Monday, June 30, 2008

Pay It Forward

So there's a contest going on. I know...How exciting!! Evidently Swistle started it all and you can go to her site and comment on her post and lots of others to be in the running for the Pay it Forward prize. Even if you don't have a blog, enter! You never know what you can win!

Now on to the real reason for this post. I told Andrea Unplugged that I would Pay It Forward too. She is giving stuff away too so go over to her site. So the Contest started today, June 30th and ends July 4th at midnight. All you have to do is comment on this post and you will be in the running for a one of a kind prize!! It's SO one of a kind that I don't even know what it is yet! I was thinking something Texas themed (since that's where I live now) but I am going on vacation next week and decided to pick you up something at the beach. And I won't buy anything until I know who the winner is...so if it turns out that you are a GUY, I won't get you a whole bunch of chickie crap!!
There is only rule...being that the contest is called the Pay it Forward Contest...You will have to pay it forward yourself. If you have a blog, you will start your Pay It Forward contest post with a pic of the loot you won and the rules for your Pay it Forward contest.

If you don't have a blog and you won the big prize, pay it forward in your life. Make cookies for a shut-in neighbor, babysit an hour or 2 for a needy mom, send a gift to a family member...just because, ...you get the idea!! Go out of your way to do something kind for someone else.

What's Cooking Wednesday - Banana Pupcakes

Sorry, I know it's early but I was afraid I would forget this week. Oh and I don't know why they are called Pupcakes instead of cupcakes ...and honestly, I don't know why they are called cupcakes at all because they are more like banana bread muffins. But I made these a few weeks back and forgot to tell you about them. But they were great.

Since I have basically already turned my brain off for the week and have started my own personal mental vacation days before the actual one, I never got any pictures of my own for this recipe. However, it is not an Everyday Bailey original which makes it even better because since Rachel Ray made them, she also took a picture of them to put into her magazine. So TADA!!! Here's her picture and the link to the Banana Pupcakes. I highly recommend these. However, they could always use some nuts in my opinion...some walnuts or pecans...pick your poison!!


Dave Ramsey

Me and E are big Dave Ramsey fans. We started his Financial Peace University right after we got married and had lots of success and then lost track of everything. So we both took the class together in Fall of last year and we are back on track these days.


I got an email from his organization this week that I really loved and it says so much about our country that I couldn't help but to share it.

"A couple of weeks ago, I worked late like I sometimes need to do to run my business. It was a nice Tennessee summer evening, and I was enjoying the drive home. About 7:30, as I pulled to a stop light a few blocks from my office, I noticed a light on in the corner office of a friend’s office building. Through the twilight I could make out my friend’s silhouette as he bent over his desk. Being a fellow entrepreneur, I knew what he was doing. He was pouring over some receivables. Some turkey hadn’t paid him, and he was trying to make his accounts balance so he would have the cash to make it another day.

In that instant, I had a flashback to some of the ridiculous statements I’ve been hearing on the talking-head news channels and from some individuals during this political year. And I’ll be honest—I instantly felt the heat of anger flow through my body. Let me tell you why.

You see, my friend who I saw working late—we’ll call him Henry—is a great guy. He’s who you want your son to grow up to be. He loves God, his country, his wife, and his kids. He didn’t have the academic advantage of attending a big-name university. Instead, he started installing heating and air systems as a grunt laborer after he graduated from high school. He was and is a very hard and diligent worker, and before long, the boss taught him the trade. But when he was 24, after 6 years of service, the company he was working for got into financial trouble and laid him off.

Henry still had his tools, so he bought an old pickup to haul around his materials and tools, and suddenly he was in business. He knew about heating and air-conditioning, but not about business, so he made a lot of mistakes. He persisted. He took accounting and management at the community college to learn about business. He started reading books on business, HVAC, marriage, kids, God, and anything else someone he respected recommended. Today he is one of the best-read men I know. Soon, because of his fabulous service and fair prices, he developed a great reputation, and his little business began to grow.

Henry started 15 years ago, and now he has 17 employees whose families are fed because he does a great job. He is in church on Sunday and seldom misses his kids’ Little League games. Sometimes he has to miss a game because some poor soul has their AC go out in the 96-degree Tennessee summer heat, but Henry makes sure they are served. He is, by all standards, a good man. He is, by all standards, what makes America great.Henry and I are friends, and so he asked me some financial questions last year. I learned in the process that his personal taxable income last year was $328,000. I smiled with pride for this 70-hour a week guy because he is living the dream.

At the stop light that evening, I also thought of another guy I know—and that is where the anger flash came from. We will call him John. While John does not have the same drive Henry has, I can say that he, too, is a good man. John also graduated from high school and did not attend a big-name university. He went to work at a local factory 15 years ago. When 5:00pm comes around, John has probably already made it to his car in the parking lot. He comes in 5 minutes late, takes frequent breaks, and leaves 5 minutes early. However, to his credit, he is steady and works hard. Over the years, due to his steadiness and seniority, he has worked his way up to about $75,000 per year in that same factory. He seldom misses his kid’s ballgames, but most nights you will find him in front of the TV where he has become an expert on “American Idol,” “The Biggest Loser,” and who got thrown off the island. When he is not in front of the TV, he spends a LOT of time and money bass fishing on our local lake. He never works over 40 hours a week and hasn’t read a non-fiction book since high school.

This is America, and there is nothing wrong with either set of choices. Nothing wrong, that is, until the politicians and socialists get involved ...I have seen several elitist people on the talking-head channels make the statement lately that people making over $250,000 per year have a “moral imperative” to pay more in taxes to take care of the country’s problems. This is not only infuriating—it is economically, spiritually, and morally crazy!

Where in the world do these twits get off saying that Henry should be punished for his diligence? If you are John, where do you get off trying to take Henry’s hard-earned money away from him in the name of your misguided “fairness”? If you want to sit on the lake, drink beer, scratch your butt, and bass fish, that is perfectly fine with me. I am not against any of those activities and have engaged in some of them myself at one time or another. But you HAVE NO RIGHT to talk about “moral imperatives” about what other people have earned due to their diligence. That money is not yours! You want some money? Go earn some! Get up, leave the cave, kill something, and drag it home.

We are in a dangerous place in our country today. A segment of our population has decided that it is the government’s job to provide all of their protection, provision, and prosperity. This segment has figured out that government doesn’t have the money to give them everything they want, so somebody else has to pay for it. That is how the “politics of envy” was born. “Tax the rich” has become the mantra of the left, and this political season it has been falsely dubbed a “moral imperative.”

Ninety percent of America’s millionaires are first-generation rich. They are Henry. To tax them because you think it is a “moral imperative” is legalizing governmental theft from our brightest, most charitable, and most productive citizens.

If I can get a law passed that says you must surrender all your cars to the government because it is the “moral imperative” of anyone who owns cars to support the latest governmental program, that would be a violation of private property rights and simply morally wrong. This new “moral imperative” to redistribute wealth is no different from that. It’s the SAME THING!
Please, America, re-think the politics of envy! You are sowing the seeds of our destruction when you punish the Henrys of our culture. If you think taxing the populace to support government programs is the best way—and I don’t—then at least tax every single person the same! There are very few Henrys out here who would squawk much about paying a set percentage of their income—if everyone else did, too. But this idea of some butt-scratching bass fisherman saying government should tax his neighbor and not him—just because his neighbor has succeeded—must stop.

So the next time an elitist media talking-head starts telling you it is the moral imperative of our culture to tax my friend Henry, change the channel.

The next time you see someone wealthy who feels guilty and is preaching the politics of envy, change the channel.

The next time you see some celebrity who feels guilt over their income preaching socialism, change the channel.

And the next time you run into a misguided, butt-scratching bass fisherman who says the evil rich people in our culture should have their private property confiscated because that is fair… well just shake your head walk away—and make sure to vote against his candidate. If he and his type win, God help America!"

Weekend Updates

Well, I have so much to update everyone on but I am waiting on some pictures first. E left for work with the camera in his car this morning and I am still waiting on a friend to send me a few from an event the other night. But...if you live in town, I am recommending 2 restaurants that I visited on Friday.

First, my friends and I had a girl's lunch at Katharine and Company. As my dad would say, it's chick food but fulfilling chick food. I completely recommend whatever the special of the day is written on the board. It's never bad! If you live around town, go try.
We also had our monthly "Colloquium" Friday night. Every month a few of us get together from work and discuss the crazy things that have happened since the last time we met. Somehow, we always have a long night of things to discuss. But we met at Easy's in town. It was delicious. It's a fancy place and and some of the food is fancy but some out the food are regular Texas staples. Yes, I really love their Mediterranean Chicken wrap, but their Bacon Avocado Cheeseburger was delicious too.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Arguements

So, you are correct, I am involving you in my arguments at home. Maggie, the little darling that she is, LOVES to eat things. I take that back...she really like to chew things apart into tiny little pieces and then suck on the pieces and spit them out. She doesn't actually swallow them. I really truly think that I can't say that enough. I am positive that I have written at least 5 blogs about this...THAT is how crucial this is around our house. We have all lost valuable items. Me? I lost an ipod, all of my shoe heels, 10+ pairs of underwear, couch pillows, the master bedroom carpet, an easter pork loin (she swallowed that one), a new pair of Crocs...I am sure there are WAY more on my list. E list? Well, he lost the original copy of his GRE scores, his work hat, a pair of flip flops, a pair of sandals, a pair of Keens, and a shoe lace. This picture is from last week when she ate all of the stuffing out of her bed.


If you ever get the chance to come to our house, we have a mail slot in the front door. So the mail comes right through the door and onto the floor. Maggie loves to eat that mail like it made from rawhide. It never fails that the afternoons that I come home from work and really have alot to do, those are the afternoons that she provides a nice mess of shredded mail for me all of the living room floor. We tried to use the laundry basket to catch the mail, but if the mailman misses the basket, it's fair game. Now, the basket doesn't even matter. She goes and gets whatever she wants out of that basket to play with during the day. And yesterday made matters worse when she ate a book that I had ordered as a gift for a family member. Grrrrr...And this is what I come home to every afternoon. In this picture she ONLY ate the circular ads that come every week with the specials from the grocery store and a free grocery bag that I won off another blog a month ago, a coupon from Stanley Steamer and a Chase Bank Credit Card solicitation.


As the person who has to clean up this mess, I have asked for a mailbox to be attached to the house on the front porch. I have already bought it and pulled it out of the box and everything. E is in complete disagreement. He wants to train her not to eat the mail by sending fake mail through the slot! I think if we tell her not to eat it she won't, but if we aren't there, it's on!!! The mail never stood a chance! After work, I go to the gym, then come home, walk Maggie, make dinner, clean up dinner and have to pick up the house. Evidently, I need to add "clean up shredded mail" to that list. I thought E would have been convinced that we needed a mailbox when she brought him is very large check from the VA that was the reimbursement for his school. I guess common sense strikes us all at different times.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Vacation Fever

Yep, I have it alright! I am having the hardest time focusing on my work, my duties at home, the laundry, the cleaning, you name it. All I care about it E coming home in a few days and then leaving for vacation. I feel like a kid during the last week of school.

I am having the hardest time concentrating on the tiniest tasks and find myself trying to look busy while I bide my time until the end of next week. The weeks need to fly by faster.

My parents sold their house when I was in college and some friends had a basement apartment that they offered to let them stay indefinately. They stayed there for a while with the idea that they wouldn't live in town very long and that this job was only temporary until he found something better. (coincidently, 7 years later, they are still there and love it so they built a house a few years ago) So they took the money from the sale of their house and put it into a beach condo closer to where they are originally from. It's up for rent most of the time but we all get to put in a week or two throughout the year and enjoy it when we need a break.

And boy do I need a break. I was telling E the other day how excited I was about vacation and he just looked at me. I asked him "Aren't you?" He answered "Well, of course, I just don't understand why you are as excited as you are. We went on vacation last year."

Well, I guess that he forgot that our whole vacation last year was an anxiety attack for me since we were between moves. We packed up our stuff and threw it in a moving van in Key West, then headed to the beach for a few days of vacation before we started moving into our new house in Texas. So most of my vacation was spent making phone calls to the movers, the electric company, the telephone company, etc. And to top things off, the water was ICE COLD and we couldn't stay in but a few minutes and the wind was furrocious so if you tried to get some sun you shivered.
My aunt took this picture of us last year at my grandparents house on our way home from vacation. Notice my lack of tan after a week at the beach. It was quite sad. But MY how skinny we were. I was running 4 miles a day 6 days a week at that point and E had stopped eating what they fed him on the boat in Key West and jogged with me some when he got back. (In case you are wondering...we still look like that...just about 10 pounds heavier...both of us)

Monday, June 23, 2008

In Other News...

Beth Bailey has signed on for 4 days of fun and relaxation during the Annual Bailey Vacation.
Beth is our neice of 15 years now. She is on the Flag Team at school and I hear she's really good. I haven't gotten to see her in action yet. 9 days and counting Bethy!!

It Finally Came!

Our bed arrived on Saturday! We were so excited...well, me more than E...he's out of town...again!!!

He is super jealous that I get to enjoy the new bed a week before he does. I told him "That's ok! I will just find Maggie's sleep number while you are gone!" But we finally caved in and bought one of the sleep number matresses. (BTW, my sleep number 35) It looks like we are going to have to buy a new bed though. Ours is SUPER old and it was my parent's bed all through my junior high and high school years. I have had it for the past 7 years and IT"S TIME!! It is so time for a new one. The new matress wouldn't fit on the old bed frame. Almost a blessing!

Andrea came over for breakfast on Saturday morning to hang out with me while the delivery men were there. We made a bacon, mushrooms, swiss, tomato strata...Mmmm delicious!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Happy Trails

My neighbors told me about a new public trail that the Parks and Recreation Department built on the other side of town. She said it was about 3.5 miles and that it was a hike and bike trail. If you know me...you know my mind is working. I suddenly got really excited about going hiking. I put on my new hiking shorts, loaded up my CamelBak with water, granola bars, my ipod, the camera and some snacks for Magpie. I threw her in the car and headed towards the park. As I pulled in the parking lots, my spirits bottomed out when I actually saw the "Hiking" trail!! PATHETIC!! It's basically a running sidewalk.



Since we were already there, I took Maggie around the loop and enjoyed the landscape. (If you look close enough, you can see the refinery on the other side of the trail)



Wednesday, June 18, 2008

What's Cooking Wednesday - Whole Wheat Apple Muffins



Just when you think that I am going to throw you a healthly recipe, I top off the muffins with brown sugar. HAHA I am here to tell you that I loved there SO MUCH!! We ended up eating these all day long!! Smitten Kitchen made these a few weeks back and I thought they looked good and made them a few Saturdays ago. These are a MUST MAKE!!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Race Day


Well, things are finally looking up around Texas for racing...not really in our area but at least it's drivable. Myself and a few friends from church are all running in The Human Race 10K in Austin at the end of August! I am really excited. I haven't done a race that long EVER!! So there will be lots of practice over the next 2.5 months. Wanna go? If you are going to be there, let me know. Those races aren't fun if you don't know anyone!!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Friday Night Social

Sorry I have been MIA for the past few days. Lots of stuff happening at home and at work.

Friday night was our Sunday School Social/Surprise Baby Shower for Kristi. We all went over to Brian and Kristi's house and Brian grilled some of the strangest food I have ever seen. His wife Kristi is about 4 weeks away from giving birth to their first child, a girl. Here's a few pics to give you an idea of everything that happened.
Brian made grilled Zummo sausages which is evidently a local grown treat! We have had these sausages twice now. Once at a Halloween party where we got food poisoning afterwards and then again on Friday night. I still don't think I like them but at least I didn't get food poisoning this time. And wrapped in flour tortillas?? That was a new one for me.


These were jalopeno peppers that had been halved and gutted, spread with cheese and topped with bacon. Brian threw them on the grill and these were actually really good. I was surprised.

I was in charge of dessert and made Smores cupcakes. They were really good and the recipe made alot but was alot of work and I still felt like I had eaten better cupcakes before. But they were good and very interesting. I got the recipe from This Little Piggy...

I had to show you my present that I took because I LOVE this wrapping paper!!

Matt posed with the cat. I can't remember the cats name but E called her Jinxy cat (from the movie "Meet the Parents")

Matt got a new game. Well, not really...his favorite game is Phase 10 (or as we affectionately call it "The card game that NEVER ENDS!!!"). So he bought a "new" game...Phase 10 dice!!

Some Baby Shower decorations...

The cat was so funny!! It actually played fetch like a dog. Isn't that funny!! Here she is completely focused on watching that paper ball.

Here she is after Lucy threw the ball and she is bringing it back to her to throw again!!

Here is Kristi opening up presents.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

If We Weren't Safe Before, We Are Now!!

E met this guy who was selling home security systems. He has been talking to this guy for a few days now about what we want and the price. Well, when I came home yesterday, Maggie greeted me at the door as usual but E was no where in sight. Normally, he is sitting at his desk hammering out some paper for school or listening to Rush online but he wasn't there. I walked into the living room and E was in there with his new friend writing up a contract for a security system. By the way, this was about 6:30 last night. I guess you really never know what's going to happen at the Everyday Bailey household, even if you live there!

A few minutes later, he came looking for my signature on the contract and the guy left. So I went about my business fixing dinner and picking up the house when I hear the words "So it's a done deal. They will be back in a few minutes to set it up." I know my face must have had a wildly puzzled look on it. "Tonight?" I said. "Oh yeah, they should be here in a few minutes."

So I took Maggie and we went to bed so the boys could get their stuff all set up and they worked until almost midnight last night getting this thing installed. Imagine being woken up from a deep sleep by the sound of your new alarm system...TWICE! (By the way, this is also my public apology to my neighbors for the 2 times they let the alarm run for a few minutes after 10pm) This is only the first step in the grand plan. In no time, we will surely have camera monitoring the perimeter of the house. ?? I guess I should be more flatterred that he cares so much for my safety.

Poor E, I don't think he got into bed until after midnight and he was also trying to get homework done while the guys were here too. Looks like we are going to bed early tonight!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

What's Cooking Wednesday - Blueberry Banana Bread

I always cook a special breakfast on Saturday morning. I think alot of the reason I do that is because I get up early naturally and E doesn't. So that gives me something to do while I wait for him to wake up.

This weekend, we made Blueberry Banana Bread. The recipe called for 2 things that I had never really cooked with before: Wheat Germ and Oats. I eat alot of oatmeal for breakfast but don't really like it anywhere else. No oatmeal cookies, no hobknobs, but...today is the dawn of a new era. I accidentally put too many oats (an extra half cup...opps) into the mix and was incredibly nervous about how the bread would turn out and was very surprised at the taste. So much so that I think I am going to put too many oats in every time. I never tasted one oat in the bread. It was amazing!! I also added chopped walnuts which is totally optional if that's not your thing. This one is definately worth trying!!



A Long Night Brings a Win

Well, the results are in and BOY do I feel them. Me and my mixed doubles partner, Dave, pulled out a win last night in a third set tiebreaker. After almost a 3 hour match, it was about time. I am super pumped now. I haven't played in years and we won our first match. Who knew!! Our team ended up losing in all but it's all about having fun and not everything too seriously.

I called E on my way home to tell him the good news. He never even asked and so I finally said "Aren't you going to ask me how we did?" His response was "Well, I assume if you want me to ask you, then that means you won." Huff. Forget it...don't get too excited for me....So I called my dad. HA He was pumped!!!

Me and E started dating my senior year to play college tennis. I was just always insecure about people watching me play and making sure that I did well. I asked him not to come to the matches. I asked him this morning if he wanted to come to the next match and bring Maggie too. He says "I thought I was banned from watching you!" (Opps...I completely forgot that I said that 6 years ago...It's amazing what we choose to remember!!) So I lifted the ban and the world was once again a free tennis zone!!

I think I like this USTA world of tennis. You only have to play if you want to and you can be nice and make friends. (that doesn't happen in high school or college tennis)

Monday, June 9, 2008

Organization Tools

With so many projects going on at one time, I am overwhelmed with paperwork. And check out this picture...Do you see any file drawers or anywhere to put office supplies? Those cabinets maybe? Nope they came prestocked with binders that I can't get rid of!


As a organization counter-measure, I ordered a few of these from the Container Store. I hope they help!! Living in the mess causes me to die a little inside everyday!

Texas Wildlife

E took Maggie outside to play ball Saturday night. He rushed inside to get the camera and wanted me to follow him back out. Something about an owl. Make that 2 owls! How cool is that! I don't think I have ever seen an owl in the "wild" in person.

Funny Pictures

After three attempts of trying to get this giant stick through the back door, she finally mastered it and dragged it through the house. It always amazes me what she finds entertaining. I almost felt bad taking it away from her...ALMOST!

Here she is again as I am getting ready to leave for tennis practice. She can always tell when we are about to leave and will immediately get clingy! I packed up all my gear and had about 5 minutes left so I sat down and evidently my 75 lbs. pup thinks she is a lap dog!


Friday, June 6, 2008

Top Favorites

In Andrea Unplugged fashion, I have decided to copy her top five Friday this week (accept I only have 2 for today).  So I have found a few good things that I thought I would share with you:
Nike Women - So I was on this site shopping the other day and found myself turning off the automatic music every time I hit the home page. So annoying...I hate sites with music! So while I was turning off the music repeatedly, I noticed a link in the player that allows you to download all five of the songs for free. Go check it out!! And I think they change it up some times so check back every now and then!
Silicone Bakeware - I know...It's such a girl thing but this little invention has saved my life lately and I am now living to tell about it! Not really, but it's definately on my list of favorites now...because I hate scrubbing muffin pans.

Purchasing Progress

So today I am super excited for 2 reasons:
   1. I am off work every Friday during the summer!  WOO HOO!!!  I have so many ideas about what I want to do with my new found time.  I was going to start my Fridays by taking Maggie for a jog, but I hurt my leg and so I am resting for a few days and it seems that Maggie is also in the same boat.  She has been favoring one of her back legs over the other for the past 2 days.  I know that a little rest will heal my leg and I am hoping the same for her.  We will see soon enough.
   2. I just bought the first set of carpet tiles for our laundry room/mud room/den/office. (call it what you want)

We decided to go with carpet tiles since the door to the backyard is also in that room.  With Maggie coming and going out that door to access the backyard, she tends to bring in whatever she finds or whatever she has been rolling around in (sticks, brown mud, leaves, shells, big rocks caked in dry mud, small creatures and dead bugs).  Also, with our second weeklong "BAILEY WORK WEEK" quickly approaching, we need to get our supplies ready!  So we bought Flor tiles.  They were a little more expensive that getting carpet off the rack at the home improvement store but if one of the tiles gets dirty, we can pull it up and clean it or replace it all together.  And that is something that we definitely needed in case some of you have missed the pictures of our master bedroom carpet (ink from when Maggie ate a pen, Maggie's vomit, accidental clorox spots from cleaning Maggie's vomit, that fact that Maggie brings all of her backyard finds in there to chew apart and create mulch in our carpet...do you see the pattern here?).  

So say hello to our new carpet!!


Wednesday, June 4, 2008

What's Cooking Wednesday - German Apple Pancake

Thank you to How About Orange for this recipe. I love this and it's really very simple too. It only takes about 10 minutes to prep and you are eating breakfast within a few minutes after that! So Good!!!


Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Regrets!

I had lunch with friends from church on Sunday and they told me about a website I didn't know about. I am so out of touch with all things tennis related! Tennis Warehouse

So I am exchanging my tennis bag and shoes for these...I like these much better. I used to run in Asics and LOVE THEM and really regret switching to Nikes so I can talk to my ipod with my pedometer. And the bag? Well, it's still a backpack, with more room and I play with Prince racquets and ...well... it's pink!!

Weekend Catch-up

Well, E is home and I am super glad. Maggie has been crazy all weekend. She has really taken to him and doesn't understand when he leaves. This weekend while he was gone, I took her jogging on Saturday morning and then we played chase in the backyard for about 30 minutes along with a perpetual game of fetch!! She slept the rest of the day. She was SUPER tired!! I was folding laundry and looked over and saw her asleep like this. She didn't even flincth when the flash went off.

Sunday, I, again, had lots to do. Many errands to run and lunch with friends. So when I finally came home, I had a surprise for her. I brought her home a furry caterpillar. HOLY COW her reaction to the new toy was unbelievable and she hasn't let go since. Within 45 minutes, that poor caterpillar was legless, without eyeballs, and she had already pulled the stuffing out of 2 of the 6 segments.

Then her focus shifted to E's possessions...his work hat and his GRE scores...E was not happy about that!!
Then it turned to my chocolate bar. By then I was done making dinner and finally paid attention to her and noticed the mess!!! Sigh! It feels like all I do is clean up her messes.

But E is back home now so hopefully she will calm down a little bit. She was so happy to see him that she jumped out of the car at the airport while he was loading his luggage. Sigh again! Luckily we have a podunk airport and no one was there!

People tell me this is good preparation for kids!!! Whew! I still don't think I am ready for that!