Rain Fails to Dampen Spirits at Stingray Bay!

Roman and I braved the rain this morning to have breakfast with the stingrays at the Phoenix Zoo (people and stingrays served separately). Fortunately, the stingray water was nice and warm-ish. We also walked around the zoo and visited a few animals after the program, until the rain got pretty aggressive. Living in Phoenix makes you heat tolerant (with necessary "it's a dry heat" complaints of course), but completely wimpy and unprepared when it starts to rain. The toughest part was trying to keep the craft projects (see wayyyy below) dry on the way back to the car. After naps and a change of clothes, everyone was dry and happy, memory tanks full of good ones.

Career Day for the Griffenzuela Kids

What do YOU want to be when you grow up? The aspirations are high for the kids around our house. Here they are checking out a few career options:


Roman (I'm a scientist). Yes, he actually said it. Little known fact: all the leading researchers are using crayons these days. Now maybe he needs a pocket protector?!?

Delaney The Chemist (it was her idea to try these on so here's the picture).

PS yes Rick and Julie, those are Rick's cool former daytime motorcycling glasses. That he reluctantly gave me!!! In 2000! My junk drawer is a time capsule of beauty.

PPS I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up but maybe for 2008 I need to learn how to play the guitar properly - finally. Somehow when you grow up around people who make it look easy (and own high end Martins) it's oddly difficult to grasp and execute. Like, why can't it be as easy as singing???

Best & Worst of the Week (food and drink)

Best Food of the Week: Lean Pockets 4 cheese

Why: tasty and neat, like a little pizza burrito, only 300 calories and 7 grams of fat, less than a buck apiece, microwave cookable, and now with a handy take along "On-the-Go" crisping sleeve (yes, that last is from their website) but they have the right idea. The breakfast ones can go with you in the car without making too much mess, and my hat is off to whomever created the term "crisping sleeve." I'm a believer! There are gobs of different flavors with similar fat content and I will be trying them. Get yours today!

WORST WORST WORST Drink of the Week: Starbucks Skinny Mocha with sugar free mocha syrup

Why: this was so bitter and saccharine-y I didn't even finish it. To quote Roman, who had a little sip, "It tastes like gas!" If you say this fast, it's even funnier. Anyway, worst $3.84 I have spent in recent memory. Now I'm looking at the on-line literature, and the real mocha with nonfat milk is 2.5 grams of fat/220 calories compared to the skinny mocha, 0 grams of fat/130 calories. I will sooooo be ordering the original mocha and walking the stairs like 6 extra times. Maybe the skinny latte is better, but considering that the menu picture shows it with a piece of marble coffee cake (24 fat grams/490 calories) what are they really trying to sell us? So here's my suggestion: just order your drink with nonfat milk/regular syrup, no cake, and take the stairs?!?!? Your tastebuds and glutes will thank you. Tee hee!

Deep Thoughts by Helen Keller

This is too good not to add here:

"I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
and because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do something that I can do." -- Helen Keller

If that doesn't help fortify your new year's resolutions, whatever they are and however they stand, nothing will.
Go Helen!