Grand Canyon Trivia...

Found this interesting book about the GC in the littlest souvenir shop ever just inside the El Tovar Inn situated right along side the south rim. Did you know...

1. If Niagara Falls plunged into the GC, how many times longer would it have to be to reach the bottom of the canyon? 28 times longer!

2. The highest elevation in Florida is 345 feet. How many Floridas could you stack up like pancakes inside the GC? 15 Floridas !

3. Yosemite valley is seven miles long. You could line up about 40 Yosemite Valleys along the GC's 277 mile lenght and you could still hide more in the GC's side canyons.

4. HOw many Golden Gate Bridges would it take to reach across the GC? 12!

5. What portion of the state of Arizona is occupied by Grand Canyon National Park? Less
than 2%!

6. There is an elementary school inside the park for the children of the employees.

7. Every summer they hire about 8,000 people to serve the rush of tourists.

8. Is the GC the largest national park in the US? NOPE--it is 11th on the list.

9. Arizona doesn't go on Daylight Savings Time: In the summer, it already has enough sunlight!

10. What cut the GC? The Colorado River, plus erosion caused by precipitation--although the exact details of how a river flows towards higher ground (as it does) it still a mystery.

11. The oldest fossils in the GC are about one billion years old--but none of them are dinosaurs
bones. The CAnyon is much older than dinosaurs.

12. What causes the most forest fires at the GC? Lightning! From 1940- 1975 52, 518 forest fires were started by lightning--an average of four a day!

13. Grand Canyon tourists sometimes eat deer poop! It's true! They mistake the small pellets for for pinyon nuts. Note: If you want to be sure you aren't eating poop, look up. If there isn't a pinyon tree within site, don't swallow them!

14. The Colorado River got it's name from the spanish meaing Red River. 19 % of it's length lies within the canyon. It is unsual because it is a river that flows through a desert. The trout in the river rode to the bottom of the canyon on the backs of mules.

15. How many GC mules have fallen off the trail and killed riders? Zero!

16. What is the most dangerous animal at the GC? The rock squirrel!

17. BAck in the 1930's deer in the GC became addicted to cigarettes!

18. Rattlesnakes are the most poisonous creatures in the GC? FALSE!
Red ants are! Zero people have died from rattlesnake bites in the GC.

19. What is more dangerous at the canyon -lightning or cameras? Cameras--careless!

20. How often do people fall into the Grand Canyon? Only once! (Bad Joke). :>
11.

The Grandest Canyon of them all...

Have lots to post but will just share some pix for now...

Moments in the land of motherhood...

Did you use soap in the shower? No, but I used deodorant afterwards!

Mom, my "growing" muscle hurts. Your growing muscle? Hmmm...and where is this muscle located? She pointed to the ache and I smiled knowingly, "That's your GROIN muscle." She giggled and said, "Oh! Is that what my dance teacher called it?"

Mom, is it too hot to wear a tank top? (I wasn't sure how to answer that one). Um....

Niko, your teacher emailed me your test scores from today--you got A+'s on everything! Cool--how many did I miss?

Okay, here is ten one dollar bills. Put $1.00 in the basket for tithing, and give the rest to your friend's parents to pay for your dinner after church. Okay? You know what to do with the $10.00? Yeah. Sure. No problem. --- After my child returns home: Did you give your tithing? Yep! Did you pay for your dinner? What? No. They paid for me. Did you say thank you very much but you had your own money tonight? No.... Why not? You never said I had to give any money for dinner. Why do you think you had extra money then? Huh?

Ugh!!

Every night before my daughter drifts off to sleep she kisses her daddy and I each on the cheek and says, "Thank you for a wonderful, spectacular day!" and with a smile on her face, she dances off to bed. She truly lives a life of the glass half full.

My son proclaimed one night as I was snuggling up to him, and tickling his cheek, "Mommy, you are so pretty. Your skin is like white velvet. And your freckles--God gave you one new freckle every time you were kind to someone." This child is a poet--not to mention the keeper of my heart.

Pitching in...

Flower Day at school--One week a year is set aside for Teacher Appreciation week at our school (and most schools, I believe). It is a rush of thoughtfulness, goodies, and love. This here is me doing my part with another 5th grade mom, Sherri, as we gather the flowers each child from our class brought in for their teacher for Flower Day. We did our best to display them in the donated vases--Sherri was a natural! There were so many flowers this year, Mr. Shore was showered with three bouquets, "I've never had this many flowers in my life!" What the picture doesn't show--it was coooold and the water on the stems left our fingers feeling like icicles. But it felt so good to pitch in!

Basketball...

Our school team of 5th and 6th grade basketball players had a blast the past few months--they ended up taking first place and earned the title of league champs, winning every single game they played !!! Go Defenders!!

Dancer girl...

Lauren is the team captain of her Lyrical team. One of the mom's caught her in action here. She loves to dance--can you tell?

Almost...

It's snowing in 49 states today--and it is 80 degrees here in Californian today. I almost feel guilty--almost!

12's...

Niko played his first Boys 12's down in San Diego recently. It was a tournament of invited players only; a tournament of champions! Each boy had won at least one tournament last year. He was so intimidated. As it turned out, he was playing boys a foot taller and most of them were turning 13 soon (he just turned 11). I was proud of him!

Powells...

I stumbled across this fantastic candy store recently and thought it would be a fun rainy day activity--Powell's Sweet Shoppe in Aliso Viejo! They have sweets from the 50's, 60's, 70's and even todays stuff as well. They have a gelato assortment, a fudge bar, and even a Harry Potter section (you can see the girls here trying on the hats from the movie)! They had Flints, Nik L Nip's, candy cigarettes (remember how cool it was to pretend to smoke like our parents? Can you imagine offering those to our kids nowadays?!!) --there were zots, and those Big Cherry's, Abba Zabba's and so much more. It was the most wonderful cavity inducing place I have ever been in! The quote of the day goes to Grace, "THAT was the GREATEST candy store EVER!" Oh, and please ignore my son's lovely expression--this is the face I get now whenever I take his picture. Isn't he just a darling?

Rainy Days...

It is cold, windy, gray, and wet outside. And I love it.

California weather shows the same episode most days, and this is a nice change to the usual line-up. I feel for the folks that have water seeping in, and I myself am praying that our very own pool does not overflow (it is right on the verge), but all in all I am at peace with mother natures stormy visit. I lighted the fireplace, turned on my Itunes, bundled up in my sweats and sweater, and will warm my hands soon while washing the morning dishes. May even make a cup cocoa for myself (although THAT won't be as fun without my mini-me's to share it with). --Maybe I'll save that treat for when they get home from school. Something to look forward to...

As I look outside at the rain drenched ground, I wonder how may Californians forgot to turn their sprinklers off this week?

Ephesians 5:15

Be careful how you live, make the most of your time.

Favorite Snapshots from 2009...

Niko took this one of me at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando. Juan enjoying his vacation. :> All of us sitting in the giant golden chair at the Casino in the Bahamas. My insane son letting the man place a snake around his neck at cub scouts. The three of us at a museum in Deadwood, South Dakota. Lauren celebrating her birthday (am still looking for Niko's pix from Disneyland). Lauren at her Dance company luncheon. Niko's tennis draw--and the first time he was teh first seed in a tournament!

On the way to play tennis. Having fun during a dance competition. End of the year Luau. New Game Stop in town. All the boys are having parties there. Video game heaven! Lauren performs in Annie--Pop-pop flies out to see!
New Years Eve at teh Beebe's -fun! The audience cheering for NIko's talent show performance. School field trip down to the beach. MOre New Years Eve. Someone toliet papered our house--never did find out who! Both my kids got the Timothy Award! What a great year!

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HIghlights of 2009....

I started this blog as a journal of sorts, to document the daily happenings of our life. As it turns out, I can barely keep up with the happenings, much less documenting them! So, even though they aren't in the order they happened, the following are some of the highlights of the last year:

I turned 44!
Juan turned 45!
Our kids turned 11!
Juan and I celebrated 26 years together!
Our company had it's 15th birthday!

Joined Facebook--which is something I would never do.
My youngest biological brother found me on Facebook--after almost 20 years of losing touch.
I started to write my book. Glad I joined Facebook.
Touched base with friends haven't talked with in nearly 30 years. We are all mostly living very similar lives. Raising kids, working, trying to figure it all out.

I gained 10 pounds. The most I've ever weighed in my life (except when pregnant).
Have a double chin and realize I was just fine with one.

My son got his braces off, and then got glasses on. His feet, btw, are now bigger than mine, Lauren's and almost the size of Daddys'. He is growing like a weed!

My daughter got her braces off, and her retainer too. She was one of four 5th graders asked to join the Math club at school and she is stoked about that! She has a high 8th grade reading level, and loves the Harry Potter series. She started her own blog and loves to write (hmmm...). :>
She has taken a break from the growth spurt in 3rd and 4th grades but her feet fit perfectly into my adult sized shoes.

Both kids are learning Spanish.

We added Grandmas dog to our household and that is a good thing. Chloe was lonely. Joe is the perfect addition.

I got reading glasses. Juan is next.

Niko won 5 trophies since he started competing in April in the USTA tennis circuit. Lauren went to the ACSI Speech Finals and got a first place ribbon. Niko played football for the first time ever--and had a great time. Lauren competed in tennis for the first time ever and wants to compete some more. Niko is playing Basketball for the school and loves it. Lauren was chosen to be the Lyrical Dance Team captain for the team she dances on.

We finally hired someone to take over some of my duties at the office. I only work one day a week --and I am not really sure how to navigate through my days now. I have never been a stay at home wife, mom, or anyone. 2010 will have to bring some clarity and focus on this, I hope. All these hours, with so much on my "want to do" list. Where do I begin?

Went to South DAkota and loved it! I highly recommend it to all! The locals are some of the nicest folks I have ever met. Even let me sleep in the lobby of the hotel when I wasn't feeling well. Went to Bahamas and had a good time too. Be careful though. A week after we left, they stopped the cruise ships from docking there. Too much theft. Sad too--beautiful island.

Had a lovely six week visit with my aunt. what a treat! Had three lovely visits with my dad--what a treat! Wish I could visit with my other aunt--what a treat!

Had a twenty year anniversay lunch with Wendy, Jackie, and Shundra. We all met at Paramount Studios 20 yrs ago, on the same day, in the page department. So grateful we still are in touch.

Juan got a very bad case of Shingles. Said it was the worse thing he has ever been through. Thankfully, after five weeks, he is better now.

Did I tell you my son is Rock Star? Lauren has taken up guitar now too--maybe they'll form a band!

Only 2010 will tell.....

2010...

Twenty-Ten, for me. That is how I will call the date. Short and simple. That is my motto for this new year we started today. I have no desire for chaos, racing pulse (unless, well, you know), nor any stress if at all possible. Things will be what they are, people will be who they are, and I will try to be part of the solution of it all, rather than part of the problem. So far, so good. Only 364 days to go. :>