommend an epidural solely due to the fact that you can pay attention to what is going on around you and enjoy the moment...oh, and so you don't feel your estimated 10-11 pound child burst through your body. I know women like to feel their child come out and so did I, but having an epidural didn't change the moment for me. I still felt like I worked hard and made my big contribution. My doctor called the hospital to check on her patients that morning and was shocked to hear that I was there in active labor after 3-4 long weeks of 1 centimeter, 50% effaced, and -3/-2 station. I was so excited to see her walk in to rescue me...and then she left me. :( However, my nurse Karen was amazing and helped make sure my baby was safe and happy before gracing the room with her presence. Finally, at 11:58 after my doctor came back in to rescue me, my beautiful baby girl popped her head out with some help from the forcep lady...aka, my wonderful doctor. I was so glad she was there to help me bring my baby into this world. I didn't even have to push the rest of her out. I guess after 37 cm has just passed through your loins, the rest kind of just falls out. It was kind of an odd feeling to have her placed on my stomach and then in my hands. I didn't feel that rush of emotion at first. More like..."Wow, she's heavy and smells a little." But after they cleaned her up and handed her to me I was overcome. What an amazing opportunity it is to bring a baby into the world. Reed was great, too. He didn't even pass out. He was quiet the whole time, but there for me just the same.

Anaya and I are doing fine now. I am still very sore even a week later, but getting better everyday. Anaya is healthy and oh so cute. See for yourself...

Above: my little bundle of joy after her first bath at home, and kisses from mom after she was all cleaned up. Kisses make everything better...baths can be rough.

A new family...

Chillin' in her new boppy swing... On her way to her first doctor appointment...

So photogenic...and super cute!...
Vogue...work it...

A new mama...

What a proud mom...

Our family is complete...for now...

Hee hee...

and their eyes met, and it was love at first sight...

Gettin' all shined up...and better smelling...

A new daddy...

Not as big as we thought...

Awww...

Brand new...

How could you not love this face?...

...and they lived happily ever after.

Say What?!!!!!?

2009-11-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

If you will all just take a gander to the right side of the screen, you will note it says I still have over 2 weeks left to go. Not so bad...right? WRONG! Especially when your doctor just told you your baby is still face up (not down like she's supposed to be...she's already being rebellious)...and I'm only 3 cm dialated. Oh wait...there's more. Here's the kicker: she already weighs 9-10 lbs. WHAT?!? How could someone with my small frame grow a child that is a fatty? Again...I blame Reed, which my doc said I am totally justified in declaring. She also said that mama's size and diet has nothing to do with baby's size...which is why it's okay she's a tubby (at least I know I didn't contribute to her girth). She did make me feel better though by assuring me that fat babies are indeed cute--a phrase I have always cringed at and shoved in my bank of ludicrous thoughts--and when I see her and she looks like me, I will just fall in love with her. Didn't I already say I love my doctor? I'm glad she didn't just roll her eyes in disgust at my "I don't like fat babies" comment and exit stage right quickly. Anyway...I'm having a huge baby and that's that. Moving on...
I have passed all of my master's exams with flying colors (who ever came up with that phrase...honestly?) and will graduate December 17th unless I have spontaneously combusted by that point. Thanks for caring.

Trick-or-Treat!

2009-11-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

This Halloween was much more of a success than last year. That's right...the door bell rang 7 times this year, instead of the disappointing 2 last year. And...sometimes I would open the door and 4 or 5 creatures would be standing there yelling at me. Ah...such fun. I love Halloween. I actually got rid of almost all of our candy. Yes, we had scaled back a bit on the sweets based on last year's stats, but we still had a big bowl prepared with nothing left now but tootsie rolls and a lone mini-twix bar. Hmmm...guess I'll have to eat that. I may decide to be nice and hand those left-overs out to my primary kids. They really could use the energy. NOT!

Here is my costume I wore for Halloween 2009. I only wore it to work and everyone thought it was brilliant. Too bad I couldn't take any credit for it. It was all Reed's idea. I thought it was pretty funny myself...

...bet ya can't guess what I am.

Whoa!

2009-10-15T18:36:00.001-07:00

1. I am so sick of drinking water!
2. I think I look pretty good for 8 months pregnant...that's humble...right?
3. I am uncomfortable doing anything.
4. Sometimes, I think she's going to fall out...so much pressure.
5. No stretchmarks as of yet...gulp!
6. Love every minute of her daily calisthenics even though it occasionally frightens me that she may be having a spasm.
7. I cannot wait to see what she is going to look like.
8. I am starting to get really nervous about the whole labor thing.
9. Heartburn sucks!
10. I can't wait to see Reed with her and raise her together with him.

Fancy Toes!

2009-09-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

I finally got my first pedicure. It was lovely. I highly recommend it...and I will be doing THAT again in the near future. My friend Sandra went with me. Here are our toes...

Here are our faces...

Me at 7 months and 1 week, or 29 weeks, or with only 1o weeks and 6 days to go. Whichever you prefer.

"You have a beautiful belly"

2009-09-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

The other day, one of my co-workers told me I have a beautiful belly. I thought how nice a comment that was, even though it was coming from a guy. I guess he could have said, "Hey you cow, your belly looks pretty fat today," but he didn't. It totally made my day, too. I always feared that I would retain a ton of water and my face would break out into one giant zit when I was pregnant. Luckily, I have been able to ward off such nonsense. But I still have 3 months to go...so I'd better find some wood to knock on QUICK! In other news, I have just completed my first 4 weeks of school teaching my new middle schoolers. Even though most days are pretty similar, each day brings with it new and interesting "items of business" shall we say. Sometimes these items are pretty down right hilarious. Not so hilarious however are the moments when one of my students decides he is going to throw a big bowl of chocolate pudding across the kitchen in protest of cooking-time and then yells at himself while I make him clean it up. Okay...that last part falls into the 'hilarious' category. Oh...kids! Also, I have just signed up for my master's exams and will be taking my orals October 1. So, please don't curse my name or think bad thoughts about me until after that date...for I shall know it was you. I will finally be done with stupid school in December. I have been going to school now for 10 years (my fault, I guess). I could have been a full-fledged doctor by now. Well, almost. Anyway...to close, here are more pictures of me and my "beautiful belly" at 6 months. Just FYI: I am now 6 months, 3 weeks and counting...

The Best Birthday Present Ever!!!

2009-08-07T09:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I got to spend an entire 1/2 hour with my baby girl. What a great birthday present! That's right...we're having a GIRL!!! The doctor knew we wanted a boy, so she looked real hard for a penis, but to no avail. Oh well. That's just more incentive to try again. It's just going to be very hard to choose a name now. Reed and I had already agreed on a name we both liked for a boy. Now, we have to start all over. Reed doesn't like the name I want to choose for our girl...but who's doing all the work here? Oh, that'd be me. Who's gonna bring this baby into the world? Oh, that'd be me. So I think I'm entitled to have dibs on the name...right?? Maybe if I convince him to let me name this girl, I will let him name all the other kids whatever he wants. That shows you how much I like this name I chose. Anyway...back to my joyous 1/2 hour birthday present. I am simply amazed at not only nature and God's beautiful creations in action, but the technology we have now to see it happen. I saw just about everything you could see on a human...and she was perfect. Everything was developing normally and she just looked so perfect. She moves around a lot too. It was fun to see her mouth open and close and her arms and feet move right in front of me. It didn't really hit me just how amazing an experience that was until later that day at home. During the appointment, you are so focused on what the doctor is saying and what you are seeing, and then of course the big revealing of the gender. It's hard to really soak it all in and realize what you are priviliged to be seeing. But once I let it all in and was able to concentrate on it, it was the best feeling ever. My first baby. I am already in love with her.

Road Trip!

2009-08-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

So, we're back from our very long, but beautiful trip across the country. We flew to West Virginia and met up with Reed's parents and nieces there. We stayed with a very nice couple (my mother-in-law's cousins) for several days. They had such a nice home and lived in a fabulous neighborhood. I was starting to look at real-estate ads. WV is so green and lush. I loved it! After our stay, we began our voyage across the US. We drove through 13 states and eventually ended up in California. We were supposed to end in Utah for the Seamons family reunion, but this ended up being cancelled due to a family member passing away. The family packed up and headed over to California for the funeral. The funeral was very nice and this woman was loved by all. I wish I could have met her. It gives the phrase "never too late" a completely different meaning. This trip allowed me and Reed to meet family we had never seen before, and we are glad to know them. Below are some of our pictures from the excursion. The rest can be found here.

An awesome waterfall just hangin' out by the side of the road. Much more tolerable than stupid, ugly cacti!

WV countryside.

Some of the family...Reed's mom's side.

The state capitol.

Here are some pictures for my mom's viewing pleasure...

Maybe it's a good thing I was born without a butt. These are of my pregnant glory at 5 1/2 months.

Reed and Jen and then...

2009-07-09T15:32:00.001-07:00

Reed and I were thrilled when we woke up the other day to this...

He was in our backyard stealing some shade. Guess we'd better put those screens we bought in the openings in our wall now. This sucker was over 4 feet long and looks as though he's staring right at me in this picture. Reed discovered him (luckily, because he didn't have a rattle) and ran upstairs to share the joyous news with me. I threw some clothes on and hurried downstairs. Reed was a little upset that I just waltzed outside to find it with seemingly no caution at all. Especially because in other news...

I'm pregnant!! I figured it was okay to tell now because:

1. It's getting too hard to hide it and

2. People are probably wondering why I'm "letting myself go" and

3. I'm 4 and 1/2 months

So there ya go. I will finally breed. Watch out world!!!!!!

We'll find out on August 6th that it's definitely a boy...cuz that's what I want!

Independence Day 2009

2009-07-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

Reed and I had his family over for the 4th's celebration this year. We usually just watch the fireworks on TV or go up to the second floor of our apartment complex and see what we can see, but this year we decided to mix it up. Being a homeowner sure does open up many more rooms of possibilities. Reed and I thought it would also be more fun to have a BBQ at the very nice and spacious park by our house. Well, when we arrived to clean off the grill that other nasty people have used and start the coals burning, the very nice and spacious part was drenched in about a million gallons of water (courtesy of the downpour we had the night before). Apparently this park also serves as the drainage for our community. Brilliant!! Reed had actually gone over earlier to check the park's availability of crusty grills but decided not to tell me about the water in hopes it would all be gone in the next few hours and I suppose in fear of any yelling that may ensue upon me hearing the dreadful news. So, Reed and I enjoyed cooking and semi-hosting our first BBQ in pools of molch sprinkled with rabbit poo...and the aroma...mmmmm! I say semi-hosting because instead of Reed's whole family attending like we thought and were hoping for, Reed's parents came. (That sounds bad...we did enjoy their company). The other family members showed up in small numbers eventually. The night ended up being rather enjoyable. Reed did a wonderful job with the burgers and hotdogs, he even fed one to the rabbit pooed water. They were tender and juicy. Yummy! We ended the night at the Fireworks Spectacular held in Marana. Next time we'll have to bring lawn chairs, even though we thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the ant-ridden dirt hoping that one would not crawl down my pants.

Reed and his BBQ-ing skills!

Only a fraction of the drainage aftermath...and my father-in-law, Darwin.

My mother-in-law, Jeannie, waiting for her food in the van. She did not want to hang out with us in the rabbit-poo water for some reason.

Now there's the spirit folks!!

Knock Knock...It's Kirby.

2009-06-28T18:15:00.001-07:00

The other day, there came a knock on the door. Crap!...a visitor and I'm in my PJ's. So I creep up to the peep hole (so she doesn't suspect my presence) and there is a nice looking girl with a clip board. Should I answer it?...I thought to myself. I can just smile and nod and then nicely decline whatever she was selling. WRONG! Always creep back away from the door quietly and pretend you're not home. Think Jen!!! Anyway, I actually open the door (no thanks to the involuntary muscle reactions of my upper extremities) and listen to her schpeal. She was selling a vacuum and proceeded to explain its glory and wonder with a bonus deep-cleaning of the fabric in the house of my choice. All I basically heard was that I will get a piece of my house cleaned for free. When she's done with her lecture, smiling like she'd like a response, I say "Sure". STUPID! What follows would take me through a 2 and 1/2 hour adventure (which I'm sure you don't care to indulge in) of how this vacuum works...who said anything about a vacuum...and why I should buy it. So basically my morning (and afternoon) consisted of needlessly starving myself for three hours just to get my couch cleaned. By the way, this vacuum (Kirby is his name) costs more than the down payment on our car. I made sure I mentioned that in lou of today's economic crisis before passing out after viewing the price tag. This vacuum is amazing though. Dang it! It not only vacuums...oh no...it is a leaf blower, car detailer, deep-cleaner/shampooer, sweeper, tile cleaner and many other things in one. "Hot Dawg!" you say? Well you can have one for the reasonable price of 2500 dollars. Not so hot anymore right? That's what I thought. The owner guy was totally willing to bargain with me though. However, he was just not going for the 60 dollar price tag hanging above my puppy-eyed head. Guess I should have slipped into something more sexy than my pajamas that morning. To make him feel more successful and less like he had just wasted a good majority of his day, I promised some customers to him. So...anyone who wants this delicious deal...just let me know. I'll send them knocking on your door. Enjoy the hours of fun!

All joking aside, it is a tremendous vacuum, and he is willing to make a deal. Payment plans are offered too. Anyone, anyone?

Guess I'd better

2009-06-12T15:59:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in awhile...well cuz' there's nothing to say really. Just thought I should since it's been 2 months. The new house is doing well. We are painting it this summer finally. I hate white walls especially when there's not much decoration on them, and color would just be much more homey and welcoming.
School is done for the year. I am taking an online class this summer and one more in the fall...and then I'll finally be done!!! Wait...what's that in the distance? I think it's a finish line. Oh wait...something is blocking it. Oh yeah my comps. Ugh! Ah well...the inevitable strikes again. Guess I'll have to wait till December graduation to get too excited.
In other news, we hope to be traveling across the country later this summer if all goes well with our finances. Tuition has rapidly depleted our savings account. Cripes! Anyway, more posts to come, hopefully of our painting genious and our lovely trip. Stay tuned.

Invasion of the Moths!!!

2009-04-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

I just had the most exhilarating, triumphant experience sucking up all the moths (dead or alive) that have recently invaded our humble home with the attachment on our vacuum cleaner. I felt like Vindictive Wonder Woman. She existed once, right? Now, I just have to sanitize the areas where they dumped their bloody poo. Why!!! Anywho, these nasty little germs in flight are the fifth type of critters we've had around these parts. #1: fake bugs from my cousin Alicia on her first visit to our new home. House-warming gift? #2: crickets. #3: our first (and only) cute little baby scorpion. #4: a mouse. He was cute too even though he was dead. Is that macabre? I wait in anticipation for our next critter to rear it's ugly head.

"Friendly Reminder"

2009-03-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

If you will all just take a moment to scroll down to my previous post regarding our growth. I thought it was pretty amazing. Well...the HOA did not agree. We received a letter in the mail today about this disagreement with the unsightly growth occurring in our front and side yards. Excuse me, but how can one of God's creations be unsightly. Reed and I were actually encouraging their progress and are very proud of how far they've come. The HOA needs to spend a little more time appreciating nature in action. Despite our valiant efforts to nurture our growth, the weeds in the yard have to go. We have until April 9th. Which means...we'll wait until April 9th before we let our creations meet their demise. Here are pictures to remember them by...

Side Yard

Front Yard

Oh, and I have finally taken the time to photograph the inside of our new house...which is actually almost a year old already! Disfrute!

The Loft (upstairs)

Upstairs hallway

Entry to our bedroom (double doors)...how grand!

Our bedroom. Oops...forgot to make the bed. Oh, who am I kidding...nobody really makes their bed anymore.

laundry room...upstairs...oh yeah!

Entry room

hallway to kitchen downstairs

Kitchen/dining area

Living room

Just Kitchen

What're They Up To???

2009-03-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

Reed is really getting into his work...We're making a lot of growth... Reed just went out to water this one. It needs a little encouragement.

I have this recent infatuation with using the word "SWEET" as often as I can...Sorry. No Picture.

This just in...

2009-02-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

I don't know if many of you have heard, but Joaquin Phoenix appears to be quiting the acting business. What?!! He is an amazing actor. He is believable and true to each character he portrays. You can't help but get sucked into each movie he is in...because of him! I can watch him in any movie over and over. Signs...I've seen that movie probably about 200 times. I am so sad about this news. I know we should all just respect his desires and let him go about his way, but I can honestly say I will be truly saddened by his absence. I'm hoping he will return some day, and I'll be waiting with baited breath until he does. Okay, that's a little extreme/obsessive, but he's just that good. Also, incredible acting talent aside, he's just a good person. I will miss him. Good luck in the music industry Joaquin. You'll be great.
Excuse me now while I go buy every film Joaquin has ever been in. (the ones that aren't rated "R") That's another thing: don't producers/directors understand that by giving a movie an R rating, you are automatically limiting your audience and will probably make less money. That's a whole different blog entry though. Another day maybe.

Record Breaker

2009-02-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I have broken my record of one month breaks between blogs! I love breaking records. Some of you have been wondering how I'm doing after my surgery...or you just want to see the aftermath. So here it is:
I think it looks pretty good. I am still sore though when I try and contort my wrist into certain positions (maybe I shouldn't do that) or when my kiddos at school unknowingly dig their fingers into my scar. Stupid hand-under-hand techniques. Anyway, my doctor said everything looks real good. It may still be sore at times for awhile, even months. The wrist is a sensitive area.

In other news, I have begun running. I decided I needed to exercise. So, about once every 2 weeks, I decide to go running. Nice right! I'll be in shape in no time.

Suprisingly, this is not me, this is what I pretend I look like when I'm running. Hopefully I look this way too. Eh...maybe later.

Other than these news flashes, Reed and I are just continuing with school and work...blah, blah, blah.

Happy New Year???

2009-01-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, I suffer from cystic wrist ganglionomy. Yes...that's a technical term for cysts on my wrists. They come and go whenever they please. I blame it on years of pushing, pulling, and lifting the wheelchairs/students I have worked with. They have always popped up on the back of my wrists. This past January, after I took a nasty little spill at Madera Canyon, which some of you may also recall, a lovely little bump appeared on sight of the exact spot I hit my wrist. This one was on the under side of my wrist and never truly went away. It got increasingly bigger over the past few months. Exhibit A...

Huge, ain't he! Naturally, he began bothering me and getting in the way of my duties at work. He had to go. Well, to get rid of him, I had to have x-rays and an MRI (one of the worst experiences of my life) just to get a bigger picture of what we were dealing with. The doctor informed me it was huge and spread across 2 areas of my tiny little wrist. Exhibit B...

So, my surgery was then scheduled for New Year's Eve. Great! No partying for me...the partying animal. Nope, instead I spent the afternoon under the knife, and then vomiting while a nurse stood by assisting my bladder emptying, and inevitably crying like a baby once she placed me in the car and walked away. I complained of acting ridiculous to Reed who comfortingly let me know it was okay to cry and to just let it out, which I did almost the whole ride home. When will he ever learn. On the upside, I am feeling much better this morning and can hardly wait to see the surgery aftermath in all its glory. It's all I can do to keep from ripping the bandages and brace off to take a peek now. Patience, patience little drama queen.

Christmas Time is Here

2008-12-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

Well, the coughing/gagging has subsided, the decorations are mostly completed, school is OVER,...vacationing can now commence! Reed and I (and when I say Reed and I, I mean Reed) have been working hard trimming the tree and rigging up the lights in a lame attempt to add some holiday cheer to our new home. We don't have enough decorations to satisfy even Mr. Scrooge, but our tree looks great, and I feel better knowing that we should hopefully have enough time and money next Christmas to create a winter wonderland that the Grinch can't even shake a stick at.

Tree # 6 in the life of Reed and Jennifer Seamons...

Above is our Christmas ornament of choice for 2008. Our first house! It's actually the first meaningful ornament that has ever graced our tree, besides the ones my mom gave me that commemorated my years growing up.

The piano I am supposed to play more often. Is that a cobweb over there on the left??

Holiday Cheer!

2008-12-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

I like to post pictures with each of my blog entries, but this one is about the past few weeks, which pretty much consist of me coughing so hard I nearly gagged, and stressful attempts to close out yet another grooling semester at the UofA with good grades. Therefore, there will be no pictures documenting that holiday cheer! You can thank me later. Re good grades: Reed and I both get a big fat check mark in that department. Wahoo!! Stay tuned for more...about Christmas, not gagging.

Turkey Time!!!

2008-12-20T15:42:00.000-08:00

...SEAMONS FAMILY...

I know this is soooo late, but I now have the pictures I need to document our Thanksgiving frolics. We had our first Thanksgiving in our first real home, (the apartment being some sort of edifice to get our feet wet) and cooked our first turkey. It turned out perfectly. I was so proud. We had Reed's family over and they completed our feast by supplying all the side dishes to compliment our beast. Hey...a rhyme! I know it's a fowl, not a beast, but then I couldn't make my rhyme.

The next night, we had my family over and cooked another holiday bird. It of course turned

out perfectly too. Best not cook another turkey again lest it tastes horrible...or we burn down the house. Either scenario would ruin the good memory I have in my head of our beautiful birds.

Turkey-talk aside, we all had a great time, and I can't wait for Christmas...which is in less than a week in lou of this procrastination blog.

Ain't he handsome?! The guy with the knife

is pretty hot too!!

How To Relieve Stress 101...

2008-11-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been about a month since my last entry. That of course means it's time to type something. We have been so busy moving, entertaining family and organizing that I haven't had much time to breathe let alone blog. However, we do have everything organized and have gotten used to the fact that we will never have as much money in savings as we used to. Sigh! I would just like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all those kind-hearted (out of their mind) individuals who drove clear across town or state to help us move into our-for now-oversized house. We truly appreciate your efforts. You should all come again when I am less stressed and yelley...that means I yelled a lot. Never fear though...I have figured out that in those moments of stress and yelliness...all I have to do is blast a Journey CD, and I am instantly transformed (for the better).
Another alternative stress reliever was the first Halloween in our new home. Not only was this our first Halloween in our new home, but our first trick-or-treater opportunity. An opportunity that proved not so opportunistic. Why is that you say?...our door bell only rang twice. TWICE! We bought 2 huge bags of candy and only handed out 6/18ths of it. Oh well...stress reliever #3: eating lots of candy! I wanted to document our Halloween enthusiasm with a picture of us and our first trick-or-treater, but I thought that might ruin any opportunity of friendship with this new neighbor...oh, and scar the poor girl for life.
For those of you who have been asking to see pictures of the inside of our house...I'll get to that when I'm done with stress reliever #3...and lots of exercising.

JOURNEY to Phoenix

2008-10-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my husband took me to Phoenix to see Journey in concert. It was the final piece to my birthday present in August. I must say, I was not a true Journey fan, but loved a few of their songs. Now, I can confidently claim obssession with the band. That was an awesome concert and I will be doing THAT again in the near future. Their new lead singer, Arnel Pineda is gorgeous. He is a tremendous singer and a perfect addition to this legendary group. What a night! I bought a Journey T-shirt, we had great seats, and we saw ourselves on the big projector 3 times. I could not thank my husband enough for such an awesome gift. Way to go Hun. You nailed it this year. (Not that all the other years weren't filled with good memories.) Anyhoo...here are some moments from one of the greatest events of my life thus far:

This is the best picture I could get of most of the band members. You have to realize that this lead singer was all over the place...very into his music...so it was hard to get a clear picture.

The following picture is of me and Reed during intermission. Is that a Bob Marley shirt he's wearing...to my Journey concert???

Anyway, this was such a good experience for me. I only hope I will be able to hear clearly again sometime in the near future.

DON'T STOP BELIEVING!

House Hunting Complete!

2008-09-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

We bought a house!!! We will actually be investing our money into something that will be ours free and clear someday. It feels good to be an investor. I highly recommend it. The only scary/sad element is that we are so far away from civilization and life as we knew it and loved it for almost 6 years (longer for me). I thought I would show off our new house in lou of my excitement... Here she is. It's hard to hold back the tears.

We'll have to spruce the back up a smidge...vines?

This is the view from our backyard, or sideyard. Not sure. Our realtor took these for us.

I think there is a Pampered Chef/Open House party in my house's future...for sure!!!

Grandma's Birthday!!!

2008-09-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my family got together to celebrate my Grandma's 78th birthday. Some family members were in town that we don't usually see much of and it was so nice to spend some time with them. As you can see, we have a large family, but as most of you don't know...there are 12 people missing from this photo. TWELVE! They were otherwise engaged...BUMS! So if you do the math, that means there are 43 of us all together: 1 grandma, 4 kids and their spouses, 16 grandchildren (9 of whom are married), and 9 great-grand children=43 + 1 on the way.

We had so much fun together. My grandma performed some of our family's best known poems, and we ate until "unbuttoning your pants" capacity. The best part: I managed to come away un-ill. The last 2 times a Willis or Blair family gathering occurred, I became deathly ill. WHAT!!!

The next photos are of me and my sister, my grandma and my mom. Do we look related, cuz I'm not sure? I think I look like my mom, but most people tell me I'm the spitting image of my dad.

This is my friend Storey. That's right...her parents named her after the simile for book. I would have gone with Haiku or Limerick...maybe even Prose, but it's not my kid. Isn't she cute though? Her parents say she loves to make faces. This is one of her more unique faces. Her future has Comedian written all over it...or Librarian. Get it...Storey. Hee-hee.

Window to the Past

2008-08-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged again by my friend Gretchen. Yes! This tag requires me to reflect on my highschool years...the best in my life if you ask me. I loved highschool. So, here we go...
1. Did you date someone from your school? A Junior in my seminary class liked me when I was a Freshman. It ends there. I was not popular with the guys. Probably because I prided myself on being rude and obnoxious. That, and I had no clue about the ways of flirting/dating.
2. What kind of car did you drive? My mom finally gave me her white Mercury Tracer when she bought a newer car of her own. This was my Junior year. Oh the freedom one gains when she scores her own vehicle.
3. Were you a party animal? To quote a friend of mine, "I am pretty straight laced." She then continued, "but not dead." Well, I was. The party scene frightened me.
4. Were you considered a flirt? Refer to item #1.
5. Were you in band, orchestra or choir? None of the above. I was heavily involved in drama and speech though. My highschool won several state competitions in a row...5 I think. I was a strong contributor in our wins.
6. Were you a nerd? I hesistate to answer. I don't think so. Let's review: I didn't raise my hand to answer every question; I didn't wear any glasses; I don't recall being on the chess club or associated with any who were. Looks like it's a resounding NO. Phew!!!
7. Were you on any varsity teams? What does varsity mean? Team? I'm confused. :)
8. Did you ever get suspended or expelled? No, but I was slated to attend detention once because my friend Kelly made Erika and I late for Chemistry. She fessed up real quick though and proudly offered to take detentions in our place. Way to go Kelly! You're a model friend.
9. Can you still sing the fight song? I haven't been good lately with thinking on the spot. I can't even think of the first few words. Lame! I remember our mascot. Does that count?
10. What was your school's full name? All that I can remember is Cortez High School. I don't think it had a full name.
11. School mascot? Colts. The Cortez Colts. We were a force to be reckoned with. Rar! I mean...Neigh!
12. Did you go to Homecoming, and who with? I would just refer you to item #1 again, but I did in fact go to one dance with a guy. Reed just said "I never went to Homecoming." I just laughed out loud. But now that I think about it, neither did I. I was thinking of Senior Prom. I went with James Taylor. He didn't see fire and he didn't see rain, but he probably hoped that that sunny day would end...quickly. He was a Junior, and I asked him. I rock! I should have just stuck with a reference to item #1.
13. If you could go back and do it again, would you? I would love to go back, but I wouldn't change a thing. My highschool years were some of the best in my life. I had great friends. I loved my teachers. I was involved in all the clubs there were. Well...the non-nerdy ones. I can't wait for my 10 year reunion! Wait, that sounds kind of nerdy.
14. What do you remember most about graduation? "Don't trip." "Don't trip." "Don't trip."
15. Where did you go Senior Skip day? I may not have been a nerd, but I wasn't stupid. Everyone that got caught was suspended. I ALWAYS get caught!
16. Were you in any clubs? Drama, Speech, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, National Thespian Society, Just One, SADD. I think that's it.
17. Have you gained some weight since then? The opposite, actually. When I got married, I lost a lot of weight. Most everyone at work thought I was sick or something. Shame on all of you. I was pretty skinny though. I have filled out a bit more. :) Let's hope it stops there.
18. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? Absolutely. I can't wait to walk in without a trail of kids behind me or a bun in the oven. I expect to hear huge gasps. I was supposed to be the one who opened her wallet and 10 pictures unfolded in the plastic accordian insert...one of each of my Jenlets.
That was fun. Thanks Gretch! Now I tag Bethany, Lark and Camille. Enjoy your blast from the past.

Knock Knock. Where's Jen?

2008-08-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Not much to say, but needed to write something. I haven't entered a blog in about a month...not cool! Since our amazing trip though, not much has occurred exciting enough to grace our blog. Ugh. All that's been happening is work and school prep. I just finished teaching my 3rd week of school. They were filled with laughter, tears (not by me), and way too much energy. I love my new class. I have only one new student and she is so cute. She loves to explore her environment and is so curious about everything. Not to mention, I have the cutest class at ASDB...everyone thinks so! They take after me. These first few weeks were rocky at times, but I think we are beginning to find our groove now. It usually takes about a month.
I start school this Wednesday: Braille and a web delivered course about behavior management. Like I need that! I've never taken a web delivered course before. It's never good to leave me on my lonesome with only a few words of wisdom and direction. Anything could happen!
Other than that, I've just been enjoying my new class, trying to catch up on reading, and house hunting. That's right...Reed has finally let us dive into the adult world. For those of you who know us well...this could take about 9 months to a year, so don't freak out. We will be graduated, Reed will have a great engineering job with a bigger company, and we'll be ready for the move in time. No worries! Soul possession of a washer/dryer...here I come!

Tag...You're It!

2008-07-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

Yay! I've been tagged. I have to report 6 things about myself that are random and possibly unknown to many. Then I have to tag a few other people. Too bad not many of my friends blog. Common guys...I need more blogging pals.
1. I am absolutely dead to the world when I'm sleeping. I can sleep through a thunderstorm or a kidnapping no problem.
2. I can make 3 loops with my tongue. I was really bored one day in highschool.
3. I love to step on very crunchy leaves...and bugs.
4. I despise bows. You'll never see me or my children sporting those hideous eyesores.
5. I love to be barefooted. Maybe that's why the bottom of our tub gets so dirty so fast.
6. I have never broken a bone. All of you better knock on wood right now!
Now I tag...Lili, Jordie and Vanessa. Have fun being random.

Oh, What a Wonderful World

2008-07-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well...we're back! We had such a great time. The West Indies are beautiful and the culture is welcoming and friendly especially when your husband thinks he's a West Indian...they seemed to like that. I was telling my cousin how important/humbling an experience this was for me. Guyana (located on the north coast of South America) is one of the poorest countries in the world. They don't have much, but they will give to others-no questions asked. I find most countries I've been to are the same way. America needs to follow suit a bit more.

Okay, we visited 2 countries (Trinidad and Guyana) in one week and I still managed to take over 200 pictures. We are so tired, but glad to have such an unforgettable experience under our belts. My eyes have seen some amazing things that I will brag about forever...until our next unforgettable trip. We hope to make this a yearly tradition while we have the time and money.

Here are some interesting facts I came up with about the W.E.:

1. Everything looks, feels and operates like Europe-probably because it was once run by the British for many years (at least Trinidad was).
2. Vendors/vagrants walk the middle of the highway selling their goods.
3. Although they speak English, it sounds like a foreign language to me-a cross between a Jamaican and East Indian accent.
4. People leave their trash bags full of trash on the streets (no trash bins I guess) for the city to pick up.
5. The government subsidizes travel, and food happens to be really inexpensive (not at the grocery store-a box of Cheerios was $7 U.S.)...yay for us!
6. Security guards patrol the grocery store aisles...should we have been concerned?
7. The people either look straight from Africa or India, or are a nice mix between the 2.
8. Stray dogs are like the pigeons in New York. What is that about?
9. Exchange rates: $6 Trinidad/Tabago to $1 American. $206 Guyana to $1 American.

Here are a few of my pictures. The rest can be found in this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/jseamons81/WestIndies2008.

Trinidad's Savannah. It was cloudy a lot, but isn't it beautiful?

Some kiddos at the zoo in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
On the way through the jungle to Maracas Bay, Trinidad.
Maracas Bay: this was a shocking realization for Reed that he needs a more thorough tan.
Beauty all around...loved the fogginess.

What a wonderful world we live in.

"The Bird Dance" by the ex-Queen of an Amerindian tribe called the Arawak's. We took a boat ride through the Kamuni creek off the Demarara river in Guyana to visit their village. Sorry for the obnoxious weed-eater noise in the background, but if you succeed in blocking that out you can hear her explain what she is doing and catch her cool accent.

26 going on 80

2008-07-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while, and since the blog is kinda like a journal for me (which I don't keep), I thought I would subdue my guilt and do my blogging duty. Reed and I have recently been feeling very outdoorsy (really due to the recent rain and cloudy days we've been getting) and have been hiking Sabino and Madera Canyon. I want all to know that I have faced and conquered my fears by hiking Madera as the last time I showed my face there, I fell on it...hard. I vowed never to return. However, I regained my wits and had a very successful trip, returning completely unscathed. Anyway...I just love the outdoors. Especially when it is cloudy. It just makes everything look much greener. I can accept the desert only under such circumstances.

On a much different note, and really the reason for my blog today, something that has been weighing on my mind...and my legs: Vericose/Spider veins. What!!! Last time I checked, I was in my mid 20s not Great Grandma-age. My mom doesn't have any and neither does my grandma. My legs are one my best features and now they are tainted. TAINTED! The hideous eye sores are faint mind you, but there nonetheless. I blame Reed...and my students...and the UofA. There...now I feel better.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2008-07-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

The crack of the bat, the smell of the grass, sharing your cotton candy with every puppy-eyed, open-mouthed person around you...That's right, I went to a baseball game tonight. Every summer on or around the 4th of July, our church buys a bunch of tickets and we all go together on the same night. It's really fun. This is the last season for the Tucson Sidewinders. They were sold to Reno, Nevada, so this was the last time to catch a game before they pack up and move on down the road. Since it is also around the 4th of July, they always have a fireworks show after each game. It was really awesome. It is really the only reason I go, and it would have been even better if Reed had not complained about their sorry selection of patriotic songs and wanna-be spectacular fireworks/grande finale THE WHOLE TIME:

Reed-"I can't believe they picked this song. It is not patriotic at all."
Me-grunt.
Reed-"Where is that firework going. It is going to burn someone up."
Me-sigh.
Reed-"They should fire this trumpeter." (they had a trumpeter soloist introduce the Firework Spectacular)
Me-"How about you just keep the yap shut next time and try and enjoy the show."

Other than that fascinating conversation, the night went very well, except for the 1/2 hour rain shower we got in the middle of the game. Everyone fled for safety, but I stuck it out. Reed was so proud.

Well before the firework conversation...

Here comes the rain...

Darwin (my father-in-law) and the girls...

PHI ETA SIGMA, here I come!

2008-07-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

I was SHOCKED yesterday afternoon to find an envelope in the mail inviting me to join the National Honor Society at the U of A for my high academic achievements in recent years. Now this may seem like I am inappropriately gloating, but Gloat I shall because as some of you may not know, I am not the academic achiever by any means. I hate school (but Jen...why the Master's?...don't ask) and have to work really hard to get good grades. So I am allowed to gloat all I want! Anyhoo...imagine my utter suprise when I got this letter in the mail. I have to pay 40 bucks to get in, but we can forget that little impuning detail, and I get a free PHI ETA SIGMA tee-shirt, a certificate and a great pin in an honorary induction ceremony. Wowwy! I also get to attend social events, and participate in service projects. I think I'm gonna do it. I don't know how this will fly with my inner conscience though seeing as how I hate sororities with every fiber of my being!

Etiquette...Improving America one youth at a time.

2008-07-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

All is not lost! Yesterday evening, I taught an etiquette lesson (while dining) to five girls in my church ward. (I, along with 2 other women, meet twice a month with a small group of girls ages 8-11, and teach them simple gospel doctrine paired with fun and interesting activities.) They actually knew more than I anticipated. I was so proud of them. We discussed everything from basic manners (not chewing with your mouth open) to little known facts but staples of etiquette (keeping your elbow close to your body when eating; scooping away from you while eating your soup appetizer). We played a game afterwards where they had to answer questions about etiquette and they could win back to school prizes (got some ugly grimaces for this choice) for correct answers/valiant effort. They all did very well. The girls all wore dresses to add to the nicety of the event, and nice...it was. I was glad to see that they knew some important manners already and that I could introduce (and hopefully engrain) some new rules of etiquette that they may share with others later, all in my courageous effort to improve/restore America one youth at a time.

Oasis in the Desert

2008-06-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

After finishing a 1 week intensive crash course in assistive technology for people with visual impairments (which I survived...thanks for caring), my cousin Jordie and his family came to visit! They live in Glendale, Arizona where the temperature...and gas prices...are higher than they are here in Tucson. So this was a nice break from the weather and the economy for them. We always like to take our guests to Mt. Lemmon. Emma would have rather gone to the zoo...but she seemed to enjoy the squirrel she fed at our picnic table. What she may not have enjoyed so much was the rather unexpected dunk she took in the stream. Here are some pics of our family fun. Aren't we fortunate to have family...

Here's my cousin and his cute little family.

Victoria cools her tootsies... Reed and I try to be familyish!
At one point, Jayden decided that modesty was no longer important. If you look real hard, you can spot both his diaper and pants in the background...cuz who needs those anyway!

FRAUD...She Wrote!

2008-06-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Well...just when you think you have beaten the system and "this will never happen to me"...you become a victim of FRAUD. Reed and I are trying to finalize everything for our big excursion to the West Indies next month. It is hard to communicate via phone with someone in another part of the world (not that far) but you get the idea. So...we have been doing everything over the internet. By golly, if someone did not hack into the system, or the person we were actually corresponding with, and take a very expensive monetary trip to not 1 but 3 different businesses to spend our hard earned greenbacks!!! I tell ya...what is the world coming to? I just hope we can enjoy ourselves now on an island where thieves may be lurking around every corner licking their chops waiting to sink their fangs into our moolah once again! Think positive Jen...

GONE FISHIN'!

2008-06-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hello family and friends,
Just an update on me and my latest goings-on...
This was my very first fishing trip in Showlow, Arizona. I went to visit my hubby Reed (an up and coming engineer looking for underground water for a housing development)...and my beautiful grandma Anita (resides in Snowflake). We met up with my in-laws and had a grand ol' time frolicking in the woods...I LOVE the woods! I have taken the liberty of putting together a lovely picture scrapbook of all the fun we had. The pics speak for themselves...but I added captions anyway cuz' they're fun. Enjoy...

Reed wastes no time. He's already baiting his hook without a prob.

Casting already. If he can do it...I can. Right?

My beautiful nieces Stephanie and Emyle have the right idea.

My turn! Okay...so I needed some assistance. Thanks Nick!

We're using actual worms...GROSS!

Let's try this again...

SUCCESS! Let the fishing begin.

Uhhh...other way Emyle.

Holy Toledo...I caught a fish!

Such a proud Fisherwoman. Look at the size of that Tubby! Okay...he was big to me.

Me and Fishy pose together for the first (and last) time.

Who loves her Fishy?!

Reed tries to fake a smile. He's just jealous. Buck-up Hun!

Little did poor Fishy know...

In case the last picture was not enough of a close-up...

What a trooper I am. A true Amazon woman!

Order's up! This pic makes me feel kinda devious. Fishy's family is gonna wonder why he doesn't write.

Yum-Yum! A little lemon pepper helps the medicine go down.

So full...and pooped. What a night! I even kept the skeleton...I needed proof...cuz' no one's gonna believe a word of this. Got shellac anyone?

Thanks to my awesome family: Laine, Steve, Nick, Stephanie, Emyle, Reed, and Royce too (he lent his home and supplies for our fishin' pleasure) for helpin' make my very first and quite successful fishin' trip a great one. I had an awesome time!