Last UA Home Football Game

In honor of our last month of Arizona residency, Hubby and I went to the final UA football game of the season yesterday.  We won, 45 to 37!

End of the First Quarter

 Half Time!!

 Third Quarter

 End of the Game!  Winners!

Goodbye Arizona Stadium...

Our Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Hoping that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Munds Park

Instead of renting hotel rooms in Sedona for Robert's wedding, Hubby and I decided to have the family stay together in a cabin.  The cabin was located in a community called Munds Park and it snowed!  We were both shocked to discover that the dogs adore the snow, especially Trudy, who thought she was invincible in that pink sweater of hers.

 Snow is a rare sight where we are from!

I am very glad I invested in a coat for Lily before the trip.

Cancer-Free

We received a message from the veterinarian this morning that Lily's biopsy results came back as benign. She is cancer-free but we should anticipate more of these tumors in the future as she is prone to epithelial cysts.  We have just been so blessed this week!  Good news in all directions!

The Search is Over

Remember about three months ago when I told you that Hubby flew to Oregon for a job interview but he didn't get the job.  Well that same company called about a month ago asking if he would like to interview again, this time in their Portland office instead of Medford.  He flew to Oregon at the beginning of November and we received a call on Wednesday...

Goodbye Tucson...

Hello Portland!!

We are just a big ball of nerves now, trying to get Hubby ready to go to Oregon ahead of the rest of us. The "kids" and I will stay in Tucson for about a month or so while Hubby looks for a place for all of us to live.  In the meantime, I will pack our home and hopefully call in some favors with one of my Tucson friends to get a job at OMSI (where she used to work), one of the largest and most prestigious museums in Oregon.

We are so excited and feel so blessed that this opportunity came our way!  Thanks to our family and friends who supported us and kept our spirits up while we waited!

Lily: Post Surgery

Lily has always been the dog that goes to the vet the most.  If it isn't her kidneys, it is something else.  Well, Hubby found a tumor on her back right paw a few weeks ago and we took her to the vet to have it checked out.  During the examination the doc determined that it needed to go 1) because it was between her toes and would be a nuisance to her and 2) it was pretty large and ugly.  So yesterday she went in for surgery to have two tumors removed, the aforementioned one on her foot, and another on her back.  The biopsy results (cancer or not) will be back in about 10 days.  She also had two incisors pulled as they were virtually falling out anyway.  She is doing well, heavily medicated and sleepy, but pulling through this ordeal just fine!

 Notice the bandage on her back paw, she hasn't bothered it yet despite the stitches and the fact they cut the webbing between her toes.

Trudy wouldn't sleep last night until we moved her bed next to Lily's.  She is such a good big sister (and a worrier, just like her Mom)!

Phillips Wedding

On 11/11/11, the marriage of Robert Phillips and Kristianna Dorst took place among the Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona.

 The ceremony took place atop a hill with an amazing view as the backdrop.

 The Bride and her step-father

 The wedding was officiated by the Bride's other step-father

 The Family (from left to right): Robert, Sharon, Jackie, Matthew and Grandma Eileen

 Grandma was so happy!  What a beautiful picture!

 The Groom and Best Man

 I absolutely love this outtake! Smiles!!

 Silly Boys!

 Just Married!

Always the Protectors

 Beautiful Bride

 Husband and Wife

The Bride arrived in a horse drawn carriage and the couple left the ceremony the same way.  That pony was a very good sport!

Tutoring: Test Grades

Each of the "kids" I tutor texted me when they got their tests back.  One received an 81%, the other an 85%.  Much better from the failing grades they each received on their first test, but some room for improvement.  I am so proud of them both and they each seem quite happy with the results!  

On a side note: one of my students said the nicest thing to me right before this test.  He stated that he has never been worried about a test before because he never felt smart enough to pass it.  For the first time he was nervous because he felt smart enough to do well.  I am gratified that I could make a difference.

My Old Kitten

I realized the other day that I have very few pictures of Piper on my blog, so here are a few I snapped over the past week or so.  Piper is my old girl, 10 years old now, and is still so very tiny.  Only 8 lbs and still has silky fur like a kitten.

Homemade French Bread

My first attempt at making homemade french bread...not bad!