I'm Just Asking...

Would you say 4,000 pounds(2 tons) of landscape rock is a lot of rock?
What if it were all dumped in one big pile 3-4 feet off the ground?
How about if this 2-ton pile of rock that reached 3-4 feet off the ground was situated in the street right on the curb in front of your neighbor's house? Do you think you might notice it?? I'm just asking.

Today a neighbor we don't know rammed into a pile of landscape rock we had delivered at noon. This occurred at about 6 pm. So for six hours other neighbors were able to avoid hitting the 2-ton pile of rocks. Interesting.

Do you think if you hit a pile of rock that size, you would just keep going or would you stop?

Do you think after you decided to go on to your house you'd then walk back up the street and start screaming at the workers hired to shovel the rock, but who were not the individuals who delivered the rock? (also, these workers who don't speak English-would you maybe have yelled at them in their native language, at least?)

Do you think when the homeowner, your neighbor, came out of his house you would then proceed to scream at him too? I'm just asking.

Because this particular neighbor whom we've never met did just that. She screamed at Mike because she rammed into our pile of rock, damaged her Denali, and she had 2 kids in the car. Didn't he care about her kids? Well, I'm sure he would have been concerned if he had known that she had two kids in the car. But like I said she had proceeded home without stopping after the "accident", so he couldn't have known who was in her car, let alone who she was either.

Do you think you'd then inform your NEIGHBOR that you were going home to call the police? I'm just asking.

O.K. so the police officer arrives at her home first, talks to her, and then comes to our home.

Very nice man, the officer explains to us that the so-called "neighbor" admits she was blinded by the sun and couldn't see our pile of rock. Hmmm, do you think you'd maybe have your visor down if the sun were in your eyes? Sunglasses on? Would you slow down if you were "blinded" by the sun? Would you pay even better attention if you were having difficulty seeing??? I'm just asking.

The officer also explains that we should have obtained a permit to have the rock delivered, but doesn't give us a ticket because in his view this is a very petty situation, and not the kind of thing that should go on between neighbors. A good call on his part-wouldn't you say? But be assured, we will never have rock delivered and placed on the curb again, lesson learned!

The officer also informs us that he didn't ticket her either for her careless driving or "menacing behavior" toward us or the workers. In his book, it's "a wash" as he put it. The officer does go on to share his personal viewpoint about individuals who behave as she did. Especially how sad it is when this type of thing happens between "neighbors".

So then we ask the officer if we'll have to pay to repair her car and he says no. He informs us that there is very little damage and that her husband is fixing it himself as we speak; AND that when questioned the husband told the officer he didn't even want to get involved. Now that tells me that the husband already knows who's at fault in this situation.

A few more questions for ya:

Do you think if you hit this 2-TON pile of rock, instead of becoming irate with your neighbor, you might actually get upset with yourself for being such a dumb-ass?

Do you think instead of screaming at your neighbor, you might actually apologize and accept responsibility for your carelessness?

Do you think if you drove a Denali, you might sit high enough off the ground that you'd have a pretty good view of large objects in front of you?

Do you think if you had hit this 2-ton pile of rock instead of being irate with your neighbor, you'd maybe get down on your knees and thank the dear Lord that it wasn't a small child riding a bike??

I'm just asking.

Happy Father's Day!

GO ROCKIES!!! Today we were invited by our friends, the Ditlows, to attend a Colorado Rockies game. What a fun way to celebrate Father's Day! I've lived in CO now for 11 years and this was my first time to a Rockies game! And since Katelyn started T-Ball this summer, I had going to a game on my list of things to do this summer. We had SO MUCH FUN!!! I can definitely say we will be going again and again!! Of course I'm sure it helped that we had a beautiful day and great seats; or how about the fact that they were giving away free ball caps; or the half a hotdog I ate(gotta stick to my WW, but there's nothing like a stadium dog!). But the enthusiasm of the crowd is what really excited me! I loved the music, chanting, yelling, clapping, heckling, all of it. When something great happened, everyone bounded to their feet yelling and jumping up and down, high-fiving people around them.

Today's game was against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I always thought baseball was kind of boring to watch, but it's not when you're in the stadium! I think Katelyn had a great time too. She picked up on some of the chanting and would yell out too. Happy Father's Day, Mike~hope you had a great time! Oh and by the way we beat the Pirates 5-4! WOO-HOO!!!

My Apologies...

to my dear husband. I'm pretty sure Mike feels like I don't pay enough attention to him. That when he comes home from work, I'm not eager to listen with bated breath to everything he has to say about his day. Well, it's true-I'm guilty as charged! BUT I think I have a pretty good excuse: our daughter, whom I've recently nicknamed "THE INQUIZATOR"! You see, my dear spouse, while you're off at work all day doing whatever it is you do, I'm at home answering all of your daughters questions at the same time I'm also trying to clean the house, cook the meals, drive, do the shopping etc. Just so you don't think I'm exaggerating, I thought I'd record a little sampling of some(not all, by any means) of her questions for just one day:

Katelyn: "Mommy, when will you be medium?"
Me: "Do you mean when will I be done with Weight Watchers?"
K: "Yeah."
Me: "I don't know, honey, it takes a long time to lose weight."
K: "Is everyone's mommy on Weight Watcher's?"
Me: "No, but I bet it seems that way, huh?"
K: "Whose mommy isn't on WW?"
Me: "Um, Rebecca & Miriam's mom isn't."
K: "That's because she's not medium, huh, she's just small."
Me: "Right."


Katelyn: "Momma, am I 4 3/4 still?"
Me: "No, you're actually older than that now. You'll be 5 next month."
K: "So what am I now?"
Me: "I don't know, honey, mommy's not that good at math. Ask daddy when he gets home."
K: "Why aren't you that good at math?"
Me: "I'm just not. Everyone has different things they're good at. I'm better at reading & writing than math."
K: "What am I better at?"
Me: "You're good at both reading and math."
K: "Oh. But you said I have to be better at reading or math."
Me: "No I just said some people are better at one or the other."
K: "Oh.(pauses) That doesn't make any sense."


Katelyn: "Where else has mountains?" (nice grammar)
Me: "You mean like what other states have mountains?"
K: "Yeah."
Me: "Well, Wyoming, Montana"... and I list a few more.
K: "Are you sure they have mountains too?"
Me: "Yes, Katelyn, I'm sure. Here let's look at the map on the table."
K: "Hey, mom, I guess you were right afterall!"
Fancy that!!!


Katelyn: "Momma, can I pretend to be a snake?"
Me: "Sure, honey, you can pretend to be anything you want. It's called using your imagination and you don't have to ask me first, you can just pretend to be anything you want.
K: "Oh, O.K."
~10 minutes later~
K: "Hey, mom, can I pretend to be a turtle?"
Me: "Yes Katelyn."


Katelyn: "Mommy, when will I get a new pair of sandals?"
Me: "When those are all worn out."
K: "What's all worn out?"
Me: "You know, when they don't look nice anymore, or they get torn or something."
K: "Oh. But WHEN will they be all worn out?"
Me: "I don't know, Katelyn, it will happen when it happens."


Katelyn: "Mommy, when will I be big like you?"
Me: "Do you mean grown up?"
K: "Yeah."
Me: "When you finish your education and have a good job."
K: "But where will I live?"
Me: "Well, maybe in an apt. or a house. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
K: (starting to get upset) "But, mommy, I'll miss you when I'm big."
Me: "Honey, you don't have to worry about that now. You have many years to go before you'll be all grown up. Besides, when you are grown up, you'll want to live in your own place."
K: "You mean not with you and daddy? Never!"
Me: "O.K., well like I said we'll cross that bridge when we get there."


Katelyn: "Mommy, what's a bigger number than 11?"
Me: "12."
K: "Well, what's a bigger number than 12?"
Me: "I see where this is going and I don't feel like playing right now. Besides you already know the answers anyway."


Like I said just a sampling. This goes on pretty much the whole day. But there's more. Like every time we leave the house to drive somewhere, she asks me if I know the way. Doesn't matter that we go to the library or swim lessons every week, she still has to ask me if I'm sure we're going the right way. Or the countless number of times during the day when I have to repeat myself to get her attention because she's in a zone and has blocked me out. I can be a foot away from her, and she acts like she can't hear me at all. Or how about all the questions she asks me during the day that she already know the answers to-I guess she's just testing me in case something might have changed?? Or how about her constant LOUD off-key humming??? Oh well, so I won't be anyone's nomination for mother of the year!!!

It's exhausting. That's all I can say. So when you come home from work and want me to listen to stuff about work, I'm sorry but my brain is fried! I don't care what happened at Forward Air, and no I don't want to guess who called you today or how much a new battery will cost. I don't want to hear about Anthony(an employee) or his fiancee or their wedding. I'm not interested in discussing the price of gasoline, the President or any other political stuff, the weather, or your take on the recession. I'm sorry, I just don't have any patience left to talk anymore about anything. I just want to make dinner and be quiet for a little while.

Admittedly, I haven't read our book club's book about "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman yet. But I've been thinking a lot about it. If there's a love language for men that goes something like this, I think I have Mike pegged: "I just want her to hang on my every word with excitement and anticipation. I want her to laugh at my witty banter like it's the funniest stuff she's heard all day. I want her to be waiting eagerly at home for my arrival, so I can tell her every detail about my day, and have her hanging on every word." All I can say is if I'm right, then we're screwed!!!

By the way, I love you both with all my heart!

A trip to the Zoo

Denver has a wonderful zoo and we've been zoo members since Katelyn was a baby. A zoo membership is the gift that keeps on giving all year long, so thanks Mike!!Katelyn and I go to the zoo at least once a month, sometimes more. We have nice days in Denver all year round, including in the winter months. On nice days when there's nothing on the agenda, I love to say to Katelyn, "Hey, how 'bout a trip to the zoo?" She's ALWAYS excited. Afterall, no 2 trips to the zoo are ever the same! My favorite time to arrive is at lunchtime so we can pick up lunch, or pack a lunch, and eat when we arrive. I also like noontime because a lot of the early risers are leaving then, and I get a great parking space every time! Today we met my stepdaughter, Shelbey, and her 1-year-old son, Sean, at the zoo for an afternoon of fun!

Shelbey and Sean were living with us for a while about 3 months or so ago. I've missed having the baby around all the time! He's such a cutie! But it's good that Shelbey is back on her feet too. Shelbey will turn 23 on July 30(one day after Katelyn turns 5(WHEW!-that was close!!)Katelyn knows that Shelbey is her big sister, but there is such a big age difference that she really thinks of Shelbey more like an "aunt". Katelyn also doesn't understand that she is technically Sean's aunt, but refers to herself as his big sister! I think that's pretty cool!

We had a beautiful day to tour the zoo today. Not too warm (about 78) and a light breeze all day. Plus there's a lot of shade at the Denver Zoo, so that makes it nice too. I thought I'd post a few of the pictures from today so you can see my beautiful stepdaughter and her adorable son. Of course I had to post a few of my baby too! Oh, and by-the-way, you can call me Nana Shelly, not grandma! But feel free to call Mike Grandpa Mike anytime!!;)

Goin to Concordia, Missouri, Concordia Here I Come...

Sometimes fate steps in and circumstances just work out really well!! As was the case when my BFF Anna and I discovered we would be in Kansas City at the same time. Anna grew up in the small town of Concordia, Missouri, about 1 hour 15 minutes east of K.C.. Anna and I have been best friends for about 10 years now, we met through our PEO chapter after I moved to Denver. Anna's been in Denver probably close to 35 years(maybe more?), but still considers Concordia "home"-almost all of her family still lives there. Anna earned her Master's in nursing this past spring from Regis University(Congratulations!), and was going to Kansas City to take a class at UMKC(my alma mater). She was recently hired by Front Range College to teach nursing-Congratulations again!! Anna would to stay with her family and commute back and forth for her class.

Anyway, since we were going to be in K.C. at the same time, Anna and her family invited us to come to Concordia and visit their family farm. YEA!! It would be so exciting to take Katelyn to a real working farm. I also wanted her to meet Anna's family, the lovliest people on God's green earth I'm certain. And while I'm on the subject of lovely people, let me tell you about my friend Anna. She has the purest heart of anyone I know. She doesn't have a cruel bone in her entire body. She doesn't have any hidden agendas~"what you see, is what you get". Anna personifies unconditional love in her every action. She loves Katelyn like she were her own child. Anna is a true soldier for the Lord and doesn't just "talk the talk, but walks the walk!" Here are just 2 examples of how she's done the Lord's true work: she has gone to Ethiopia on a nursing mission to educate and heal the sick and dying there, including educating women and children about AIDS. AND she ministers at a women's prison here in Denver at least twice a month. Why do I consider those acts of "true" work for the Lord? Because she embraces the people that others have forgotten or written off. I believe that is what the Lord expects from all of us. HE expects us to love ALL of HIS people unconditionally. Anna gets that, and I'm blessed enough to learn by her example. Anna is funny, tough, honest, fiercely loyal, courageous, and not afraid to drop the f-bomb if it's called for(you know I dig that about you!). Best of all, Anna calls me her best friend too; and I'm truly humbled and certain that I don't deserve it. I love you, Anna.

So on Saturday, the 6th of June, Mike, Katelyn and I set out for Concordia, MO. Anna met us at the Hardees in Concordia, hopped in our car, and guided us on a quicky tour of her town. What a sweet town, just like I picture small town America. Then we headed for Anna's parent's farm. Amazing! I love the country! It's so quiet and peaceful. Anna's parents and brother, Rick, & his girlfriend, Sandy, were there to greet us. Later her sister, Mina, and niece, Carista & her 5-month old baby Maddie joined us for a wonderful lunch that Anna's mother prepared-YUM! Anna's parents, Nadine & Armin, are 85 and 87 and still going strong! To me, they represent what America is all about: honest, loyal, hard-working, GOD-loving people.

Katelyn loved being outside on the farm. She was able to pick peas from the garden and eat 'em right then. She got to pet the horses and look for fish swimming in the pond. Next we headed to Mina's place, Anna's sister. Mina and Anna should have been twins. Not only do they look alike, but they have the same personalities-Mina has a huge heart and the best smile!! Anyway, Katelyn had been asking all day to see farm dogs(of course, right!), and Mina & her husband, Don, didn't disappoint. They have 2 German Shephards and Katelyn was in love at first sight! They also have an amazing pond out back stocked with some of the biggest fish I've ever seen, and Katelyn got to feed them!!

After an hour or so at Mina & Don's it was time to head for the road. We still had to drive to Hays where we planned to spend the night. Thank you, Anna, and your family, for a wonderful afternoon!!

We made it to Hays, KS by 10 pm and were asleep the second our heads hit the pillows!! The next day, Sunday June 7th, we got up, ate breakfast at Country Kitchen, and headed for home. It was a pretty uneventful drive until we made it to Limon, CO and my cell phone rang with a call from the city to let us know our town was under a tornado warning. Great! We hoped we had a home to go home to! All was fine, and it was truly great to be home!!

~The End~

PS. SO ironic that the fountain pictured above at Anna's family farm is the same fountain we have in our front yard!! What a small world!!

**********************************************************

Home for a week now, it's been a very busy week! The weather has been crazy~ thunderstorms every day and a few more tornado warnings. Katelyn started swim lessons and was supposed to start T-Ball, but it was canceled due to the weather. I've been busy trying to get caught up on my housework, laundry, cooking, bill-paying, and grocery shopping. And of course there's flowers to plant too!(Guess my Fairy Godmother was on vacation too! HA!)

Goin to Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come...continued

Day 6 of our visit to K.C. was Thursday June 4th, and my dad's only day off during the week. Dad made us a wonderful breakfast and Katie and grandpa spent some quality time together while I got ready for the day. Then Katelyn and I headed to Jen & Anton's so my dad could run his errands, do his yardwork, and take a much-needed nap!!

Ever since eating at The Rainforest Cafe in Florida, Katelyn has been asking to visit the T-Rex Cafe during our visit to K.C.. Both restaurants are owned by the same company which was explained to us during our lunch at The Rainforest Cafe. Katelyn saw in a brochure we received that they have a Build-A-Dinosaur(same concept as Build-A-Bear)at T-Rex Cafe, and she was not going to forget that anytime soon!!! So that afternoon Jen, Anton, Katie, and I headed to a new (to me) development in Kansas City, KS called The Legends which has great outdoor shopping, a Cabela's, hotels, and just happens to be home to The T-REX Cafe!! I'm telling you it's really cool!! There are lifelike dinosuars that move and make sounds. The food was good too! And of course the Build-a-Dinosaur! Katelyn made an Apatosaurus and Anton made a Pteradactyl. I bought each of them a baby dinosaur to go with their adult ones. Jen surprised Katelyn & I with matching t-shirts as souveniers(BTW-we wore those home on Sunday!!) After our time at the T-Rex cafe, we did some shopping(they have a Gymboree outlet, and you know I can't pass that up!!!!). As a special treat we were able to attend Anton's Tae Kwon Do class later that afternoon, and the instructor let Katelyn participate too. I was very impressed with Anton's skills, concentration, and commitment! Katelyn did great too; she did her best to keep up with the older boys! Katelyn and I were also invited to dinner at Jen's and to spend the night. The spaghetti supper was delicious and the accomodations perfect. Jen, Eric, and Anton-thanks for having us!!

Day 7 was Friday June 5th and our last day in Kansas City. Afer a tearful conversation with Katelyn on Wednesday night("I miss you daddy...I want you to come to Kansas City...")Mike had purchased a 1-way ticket and was flying in to drive back to Denver with us. What a great dad! Right!! He told me after talking to Katelyn on the phone, "Even if I have to charter a boat, I'll be there!" These are the moments when I really love my husband.

So we still had the whole day before Mike was due to arrive, and we'd need to pick him up from the airport. I had called my friend Kathy to let her know we were in town so we planned to have lunch with her that day at Houlihan's. Kath and I have been friends since 1994, my first year of teaching. We share a lot of history, good times, hard times, lots of memories! I'm so glad we've stayed in touch all these years! Kath-I only wish I would have taken a picture of you and Katelyn for my blog! Next time for sure!!!

After lunch with Kathy, Katelyn and I met Jen and Anton at The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park, KS(another wonderful FREE activity for kids, although we happily gave a donation!)Deanna Rose was designed to depict a turn of the century farm. There is so much to do and they are continuously adding to the activities. Here are some of the things we did: visited a 5,000 sq. ft. dairy barn and saw a real live cow being milked(pretty cool for city kids); visted a Native American earthen lodge made from 600 logs and filled with artifacts & furs, surrounded by 3 tepees that the kids could go in; visited Helen's country schoolhouse, a re-creation of a 1900's one-room schoolhouse; petted goats, calves, and ponies; played on the Prairie playground; and went for a walk on the nature trail. There were many other things we didn't have time to do, but when we return to K.C. in a couple of years we definitely want to: fish in Grandpa Bob's fishing pond, bottle feed a goat, go on a pony ride, and possible take a horse-drawn wagon ride!!!

Unintentionally at first, Jen and I have been alternating years visiting back and forth. I was in K.C. 2 years ago, they came to Denver last summer, Katelyn and I went to K.C. this summer, and next summer they plan to come to Denver. Jen & I made a pact to keep this going for as long as the kid's schedules allow it! Pretty cool, huh!!

After a tearful good-bye to Jen and Anton, Katie and I headed to the airport to pick up Mike. And that night, after grandpa Tom got off work, we all went out for barbecue-Zarda's BBQ, Mike's favorite! Then it was time for another tearful good-bye to my dad and we headed for our hotel. Thanks for letting us stay with you dad-I love you!!!

to be continued....

Goin to Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come...

I love sleeping in. Doesn't really matter what time I get up, as long as it wasn't because an alarm went off telling me I HAVE to get up! I also love being the first one up in my house. I get a few minutes of alone time before the new day gets going. This is also my favorite time to blog, have that first cup of joe, sit back, relax, listen to the birds singing. So this morning I was up at 7:30(I know most of you have clocked half a day already, but that's early for me in the summer!)Katie's still sleeping & Mike's awake but laying there contemplating actually getting up. Time to blog!

Recently Katelyn and I shared a wonderful trip to Kansas City, my home town(specifically Lenexa, KS, a suburb). Even though I've been in Denver 11 years, K.C. is still home, my roots, a lot of history, where I come from. My dad lives in the same house I grew up in from 4th grade on-over 30 years now. Not much has changed either: a new deck, a new roof, some new pillars, but everything else is about the same. My dad, who turned 65 this year, is doing great. Still working hard. Even though my dad could retire, I don't think he wants to. He likes having a place to go and people to visit with-work is his social outlet. I love spending time with my dad, I'll always be his little girl.

Katelyn and I began our journey on the 30th of May. I decided to make the drive in 2 days instead of one because I knew Katelyn would appreciate me a lot more!! We stayed in Hays, KS on the 30th. Ah, Hays, you have such memories for me! My first visit to Hays was for band camp the summer before 7th grade(I think). I played the clarinet. I went to band camp at Fort Hays State University with my friend Stephanie(we had the same last name, but weren't related). We still send a Christmas card every year! Hays was also the meeting place Mike and I chose during our whirlwind courtship when flying back and forth became too expensive. Hays is about 6 hours due East of Denver.

We arrived at dad's on Sunday the 31st, so glad to see him!! Our last visit was at Thanksgiving when he came out to Denver. Of course we arrived hungry and our tradition is to go out for BBQ-Hayward's BBQ to be exact. YUM! You may not know it, but Kansas City has awesome barbecue, some of the best in the country!! And my home town of Lenexa, KS has an annual Barbecue contest every year.

As much as we enjoy seeing grandpa Tom, I have to tell you that being with my best friend, Jennifer, and her son(my Godson), Anton, is the icing on the cake. Jen and I have been BFF for 18+ years and I cherish her more and more with every passing year. We have the best time together, the four of us. Katelyn and Anton are really more like cousins. Jen is the closest to having a sister that I'll ever come. Anton calls me Aunt Shelly and Katelyn calls her Aunt Jennifer. They are our family.

Kansas City has great things to do with kids, many at little or no cost. So on our first day together(day 3 of our trip), Monday June 1st, we went to Kaleidoscope at Crown Center. Kaleidoscope is an arts and crafts extravaganza put on by Hallmark(a Kansas City-based company, did you know that?) And it's FREE! The kids get about 45 minutes to make all kinds of crafts from painting, to making a puzzle, to working with melted-down crayons. It's a lot of fun! We also ate at the Crayola Cafe and visited Legoland(also free). The kids had a great time!

On day 4 of our vacation, June 2nd, we did what every red-blooded American kid dreams of doing!! That's right, we went to Chuck E. Cheese. It was raining cats and dogs that day, so we needed an indoor activity. (I have to say aside from this one rainy day, the weather in K.C. was perfect the week we were there. The last time we went home was 2 years ago in August and I really thought I was going to melt, it was SO hot!! And the humdity, oh there's no way to describe it unless you've been there when it's 105 degrees with 100% humidity and the heat index is 110. It's unbareable!) But anyway, we had a great time at Chuck E. Cheese. As a consumer, I have to say what a rip! You spend $30(or more) on tokens so your kids can play a hundred games, to win a few hundred tickets, so they can turn those in for some little plastic toys or candy that probably cost C.E.C. less than a penny each. Oh well, the kids had a great time and that's all that matters. Plus they had a new game that's like "Deal or No Deal", and if I'm honest I'll tell you I spent a few bucks in tokens on that one myself!!

On day 5 of our trip, June 3rd, we ventured to the Kansas City Zoo. Again I have to tell you what a cheap adventure this was: with both of us having zoo memberships to other zoos, online discounts, and packing a lunch, the cost was $10.50 for the four of us to get in. Not bad, huh!! The Zoo has changed a lot over the years. It's divided into 3 areas: Africa, the Kid's Zone, and Australia. We spent our time in Africa & the Kid's zone. With the dense amount of trees surrounding the zoo, you truly feel like you're on a different continent. I really thought the animals had authentic and spacious living quarters. We saw hippos, cheetahs, gorillas, giraffe, zebra, and of course the wild dogs. Katelyn had asked all morning to see the wild dogs. Would someone PLEASE get that child a dog already!!!! After a long day at the zoo, we went out to dinner at Applebees. YUM!

To be continued....