Alright...this is a basic schedule of the things we're trying to accomplish that could be considered fun.
That said--most of it will probably bring on the apocolypse.
May7th -- lifted Ryan's Chevy.
May 8th-- 4am, Hey let's go to Mount Lemmon. With the dogs. For one night only.
May 16th-- Even though it was Ryan's only day off he had promised to take me to see Star Trek before Angels and Demons.....so we went to both in one day. We saw Star Trek in IMAX! Holy amazing, it was so good. I love Star Trek in it's entirety and Ryan loved this movie and says he'll watch more with me. Swoon. We went and had a great linner/dunch at Macaroni Grill and back to Angels and Demons we went. Neither of us was too impressed with this. I liked the book and Ryan liked DaVinci Code better.
May 22nd-- Williams Birthday. He got a pet and a bike! Spiderman and KungFu Panda. It was good. We went for a ride in the Monster *uck and listened to the kids favorite songs. Mostly one song: over and over and over and over and over again. Jumprope by Blue October.
May 23rd-- Cinematic Titanic (MST3K reworked) Probably one of the most hysterical nights I've had. Laughing tears running down my face.
May 24th-25th-- Went to Laughlin Nevada and the whole Mohave Valley. It was pretty in some areas. I hadn't been that whole way through the state. I beat Ryan at Rummy that night, he likes to say it's because his vision is bad--I'm pretty sure it's because I kicked his ass.
June 5th-7th-- Harry Potter a thon, I'd never seen any...and have been through the books quickly.
June 26th--Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood!!! AAAAAHHHHH-- Ryan got these tickets as a surprise! So exciting, I absolutely cannot wait!
July 11th--Stephen Ashbrook in Jerome. This is a fantastic show--I recommend it to almost
July 12th-- Blues Traveler. We took the roommates to a concert last year with Blues Traveler, Collective Soul and Live. Blues Traveler took the show! I've listened to them since their beginning, but it was mostly new to Ryan, Dani and Aaron. So Ryan and I are going back. Very excited. I love their music, and the shows are very entertaining and musically phenomenal.
August 21st-- The Cult at Celebrity Theatre. Ryan has wanted to see these guys forever, and I really like them. So it's a double first! Amazing!
August 23rd-- Depeche Mode at US Airways Stadium. This is not Ryan's first time seeing them, but it's mine. He's obsessed and I love them. So it'll be good. **Dave Gahan--if by some cosmic miscalculation you're reading this---try not to get sick or a tumor--) thanks, Karla--out.
September 2nd-Jillians Birthday. Holy Crap a birthday party for a 5 year old girl. Help....
September 3rd-- Johnny and Edgar Winters . This is a show that we're going to with my parents and Sarah and Luke. It will be awesome as it is a totally different type of music than what we usually listen to. It's music I like, but new-style to some.
Well, that's for the most part it. I'm sure more will come up.
5:32 PM
8:20 AM
As I sit here the day after my second Mother’s day away from my exhusband, I realize that my life is so much better off.
I have good friends that care about me as a person. My kids are well adjusted and love me unconditionally. My family is on my side, and tries to help in every way they can.
I spent my Mother’s Day with my kids, Grandma Betty, Aunt Casey, Mom & Dad, and my sister and her husband. There was no drinking, there was no fighting and there was no smoking. There was no animosity, and there was no fear of judgement. I forgot how lovely that free feeling was.
I dropped my kids of at my ex’s house after Grandma and Aunt Casey got on a plane. I thought that they should have some time with his Mom. When I dropped them off, I saw her in all her leathery drunken glory. I don’t miss that. I don’t miss the constant judgement. I don’t miss the drinking all day. I don’t miss the questionable morals by the random family and ‘friends’ that came by. I don’t.
My parents got me a card with a vocal message that made me want to cry. I love my parents and all that they’ve done for me. I want to be a good mom for my kids. I think that I am. They’re mostly well behaved (they save the Gremlin parts for me…).
My roommate got me a sweet pep talk card and my sister gave me a purse that I love. It’s got the right size handles. Can’t misjudge the importance of those handles.
I called my Grandma Eunice and talked to her for a while. She’s doing good, lonely I think—but good overall.
I guess I’m just extremely happy to be out of such a negative situation. Despite any strife or trouble I have now, my wellbeing is much higher. My happiness doesn’t dissapate as quickly. My head isn’t continually twisted into knots and discouraged thought processes.
It’s hard now, I’ve got to work full time. I’ve had to learn how to keep house in a way that demands responsibility proven by me. I did it though. My kids are happy and carefree. Ok, not totally carefree. William still thinks that he’s batman…but I think that’s ok.
I have good friends that care about me as a person. My kids are well adjusted and love me unconditionally. My family is on my side, and tries to help in every way they can.
I spent my Mother’s Day with my kids, Grandma Betty, Aunt Casey, Mom & Dad, and my sister and her husband. There was no drinking, there was no fighting and there was no smoking. There was no animosity, and there was no fear of judgement. I forgot how lovely that free feeling was.
I dropped my kids of at my ex’s house after Grandma and Aunt Casey got on a plane. I thought that they should have some time with his Mom. When I dropped them off, I saw her in all her leathery drunken glory. I don’t miss that. I don’t miss the constant judgement. I don’t miss the drinking all day. I don’t miss the questionable morals by the random family and ‘friends’ that came by. I don’t.
My parents got me a card with a vocal message that made me want to cry. I love my parents and all that they’ve done for me. I want to be a good mom for my kids. I think that I am. They’re mostly well behaved (they save the Gremlin parts for me…).
My roommate got me a sweet pep talk card and my sister gave me a purse that I love. It’s got the right size handles. Can’t misjudge the importance of those handles.
I called my Grandma Eunice and talked to her for a while. She’s doing good, lonely I think—but good overall.
I guess I’m just extremely happy to be out of such a negative situation. Despite any strife or trouble I have now, my wellbeing is much higher. My happiness doesn’t dissapate as quickly. My head isn’t continually twisted into knots and discouraged thought processes.
It’s hard now, I’ve got to work full time. I’ve had to learn how to keep house in a way that demands responsibility proven by me. I did it though. My kids are happy and carefree. Ok, not totally carefree. William still thinks that he’s batman…but I think that’s ok.
8:06 AM
Social Disgust.
When we were hiking on Mount Lemmon, we stopped at a stream. Ryan asked if I thought he could drink from it. I said yes. Then almost immediately I became concerned that the stream could be filled with a chemical from a bio terrorist, or bear poop, or mabey contaminants leaching from the ground that has been so polluted throughout the years.
Or that it just wouldn’t be good for us to drink. Unhealthy. Can you imagine? It’s as if my brain was so warped that I had been trained to think that man came up with water…and somehow Earth hadn’t gotten it right yet. Like the U.S. Government and atomic bombs, versus—new zealand and atomic bombs.
I don’t know. In the end: the dogs survived, my feet remained unwebbed after being submerged, and Ryan didn’t die from the quick drink he took while waiting for my answer…
Go Earth.
When we were hiking on Mount Lemmon, we stopped at a stream. Ryan asked if I thought he could drink from it. I said yes. Then almost immediately I became concerned that the stream could be filled with a chemical from a bio terrorist, or bear poop, or mabey contaminants leaching from the ground that has been so polluted throughout the years.
Or that it just wouldn’t be good for us to drink. Unhealthy. Can you imagine? It’s as if my brain was so warped that I had been trained to think that man came up with water…and somehow Earth hadn’t gotten it right yet. Like the U.S. Government and atomic bombs, versus—new zealand and atomic bombs.
I don’t know. In the end: the dogs survived, my feet remained unwebbed after being submerged, and Ryan didn’t die from the quick drink he took while waiting for my answer…
Go Earth.
1:19 PM
Ryan and I decided to go to Mount Lemmon on a whim. By whim, I mean 4am--"Hey Karla, let's go to Mount Lemmon". I say, "ok". By 6am we're out the door with the dogs and all the stuff we need (which is ironic, since we didn't have a knife....) into the back of the newly lifted pickup.
Ryan grew up in San Manuel, so he has the type of knowledge about back roads in that area, as I do on the 'Mountain'. He drove up the back road. It was dirty, curvy fun. We got to the top and decided that I wanted to see the 'town' at the end of the road. Not much there really. A store that sells only cookies...I would have thought that if you were an entrepreneur, and felt like the location location location for your dream business was at the top of a mountain, you might sell something people NEED. But whatever right, I cant sell boats to drowning people. Anyhow. We found a hike that sounded good. It was called the "Butterfly Hike". I'm thinking, great, butterflys. Jillian will be so happy. I WAS WRONG. Not only did I not see 1 stinking butterfly, I didn't see anything pretty. 10:30a.m.---I ended up doing this strange lurching, jerking, quasi-bouncy, slide-ey, longest fall down the hill. While being pulled by a 120 pound Malamute. He had no idea I was there, but I was. Following his farty ass down a hill. Straight down. For about 1.9 miles. 1.9 miles down the hill, into the burned out valley. There was a cryptic sign, it said: 3.9 miles ---> to insert vague trail name or 4.6 miles <----- to repeat. When I said that Ryan had knowledge of the area, I meant general--. He hadn't been to the exact area in over 20 years. (Did I mention that I was wearing amphibious Teva sandals?) Ryan : "Karla, I believe a hike should go somewhere." Karla: "I agree, where should we go now?" Ryan: "That way, towards the towers."
Karla: "Ok, my feet hurt."
And off we went. The dogs were wearing their packs with 4 liters of water each. I had the foresight (thanks for the training mom) to grab two granola bars and some fruit leather. I cannot measure how far uphill we hiked. Much more than the beginning downhill, that's for sure.
We got to a couple cool looking places, there was a HUGE rock...
Karla: "Ok, my feet hurt."
And off we went. The dogs were wearing their packs with 4 liters of water each. I had the foresight (thanks for the training mom) to grab two granola bars and some fruit leather. I cannot measure how far uphill we hiked. Much more than the beginning downhill, that's for sure.
We got to a couple cool looking places, there was a HUGE rock...
There was an 
awesome view looking out over the valley....
I finally got a picture of me with the dogs, so that it doesn't seem like I'm stalking them. It's easier to prove that I do know them now.
We hiked up and up and over and around. In several meanings. It felt like we were literally only going up. Each time we turned and curved out from going towards the towers--I got discouraged. Not only did we not know where we were actually going, but we did not know how the trail was supposed to lead us there. Then next really neat area we ended up at was a waterfall. Which was WELCOME since I NEEDED to put my feet in the water. They were on fire.
The waterfall was a nice reprieve, the dogs enjoyed it--I fell on my padded behind only one time, albeit a rough fall straight onto boulders covered in primordial ooze--slime.
This was also the first trip in the dirt for Truck.
Truck had gotten a lift the day before, and was
rearing to go.
So, after a while of no sleep
in a cold hard truck bed. I moved into the front of the truck. Where I continued to not sleep.
At 8a.m. down the mountain we went. We stopped at a couple campgrounds to see the sites, we stopped to see the Vistas---- and we stopped for about 250 crazy cyclists riding their road bikes up, that's right UP the mountain. I presume that was so there was the down part afterwards, but I think that if I wanted the down part, I'd have someone drive me for the UP part.
Anyway, once in Tucson, we visited Ryan's stepdads grave where we told the dogs to be respectful...
We went to Eegees, since there is no reason to be in Tucson without Eegees. Then we went home and went back to the dirty, dusty, poinkey, scratchy, dark, dank, depressing, pressed for time--real world. Where we couldn't move for 3 days. 11 miles without any preparation is tough.
It was the perfect escape.
awesome view looking out over the valley....I finally got a picture of me with the dogs, so that it doesn't seem like I'm stalking them. It's easier to prove that I do know them now.
We hiked up and up and over and around. In several meanings. It felt like we were literally only going up. Each time we turned and curved out from going towards the towers--I got discouraged. Not only did we not know where we were actually going, but we did not know how the trail was supposed to lead us there. Then next really neat area we ended up at was a waterfall. Which was WELCOME since I NEEDED to put my feet in the water. They were on fire.
The waterfall was a nice reprieve, the dogs enjoyed it--I fell on my padded behind only one time, albeit a rough fall straight onto boulders covered in primordial ooze--slime.
We hiked up and down, cursed the skies and the blazers of such a crappy trail. When we finally got to somewhere that people had seen before, we realized that the 'trail' had dumped us out on the road, about 3 miles from the truck. So my dusty, grimy, disgusting body had to hitch-hike until someone would pick me up and take me to the truck. (5:30p.m.) The dogs were done, Ryan had blown out his knee again, and I as the woman was the most likely to get a ride. So I walked, I walked and hung my arm out the way I've seen in movies. I watched so many rich turds speed by, I made eye contact pleadingly with so many travelers. Finally, after 2.5 miles, a little red rental car stopped.
A very nice man from Wyoming stopped and was astonished that nobody would give me a ride. He asked if I was with "that guy with the dogs". I said yes, and that I had been sent on a mission from god (minus the dry white toast). I clearly wasn't hiding any weapons, I was at the point of exhaustion--therefore not much of a physical threat. He was so nice, I offered him beer in lieu of cash, he said "thank you, but you don't owe me anything". I wished him a happy visit.
I got back to Ryan and the dogs and we set out to find a campsite. How naive we are. We were looking for a campground in the spring, on a Saturday night? They were all taken. We found a clearing that could once upon a time have been called a road. Ryan in his "badass truck" decided we should try it out. We did, we found a site and (remember how we didn't have a knife?) there was a hatchet laying aside the stump. I prayed that the hatchet hadn't been used to murder anyone, and went to work to get some wood. Ryan got the dogs set up and we made fire. Haha.
This was Oberon's first camping trip. He was a trooper, he made it and was sore but happy at the end.
A very nice man from Wyoming stopped and was astonished that nobody would give me a ride. He asked if I was with "that guy with the dogs". I said yes, and that I had been sent on a mission from god (minus the dry white toast). I clearly wasn't hiding any weapons, I was at the point of exhaustion--therefore not much of a physical threat. He was so nice, I offered him beer in lieu of cash, he said "thank you, but you don't owe me anything". I wished him a happy visit.
I got back to Ryan and the dogs and we set out to find a campsite. How naive we are. We were looking for a campground in the spring, on a Saturday night? They were all taken. We found a clearing that could once upon a time have been called a road. Ryan in his "badass truck" decided we should try it out. We did, we found a site and (remember how we didn't have a knife?) there was a hatchet laying aside the stump. I prayed that the hatchet hadn't been used to murder anyone, and went to work to get some wood. Ryan got the dogs set up and we made fire. Haha.
This was Oberon's first camping trip. He was a trooper, he made it and was sore but happy at the end.
This was also the first trip in the dirt for Truck.
Truck had gotten a lift the day before, and was
rearing to go.
So, after a while of no sleep
in a cold hard truck bed. I moved into the front of the truck. Where I continued to not sleep.
At 8a.m. down the mountain we went. We stopped at a couple campgrounds to see the sites, we stopped to see the Vistas---- and we stopped for about 250 crazy cyclists riding their road bikes up, that's right UP the mountain. I presume that was so there was the down part afterwards, but I think that if I wanted the down part, I'd have someone drive me for the UP part.
Anyway, once in Tucson, we visited Ryan's stepdads grave where we told the dogs to be respectful...
We went to Eegees, since there is no reason to be in Tucson without Eegees. Then we went home and went back to the dirty, dusty, poinkey, scratchy, dark, dank, depressing, pressed for time--real world. Where we couldn't move for 3 days. 11 miles without any preparation is tough.
It was the perfect escape.
7:27 PM
I'm trying again...
e hg'rng aohg'an
11:00 AM
I think this might be one of the best pictures taken of me, without any preparation. It was a great hike. The waterfall was beautiful, there were just enough death defying stunts, there were a few other people there. Children Jillian's age all the way to the falling-apart-before-your-eyes age. There was a long way up and through the tunnel/bridge that you could go, but I think my appetite for communing with nature dissipated with the neo-hippie-esque dude and his wooden flute. That's right. You heard me.
The following day, the Ren Fair called us. It was cold and rainy, but being opening weekend (we had a coupon) we decided to go. It was completely worth it. There were tons of rides and activities for the kids. Plenty of men in tights, for the ladies, and PLENTY of bosoms to stare at for the men. We saw a sword swallower, who went to far when he stuck an electric drill up his nose, and left it there. GROSS. He was
funny t
hough.
The following day, the Ren Fair called us. It was cold and rainy, but being opening weekend (we had a coupon) we decided to go. It was completely worth it. There were tons of rides and activities for the kids. Plenty of men in tights, for the ladies, and PLENTY of bosoms to stare at for the men. We saw a sword swallower, who went to far when he stuck an electric drill up his nose, and left it there. GROSS. He was
funny t
hough.
9:08 PM
Saturday, Ryan and I dropped Dani and Aaron (and Samson) off in Payson with the beloved Brenda. Then we went up to the Tonto Natural Bridge. It was a SHORT hike, straight down, I swear. Once you can see the bridge/tunnel, it's amazing and completely worth it.
So, we hiked down in and then went further in. It was slippery and kind of cold. Once we were on the limestone, it was like trying to grip soap with marshmallows. There were caves and crevices and ledges and all of that kind of thing....so here are some pictures. I highly recommend the trip. It's sort of sad, to drive into the area--it looks so solitary. But it's all government-ized. Bastardos.
This picture was before Ryan knew I was totally serious, like on a quest serious about getting him on camera--looking HAPPY! Scary right? Well folks, he does write horror...
7:31 AM
So, I was right. I am not good at keeping up on here. I am going to post some pictures, and gradually get some words in edgewise.
I got a promotion. That's about it. We're all moved in to the house, and it's amazing. Everyone is happy and it's going well. The dogs came inside for the first time last night. I think my cat, Crusher--it a bit traumatized, he'll survive though. He's quite a bit more than a morsel, so he should be careful.
My sister Sarah came over (finally) and helped me make a birthday gift for Ryan. She (finally) got to see the house, and the kids and it was great fun. We got tons of pictures of the kids and Ryan picking lemons...That I need to hurry up and juice...
4:14 PM
We got a house! Yahoo! It's 2000 square feet, on an acre. It's cute! There are citrus trees, nut trees, flowers and a tree house!
I'm very excited, in case it wasn't obvious. The kids will have their own space, as will all the adults and pets. Whew. Timing was pretty indicative that this was 'the one'. We're all very happy and will be having people over as soon as we're able.
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