KRELLFISH

Condos Gone Tiled

Here is the kitchen in our one bedroom Scottsdale condo. We have two for rent, both are one bedroom, one is furnished.

This is the perfect writer's getaway. A tropical resort community with lush palms swaying in the breeze and great neighbors. A place where you'll easily read or write the next great American novel. Plus, we could meet at Starbucks on your break and discuss all things books!

Get out of that soon- to- be snowy state and come on down where it's always warm.

We'll leave the sun out for ya.

For more pictures and information visit Franks on Shea.

Call of Duty

On the last of school, my mild mannered son threw a teen sized tantrum over the Playstation 3 breaking. Then one of my other son's posted this on Facebook: "My call of duty is to play as much COD as possible this summer." 

 I wondered just what kind of summer we were in for.

Then the next day, the first official day of summer break, we left for a long vacation. There were no video games, no internet, no mobile phone service, no friends, obligations, homework, deadlines, 16 games to attend in a weekend, video game thumb, carpal tunnel or strained eyes. Translation: no stress.

Here is what the boys looked like sans technology and cultural expectation:

Were they depressed? Lonely? Desperate for the overstimulation by the world wide web? No. But they were in fact, completely different men.

We had actual, real live conversations with whole phrases and not instant message communication with "words" like u, 2morrow, B4, L8tr,brb, and ppudwug2store (Please pick up donuts when you go to store). And we certainly never talked about COD (Call of Duty).

In the spirit of honesty, we did use '"B4" when we were repeating back our diagonal line which won us $89.00 at Bingo. Yes I had to resort to gambling to get that good quality family time. Don't send me the scripture about how I shall not gamble, the bigger risk is not interacting with my kids. Plus God saw fit to have us win so I can't be all wrong, right?

Anyway, 5 days post trip, our boys remain changed. They are exercising every day, practicing their music for hours, interacting in meaningful ways with other human beings face to face and are generally happier people. The video games have been played, but it's been minimal.

So I ask you fellow parenting soldiers, what is your Call of Duty this summer? Maybe just maybe, you are to fearlessly lead your family to and through a land of no internet, no 3G network and no cultural expectation, for a time.

Be warned though, that land can definitely come with no Starbucks attached, as it did for me. 

We all gave up a little something, and each of us are better for it.

 Long after the last iPhone has died, the spirit of authentic, loving relationship will reign eternal.

Fortunate

Every hair on the back of my neck stood up as I crumpled the fortune and threw it to the center of the table. 

Why can't I ever get a good fortune, like I'll win a million dollars?

"You will have a close encounter of a serious kind," it read.

Awesome, I can't wait for that one.

And so it began on our beach vacation last week. I don't believe in fortunes, luck, fate or coincidence, but I do believe God speaks through these events. I knew something was coming and I later found out that my husband knew it too. There was something to be said, for knowing it was coming. I felt God was preparing me, letting me know something would happen but that it would be okay. Peace spread throughout my body, filling every crack and crevice. Wish it could have filled the wrinkles too, but I digress.

Falling into bed exhausted that evening, I awoke to the rustling of something large crawling on the floor. My first thought was a bear, but I hadn't seen too many on the beach earlier that day. Then I knew it was someone's dog. I'm afraid of dogs.

It was actually our 127 pound son, he couldn't walk because of severe abdominal pain. We hauled him up on the bed, fired up the beachy, sketchy Internet, discovered he had Appendicitis and were off to the emergency room.

After pumping him full of Morphine, the ER docs concurred with my diagnosis, but said it was early. Even though Mason was so sick that he asked if he could stay at the hospital (what kid wants that?), they threw us out on our sandy behinds. Wanted to see him the next day. It's 4:00 am I reasoned, isn't it the next day right now?

We brought him back to the ER, they did a CT and said yes, appendicitis, he's going by ambulance to a Children's Hospital 40 minutes away. Two 16 year old paramedics eventually appeared and we were on our way. Those ambulance rides sure aren't what they look like on TV. My neck will never be the same, but nonetheless an uneventful ride. 

They kept him overnight, prepped him for surgery and after 27 hours of not eating or drinking anything, decided Mason wasn't sick enough to have surgery. We were free to drive back through the desert to go home the next day.

 A close encounter of a serious kind...

"I'm pretty sure no one wants to see me do an emergency Appendectomy in the desert, but whatever," I shrugged. 

He made it back fine, still in pain, still has his appendix.

And I still have peace, because no matter what, it will all be okay.

Frugal Friday (Southwest Airlines)

My boys have been doing a lot of traveling as unaccompanied minors this summer.  I have found Southwest Airlines to be the best, and certainly the most frugal way to fly.  Not only do they have great air fares but there is absolutely no additional charge for minors to fly.  One other airline, previously known as America Worst, charges $100 EACH WAY for kids to fly unaccompanied.  Are you kidding me? They'd better be spoon feeding them Steak and Lobster and then rocking them to sleep, for that much money.

Southwest Airlines has always been pleasant to deal with, are usually on time and I love that if you don't use your flight, they just bank the money and there is no rescheduling fee the next time.

My only complaint is that they lost my son's bag back in June.  It had some items that were very precious to us and it looks like we won't be getting them back.

You can also follow Southwest Airlines on Twitter and they have a blog.  Really good information for every traveler.

To be frugal, do whatever you can to fly Southwest, especially if you have a child flying alone.

For more Frugal Friday tips, head over to www.Biblicalwomanhood.com.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things about Why Audra Loves Colorado 1. Our Family lives there 2. It cools off at night 3. Starbucks 4. Summer 5.Church in the Wildwood 6.Patsy's Candies 7. It's an 85 minute flight from AZ 8.Visiting at Christmas 9. The Denver Broncos 10. The Farmer's Market 11. Our boys were all born in Denver 12. Real Mountains 13. Oh, Starbucks again!

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Class of 1988

I'm in Colorado for my 20th High School Reunion.  I wish I could post pictures, but I'm not on my computer.

We have had so much fun and the changes in some people have been surprising. Today there was a picnic and we got to meet everyone's kids.  There were beautiful children there and some great lookin significant other's too!

It's great to be out of the 109 degree heat. I was literally cold last night, as we had an extended happy hour on the deck of our local bar.  I also can't breathe at this altitude, something about it is so embarrassing.  I'll come up from the basement at my mom's house and I have to stop, lean over and put my hands on my knees, gasping for breath.  Maybe it's not quite that bad, but it takes me about 30 seconds to get my breath and be able to have a full conversation. 

Why is it embarrassing that I live at sea level and am not used to the altitude?  No idea....just the implication that I'm so out of shape is almost funny to me.  Almost. 

What's really embarrassing is that a beautiful woman and I had on the exact same shirt from White House Black Market at the happy hour last night.  This wasn't a huge gathering mind you, we had a small graduating class of 99 people and about half showed up. She and I just made the best of it....what else could we do.  It sure brought back the memories of Prom's, graduations and dances, where two girls were wearing the same thing. So actually I think it was more of a great catalyst than an embarrassment.

Beach Time

Last week in Arizona it was 108.  It was miserable.  Yesterday and today it was in the 60s.  We are all freezing, but loving getting the sweatshirts and pants back out for one more weekend.  We drove to San Diego today and at some points, the outdoor temps read 52 degrees.  It is raining and really cold here, but there isn't much that can bother me when I am at the beach.  The really weird thing though, is that EVERYONE keeps apologizing for the weather.  Like they are all taking personal responsibility for it.  Everyone pities us and gives us a sad look,apologizes repeatedly, like they know a secret we don't.  Maybe it's never, ever going to clear up here.

That reminds me of another misguided sympathy situation I encountered on Wednesday.  I took my new phone, which shall remain nameless, suffice it to say it's not an iPhone, and tried to return it because it kept freezing up.  Since I was two days past the 30 day mark, they have to send me a new one, not just switch it out.  Whatever.  Glad I made that trip.  Anyway, the gentleman helping me looked at my phone with pity in his eyes.  "You don't text, answer the phone and be on the Internet at the same time, do you?" he asked.  I said I do, and he said that no phone could possibly handle that kind of stress.  He then looked at my phone sadly and I really thought he was going to take it in his arms, pat it, and tell it the bad lady wouldn't be hurting it anymore. It was pathetic. 

I then informed him that I was quite sure an iPhone could handle everything I've got, and then some. He just winked. 

Akiarondo

Check out this little bad boy.  It's a mini station wagon.  RocktheDesert and I got crazy and are tooling around Nashville in one of these wild machines.  It's only ours for a couple more days though.....Ours doesn't really look like a taxi, in that it's blue and we don't want anyone to notice us in it. At the car rental place, the woman asked if an "Akiarrando" would be okay with us.  We both said "What?"  And then agreed to our unknown little Spanish mobile.  Turns out she was saying a "KIA Rondo."  Didn't know they still made Kia's.  Looking forward to driving my HondaRondo when I get back home.

We are having a great time in Franklin, Tennessee.  Met several of our fellow conference attendees tonight and had an awesome dinner at Pueblo Viejo.  Some of the best tacquitos I have had in a long time, and don't even get me started on the Mango Margarita.  Incredible.

Tomorrow it's Lifework 2.0 - translation, I plan to rock my clients and fans digital world in the next few weeks.

Hang on, because I promise it will be wilder than your best ride in an Akiarondo.

This post is part of Monday Moments (MoMo) with Marty Holman.  Check out other true stories here.