I was recently contacted by an old friend on FaceBook.  While we were catching up I told him I was about to skydive for the first time.  He was very excited because he has been wanting to do it for many years.  As we traded messages back and forth I was even more encouraged to dive.

My phone and email have been blowing up with my friends asking me how the dive went.  Instead of telling the same story repeatedly I decided to post my letter to Mike.  His first jump will be July 11, so he wanted all the details.

"I don't want to influence your experience by giving you too many details.  It will be different for everyone.  As you know, I fear many things so it was a very big deal for me.  I had little sleep the night before and the drive was nerve racking.  I went to Skydive Dallas.  It is located 1hr north of McKinney.  From the first phone call I made to them I could tell they were an organized operation.  I highly recommend them to anyone considering doing this.

Upon arrival I checked in and signed many pages of legal documents.  They all basically said they would not be held liable if something happened.  There were six other first time divers checking in. 

We went into a small room and watched a short video showing us how to arch and various ways of landing depending upon the instructor and wind.  Then we went to the hanger.  Our names were placed on a dry erase board and we were assigned a dive number along with an instructor and photographer.  About 30mins prior to take off we put on jumpsuits and our individual instructors gave us instructions and fitted us with the equipment.  The photographer interviewed us on camera and took pictures.  It was a hot day and the suit was heavy with the equipment.  I am only 5'2" and 120lbs so perhaps it was a challenge due to my size.  FYI- Skydive Dallas will not let anyone dive over 210lbs. 

We waited for another twenty minutes before we boarded the plane.  While we waited we got to see other people coming down solo and tandem.  It was way cool! 

The photographer interviewed me again while on the plane.  The instructor gave additional safety tips while the plane was rising to 13,500 ft.  At some point the instructor strapped himself to me.  My shoulders are a little narrow so the straps were not tight.  It was not a big deal because the instructor was attached but it tugged and bruised just a little.

The photographer went out first and held onto the plane like something out of a spy movie.  I was the first one to jump!  I could hear most of what my instructor was saying but the wind was loud at first. 

Once the chute opened it was quieter and it felt like we were flying.  Everything was very clear and bright.  He let me steer the chute a bit and taught me how to do a couple of tricks. 

The landing was perfect!  The photographer was already on the ground so he came up to interview me again and take more pics.  The instructor took me into a back room to discuss the flight, give me a certificate, sign my flight log and asked me to fill out a survey about him and sign his flight log.  He and the whole staff were terrific!  They did a great job of calming my fears. 

After the jump I was in a dazed state.  I couldn't believe I did it.  It made me feel completely invincible.  Now I know I can and will do anything!!! 

I would do it over and over again but it is expensive!  I would love to be an instructor but with my small stature I think it is impossible.  All the instructors seemed to be taller and stronger than the jumpers they were assigned to. 

I hear sunset jumps are the most beautiful.  I loved the one I did, however.  I arrived at 9am but didn't jump until 12pm.  I don't know if you remember but I have brown eyes with just a hint of green.  My friends told me my eyes were bright green when I landed.  I don't know if it was the lack of oxygen or the excitement.  Also, there is a skydiver's hand shake- side ways open handed soft slap then bumping fists with your thumb up. 

The video is really cool.  It is surreal for me to watch it and my family loves it! 

I hope I didn't give too much away.  It will be different for you.  This was one of my biggest fears so it probably affected me on other levels.  You sound like a pro already!  I cannot wait to hear about your experience. 

Afterward, I had a celebratory beer at a nearby restaurant with friends and family.  It was a lot of fun!  The moment that sticks with me is when my 14 year old daughter Loren looked at me and said, "Mom, I am very proud of you."  Now that is something worth taking a risk for."

I have to admit my eyebrow was raised when I saw the sign "Zaxby's Coming Soon" by the roadside.  As in everything, google lead me to the answer.  It is a very popular chicken franchise restaurant.

I dropped in to take pictures but the manager said I needed corporate approval so I cannot post them.  I ordered wings to try them out.  In my humble opinion I wouldn't say they are better than KFC (considering I love KFC).

So if you are in The Colony, TX. I suggest you give them a shot.  They are located at 4547 Main St.  You cannot miss them.

BTW- The crushed ice is a nice perk with the soft drinks.

When I was a teenager I thought being a Realtor would be the coolest job in the world!  I didn't personally know any Realtors.  The only examples I saw were attractively dressed professionals driving big shiny cars and living in beautiful homes.  They set their own work schedules and helped families achieve the American Dream of homeownership.  What is not to love?

I came from very humble beginnings.  My parents worked for ‘the man' to earn a steady income and had no entrepreneurial aspirations.  The thought of working for 100% commission was a nightmare to them and they instilled that fear in me.  That being said, my dream of becoming a Realtor would not be realized for many years.

Fortunately I started working in the electronic components industry and became a manager at a very young age.  It was a career that afforded the ability to take real estate investment and business management classes.

I decided to become a loan officer.  It led me to help families facing foreclosure (even when it wasn't a way of life).  I began working for an appraiser to become an apprentice.  One day it occurred to me, while I was explaining to a Realtor how I came to an appraised value, I am better qualified to sell homes than the Realtor on the phone.  I asked myself, "What are you waiting for?"  So I decided to dive into the world of real estate sales and never looked back.  Some would say I went about it the long hard way and they would be correct!

I am a Texas Real Estate Broker, coach, mentor, salesperson and business owner.  It would be a challenge for me to calculate how many investors, families, and agents I have helped achieve their financial goals while realizing my own.

My career permits time to do other things I am passionate about as well.  I am a wife, mother, domestic engineer, daughter, sister, volunteer and a friend of many.  What other job could afford someone the opportunity to do all those things?

My second choice would be a head chef in a five star restaurant.  I wouldn't have time for much else, however.

Yes, my passion is real estate!  I was right, it is the coolest job in the world.

And every now and then I get to do this!

I want to bring attention to this post.  Thanks for reading.

We have a tradition in the Botting household- Every year we train for the Texas Round Up hosted in Austin, TX.  This year the race will be held on April 25^th.  Families from across the state come to compete in a 5k and 10k race.  The program started in 2004 to promote wellness and healthier living for Texans.  We are one of the largest states in the US but statistically one of the most under insured.  It just makes good sense to make an effort to promote fitness.

Awards are given for the fittest Texan, fittest kid, and fittest family.  Handicapped and wheel chair participants are also welcome to join in the event.  The race takes you through the downtown area of Austin and the weather usually cooperates.  The race ends at the state Capitol.

This is how WE do it- register on line for the race and book a room in Austin near downtown.  We start training at least 60 days in advance by walking the track every night until we can reach a 10k momentum.  (We also use swim training to help build strength and endurance).  We show up at the booths early on race day because we stayed close by.  We have four walkie talkies- one for me, one Tony, one for Amanda and one for Loren.  There is usually a massive crowd and it is easy to lose track of your loved ones.  (Cell phones get too sweaty).  Amanda will outrun us all!  The rest of us walk at a steady pace.  As a family we are not concerned with coming in first or any particular placement in the race.  Participating in the event and finishing the trek is what we shoot for.

If you live in Texas I would love to see you there.  For those who do not live in Texas I would encourage you to enter a similar program with your family or by yourself.  You will not regret it, I promise!

PS.  Come on now!  Don't make me go Denzel on you!

Yesterday I wrote a post regarding SNOW DAY.  It had been raining in my area for a couple of days and the temperature was threatening to drop below freezing.  The kids had a day off from school but it was a joke.  There wasn't much ice and we all got a little bored.

Today is a different story.  It started to sleet around 8pm last night and didn't stop until about 3am this morning.  How do I know?  My electricity went in and out.  It is 21.9 so the precipitation is now a glaze on all the roads.  Now this is what I call a snow day, without the snow.  There is no chance we will leave the house today.

Yesterday was full of baking, playing Wii, watching movies, cooking a nice dinner, etc...  If I had known we would be stuck again I would have stretched out some of that fun.  Now what do we do?

This is a picture of my children and their friends enjoying a much warmer day!

In the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex we have enjoyed a mild winter thus far.  Most days we can get away with a light jacket or sweater to keep us warm.  BUT NOT TODAY!  It has been raining since yesterday and the temperature is continuing to drop.  My children excitedly announced there would be no school today.  (I double checked, just in case).

So what do we do when there is a school closing?  Typically we bake and watch TV all day.  The kids shrugged when I suggested this.  I would love to get new suggestions on how to spend an 'ice day'.  (Cleaning out the closets didn't go over well either).

How long do you think it would take to clean out these closets?

This picture has nothing to do with this post.  I took it and I like it!

I love volunteering and giving time to charitable organizations.  There is nothing like the feeling you get knowing you have made a difference in someones life.  In my busy world I cannot always find time and in this market the donation dollars are becoming more sparse than ever.  However, Blue Mesa made it easy.  Everyone has to eat, eh?

The Blue Mesa Grill is a well known restaurant in the D/FW Metroplex.  They have excellent food and atmosphere.  Another thing they have is a desire to help the community.  For every taco sold they donate one dollar to charity.  The money goes to shelters for children and even Operation Kindness, a no-kill shelter for animals.  You have to love a restaurant who's motto is, "Food is art.  Tequila is life."

This little guy was adopted from Operation Kindness in 1997. 

I will be making my donation having lunch there later today!

For my first Thankful Thursday post I would like to introduce Abigail.  I call her Abby, Abbysmell, and anything cute that pops into my brain at the time.

I wanted a small dog.  I have been a dog parent for many years but they have always been large.  You see, my dogs are rescued.  Shelters usually have large dogs and I just cannot resist their big brown eyes.  The sadder the story, the more likely I will welcome them into my home.

My husband is an even bigger sap than I when it comes to these hairy creatures.  He refuses to adopt from a breeder because he says there are too many good dogs put down every day.  By adopting from a shelter you are not only saving a life you may put an irresponsible breeder out of business.

It is no big surprise he was against me adopting a Chihuahua.  His argument was that I shouldn't waist good money on the purchase.  He said they are yappy and always under your feet.  He was concerned it would be hard to train and my other dogs wouldn't get along with one.  We came to a compromise, I could adopt if I found one at a shelter.

For two years I called shelters.  I put my name on a list at each local shelter and would check back frequently.  It was pain staking to say the least.  One day I was in a store and someone had the cutest little Chihuahua puppy I have ever seen.  I asked her where she got it and she gladly gave me the business card of the breeder.  I was a little disappointed but didn't give her my reasons.  When I went to the register the clerk said, "Hey, why don't you go to www.petfinder.com?"  I explained why I couldn't just adopt any dog and she told me they have shelters as well as breeders on the site.  She happened to have a laptop there and we did a search for the breed in my zip code.  Low and behold, there was one just a few miles away!!!  I called to make sure the dog hadn't been adopted yet and was told, "No, but she has been here a few weeks.  She doesn't like kids and is not in good health.  We will have to put her to sleep if she is not adopted over the weekend."

I jumped in my car and drove there immediately.  When they took me to the kennels I saw many large barking dogs.  In the mix was a tiny Chihuahua.  She was shaking and looked intimated.  I picked her up and could see how skinny she was and it broke my heart.  I knew she was the one for me.  The cost to adopt her was $10.  I had a $20 so I told them to keep the change for donation.

I held that dog in my arms for hours.  I did my best to let her know I was now going to take care of her.  She seemed to understand.  When my husband came home from work he said, "What a cute little dog.  Is she lost?  Are you looking for her home?"  I said, "She is home."  He didn't put up much of a fight once I told him how I came about adopting her.  The price impressed him, to say the least.

I took her to the vet the following Monday.  He told me she had been used as a breeder dog and had been taken advantage of.  She had too many litters and her health was in danger.  She had a heart murmur and four abscessed teeth.  Her hind legs were stressed from all the extra weight of pregnancy, etc... 

I had a long cry after leaving the vet's office that day.  It saddened me to think how she may have been used then dumped at a shelter once she wasn't of any value.  Getting her teeth fixed and getting her well was expensive.  The vet said she may not survive all the work that needed to be done.

I am happy to say she is doing well!  Once her teeth were fixed she started to gain weight and play just like a regular dog.  All the fears my husband had of small dogs where thrown out.  She is not yappy and doesn't get under your feet.  She rules the house over the larger dogs.

I am her ‘main' person.  She sits with me, sleeps with me, greets me at the door with excitement, hangs on my every word and is the only one in my house who really seems to enjoy my singing!  It has been three years now and I cannot imagine life without her.  I learned a good lesson in patience and received a beautiful gift.  My friends say I should have named her Lucky.

If you are interested in adopting a pet I would encourage you to check out your local shelter first.  There are many animals there looking for a good home.  If you are like me you just may find unconditonal love.

In this economy it may be hard to take on an extra expense.  There have been many animals left in foreclosed homes.  If you are afraid of the cost of adopting a new pet but have a big heart I would encourage you to become a foster parent.  The animals are not well enough to be adopted but the medical cost will be paid for you.  Please google it to find out what you can do to help.  It may not cost you anything but a little time.  Is that too much to ask?

I received an interesting call from my mother two days ago.  She had been contacted by someone regarding her mortgage.  He told her she could get a loan modification and here is how, "Don't pay your mortgage.  When you receive a letter from the lender regarding the late payments I will contact them on your behalf.  They will make arrangements to modify your loan.  My fee is $299, but you will save at least two months of regular payments."

My heart sank.  I asked, "Are you late?  Why did this person call you?"  She explaned she hadn't been late but has an ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) and he mentioned he knew.  My question is how did he know?  He also told her the rate was about to go up.

I am glad she called to let me know about the latest scam.  She was smart enough to ask him to send an email regarding the conversation.  He was dumb enough to do it.  She sent a forward to me and I am going to report him at the highest level of authority I can find.

If you are late on your mortgage payments, ARM or not, there are professionals that can help you.  Seek the advice of your local Realtor.  Don't believe you can scam your lender with the help of someone who sounds like they know how.