Peyton in California

Trip to California

Last week we took Peyton for her first vacation to California. We were worried that she would get fussy on the plane, but she was absolutely perfect. She did not cry once and she smiled at everyone that noticed her….which was basically everyone. I got stopped like 30 times in the airport by people that just wanted to look at her and make faces at her. I know people just naturally love babies, but she is really extra cute which makes them even more fanatical. When we got to California we stopped at Huntington Beach. Peyton was really sleepy until she saw the ocean. She loved watching the waves and the seagulls. The first day was pretty relaxed…we just unpacked and ate dinner.

The next day we went to the swap meet in the morning. We got some stuff for Peyton (as usual) and noticed a trend with pricing. If I asked what the price was….they would give me a ridiculously high price. If James or my mom asked….the price would be much lower. At one place I asked about an outfit for Peyton and they told me it was $30. My mom came up after and they said the price was $11. Can you believe it? Talk about discrimination. We got back to Grandmas and they had a birthday dinner planned for my mom. After dinner she opened presents and we played poker.

The next day we decided we would try another swap meet because the rain was so bad and my dad thought the other one was mainly indoors. We drove there, but it wasn’t indoors and no one was there. We decided to drive to Horton Plaza which is this expensive mall in downtown San Diego. This day just kept getting worse and worse. The parking lot was really expensive and we spent 30 minutes trying to find a way in from the parking garage…..which we found out later didn’t matter because the mall didn’t open for another hour. So we waited for it to open and that is when the shopping chaos began. My mom loves to shop and so do I. My Dad hates shopping in general and James only likes to shop for himself. Everyone kept arguing about where to go or complaining about how long we were in each store. The elevators were another issue. They only have a few sets of elevators at each end of the mall and they have half levels with ramps and stairs. Somehow we got to a level that the only way down was either to walk to the other end of the mall or carry the stroller down the stairs. It was really frustrating. We ended up carrying it down the stairs and had a large group of people waiting behind us which totally stressed us out. This whole time it is still raining really badly so we were soaking wet. Then the boys started complaining that they were hungry so we decided to go to Anthony’s. I have been there before and it was really good….but it was horrible this time. The one thing on the menu that is not fish was pasta with red sauce and chicken. It was just not good at all. Then we left and started heading towards Grandmas. The whole time everyone was arguing. After we got back just the three of us (James, Peyton, and I) went to Walmart to get formula for Peyton and then just walked around JC Penny. We got to Grandmas late for dinner and everyone was still arguing and it was still raining. All and all it was a crappy day.

The next day we went to Imperial Beach and yes…it was still raining. We went to the end of the pier and got attacked by Pigeons. We then went down on the beach and for about 25 minutes the sun came out. Halleluiah. And then it started raining again. After that we went back to Grandmas to celebrate a birthday dinner for her. We got Grandma some hand soaps for her bathrooms, a vanilla diffuser, and a picture frame with Peyton’s hand prints in it.

The next day we went to Coronado and it actually wasn’t raining……which would have been good if it hadn’t been replaced with wind storms. We couldn’t even go on the beach because the sand was blasting everything. We went to the Coronado Hotel and my Mom bought Peyton a few toys and then we walked to the ice cream shop. Somewhere between the hotel and the ice cream shop my Mom lost the bag of toys. My Dad went back and luckily someone had sat the bag by the side of a garbage can. That night we went to Aunt Connie and Uncle Dick’s house and ate dinner. Uncle Dick cooked some amazing food and we met their new puppy. He is a golden retriever/poodle mix and at 4 months old he was huge.

The next day James and I drove to LA to go to Randy’s Donuts. James is the donut man and he has been talking about going there for a long time. We drove 2 hours there…got the donuts….and then drove 2 hours back. I don’t know if they were worth the drive, but they were really good donuts. James thought they were fabulous and is already planning our next visit. After our donut run, we decided to go to La Jolla Beach and of course…..it was raining. Then we went to eat at the only open restaurant and the people were really snobby and the food was horrible. Then we went back to Grandmas and James taught me how to play chess….and I am actually really good at it.

The last day we were there we packed and James got the oil changed in the car. Then the sun finally came out and we got some darling pictures of Peyton playing in Grandmas back yard. Even though it was constant rain, fighting, and horrible restaurants…..I still enjoyed myself. Peyton was a perfect angel the entire trip and I got to spend a lot of time with her and James. It was so good to see my family and I can’t wait to go back again.

♥ What are your middle names?


We are a family of middle names. My middle name is Rachelle, but since I got married it is Rachelle Argyle. James has two also. James Jedediah Mathew Butler. And we couldn’t leave Peyton out. Peyton Elliott Galatea Butler. The Galatea was added at the last minute by my sneaky husband. Galatea is Super Girls name when she is grown up and hot and a little evil…hehe.

♥How long have you been together?

We started dating in November 2004. We got married May 11, 2007.



♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?

We knew each other about a year before we started dating. We were both dating other people. I remember thinking he was really bossy and dated stupid girls and pretty young and immature.



♥ Who asked who out?

No one really. We were going ice skating. Me, James, and Jody (our friend). At the last minute she bailed on us. I was really upset with her because if she wasn’t there it was more like a date then just hanging out.

♥ Who made the first move?

ME….haha



♥ Did you go to the same school?

Yes. Roy High, but several years apart.

♥ Are you from the same home town?

No. His dad was in the military so he has lived in a lot of places, but the majority of his life has been in Utah.



♥ Who is the smartest?

It depends on the subject. I am by far more book smart. He is smarter with life responsibilities and his memory is much better.



♥ Who is the most sensitive?

I don’t know. I thought it was me for a long time, but in the last year I would say that he is more sensitive.



♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?

We go to a few places a lot. Fuddruckers, Chiles, Famous Daves are probably our most popular choices.



♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?

The Caribbean.

♥ Who has the worst temper?

James for sure.

♥ How many children do you want?

We thought three until we had Peyton. Know it looks like two although I think we would both be happy with just Peyton, but we are worried she would be lonely.

♥ Who does the cooking?

James cooks. I bake. He thinks it is his kitchen and I am only allowed in there for cleaning.



♥ Who is more social?

Me. I am all about meeting new friends and hanging out with friends and family. James said the other night that he wished he was on a deserted island with just the three of us.



♥ Who is the neat-freak?

Neither of us. We are both messy. James can clean one thing really well, but he can’t keep focused long enough to get the whole house clean. I clean the whole house, but I don’t detail it like he does.



♥ Who is the most stubborn?

James. He always gets his way. I save my stubbornness up for when I really want something.



♥ Who wakes up earlier?

Me. Every day.



♥ Where was your first date?

We went ice skating at the ice sheet and then to Tinseltown to see a movie.



♥ Who has the bigger family?

James. Our immediate families are the same size, but his extended family is huge.

♥ Do you get flowers often?

No…because I don’t like them….what a waste of money. I would rather have new clothes or makeup, etc.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?

Ha ha…..that has been fun. At first we did our own thing separately….then we did both families….and now we do our own thing with our little family and make our families come to us. It is pretty easy when you have the only grandchild.

♥ Who is more jealous?

It used to be me. I don’t think either of us gets very jealous now.



♥ How long did it take to get serious?

A few months.



♥ Who eats more?

Depends on the food. Ice cream…..me. Donuts…..James wins hands down.



♥ Who does/did the laundry?

We both do, but I would say I do the majority of it.



♥ Who’s better with the computer?

We are both about the same. James is better with installing stuff and troubleshooting, but I know more programs (Photoshop, illustrator, access, etc)



♥ Who drives when you are together?

James always.



♥ What is "your" song?

We have a few. “Our love is” by Live and “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5.

Messages from my email

I was reading my email today and got a few that I thought were very good and I would pass along.

CHEYENNE


By Catherine Moore

"Watch out! You nearly broadsided that car!"
My father yelled at me. "Can't you do anything right?"

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.

'I saw the car, Dad. Please don't yell at me when I'm driving.' My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts.

Dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him?

Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon . He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions,
and had placed often. The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess. The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later
that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he Couldn't do something he had done as a younger man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. At the Hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately Refused to follow doctor's orders.. Suggestions and offers of help were Turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, And then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone.

My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed Nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became Frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We Began to bicker and argue. Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and Explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling Appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God To soothe Dad's troubled mind. But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it.

The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each Of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my Problem to each of the sympathetic voices that answered. In vain. Just When I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, 'I just Read something that might help you! Let me go get the article.' I listened as she read... The article described a remarkable study done at A nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic Depression.. Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were Given responsibility for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon... After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all Jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after The other for various reasons, too big, too small, too much hair. As I Neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to His feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, One of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the Breed. Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His Hipbones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that Caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me Unwaveringly.

I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the Gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim Him, that was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up Tomorrow." He gestured helplessly. As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. 'You mean you're going to kill him?' 'Ma'am,' he said gently, 'that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog.'

I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. 'I'll take him,' I said.

I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch.

"Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad!" I said excitedly.

Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.

Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples... "You'd better get used to him, Dad. He's staying!" Dad ignored me. "Did you hear me, Dad?" I screamed. At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate.

We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw.
Dad's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw. Confusion replaced the anger in his eyes.. The pointer waited patiently.. Then Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne . Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent
reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at his feet.

Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years. Dad's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyennes cold nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.

Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad's peace of mind.

The morning of Dad's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life. And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers." "I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article.  Cheyennes unexpected appearance at the animal shelter . . . his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father. . and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all. Life is too short for drama & petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive.

THE ECONOMY IS SO BAD.....

The economy is so bad that....


...I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

...I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"

...CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

...if the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you have to call them and ask if they meant you or them.

...Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM. (No joke!)

...McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer.

...parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.

...a truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.

...Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.

...Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.

...the Mafia is laying off judges.

...The economy is so bad Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen...

...Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madof scandal. Oh Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!

And, finally... I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the Suicide Lifeline. I got a call center in Pakistan, and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.