So we had been planning our move to Texas for sometime now...Finally we started to put the plans into effect. I started selling things on Craigslist to make money for the move. We also had a 7 day yard sale...we reached our $ goal on the 6th day. Unfortuanately the first day of the yard sale...Adam Fell down our steep driveway and rolled his right foot under him and landed on it with his entire weight...he was in extreme pain. Brother and Sister Lautner and Stephanie Sands were here at the time and witnessed it all : ( We iced his foot and gave him Ibuprofin...and elevated his foot, and Stephanie happened to have a pair of crutches with her in her car...which was very helpful. The pain was not going away...So I had Finesse watch the yard sale while I took him to emergency...he had torn some ligaments and had muscle separation in his ankle...very painful, they say sometimes moreso than an actual break. So that night Finesse and I had to carry all the furniture from the yard sale back into the house, and for the next 6 days we hauled it all out every morning and hauled it all back in every evening...We were both so sore and bruised up by the end of it, and so grateful we had made our goal and that the 7th day had finally arrived...we did the yard sale for 7 days, cuz we were going to have nice, sunny weather for those days and on the 8th day it was gonna start raining for a whole week, we were glad for the rain... so we wouldn't have to have the yard sale for another day : )

Adam was going to have a follow up appt. with an Ortho Surgeon on the 3rd of May, so depending on what was done or suggested we would either leave the 4th or postpone our trip a month or so. Well, we went to his appt. we were praying he wouldn't need surgery...they suggested casting his leg from the knee down for 6 weeks...they said there was no reason he couldn't go on the roadtrip.

With the 2 cars (Finesse's Explorer and my car) all packed up (packed by me...arghh, since Adam couldn't cuz of his foot, well Finesse did help too, but I knew how I wanted things packed so that we could fit more in) I stayed up til 3 am packing the cars up. So anyway...with the two cars all packed up we headed out Wednesday the 4th we were gonna take our time getting to Texas, not rush it. We only drove til around 6pm the first day...with only 3 hours of sleep, I couldn't go on. So anyway it took us 4 days all together to get to TX. Cuz we Stopped in Az. And spent the night and day with my Sister Yolanda and her family. Then we headed out and got to Tx. the following day.

As soon as we got to Castroville, I went and saw my Mom. Brought her with us to see the RV for the first Time, and we were gonna take her out to dinner as well. Ya know...a Wrench always seems to get thrown in our plans...We had Texted Daniel to turn on the A/C in the RV before our arrival. But when we got to the RV, we noticed there was NO power at all. No lights, or A/C or anything (Unbelievable...you can't live without A/C in TX). Good thing it was Daytime when we got in, around 2pm. So we tried a few things...didn't work, with my Mom outside at the pic nic table, we decided to just go to dinner til we figured something out. The RV Host had given us the numbers to 2 RV repairmen. So we called them and when we were finished with Dinner and Mom had dropped us back off at the RV and left ( she had said if the power didn't get fixed to come to her home). Anyway we hung out at the pic nic table for awhile and one of the RV guys called Adam, and said he was finishing up Mother's Day Dinner but would make it out within the hour...WooHoo!

So after a couple of hours of him and his wife working...we had lights and one of the A/Cs running, barely. He said the front A/C was shot. And the back one that he was able to get running is on its last leg...GREAT! That's all we needed...more expense! So anyway in the whole RV, he could only get one electrical outlet to work...I was sure we were gonna blow that one, with all that we had plugged into it. But we didn't...Days later he came back and fixed the other outlets. Then a couple days later we were having trouble with No hot water, and sewage draining problems...we had to learn about RVs real fast (black tanks, grey tanks...blah blah blah). So anyway all of that seemed to be going okay...But now that A/C last leg? is down to half a leg now...its going bad! So the RV guy is gonna replace the front one with a brand new A/C unit tomorrow. Which is the one I would prefer to have running anyway, since the living room, kitchen and dining table area is where we spend most of our time. And we will just let the back one run til it dies!

Finesse is loving it here...she was texting my neice, Hope, her cousin back in AZ: " I dont know what it is about Castroville, but it just brings me and my Mom closer...Our bond tightens everytime we are here" So I was of course so pleased to hear how very HAPPY she is here.

Inspite of all the Trials we've had since getting here with the whole RV fiasco, I am so relaxed and at peace here...Finally!

I cannot believe it I AM HOME!

We are parked at the RV park in the Castroville Regional Park. This is the park I took My kids to when they were young...this is the park I taught Daniel how to throw a Football at, how to throw and catch a baseball. We are all home again! This is the same park I remember coming to as a teenager as well. There is so much to do here: The river, the 1 mile walking trail, the hiking trail, the park with 3 playgrounds, the public swimming pool, the tennis courts, basketball courts and volley ball. We are having a blast and the Glama Girls love it too!

The only sad part is that Adam will be leaving on Tuesday the 24th...to go and tie up loose ends, either rent our home out to a witness family or rent the individual rooms out to single brothers, once he accomplishes that...he can join us for good!

We went back to our old Congregation...it was so nice to see everyone! We got such a loving and warm reception. It all feels right, as a family we have been through the wringer in the past 2-3 years, but Satan did not win...with Jehovah's Holy Spirit we have remained strong and loyal to him, WE ARE STILL STANDING! Jehovah, you truly do empower the weak with your holy spirit...we Love and Thank You Father!

Well, I will continue to blog from our new home Castroville, Tx. The plan thus far is to live in the RV for atleast a year, save up and either continue to live in the RV if we become accustomed to it...or Rent a home or purchase a small home. And if we rent or purchase a small home...we will park the RV in the driveway and let Finesse use it as her apartment. We are enjoying ourselves, however, it has definately been an adjustment going from our 3,300 sq. ft. home in Wa. to the 1984 Holiday Rambler RV which only has 240 sq. ft. It is a 30 ft. , very old.... but hey, it is a roof over our heads.

We are learning to Keep our Eye Simple...our new motto: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify : )

Talk to yall Soon

                                        PaPa Rolling Down Hill With The Girls

"The Secret Life Of Bees" is what I am reading now...it was first recommended by my daughter Finesse, she absolutely loved it and kept telling me that I have got to read that book soon. She read that while we were in Texas in July. I told her I would love to borrow it from her and read it soon, but first I was trying to read all the Nicholas Sparks books I could get a hold of.

After posting one of my last blogs about the books I'd been reading...my niece, Hope, also raved about how wonderful "The Secret Life Of Bees" is, along with so many other books and authors that she loves. So I already had plans to read it, because of Finesse's recommendations, but Hope also speaking so highly of it motivated me to read it next. I am only in Chapter 1 but it is great so far, all the characters are pretty interesting. So far it is following the movie to a "T". Can't wait to dig deeper into it, just have to find the time to sit and read now. Training Paris and taking care of Jewels is taking up some time.

I think Jewels is getting arthritis...in her neck and shoulders. 2 months ago we had to take her to the vet for a check up to see why she was walking with head down and and tail between her legs it looked like she was in pain when she would come down or climb stairs. I had remembered that the day before she started walking like that she had gotten so excited when Adam came home that she started running around the house so excitedly and she ran upstairs we heard her from downstairs running around up there and jumping on things and jumping off and then when she came back down she jumped down from like the 5th step and ran to us. She seemed like the jump didn't phase her, but maybe that is what started this whole problem, I thought. At the VCA Clinic, They couldn't find anything wrong in her x-rays or bloodwork...but when the vet touched her neck/shoulder area, Jewels Yelped a bit. So Dr. Fruit gave her anti-inflammatory/pain medication. Jewels started to feel better after a few days, I continued the course of medication for 10 days, and I hoped that she had just pulled something and that she was better now. But now she is acting the same way again...So we called Dr. Fruit and she refilled the medication for 7 days today is the second treatment, still not much improvement. The Vet said if she does not improve by the end of the course of meds. they want to re-examine her. I have a feeling she is getting some sort of arthritis, afterall she is around 11 or 12 years old in human years, so either because of age or because of the jump off the steps along with her age...she may have a lasting problem : (

I've been working with my Yorkie, Paris, and she is pretty smart! She has already learned to "Sit", "Lay Down" and "Shake" on command. Each trick only took her about 15 minutes to master...of course I used "Pup-eroni" treats, but hey, she got it.

Next on my list of tricks for her is to "Roll over" and "Speak". After that there is this way that she sits really pretty...not standing on her hind legs but sitting on her bottom and her front paws up like she's begging...she can sit like that forever...but Finesse and I are the only ones that have seen her do it, I want Adam to see it. So I am trying to figure out a way to get her to "Sit Pretty" on command, when I have tried she just stands up on her hind legs, rather than sitting on her bottom. When she has done it on her own...I've said "Oh, Sit Pretty" and she gets all excited. I figured if I put a name to it (Sit Pretty) when she does it...that maybe eventually she sit pretty on command.

Here is a video I just took this morning after writing my blog...to show Paris off, I am so Proud of her! 

These photos were taken with my Droid...so not the best quality. So my cousin Bill called me and asked me if I had sold my car yet, and I told him that I hadn't, so he said dont sell your car...I have a deal for you, he said I could use his home in Castroville anytime that I want for as long as I want. His house is always vacant except for 1 weekend out of the month, when he goes down there from Dallas. So, now that I dont have to sell or trade my old jag in for a Motorhome...I had been wanting to get a shorter bodied jag like an X-type or S-type, cuz Finesse kept telling me that I was driving an "Old Hag Jag" : ( I know right? So we went and traded my Gold Jag in for this one. It is easier to drive, its more reliable, and less miles, and I think it is a very beautiful car. I can't wait to go see my girls and take them to Bill's house at the river again, I miss them so much.

Lets see what else has been going on...Oh! I have really been focusing on Stock Photography, uploading and keywording tons and tons of images. Been making a nice little income from that every month...even without having submitted new images in years. So I am hoping to make an even better income with my new images in my Stock Portfolio. I submit my images once and they just keep making money for me.  I love it, cuz I make money while I sleep.

Paris, the newest member to our family is adjusting extremely well. We've learned that most Puppy mill dogs dont always adjust as well as she is. A lot of times it takes weeks or months for them to even allow anyone to touch them. Paris is so sweet...however, I do think that she was physically beat before, cuz one time I was taking a rolling pin out of the drawer and she saw it and did a quick reflex flip in the air and when she landed she took off running...poor thing, I immediately put it down and went to her with opened arms and hugged and held her for a long time, Poor Sweetie. So we do have to be careful about holding long things like that up in the air : (

She actually watches TV with us, and seems to recognize the not so nice characters...she growls and barks at them, she is very entertaining, much more so than the TV program itself...I find myself watching her more than the TV. Paris is still getting used to her freedom from a cage...she doesn't seem to know what to do with the freeness of being able to roam around freely at night, but during the day she goes around like she is apuppy just curiously examining everything, everything is so new to her, if she touches something and it moves she freaks out a bit and jumps back, but you can tell she has fun exploring. But she is doing better and better everyday. She is very loving and affectionate, when I hold her she rubs herself on my chest and makes baby moans. We Love Her! Oh and I recently went and got Paris some really cute Hair Pretties! She is Absolutely Adorable! 

So Saturday the 4th of September...Adam, Finesse and I ran around and got some errands done. The last errand on our list was to stop at Petco to buy some crickets for Deuce (Adam's Bearded Dragon).

Well...it was Pet Adoption Day, yup! I told myself not to go in, not only did I tell myself that...I told Adam and Finesse that I would wait in the car, cuz I know myself I can't resist animals. But I went in anyway and I did good for awhile I was so proud of myself...cuz outside the door were volunteers with about 6 or 7 dogs on leashes that were up for adoption...Adam went and petted them, it was killing me but I stayed about 30ft away from them, Whew....thought I was safe and I was so proud of myself. But then when we turned to walk in and the automatic doors slid open I noticed 15 or so cages with dogs and puppies inside, of course the cage closest to the door that I of course spotted right off the bat is what I have been wanting for a few years now...a Yorkshire Terrier! She was just adorable : ) 

Once again I told myself to turn around and go to the car, but at that point I just couldn't help myself...I went inside, went directly to her cage. They named her Paris Hilton (wasn't crazy about the name) They said she didn't really know her name yet, so if we adopted her we could easily change it. Well, we had no self control...we did it...we held her and she was sooo soooo sweet, she put her head on my shoulder and that is all it took. Then Adam held her too, but I said "No, this is crazy we cant do this" so we put her back but we both kept looking back at her  as we walked away.

We went and got the crickets but Adam kept peeking at Paris and then we both just stood there staring at her. I went and looked at something else, cuz I knew that If I showed too much interest, Adam would've wanted to make me happy and get her for me. So I tried to stay away, and once again I was doing good. Next thing I know...Adam is over there holding her again, so of course I went over there and after some discussion we filled out the application and adopted her. We Love Her! She is 2 years old...she came from a puppy mill, has had 2-3 litters of pups already (poor thing) I am so glad that we rescued her from having to go through more births. She had just had all of her shots, been spayed and microchipped 5 days prior.

When we got her home...and tried to rename her, she wouldn't look at us or respond at all, so then I said "Paris" and she perked up and came to me...Bummer, she does know her name...So Paris she is, Paris Wilson, that is! She is such a sweet puppy. I told Adam when we were lying in bed that night...We should name her Cricket, cuz we went in for crickets and walked out with her : )

 She is so Pretty...Look at that Face!

When Adam and I went on our cruise...we loved coming to our cabin at the end of the night to our beds turned down with a piece of mint on our pillows and a different "Towel Animal" on our beds, couldn't wait to see what animal would await us that evening. So I learned how to make some...I now know how to make Monkeys, Elephants, and a dog. Look at Jewels she is such a little model. She was made to be a TV Dog or model or something, she is so cooperative.

Here is my "Towel Dog" 

 This is one of my favorite photos...my Chihuahua, Jewels, always lays between the stuffed lions paws...if my lap is not available. So one day I ran up and got my camera and captured this warm fuzzy image. What I really love about this is how the tilt of the Lion's head onto Jewels' head, actually makes it look like he is cuddling a baby cub. After all the excitement, she went back to sleep : )

I thought it would be a nice idea...to start an "Image of the Week" here on my blog. I will begin with the image below...Let me know what you think...I would love to hear your thoughts.

Mt. Rainier ~ taken in August of 2009

Danyel Spent the night with me and we spent the morning together and then I decided to curl her hair, she loved it and  said she looked like a princess and that her hair was bouncy, she was so happy, and couldn't wait to show her parents...so I was worried that the curls would go away before they came to pick her up so I decided to surprise Daniel and Kasandra and take her 3 year old portraits. When they came to get her they loved how she looked and thought she looked Beautiful. My Glama Girl Truly is Breathtaking...she is my best model to date!

As posted earlier...we will be moving on February 15, 2009. So I have started packing today. In the past most of my photography clients have been from the Enumclaw area...So now I am going to be concentrating on widening out to the Covington / Maple Valley / Kent areas. As well as still taking care of my Enumclaw clients. I will keep you posted on any new happenings in my business and personal life.