Things I miss about Missouri

Going with the nostalgic-ness (is that a word?) of last night's post... Here is my list of the top 10 things I miss about Missouri. ::sigh::

Things I miss about Missouri...
10- Knowing EVERYONE in town of only 200.
9- Being able to leave the house at night without fear of being mugged, raped, or abducted.
8- Fireflies.
7- Being able to drive at age 11.
6- Fishing.
5- Tractor Pulls.
4- Heat Lightning.
3- Goin down the the "slab" and swimming in the creek.
2- Rain on the tin roofs.
1- The smell
...It's hard to describe, but out in the country in Missouri, the air just smells so much different. It''s so much cleaner and the air just smells thick and sweet with a hint of wild flowers.

Things I miss about AZ

I've been feeling a little nostalgic latley... Looking back on all the places I've lived... Now I know at the time I hated living on MCAS Yuma... But not looking back it really wasn't THAT bad and infact I kinda miss it.

Things I miss about AZ...
10- Dirt
9- Sand
8- Palm Trees
7- Cactuses
6- Indian Casino's
5- Road side taco stands
4- The Sunsets
3- Not having to change the clocks at day light savings time.
2- REAL Mexican food
1- The "dry heat"
...Yes it's true the 120 degree heat is the #1 thing I actually miss...
Especially the DRYNESS of the heat...
Oh how I hate the humidity of the South.

Happy Armed Forces Day

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

For those who didn't know, today is Armed Forces Day. On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department -- the Department of Defense.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

America’s Armed Forces represent the very best of our national character. They have answered the call to defend our Nation, and their service and sacrifice humble us all. OnArmed Forces Day, we pay tribute to these patriots who risk their lives, sometimes giving their last full measure of devotion, to preserve the vision of our forebears and the freedoms we enjoy.

Our service members carry on the proud traditions of duty and valor that have sustained us from our earliest days of independence. Today, we have the greatest military force in the history of the world because we have the finest personnel in the world. Wherever they are needed, from Iraq and Afghanistan to right here at home, they are serving and protecting our Nation.

We owe our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen more than our gratitude; we owe them our support. That is why my Administration is committed to ensuring they have the strategy, clear mission, and equipment they need to get the job done, and the resources they deserve when they come home. We are also increasing support for military spouses and families who must deal with the stress and separation of war.

Today, let us raise our flags high to honor the service members who keep us safe, as we reaffirm our commitment to fulfill our duty to them.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, continuing the precedent of my predecessors in office, do hereby proclaim the third Saturday of each May asArmed Forces Day.

I direct the Secretary of Defense on behalf of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Secretary of Homeland Security on behalf of the Coast Guard, to plan for appropriate observances each year, with the Secretary of Defense responsible for soliciting the participation and cooperation of civil authorities and private citizens.

I invite the Governors of the States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and other areas subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to provide for the observance ofArmed Forces Day within their jurisdiction each year in an appropriate manner designed to increase public understanding and appreciation of theArmed Forces of the United States.

I also invite veterans, civic, and other organizations to join in the observance of Armed Forces Day each year.

Finally, I call upon all Americans to display the flag of the United States at their homes on Armed Forces Day, and I urge citizens to learn more about military service by attending and participating in the local observances of the day. I also encourage Americans to volunteer at organizations that provide support to our troops.

Proclamation 8380 of May 14, 2009, is hereby superseded.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of theUnited States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Get cozy with Cozi!

Could your family use a little organization and an easy way to keep in touch and up to date with each other? Well I stumbled across this website called Cozi... It’s a great free site that helps your family get organized by providing a family calendar, customizable lists, reminders + messages, mobile phone access, a family journal, photo collage screen saver, and even sync with Outlook. That’s a lot of things they have to offer. They have a great short video that really explains everything you can do and how simple it is, worth a quick view definitely.

It takes less than 30 seconds to actually sign up for Cozi, very quick and simple and not too many questions. Once you sign up and log in you are brought to the Get Started page to help you get going. There really isn’t a lot of setup at all, just start adding things to your calendar or lists, upload pictures if you like, or send short messages. I’m really impressed with how quick and simple Cozi is. I know we have all seen a lot of services that say they are easy to use, but honestly this one really seems to be easy!

I like that they have a large digital clock on what seems like every page. At the upper left corner is always a Home link to take you back to the beginning. Along the bottom of the screen there is a navigation bar also with Home plus all the other sections. Very simple and straight forward. It doesn’t look like there are any options for changing the color scheme, but I would guess that is something they may add in the future. The current color scheme isn’t unpleasant though, yellows/oranges/golds/whites.

The ability to use Cozi on computers, phones, PDAs, and just about any other gadget with internet access makes it really appealing. Cozi Mobile is available with no additional downloads also. You can easily send messages to cell phones which is a great feature. Although I haven’t tried the Outlook sync yet, this is another great option I think. My family does use the Outlook calendar already so this is a welcome option for us.

Sookie Love.

So the latest installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series was released this morning, "Dead in the Family" is the tenth book from Charlaine Harris about the Louisiana barmaid and her vampire filled life. For those who don't know, this is the series that HBO's TrueBlood is loosley based on. Well, I bought it around 10am and managed to finish it by 10pm. Is this the best book in the series? Not by far. In fact, it may be my least favorite book to date, but that being said, I still enjoyed the story.

I love Sookie. I love the world Harris has created and shared with us. I love the complex characters who are so multidimensional and flawed and interesting. So, even when a book seems to fall short or not strike a major note with me, I still enjoy the time I get to spend in Sookie's world.

This isn't a stand alone story. You have to start with the first book and read them all. Too many plot lines, too many characters, too many big story arc developments happen along the way to not begin and the beginning.

I will reread "Dead in the Family," maybe before the weekend is out. I tend to zip through these books so quickly that I often don't read slowly enough to enjoy every scene. I may have more comments after a second read.