I Like Mike

funny daddy

2007-07-16T21:05:00.001-07:00

funny daddy
Originally uploaded by Kristal

good dad

2007-07-16T21:04:00.001-07:00

sad when she didn't make the finals
Originally uploaded by Kristal

He was consoling Mikal when she didn't make the finals in the shot put. He was great about supporting the kids in track this summer.

Splatter!

2007-03-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

His whites are never really white... jackets, pants, tshirts, walls. Paint. On. Everything!

playing catch up

2007-03-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a while, but not because I like him any less. It is hard keeping up with all of the things I have going online and I have been concentrating on my main blog. Here are a few pictures from the last several months:

Mike at the Children's Museum in Santa Fe, watching the kids.

Teaching Echo how to fish.

Watching Mia and Mica run in the 5k Superbowl Sunday.

Grandpa.

Missing Mike

2006-10-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken last weekend, at our granddaughter's first birthday party. It is hard to believe that he is a grandpa! I'm going to have to start teasing him about being an old man... as soon as he gets back from his hunting trip. I hope he takes some pictures for me!

dancing

2006-09-30T05:37:00.000-07:00

Bleu had a dance recital last night and a few of the kids got to choose a partner from the audience. He chose his dad. After spending a few minutes teaching them the dance, the kids and their partners performed in front of the group. Mike was a great sport and played along with the whole thing. Bleu was beaming. He was so proud. It was nice to see Bleu making an effort to be involved in something and even nicer to watch the boys bond a little.

Happy Anniversary

2006-09-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

originally posted on kristyk.org

Today is the 8th anniversary of the 2nd time Mike and I were married. That's right. Confusing? A little. Two anniversaries means twice the celebration and twice as likely he'll forget. [Which he did!] He has been using my van all week, so I haven't had a way to go shopping for a present. Last night, Mia went to Walmart and I had her get an ironing board for me to give him. That may sound like a crappy present, but I hate ironing. We have an iron that I NEVER use. Mike doesn't like his clothes wrinkled, but I figure if it bothered him that much he would iron them himself. He doesn't.

I grew up in a starch loving family. My mom ironed her clothes every day. People would bring over their clothes before special events because she loved to iron THAT MUCH. My brother was just as bad. Seriously. He was the wannabe cowboy with no horse but pants that would stand up on their own. He would go through cans [plural] of starch every week. The creases never came out of his jeans, even when we washed them. I hated it. I hated the smell. I hated the fussiness and the time it required. I hated it because I was unhappy with my life and that iron was a symbol of everything that made me unhappy. Uptight, rigid and starched to the nines.

Every time Mike and I go somewhere overnight he will ask if I packed the iron. Most of the time I can't even find it. I figure the hotel should have an iron in the room. If they don't, it probably isn't the sort of place that worries about appearances. Giving him an ironing board, hangers and a letter promising to iron all of his clothes is a huge concession on my part. I figure that since he has put up with me for this long, the least I can do is iron a few shirts. I know, I'm a hopeless romantic.

the painter

2006-08-25T05:50:00.000-07:00

crossproccessed, Olympus OM-1

Mike, making concrete columns look like marble.

Checking things out...

2006-08-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

I developed a roll of film today and found this picture of Mike. Several people were stopped looking at this Jeep and I snapped a quick photo. It made me smile, because he has been out of town working all week. He's coming home tonight, so I am a happy girl!!!

I like Mike because...

2006-07-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to lose weight for about a month now. He notices enough to make me feel good about what I've accomplished, but not enough to make me feel like he didn't like me before. Trust me, that is a very difficult thing to do!

thanks for fixing the air conditioner

2006-07-04T23:57:00.000-07:00

I love you!

blowing bubbles

2006-06-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

When Mike got home, he hung out with the kids and played with plastic bubbles. I love to hear him laugh! [More]

XXL isn't large enough!

2006-05-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

My man is bustin' out of this life jacket!

Old Picture of Young Mike

2006-05-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Big Guns

2006-04-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

I like Mike's new sunglasses!

2006-04-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

The trim.

2006-04-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

He is trying to get some windows replaced before we restucco the outside. By this time next week, our house should look completely different!

His REAL working face.

2006-04-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

Working hard, fixing up the house. Thanks, hon!

That FACE!

2006-04-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

How cool is Mike?! He replaced the windows in our living room today. First, he had to cut out the old ones and install the new ones. Then, he trimmed them with crown and everything. I hate our old windows because they are the crank type and most of them are broken. I'm sure that this will help our energy bill as well...

Man, this guy can do everything!

This is what he does all day!

2006-04-01T04:42:00.000-08:00

A column Mike did at work.

Yummy!!!

2006-03-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

Two of my favorite things!

Ok, so techincally he isn't a thing. But he IS my favorite!

Oldie but goodie!

2006-03-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

I found this post I wrote a couple of years ago and thought I should repost it here.

I have a confession to make ~ I am hopelessly in love with my husband. I am a total pushover when it comes to him. Too often I get caught up in the day to day 'stuff' that makes up my life and I forget. I forget to let him know how much he means to me and what an important part of my life he is. So, I dedicate this post to Mike.

Mike, if you are reading this.... you always ask what I love about you, so here goes:

You can do anything! You are a painter, a carpenter, a welder, a mechanic, a plumber, a golfer, a baseball player, a car racer, a vehicle restorer, a fisherman, a comedian, a motivator, an artist, a leader, a friend, a husband, a father.... You constantly amaze me with your ability to do everything well. You are a true jack of all trades.
You are confident in yourself and your decisions. I admire that quality. You speak your mind and are not intimidated by other people's opinions.
Even though you act tough, you can be gentle and kind when it matters.
You are funny. I love to hear you laugh... When you were laughing about the other Mike today, I was so happy just to be with you.
You always make me feel beautiful. In the eight years that we have been together, you have never once said a negative thing about my looks. It hasn't mattered whether I had hair or not, fat or skinny, pregnant or not.... you make me feel sexy and loved. One of my most precious memories was when I was in the hospital having my stomach pumped. Yuck. I was so sick. I know that I was a total mess.... Remember? I threw up on you and started crying. You looked in my eyes and told me how amazing I was. That I was the most beautiful woman in the world and that you loved me more than anything. And you know what? As bad as I felt right then, I believed you.
You put us first. I know that you are often tired and hurting... but you never complain. You do what you have to to get the job done. You always provide for me and the kids. We have everything we need because of you.
You are a great father.
I love to hear you play the guitar and sing.
You have big muscles!!
We understand each other. Without explanation.
You love me unconditionally. I never have to prove myself to you.

I would write more, but you are already asleep and snoring away... It is making me tired! I love you.

bubble share

2006-03-01T20:26:00.000-08:00

This album is powered by
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Just trying out this new service to create slideshows.

Old times

2006-02-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Mike had a great time telling stories about the good old days when the lake was higher. He pointed out all the spots that he used to fish in, now dry and covered with bushes. We drove around, checking out all his old haunts.

The Fisherman

2006-02-12T19:02:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite pictures from our trip to Caballo this weekend. I love to watch Mike fish. We used to go fishing together, before we had kids. Back then, we spent more time in the sleeping bags than we did catching fish! :-) Of course, now it is fun to see him with the kids and watch them learn from him. Some of the best memories I have of my own dad are fishing with him at the lakes of southern Colorado. I hope our kids remember these little trips just as fondly.

He got our trailer back!!!

2006-01-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to go camping again. We need to clean it up and restock it, but at least we have it now. Mike's brother has been living in it for the past few months so we haven't been able to go anywhere. It is just too cold for the kids to spend the night outside in a tent. We don't have enough sleeping bags! With the trailer, we have beds, a kitchen and a bathroom so we can go just about anywhere. I'm happy!!!

Racing the train...

2006-01-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

And the train wins, by a nose!

Real men use pink.

2005-12-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

Mike got home just in time to decorate the Christmas cookies with the kids. He got all artistic on me, creating abstract designs and swirls. He loves to paint! Even if it is just on a cookie...

Read more about the cookie decorating here.

So happy to help Dad.

2005-12-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting here much lately, but that has nothing to do with Mike OR how much I like him. ;-) The computer was down for a few weeks and we have been super busy with work and the holidays. Mike has been sick for the past week. Really sick. In fact, Dallas is playing right now and he fell asleep. Anytime he can sleep through a football game, you KNOW he doesn't feel well!!!

Jon, Echo and I visited him at work the other day and Jon was thrilled to climb up on the truck. He wants to be just like Mike. So sweet.

kicking back

2005-11-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

What a ham... Mike LOVES the camera! It is a good thing, because I love taking pictures of him. One of the kids took this one, not sure which one. It has been great having him home. Not sure what we will be doing today, but anything is better when he is around. :-)

Hunting Trip

2005-11-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

Mike got home from his hunting trip. It is so good to have him back home. I feel a little lost without him... He took a few pictures for me. That always makes me happy!

Love you!

I love to watch Mike hold babies...

2005-10-31T21:25:00.000-08:00

"I understood once I held a baby in my arms, why some people have the need to keep having them." ~ Spalding Gray

The New Grandpa

2005-10-30T06:21:00.000-08:00

Mike's son Justin and his wife Michele are now the proud parents of Madison Michele. She is adorable, and now MIKE IS A GRANDPA!

it's a good thing I love him so much, because this is the kind of thing that drives me crazy

2005-10-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

where are my grapes?

Mike: [still in bed] Hon, did the time change?
Me: [at the computer] I don't know. I'll check.
Mike: I mean did they decide to change it?
Me: Yes, but I don't know if it was last night or tonight.
Mike: Because they were talking about not changing it.
Me: [after checking the clocks against the time on the cell phone] Yes, it changed.
Mike: Are you sure? Because I don't think they're doing it this year.
Me: Mike. There is a big sign on the school marquee reminding everyone to turn their clocks back.
Mike: Oh.

[a short pause and then I hear him dialing his phone]

Mike: Mom, are they going to turn the time back this year?

He does windows!

2005-10-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

2005-10-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

So, I had an 'offer of sponsorship' for this blog. Talks are still in the works. By talks, I mean a couple of emails. But 'talks' sounds so much more important. The funny thing is that Mike got all JEALOUS! Like, how come I wasn't advertising HIS business? He immediately offered to sponsor me in exchange for a link. How adorable is that? I love that he thinks I'm cool enough to pay for. That didn't come out right! But you know what I mean...

The truth is, he is an awesome painter. I have been around a lot of painters in the last ten years and he blows them all away. And I'm not just saying that because I love him and he fixes my van and gets up in the middle of the night when I hear noises. He can paint like nobody's business. Interior, exterior, commercial, residential, new construction, repaints... he does it all. He loves doing faux finishes. They make up a large portion of his work. He does accent walls, fireplaces, faux marble columns, murals. You name it, he's done it. In the picture, he was painting some flowers in a nicho. Pretty good for freehand stuff.

crossposted to kristyk.org

2005-10-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

The best dad in the world. He took us to the balloon fiesta in Albuquerque. It was SO MUCH FUN! Thanks, Mike!

How much is enough?

2005-09-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

When Mike used to ask me how much I loved him, I would always answer 'enough'. He didn't like that answer, but it was the best one I could come up with. I love him enough to want to share all the good times with him. I love him enough to stick it out through the bad times. I love him enough to overlook his faults. I love him enough to give him my heart and soul. I have never loved anyone else that much.

Even the worst times with him are better than the best times without him.

That is enough.

2005-09-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

I love this guy so much!

2005-09-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Mike with his baby...

2005-09-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

The engine in Mike's work truck. He has kept this thing going forever. Every time it breaks down, he talks about buying a new truck, but every time he ends up fixing this one. I think he likes it! ;-)

don't know what you've got until it's gone

2005-09-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Mike had to go out of town and it SUCKS! I get scared at night, so I don't sleep well. I worry about him too much, so I don't sleep well. The kids miss him, so they don't sleep well which means that I don't sleep well. When I get tired, I get cranky. Today, I finally got to talk to him and I was a total bitch. I could hear myself getting angry, and I wanted to say that I wasn't mad. I was worried, and lonely, and nervous and... and... and I was taking it out on him for no reason.

Guess I'm lucky that he is such an understanding guy.

I love you!

2005-09-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Before his party this afternoon, Echo fell asleep on Mike. They look so much alike... I have a feeling Echo is going to be spoiled rotten!

2005-09-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Mike took us to Winston to look at some land. He made the BEST steaks ever and kicked my ass at horseshoes. Oh, well. I won't hold a grudge, because he washed my back in the shower this morning. Love you! xoxo

2005-08-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love this picture of Mike. I took it with my new Holga. He was doing a faux finish in this house in Picacho Hills and the view was fantastic! It is funny, the people who live in these houses probably have office jobs where they are stuck inside all day. Mike gets to enjoy their view, without the mortgage! I have never met anyone who works as hard as he does. He handles so much stress. Unlike a lot of business owners, he does a lot of the work himself ~ mainly because he's never found anybody half as good as he is. And he is a perfectionist. As you can see in this picture, he has a brace on his right elbow. He also needs a brace for his knee, but he wasn't wearing it. Still, no complaints. He is amazing.

2005-08-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

I love a man with a sense of humor!

2005-08-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

Spying on Mike. Haha! He took us on a ride up to Caballo Lake this weekend. It was a lot of fun. When I took this picture, we were waiting for his brother to show up. He never did. It was a relaxing day filled with lots of lazy time and no expectations or plans. Very nice.

The MAN!

2005-08-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

Mike kisses me during a sunrise walk

Where to start? We have had a wonderful weekend so far. Yesterday, we towed Mia's jeep up to Winston to teach her how to drive. Even though everything that could go wrong did, I still had the most fun I've had in a long time. Just after we made camp, Mike realized that we had a nail in our tire. This was a huge problem, because he couldn't get the tire off to replace it with the spare because the tools we had weren't right. There was no cell phone service, so we drove into town and bought a tire repair kit at the general store. Mike fixed the tire himself. He knows how to do everything!

Back at camp, he took Mia for a driving lesson. She was doing great until she 'popped the clutch' and something bad happened to the 'tranny'. The only part of the explanation I understood was the part where Mike said it was 'shot to hell'. That is definitely a bad thing!

We started to make dinner and realized that the regulator was broken off of the little gas grill we always take camping. Mike didn't even bat an eye. Before I could even worry about how we were going to cook those steaks I bought, he built another grill. He dug a pit and lined it with rocks. After he filled it with coals, he put the grill from the gas grill on top and made us the best steaks ever. They were SOOOOO good!

We weren't sure when we left if we were going to spend the night or not, so I didn't pack a lot of blankets. We ended up with one apiece and no pillows. Mike and I had to share one and even though he kept covering me with it I was still cold. It rained on us, which didn't help. I had a terrible toothache and couldn't sleep. Around 4:30, Mike got up to look for something [ANYTHING] for me to take. I stepped out of the tent to see what he was up to and he made me a huge fire to keep me warm. How amazing is that? Pitch dark and wet wood and he STILL gets the job done. We sat by the fire and watched the stars. One by one, the kids woke up and joined us. When the sun came up, they were all awake to see it. We went on a walk together before packing up.

I was trying to delete a few of the pictures I didn't want to make room for new ones and accidently reformatted the card. So, all the pictures I took of the trip were erased. I was pretty bummed, because for once I had remembered my tripod so the night pictures I took came out great. You'll have to take my word for it!

flickr: set | slideshow

crossposted to I Like Mike

2005-07-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

He does windows! Mike replaced his radiator, battery, alternator and cables. This should be the end of the repairs for a while.

2005-07-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went on a trip up through Hatch to Hillsboro and down through the Gila National Forest. We did more driving than anything else, but it was refreshing for me not to have to be behind the wheel. Plus, the scenery was gorgeous. The temperature dropped at least twenty degrees when we reached the mountains. For once, we didn't have a single complaint about the heat from the peanut gallery.

We stopped at a campground to let the kids run around and it started to drizzle. Everything smelled so good. If we would have brought the tent and some food, we would have stayed overnight. Next time!

There was one point, when we were driving across the flat stretch near the City of Rocks, when it hit me just how lucky I am. The sky opened up all around us, filled with clouds and the scent of rain. Mike reached out and grabbed my hand, holding it across the space between our seats. I love those moments when you feel so close and there is no need for words.

The last few days have been great.

Mike called and had the cable turned back on a little early. We turn it off over the summer to encourage the kids to use their imaginations. This year, I have missed it more than anyone else. I miss my foodtv and courttv and music and movies. This has been a hard summer for me, physically and emotionally and I can't wait to go to the doctor on the 29th. Until then, I have the cable back on so I have some adult voices to listen to during the day. A few weeks of cartoons isn't going to kill the kids, right?

See the pictures from our trip on flickr: set | slideshow

2005-07-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

Mike, hard at work. I took them lunch at the jobsite and fell in love with the area. Most of the new construction homes he works on are in subdivisions right on top of each other. This one is bordered by two corn fields and an orchard. It feels so much cooler to be around green.

2005-07-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

For Mike. He asked me to take this picture of the two of them.

2005-07-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Seems like SOMEONE got caught in a compromising position! Oops, I think I see a hole... Anyway, Mike's truck is broken again and he is out there trying like hell to fix it. There is nothing sexier than a man who can fix his own truck. And if he hits things and says 'fuck' a lot... all the better! ;-)

One of the best presents he ever gave me.

2005-07-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

for Helly

I never wanted to learn how to drive. Putting myself behind the wheel of a big chunk of metal and then intentionally making it move at high speeds seemed like a very bad idea to me. I was almost eighteen before I attempted it and it still seemed a very bad idea. I was pregnant, about to be married and needed to be able to get to work and back. My dad took me out to the desert in a '69 Rambler Rebel and tried to teach me to drive. My dad is a very patient man, but I think I may have given him a fit or two or ten.

My parents gave me the Rebel and I loved it. It was a tank. No matter what I ran into, the car emerged without damage. I can't say the same for the object it ran into! I ran over signs, a fence, curbs and did serious damage to a local car wash. When I left home with my husband some months later to move to Tennessee, he drove.

My next car was a Geo Metro in Jacksonville, Florida. I know what you're thinking. But this was when they first came out and it was brand new, a shiny piece of teal candy. I was in love. The only problem was that it was a standard. I got on the phone with my dad and he taught me to drive it, one call at a time. I didn't understand shifting and couldn't hear the engine 'talking' to me. I had little notes taped to my dashboard: 0-15, 1st; 15-25, 2nd; 25-35, 3rd; drive in 4th. I must have driven around our block two hundred times. Always to the right. I still do that today. Sometimes I go a mile out of my way just to be able to turn to the right because those left-handed turns against traffic? Not for me! Those people who turn left without a protected arrow? CRAZY!

Life goes on and stuff happens. There were a series of vehicles. The only one I felt any affection for was my big red Ford pickup, but I don't want to talk about that because we parted badly.

Mike and I had an ugly blue van with seating for eight. When I found out I was pregnant with Echo, we started looking for something bigger. The only thing bigger is a passenger van ~as in day care transport, or airport shuttle, or prison transfer. There is a used car lot in town that always has a wide variety of vehicles. Right on the corner was a shiny, lime green car. She called to me and I wanted her. I wanted her BAD. Mike and I stopped to look at her: '73 Mercury Comet, 26,000 original miles, good interior, great engine. I tried to talk him into it. I had never wanted a car like I wanted this one. She was completely impractical but so beautiful. She looked like she wanted to be a hot rod, but with four doors who would take her seriously? I understood that feeling. I have always been a four door myself, if you know what I mean.

We ended up buying a vehicle at that lot, but it wasn't her. We purchased the van we have now, a 12 passenger van built for abuse.

It was Easter and we spent the holiday at my mother's house. Mike couldn't come because he had to work. When I got home, I found her in the driveway. My car! I always thought of her as a great big shiny Easter egg. The story doesn't end there...

I took the paperwork to the DMV to get her registered and the woman behind the counter inspected the title. "Any relation?" "Excuse me?" "Any relation? You both have the same last name. Are you related?" "No. I bought the car at a used car lot."

When I got home, I told Mike about it. He did a little checking around and it turned out we WERE related. The car had belonged to his father's brother. No one knew about it because it had been kept covered in a garage. When his uncle died, his aunt decided to sell it to get some extra money.

I almost never drive her. I don't want the kids to make a mess inside or break anything. But it makes me happy to look out there and see her.

We have had an offer for a trade. My brother in law wants to trade the Comet for his van. It is a 15 passenger and much nicer than ours. It has AIR CONDITIONING! We will probably have to trade. The kids are more important than the luxury of looking at something pretty I never use.

But I still love her.

originally posted at kristyk.org

2005-06-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

Echo loves his daddy! He looks so much like Mike, much more so than the other kids.

Swamped at work

2005-06-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

Mike at work

He has too many jobs and not enough time. I am on my way to drop off the kids at my mother in law's so that I can go and help him. It has been a long time since I've gone to work with him. I hope I remember what to do!

2005-06-01T13:52:00.001-07:00

oops

2005-06-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Pictures from our weekend in the Four Corners. I love these two shots. Mike looks very cute. He took the kids fishing, set up my mom's new gas grill and cooked us all dinner. What a guy. He never ceases to amaze me.

2005-05-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Mike has taken the kids fishing the last two weekends. What a great dad... He is so patient with them as he tries to teach them about the great outdoors. Last weekend, he took the oldest five and I got to go to Farmington with the little ones to visit my dad for his birthday. It was such a nice visit. Although I missed Mike a lot, I really appreciated that he let me get a little time away from the whole bunch. It was a much needed break. Thanks!

2005-04-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

by Mike: Mia was working at his shop (notice the overalls, mask, sunglasses and hat!).

Happy Anniversary

2005-04-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

not ours, but another one

Nancy requested the story of how Mike and I met. Since today is our anniversary, I thought it would be a good excuse...

It was the summer of '96. I had moved to Las Cruces with Mia to start a new life. We were living in a tiny one room apartment and I got a job working at a gas station (Pic Quik). Mike's mom, Jean, lives a few blocks from where that gas station used to be. She would walk over every morning and buy the paper. She became one of my favorite 'regulars' and would often stop and talk. Most of the time, she brought Mica with her. Mica was three at the time and she was a real cutie. She used to try and steal candy while I was talking to Jean. I finally 'caught' her and told her that it wasn't nice to take things. If she really wanted candy, ask me. After that, I would slip her a quarter whenever she came in and she would pick out a sucker. I couldn't help it ~ she was so cute. And my heart broke whenever I heard Jean talk about her son (Mike).

She said that his wife had left him again and that he was living with her. She told me awful stories about things Julie had done. Every day, she would ask me to come home and meet him after work. She said she wanted him to meet a nice girl and be happy. I laughed it off every time. I didn't want to get in the middle of that mess.

Next, I met Julie. She started coming around a few times a week. Boy, did she like to talk. She told me what an idiot her husband was, how much she hated him, how she had been using him for money for years. I didn't know at first that there was any connection to Jean. Until Julie came in with Mica. I recognized her right away and started to give her a quarter. Julie started yelling at her and Mica started to cry. I tried to explain that I always gave her the quarter, but Julie was so rude about it. Mica gave the quarter back and sat there with the saddest look on her face.

Julie told me that she had decided to move to Indiana and she needed money to go. She was angry that Mike hadn't come back to her (they had been seperated for about six months). Her plan was to steal his mom's van and drive there with the girls. As soon as he found out, he would be forced to go and get her. Once he was there, she was confident that she could convince him to stay. 'He's so easy,' she said. 'All he cares about are his kids.'

I still hadn't met Mike, but I hoped that he didn't fall for her tricks.

Mike had started coming to the Pic Quik, but I didn't know who he was. He came in wearing an Eagles shirt and I commented that I liked it. He got all happy and offered to give it to me, even acted like he was going to take it off. I laughed and told him he could take me to a concert instead.

Over the next few days, a kid kept coming in and calling me Auntie. I didn't know who he was, so I figured he wasn't all there. When he came in with a friend, his friend asked who I was. He told him that I was his uncle's girlfriend and that we were getting married. 'I don't have a boyfriend,' I told him. 'Oh, yes you do. You're going to marry my uncle,' he said while pointing outside. I looked out at the gas pump and saw Mike. I laughed and told him that we had to at least go out before we could get married.

Mike came in and invited me to play pool at his house after work. We drove over and he showed me around. As soon as I saw the pictures I realized who he was. The smart thing to do would have been to walk away. But I liked him a lot. From then on, we were always together. My favorite memories are of the rainy nights I had to close at the gas station. The rain in the late summer is amazing. The rain would fall in sheets, flooding the roads. Hours would go by without customers. Mike would show up in his tight jeans and cowboy boots (I tease him about that now!) and we would run outside and dance in the rain.

Everytime it rains, I remember those times...

Happy Anniversary, Mike. I love you.

crossposted to kristyk.org

2005-04-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

work in progress

2005-04-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

Mike moved the Mercedes to the shop today. He is going to start working on it as soon as he finishes the jeep.

2005-04-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

Mike is painting clouds on the ceiling of Mica and Mikal's room. They both have birthdays this month, so this is a special present from Dad. The walls are going to be painted a brownish color with gold butterflies painted on. He is also going to put up crown moulding. It should look a little more grown up, with a fantasy feel.

Always a sweetheart

2005-04-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

I was a tremendous grouch today. We went to visit Mike at work and I couldn't believe how sweet he was. No matter how hard I tried to pick a fight, he let it all go. I was going to take a picture of us and he surprised me with a kiss.

I think he loves me.

2005-04-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

Reading to Jon-Jon. After he worked a twelve hour day and before he even took a shower. No wonder all the kids love Daddy!

2005-04-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

How can this possibly be comfortable?

2005-04-02T04:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I felt so run down. We have all been sick for going on two weeks now. Mike came home early and sent me straight to bed. He took care of the kids and made them dinner. I was expecting to wake up this morning to a mess... You know how men are. ;-) I woke up a little after four and couldn't sleep anymore. I walked out and the house looks great. Everything is cleaned up and even the dishes are done. The only thing out of place is Mike's plate at the table. Obviously he didn't get to eat until after everything was put away and cleaned up. Poor baby... Thanks for last night!

taking it like a man

2005-03-29T07:03:00.000-08:00

Mike is so sick. Fever, chills, aching, coughing, stuffy head... is this beginning to sound like a commercial? Still, the last two days he has jumped out of bed at 6 in the morning and headed out to work a 12 hour day. His job (painting) is very physical, plus there is the added annoyance of the fumes. I don't know how he does it.

He was leaving this morning and asked me to make him some tea with lemon and honey instead of coffee. His face was beaded with sweat and I could tell he was miserable. Did he complain? No. In fact, he was trying to make ME feel better.

When the going gets tough, I can always count on Mike. He is an AMAZING man!

2005-03-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Working.

Pictures

2005-03-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Mike taking a picture of me taking a picture of him

We had a great time today, celebrating his birthday like grown ups. We ate out, gambled a little, listened to music and checked out a car show.

Mike at the track

2005-03-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

I love that the runners showed up on the right hand side of this picture.

Mike took Mia shopping last night, even though it was his birthday and he HATES shopping. She got some dress shoes to wear on the trip, a pillow and a new outfit. I love that he tries to make her feel special, even though she isn't (biologically) his. She was really excited to leave on her trip this morning. I gave her a ride at 3:30 in the morning. Mike made a point to get out of bed and drink a cup of hot chocolate with her before she left. :-)

Happy Birthday!

2005-03-18T05:56:00.000-08:00

Today Mike turns 41. He always amazes me with just how much he can do ~ and how well he does it. I can say without hesitation that he is a better husband, better father and better man than he was ten years ago. Every day, he goes out of his way to tell me how much he loves me. The kids adore him. I am so thankful that he is in my life.

I love you, honey... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2005-03-17T20:59:00.000-08:00

Busted!

2005-03-17T20:56:00.000-08:00

Mike outside the Field of Dreams. This is his last day being 40. Can't wait for tomorrow!!!

What a guy...

2005-03-17T05:12:00.000-08:00

Mike fixed the bed. This time, he made sure we will never have to deal with it again. He cut four new slats, 12" wide and screwed them into the frame. He added six supports under them and a brace on the broken corner.

The bad news is that we will NEVER be able to move the bed. But the good news is that the bed will NEVER move under us!

Thanks, Mike.

new look

2005-03-16T05:28:00.000-08:00

Well, she's done it again! Just in time for Mike's birthday, Julie has given I LIKE MIKE a facelift. When she asked what I wanted, I told her "something dark and romantic, more whips and chains than fuzzy bunnies". I think she did a great job and Mike loves it (which is the most important thing!).

He told me so!

2005-03-14T20:58:00.000-08:00

I had two bushes in post on either side of the gate. They had buds for the longest time, but wouldn't bloom. Mike told me that if we planted them in the ground, they would bloom right away. I didn't believe him. He planted them in the ground and they bloomed the next day.

He wanted to prune my rosebushes back. The leaves were starting to grow and he told me to cut them all off. I didn't want to, but I did. Now the bushes are full of new growth and look ten times better than before I cut them.

Don't you hate it when someone is always right?

[and by someone, I mean Mike]

Sunday, Sunday

2005-03-13T18:19:00.000-08:00

Mike used to hate Sundays. Late Saturday night, he would start getting grouchy and by mid afternoon the next day he would be impossible to be around. Sundays were symbolic of going back to work/school and the end of the fun. Just this morning, as he rollled out of bed, he told me that Sundays didn't suck anymore. Because I had made them so fun.... *smile*

Every Sunday, Mike gets to sleep in and watch tv in bed. I bring him coffee and he gets a chance to relax. If he has to work, he gets a late start. I go to the local grocery and buy donuts and menudo for breakfast. We watch fishing and golf. If the weather is good, we spend the day outside.

Today, Mike cleaned up the yard and put up the basketball goal for the kids. We had a barbeque and now we are watching movies together (Ransom).

I love this man!

2005-03-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

Mike takes a break from faux finishes at one of the custom homes he is painting.

2005-03-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

My baby's home!

Proud Papa

2005-03-03T20:34:00.000-08:00

Mike watches Mikal Jade at her first basketball practice

Mike was so good at sports when he was in school. Of course, I wasn't around because I was living in a different city and I'm nine years younger.... But I've heard all the stories! And he has a lot of trophies, letters and awards so I tend to believe him. Now that the kids are older and starting to be more involved in sports he really gets excited about what they are doing. This is the first real sport or activity that Mikal has been involved in.

She did a great job today, just check out that smile on Dad's face!

Lover

2005-03-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

Where's the @*!&# aspirin?

2005-03-02T05:16:00.000-08:00

I am so worried about Mike. Last night, he was having a lot of chest pain. I could tell he was hurting, but he wouldn’t go to the doctor. Then he asked me for an aspirin. The only reason he would need an aspirin is if he thought he was having a heart attack. I couldn’t find any. “Please, go buy me some. Right now. Hurry.” Not the words you want to hear from the love of your life. I bought a bottle from the grocery store and he took a couple right away. He seemed to get better. Then he got worse. He won’t go to the doctor. We don’t have insurance. I know what he is thinking. If he goes in and they tell him there is something wrong, he might not be able to work. And our money situation is not so good right now. If he doesn’t work, we are going to be in a world of hurt financially.

But what good will it do if he works himself into an early grave?

There is no way I could handle this one!

2005-03-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

The kids were playing outside and the two little ones jumped on top of Mica. She came in crying because her shoulder hurt. It was dislocated and I didn't have a clue about what to do. Mike was so great. He stayed very calm and had her move her arm into different positions. Then, he carefully popped it back into place. What a great dad. I was sure we were headed for a long night at the emergency room.

Reflections

2005-02-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Mike and I reflected in the computer screen.

The Storyteller

2005-02-26T05:39:00.000-08:00

I took this picture at my grandpa's house while we were on vacation. Mike was telling fishing stories with my dad...

Fishing

2005-02-19T12:15:00.000-08:00

We came to Farmington for the weekend. It is pouring down rain, but Mike still took the kids fishing.

Tattoo

2005-02-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

The kids wanted to see a picture of dad crying, so this was his best 'I think I'm dying' look.

She is coloring in the red lightning bolt, the sun and some of the clouds.

He sent me this text message:

I luv the hell outta you.

Like father, like son

2005-02-10T22:18:00.000-08:00

Boy do these guys know how to pose for the camera...

because

2005-02-09T20:52:00.000-08:00

He helped me through this.

Grocery Shopping

2005-02-06T18:39:00.000-08:00

I love that Mike is a man's man. We were talking about stocking the freezer, so he took me to check out some cows. Because he can kill, skin, gut and butcher an animal like nobody's business. I have these dreams that there is a natural disaster and everyone around us is starving to death. In the dream, Mike goes out hunting and comes back with MEAT. Our neighbors are fighting over blades of grass and we are eating steak...

Mike holds the pig