Retirement

This blog post is a little pre-mature but I am booked for the rest of the week so I better give you an update!

My father is retiring this Friday!
As you can see by the plaque he has been working there for 24 years but it is time to move on to bigger and better things! On an even brighter note Dad already found a retirement job he is looking forward to!

Congrats Dad! See you at Hotrods on Friday to celebrate! 

Hope life is beautiful wherever you are!

But really, you know who else should retire?

It's Official!

The softball team that I play for finally got our first win! It was a close one, but a win is a win no matter how ugly it is! Final score 14 -13. We had all of the odds against us, we were short a girl player which ment we started with an automatic out, the referees were being completely hard on us because we were late to the game and started without us, so we lost our home field advantage! But the Tucson Mixers (As in Concrete Mixers) pulled through!

Just me.... Babe Ruthin' it! 

Antonio (Catcher), Me, and Daniel (Center Field)

And on an even better note, I got 100% on my Psychology test. Life is good today! 

Hope life is beautiful wherever you are!!!

YADNOM.

Hope this brightened your day!

Since I started college I have always been a fan of Mondays! Yeah I am a fan of the Mondays!!! Why... because I do them right! Usually I work all weekend and one of my regular two days off is Monday and I only schedule myself for one class which is at noon so I definitely have time to sleep in.

However, this Monday has been a little backwards. I had an unusual weekend! On Thursday I randomly decided to get out of town and headed to Phoenix to visit with Jackie and headed back Friday afternoon. I was scheduled to open the restaurant on Saturday and Sunday after I closed Friday night...aka I got no sleep! After work on Saturday I headed down to the UofA to tailgate with my buddies till late and opened early on Sunday...aka another night of no sleep.

So. Worth. It! I miss seeing my friends. College sometimes sucks but it will soon all  be over.


Here are some pictures recovered from our tailgating adventures!!! 56-0 = final score! Now that's a blow out! Way to go Cats!

Shayna, Ashley, Jackie, and me.
Hahaha look a Jackie's lips! 

Me, Paige (Hostess with the mostess), and Jacks!
Paige's eyes.

Rocio and me!
Rocio's face....

My shoes! Walmart for the win!!

So this Monday was a little rough, but was still a good day! 

I played softball today. I had a grand slam and a triple. 

Thats why they call me "Ham". (Sandlot movie reference!)

Hope you had a pleasant YADNOM, and that life is beautiful wherever you are!

Setbacks and Smiles!

My Aunt Diane, and Nicole, my cousin.

Next month will mark the first anniversary since my aunt passed away from cervical cancer. Her death marks the first in my family of someone really special that has ever passed away.

She was not the best at managing money while here on Earth, but she had the best heart of any person that I had ever known. She always made sure that every holiday was honored with presents, presence and of course, her unconditional love. She had some demons and regardless of her flaws she was a person that people wanted to be around.

She worked harder than anyone I have ever known. She never called in sick to work. She worked up till 3 months before she passed and would say during her treatments, "Man, I can't wait till all of this is over...and I can get back to work!"

Her optimism and entusiasm shocked everybody. But, someone else had a different path for her.

I will never forget the night she died, because I stood there and held her hand. I was the last person that she talked to, and she left peacefully with the embrace of my family comforting her as we held hands and prayed.

She left Nicole, her only daughter with the greatest gift of all...security. My aunts life insurance policy will secure Nicole for the rest of her days.

Now there is one thing that Nicole and my aunt had In common. Their personality and lack of finance. Neither of them made much money, but Nicole is also one of the hardest workers that I have ever seen as well.

This money helped Nicole move from that apartment, into a gorgeous house. And on Monday from a car with no air conditioning and failing transmission,  to a new car with only 2 miles on it.

By no means does a new car or house ever make up for the loss of a mother, or the hole in your heart that you feel everyday, or tears that bring back both sadness and laughter.

But with every setback comes smiles and new beginnings! I am glad that Nicole can live a worry free life and know that a mother's ultimate goal is to see her child succeed. And succeeding she is!

As for me, my aunt taught me that hard work and enthusiasm are the perfect ingredients for a happy life.

Congrats on your new car/house/life Nicole!

Hope life is beautiful wherever you are!

---Shannen
Updated via iPhone!

The DNC is over.Thank God?

Well, our leftist friends are at it again! Taking "God" out of their platform?


This Nation was founded on "One Nation Under GOD".


Now look, I understand that it was voted back on the platform but seriously....watch this video.
Looks like you had Ohio Governor Ted Strickland at a loss for words. Sad start to a shady convention.

Give me a break! Please!

Amongst so many other things wrong with this convention including the polarization on women's rights. Check this, Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy who were glamorized on the issue...were womanizers.
Billy Clinton = Disaster. Clinton made a damn good case...for Clinton, not his party.

Barack made a solid speech (as per usual),  but I guess he forgot to mention a little detail...that 23 million still remain jobless.

4 More Year? What about the past 4. Debt, decline, and disappointment. 

Obama quoted Lincoln in his speech.

But as I close this post, I will quote Clint Eastwood.

Hope life is beautiful wherever you are!