Bugs are easy prey

I've been taking a lot of pictures of bugs lately. The dead one yesterday was pretty neat.

 I don't really have a thing for bugs.  Well I didn't before I started taking pictures.

This Preying Mantis looks like what I imagine an Alien might look like.  Weird.

Dragon Fly

Is it morbid to take pictures of a dead dragon fly?

 I hope not...because I did.

 

My drive home

I love this time of year.

What would I do without my camera phone?

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Mud Man

Funny how  a little mud and a bottle cap can brighten the day.

I'm going to use these pictures as inspiration for the week.

Thanks Camron...You and your friend are going to remind me to smile!

Have a good week!

Google This

Dear Terribles Town Chevron,

I hope people use Google looking your store and instead, get this blog post.

Why?

 Because I don't care.

 Thank you,
 Trudi

Terrible Town
T-Town
Terribles Chevron
 Chevron Terrible Town
 Pahrump Chevron
 Highway 160 Chevron
 Chevron Pahrump

My car got sick last Friday

This isn't the first time my car has been in the shop. Last time, it was because I ran over a rivet and had a flat tire.

Something that couldn't be prevented. Well, I guess it could have been if someone hadn't left their rivets lying around.

This visit to the shop was different though.

There was real trouble. Flat tires are no problem, THIS was a problem.

We first thought something terrible had gone wrong with the engine. Some weird defect causing havoc that was going to require major engine repairs.

 The only comfort I had was the fact that I bought my jeep new. Two years ago, right after Chrysler started giving lifetime power train warranties. At least I wasn't going to have to pay for the tow and repair. So I thought. Until I got the news...

The gas was bad.

I bought a whole tank full of rotten disgusting gas.

 Luckily, it could be drained and the tank could be cleaned. And luckily, there was no damage done to my engine. I'm pretty sure crappy gas is not covered by my lifetime warranty.

 Chad took a sample of the sludge gas to the station where I bought it on Friday. They didn't care. We were the only complaint they had and they have since got new gas in their tanks.

I need more gas right now...Guess where I will not be getting it?
Terribles Town Chevron on Highway 160

My World

"Say Cheese" Video Repost

Since my last post about kids taking pictures, I've been thinking about this cute little video that Mandy and Camron took in the spring of last year. I love it now just as much as I did the first time I watched it.

Photos of the Photographer

I've said it before...I Love handing a kid a camera.

I like seeing things from their perspective.

And how they get to that conclusion.

The world looks a little different from their angle.

Sometimes, I forget that.

I asked him what this was a picture of.

 "A Pwaying Man-tiss".

It certainly was.

Breakfast at Romero's

green chili omlet. ...mmmmm!

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Weeds and grasshoppers

Have I ever mentioned that green is my favorite color?

Click photos to get a better view

This guys color blends right in with Chad's weed tree. I almost walked right by without noticing him.

He's a fascinating, creepy little creature.

 I don't like grasshoppers, but man, look at that green. That is beautiful.

I tried to find some live weed flowers, but I was a little late.  They were yellow on Sunday. I should have went out a little sooner. Oh well. They are pretty this way too!

A kindergarten memory

Chad and I were talking about all the new kindergarten kids we have in our family this year. Three out of four of our kids have sent one of their little ones off to school for the first time this week. The parents (our kids) should be pro's at this by now since none of these kindergarten babies are the first in their family to leave home for school. But I'm sure it's just as hard to see the last one (like Kaylynn), as it was the first one.

My first one was the hardest for me, for a few reasons. First of all, since we had just moved to a new house, shcool had already started and we didn't attend the usual enrollment day, I had no idea what in. the. heck. I was doing.  "Shots? She needs shots? What are shots? Were do you get shots?" The nice lady in the office just smiled, gave me information on getting immunizations, and told us to come back after she'd been properly inoculated.

I spent the next morning getting all the kids updated on their shots and went back to school in time for Kaylynn to start the afternoon session of kindergarten. That wasn't so hard. Until Tiffany realized that we were leaving the school without her big sister. Then...all hell broke loose. She cried. She sobbed. She kicked. She screamed..."I waanntt  myyyy Kaaaylyyynnn!!" All the way home.I'm not kidding. The point five miles we had to walk home may as well have been five hundred miles. Up hill, both ways. It was horrible. I'm suprised someone didn't call the police. She was screaming that bad.  Oh man, what a sight that must have been!! She wouldn't walk so I had to carry her (kicking and screaming), push Anthony in the stroller and encourage poor  little CJ to keep walking. Just a little further I kept telling him. On the way to the school, I was able to alternate carrying CJ and Tiffany, but not now and his little legs were getting so tired.

We were all physically and mentally worn out by the time we got home and kids fell asleep really quickly. It didn't seem like they had been napping very long when I heard noises outside. It sounded like kids playing. I went to the window and saw a bunch of kids walking down the street . Suddenly, I realized...It's Thursday... It's early day!  The school gets out early for teacher workshops.

I got the kids up and we practically ran all the way to the school. Once we got there, the parking lot was pretty much empty, no kids anywhere. I was sure they took her to the orphanage. I prayed the doors were unlocked. I was so releived that they opened when I pushed. Once inside, there on a bench next to the office, sat Kaylynn. All by herself. Looking at me like - where have you been? Poor girl. I will never forget that look as long as I live.

 The office lady came out and told me that since we didn't have a phone, she called our emergency contact and someone was on their way to pick her up. Oh I felt awful. Why didn't I know it was early day? How did I miss that? I apologized to Kaylynn and to the office lady and just hoped I didn't look like the worst mother on the planet. Then I gathered my kids and left.

Just as we were getting to the end of the street, Chad's sister pulled up. They had called his mom and she sent Bambie to get Kaylynn. I just sucked it up and got into the car. At least we didn't have to walk. Until the next day, when we did the whole process all over again. Screaming and all. Except it wasn't early day.

**P.S. I checked google maps to see how far we had to walk to the school. It actually said .40 miles, but I added .10 because I could have sworn that it was at least a mile. I think it was two miles the day it was snowing so bad and a neighbor lady saved our lives. But that's another story.

Growing Up

Today is Camron's first day of school. Kaylynn said he was a little scared, but excited that he gets to play. He is growing up so fast!

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Blogger Buddy

She's back at it. Kristy has updated her blog. You can visit it here.

We set up her phone so she can post to her blog from anywhere. We haven't quite figured out how to send pictures from her phone, but we will keep working on it.

In other news; The little boy came over to play today.

He had a hard time deciding what we should have for dinner.

He didn't think this ranch dressing was quite enough.

We should have two ranches. That would be a good dinner.

We finally settled on cheese sandwiches. With ranch.

It all started with Puppy

I looked at this picture of Ruby a lot today. I made it my desk top at work and at home. And, it's the wallpaper on my phone. I love her. It's that simple.

 It wasn't always her though, there have been others.
It started with Madame Felicia Ferocious...who we called Puppy.  That little eight week old black and white Old English Sheep dog Puppy was sleeping just inside the door when I got home from school one day. I loved her the second I saw her. She turned out to be a better friend to me than any kid in the neighborhood. Loyal. Loving. Trustworthy.

Puppy would have loved Ruby. And like me, Ruby would have loved Puppy.

A Picture of Us.

Ruby and Me.

(click picture to enlarge)

Junkyard Blues

Way up north of town, down a long dirt road sits a junk-yard.

Two Brothers Junk

I didn't know that there could be so much organization at a junk yard. Most every thing was in order and labeled.

My Sister-in-law, Athena had a car like this back in the 80's...hehe.

This old bus is surrounded by a motor grave-yard.

I was careful not to get too close to this stack, I was afraid that 2x4 might not hold.

This old truck was my favorite. I think I've had a dream about a truck like this before. I couldn't quit looking at it.

Birthday boy

Happy 1st birthday baby Elliott.

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Evening Work

We decided to mow the lawn this afternoon when I got home from work.

 It was so tall that it dulled the blade and we had to put on a new one.

It took a little effort, but we finally got it fixed.

And finished up the work. Whew, it's hot out there!

The lawn sure looks nice.

5 Years

Dear Don,
For my five year anniversary, I wanted to say thank you for my new office. I love it so much and I feel way more efficient. I'm sorry the picture is kind of crappy, but I don't want anyone making fun of me for being excited about it, so I had to take it kind of covertly.
Anyway, thanks again. The only thing that would make it better would be a raise. Can we work on that? (just teasing on that part, I think. ) Thanks!

Yours truly,
Trudi