Updates! Pictures! News! Etc.

I had some adventures a few weeks ago I really meant to share, and then I got sick. So, I am updating with some cool pictures and details of all the fun I have had lately. Woohoo (or something)

My SweetPea had a birthday (as I mentioned before). She got all kinds of awesome loot, but the big winner this year was her very own, real, Guitar. She has wanted one for several years now but I've been hesitant to get her one- she's a little flighty and changes her mind a lot, I haven't played an instrument in a LONG time, and I did not want to spend a ton of money. I knew if I went to a guitar store, I would not get what she really needs- a good learning guitar. I'd end up with whatever the salesman thought he could sell me. (I know this about myself, I am very susceptible to sales pitches.) I don't know ANYTHING about guitars, but lots about other instruments.

My mom and stepfather have been playing guitar for over 20 years. They KNOW guitars. They have about 10 or so and love playing, performing, writing and enjoying guitars very much. They went to their local guy (who knows them well and wouldn't sell them junky stuff) and bought the SweetPea a beautiful guitar. Here it is:

The girl is thrilled beyond measure. I have helped her learn to tune it and I have taught her scales, but I know she needs LESSONS. SO, I am on the hunt for a local instructor that likes kids.

OTHER STUFF

We also went fishing (which I think I mentioned) and I have a picture or two. A fun time was had by all.

I noticed that I have taken a lot of SweetPea pictures and not many of TallBoy. So here he is at his fuzzy-wuzzy best.

I also have a picture of me, with the kiddos from my grandmother's 90th birthday party. I don't hate it, which surprises me a great deal.

I made a card a while back that I wanted to share, but forgot. It is for a friend nicknamed "Squirrel"-

He's The Dude's partner at Armored Gopher Games. He's officially been "adopted" by our family. I have baked him cookies, made him stromboli (his favorite), let all our friends know it was his birthday (and as much as he griped he liked it) and much more. He's in our scrapbooks, so he is family.

I also finished my brother's wedding album- it was a LOT of work, but I was really happy with the results and Fixit and his wife LOVED it. So all is good. A sample page (a picture taken by my camera rather than a scan because my scanner does NOT like my laptop at all. Grr.)

I have been really busy at work lately. Today was kind of a fun treat. This week we have had some customers in from Poland to try out their machinery. These guys are far away from home and don't know very much English. We have done a lot to try to make these guys feel comfortable and enjoy their visit. We normally order carry out lunch on Fridays so my boss paid for their meal and we all sat together in the lunchroom, eating and talking. I asked a lot of questions to the guys and soon we were talking about kids, and work, and food, and beer. They LOVE Budweiser! It seems funny to me that we go all the way to Germany for "good beer" and guys from Poland think Bud is "the best". Then we started talking about the beers they did NOT like, and it was a riot. They made fun of several beers for being "sissy beers" and named one brand they thought was better for a baby than grown ups. We really had a good time. One of the ladies in the office was having them over for dinner tonight, and then she and her husband were going to take the guys to the local mall to see kids in costume.

Apparently, they just don't do the same sorts of things for Halloween over in Poland and the idea of Trick-or-Treaters was very novel to these gentlemen. One of the guys was taking pictures with a camera he bought here because they are 3-5 times the cost in Poland. He got a big kick out of the decorations we had in the office, and the candy was puzzling to all of them.

I love that about my job- it is truly international. I have learned so much about different cultures, nationalities, languages and customs. It has made me a better, more well rounded "citizen of the world".

Life's good!