We traveled to Flagstaff to meet Dave’s mom and sister along with life long family friends; the Pierces’.  We love this event as everyone is a lot of fun and the food is really yummy!!!!

This year was a little different as Ted Pierce (Donna’s husband) died on July 5th of this year.  Donna took his ashes and the family dispersed them in the trees of the San Fransisco Peaks.  It was lovely.  The family wrote messages to Ted on the trees using sharpies and let his ashes go.  It was one of the best memorials I’ve ever been to.
Syd lost her tooth during Thanksgiving dinner.  We had dinner at NAU’s conference center where the hospitality students put on a great meal.  All the traditional fixings with many more yummy good things to eat.  No one starved and it was a really nice day.

Sydney has a big sister (for four months).  This is Justine and she is our Rotary French foreign exchange student who is living with us for awhile!  She has been here since August living with a fellow Rotarian.  She will live with us until Feb/Marchish and then move in with another family for the remainder of her stay.  She has been to Supai, Vegas, and will be going to Hawaii (not with me  ) and is making money for her train trip in summer which will take her all over the country.  She is from outside of Paris and is an absolute love!  I don’t know if I will ever let another exchange student live with us as she is going to be a hard act to follow!  More stories to come!!

Ahhhh fall brings such wonderful things.  It’s a time of letting go, watching things die and fall away to the earth.  I lost my first child (relax, it was a cat) in October and now we let Sammy go to his heavenly host.

Sam the dog was such a great influence on our family.  We were lucky enough to get him from a guy who was one day away from taking him to the pound.  Sam had several families before us and was a little quirky.  He had wild eyes and I was worried for Sydney who was 3 at the time.

He won my heart the minute he got into the car.  He sat in my seat, of course, and when I asked him to get into the back; he did it without hesitation.  From then on the love grew and grew.  He was Sydney’s guardian angel.  He watched over her as if she were his daughter.

He was a good dog.  He would nose you for attention, shamelessly beg for food but would listen when you told him no.  He didn’t like other dogs very well – except for the ladies – ladies were always welcome (human or pup version). 

Ohhhhh Sammy.  I hope you find peace.  I know you didn’t feel so well in the end.  I’m glad we went to the lake and you got to get in that final swim and kayak ride with dad.  I’m glad you got to run on the beach and cuddle us in the tent.  I’m glad you got to hang with dad and take naps and love on him.  I know that was your favorite thing in the whole world.  I hope you know daddy will never be the same without you buddy.  Love ya!!!!!

Sydney goes back to school Monday.  What is up with that?  I can’t believe it’s that time of year again.  Summer was spent with some great days in Michigan.  More than usual this summer and Sydney and I agree, three weeks is good.  We don’t feel so sad when we leave and we are ready to see all of our family in Arizona.  I got to spend some great quality time with my bestest buddy Kristen.  I so miss her.   I hit myself in the head in wonderment as to why did I choose to move to Arizona and STAY!!!!  AUG!  I miss family and friends!!!!    Enjoy the pics – they tell the stories better than I ………………..

Adventure  Auto Glass had its open house on Saturday, June 20th.  With this open house came good press from the Prescott Valley Tribune, the Chamber Newsletter and KVRD radio!  That’s right kids, we did 36 ads on radio!  WOOHOO!  I’m trying to figure out how to post the link to the commerical cause, well, it rocks! 

Check out the pictures.  The guy with Dave is Keith.  Keith won a free windshield replacement!!!!  Thanks for the love and support! 

Check out the pics on the right – click to the next page to see more fun with Syd at Charlotte Hall Museum.  We learned that Tucson was a confederate town and lots of bad things happened there – a lot of people were leaving town and the Apaches thought they had won!  They, then, came into town and did all sorts of bad things…..hence our state capital was in Prescott!  WOOHOO.  Now you know.  ~

Sorry it’s been so long – we’ve been running around like crazy people!

Dave and Syd went to Kung Fu camp while I went to Colorado for Drew’s Graduation.  Both were great fun.  Kathy sure knows how to throw a party!  I can’t believe Drew is 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Syd and Dave had a blast – the pics are from gracious pals who forwarded them to me.  I will not miss it next year!

Grandma Nancy and Uncle Al came to visit so we all went and saw the movie “Up”.  We all (except for Dave) gave it two raving thumbs up.  Go see it!!!!  More to come!

Syd learned this on her trip to the San Juan River with her dad.    Loved it.  This last weekend I did not have my camera which really stinks because we went camping on Mingus Mountain and it was stellar!  Blue skies, not too hot and we had a great site.  Chrissy, Mark and Niya came to play with us and Mark brought his Jeep – HOW FUN WAS THAT!!!!!!!!!!!  WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO! 

Hope you all have wonderful Mom’s days!  XXOO!

Dave has his very own shop!  We are very excited for Dave!!!!!  Those of you that know him know what I am talking about.  Three years ago (Actually 5 the seed was planted….) Dave wanted to have an auto glass company.  He quit three years ago and decided to try it, after all, he knew he could get a job.  He is very good at what he does…..    So he started to work out of his new van and here we are three years later – my honey has his very own shop!  I couldn’t be more proud of him.  Drop him a line so I can pass it along to him.  I know he’d love to hear from you.  Not bad for a guy who turns 40 this Friday!!!! 

I  certainly hope that the snow has finally gone to other places.  We had two storms last week and that was plenty.  It’s sunny and beautiful and I planted only a few flowers as the guy at the nursery told me that we won’t be done until after Mother’s Day.  (Although I remember snow in April only…….so I’m sticking with that story.) 

Sydney is doing great.  She is progressing well in Kung Fu – she is a brown belt now and only has two belts to go until she leaves the Little Dragons and becomes a Ninja.    Way to go girl!    The other day, in sparring, she punched Nate in the face (fellow friend) and knocked his tooth out.  (He was happy about this)  Upon receiving the tooth, Nate’s mom, Kelly, took it to the bathroom to rinse mouth guard, tooth, ect off when she accidentally flushed it down the drain.  This is Nate’s second tooth – the first one, the poor boy swallowed…….not having a lot of luck with the teeth in the Nate/Kelly family.    I heard the tooth fairy left a letter along with a couple of bucks so Nate is recovering.