Snickers explores every nook & crevice of her new home!!!

Snickers loves to explore and settle in anywhere she hasn't been before. I've included some of her explorations here.














Snickers eats on top of the dryer because Lady would devour her food in no time if she could just get to it!











She rarely goes into the opening below where she is sitting here. I think she just wants to keep an eye on things!








Here she is waiting in the laundry room for Larry to come out of the garage. She can hear his car coming and then sits waiting for him to come in the door.










Here she is resting in my closet.









Sleeping under Larry's desk is really a favorite pastime of this little kitty.










And when she isn't under the desk she is on it or on his bookshelf.















There goes the tail. Wonder what she will find in Larry's closet?????









Guess there wasn't anything interesting enough to keep her attention - she was in and out in less than a minute!

Our Incredible Trip to Washington DC

Where do I begin??? This incredible journey began over a year ago when my friend had a heart incident that put her in the hospital for over a week and changed her life forever!! Here is a link to the text of the speeches given at the Hearth Truth Reception on February 11, 2008 which explains more of what happened: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_Feb_11/ai_n24257553/pg_1Candy was interviewed by Rachel Ray and the interview was aired in September of 2007. Somehow the White House found out about Candy's story and Mrs. Bush invited Candy and Carrie to the Heart Truth Reception. They were allowed to each invite one guest. That's where I came in!!!! We didn't think it would really be possible for all of us to actually make the trip but because of many small miracles and one large one we were all able to make it.

I flew into DC the day before the reception and met Candy, Carrie, & Courtney at the airport. We had dinner and then went to stay with our dear friend's brother and his family. We had never met them before but they graciously welcomed us into their home and treated us like royalty. We had a great time getting to know them.
The morning of the reception we packed what we would need to get ready for the reception and went to work with Randy. His office is near the White House (with a view of the White House from his office!) and he arranged for us to leave our things there and come back after sightseeing to get ready in the ladies locker room near the gym in the basement. Carrie & Courtney had already toured DC the day before because they got in earlier than we did so Candy & I headed to the National Archives. It was so cold I thought I would turn into a Popsicle!!!! We had a wonderful time seeing some of our nation’s history and then hopped a cab (since it was soooooo cold) and headed to the World War II Veteran’s monument. If you go to the website you can look up veterans and others who helped with the war effort from home. I registered my dad’s name and also his mother’s name because she was a welder during the war.
After the World War II Memorial we went to the White House Visitor’s Center which is located across the street from the White House. We learned a lot about the history of the White House as well as those who lived there.

We met up with Carrie & Courtney for lunch and then went to get ready for the reception. Everything went smoothly until we got to the entrance where the security guards were. My name was NOT on the list! After giving my information more than once and with the help of 3-4 security people I was able to pass through the gate and then the security clearance station inside.








This is me - outside the gate and not being let in while all the other people sailed on past security.










Once inside Candy & I took the elevator to the second floor. This floor has the East Room, the State Dining Room, the Red, Green, & Blue rooms and the Cross Hall. We were able to look everywhere and take pictures of anything we wanted. It was such an extraordinary opportunity. Just before we were to be seated for the speeches Candy & Carrie were led to the Red Room to be introduced to Laura Bush and have pictures taken with her by the White House photographer. Then they came into the East Room where Courtney and I were waiting in our reserved seats - 2nd row in the middle right behind Ambassadors and Secretary Mike Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and his wife!! President Bush and Mrs. Bush came in and were introduced. President Bush spoke first followed by Mrs. Bush.













After the speeches we filed past First Lady Laura Bush and were able to meet her and have our picture taken with her. She is a very gracious lady to say the least.












Afterward we went into the State Dining Room and had wonderful foods which were both a pleasure to the eyes, taste buds, and stomach!!! We explored every nook and cranny and so enjoyed the history and opportunity to be there!









Beautiful fresh flowers on every table. And scrumptious food!!!








We spent a total of 2 ½ hours in the White House and then took the train to meet our hosts and call it a day. What a day it was!!!






Our last photo together before leaving for the night. Kathy, Candy, Carrie, and Courtney in our red outfits honoring the Red Dress Initiative.

The Guest Room is Ready!!! The welcome sign is out!

The welcome sign is up!!!!














This side of the guest room is our Southwest section! The hide-a-bed is comfy according to our first guest, Candy. We added the hide-a-bed, curtains, chest, and table after our move. The color of the wall is a mix between "Comfort" and "Princess Ivory". Nice combination, don't you think? Especially for a guest room!













Here are the new curtains and chest. The pictures above the chest are of Mt. Rainier and the San Juan Island area. So this is our Pacific Northwest area of the room.
















Candy and I have been gathering lots of material about the area. Books, pamphlets, maps, etc. Anything you might want to know for your visit!















Candy also provided new pillows for your comfort as well as accessorizing the bathroom to beautifully coordinate with the colors we chose! I love this bathroom! Now we just need guests - just let us know when you're coming and we'll reserve the room for you!!! We also have another comfy hide-a-bed in the living room for extra company. I don't think we could ever have too many guests! So pack your bags and come for a visit!

Critters in the desert

Dogs -

Lady discovered that grass does grow in the desert - just not in our yard. She has so much fun going on morning walks and having time to roll in the grass. I even let her off leash since hardly anyone else lives in our little neighborhood yet. Soon there will be other dogs and she won't be able to have this freedom but I think she deserves it for now. When we lived in Glendale she had to stay off the grass in our park. Her walks were either on hot pavement or hot/sharp rocks. Ouch!!! So I think she has earned the right (at least for a little while) to run on the grass freely - and happily!!!

Cats -

Snickers does not enjoy the same freedom as Lady although she does roam freely in the backyard thanks to our pet door. She has yet to try to see what's on the other side of the wall and we are hoping she never does. Snickers has tried every spot in the house to get comfy and here is an example of one. That tail really speaks for her - she can show lots of attitude with it! She really likes the guest room couch. One never knows where she will be found from one moment to the next.

Rattlers????

Okay, we weren't willing to see if rattlesnakes really are beyond this point. Guess that was the point of the sign, huh? No sense taking a chance and ruining a perfectly beautiful hike at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Candy and I were there birding with the Tucson Audubon Society. What a wonderful group of people. Candy said she has never met birders who weren't great. I have to agree. We saw lots of birds and plants of all sizes, shapes, and colors. What a wonderful way to spend the day!

Crocodiles????

We found this little lake on our hike and Candy & I were talking about crocodiles in the water because we had just seen a film about crocs being in every mud hole or puddle of water in Africa. A lady (not of our group) overheard us and wanted to know where the crocodiles were. Candy told her they were right there because they would be wherever there was a "mud hole or puddle" and this was a little lake, even better. She wanted to see one. We finally had to tell her that we were talking about Africa and unfortunately she would not be able to spot a croc in this lake. I think she was disappointed. Good thing we weren't in Africa because she probably would have been eaten while trying to find the croc!!!

Palm trees

I love palm trees! I never tire of seeing them standing tall and majestic. They are such a delight to behold! And when they gently sway they are mesmerizing!!! These palm trees are in Mesa at the Mesa Temple. There are many different kinds of palm trees - and I will strive to capture them all in picture - at least the ones in my neck of the woods, er, in my neck of the palms. (Doesn't quite sound the same, does it? Oh well.) The beautiful blue skies (sorry if you don't have blue skies where you are but we DO have an abundance here) really make a knockout backdrop, don't they?

Sunrise, Sunset

As a native of the beautiful Pacific Northwest I have been blessed with wonderful sunrises and sunsets and have always felt there was no where on earth more picturesque. Since transplanting ourselves to the Valley of the Sun I have seen spectacular beauty everywhere I look. Granted, living in the desert is a whole new ballgame when it comes to finding beauty but believe me - it is here. I find I take my camera with me almost everywhere I go because it seems there is always a photo opportunity around every corner! This sunrise was taken one morning when I was walking our dog Lady. How thankful I was that she had to go potty at that particular time of the morning or I would have missed this shot completely. Luckily I was able to go into the house and grab my camera and get the picture before it was too late!