C's Blog

(I think this is the earliest in the day that I've ever blogged...)

Anyway, this morning, Harley started barking her head off out our bay window. I went to go calm her down to what usually is a squirrel, but what stood before us were SEVEN turkey!

About five minutes later, I spotted a coyote following their trail through the woods.

And thanks to the video camera and Bryan's quick work with some fast video editing, you can see for yourself. Right mouse click on the link below and select 'Save Target As...':

p.s. And to clarify, Bryan shot the wildlife with a video camera, not a gun. : )

Yesterday was my little sister, Sara's Birthday! : )

We celebrated a little bit with a cake at my parents' house last night with the family in STL:

The funny thing about that picture is that I took it with my camera phone while on speaker phone with Angie, John, & Reese in Kansas City and Dad handed her his cell phone with Kristin & Carol ("DW") from San Francisco.

Silly, silly fam. Happy B-Day, Sara!!! : ) We love you!

Quite possibly the funniest video we have ever taken... Tonight Isaac discovered Harley and she has gotten the most laughter from him than anyone.

Right mouse click and select "Save Target As" on the link below:

I just made one of the hardest decisions that I've ever had to make...

I decided to resign from teaching dancing after this, my eleventh, year.

After I spoke with Tanya this morning, the owner of Motion Express, I cried at my desk. And I mean c-r-i-e-d. It's been a long time since I've cried like that.

It hurts my heart to realize that after dancing for 24 years of my life, I'd ever have a reason to stop.

Hopefully this is just temporary and when our family gets a little older, I'll be able to go back. It's just too hard for me on Wednesdays to work all day, see Isaac for 15 minutes while I scarf down food to go teach dancing and be away from him for 4 more hours. By the time I get home at 9:30 pm, he's asleep and down for the night.

I've gone through so many scenarios in my head to try to make it work... and it just won't work right now.

What a sad day in my world. When I feel like this, everything seems to have a grayish tone to it. Although the gray could just be the tears that keep welling up in my eyes.

I know I'll calm down, but I don't know if I'll ever get over it. It took me 4 months to finally come to this decision.

I have about two months left in this school year. It's been a great year for me at the studio. My competition group has done very well and my teen classes that I teach with my little sister, Sara, are so much fun... At least I'm leaving on a good note.

Now if I could only remember to breathe today, I think I might start feeling better...

I have realized over the past couple of years that I categorize events and periods in my life by music. It doesn't occur with every song, but there are a few songs that define important moments in my life... like a soundtrack.

These songs didn't just play in the background, but instead they existed right along side the event. The words and music have actually helped define some of the key moments in my life that I'll never forget.

I started thinking about it this morning as I was listening to Switchfoot in the car on the way to drop off Isaac at Day Care. Before this song was overplayed on the radio or even released on the radio as a single, "Dare You to Move" made me cry almost every time I heard it. It made me happy cry with the first lines of the song:

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

I'm sure you can understand why those lyrics would make a pregnant lady cry. : ) It reminds me of how excited and scared Bryan and I were before Isaac was born.

Here are some of other songs on "Caron Arnold - The Soundtrack":

The Monkees: "I'm a Believer"
Counting Crows: "Mr. Jones"
Live: "Pain Lies on the Riverside" and "The Distance"
Green Day: "She"
Smashing Pumpkins: "Mayonnaise"
Sara Evans: "I Could Not Ask For More"
Poe: "Beautiful Girl"
Dave Matthews Band: "Lover Lay Down"
Enrique Iglesias: "Rhythm Divine" and "No Puedo Mas Sin Ti (I'm Your Man)"
John Mayer: "My Stupid Mouth"
Lenny Kravitz: "I Belong to You"
Garbage: "Stupid Girl"
Ozomatli: "Como Ves"
Sarah McLachlan: "Ice Cream"
Moulin Rouge: "Come What May" (techno version ripped from an easter egg on the DVD)
Jo Dee Messina: "Nothing I Can Do"
Ben Folds Five: "Best Imitation of Myself"
Gavin DeGraw: "Follow Through"

There are more songs that belong on that list. I wonder what I'll add in the future?

(Click on the photos below to enlarge:)

Bryan:	Isaac:	Caron: