Before pics... pink walls, carpet and blinds... orange counter tops!!

These are pics of our house when we first bought it...

Kaia Coco Lane

We adopted Kaia in July 2007 from Salt Lake County Animal Services. At the time of adoption, we had very little information about her past other than she had a microchip. The shelter had contacted her previous owners and they basically gave up on her and said they couldn't afford to get her out of lock up. This was her 2nd time there, and she just kept running away from them. The shelter wouldn't give me her previous name because they said it might bring back bad memories. If any of you have ever adopted an animal, you might share the same questions and curiousity. Recently, we had a friend who works at the shelter, look up her information. She told me that her previous name was Coco and her birthdate is 4/20/04! She was just over 2 when we adopted her and had already been locked up at least three times. The owners that had her right before us, adopted her from Wasatch Humane Rescue. I really don't understand why somebody would adopt an animal from a rescue group and then just give up on them... but then i forget there are people who give up on everything. Sad. We were really excited to find out this information on her past and know she is so much happier with us! I really think she knows how lucky she is to have Jeff and I for parents. She listens to us, and hasn't ever run away from us, even off leash. We love her and so does Rocky!

vacation time... but no vacation!

Jeff and I both have been off work since Christmas Eve and will be off through the fifth of January. We have had a few days of r&r, but the all the rest have been hard work. We are finally re-doing all of the base and case in the upstairs of our home. We're replacing the doors and Jason is welding our custom railing! Jeff's dad is so graciously letting us borrow all of the saws and power tools. It's alot of work but will be so worth it when it's done. We are planning on selling the home in the spring and buying a new one in Herriman or South Jordan. I can't wait!!! It'll be a little sad to let this one go after all of our hard work and custom designs, but the next people to live here will have a very nice home! :)

FORGOTTEN DOG'S CHRISTMAS

Twas the night before Christmas
when all thru the house

Not a creature was stirring
not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nick soon would be there.

The children all nestled all snug in their beds
With no thought of the dog filling their head.

And mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap
Knew the dog was cold, but didn't care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash
Figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But Santa Clause with eyes full of tears.

He unchained the dog once so lively and quick
Last year's Christmas present now painfully sick.

More rapid than eagles he called the dog's name
and the dog ran to him despite all his pain.

Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen
On Comet on Cupid on Donner and Blitzen.

To the top of the porch to the top of the wall
Let's find this dog a home where he will be loved by all.

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year
For Santa had made one thing quite clear.

The gift of a dog is not just for the season
We had gotten the dog for all the wrong reasons.

In our haste to think of the kids a gift
There was one important thing we missed

A dog should be family, and cared for the same
You don't give a gift, then put it on a chain.

And I heard him explain as he rode out of site,
"You weren't given a gift, you were given a life."

It is sooo true. Please, everyone, remember the little life you get is a lifetime commitment; not just cute for the moment. Please adopt, do not encourage breeders. There are so many that will be lonely this Christmas. Check the pounds, the humane society, look at all those loving eyes and faces. Open your hearts to the ones that really need a home and let's stop making it easy for backyard breeders to make a buck.

Microscopic Art!

Needle Sized Art Very incredible story! Not only is this mans art cool but he got a ton of cash for it!

The Social Security Office Experience

After a year and a couple of months, I finally got around to officially changing my last name to Lane. I had done it right after we got married on my driver's license, just not my SS card. I now realize why I had been avoiding this annoying process, let me share...

Yesterday afternoon I left work early and headed to the SS office in Murray. I had my name change form all filled out along with my passport and marriage license. I was all set, naively thinking I would be in and out because I was so prepared. Ha! I was completely wrong. As I arrived, I found a parking spot right away and it was a pretty good one! Again, a misleading sign as to what was to come. I grabbed all of my documentation and confidently walked into the office. The first thing I noticed was how nasty and germ ridden the door handle was. It's just a pet peeve of mine, I hate touching door handles and gas pumps. This door handle was the worst I had ever seen, it was GROSS! As I walked in, I saw way more people than there were cars for, where did they all come from?? I stood in a small line and got a number, it was A196.

I looked around the room to see if there were any empty chairs. I have to give you a little background first... rewind to earlier this week. I tried a new aerobics class on Monday afternoon and could barely walk the next day, no joke, my legs wouldn't even stand me up out of my bed, they wouldn't straighten!!! That being said, I was also wearing the tallest pair of heels I own. So.. Just my luck, there was one chair left in the middle of one of the rows. I quickly claimed it and sat down.

The first number to be called after I had sat down was A175. Augh! That's 21 people in front of me and each person took at least 5 minutes! After about 1 minute of sitting, I noticed an overwhelming smell of filth and pee?? I thought maybe it was the chair I was sitting in, maybe somebody had an accident? ewww! Then I quickly realized it was the two men, I would say somewhere in their sixties or so, sitting next to me on the right. I was overwhelmed by the stench and tried to turn my head to the left, hoping for fresh air. Nope, still breathing it in, I couldn't help it and I gagged! That was it, I couldn't stay there any longer. I didn't want to hurt any feelings and be obvious that their hygiene was non-existent. I kinda felt bad, maybe they didn't have any money for water or could only afford it every now and then? I don't know?? I nonchalantly stood up, legs aching, and walked the the back of the room and pretended to read some boring form on applying for a social security number or something.

While standing and waiting, I started to notice all of the other people in the room and really noticed how different we all are. How vast the habits and standards from one person to the next. I made sure to give a little smile to everybody who looked at me, not one person smiled back! Not one, not even the little kids. Finally after about 45 minutes of waiting my number was called and I was able to complete my mission. This experience has made me a little more appreciative of who I've grown to be, and how fortunate I am. I have a great mother, an amazing husband, wonderful in-laws, darn good pets, and a really great job, with really great people. I am so thankful for the life I live and the good fortune I've been blessed with and worked hard for.

Chapter 2 - Rocky Lane

Rocky turned 8 this year. He has experienced a wide variety of events in his life, most happy and fun, some scary and unsure. Rocky was one of 9 puppies birthed by Lacey Lane, a beautiful golden retriever who passed earlier this year due to cancer. She was 11. Lacey Lane belongs to Jared and Lindsay Lane who love her dearly. 8 years ago, on a camping trip Lacey hooked up with a Yellow Labrador Retriever and conceived our best buddy, Rocky. Jeff got to watch him be born and then fostered the 8 puppies (1 died) until they were all given away. Jeff would go home on his lunch break to take care of the puppies and picked Rocky because he was the most laid back out of them all. He says when he would get there, all of the other puppies and Lacey would rush to the front of the kennel and whimper and whine with excitement. Rocky, however, would stay at the back of the kennel and wait for things to calm down. Jeff knew that was the pup for him and sharpied his name on the inside of his ear! I met Rocky 3 years ago, we went on our first camping trip together to Flaming Gorge. I knew he was special the first time I met him. There was just something about him. Rocky is my favorite dog, I love him so much, I am VERY grateful for such a wonderful dog who teaches us how to be kinder every day. He has so much love to give, and he'll give it to anyone who wants it. He is great at loving everybody, no matter their faults or their annoying habits. Rocky once saved me from falling into a campfire, I had tripped on a rock and was going face down into the fire, when all of the sudden, he darted the opposite way, which pulled me away from the fire. His leash was around my wrist. I know he knew what he was doing. He is Jeff and I's best friend! Earlier this year, as some of you readers know, he was paralyzed. Click here for the story http://jeffandelise.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html You'll have to scroll down through the postings, unless you already know the story. He is about 98% recovered. He runs and plays just like he used to. He still has a tiny limp in his right rear leg, but that is small potatoes compared to being paralyzed. If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting this sweet angel, I hope you get to sometime. Rocky has changed my life for the better and I strive to be as kind and loving as he is!

Jeff and I went to his parent's house last night for dinner and Grandpa Lane was there with such a cool story. The article below is from the Standard Examiner in Ogden, they interviewed him and published his story!! He was chosen to fly to Washington DC to visit the WWII memorial. He talked with excitement about it and said it was a REALLY long day, 4.5 hours there and 4.5 hours back!!

Roy vet recipient of Honor Flight
By RACHEL J. TROTTER
Standard-Examiner correspondent

ROY — Herbert Lane says he's no hero, but there are those who would disagree. The 85-year-old World War II veteran isn't sure why he was chosen by the nonprofit group, Honor Flight
Network, for a free trip to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II Memorial today. But his son knows why. "He'll claim he's not one of the heroes, but they are all heroes," Ken
Lane said of his father and all the others who fought in World War II. He submitted his father's name to the Ohio-based Honor Flight Network in August 2007 after he noticed a flyer about it from a local newspaper.
Honor Flight's goal is to make sure as many World War II veterans as possible visit their memorial. Time is running out, because they are getting older and many are dying or find it too
difficult to travel, James McLaughlin, president of Honor Flight Network said, in a phone interview from Ohio. The group also wants to send Korean and Vietnam war veterans to Washington once the World War II veterans have had their turn.
Ken Lane was thrilled when he found out his father had been picked. "I just thought we weren't going to hear from them, it had been so long," he said. His father got a call from McLaughlin about three weeks ago offering him the trip and asking if he had a companion who could accompany him.
Herbert Lane has felt a wide range of emotions since that phone call. "I was surprised and then I
thought, 'Gee, that would be neat,' " he said with a smile. But he thought,"the old man isn't as young as he used to be," so he's glad to have his son going with him. He decided to take Ken, his oldest son, on the trip, because he left to go to war when Ken was only 6 months old. He didn't get home until the boy was 3.
Ken Lane said his father doesn't talk a lot about his war days, but he hopes that when they go to Washington he will open up. McLaughlin said that's common. When the veterans arrive at the memorial, it opens the floodgate of memories, and they often start talking, especially with the other veterans on the trip.
"The effect is simply amazing. It's an opportunity for closure," McLaughlin said.

Lane spent more than a year in Germany with the Air Corps and on the front lines in the
infantry near the end of the war. "I wasn't a hero, I was one of the lucky ones," he says.
Herbert Lane admits he's tried to think of those days in Germany"as little as possible. He marched across Germany with the 30th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division of the 3rd Army.
"I was one of the lucky ones. Yes, I had frontline combat, but others paid a bigger price," he said. He remembers soon after he arrived in Germany, the troops got a visit from Gen. George S. Patton, who stood only a few feet from Herbert.
"I still remember what he said," Herbert said. "He told us he was glad to have new
blood, and all I thought was, 'You aren't getting any of my blood!'"Ken Lane feels strongly
about the service of all veterans, but knows the price his father paid by not being able to be with or communicate with his family for three years.
Herbert Lane keeps a handful of photos of himself from World War II in a family album.

Thankful

Sorry I haven't gotten around to Rocky's debut, I promise I haven't forgotten. Jeff and I will work on it tonight, hopefully we can have something posted tomorrow.