Friday was “Bring Your Frog to Work” Day

May 4, 2013 | 8 comments

Friday was “Bring Your Frog to Work” Day.

Okay. Not really. But it should have been. For me it was. Maybe I’ll start a trend. Yup. It’s already on my iPhone calendar. Every First Friday in May shall be “Bring Your Frog to Work Day”.

I had intended to spend my lunch hour at the Park behind my office, taking photos of flying hawks and scurrying ground squirrels. Instead, it evolved into me taking photos of Nippers every chance I got.

It started with him accepting his role. That is, being the Frog that I took to work today.

Nippers celebrates Bring Your Frog to Work Day.

Bring Your Frog to Work Day

When I won the monthly office contest, he helped me celebrate.

Nippers the Frog celebrates winning.

Red Robin…. yumm!

Then he joined me for lunch.

Frog stuffed animal looks over a plate of tacos from Jack in the Box.

Tacos and Frogs. Do they really go together?

Later in the afternoon, we did the daily bank- and mail-run for the office. He wanted to check our P.O. Box. Sadly, other than himself, it was empty.

Nippers the stuffed frog in our Post Office Box.

Postage Due?

Shortly after, it was time to wind up the work week and head home. But not for long – I won tickets to the local minor league baseball game for tonight. Nippers and I took Dot, my Second Daughter, and my Second-Second Daughter to see the High Desert Mavericks wallop the Lancaster Jethawks. It was quite the game! Back and forth, strike outs, errors, runs, outs… it was intense! And oh, so fun.

My stuffed frog photo bombed this picture of Stater Bros. Stadium.

Nippers at Stater Bros. Stadium. My little photo-bombing frog.

Nippers and the High Desert Mavericks.

Mavericks Warming Up

After a while, the girls and I got hungry. Every Friday home game is Family Feast Night: hot dogs and sodas for just a dollar each! Nippers certainly likes his foods…

My stuffed frog Nippers, a hot dog and can of Pepsi.

Ballpark Food. Yummm!

In keeping with my Luck lately, halfway through the second inning, a Mavericks staffer walked by and handed everyone a card. Okay, sure. Everyone got one. But if I hadn’t won the game tickets, I wouldn’t have been present to get this ticket. Am I right?!

Nippers and his free bowling ticket.

Bowling, anyone?

And then of course it was time to document the humans. My Second Daughter Elisa Jo took this wonderful photo of all of us.

Family Game Night and Girls' Night Out: High Desert Mavericks at Stater Bros. Stadium.

A new kind of Family Game Night.

We sang the Seventh Inning Stretch. We sang “Sweet Caroline”. We ate dollar hot dogs and drank ballpark beer (well, two of us did!). We freaked out, multiple times, when a moth the size of Calcutta decided it really loved Dot and Elisa Jo. And we were laughed at, often, by those around us who experienced our girlish screams.

Would we do it again? Quicker than you can say, “Yes!”

The Mavericks won. It was a wonderful game. Not slow and draggy as some baseball games are. At first it seems the Mavs had no kick and were gonna go down without a fight. But by the third inning they snapped to and gave the Lancaster Jethawks a run for their money! In the end, the Mavs won 7-9.

Friday’s over. “Bring Your Frog to Work” Day is done. But the memories of this nearly perfect day will remain. Can a frog bring you luck? I’m pretty sure mine can. Does. Has.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

Sweeten my tea and share:

When I Win the Lottery

Dec 2, 2011 | 2 comments

On the heels of yesterday’s post about Wishes, I’ve decided to plot out what to do when I win the Lottery. After all, a girl’s gotta have a plan, right?

First of all, positive thinking: notice I didn’t say if, I said when.

So. When I win the Lottery, here’s how I intend to spend it:

1. Give 10% to my church. It’s a most amazing church where I’ve made many friends, learned much, and been given much love and support. It’s a wonderful foundation for spreading the Word of God and acknowledging we all have a personal need for Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t be where I am without my Church. 10% is the least I can do to give back.

2. Put 25% into a savings, market or stock account for the future. My friend Tony is always trying to get me to invest, but I’d rather buy a gallon of milk. When I win the lottery, I’ll be able to do both, and that excites me!

3. Pay off my and mom’s mortgages so we never have to worry about the economy. Also because it’s really fun that our homes have the same floor plan and I don’t ever want a stranger living in either one.

4. Buy new cars for me, my daughter, my mom, my two brothers and my sister in law. With all I’ve been through with my car breaking down lately, I may also hire my own personal mechanic.

5. Pay off all family debt. ‘Nuff said.

6. Put my daughter through college so she doesn’t have to incur any debt or loans that she’ll have basically no chance of really paying off in this economy.

7. Buy my daughter a house, or put money aside for her to buy a house when she’s ready. What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t make sure she was financially taken care of in the best ways possible?

8. Give more than generously to charities I believe in: American Red Cross for all their work across the globe, whether emergency aid or ongoing. World Wildlife Fund for all their efforts to protect animals and stop illegal killings. Local food banks and homeless shelters, because everyone deserves to not be hungry or cold.

9. Build a Writer’s Retreat, whether that means an addition to my house, or a completely separate location. A place where I can go where there are no distractions, no stressors. Just a peaceful environment that lends to imagination and the writing process.

10. Take my mom and daughter on regular vacations. Disneyland. Frankenmuth, MI. Italy. NYC. Missouri. Washington. Canada. Big Bear. Vegas. San Luis Obispo. Travel Route 66. And everywhere in between.

11. Invest in people. Start scholarships for the local schools. Hire interns. Support small businesses.

When I win the Lottery. I’ll do all this and more.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

Sweeten my tea and share: