Working on a #Youtube channel

Trying to do more with my youtube channel than the random family vids, dog vids, and if I practice enough I can do some better Iditarod videos. I'm also really enjoying periscope as of late, so I am thinking of doing some live vlogging come next March. We'll see. I'm not a fan of being in front of the camera, ya know?

You can find my channel by clicking here. Like, comment, and share PLEASE!

Highlights from June

Well, this blog has been a big ol bit of boring lately, that’s mainly due to the fact that I just don’t have the motivation to come up with things to blog about. I’ve been quite busy this last month and a half, which also makes it hard for me to want to do anything but veg and goof around online.

Busy May... Busy June

It's summer and so that means I have little time or energy to worry about my blog. It's no wonder I even sleep this time of year (very difficult with the sun shining through my window at all hours of the day and night. Land of the midnight sun after all.

I'm basically just posting this because I have a brand new laptop that I'm still getting used to. I am not a fan of the keyboard, but I'm sure I will deal with it and it won't be so bothersome after a little bit of usage.

So much to blog about, and hopefully once family is gone and VBS is over I can really update this thing (shoot I never changed the theme from the Iditarod stuff. Gotta figure something out about that soon).

Toodles.

We are in Anchorage!

We left Kenai around 10am, and it was pretty uneventful. The snow, though, hit in Soldotna and continued until we got to Portage where it was a mix of snow and rain. It stayed that way for the most part around Girdwood and into Turnagain Arm. The Arm is where we got stuck in traffic due to one of the many accidents Anchorage saw today. Funny thing was as I was sitting and playing on my phone waiting for things to get moving again (Dad was driving so I wasn't breaking any laws) I happened to look at the rear view mirror and the truck behind us looked familiar. It had a dog box. I mentioned it to Dad, and then looked again - "I know that truck. I'm pretty sure that's a Seavey truck!" So Dad and I got out of our truck (it's Alaska, it's what you do when the highway is at a standstill) and walked towards them. Sure enough it was part of the Seavey handling team and the dogs! They followed us in to town, but we had a good laugh as I was facebooking Taylor (one of Mitch's top handlers) when I noticed the truck. I guess it's true that I am forever Team Seavey!

We also saw one of the other Team Seavey trucks drive by later when we were at lunch at the Arctic Roadrunner. Normally I feel like the stalker (that's what Conway used to call me, in fact), but today they were stalking me!

We went to the HQ to get our credentials, and like always they didn't have all of our badges and they looked at us like we were a big pain - this is how our team has done it for over 30 years, but because it's a new team of people running that part of the volunteer organization it becomes difficult. I get that, and I don't envy their job, but I know I'm not the only one to miss "the old days". But hey, as long as our coordinator likes what we do we'll be good. I guess. I don't know haha

After we were official volunteers I went and checked out the "official store", they are not using volunteers to run it this year (booo) but it is set up nicely (it's just kind of a bummer that these people are employees but not really INTO the race, they seemed quite clueless and that was frustrating listening to them unable to answer tourist questions). I got a new hoodie and socks and we got the Volunteers tshirts... and I caught up with a few volunteers that I only see this time of year. And oh, you know, Joe Runyan was standing behind me at one point, and one of the Burmeisters was wandering around... and yeah... it's THAT time of year (seriously it's as good as Christmas).

Anyway, we've been in the hotel since about 5:30 and I have to say it's a nice room. I am enjoying our short stay at the Springhill Suites. Tomorrow we have to be out of here by 7:30 to get to our spot at 8 (if the trail was normal, we'd be butt up against it and wouldn't have to get up and get moving early) so we will be going to bed soon. I don't expect to sleep because this whole change is soooooooooo new and a lot could go wrong as well as go right. I don't know how much in the way of photos I will be taking, but I AM ON PERISCOPE and hope to broadcast live if I can figure out how to! We will be trail guarding up to the dog truck take out area, and will be called on to help park dog teams as well. Hopefully it all goes smoothly as possible. I am not the only one concerned.


So I don't plan on sleeping much, but I should probably at least TRY to wind down and get some sort of rest. I only got 4 and a half hours last night. I don't want to know me next week, oy.

Highlights of 2015

It's the final few days of 2015, where did the time go?! I swear I was just doing up my list of heartbreaking moments for my fangirl heart in 2014! I am not going with that theme this year, as I want to go with a more positive less crazy person theme. The social media group Bullies Keep Out tweeted this week for people to share their highlights of the year, I responded with one, but now I want to look back on the year at some of the BIG highlights as well as the small that meant something to me (mainly because when I responded I honestly was not able to think of anything which is ridiculous! 2015 was a big year).

January marked my 30th year on earth. I didn't do too much, but Kassy and Delaney bought me birthday donuts and sang (because Delaney demanded it) and Kassy took me to lunch. I spent the evening of my birthday "with Stephen Amell" as it was the return of Arrow from their holiday hiatus. January also marked some stupidly cold temps with no snow, but amazing sunrises and sunsets. You can find many of my pictures on my blog from last "winter". January ended with the amazing premiere of the History Channel's 6 hour mini series event "Sons of Liberty" that starred several of my favorite actors, and more that I would come to love after the show aired. Oh. My. Word. By far my favorite mini series EVER.

made by annieodaairs on tumblr.

February brought stupid weather that threatened to cancel the major dog sled races (like, oh, you know, the Quest and Iditarod), other races were cancelled (no Tustumena 200!). But we got a roadkill moose (not as redneck as it sounds, I promise) and when dad threw the bones in the backyard for the ravens and magpies to pick at we were visited by some much larger birds. Two eagles spent a week munching and crunching on carrion... and I managed to take many photos (way too many photos) and only ticked them off once or twice. The rest of the time I was busy focused on the upcoming Iditarod and whether or not it would start in Willow or if they'd have to move the race further north - if they could have it at all.

March is always one of my favorite months of the year, it's the Iditarod! The biggest race of the year for mushers, their dogs, and their fans. This year I was not blogging for the Seaveys, which meant I could have fun and follow the race and report on my blog because I wasn't busy moderating their pages. Also meant I could cheer for them and not just worry I sounded biased. I could also be critical of other teams if need be and it not be tied to them. I got to watch (via internet and tv, of course) Dallas Seavey win his 3rd title. But what was really the highlight was becoming part of that small group of bloggers and social media folk that cover the race. I was asked by Sofamushing based out of Europe to be a guest blogger, and the crazy duo of Dog Works Radio asked me to be a guest on their radio program to give my take on not only the race but on the way social media has connected the fans to the race in a way that no other medium has done previously. It was an honor and a lot of fun. Made the race that much more exciting for me as there was a new element to it for me!

March also saw a huge change in our family - my grandfather moved out of his house of 40 years. He has dementia and he needed more help, so we packed him up and he now lives with my uncle (he may be moving in with us soon, however). It was an emotional time, and the family was together which made it easier and harder all at the same time.

April once again brought a happy change to the family, mom and dad adopted their pug Sushi. He was about three years old and we were told he didn't like kids. Well, he doesn't like anyone or anything new - and it took him a long time before he liked me. He still has his moments of grumpy dog, but for the most part he is a hilarious addition to the Reitter household. And this dog LOVES wearing clothes. He's becoming a bit of a clothes horse. It's insane. But he's adorable, so it's okay.

May I was hired at Donna's Gift Shop in Soldotna. It was one of those jobs that falls into your lap. I made it through Christmas with them before deciding to take the job I have now. It definitely helped me get out from under a bit of a hole I'd gotten myself in, but it took a lot of time away from other pursuits like photography and it was putting wear and tear on my Exploder. Delaney invited me to her dance recital and I took pictures of that. It was the beginning of the busy season for the Peninsula. Full of fishing and summer fun.

June saw forest fires, one starting right where 2014's ended... another destroying the prime real estate of the Mushing Community of Willow. Communities rallied, the mushing community especially, and while many homes were devastated in Willow, they have rebuilt and carried on in true Alaskan fashion. Kassy talked my dad into helping her coach T-ball, so I spent a few nights taking pictures of the games for her... when I could get the time off. I also tried fitting in other summer activities. I DID get to go to the Iditarod BBQ with dad, and even while the fires raged further North of Wasilla, it was still a fantastic time. Even if dad embarrassed me (and I managed to embarrass myself).

June also brought with it the very best part of the summer for me. While shooting photos of the dogs and cats up for adoption at the Animal Shelter, I managed to get the first glimpse of a little black PUG DOG that they were getting ready to find a forever home. I fell in love. The little imp was skittish and hyper and I just felt like I needed him. A quick chat with mom and dad later and I was contacting the shelter saying "put him on hold, as soon as dad can get off work they're going to bring Sushi over and meet him". I was at work. Next thing I knew I was getting a message saying he was mine! I can't imagine life without him now... the only regret I have is naming him Stitch... names have power and he definitely personifies his name. He is a super naughty pup!

July was work, and fishing, and Conway Seavey's concert in the park... that I was only going to spend an hour at and then nope I stayed the whole time... which meant I left close to midnight... but I got some of the most amazing shots I've ever taken of Redoubt and the Kenai River. The prints are quite popular. I'm pretty proud of how they turned out. We also said goodbye to my aunt's black pug Bubba Jack the No Eyed ARRRRRctic Pug Pirate. The one we rescued when I still lived with her in Anchorage. We used to joke that he would outlive us all... and, well, he outlived all the dogs in our family.

August saw me getting a new car as the Exploder died on me early on in the summer (grrr). I ended up getting a Kia Sorrento and I absolutely love her. I've named her Miss Daisy (as that's what Donald Duck calls his boat). I was super busy with work and didn't get a lot of anything else done. It flew by, and I was looking forward to the idea of slowing down and getting into a routine, but that didn't happen. Oh well, I had a job, right?

September was work and football... I don't have much high or low lights for that month. Haha.

October through December was just one whirlwind of holidays and work and work and work... and then in November I was offered the job as Administrative Assistant for Liberty Tax in Kenai. This will help when Grandpa moves up early next year, as well as cuts down on gas. Every little bit helps.

I'm sure I'm missing some key points, but those are the big ones that stand out for now. Overall I think 2015 was a pretty nifty year... 30 wasn't so bad... now it's only year 31!

Experiment 626: Stitch The Pug!!!

Life has been busy in the last 7 days or so. Work, life... and pugs.

That's right, I've added a black pug to the family. I named him Experiment 626 and we call him Stitch. Lilo & Stitch has always reminded me of pugs because pug puppies are pretty much identical to that crazy little alien. It all started when I was at the shelter to take photos of the new animals up for adoption. Stacie mentioned that one was a black pug - the one that had just come in the week prior when I was taking pictures.

He was the first one she brought out to get pictures and I was instantly in love. He was untrained with the leash, and wouldn't come for anything, but I loved him. How anyone could just let him run off and not go looking for him is beyond me. He was so funny!

I finished the photo work, came home and told mom about the little black pug with the bowed front legs and said I wanted him. She called dad and asked if he thought Sushi (their pug) would be okay with a playmate. Dad said send pictures. The rest is history.

He's been with us since Friday and he has settled right in. The first couple of days were rough as he didn't want to come to anyone, but the last couple he's snuggled right in on my lap or mom's. He had to have his manhood removed so he's had a lot of kennel time as he's young and doesn't understand "be still". But we've let him have the run of the house the last day or so and he's doing pretty well. No accidents!

He has had NO training that I can tell, so my work is cut out for me. But I LOVE this little boy big time. And he definitely lives up to his name!

It is definitely May

Boy you can tell it's May - I have no time to myself. Between Vacation Bible School, photography, family, friends, and my PART TIME JOB (yes I have one of those now) I have been on the go.

Once VBS is over (first week in June is when we hold ours, but it takes us over a month to prepare the decorations and get the stage/sanctuary decorated) I will be able to play a little more, maybe sleep a little more... and get veg.

My introvertedness is in desperate need of a recharge. I haven't had a real day to myself and I just need a day or two of solitude or I'm going to go crazy. My body is running on empty so I at times come off as extremely grumpy or extremely sleepy. It's frustrating.

But, we'll get there. Tourist season is upon us. July I will get a lot of time to myself as I will be house sitting for friends. Looking forward to it.

It's not just April Fools day

Gpa with his pal Willie (taken a few years back).

Today was my grandpa's 89th birthday. My Gpa has been one of my heroes my entire life. My first 5 years were spent in his house while my parents worked. He (and my Gma and Auntie Marge) helped shape my formative years. We did garage projects - I was a fan of crushing the cans for recycle, and painting ANYthing, we went to Costco - my gpa's favorite store EVER, and he's the reason I got involved with the Iditarod.

He loves his box wine, John Wayne (dad now has his John Wayne Memorabilia collection), and his friends and family. He's quick with a pun - seriously that's all we Reitter's have in our "big bag of jokes" - or a funny story from days gone by. He's a big fan of Blue Bloods and Walker Texas Ranger (says Arrow is my generations version of that show... um... no. Ha ha). Don't get in between him and his ice cream (or any sweets) he will not be denied!

It's hard not to look back on my childhood without seeing a lot of time with Gpa. Some of my favorite memories are when we went on adventures in the motor-home (though the time that I slammed my thumb in the door and he told me we'd have to cut it off to get the door to open was traumatic! LOL). He and Gma went on all sorts of adventures outside of Alaska in their Recreational Vehicle, and I was always so jealous. I get my trip planning skills from him, as while going through the memory albums recently I found his itinerary list... it looks identical to some of mine. I can't deny we're related, that's for sure.

My grandfather held many different jobs in his life, farmer, Navy Signalman... he worked for Aerojet (including some stuff for the space program!). When they moved to Alaska he was a Servepro man. Spent many years working for them, and I remember his van well. Lime Green with Sammy on the side. I loved that van. It had the best smell to it - it was definitely a grandpa smell, but not something gross like old man smell. It just smelled like servepro, cigar, and motoroil. I miss that smell.

Gpa was my go to for Iditarod everything. He gave me the book "Danger the Dog Yard Cat" when I was 5 and I was hooked. He was so excited when I took both jobs with the Seavey's (Gpa is a fan of all the teams). He had a coat he wore to the Iditarod every year - with patches from each race he attended. I have that jacket now. I love it. It's so Grandpa.

He's now in Oregon with my Uncle Bob. He needed the change. It's weird to think he isn't in the house that I spent so many hours of my childhood in, but I know he's where he needs to be. And he is just a phone call away. I hear he went for a walk and had a great bday meal. No doubt finished with ice cream.

Happy Birthday Gpa, you are one of the best ever. <3 br="" love="" you="">

It's time for saying Goodbye...

The house a few summers back before Gma's stroke. Their yard always
looked like something out of Sunset Magazine.

The last few days the Muppets' song "Saying Goodbye" has run through my mind. It typically does when someone close to me leaves for other parts of the world. This weekend we moved my Grandfather out of his home of over 40 years down to my uncle's house in Oregon. Okay, well, we packed up his house and said goodbye and he flew to Oregon with my uncle.

It was a very quick up and back for us. While my grandfather for the last year or so had been packing things and giving them to family, his health took a very quick turn and we needed to move quickly. In the last 4-6 months things began to get away from him, he wasn't able to remember basic tasks. My uncle and cousin had been concerned, but it wasn't until my cousin's last visit and then my dad and my last visit that the family realized we needed to move NOW. So my uncle flew up and we all headed to gpa's house to help him.

Packing up a person's life is not an easy task. Splitting them up between 3 sons and 2 granddaughters went easier than we thought, but it was just getting all of the stuff packed up (and, first, found!) that was hard. So many memories in one spot - not just the physical ones we held, but the ones those items and the walls around us brought up. We had a lot of laughs, and it was just good to have some fun one last time. The last time we were all together was when my grandmother passed, so while seeing Gpa overwhelmed was difficult we were still in a much happier frame of mind this time around.

Saturday we took a break from packing up and had some of the family friends over. The Gallaghers have been friends with my grandparents since before I was born. Jim and Karen help every year with Iditarod, and Karen's mom Pete was friends with my grandmother forEVER. Jim and Karen's daughter Christine grew up with my cousin and she would baby sit me on occasion. They're more family than just friends. We also had the Frolichs over - they are buying the house from my grandfather. They live across the street and Mathieu was my first best friend. We grew up together - even after my family moved to Kenai, every summer I was up with my grandparents and we spent every waking hour causing chaos in the neighborhood. I am so happy that the house is going to someone we know and that I know will treasure it for what it is!

The "Framily" together at the house one last time.

Sunday we tried to get Gpa to go to church, but the emotions of the weekend took their tole and he decided to stay home. Mom, Dad and I went to Gpa's church anyway as we'd given them the heads up that Gpa was leaving and they had things for us to give him. Joel Engle is one of the pastors at Changepoint and we've known him pretty much since my parents have been Christians - he used to be a Christian singer who toured the country doing ministry, and now he's pastoring. It's a small world. We met him when he was still starting out and so I was excited to get to hear him preach this weekend! The message was good, and then we headed out for one last family meal at Texas Roadhouse before we all went our separate ways.

Now we're back home and I'm going through the boxes of the memories I collected. 4 boxes of photo albums with memories that go back generations, more Iditarod memories, the different knick knacks that lined the shelves... a few cookbooks... I just have to find a way to properly display or store them all.

Dad called down to Gpa tonight, and he's doing well. Dad says he sounds better than he has in months. I think this change is what Gpa needed, but man... it feels weird for the rest of us.

Eight Days - Eight busy, busy days....

It never fails - you get close to take off day for your vacation and suddenly the whole world needs you. This week has been a killer. Busy helping with church projects, home projects, photo projects. Dad had some drama this week as well while hunting and needed a lot of help and prayer (he's physically okay... won't get a chance to blog about it any time soon, though. just know he is okay). Kassy's car needed "emergency surgery" so I hung with her and drove her around while we waited for them to fix whatever was wrong.

Don't get me wrong - I don't mind helping family and friends... or even being busy...

It's just now I'm stressing over the coming week! I haven't even started laying stuff out to pack (Not really a big deal), and I have an all day photo event tomorrow (Tri-The-Kenai Triathlon). That will take a while to edit (though I'm thinking I'll shoot it all JPEG and just upload them), and then the day I drive up to Anchorage I have a photo shoot for a high school senior (YAY! My favorite!). Oh, and Wednesday I have the shelter animals again.

And those are just the things I know about/remember.

I want to get my hair done before I go, I need a couple of items from the store for the trip, I have to edit photos and get them posted online...

I have so much to do in very little time. At least I can say I earned this vacation, eh?

So I could've adopted a puppy yesterday...

I drove up to Anchorage yesterday to meet a puppy named Chuckie at Polar Pug Rescue. He is a Chihuahua-Pug mix. He's 11 months old. He's pretty cute, though his face is definitely Chihuahua with pug markings. He was more pug in personality from what we could tell and what they told us.

I was really excited about it going up. Getting there, though, I started having doubts that this was going to work. Vickie brought the boy in and he... ignored me. Which was fine because I already was not feeling it. All it did was make me want Yuka back. It didn't help that while talking with Vickie the conversation turned to the loss.

Chuckie loved my mom (the feeling was mutual). I'm honestly surprised she didn't snatch him up. He will have no problems finding a home. We just didn't connect.

I'm just not ready.

I cried at gpa's house afterwards... twice... I still really want a dog... I just... there's something holding me back. And I don't know what it is...

But at the same time I kinda wish I took him. He was pretty cute, he just had no real interest in me. But that isn't always a bad thing. Jordy hated me when we got him. HATED me. And became my dog several months after being dad's dog ha ha. Yuka ran and hid from me when we went to get her, and preferred her Auntie Erin... it took several sleepless nights with me cuddling her in her area before she was my girl...

I don't know. I just fear that I'm never going to get over her loss enough to allow another pup in.

Cats of the Kenai Animal Shelter

Like the dogs, I have enjoyed getting to know some of the kitties that have come through the Kenai Animal Shelter. They are incredibly cute - and I'm not normally a cat person, but I have a few that if I were I'd totally snatch them up.

So, enjoy these cute bundles of fluff.

Dogs of the Kenai Animal Shelter

I am not sure if I mentioned it on the blog that I am now one of the volunteer photographers at the Kenai Animal Shelter - I know I said something on Twitter and Instagram. I go in on Wednesdays with the help of my best friend Kassy and we photograph all the animals up for adoption. Mostly just kitties and the dogs, but first week I also got to take pics of a very timid Guinea Pig! Ha ha!

Anyway, here are a few of my favorites - some of the animals have already been adopted, but I wanted to share anyway because they're adorable.

An Old Picture of Me

In honor of Ted Stevens Day in Alaska, I'll share an old photo of me enjoying the best of Alaska. I was five, I'd broken my arm (hence the missing right arm and dad holding on to my sunglasses-that are really his glasses), and I am driving the boat while fishing on... I'm not sure if it's Eagle River or the Kenai. We still lived in Anchorage at the time, so anything is possible.

The late Senator Ted Stevens is still a powerhouse name in Alaska. He fought to get us into statehood and fought for our state until he was illegally prosecuted and thrown out of the senate a year before his death (on his way to a fishing trip, plane crashed). Uncle Ted is a true Alaskan Patriot, and a few months after his passing Alaskans began honoring him by getting out and playing in the state that he loved. Every year on the last Saturday of July we come together to remember the man who made Alaska into the state that it is today.

So, come on, Alaskans, lets GET OUT AND PLAY!

You seem angry, are you okay?

I've gotten that comment a lot in the last year or so - closer to 18 months, now that I think of it. 2013 sucked on a lot of levels, but the biggest issue was one that I'm pretty much forbidden from talking about (by both the court system, apparently, as well as my parents). But, at the same time, I feel it's my right to let it out. So without naming names or going into too much detail, here it goes. I've been wanting to talk about this for a long time.


Late in 2012 the cops came to our door looking for my younger sibling. Considering his track record, they pulled him in for questioning. My parents had been completely in the dark as to what he'd been up to - the sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night that was keeping me up wasn't a big enough red flag. His angry outbursts and threats to harm me and others around him wasn't a big enough red flag. They were stunned when they found out what he was being charged with.

I was just shocked with how I was going to be treated.

I became the fall person. I had absolutely nothing to do with the crimes he committed. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. But I became the "reason behind it". Because I didn't "love him enough" as his older sister. That I went away to college and was not around enough "forced" him to act out. This excuse came to light only after the courts didn't buy his "my parents never taught me right from wrong" crap. Gotta hand it to his lawyer, he tried everything to save his client's neck. To hell with the truth or the people it hurt.

His crimes are of the unspeakable kind, but because he was "under age" when they started, they ignored that they continued after he hit 18. The courts basically bent over backwards to protect HIM and not the victims or people around him. They slapped him on the wrist, and put him on probation mandating that he had to live with us. At the time I was running my business out of the house - my "family portrait studio" was no longer SAFE to be there.

We are a small town, news spread. They weren't rumors, they were true. Not only was he (rightfully) vilified, but so were my parents... and me. I lost ALL of my summer and fall business. I'm still trying to rebuild. I am still convinced that I will never be out from under it. Our last name is forever going to be tied to his crimes. And that pissed me off.

Still does.

Family and friends took sides. A lot of people that are friends with my parents bought into the sob story the boy told - and because they aren't allowed to know exactly what he did, and it was whitewashed by my family, I became though of as the unloving, selfish sister. That I wasn't ignoring what he did, or what he continued to do (the sneaking out continued until finally my parents couldn't turn a blind eye and turned him in to his PO), was the biggest sin a person could do. I should just forgive and forget was the message I got over and over. Nevermind he was STILL DOING IT... nevermind that he threatened me daily, coming at me with his fists several times, and spent several afternoons telling my mother in detail how he imagined he was going to beat me until I was bloodied and dead.

It was so bad that several times I ran to a friend's house just to get away. I stupidly always came back once dad came to the door with a hurt puppy expression promising things would change. They didn't until the cops once again came calling because someone broke the court mandated curfew and had no explanation for it.

He's been gone about 9 months now. There's talk that he'll be out soonish. I'm not looking forward to it. At this point I do not trust what I've been told as what it all means for me. EVERY time I was promised that I would be safe, that he would not be a threat, it was untrue. Every time something new came to light or he got into more trouble I became the fall person. I was either declared a liar, "mistaken", or it was my fault because I was "acting like a victim".

I don't trust that anything will be different because I haven't been shown anything that suggests that it will. His therapists demand that I talk to him - I refuse. So he has to send letters. They are pretty much textbook apologies. They are just words he's basically been fed, because they're words I've never heard him use. EVER. And it's all laced with the whole "maybe if you loved me better" theme that he played out all through his trials. There is nothing sincere about them. So I do not respond.

Yes, I think this is my right. No, I don't care to hear you tell me otherwise. Because you don't know the story, and because we have to protect the predator, you never will.

A day in the life of Tonichelle...

So what does my typical day look like? Well, let's see... (prepare to be extremely bored)

Between 7am & 8am (if I'm lucky) - I wake up. This is normally me grumbling about the light that manages to get through the mounds of curtains and blinds that I have to black out my room. I'll typically lay their for a few minutes hoping I fall back to sleep for a few more minutes (rarely if ever happens), and then I unplug my phone from the charger, and let the dog out of my room.

Next stop is the bathroom where I blast my iPod and try to wake up. Typically a long shower does the trick... if not I have been known to just stare at the sink trying to figure out why I even bothered getting up. The iPod helps because I have an ecclectic taste in music and when you set it on random it can really be entertaining with what it comes up with for a playlist.

Next it's back to my cave to get on facebook/twitter/my blog and stare at the screen - still trying to wake up (it happens in stages). I catch up with my East Coast friends, stalk a few actors/athletes on twitter, and figure out what - if anything - I'm going to write in my blog. Chances are I won't actually get anything out on my blog for hours, but I at least get it started by staring at the screen.

After about an hour or so of trying to wake up I'll go out to the kitchen and get some toast or leftovers from dinner. Depends on how hungry I am. Sometimes I skip breakfast entirely. Just depends on how loud the tummy growls. I almost always end up with a Sprite or an OJ to start my day, though. Though lately I've stuck to water...

Around 10am I start to move about and if I have errands to run I do. If not I am typically over to the church to hang out with Kassy (she works, I vent/gripe/come up with hairbrained ideas). If it's later in the week I have the church computer to get it ready for Sunday services (music lyrics and any other multimedia we need shared that week).

Actually I'm not the only one that complains. Typically Kassy whines about being cold, or that it's cold outside, or both. Doesn't matter if it's winter or summer. That girl is ALWAYS cold. Typically we are reorganizing, or creating things to keep occupied. It's a pretty simple job for Kassy, so it means we can get crazy creative in the "spare time". We've painted rooms, reorganized rooms, deep cleaned rooms. Moved rooms. We take pride in what we do... or at least we get bored and need to do something.

Sometimes Delaney is there at the office and that makes things more interesting. Trying to do anything with a four year old underfoot means things take way longer. That's why I'm an "auntie" and not a parent. I wouldn't survive!

Once Kassy's done for the day I take off for home - it's lunch time! It's more leftovers or a sandwich. Maybe mac and cheese... whatever I feel like really.

Then it's back to the computer. If I've had a photoshoot I'm editing, otherwise it's just facebook and what not. I really have no life, and I'm okay with that. I also start my binge watching of a favorite TV show, or a movie marathon.

I've recently become more active on my twitter account, it's been fun to interact with friends that way - and actors/athletes/celebs. I blame my Once Upon A Time obsession for that one. The cast is just so entertaining on social media!

Dinner is normally around 6:30pm and then it's back to watching my favorite shows (in the regular season) otherwise it's Netflix or a movie.

And then, it's back to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. And, really, it's more Netflix as I don't sleep without some sort of white noise. And so it's normally Terriers, or CSI New York, or Arrow to cap off the night. On occasion I'll switch to Law & Order, or SVU.

And that's a typical day.


61 days till Disneyland.