Good morning from San Diego

I am in San Diego this week for a conference and took this picture from my back door...not a bad spot for some coffee...I just wish I had my 4 gals with me.

Tot is Three!

It's hard to believe that another year has gone by. Taylor turns three tomorrow, January 24. She has been very excited about her birthday the past few weeks. She kept telling us that it is "sooooooo...sp'acial"...and she is right. We celebrated her birthday quietly at home, with plans to hold a combined super,-duper birthday blow-out party for Taylor and Abby sometime in February. The Wizard of Oz appears to be the theme of choice, at least for today.

Thufferin' Thuccotash!

Regan encountered a number of folks over the past few weeks that offered to do us all a favor by pulling her remaining front tooth.  Her tooth had literally been dangling since before Thanksgiving, and of late had turned a distressing shade of GREEN due no doubt to the nerve damage that it sustained while hanging by a thread.  On Sunday, in a fit of courage, she allowed Bella and me to 'help' her wiggle her tooth in a half-hearted attempt to get us to leave her--and her tooth--alone.  After two hours of hearing her wail in phantom pain I had enough.  Just before bed we convinced her to afford me just one try to loosen the tooth a bit more, and while Bella held her arms, I pinched that sucker out!  Regan's face was priceless as she sat straight up on the couch and looked at us and said, "Is it out? Is it out?" She is none the worse for wear, excepting the pronounced lisp she has developed.  But at the end of the day, I think even she would agree that the ordeal was worth the rewarding trip from the tooth-fairy.

Farewell thee well.....finally.

For Chris....wonder if it was a Valero?

Survivors Of Gas Station Explosion Mourn Tragic Loss Of Gasoline

No Smoking!

I feel the need to blog about a very important topic.  Bryan informed me the other day that Governor Tim Kaine intends to reintroduce legislation that would ban smoking in eating establishments throughout Virginia...yeehaw!  Governor Kaine introduced this bill last year but it failed when our legislators lost their nerve.  This bill has my full support because I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke...especially when I am trying to eat. 

I feel this way not only for me, but for my family as well.  I cringe because I hate the thought that my girls are having to breathe the filthy air.  Having non-smoking areas does not help most of the time.  Just because you are sitting three tables down from the smoking section doesn't mean that you are secluded....you can still smell it and still have to breathe it.  

For those of you who feel the same way, please call or contact your state legislators to urge them to support the smoking ban!  It doesn't hurt people to go outside.  When it's cold, don't be a baby, put a coat on!  Don't subject me and mine to your dangerous habit...it simply ruins the taste of a good steak and tiramisu.  

Bud Phillips can expect my call tomorrow...let me know if you need contact information, I will be happy to send it along.