Arnold is a moltin...

It's been quite a week at the Skinner house! Amanda's tarantula "Arnold" has just been through his first molting session. It's when the tarantula sheds its skin as it's growing. First he spun this really cool web....

Then, he flipped on his back with all legs pointed straight in the air. When we bought him from the pet store, they told us this was going to happen so we knew he wasn't dead...at first...but after a week, the body started to separate and it actually looked like the tarantula had decapitated itself. I wasn't sure if it was dead but told Amanda to leave him alone. A few days later, the skin came off totally intact. So when we thought he was decapitated, he was actually just separating from the old skin. In the picture below the shedded skin in down below the web. It looks just like another tarantula!
Here's Arnold happy in his new skin. Amanda tried to remove the web and extra skin but dear Arnold won't let her. He quickly moves and sits on it. I don't think that's part of the molting process....maybe he knows she's going to take it to school and show all of her friends?

Cactus Classic

Play of the weekend...she was mighty dirty when she got up from this one!

Red Mountain Invitational 2009

Spent the weekend at the Red Mountain Invitiational with Amanda's club team. There were some great teams there. She jumped, doved and kicked her way to be named MVP! Here are a few pictures..

Crossroads Cup 2009

Spent the weekend in Gilbert with Amanda's club team. Four action packed games where she was literally beaten up! She dove for so many balls that her legs look like she's been through a serious beating..bumps, bruises and scrapes! At one point the ref stopped the game and told her to clean the blood off her knees. What a little stud she is!

I was excited to use my NEW telephoto lens...check out some of the action shots below. Amanda is the goalie (keeper) in the light blue shirt.

Super Bowl...Super Sad

If you watched the last 5 minutes of the game...you know what I mean. Yikes! wonder how many heart attacks happened in those few minutes? We had a small party at our house..lots of food and running around with the blow horn. (I think I may have lost part of my hearing!) We were all disappointed with the outcome but the Cardinals did WAY better than I guessed they would. Maybe next year??

Snoozin

I was on a rather long conference call today not really paying attention to our new little puppy, "Ava". She has to be watched constantly because she's VERY naughty! I looked high and low only to find her asleep ....on Jessie's head.
Oops! Woke her up!

Winter Formal

Amanda went to Winter Formal last night and I must say she was absolutely stunning! Where else but this great state can you leave for Winter Formal without a coat? She looked so beautiful in her dress...it's hard to believe she only has one year left in high school and then off to college.


Here she is with her date and some of her closest friends.

Metallica got her picture taken today

Jessie had her post-op appointment today. He actually put in 7 screws during surgery. The long snake like thing is a metal plate that goes along the side of her hip. The 7 screws along that plate are holding the hip together and the leg bone is resting inside If she grows new bone in between the two screw areas everything will be fine.... so keep your fingers crossed! For now she is on strict lay/sit around and do nothing orders and telling her mom what to get her. :) Our next appointment is in one month for healing progress.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who vistited, called, txt'd, sent presents, brought dinner, brought treats, balloons, magazines and cards. Jessica is home from the hospital and doing well! We call her "metallica" now. She's been put back together with a metal plate and 4 screws which will hopefully keep the leg, pelvis and hip together until the break heals. It will be a long recovery in the wheelchair but she is settling in and getting everything she has ever wanted....Take a look at what Eric came home with today!

Yes, a teacup chihuahua! I put a soda in the below picture so you can get an idea of her size. Her name is still undecided but Jessica is leaning towards Ava or Bella...we'll see. Any other name ideas?