songs of the solomons

Say What!?!

2011-10-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

When I was approx, oh about, 13 years old I was very concerned that my sweet, naive little 6 yr younger sister might someday be convinced that vegetarian or even vegan might be the way to eat. I believe I had just learned about how important protein is in our diet in my home ec class. So I did the only thing I knew would work. I very seriously made her pinky swear that she would never, EVER, be a vegetarian. And there by ensured her future health.

I've been watching alot of food movies on netflix like: Forks Over Knives, Ingredients, and Fat Head. Its interesting, very interesting. Mostly because I'll watch one and think, "Yeah, that makes sense." and then I'll watch another that promotes a different diet and think, "yeah, that makes sense." But I think about both of them and the puzzle pieces don't match up.

There's no way a diet based on eating fast food and limiting calories and a diet based on eliminating the eating of all animal substance can both be good for you. So I went to the ultimate source of knowledge and wisdom: the scriptures. And as it always does, here are the answers!

Doctrine and Covenants 89:12,13

12 Yea, ^aflesh also of ^bbeasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used ^csparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be ^aused, only in times of winter, or of cold, or ^bfamine.

Problem solved! And unlike the worldly sources of how to eat healthy, this is so simple and makes so much sense. The way I think about it is that meat, and the fat that comes with it, both provide essential nutrients, building blocks for our bodies to function and grow. And back before freight and frigs and freezers, people ate abundant fruits and veggies in their seasons and ate animals in the winter when meat would store and give them that extra boost of calories to keep their bodies warm. It was a part of the plan for which Heavenly Father appointed the seasons.

Ta-Da! So its vegetarian by summer and omnivore by winter, for optimum health. And as to where eggs, fish, and dairy fit in, I say let the Lord's Spirit be your guide.

So I know it'll be a change for us and there is a very real reason for Rial and me to be starting our testing of these waters in the autumn and winter, haha, we love our meat and dairy. But I look forward to proving the Lord's words, and finding for myself, once again, of the eternal truths that they hold.

Bummers

2011-09-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we miscarried. Its a hard feeling to describe. Well, its not just one feeling, its really a process of feelings. Impatience to be pain free, numb, absorbed in others and distant from myself, loneliness, overwhelming saddness, the loss of a dream, hope for tomorrow, and the regret of having to share such saddness with others.

Oh how I wish we didn't tell everyone we were pregnant in the first place. Its become such a laborious chore to tell everyone I meet up with the sad news. I hate it.

I also hate how little information there is on the internet about this. From what I gleamed from the internet and what people have told me about their experiences, this go around wasn't a viable pregnancy, as there was no baby that was developing, which is why my body let it go. It is easier knowing that though. But i still cried when I saw the cute baby clothes at the store on saturday and realized I had no reason to even consider buying them now. Luckily Rial was with me and was able to steer me away so I didn't cause a scene :).

And so now we're back to the waiting game

spilt beans

2011-08-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

So as many people already know, we are pregnant! Yipee! Rial already spilt the beans on facebook yesterday, so sorry to everyone out there that would have liked to know before everyone else knew. Its hard for us to contain our enthusiasm for this next stage of our lives. As rial's mom said, "your lives will change forever." And its true; such is the joys, trials, pains, and blessings of being allowed to take this leap into the great unknown which is the future.

According to the web due date calculators April will be the month of pain and blessings for us, either sometime in the middle to a little later. And if thats true then that means we are about 3 weeks pregnant and our baby already has a heart! Isn't that incredible? We only found out 2 days ago and our little tyke/lady already has a heart! And eyes by the looks of this picture of a 3 week old. Sorry if you all could do without the image, but it fascinates me to think of all the growth that occurred in less than a month.

The only bummer thing is I've blocked out all my OB nursing due to the traumatic nature of how I was treated by my clinical instructor and should I have even breathed wrong I would be flunked immediately. I imagine for those who were not my classmates during this time period it would be difficult to understand just how awful my OB clinicals were under Yevette of Gateway. If you can imagine being stalked in the thick amazon jungles in the dark by a ravenous leopard who's guttural tones resonate the night of his need to kill and eat your flesh- then you can perhaps get a feel for just how overwhelmingly terrified I was of being failed and the resulting anxiety I have consequently incurred. I would have to be on the verge of death before I would ever consider walking out on an OB floor ever again.

So the short of it is, for better or worse, my OB nursing knowledge is locked away, safely inaccessible :), and I have lots to learn about the care I'm going to be needing, so its a good thing I've kept all my books. But the real question is does anyone know a good midwife and birthing center?

I... am... an RN!

2011-02-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

So I did it! I took my nclex last week on thursday, and after a whole day of bracing myself for the heart-breaking news I had worried to pieces over, I looked up my name on the az nursing website and was delighted and oh so relieved to see that I passed. I think Rial is even more glad than I am, I really worried him when I came home crying after the test.

The nclex is a test that is certainly in a league of its own. Its a computerized test and there is a special way that they do it to find out what level you are and then they give you all the questions that match it, does that make sense? And then the computer looks to see if you are getting answers constantly right or consistently wrong. And the test just keeps going and going (75 to 265 questions) until the computer figures out if you are a safe nurse or not and then it just abruptly shuts off and leaves you hanging with the worst feeling in your gut. I answered about 77 questions.

So now I job hunt. But it looks like I might have a job soon in pediatric home care. I'm hoping everything works out and I can start working soon.

bits and pieces

2011-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Its a happy time to be alive. I was once told that high adventure lies ahead, but I think we're starting to turn that corner.

This morning my dog's water dish was covered in ice, like a little mini skating rink. And boy! was the wind ever so cold as it blew. Unfortunately for my pup meiko, I chose to forgo her walk this morning. I've been training her to run as I pedal the bike and as long as the people in my neighborhood keep their dogs locked up it works out pretty good. Its a little annoying to have to slam on my brakes so we can turn around and return the loose dog back to its owner. but it usually goes well.

I've been getting back into the gardening thing. We even got the chicken coop moved so I could have a dog-free, bone-free garden. I've found at least 4 bones buried in my back yard in the past few months, or it may have been one bone buried in 4 different places. I'm not sure. But nonetheless, I'm so excited about the garden that will come in the spring. I found some strawberries, a golden raspberry, and a green grape plant all at walmart of all places. I planted the berries in the shade because last year the sun scorched the cumberland raspberries I got. And because Rial loves me ever so dearly, I picked up a 4 ft nectarine tree at home depot for only 15 bucks!

And I'm finally cleared to take my RN boards, its scheduled for the 17th of Feb. I'm so nervous, I feel like the stakes have never been higher, but I know Heavenly Father will support me if I only let Him. Just like how Rial and I were able to get through this last year. I was working on our taxes and it is positively astounding how we were able to make it with the money we made, I am so grateful we aren't doing this on our own.

Time flies when you're having fun

2011-01-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Its 2011. two thousand eleven! And here I am, still juggling to-do's, trying to figure out how to make it all fit. The sad thing is, I know what I'm supposed to do, Its just the actual doing of the prioritizing that's so hard.

If I ever had readers I'm sure they've all given up hope on reading anything worthwhile here, but I'm not giving up, its a new year and so here I go.

I'll start out by doing a nice recap of the last few months (excluding anything that has anything to do with nursing school, cause my pain is still too fresh). Maybe I'll talk about it in a month after I pass my boards and have a job.

We went and got ourselves a dog. Last october the animal shelter was having a special deal and Rial agreed to walk those sad smelly halls with me. I saw a couple maybe dogs, that tugged at my heart, but it wasn't till we had walked outside and looked back that we saw her. Rial stopped in his tracks and I followed suit. "thats a really pretty dog," I said, "You want to go back and see her?" I'm sure I sounded much too eager, but Rial agreed and we both fell in love. Growing up, Rial never had a dog and now he kinda wanted one. I'm always willing to take on more pets, so it's probably a good thing that I have rial to keep me from losing my common sense in this arena. I'm sure if I didn't have the upbringing I did, I would be a high risk for becoming one of those crazy cat ladies.

Four days later I brought meiko home and we couldn't be happier. She's such a good dog, a short haired husky mix, very submissive, almost never barks. My 3 year old niece plays with her and I'm always happy with how meiko responds to her, she'll run away and use evasive maneuvers if things get too noisy for her, which is good cause we don't want to keep loud mean animals.

One of the original black chickens got sick and died a while ago, poor Russette. But since then our neighbors caught a wild chicken and gave her to us. I think she's an Easter Egger from her coloring and I named her Antoinette. So far our 2 barred rocks and 2 Americanas are all laying now- cream and light blue eggs- YUM! Its great getting fresh eggs.

Unfortunately, my bag of chicken feed has attracted some unwanted guests in our storage shed and attic. If you guessed rats, you're right. Ew. I had thought mice, but suprise! I found dead rats in my traps instead. But the really scary thing was how the dead rats kept disappearing after the traps went off and I'd find the trap clear on the other side of the shed. I was really starting to wonder whether the rats of NIMH weren't imaginary after all. Then I figured out what was really going on. Rat cannibalism. I guess with my chicken feed locked up, food must be pretty scarce for them. Still, it gives me the willies. I hate having the rats, but I am so thankful that they haven't invaded the home part of our house.

We're nearly done fixing up our master bath. Everything is done except one more coat of paint on the wall and cleaning up and sealing the grout in the shower. Eeeeee! so close! I'm really glad with how its turned out and all the great deals we've found on our materials. We even found the smallest double sink in existence at ikea (we have a small bathroom).

And thats all I can think of so far, ta-ta for now!

so I've been kinda busy...

2010-08-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

or maybe I've just been kinda lazy. Or I just don't really know how to organize the duties of my life right. Sad to say, i'm leaning towards the latter. Which means I'm sure I'll be having a lovely learning experience about that all too soon. I'm always so happy after these kind of experiences. And if I ever had the chance to do one over again I would. But, getting through the learning experience is usually not very fun. Darn growing pains.

I've done alot of growing in my life. I like to think about who I used to be and who I am now. And make comparisons. It helps me feel good about those un-fun learning experiences. Hmmm, its kinda funny cause I really don't like change. When ever something drastically changes in my life it throws everything out of whack, and I'm stuck doing damage control. But once all the pieces have been picked up and rearranged to work again, its always something to feel good about. Really good about. It just takes a while to get there. And then of course its after that that the next big change comes along, messing it all up again. My dad once told me "change is one of the few things in the universe that never changes". Kind of ironic isn't it?

I think thats why its so important to "be of good cheer". Because life is never going to stop throwing stuff at you and if you only choose to be happy during those brief periods of respite, that makes for alot of time being unhappy. Of course just learning to do that can be a challenge in and of itself- to be happy during hard times. Its a lesson I'm feel like I'll be trying to learn all my life.

But anyways, what I really wanted to write about here was all the things I've been up to since I abandoned my blog. my grass is growing. I've learned that if you want nice bermuda grass that cutting it really short is the way to go cause its only the very top bit that stays green anyway. My raspberry plants look dead. I shaded their leaves, but I'm thinking they died cause the dirt and their roots heated up too much. Rial wasn't very happy to learn that. Our bathrooms a mess cause we tore out the old shower and are building a new one. We moved the sink over 5 inches, yipee! The rest of our roosters were killed last saturday morning. Oh yeah, and we got 4 more hens a few months ago- 2 easter eggers and 2 barred rocks. I love the barred rocks, they are so soft and fluffy. But when we were plucking the roosters we found a few louse. Ewwwwwww. so gross. So thats one more thing on my to-do list. Still no eggs, but hopefully in a week or two the oldest hens will start laying (there are 6 total now- russette, black cap, glenda, elfeba, chex and bandit). And I passed my last semester, fheww! What a trial that was. But I am so glad I passed. It was all thanks to Heavenly Father. I never, ever could have made it through all that from the last three months with out Him. Its a really long story and it makes me feel exhausted just thinking about it.

So now that I've repented and am trying to change my ways, hopefully I'll be writing soon.

meet strider and cloud

2010-06-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

I called him cloud cause he had little white patches on his wings when he was a chick.

And you can see here, strider is sporting the lovely feathered feet that make me think of him as a cowboy. It was such a shame they turned out to be roosters, they are such beautiful birds. I've decided my flock is a welsummer mix. Its the only breed that almost matches perfectly.
_
I had been hoping for sometime now that I would have some lovely hens in my batch of chicks, and as it turns out I do- russette and blackcap are little girls. But as for the rest its only been a matter of time.
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A week ago they started crowing.
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But since Rial and I are up before 7:00 am when it starts, we didn't mind it so much. But I can't say the same for our neighbors. I haven't heard a complain, but I know I would grumble and whine about it everyday if it had been affecting my sleep pattern.
_
And so today we decided to have some capon for dinner. Strider and Cloud were picked cause they're the biggest, the loudest, and they've started picking on beautrice (my favorite rooster of the bunch).
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Lucky for us, Rial and I have both been on pioneer treks and we've seen the butchering of a chicken in action.
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First we hung them up by their feet (if you let them run about without their heads they taste more gamey). Then we got a pot of water boiling (outside). Then we found a knife and cut the heads super quick. After they stopped flapping we dunk them in the water to loosen the feathers, and got started plucking them and gutting them (which was easier than I thought).

Smile for the camera boys!
I've never killed an animal before and I was really nervous thinking about it last week. Because I love animals. I even wanted to be a veterinarian when I was eight. And seeing as I balled my eyes out for 2 hours straight when my pet cat buck died 4 years ago, I thought I would cry at least once. But I didn't. I didn't even feel bad for sending cloud and strider on their ways. It really felt kind of natural to do it, like growing a garden. And after we got them all cleaned up, I was really looking forward to letting them sit in some mesquite marinade so we could have a nice home cook meal tonight.
_
It makes me think about the movie Food Inc. which is an awesome movie, please see it if you haven't. Its so crazy to think how disconnected our society is from the food we eat. I mean, for all we know our eggs, milk, fruit, veggies, meats- they just magically replicate themselves on the grocery store shelf after being bought and consumed. It is positively alarming to think just how little we know about what happens to our food before we bring it home to eat. And since I've watched Food Inc. I've been more selective about the items I purchase to eat, and I've decided to grow as much of my own food as I can. Not just because of my moral compass, but because EVERTHING seems to taste 10 times better the closer it is to home grown. Tomatoes are such a great example of this. And organic milk is soooooo worth the extra $1.50 to me. It just tastes so good!

Seriously?

2010-06-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ice cream sandwiches are supposed to be the ultimate cheap dairy treat. Or maybe I just have too high of expectations for a $1.50. Last week I wanted something yummy and for some reason walking down the street in the heat of the day and coming back home eating an ice cream sandwich sounded delightful. So I decided to walk to the grocery store and buy some, but once I got to the frozen foods section I, well, froze.

I checked and double checked every brand of ice cream sandwich. Nothing was below $2.50. And yeah sure, its only a dollar more than I expected, but when I thought of it as being 60% more expensive than it ought to be, I just couldn't do it. I stood there for at least 15 minutes trying to make up my mind to just give in to my craving or be responsible with my money. The popsicles were cheap after all. But the only good ones, the fruit bars, were not. And that got me thinking. Why pay good money on overpriced frozen treats, when I could just make my own?

So I left the frozen food section and traveled over to the kitchen stuff section. And I found just what I wanted, a 4-sicle popsicle maker, with reusable popsicle sticks. It cost me $3.15, but it was worth it, even though my dream of walking home in the heat of the summer with a frozen treat was not to be.

Isn't it ironic that $3.15 for no-ice-cream-sandwiches is more than double the maximum price of what I would be willing to pay for 6 ice cream sandwiches. And yet, I feel my money acted responsibly, and given the choice, I'd probably do it again.

who knew?

2010-05-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

In addition to several green tomatoes, zuchinni, and squash, we now have beets! Though I had never in my entire life (or Rial's) ever tasted a beet before, I had some seeds last february, and a little space, so I planted them. I thought, well, if for some reason they're just not my cup of tea, I'll give them to someone I know that loves them.

Last night I cooked my first one in a plastic bowl with some salt water in the microwave for about 6-7 minutes. For all the experiences I've had with microwaving things, there are few that make the top list. The fork, varies bugs (though technically that was my brothers), marshmellows, and now beets. Beets are really neat cause its an art project and a side dish all in one.

Besides being delicious all by themselves (and Rial liked it too), the water in the bowl was turned the color of a garnet, a red as deep as blood. And oh the possibilities one could do with a deep red liquid! I thought how it could be added to pancakes, or a smoothie perhaps, or anything really in need of a little color and a few suble beet nutrients. Or one might dye clothes red (or maybe it would turn out more pink, I haven't tried it yet). or playdough, or play a prank on a young child wanting some "juice". Or possibly use it as ink for an old fashioned letter written with a feather. The options seem only as limited as one's imagination.

But I am now in need of recipes that use beets, because cooked plain is the only way I know. So if anyone out there knows a good recipe that uses beets, please, please, please share.

Devil Weeds

2010-05-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

"Oh Golly! Your whole yard is cover in holes Lisa!"

"Why yes, yes it is."

"Gophers?"

"Weeds."

"My! Those must be some weeds."

"Why yes, yes they are..."

"... some devilish, deep rooted, joke of a weed."

Cum-ala, cum-ala, cum-ala Vista

2010-05-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have an itch. And oh, what I wouldn't give to scratch it. Scratch and tear it up and drive it away forever! Like in that song from girls camp.

I want so badly, to have everything, finished, complete, and done-right now. New flooring: done. New lovely kitchen: done! And a nice garage, a front yard with a little white picket fence, and a sweeping grass lawn with a beautiful garden simply bursting with spring goodness! Oh! let's not forget, perfectly clean air vents and some soft warm walls that don't remind me of cardboard everytime I look at them. Ohhhhhhh, Ahhhhhhhhhh, that would just hit the spot.

But of course, I thought the same thing when Rial and I we're building our chicken coop. "Let's just get this thing done so I can have what I want!". And it was right there, when the feelings of frustration that come with large, time-consuming projects made me stop and step back and think, "Woah, I just felt like a child on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum because they had to eat their dinner before they got their dessert."

But I'm there again. Haha, its like I've time traveled into the past. Now that we've made a big mess by tearing out a wall in our kitchen, I'm itchy all over and I just want my dessert. You can take the nutritous experiences, just give me my dessert.

And now its time to remind myself, "but lisa, you like roast beef and zuchini and mashed potatoes and gravy. You like building things and making things and having fun creative projects to do."

And I'll whine back, "yeah, its fun to make things, but THIS is just so much work!"

"But it can still be fun."

And thats really how it should be. Even though its alot of work and sometimes frustrating that it takes so long, I can still enjoy myself and the time I get to spend with Rial and say 'wow, look at all this great stuff we accomplished! And now we're that much closer to being done!' And years and years from now we'll be talking about, "You remember when we were working on our house and then (blah-blah-blah-blah-blah ) happened?" And we'll talk and laugh about it and finish it up by saying, "Yeah, I'm really glad we were able to do that together, we had so much fun."

Its like: though the destination in life is important, its the journey that makes the memories. And we're the one who deceide what kind of memories we make.

Bee-be-dillie-a-boatin'-bop, Bo-bop-a-beaten-dot- Shhhhhhhhh, Vista!

Interesante'

2010-04-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the movie 101 Dalmations? Though I don't know if there are very many people out in the world that have an uncanny resemblance to their owners, I did ask a lady that worked at a vet office once, if she saw that very often- pets looking like their people. She turned her head to the side and thought for a bit and surprised me by saying, "No, not really. Mostly they just have similar temperaments and such."

I had never thought about that, and it made me wonder whether or not Kuma resembled me. Keep in mind now that it was pure luck I wound up with Kuma, its not like I was cat/kitten shopping when I got her. I was walking back to the car at a gas station in safford, tagging along on Rial and Tyler Allen's car-fixing trip.

Whether or not our temperments are spot-on, there are certain things we have in common. Like how I'll follow Rial around the house sometimes, just to be with him- Kuma likes to follow me around too. And its not even like she comes by and sits next to me, but if I'm in a room working (like now I'm typing on the couch and Kuma's sitting at the window) she'll walk in and hang out there too. Also, I have this weird habit of sitting up on the sink when I'm doing my make-up- which my cat imitates, both with and without the water running.

Though I've never drank from a sink before, that's all Kuma- cats like it when their drinking water flows for some reason.

But all these similarities do bring up the whole Nature vs. Nurture thing. It makes me wonder if Kuma is a "copy-cat" and imitates me, or were our crossed paths more than just mere chance. I'm not sure, but it is food for thought. Which reminds me, my roast is getting done, avoire!

strut that stuff!

2010-04-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is garbage day, but that's beside the point. Our yard is changing. It has taken one step closer to being more of a yard and less of a field of weeds. Granted, there are still weeds, but they won't be there for too much longer.

A big way-to-go! goes out for Brock for digging out the dirt, my father-in-law for shoveling the small rocks with Rial, and Rial for pressing the rocks and laying the pavers. And what did I do to contribute to this fine piece of architecture? I helped pick out the type of bricks with Rial AND I paired them up and handed them to him when he was laying the bricks down. I think I had the best job out of everyone, but that's just because Rial loves me so.

Now, I do feel a little bad spending money on a house project unrelated to the dysfunctionality of the master-bedroom's shower or our air duct system, which are kinda on the top of our to-do list. But the pavers were on sale! And the leveling tool was cheap. And having a nice front yard is important to Rial. And what's important to Rial, is very important to me.

Bauk, bauk, be-cock!

2010-04-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

At least thats what I'm hoping they'll be saying when they get older.

Yep, thats right! My 3 year old dream has finally come true. I have chicks. Ten wonderful chicks. They were given to me about 3 weeks ago and I can not get over how fast they've grown! You can already see some of the differences in the fist 2 wk old pic where their sleeping, and the other two pics I took this week. There are 8 black/brown chicks and 2 yellowy chicks.

my poor Kuma. What that cat wouldn't give if she could just chase them about. I'll let her come outside when I water my garden and do a little yard work. And now that we have chicks, she's spends all her efforts stalking them, despite the wire fence that prevents any damage from ever occuring. If Kuma is anything, she is the most hope filled cat on earth. There isn't a simgle time I don't reach for my shoes or walk past a door that she doesn't run up to it and start meowing her wishes of going outside. Poor kitty. But she tolerates being cooped up fairly well, despite her killer cat instincts.

But I digress, its a good thing the chicks are growing so fast, because I am just dying to know what kind of breeds they came from and which ones I'll be eating because they're roosters. Its a sad thought, but I need my chickens to give me edible eggs, and a rooster doesn't configure into that equation, and I can't think of what else I ought to do with roosters. The person who gave me the 2 day old chicks, told me that he didn't know the sex or breed because these eggs became fertilized and hatched unintentionally, which was why he was giving them away and not selling them.

After hours of scouring the internet, I've put my hopes in that the brown/black ones will turn out to be some type of marans mix and the yeollowys to be easter egger chickens. But alot of different breeds look exactly alike as chicks and its not till they're older that their plumage changes to the breed standard. But till all is said and done, I'll take a leaf out of Kuma's book and remain hopeful that I'll be getting chocolate brown and green/blue eggs in 2 months.

Begone with you, foul weeds!

2010-02-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, I was disappointed when I looked out at what was once a lovely barren yard, and saw it desecrated by hundreds upon hundreds of weeds. All my hard work over the winter break of raking and gathering dead vegetation, all of it for nothing. Cause now, its been replaced with a vast field of rag weeds, growing high, up to my waist. And with a broken lawnmower and broken weed wacker and zero willpower to work one by one, pulling each one out by the roots, it didn't look like it would be changing any time soon.

So I was standing by my window the other day, looking over my yard, and I decided that I really didn't mind it so much that weeds were growing everywhere, I just didn't want them blooming and going to seed, which they were. Cause more seeds meant ever more weeds next year, and an even bigger mess when we finally get around to re-establishing grass as the dominant vegetation.

So I went outside to get a better look at the mess which was the backyard. And before me, it was all transformed into a deep amazon jungle, with impassable vegetation rising from the ground. Vegetation so easily cut down by a machete.

Now, not ever having been to South America, I don't own a machete. But being a trainee in the deadly arts I do own an unsharpened set of twin broad swords, which were soon recovered from their home at the back of my closet.

Then I got to work. I raised my blade and stuck in one fluid movement. Slash! I was amazed how easily my blade sliced through the green fleshy stalks. Slash, slash! Though I had planned on only cutting the flowers off, I couldn't restrain myself from delivering three or four blows to the same patch of weeds, cutting them lower and lower. I had never known weeding to be so fun! And its kinda funny, but I'm hoping maybe I'll get just a few stalks of ragweed next year that I can let grow for more swordplay practice.

The Boy is Back in Town!

2010-02-15T08:08:00.000-08:00

The boys (my 3 little nephews) were tearing it up at the entrance for terminals 1-14, Running around and around. They reminded me of some crazy planets orbiting an unseen sun, the way they would run right at each other then turn away from each other at the last second, giggling like crazy before turning again and repeating the cycle. We all watched them as we waited, the grandparents helping to intervene when nessessary.

And then the people could be seen coming down the long hall. The boys were gathered up into loving arms and we all huddled together to peer down the narrow walkway. Alot of people with their bags and cases of luggage came bustling by, but no sign of my brother. Then finally the pilot and the stewardesses brought up the rear. But where was Bryan? In the now empty hallway a lone figure could be seen walking slowly towards us. It was a man, and he did have a suit and tie on, and he did have dark brown hair. could that be him? Or did he give his seat up to another missionary who was on standby too? we asked ourselves. After all, there had been four of them stranded in texas. He was now almost close enough for us to see his face when the man stopped. Looking down, he then knelt to tie his shoe. We laughed, Aw come on! travis cried.

It WAS Bryan. Such a stunt was just like him. All smiles, we waited in our places so we could embrace the homebound son, brother, uncle, missionary of God. It was a joyful reunion.

Go JC Wildcats!

2010-02-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

I have found the secret to enjoying watching sports. It is: understanding whats going on. Whenever I watch a game and I know how to play, I end up liking it. When I don't, I'm bored out of my mind. And I've found the more I know about the sport-the more I get into it. So for all you people who wish you could like sports, you now have the secret, go forth and use it well! And for all of you who have absolutely no interest whatsoever in watching sport games, may you enjoy countless superbowls doing other more worthwhile things.

Stake Humanitarian Project

2010-01-25T08:26:00.000-08:00

Last thursday was our stake humanitarian project. There was quilt tying, book making, sewing quilts, but I chose to crotchet. And this is what they were making at the crotchet table- little baby booties. Now, I can't read crotchet directions, I have to have it shown to me, so this one sister so patiently worked with me so I could learn how to make one. Then I was able to make the second booty all be myself. It was such a blast, I will definately be going next month. Hopefully I'll be able to go faster now that I know what I'm doing.

Splish spash I was taking a bath!

2010-01-25T08:08:00.000-08:00

Our first finished home project! (we're still working on our kitchen cabinets). Our guest bath is now completely tiled, yippee! And a big thank you goes out to Rial's Dad who gave up many saturdays to help and teach Rial how its all done. And another big thank you to Rial for giving up his saturdays to learn. As I supervised, it was amazing how much work actually goes into it, cause along with the actual tile cutting, tile glueing, grouting, caulking, and sealing, there was three whole satudays at least of prep work that had to be done to the wall to get it ready.

Here's a close up of Rial and his Dad's fine work.

Fun with blood

2010-01-25T07:23:00.000-08:00

I got to draw blood for the first time! And I must say that Jenny had some wonderful veins for me to work with. Now don't you fret, we didn't practice on each other. Fortunately for Jenny and myself, shes not real. Jenny is actually just a fake rubber arm with fake veins and fake blood that would come out when you did the technique right.

I also got to set Jenny up with an IV. It was so much fun.

Its kinda funny, going through nursing school reminds me of what it was like to learn how to drive. I loved going our with my mom or dad and diving around town with them. It was so much fun to learn to drive stick. But after 6 months of practice, my mother said she had had enough and it was time for me to get my license. I begged my mother to wait just a litter longer so I could be sure I was ready, but it didn't work. Without more than an hours notice, I was down at the DMV. And 2 hours after that, I was walking away with my driver's license in hand, having passed the test. I had never felt so free and so chained down at the same time. It was nice being able to drive all by myself, but I could literally feel the weight of my responsibility as a driver resting on my shoulders when i drove too.

And I love going to school and learning new things about Nursing. I wish i had unlimited supplies to practice with, so i could stay after class everyday and go over all my newly acquired nursing skills, over and over and over again. But when ever I think of what RNs do and what it must feel like to be responsible for someone's life, to know that if you do anything wrong, it could have disastrous consequences, it seems like a weight almost too great to bear. But, nursing is what I love, and just like driving- the more I learn, and the more I practice safety and safe use of my nursing skills, eventually, even with that weight of responsibility, I'll be able to accomplish what I couldn't before.

...Who Destroys Sheds

2010-01-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Do not kick at the shed wall when its the only thing keeping the roof up.

So now that you've seen my grand project (look at the post below this) Here is the side project I was a'workin' on when my palms felt like they were going to start blister up from too much shovelin' and sawin'.

I never liked this shed. It was dirty, the boards on the floor were moldy (I found 4 different colors of mold) and the ceiling had 2 old wasp nests hanging from it. And Rial got a wrench set for christmas :D.

You see, the shed was basically a wooden frame of 2x2s on a plywood floor, supported by nails and cinderblocks, wrapped in this sheet metal which was secured to the 2x2s with screw-like bolts and a few more nails. That might have been a run-on sentence, but you get the idea. So all I did was, unscrew the bolts with the wrench, and take out the floor nails with a hammer and prybar. Simple, Easy, that was the plan.

Know that in this picture you're turned toward the East. Now, with a little persuassion, I was able to unbolt the west and south walls. Then I was able to remove half of the moldy flooring (I found alot of rusty nails sitting under the boards). Then the framing for the west side came off cause it wasn't fixed to the ceiling. And I was "merrily on my way" (and I'm thinking of that song that Cecil the horse and Mr. Toad sing) taking down the metal off of the frame from the east wall (that crumpled white piece in the back of the pic) , when I came across... a rusty nail-dun-da-dun!!! that was imbedded in the metal wall and the bottom of the frame. And after 5 minutes of fruitless efforts with my prybar, I kicked it. Really hard. And the wooden 2x2 snapped, releasing the nail and the metal frame. And then, the one remaining wall and roof started to lean... and I thought 'oh crap'.

Luckily, I was able to get to where the wall and the roof met, when it had slowly collapsed on top of me, and then crawl out, unscathed.

Now, I hate this shed. And I will be very happy using its pieces of metal to make a chicken coop, for the chickens I plan on getting this spring.

I am a builder...

2010-01-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

This here is my grand accompliahment for this week:

And yes! I DID do it all by myself (well almost, rial did help move one of the logs). Well, yeah, so I know it doesn't look like much, especially with all the second-hand building materials. But it was alot of work. Especially since bricks and logs and dirt is heavy-and I'm a girl.

You see, all that dirt inside the walls had to be dug out so I could lay a foundation of broken paver-squares and give my wall some support. Then, you see those 2 smaller pieces of wood sitting in front? I cut those! With a HANDSAW! Oh Yeah! So that the two larger pieces of wood (they were once railroad ties) would fit on top of my bricks, cause they were just a few feet too long. Then I shoveled all the dirt I took out, back into the planter I had constructed.

And I thought about just making a few holes in my backyard so I could use that dirt to fill up my planter a little better, cause it needs more dirt, but I have alot of weeds. No, I mean ALOT of weeds. Like you look out and think, how pretty! Just look at all that bright green stuff coming up in the middle of all that ugly dead grass! Then you walk a little closer and you realize, oh crap, they're weeds, the kind that grow big and nasty and get their sticky little seeds all over your pants. And then you think of how bad its going to be trying to get rid of them all. That is, of course, unless I use a flamethrower. Then it might be kinda fun. Hmmm...

Rial's Special B-Day Cake

2010-01-09T10:20:00.000-08:00

So lately whenever we go to visit Rial's parents, and the TV happens to be on, I always want to see if there's a cake show on. I don't know why, but I just love watching it! And a blog I've recently started looking at is called cakewrecks.blogspot.com. and they just show the funniest cakes, we laugh so hard. You should check it out, you'll laugh too, guarenteed. But anyways, So for Christmas Rial got me a bunch of icing colors, metal tips and a frosting bag so I could start decorating my own cool cakes too. So this was my first attempt using it. I put as much detail on it as I could, I even pin-striped the hood!

I know the lighting is bad, but i combined my red and blue coloring to make a purple grape color, in honor of the first thing we ever bought together-our old purple truck, that we sold last year for our civic.

Santa Rial came to town!

2010-01-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

So for Christmas Eve, Rial got asked to be a Santa Claus. He handed out christmas presents to all his cousins at his Grandma Griffiths house. And he even had a flaming wallet magic trick for the kids.

And here he is!

PHOTOS!!!

2010-01-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

Ahah! So I remembered how incrediably awesome phones are today. So I've got some photo updates. I'll go in the order I took them.

So last year I saw the movie Twilight when it came out. And i walked away from it thinking, 'gee, I really liked alice cullen's hair. That would look so cute. I'll have to remember that for when I start having kids. It'll be my cute mommy hair cut.'

Well, a week before thanksgiving I kept thinking how it would be really cool to cut my hair in a different way than usual. So I debated for 2 days whether I should save alice cullen (aka ashley greene, and thats one more celebrity I know that I can add to my list of celebrities I know, I think I'm up to 8 now). Well, to keep the story short I cut 6 or 7 inches off. Sorry its askew.

new year resolutions for us

2010-01-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I know I have a very boring blog, and sadly with our camera going AWOL, I won't be able to change the lack of photos for a while, but I will be posting more often, so yay for that!

And Yes, Lisa's new years resolutions include being more active with my blog and not relying just on rial to tell me about the comings and goings of people on facebook, so I'll also be posting on facebook more than once a year.

Another resolution we have is to get our yard up to par (cause it still looks dead, but now with 3 foot high weed/leaf stacks every 8 feet, go us!). And of course, finishing our kitchen cupboards and get more out of debt. I say more out of debt, because I really doubt we'll be able to pay our house loan off in a year (it takes most people 30), but paying off the Element car loan for sure.

So just you see if I don't make good on my word, my posting goal is to 'network' at least once a week for how ever long it takes for me to keep up with everything. I'll keep you posted! haha, get it? POSTED! haha

We Did It!

2009-09-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

So pictures are going to come later cause we still haven't unpack everything, but about 90% is all placed and settled, so Yay! With all that we want to change we've decided to take it slow cause we're down one income. And no, no one got laid -off, but I've (lisa) quit my job at Walton International. I got placed for the maricopa community college nursing progam at Rio Salado for the Fall Semester. It is very exciting to finally be in the last leg of my formal education, but I do miss all the great people I got to work with at Walton.

Projects we've put on hold include landscaping (front and back), painting the ceilings and walls, replacing the bathroom and laminate flooring, and fixing our second bath. But once I start working on my chosen occupation, Rial and I can get to work on it all :).

Since I'm schooling full-time, Rial has gone to working full time with a new carpet cleaning company called Zero Res. He is really liking it. Right now he's training to be a technician, so he partners up with someone who's trained and its basically learning by example and doing.

And any all who wern't able to come by last friday night for rootbeer-floats, feel free to come by and we'll give you the grand tour any time you like.

Yippee!

2009-07-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

We are schedualed to close on 321 N. Cherry St. Mesa AZ 85203 on August 3rd 2009!

2 things I didn't know I was learning the hard way

2009-07-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

1. When working on something up close (drawing, reading, computering, document processing) You're supposed to take a 20 sec break and look far away (like across the room or out a window) every 20 min.

-Because: seeing up close for prolonged periods of time strains your eye and makes it difficult for it to adjust and relax the lense for seeing far away. And over the years causes nearsightedness.

2. The best positions to sleep in are either flat on your back with a pillow under your knees, or just on the right side of your body with a pillow between your knees.

-Because: sleeping on your stomach compresses your internal organs, which isn't the best for them. Your heart works harder when you sleep on your leftside than in any other position. And sleeping halfway on your stomach and halfway on your side can put a J-curve in the spine over time.

oh where, oh where could our little house be?

2009-05-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

I've come to the conclusion that FHA loans and foreclosures do not mix. Enough said.

always, always, always read the fine print

2009-03-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

(and new owners manuals but thats a whole different can of worms)

So right after I posted my last post, I went over to my in-laws to hang for the evening. And we got a suprise! the bank had called. (DUN DUN DUN!!!). Pause for dramatic affect... and we didn't get it. Haha, with all the drama that comes with buying your first home, its no wonder that there are multiple TV shows about it. But according to our mortage broker Jeff, the only logical reason we were denied was because there must have been something bad about the house that made it not qualify for our FHA loan, like plumbing, electrical, flooring, roofing. All that stuff and others I don't remember have to be functioning properly and stuff.

But don't feel sad for us, because we've already made another offer on another house thats even better (this one has a 2 car garage and a fireplace&woodstove and livable flooring-meaning we could live with it). It just came on the market 2 days ago, is FHA approved, and it would be just perfect for us. So we're hoping that this is what and where the Lord wants us to be and we can be done home hunting.

But, I just have to smile and keep trying because sometimes life gives you no choice but to live by faith. And the sooner I came to realize that house hunting is just one of those times, the sooner the stress and worry of whether our offer would be accepted or not was lifted away. It reminds me of the 'Flying Solo' CD by John Bytheway where we give up the airplane controls to the Copilot (by listening to the Spirit), and let Heavenly Father direct our lives, instead of trying to do it all ourself.

From Best to Worst

2009-03-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

House Hunting! Oh such fun and joy and sadly sorrow.

Janelle Solomon is officially a realitor! and not just any realitor, she's our realitor (so there). And after months of looking at houses online and visiting a few to take a peek in their windows, Rial and I have now went all the way and actually gone inside and toured some of the best mesa had to offer (that was in our under $85,000 price range).

The biggest heart break for me was seeing the most adorable little house on 6th ave and then having to force myself to put my dearest husband and darling children-to-be first and not buy it.

and yes, the entire house was just adorable and had every bell and whistle I could ever want in a house. But the downsides were just to big to be overlooked. Things like the attic someone decided to convert into two bedrooms and a bath had poor ventilation and very creaky floors when you walked. Which means Rial wouldn't be able to have a room to record his music unless he wanted to make music with scary creaky noises in it. And any future children would be sadly hot at night in the summer and cold in the winter :(. And there were a few other small things wrong that kinda come with a house built in the 30's, that weren't important to me.

But we did find a house on emerald to put our offer on and here's the pics:

And yes the house is pink with pink counter in the kitchen, the carpet is that dirty and worse in the livingroom and three bedrooms, there are mouse droppings in the clossets, nasty linolium in the kitchen, no fireplace, and has none of the charm the other one has. but, and its a big but, the layout is wonderful, tearing out the carpet and replacing it (the linolium with woodflooring) will be easy and guilt-free, I can change the cabinets to have glass in them, add beautiful moulding everywhere, and it has a nice backyard and a garage.

So with our tax refund in hand (assuming our offer is accepted, we find out in a week) and some elbow grease, lots of patience, and living a humble life to save money to finance said projects, this house will make a fine home. And Rial and I have decided that if our offer isn't accepted, it just means the Lord has bigger and better plans for us. And so with faith as our ally, we will press forward and continue to put the Lord and our family first in all things.

I've got a new one to add to my Cheap Thrills/Cool Date Ideas list

2009-02-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

Having fun without spending money is GREAT stuff.

Like reading a library book,
riding a scooter,
writing a book or making a video,
playing loaded questions, catchphrase, scum and the like,
watching comedians brian reagan and demetri martin on youtube,
playing racquetball,
eating the icecream from your parent's freezer,
camping and hiking,
and scavenger hunts (the sowards are amazing at making these).

And now I have discovered a new one! Its called LETTERBOXING and its kinda like a scavenger hunt and a little like a hike, but not one. See, all over the place are these hidden boxes that have a stamp and ink inside. And using a set of clues, you find the box and then you get to stamp your letterboxing booklet to prove that you found it. You get to be outside and solve a "treasure hunt"!

Go to http://www.letterboxing.org/ or google it to learn more about it and to find some to do. The website above even tells you how you can make your own.

They have these "treasure" hunts through out the states, a lot here even in the valley cities. You can also do great sites through out the state and learn a little about the place while at it.

2009-01-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

We had to wait a month, but it was worth it. Here's a taste of the great memories we made on our honeymoon in Florida touring Walt Disney World and Universal Studio's Island of Adventure.

We took a whole heck of a lot of pictures, but for simplicity, I'm just going to post these 2 and if you want to see the rest of them you'll have to come by sometime.

Sweet Taste of Freedom

2009-01-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

Re-told by the civic's gas cap.

The familiar 'pop' aroused the sleeping gas cap. Finally! After 2 weeks of standing guard over the gasoline in complete darkness he was being allowed a breath of fresh air and a glimpse of glorious daylight. His captor hummed as she uscrewed him from his post and set him on the roof of the car before going to clean the front window. The gas cap didn't waste any time taking in his surroundings; when he would next be allowed to leave his post was uncertain at best.

But as always, all good times come to an end. The hum of the fuel pump halted abruptly with a loud 'click'. The girl looked over at the pump and hastily finished cleaning the front window. With a sigh almost audible, the gas cap wondered why no one ever cared to clean him. Just because he was black didn't mean he never got dirty.

But then, miracles of miracles happened! Without a second look at him, the girl replaced the pump and climbed into the car, pulling the door closed.

Leaving the gas cap on the roof.

'What?' the gas cap thought as the engine roared to life, 'I'm free?' The car slowly moved forward onto the street. Wind rushed by, sending chills down the excited gas cap. Now all he needed was to get off the roof and his fate would be sealed with sweet freedom as his destiny.

He leaned towards the edge as the car rounded the first corner, but he didn't budge. Then came the second corner. 'come on...' he pleaded as he reached away from the car. Not even a wobble.

Soon, after picking up so much speed, the car suddenly braked and turned right. And the gas cap went flying! 'Oh yeah! Third time's the charm!' he grinned as he landed two lanes away, between the left turn and the northbound lane. After years and years of service and ingratitude, the gas cap was free from his dark, cramped post. Free to enjoy the outdoor air. Free to watch the setting sun. Free to count the cars that zipped past him. Needless to say the gas cap was feeling quite pleased with himself. The girl, on the other hand, not so much.

Upon discovering her thoughtlessness. The girl raced back to re-trace her steps. Coming up on the left turn lane, the gas cap's eye widdened and he held his breath in fear, as the girl in the car he knew so well came within inches of discovering his whereabouts. Relief washed over him as she turned and drove away, back to the gas station.

But she would come back this way, he was sure. Blending into the black asphalt, the gas cap made every effort to hide behind and next to the cars that came into the left turn lane.

And then he saw her, turning right just as she had done not too long before, while throwing him off the roof of the car. 'Hurry, move forward, hide me!' he hissed up at the white car beside him.

Then the girl pulled her car into the parking lot on that corner. 'Oh no, no, oh no...' he muttered, closing his eyes and commiting every atom of his being to become one with the asphalt.

'Thud, thud, thud...' came the footsteps.

'I found you!' the girl plucked the gas cap from the ground and raised him into the air triumphantly at the other girl sitting in the white car. The girl in the white car gave the girl with the gas cap a strange look and watched, as the gas cap's captor dashed back over two lanes to her car, where she screwed the gas cap back into his post and snapped the gas tank's door closed.

Left in the darkness once more, the gas cap sat with nothing but his thoughts and a tankful of gas for company.

Don't feel sorry for the gas cap. Despite his pessimistic attitude, he really does love his job (because he gets to sleep all day long). And I am convinced that he would have ended up smashed or very grumpy from lack of sleep had he stayed in the road near the left turn lane.

But anyways, this is the story of what happened to me (the girl) yesterday after work. The sun was starting to set when I figured out that I had forgot to put the gas cap back on the gas tank. But it just goes to show you that Heavenly Father truly does love his children and answers their prayers. Even with something as insignificant as a lost gas cap.

Married at Last!

2009-01-21T06:06:00.001-08:00

February 16, 2008

Blinded by the sunlight, and thus passed the best decision we ever made

which joy has only increased with every passing day

Bridal Pics

2009-01-21T05:48:00.000-08:00

Of course, the next step was the bridal picutures. If you'll notice in the pic below, there are twin shrubs with a matching plant on each side. There is in reality a covered piping valve in the ground, but our photographer was so good, he was able to duplicate the bush to replace it with.

And this would be us by the water fountains (in case you couldn't tell)

Engaged

2009-01-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

We were engaged on October 11th, 2007, about 3 months after our first date.

These are some of the many engagement pictures taken by the talented Kristal.

I think we're laughing because I had to get rid of the gum I was chewing and Kristal took a perfect picture of the gum flying mid-air as I tossed it.

This was one of my personal favorites, I just love how Rial's smile light up his eyes and...
well, I'll stop there so I don't overdose you on our lovey-dovey mushiness

The Begining

2009-01-20T19:07:00.001-08:00

I know this is backwards but its a good place to start photo-wise

Lisa's first time in Joseph City, Fall of 2007. We were officially together at this point in time. This trip also included swimming in a muddy river, rolling tires on fire between 2 hills, and fireworks going off prematurely resulting in instant leg hair removal for Rial.

I Watched It!

2009-01-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

By the Bye, this is Lisa.

I didn't think I was going to watch it, but Walton (my workplace) broadcasted Barak Obama's inauguration today at 10:00 AM in the Boardroom. So I watched it, and it was a great speech, very elequent and it had a nice flow to it (it certainly got the crowd going). And it suprised me, as I listened most closely, that for the first 2 minutes I really agreed with what he said! After that though, as I continued to pay close attention to his words and what they meant for me and the United States of America, it saddened me.

It took me some time to digest and wade through the pretty language he used, to get at what was really said, and to figure out why exactly I felt bummed. But after I had completed the translation from Obama to Lisa Lingo, it made sense. And then I felt I should write it down (while it was still fresh in my head) so as to comemorate this moment in History in my own way.

So I typed it out and sent it as an email to myself and Rial. And this is what I wrote and figured out:

I just watched the presidential inaguration of barak obama. He said a lot of good things that I agree with. Like how we need to stand strong to the constitution and those values that our founding fathers held and esteemed. I also agree that our current economic state is largely due to people being greedy and too selfish. But he also said that we shouldn't help others out of charity, but to help them instead because our futures are intertwined, and that's not good. Both should be reasons, and the former, CHARITY, should be the main one!

Another thing I did not agree with that was impressed upon me as he spoke, is if he (and then who ever is in power in the government when he's gone) gets his way, he will be the one with the money and the power and as such, the one that distributes the wealth. I agree that those with power and wealth should have charity and be generous in helping those that stand in need. But I do not believe this task should be entrusted to the government-its just like having a king in the book of mormon with the nephites. Having a good righteous king is great (like King Benjamin or Mosiah), but when a wicked slothful king is put in charge of the affairs of the people (like Noah), the people are more-so persuaded to be slothful and wicked like unto the king or person in charge than to be industious and self-sufficient.

Because of this and the other example of the nephites (with their prosperity) in the reign of the judges, I do not believe this is the role of government-to be the caretaker of the people. I believe the government's place is to uphold and stand by its laws that govern the land, and administer justice to the people accordingly- to keep the peace; and NOT to tax and bring programs that are costly and over some time become grievous to be had (like social security). FAITH should be exercised instead, that the people will live the gospel's teachings and follow God's commandments, and have the capacity to exercise charity by their OWN FREE WILL, because of their love of God and their love of their brother or fellow man. This freedom of choice is as important here on earth as it was in the pre-existence, when we chose to follow God and come to earth.

The more people become less Christ-like and more devilish and carnal, they will not prosper. Giving the government more money and power for programs to help the people will not promote the cultivation of Christ-like attributes and therefore will not help us to become prosperous individually or as a nation.

Though our new president's intentions may be good, this path which he has chosen to follow I believe, will lead us further along towards our end. And athough he would seem on the outside through his words to be a God fearing man (he mentioned God about 4 times in his acceptance speach), because of those things mentioned above and other things not mentioned, I believe his heart is far from Him.

That Kuma!

2008-11-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

So, since this my first ever post (woohoo) I thought I'd show a funny video of Rial's and my cat Kuma. We found her in Thacher last May when we went there to fix the prelude car, which is now sold, Oh Yeah!

We found Kuma at the gas station/A&W/Long John Silvers down there. And she was just so little, and cute, and hungry, and either lost or neglected I couldn't leave her there. So to make what could be a longer story shorter, we brought her back to mesa and after 3 weeks of living with us, she now resides at Rial's parent's house (cause we can't have pets).

But before we re-introduced her to the outside world I got her a collar so if she ever ran away people could call and let us know where to find her. It took her a while to get used to the collar...

But after three tries and hours of waiting, the video will not load for whatever reason so I'll try again later.