holy cow

My goodness time flew by. I am tying up loose ends at the office today and trying to get these last two escrows closed by Wednesday of this week because we are leaving for Cancun thursday......wooohooo. We are sooo ready to go. We have worked so hard this year and focused on growing our name in this community and I think we are moving forward nicely. I have set in stone some enormous goals for 2009 and failure is not an option. So although we are headed out of the country for 10 days....I will be working on our strategies to meet our goals.(it will just be beach side rather then in the office.)

Steven doesn't know it yet but we decided to take him to Sea World when we get back since we fly into LA and San Diego is just a few hours from there. I booked a great room and we will be able to spend the whole day checking out the park without trying to rush through it to get home.
I have been wanting to take him for the past 4 years but it just hadn't worked out. He has worked with us this whole year and sacrificed some serious play time and by doing so he has really improved his professionalism and worked on his manners. We strongly feel he deserves this little something extra "just for him". He is really going to like taking his hard earned paycheck money from savings to spend at Sea World on whatever he wants without hearing a "no" from us (unless it's candy). This will be very difficult because I see LOTS of stuffed animals coming home with us. Shamu is cute .....but 15 different sizes of stuffed shamu looses its appeal. oh well, Showing 187 houses in 1 year lost it's appeal for Steven too, but he stuck it out so we will too. :)

We finally have cold weather and fall foliage here. It still doesn't feel like winter and Christmas here with out the cold and snow but we are looking forward to seeing what Santa leaves for us this year. Steven asked for the nerf machine gun with extra belt to wrap over his shoulder. Santa worked real hard to make sure that gift will be waiting for him when he wakes.

I just completed all of my non business related Christmas cards and I can mark that off of my list of 19 things to do before we leave Thursday.

Last night I packed our suitcases with everything we need other then toiletries. One good thing about going to Cancun in the winter is only packing shorts, swimsuits, tee shirts and flip flops. I can pack a month in advance if I want too. (which I may consider for next year.)

Well now I better get going so I can pick up a few things for the house and eat lunch before going to get the little fireball from school.

Christmas Deco

Well I finally did it, I got all of the interior deco and tree set up for Christamas. phew what a job. I normally wait until after turkey day, but since we are headed to Cancun on the 10th and returning on the 22nd I figured we better get going early if we want to enjoy them.

Speaking of enjoying the deco......the three little trouble making cats are killing me. They are jumping into the tree swating off the deco and scattering them (if they don't break when they hit the tile floor) all over the house.

They eat....yes chew and swallow the shiney garland...they like the gold best by the way. So needless to say a portion of my normal deco is placed neatly back in there storage boxes for next year when the little treasures are older and not as interested in the decorations.

We are having Scott's family over for dinner on turkey day so I need to get to my shopping list so we have all the good stuff. I don't think it will be difficult to spend $90.00 to get a free turkey. We shall see how it goes tomorrow.

We are in the paper

I was so excited this weekend when I opened the paper and saw our names in it. We received an award last week and it was need to see ourselves listed in the Visalia Times Delta Weekend edition.

I hope to see us listed as top sales very soon.

Brooklyn's Ball

This has been a tuff couple of days for us why you ask?

We work with a guy named Joe, he is married to a wonderful woman named Dez and they have 4 kids. One of the children (there second) was born with a condition called Alagille Syndrome that effects 1 in 1 million people I would tell you about it but I am ignorant about this condition. I do know that it can effect the heart, liver, or kidneys....in Brooklyn's case it impacted all 3 organs. At one year of age Brooklyn underwent open heart surgery at UCLA and a year later received a liver transplant. Over the past 8 years, Brooklyn has suffered from the chronic effects of the transplant, and severe injury caused by the powerful steroids that control her weakened immune system. These steroids have damaged her transplanted liver, and now little Brooklyn is in need of both a new kidney and liver.. Unfortunatley the times a liver and kidney were available for her they were just not right for some reason.

Over the past 10 years the medical bills have really piled up so friends of the family thought it would be a great idea to hold a Cinderella style ball for Brooklyn so she could be the princess and raise money to cover the million dollar surgery. It was also decided that a silent auction would be held to raise additional funds. Several people donated items and goods for the auction and 9 days prior to the ball over 450 tickets had been sold. Unfortunatly 5 days before the ball Brooklyn past away. Her family decided to have the ball in her honor and the funds would be used to pay down the medical and funeral costs. At word of her passing, another 300 tickets to the ball were purchased.

Brooklyn's Funeral was Friday morning and it was the most beautiful and heart wrenching funeral I have attended. This is the 3rd funeral I have attended for a child and it never gets easier. The ball was last night and Scott and I were able to attend and it was just beautiful. Over 750 people attended, bid on the silent auction items, and they were able to have a live aution for several trips (including a hunting trip for two to New Zealand valued at $6500.00) and Scooter. I won the bid on a beautiful Christmas center piece and two fantastic bottles of wine. We left around 10:30 before the dancing started but I am sure everyone had a wonderul time. The dinner that was served (buy Brooklyn's mothers co-workers) was delicious. I never thought to take a camera because I didn't think it would be a true celebration of life but it was. Every table had table cloths, candles , home made castles,tiara's , and tons of balloons. I am hopeful that pictures will make there way to the website for the world to see. http://brooklyns-bridge.com/ here is the website if you would like to learn more about this special girl.

On that note, I must dry my eyes and get ready to go show some property. Then we are off to a bbq and football.

Have a blessed day.

something serious after the animal post

Here is a great thought for the day:

We were the only family in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi." His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wiggled and giggled with merriment.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik.
My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi."

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn reciprocated with his cute comments.

We got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check. The old man sat poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let me out before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a young baby consummated their love and kinship.
Erik, in an act of total trust, love, and submission, laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime and pain cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks.

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "Forgive me." I had just witnessed divine love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was a higher power asking, "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom, we must become as little children."

Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. We must always remember who we are, where we came from, and most importantly how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are.

The Animals

Okay, I have heard your requests for some photo's of our crazy pets.

Poker assuming his favorite sleep pose.

Here is Sierra stretching out for her evening nap.

Pismo sneaking water out of a cup because heaven forbid our cats drink the fresh ice water from their own bowl. (we go through alot of cups a day at our house!)

And last but not least here is trouble.....I mean Sequoia trying to figure out the handy dandy hot dog cooker we got for our anniversary. (which works very well and is a kick in the pants to use..big thank you to mom and dad)

As I manage to capture more photos I will try to get them posted. Sorry for the big gaps, I can't seem to figure out how to get rid of them and keep the pictures. What can I say...I'm blog challenged.

Have a great day!!!

Happy Halloween Everyone

Well we walked over two miles and filled the bucket 1 and 1/2 times last night. Our new neighborhood hands out great candy. There were sooooo may people out and the weather was a blissful 70 degrees. We went through 9 bags of candy and some of Steven's before the night was through.

Steven insisted on being a desert commando special forces dude. The helmet did not fit and kept falling off so we finally tossed it away. He wore the costume to bed, and is still wearing it. Boys are just so silly. Steven also realized last night that if he was very polite, well mannered, and chatted with the door openers, he got more then the traditional 1-2 pieces of candy. By the end of the night we were having to pull him away from the doors.

Scott and I attended two halloween parties last weekend and took this fantastic Kitty Litter Cake. It turned out awesome both times I made it and I assure you I will make it every year going forward.

I did not dress up for either because heeeeellllllooooo, who can top Scott's Costume??? He won best costume for the office and won a $50.00 gift card to Chili's. (We had a great lunch on Wed. by the way....I recommend the chicken enchillada soup mmm mmmm mmm).