GO SUNS!!!!!
They now even the series 2-2!! They played better in the 2nd half of this game than the did in this series so far! I am confident they will beat the Mavericks in game 5 and bring it home for a win in game 6. That is my optimistic prediction! However we will be in Copenhagen for the next game on Thursday. Maybe we can get feed of it somewhere.

With that I say Bon Voyage - Till we meet again my friends!!

Oh we are so ready to go!! It is nice to officially be on vacation from work! My last day was Friday! I just hope now, that Jen does payroll on Tues and I can pick up my check then instead of having her depoist it for me on Thur or Friday. We will be on the boat by then! I have on check already sitting in savings and and we have the credit card as back up.

The wierdest concept is going to be the daylight hours. Because we are so close to the Arctic, they only have so many hours of darkness in the summer. The sunsets about 9:30pm and gets up around 3am. I am not sure we are going to sleep!18hrs of sunlight. On the plus side, maybe we'll get to see more.

Carl did get a camera for his bday. We have shopped and shopped. Circuit City had an excellent deal on digitals.He got the Nikon CoolPix. It's 5.1MP! Its a $200+ camera and we got it for $159!! It has tons of bells and whistles on it. I have always had a camera. He has never owned one. It is nice to let him have one this time and have someone else take the pictures.I am amazed at the features it has on it. I don't know how often we will have internet access over there. It is expensive!! On the boat it's 75cents a min. I will try to update if I can.

Packaging starts tomorrow. We have stuff at the drycleaners and just a few more errands to run but besides that we are ready to go. Carl got his patches for the motion sickeness. The only part I am REALLY nervous about is flying! It Scares me to death!! You would think for as much as I have flown I would be used to it by now, but the take off scares me every time! My face is broken out I am so nervous! LOL! When we went to Paris back in 1999 I took a zanax and don't remember anything after Chicago!

I will post more a little later before we go and then hopefully I can update when we get in Copenhagen. We have two days there before we get on the ship!

Today was definately Wed!!
Work wasn't so bad - but we are busier than expected, people working on last minute projects for graduations and teacher gifts etc. I don't think we'll be all that busy tomorrow and Friday. We changed our staff meeting for Friday Morning. The boss decided to close for Monday - Memorial Day. I asked Robyn today how come they don't do on days when I DO work! LOL! I told her I am either gone on vacation anyway or it's already on the weekend when I don't work!
Ah, well at least it gives the weekend girls a break.

Nobody threatened that we cut little kids arms off today!
But when we got home, Carl was bringing the stuff in from work (they celebrated his bday today at work it's actually next wed the day we leave!). Buster decided to let him self out, while we were standing there.He just walked right outside without his lease on, he would not come when we called him. Usually he is pretty good and even without a lease he comes right back to us. He did NOT do so today. He just kept going. He walked to the grass. He had to go I guess. It took him a few minutes still, he would not let us take him back in the house. We let him do his thing.I thought maybe his butt glands needed to be cleaned out. When we came back in we found he had a present he left from before. He does that if he's mad about something or not feeling good. So I though for sure it was his butt. He's been having trouble this week. So we took both of them down to Petsmart. I don't like taking them because last time they shaved them BALD! They tried to drain him but they said there was nothing there, she said he might just have an upset stomach or constipated. So I will keep an eye on him. We did get his nails trimmed which needed it really bad. Bilko will let me do his on my own, but she did both of their nails anyway. She even cleaned Bilkos eyes for free. He gets them gooped up. For some reason his are always bad. She told me I could use baby tear free shampoo and a really fine comb but I have to comb it out when it's wet. So that was nice. I have been afraid to get his eyes wet.
So after pooping two or three times inside and outside of Petsmart, they were both feeling better. So I hope they are okay. It could be they just know we are going or they sense the anxiety. Bilko does especially, he gets very nervous even if we have a discussion. We don't really fight.

Like yesterday we had a really good discussion about the DaVINCI code. I am almost done and Carls already read it. Bilko did not like us talking back and forth. He starts pawiing at Carl and then comes back to me. He's always been a very nervous dog. I don't know why.

Anway - my thoughts really quickly on the book. I DID NOT like Angels and Demons. The first one. It was WAY to far fetched. It was a park your brain at the door kinda book. Even if you thought the Catholic church was or is corrupt it's still a park your brain at the door book.
DaVinci Code is too.

*STOP HERE IF YOU HAVENT READ THE BOOK OR SEEN THE MOVIE!**
I do not see how and why the Catholic church is worried about this book. If you read the book and have read the Bible I find it VERY difficult to believe or even understand the theory that Mary Magdelene is the Holy Grail. Especially if you DO have a testimony that Jesus is the Savior one could not possibly believe this theory. I know that it is FICTION and there is a reason it is fiction which makes me wonder and question why is the Catholic church so against it. It's like I mentioned to Carl. Instead of trying to find out WHY this isn't true if I was a priest Instead of trying to fiqure out why it's not true- Why not reread the Bible?! My favorite part is when he compares DaVinci and Walt Disney!!Yea OKAY!!
The book however is very entertaining and I like the characters. I am liking this Langdon character and Sophie.I am not sure how I feel about Silas other than so far he's disturbing. There must be more to him. I am interested to see Tom Hanks play his character, so I am still Very much intrested in seeng the movie.

Ohhh my goodness.... what did I do to myself?!(see last nights post!)LOL!I can tell every part that hit the concrete!! I have matching bruises on my knees. The nasty cut on my thumb won't close because it's right where it bends on the joint. I changed the bandage three times today. My arms hurt the worst today! Oh dear.... I must either really be out of shape or I hit it really hard!My legs not so bad, it's just red with the top layer of skin scrapped all the way up to my knee. Ibprofren is my friend today!I guess I needed something else to focus on besides the trip! LOL!

Three more days left of work!I am soo counting them!! There was a weird thing today. A lady and her kids were checking out. I was counting her paper. We have these little buckets with embellishments, like buttons and clips etc inside them. Little kids love to dig through them. We really need to move them away from the check out desk! Anyway - I heard this mom tell her child (maybe about 7 or 9) "stop playing in those or they will cut your arms off!" I couldn't believe she said it. I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. I didn't look at her face, I was still counting her cardstock. She said it again. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the little boy look at me with an expression like "REALLY?!!" I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything?! Would you have said anything?! It just seemed really wierd! I could see it if she was teasing him. It was hard to tell. And NO we really don't cut off kids arms in the scrapbook store!!Our scissors aren't sharp enough! HA HA!

The Branches friends of ours from Church, gave us DiamandBack tickets at the last minute today. He called while Carl was still on his way home, so of course I said yes. Even though game 7 for the Suns was on. So we were in a hurry to get out when it was over so we could catch the end of the Suns game. I hit the parking lot curb and went right over the top of it. I even said outloud "curb check". it was dark and there were people behind us, so I was trying to warn them too. I hit it straight on and did a literal skid across the parking lot in the dark! I heard everyone behind me including dh go..."OHHH that hurt" and the people making sure I was okay. I couldn't see in the dark how bad it was. But my thumb is numb still with cuts and bruises from my hands to my shin. My right shin is really torn up and burns the worst. I can handle the throbbing in my thumb, but it's the pain in my shine!! I was even trying to warn myself and other there was good curb there and I hit it!! I think I will have some serious wounds.

The Diamondbacks and the Suns both won so it was worth the pain! LOL! It's funny how the surface cuts hurt the worst. I have a nasty cut on my hand and my thumb. I took some IBprofren on the way home because my thumb hurt so bad. I can feel my thumb now, so it must be kicking in. I will look pretty tomorrow. But it was a lot of. It was fun for Carl and the Branches are cool. They have all boys and most of them were there. Cindy Branch is subing for me one of the weeks we are gone for Primary!

Crazy day today but fun! We started out early because our apartments were having a communtity garage sale and we didn't want to be here for it. Carl already had a follow up visit for the bronchitis and all the good stuff. His xrays came back with a spot on it, she wants to look into just to be on the safe side, she wants to make sure it's not Valley Fever. I can't think of the other name she called it. But she said "valley fever" and carl said "no it's not valley fever!" and they both laughed. They were cracking jokes back and forth, if he laughs to hard he starts coughing. She ran more blood tests on him and ordered a ct scan just to be sure, she's thinking it could just be scar tissue from the pnemonia he's had so many times. He's feeling better, so we're feeling pretty confident that it's not Valley fever, but theres been a lot of it around here. Oh and he did get the motion sickness patches for the trip. And he can wait and get the ctscan after the trip, but the blood tests he has to do on Mon. she wants those before he goes.

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and a successful day it was!! I FOUND A SWIMSUIT!! I love the colors! It has regular swimsuit bottom under the shorts. But I was really happy with the top and the bottom. I did try a one piece, but it was boring. It was just that same color green and black. But I liked the strip better. I got this one at Kohls on sale. Carl also got a few things. He got four shirts, all of them are ones he can wear and be dressy or casual depending on what pants he wears. We aren't taking anything we need to iron!Top priority! lol!I didn't find a pair of dress pants but I got so excited about my swimsuit I kinda forgot! lol!

Then this evening we had to drive clear out northeast Phoenix, out to my Aunts house, for Quinns wedding reception/open house. His wife is the one who's shower we went to while I was in Utah. They had the wedding reception in San Diego (they got married in the San Diego temple!) , but had an open house here. It was nice. I was glad we got their a little early to help them out. We would have been there sooner, but they closed the 202 west bound, so it took us twice as long as we had planned. We don't get out there often as we should because they are out so far. Or we are out so far. Oh and the cool thing is we are going somewhere on this ship, that Beth hasn't been! Eastonia!!! We were so excited, she teased us, so we'll have to get her something from Eastonia. Oh we did find a streetwise map for Berlin, but apparently they don't make one for Eastonia, or Stockholm! Go figure!

So Buster has decided that he has seperation anxiety. For the last week or so he has been at the end of my rope. I take him outside to do his business.He wants to go for a walk. I keep telling him that it's a 104degrees outside! So he decides he's going to pee on the light post, it's not good enough, so he moves to the edge of the sidewalk, no not good enough. He moves to the bush does the same thing. FINALLY we get to a litte patch of grass and he pees onit!

For our 2nd round which is around 9pm, so tonight, he has to go, but he can't find a spot again, but he's doing the 'poop walk' at least. But manages to wrap me around 2bbque stands, and the palm tree, like it's an obstacle course!!

He's driven me batty! And then he still wants a treat!!

Oh boy!!

Round 2 today. Although the clouds got really dark and stormy, it only sprinkled a little. It's weird it rolls in about the time I get home and then it's finishing just as Carl gets home almost an hour and half later! I have been fighting off a bad sinus headache all day night, due to the heavy winds and all the crap blowin around.

However this evening was lots of fun!! Carl and I watch Amazing Race, every Wed night. We have only missed one episode (that I know of!). I was THRILLED THRILLED that the Hippies were the ones who came away in the end!!They were themselves all the way through. I thought the Frat boys were funny but in a smart ass way! They were poor loosers, especially when they were on the Swan Boat in Japan. BJ should have just reached around and slapped Jermey!
Yolanda and Ray were cool. I kinda felt bad for them in the end. Carl and I have the kind of relationship, we probably could pull it off, but I don't know about the challenges. Especially the eating crickets or carrying this fish! I like to EAT fish but not carry it!! EWWW! The capsule hotel in Japan was BIZARRE!! Neither one of us would have slept in that. Carls extremely clostrophobic, and I wouldn't be able to breathe very well! LOL! But I would have loved to see the world. Just not like that! LOL! I don't think! We are sad though that it's over!!
I am looking forward to my own amazing trip in on a plane, in a boat, with money and more than the clothes on my back. I am a comfort traveler!

This is what followed me home today! Literally as I stepped off the bus. The clouds were very dark to the east, but the wind wasn't really blowing or at least it didn't look like it. I thought I have plenty of time to get home, with stopping at Walgreens. See on the other side of that wall, is the parking lot the nursery, then a field and then Walgreens on the corner. I don't have that far to walk. Except when it's a 104 degrees like today!LOL! Anyway - I could see the clouds forming some wierd things and lots of lightening. But it looked like it was out in Fountain Hills.
I stopped at Walgreens, for something for Carl and then as soon as I reached the parking lot of the apartments the dust storm hit. My heart nearly stopped. I couldn't believe the winds! We've been caught in a severe dust storm once before and that was in a car - that was scarey too. See the pink in the clouds, that's not rain it's dust!!As I turned the news on we were in a thunderstorm and dust storm watch for 45 mins. Winds at Mtn. View High School, just up the street were at 39mph!! Did we get rain?!! Sprinkles!!! I don't call that rain!! The west valley got some rain but that was about it.And the wind was enough to do some damage! It was weird an early monsoon in May!!

Carl is doing better, although he admitted I was right and he shouldn't have gone to work today. He didnt want to miss Karens bday. To bad he's got such a good job!!

Happy Mothers Day today!!

I hope everyone is having a very relaxing Mothers Day!! I talked to my mom this morning.
I was terrible and with Carl being sick and the trip and everything , I haven't been able to get Mothers Day in the mail. I also have Liz's graduation stuff I need to mail.

Yesterday carl slept most of the day. He's still not feeling any better. He's not going to get over this as quickly as he would like. He's taking tomorrow off too. He just needs to rest and he's getting impatient. It's not like the flue or a cold. It's more serious than that, he just needs to give it time.

Meanwhile, I reorganized and cleaned the office. I got rid of my box of scraps from my scrapbook stuff, and filed all the papers that were in the two boxes under my craft desk. I also moved the comp over to my desk and left Carl his desk for his laptop and church stuff. Its so much more organized. Not only did I get the office done, but the hall closet as well. I now know what's in each box and in each drawer of my white paper organizers. Everything is labeled. So if we ever do move, I know excactly what's where. I was quite impressed! LOL! But dang it felt good, and I am not as sore as I though I would be, especially since I moved the computer and Carls desk by myself. That felt good!!

I also have watched the Travel Channel for four straight days. I really should watch Most Haunted late at night bymyself! I've heard it's not like Ghost Hunters on Sci-FI, which I really like to, but the whole idea - I'm a sissy. I couldn't go sit in a dark room and wait for something to visit!

Why do guys have to be soo difficult sometimes?! They are either really big sissies or they are very stubborn and REFUSE to take medince or see a doctor till they literally can't stand up anymore?! So I mentioned that Carl came home sick, today he stayed home and is much worse.
I took him to the dr today, he's got bronchitis and pnemonia, along with a sinus infection. He's on four prescriptions, including an inhaler so he can breathe and codiene so he can sleep. I'd like to take some of that Codiene so I can sleep! HA HA! Poor guy! He is very stubborn when it comes to this sort of stuff. The problem is when he's sick he's really sick, he doesn't goof around. The thing he keeps saying is "at least he's getting it now, instead of on the trip. Which we are down to less 20 days! HOLY COW!! I only have 10 working days left!! HOLY TOLEDO!! It doesn't seem real and probably won't until we're on the ship.

Anyway - he's been given strict orders to stay down and drink lots of liquids, Dr wants to see him again in two weeks. He had xrays done to check for pnemonia, dr was pretty sure he has it, anyway but they wanted to do the xrays anyway.
They had him do this weird breathing medicine. He had to breathe it in like and inhaler. Then he turned it off when he was done. He had a little trouble but he finished it. I am fascinated by what they do for stuff now. Medical stuff fascinates me anway because of my history, but it's eve more fascinating when it's someone else! But I could never be a dr. I have a sense of humor butI don't think I couldn't deal with the public like that.

We did order out Chinese for dinner. He hasn't eaten in two days, but I finally got him to eat some rice and some chicken. He has to take the liquid formula of the codiene YUCK!! But at least he's taking his stuff.

His poor boss is in bad shape too, we found out today he had three bulging discs in his back. he's been on lots of heavy drugs and nothing was working. They couldn't do the MRI because he couldn't lay flat or still on the table long enough. I asked why he waited so long, it wasn't until his wife tried to get him. He's been out three weeks now, he's gotta be hatin it! Two of the girls in the office went home sick today and Sue one of his carpoolers (our other good friend i have mentioned before) broke her foot and is in a full cast, from her karate stuff. She didn't go until she finally couldn't stand it anymore!!CRAZY people! I hate the dr too, it's frustrating but dang why deal with the pain! LOL!

On the side note, we are officially into triple digits today! We hit 101 today and it's only getting hotter as the week goes on. And so far I don't mind - although that seems to be the only arguement Carl and I have right now, he's wrapped up in blankets and I think it's too hot, he's runnin the fever and it's 101 degrees outside!

My Prayers are that everyone gets better - Its not fun being sick or in pain!!

Yesterday was VERY VERY bad. Lets just say at 2:30 I let Robyn know I was quiting and walking out the door. She talked me out it. She seems to not be panicked about the days I am gone on the cruise are not covered. People have volunteered but noone has put their names down. She says two of the college girls are coming back and they'll most likely do it, this was only ONE of the reasons I would be quiting!Being left a lone AGAIN was the reason yesterday.It's still my responisbilityto get my shifts covered and she still did the schedule and put my name on it, knowing full well I am not going to be here. They have known about this cruise for a LONG time. Since way before Christmas!! The nice part was today, Teresa came in this morning and said we are going to have a play day.She NEVER does that. She wanted us just to do layouts. There were even a few boxes from UPS but she told Denise not to worry about it today. She wanted new layouts for the new stuff that's been coming in. Which was fine with me. Robyn asked me to sit in the lab, since two of our regulars were in scrapping today. So I was good for a break.We had Sara and Crystal today beside me. Tomorrow should be good to, we have three people on the schedule.It really hurts when we only have one or two. It's amazing.

Anyway - Carl came home really sick today! Poor guy! I am alittle worried about him. He has been running a fever this evening. He was wrapped up in blankets and we finally hit our first triple digits 100degrees today. His cough is in his chest which has me a little concerened. Work told him to take tomorrow off and I am glad. He got his stuff done, so hopefully he won't stress about being out tomorrow. He loves his job and loves his office. They did a Mothers Day celebration today. I made really cute little bags for the ladies.They LOVED them. I love doing stuff for them, because they get so excited over it!

I did get some stuff to add to lizzie's graduation presents and her card finished. I am a little late at getting it along to her. Mothers Day will be alittle late as well. There is something I am on the hunt for. So mom if you catch this before Sunday -you may get it late, but I will talk to you Sunday! I hope you are feeling better too. Maybe it's the weather change thats got people sick.

Yesterday was good. I was able to find some fun things. I got some cute shoes. I didn't want just white boring keds. These are light weight and comfortable that i can wear to work as well as play. Then I also bought some really cute white shades. I wouldn't normally but I am trying to get away from the normal. I want to start buying stuff that I wouldn't normally wear. So I was really excited about my shoes!
I was not as successful for my swimming suit. This is not going to happen in one day I take it. It is difficult. I don't want a one peice or bikini but a tankini. But not with the bikini top, does that make sense. If I can find a picture of one I will post it. I saw one, I just can't remember where. Don't you HATE that! But it's the in style thing right now too. I have a dress for the cruise. The only other major purchase will be my new camera. Yes! I get a new camera. My first digital has finally kicked the bucket. The battery door won't stay closed anymore and the digital card door is loose. I think it's been dropped one too many times. I has seen its days. But it was a good camera in it's lifetime. It's time to upgrade.We have Herbs but it's a camecorder/digital. It's a little big and it doesn't do still pictures as well. As you can see, I did my shoes picture with it. So if anyone has ANY suggestions, let me know. It should be a good week this week.

Church was good today too, we didn't teach even though it was my week to teach. We had the class outside, because our class room is FREEZING! The poor girls were freezing. And we are practicing for sharing time next week, so it worked out well. I don't teach again till I come back from Europe!!

23 days and counting! Can you believe it!! So I hope you all don't mind me jabbing about the preprations for the next few weeks!

FRUSSTRATED is the word of the DAY!!

It's funny how we don't think the little things affect our life. What is convienient for us and what is easy. Like computers. Where would be without them in todays world! (yes, I am avoiding the ILLEGAL immmigration issue all together, it just raises my blood pressure!). My hard drive bit the dust, Christys is now using Janets Laptop, so she didn't need the regular computer, so long story short, I have basically the same computer I had before. Only Christy swore it didn't work.
Carl got it humming. I just need to reinstall Photoshop. It's a HUGE program. So I will do that sometime tonight or tomorrow. The part he LOVES is his laptop is now back on wireless and we can be on the same computer at the same time. OH this sounds terrible as I type it! LOL! is that bad?! Because we spend a lot of time at home, it's a good "winddown" thing for us. Yes, I know I need a new hobby.

I am burned out to the max, on Scrapbooking. On the plus side of that I made a $100.00 or more on my class. I say more, because my sales put me just a little a over a $100.00. Not bad for about 2 1/2 hrs of work.

Oh and I can say it's Officially Summer here in the Valley of the Sun! There is a reason they call it. It did hit 100degrees in some parts of the valley. Mostly in Gilbert. I work in Gilbert. That's one thing we like about Mesa, it's a little bit cooler because of the Orange Groves. Fortunately Carl was home today so I didn't have to take the bus. Oh there is a little misqueto flying around the room. It's driving me batty!!