Um...Everything

Hello negelected blog readers!

I apologize for my lack of posts since early this month. I promise football is not the only thing that has happened to me or that I've done since December 7. I just finished my last final on Sunday night (today being Wednesday) and yesterday I started my trek home with a visit to my Aundt DiDi and one of my most constant readers, Unkie Earl. (Hi Unkie Earl!) So I am now on their computer in sunny (and by sunny, I mean rainy) Arizona, getting ready to go to lunch with my aunt and counsins at Olive Garden. Then Daddy and I are going shopping this afternoon. He's going to take me to Bass Pro Shops. Ooooo... Should be good times. It will be nice since I haven't had a chance to relax since about, oh, December 7.

I did have a pretty nice finals schedule with all of them being essays or take homes. I was also able to do the photojournalism project I wanted. I photogrpahed a woman at Dominion Village, where my grandfather lived when he had Alzheimer's. She has undiagnosed dementia and was one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met. We had a good morning together, including lunch where she kept trying to get up to tell the nurses I needed some food. She's not suppose to get out of her wheelchair so it was quite a fun time that involved me walking away for a few minutes and coming back and telling her I had eaten so she would eat her lunch. And then at about 1:30 p.m. she began sundowning, which is where people with memory diseases get extremely anxious, nervous and agitated at the same time everyday. My grandfather did the same thing, but a little later in the day. According to the woman in charge of the center, the lady I was photographing always worried about her family and that's what she did. She kept asking where her son was and what we had done with her husband, who has been dead for a few years.

It was a very sad and yet very interesting thing. Sad because she was so worried and it was just heartbreaking to see someone so confused and scared and know you can't do anything to help. Yet, it was so interesting to see how dementia and Alzheimer's affect people. For instance, my grandfather forgot who my grandmother was at times and yet, he memorized the code to the place he was living by watching the nurses punch it in, and then he escaped! The woman I photographed would remember random things and then say something different 10 minutes later. It was definitely interesting and I'm glad I was able to do the project I wanted. Here's to hoping it got me a good grade.

I'm very excited about going home. I haven't seen Mommy or Melissa or anyone else at home since early June. It's great to see Daddy and be able to ang out with him and I so look forward to the holidays. I love Christmas and this year should be a great vacation and opportunity to spend timw with my family.

Until then Arizona is good times, being able to see family here I haven't seen in almost three years. I met my little cousin for the first time today and he is the cutest. Ah, family.

And an update on football: We are going to the championships! Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 we will play Montana in our first championship game, ever. I will definitely be watching.

To Grandmother's House We Go: Part 2

Arizona to the Grand Canyon (which is in Arizona but that is so not the point)

Another nice, short drive but this time from Aunt DiDi's house to the Grand Canyon and then on down to Flagstaff, AZ. There was a lot of desert, and I mean a lot of flat desert on the way to the Grand Canyon. I mean, come on, this is Arizona for heaven's sake.

Hooray Beer! (Disclaimer: I do not drink beer or any other form of alcohol. I just thought the billboard was pretty freakin' hilarious.)

We did get a little rained on for about 10 minutes along the way.

And we made it to the Grand Canyon! There are no words to describe it and pictures do not do it any justice but I'm going to put some up because I can. Go to the Grand Canyon!




After the Grand Canyon we headed to Flagstaff. We had an interesting time finding the Grand Canyon International Hostel but we did and its been pretty nice. We went and had dinner at the Beaver Street Bar and Grill where we had anexcellent pesto and cream cheese appetizer. Yum. Then onto Macy's European Tea and Coffee for some hot cocoa and live music.

Another good traveling day.

Tune in tomorrow. Same bat time, same bat channel!

To Grandmother's House We Go: Part 1

California to Arizona

So here's the first part of Mommy's and my journey to Grandmama's house in Virginia. We had a good trip today. It went by pretty quickly. I guess after being on an airplane for eleven hours at a shot six times you get used to it...

First things first, new hair! I had my hair re-straightened this morning so we have to do a before and after picture. I had the product the hair stylist gave me in Japan and it worked just as well as the first time.
Before

After

Yeah! I love my new hairdo! It took about two and a half hours but it went by quickly. Yolanda and I go way back so we just talked and talked until she was done.

Okay, back to the trip!

Mommy drove for the first part of the trip and we just talked and listened to music. I almost fell asleep a few times. I drove from Yuma to Sun Lakes. And that was how exciting the trip was. At least is was uneventful meaning nothing bad happened...

We did see some cool clouds.

And we had some fun trying to catch the "Welcome to Arizona" sign. But we got it! The state line sign I didn't see coming but when Mommy was like, "Take it!" I pushed the button and BAM! I got the picture! It was good times.


And of course there is the row of billboards that anyone playing the Alphabet game loves.

We arrived at Aunt DiDi and Uncle Earl's house about 4:30pm and had dinner, sat around and played a little guitar and now we're sitting in the kitchen talking away. Ah, good times.

Aunt DiDi is my daddy's oldest sister who we have been visiting every Thanksgiving since I was born. I missed last year with being in Japan and will miss this coming year so its really nice to see them.

Mommy and I with Uncle Earl

Mommy and I with Aunt DiDi

Cupcakes!


And tomorrow we'll be off to the Grand Canyon!

Tune in next time. Same bat time, same bat channel!