The anti-tag
I outright stole this from Paul, who is too polite to tag...
Rules are as follows: Remove the blog at #1 from the following list and bump everyone up one place; add your blog to the #5 spot.
Not So Silent
Lucidity
Life Isn't Fair
6 Million Dollar Blog
News Gossip and Lies
lesbopatticakes
Next: Select 5 new friends to piss off.
I'm not a tagger, but if you would like to do it just let me know in my comments we will all go over and check it out!

What were you doing 10 years ago? 10 years ago I had finally made the commitment to live with my partner and her son age 13 or 14 depending on the time of the year. I was also going to school full time finishing my Bachelors Degree. I saw my children ages 15, 14, 14 at summer and had high phone bills talking to them. It had been 10 years since my mothers death. I had 12 years soberity.

Five years ago: The kids were 20, 19, 19,
The eldest was living in Reno for a change of pace, one twin was in San Diego living on her own with a roommate and the other on the east coast, building houses with Ameri-corps.(yes for those of you who notice these are Addicts children also)
I had finished my Masters degree and was teaching special ed. I was living with my partner and our son in San Diego.

What were you doing 1 year ago?. Eldest daughter just graduated college with honors, as is one twin, who just bought her first home, all alone at the age of 24. Other twin was working for a cruise line, and living back in Hawaii. My partner and I bought our first home in Modesto (just 3 months before the kid bought hers) and living with our 2 dogs (AKA the boys) I was teaching 2nd grade and loving being back in the classroom. Enjoying being close to family and still missing my own daughters terribly. the son is still in SD 21years of soberity

Five snacks you enjoy:
1breads
2 chocolate can't have any
3 cake can't have this either
4 Ritz Crisps
5 nuts preferably chashews and pistachios

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:
song of the soul by Chris Williamson...if I could only have one song in my life this ould be it
this is embrassing all the other songs I know the words to are childrens music and old hymns and christmas carols I sing a mean Itsy bitsy Spider

things you would do if you were a millionaire:(Well a million isn't enough, let's pretend like it's says several million, OK?)
1pay off student loans
2create a school that helps low income children be exposed to the world and what it has to offer and deals with socio-emotional issues as well as academic
3 create trust funds for the kids but ones they had to earn and not be given to so they understand the work ethic (they already do so help just give them some cash!)
4 take my wife on a long slow vacation she deserves it

Five bad habits:
1food that is bad for you
2 biting my nails
3 scratching
4procarastining (spelling)
5 advoidance of negative things

Five things you like doing:
1reading
2 collaging
3 trying new art things
4 wataching tv
5 baking bread cookies etc
.
Five things you would never wear again:
1 high heels
2mini skirts
3 halter tops mid drifts
4. things that cling to the body (thatt's a scary thought)
5 bikinis

Five favorite toys:
1 my dogs
2pencils and papers
3 dirt
4the computer
5 my camera

. If you are so inclined, help yourself!.

Yesterday we did the tradition of sister shopping. Every year we go to San Fransico women's fine art festival. The art is 1st class and awe inspiring, plus it feels great to be in an environment of 99% women and very few children. I love children but I also crave adult conversation.
I am much more mother earth feminist than either of my sisters (actually than my wife and family) so I love these goings ons.
But we left the blissful world of women to the crazy world of Union Square. Emily in Macy's at Union Square there are 3 different MAC counters on different floors...we would never see you aor Misty again.
My sisters are both power shoppers...wow but I enjoyed the people watching. It is amazing to me how much money we drop on "junk" and how materialistic children have become. I want this I want that you didn't spend enough money on me sisters got more. What are we doing to our children? There is no shortage of disposal income in SF on a Saturday night let me tell you. We came away with a full car load of bags. In defense of my sisters 2/3 of those bags are clothes for children in their schools. Old Navy had a great sale going on!
It was a great day leaving town at 7am and returning at 11:30pm
today we do our family thanksgiving...tortilla soup and quesidas didn't anyone tell my family we are scotirish? have a great weekend

happy thanksgiving
We did the family thing today, it is interesting because we don't know most of the people on the other side of the family Brother-in-laws side) he has 12 chidren and numerous grandchildren and now 3 great grand kids.
I am grateful for the small family gatherings we have when we get them.
It's so nice to go to happy gatherings with no drunks no hostility just nice people great food and babies under feet.
We started the xmas season with a special tree and Drew who became the ghost of christmas to come (due to my wierd photography skills)

Hi I'm trying again.
My HNT is me without a watch or ring...you always hear I feel naked without my watch...actually I feel liberated from time schedules
have a happy turkey day all!

well we have the live-in grandchild now and he is 4 legged. I now know why you need to be young to have babies or ideally puppies. They have a lot of energy and know how to trash a room in 5 min. flat. But damn they steal your heart, and
give you lots of unconditional love in return.
he has his own blog for his dad to read while in bulgaria sammy's daze

this is our newest member of the family, Sampson AKA Sammy. As of now we are only Grandparents but that's how we got Porky. We of course had to go buy new toys, Kongs, food etc. everything a boy needs.
He came in a whirlwind and hasn't stopped for at least 2 hours. the other 2 dogs are 5 years old, not Sammys 1 and can't keep up with him. We have doggie rodeo at our house! Yee ha!

Punk rock Mommy
http://quizilla.com/cgi-bin/result/result.pl
took this quiz no wonder the kids are like they are!
You're a punk rock mommy! DIY is probably your motto, because you're a punk mama at heart. Your kids are getting your independent spirit and guts, and learning to solve problems themselves. You love it when they show their independence, even when it's breaking your heart.2009 other people got this result!This quiz has been taken 7878 times.26% of people had this result.

My second attempt of HNT (don't think I have it posted for all to see didn't figure that part out yet!)

Here's a part of my nakedness very few see...the hearts are my three daughters we have matching tatoos!

love my three girls

and no I don't have tatoos for the dogs, I love them but not that much

this a sample of what my days are like at work. I am always trying to capture children at precious moments. Unfortuately some of them move faster than the slow camera. I love my job and love the energy of 5 year olds. Everyday is a new experience and they are learning everything for the first time. It is so much fun to watch someone discover something for the first time. I love the awe of it all. by the way we are being pilgrims and learning about thanksgiving i wish I could show the good pictures but not willing to risk it. But this is a good representation of what they normally look like!

strange days...the beginning of fall
the weather is dreary and wierd
Sammy (above) is coming to visit for who knows how long.
his dad, our son is going to Bulgaria to work for a while
whoa! the times will be wild at our house
meanwhile toady:
the dogs ate all the fish food
becca is having a hard time adjusting to reality of work
on the upside the other 2 are doing great and enjoying doing domestic things together..wonders will never cease

HNT, I am no longer a hnt virgin. here is the last of my summer tan faing fast, ahhh

fall has come to california

wow I am home at 2:45 today...what do you do with extra time and no work at home (from work there is always housework to be done)
muse about the day? nah the inservice was boring
about life? that takes a lot of energy
..grateful that the election is over now!
I can't believe that something (actually all the things) I supported won. I always seem to vote for the losing side. Don't ask me to watch any sports team that you want to win..they always lose look at the Padres during their world series. I don't feel responsible I just don't take chances.

The boys miss you kid.

GUILT when does it ever quit..got up at 3:30 this am to take the kid to the airport so she could go back to work. She ran late..goal to leave at 4 left at 4:14 got to airport at 5:27. she ( the kid) could have made her flight was 4-5 min too late for her luggage to get to sf and United would not let her fly without her luggage. The most dangerous things in her suitcase was white shoes and cowboy belt buckle! but rules are rules and united does not bend.
I felt guilty that I did not push her to move faster (she is 24 and is always "just a few minutes" and now living near hawaii she has adopted hawaiian time just like Mexican time "manana" those are all her issues though. My guilt is my driving...i hate to drive esp in the dark, i have been binging on sugar and my sight is not as good as it could be so I drove slower than usual (actually that is the speed limit) so I dealt with quilt for a few hours
good news she is going to be on time and back to work when expected but without luggage. She does have the makeup with her though! I know the child well enough to know that she will have her luggage tonight. she can make things happen, she wasn't a front desk clerk for nothing...learned lots of negotating skills.
love ya kid miss ya lots already

Needed some sunshine in my day today, it was dreary today

This is who I crew for at the pit stop of life.

well good morning, this all feels very wierd I should be at work but took the day off to spend with my daughter on her last day of vacation. Of course being 24 she's still asleep while my body has been up for hours. ahh the joys of youth. I have enjoyed the last few days with her. She splices me into her vacation so she can rest, do laundry and visit mom. I am the pit stop in my childrens lives. That is ok .
Yesterday we went to visit a shipmate friend of hers. I enjoyed it, it was very spontaneous and nice to see her with her peers. I have hit a point in my life where observing is good. The drive up there also gave me time to talk to her about my life, open up about things I haven't spoken of. My past that has remained shut to my family. It let her know a bit more about me and what it was like growing up in the 70's. heavens have a become a part of history.