T's Sunny Daze

Technology Issues

2012-01-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

The holidays have come and gone and January is in its last weeks; the time has swiftly passed. The last four months have been a technology nightmare. My computer got a serious virus and in an instant before my eyes my files, photos and everything disappeared. I felt my heart sink. My thoughts were I should of backed up those files, After a few days of trying to fix this problem myself I decided to take my computer to a certain store to have them try to retrieve my files, and get rid of the virus. Three weeks later I picked up my computer and it appeared my files were found, it also appeared the virus was still doing something to my computer. Encountering problem after problem and not wanting to take my computer back to this store I ended up wiping my entire computer clean and started from scratch. Technology is wonderful when it works but when it starts acting up it can be a big pain! Hopefully my technology nightmare is over for now and I can move on.

Good Times, Re-Connecting and a New Found Appreciation

2011-09-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

Last week a friend of mine called and said she was going to be in Laughlin, Nevada for a Talent Quest. She is very into Karaoke. At first I thought...Why would I want to go watch that? Then I found myself excited to take a spontaneous road trip. I grabbed an old friend who was visiting from Iowa (her sister) and I drove to Laughlin. Three exciting nights of Karaoke. After the first hour I thought to myself there is no way I am going to be able to handle Three nights of this. But let me tell you I was Blown Away about how talented these people were. It was amazing and my friend made it into the Semi-Finals - WOW....what a performance everyone put on. And let me just tell you this was the 50 and over group I was seeing. Well...sad to say she did not make it to the finals but we all went to see the final show and it was all age groups. AMAZING people........My favorite performance was by a young guy maybe in his early twenties - he did Michael Jackson - he had the voice, the moves, the clothes.....and the audience went nuts over him and I was so happy when he won first place in his category.

I am so mad because I was so excited about going I forgot my camera - so NO PHOTOS but lots of good memories. There were five of us in all and we met some very nice, amazing people during our stay. There were people from all over competing. And I can say I have a New Found Appreciation for those who are serious about Karaoke.

Music, Football and Fireworks

2011-09-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a blast. It was SDSU's High School Band Day at Qualcom Stadium. My husband and I are band parents that are very involved. While the students were busy doing their thing.....my husband BBQ'd some hamburgers and hot dogs and us parents had our own tailgate. We watched SDSU win against Washington State, saw SDSU perform at halftime, then SDSU and 16 High Schools took the field.....what a great performance they put on, then the military band came out and performed. A little more football and then it was time for the KGB Skyshow! What a great show it was. My photos are not the best, still getting used to this new camera...maybe I should get out the manual.

Rain, Muggy and a Beautiful Sky

2011-09-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

We are having a bit of rain, it is more like a constant drizzle....you know the kind that is enough just to mess things up a bit. The weather turned muggy. But when I stepped into our backyard as my husband BBQ'd last evening the sky was lit in red. It was a beautiful sight. What a great way to end the Labor Day Weekend. Happy Tuesday......enjoy your week!

Just A Spoonful of Sugar......

2011-08-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to see the Hit Broadway Musical Mary Poppins. As a child I loved Mary Poppins and so this was a must see for me. I think this was one of the BEST shows I have seen. The scenes, the props, the actors.....it made you feel as if you were there. I LOVED this show. My son reminded me that he saw this show on Broadway when he was in New York with his 8th grade class several years ago. Have a wonderful week!

Have a Wonderful Week

2011-08-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

Wishing you a wonderful week. Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.

Not so good

2011-08-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

If you have been reading my blog you know my son has been on a Gluten Free diet for a couple months now. Last night I tried making him a Gluten Free pizza. It was a package mix that you add a few ingredients to and then roll out the dough, put your toppings on and bake. After baking it over the recommended time the crust appeared to be uncooked but I sliced it and my son ate half of the slice. Said it did not taste good. So my husband and I decided to try it. Not like any pizza I have ever eaten. The Verdict.....I will not purchase this again. I have found that when making gluten free pasta you do NOT want to make enough for left overs. Left overs turn into a gooey mess, picture a rubber ball! Like I told my son he needs to try different products and things to see what he likes and what he doesn't. This has been an experience and not always convenient or easy and eating gluten free has not been cheap. I just can't bring myself to buy the $8.00 loaf of bread - luckily my son would rather have corn tortillas than bread! If you are on a gluten free diet and have any suggestions please feel free to send them my way!
Have a wonderful Friday!

Racing By

2011-08-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

The time seems to be racing by. Does anyone else out there feel that way? Today was back to school day - my son started 10th grade! Yikes......where has the time gone? He had another short summer, had lots of homework for his AP and Honors classes and spent the last three weeks at Band Camp. The last week of band camp is tiring....twelve hour days. We fed the kids dinner each evening and that was a workout. Preparing, setting up, serving over 150 students each night. On the last day of band camp the students put on a show for the parents of what they have learned and then we have a BBQ for all afterward. Wow......Think we served over 400 hamburgers and hot dogs! My husband and I helped set up and he BBQ'd and I helped serve....Whew it was alot of work but we enjoyed every minute of it.

Twenty Years

2011-07-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

July 27th my husband and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary! Is it possible twenty years has passed by? Wow.....I received some very pretty Roses, chocolates, a beautiful card, and a very pretty emerald necklace. My honey took me on a Mystery Date! Not knowing where we were going......he took me to a wonderful place called Greystone where I had a yummy steak dinner. After dinner he led me somewhere else. He took me to a comedy show at The Lyceum Theatre to see "My Mother's Italian
My Father's Jewish & I'm in therapy! It was a very funny show. We both had a wonderful time out.

15th Birthday

2011-07-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today was our sons 15th Birthday. We already celebrated with family a few weeks ago and he celebrated with his friends with a pool party BBQ a week. Today was a quiet day with decorations adorning the door to his room and presents to open. I took him and a friend to Dave and Busters to hang out and play games. Unfortunately he can no longer eat there as they do not have a Gluten Free menu. He had a couple hours of fun and then had to come home and get ready to go to Band Camp. Do you remember being 15?
Happy Birthday my sweet son; time is going too quickly and you are growing up way to fast!!

Taking some time

2011-07-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Taking some time to relax. Rarely do I take time for me. I feel like I am always cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, running errands. Today I stopped......spent a few hours in the back yard taking care of the plants and floated around in the pool. It felt good. Now....if I could get myself to stop and take the time to do all the projects I need to get done that would be wonderful. I am going to work on that. How do you find time for yourself in this busy world? And how do you ever get to those projects? Have a wonderful weekend.

A Late Night or Early Morning

2011-07-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon I dropped my son and some of his friends of at the mall. They had tickets to the Midnight premiere of the new Harry Potter Movie. The movie was suppose to start at 12:01 and they were having technical difficulties.........they gave everyone free popcorn, cokes and told them to hang in there they were trying to get the movie going. The theatre also gave them each 2 free movie tickets to another 3D movie. The 3D Movie finally began at 1:05am. Needless to say guess who stayed awake until after 3:00 am to pick them all up? Yes.....you guessed it me. Having four hours sleep I had alot to do for the Birthday party for my son on Saturday. He invited 13 of his friends over for a BBQ/Pool Party.

A First

2011-07-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

Last night my son attended his first concert. It was his friends birthday and the parents took nine of his friends to see Real Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto in concert.

This band plays Ska music (a blend of Jamaican, Jazz, Blue or Rock). They took the kids out to a pizza place for dinner before the show. My son text me "Can I eat Croutons"......my reply "No". While his friends were munching on pizza my son ordered a green salad. That's a relief to know he is sticking with his Gluten Free diet even when he is out with his friends.

I must admit as a mom I was getting a bit nervous when the clock struck midnight and I had not heard from my son. He arrived home safe and sound soon after sporting his new and first concert shirt. He said the show was totally awesome and they got down to the front near the stage.

Do you remember your first concert experience?

A Celebration Weekend

2011-07-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

Today was my husbands birthday. He enjoyed a quiet day at home doing Nothing for once. I made him breakfast, he opened some presents and then I made him chicken enchiladas, rice and beans for dinner as he requested. The three of us spent a relaxing day and then watched a movie in the evening. It was a nice time. Tomorrow we will be celebrating again.....with our yearly 4th of July picnic with family and friends. I hope the weather is not too hot.

I wish you all a safe and happy 4th of July!

Feeling A Bit Sad

2011-07-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Today I am feeling a bit sad. It was one year ago today that my sweet friend Debbie passed away. She was admitted to the hospital for severe back pain two week earlier. Running tests it was three days before she passed away that they found she had cancer of her pancreas. It haunts me as I tried to get a hold of her to talk to her so many times while she was in the hospital. Each time I called she was asleep; until finally I reached her; they had her so drugged up she could not even talk; hearing a voice on the other end of the phone that did not sounds like her at all; one that I could not understand, it was a voice just mumbling, it scared me. I remember saying " I just want you to know I am thinking about you and keeping you in my prayers"; I will call back soon. Well.....I never did get to talk to her because the following day I received a call from her brother telling me that she had passed away - we both just cried. This haunts me a bit and I am sad she is gone but will never be forgotten. I miss you dear friend.

RUSH

2011-06-23T23:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to the RUSH Concert. My sister had purchased tickets a while back and her and her husband were suppose to attend. But he decided not to go since he had to be up at 3:30am to catch the fishing boat him and his son were going out on for Father's Day. So.....I went in his place. It was a very interesting concert. In the day I listened to Rush but it was never my favorite band. I could not believe how many more guys were at this concert than women. Some of these guys are so into this band it was kinda funny watching them dancing, playing their air guitars and acting so crazy. I would say the majority of people at this concert were in their late 40's to 60's! Not to say there weren't the young crowd and those that were there with grandpa, dad and kids. It turned out to be a pretty good concert and the people did not get rowdy although there was a lot of drinking and "smoking" going on around us. On one side of us we had a man who appeared to be in his 50's with his son who was probably a teenager. This guy was having a fit because people about three rows in front of us stood up and were dancing; he kept yelling "Sit Down", my sister and I were laughing because there was no way they could even hear him. So then he took his sons water bottle and threw it at the people; we thought "oh no" a fight. The guy he hit in the head turned around and waved his cane in the air and the people finally sat down. Rush put on a good show with music, lights and video. Thanks sis for taking me to a concert to see a band I would of never bought tickets to - I had a fun time!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. My son and husband went golfing this morning and then this afternoon we will have a BBQ and hopefully it will be warm enough to take a dip in the pool. Whatever the day holds for you I hope all you dads are having a great day!

Universal

2011-06-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Universal Studios that is. This past weekend we headed up North to spend the day at Universal Studios. We left early to ensure we arrived when the gates opened up. The morning was dreary, the sky was gray and a heavy mist was in the air. The last time we visited Universal Studios in California was when my son was about 4 or 5; he was so freaked out by the tram ride that he NEVER wanted to go back. We did visit Universal Studios in Florida about 4 years ago and had a blast but we got rained on. Things have changed since the last time we visited.

This is where we ate. They accommodated my sons gluten free diet.

While we were waiting for my sister and her family to show up we decided to go on the Simpson's ride. What a blast; my husband and son got a kick out of this ride.

Like father; like son. A fun store with all types of Simpson's stuff. You can even purchase a very large doughnut!

Could not get anyone to go over and get their photo taken with the Simpson family so I might just have to photo shop a few into the picture!

They had an animal show but most the animals did not do as they were suppose to. This guy did a good job.

My sons got a kick out of talking with Groucho Marx. He stood there for a while with him. He is even smiling in his photo!

This is my niece with Chuckie.......this was pretty creepy.....It is the House of Horrors....Not for those scared of the dark. It really creeped me out! The sun finally came out and the day was enjoyable; we all had a great time. I was a little disappointed as the price of tickets has gone way up and alot of the things I really enjoyed looking at were no longer there. It appeared they are working on part of the park as it was blocked off so maybe something good is in the works. With the price of the ticket we did get a pass that is good for the entire year so I guess it was not too bad.

Another Year Has Passed

2011-06-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

Today is my Birthday. My son and dear husband gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, some gift cards for shopping and a bag full of fun stuff. Later there will be a yummy BBQ dinner. My husband and son kept asking me where I wanted to go for my birthday........I just wanted to have a relaxing day at home. And I might sneak out to do some shopping! We will have a combined family party in a few weeks to celebrate my birthday, my sisters birthday, my husbands birthday and my sons 15th birthday. How old am I?? Well....that is a little secret I will keep to myself for now. Hope you are all having a relaxing weekend.

Time Flies

2011-05-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

Seems like yesterday my son was getting ready for his first day of High School and tomorrow is the last day of his Freshman year. What a year it has been. He told me this morning on the way to school how fast this school year has gone and he can't believe it is over already. Being in the marching band and concert band he has kept very busy with practices, long days, practices during school breaks and holidays, late nights, early mornings. Not once did I hear him complain. Late nights doing homework for his honors classes; maintaining his grades and not missing one day of school. I am a proud mother. Here's to a fun summer before it starts all over again!

Memories of my dad

2011-05-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

Thoughts of my dad on this day. He passed away suddenly 29 years ago; four days after his 57th birthday. It is so hard to believe it has been so many years as the memories are so clear and dear to my heart. My dad was a soft spoken man, a hard worker, always going to school to learn more, he could speak 4 languages, he retired from the Navy, retired from Civil Service. He loved the outdoors. Hunting trips to Montana, fishing and hunting all over California. He was a loving and fun dad; always taking the time for his kids and family outings. I miss you dearly dad and I thank you for all the wonderful memories.

A busy but fun week

2011-05-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

Last week was a busy one with school meetings, appointments and my husbands aunt was in town. She was in town from Austin Texas to play in the Senior Tennis Tournament in La Jolla California.. This just amazes me...they had the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's groups playing! My husbands aunt is in her 80's.....wow.....she is in such good shape and limber. She had some down time so we got to spend a day with her. We took her out for yummy Mexican food and then down to old town and down by the bay. She ended up staying with us because she won her match and had to stay an extra two days. It was such a pleasure spending time with her.

I have not been down to the waterfront in a long while. There is a special tribute to Bob Hope down near the USS MIDWAY.

The Birds

2011-05-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

My husband was out working in the yard a couple days ago and he came in to tell me about all the bird nests we have around our home. There has been an unusual amount of birds flying around our home this year. There are little birds with red tummies I have never seen around here before, there are the regular birds and the big black crows. Early in the morning and through most of the day I hear chirping from every angle of the house. The birds have made nests in the eves of our house in several places, I can see them in my neighbors tree.

My husband wanted to knock them down until he found out there were babies in the nests. But they sure are making a mess around our yard. Yes....bird poop everywhere! But the nest will stay put until the babies fly away. It appears the birds even attempted to make a nest atop our pool brush that was leaning against the house on our patio. You can see in the photo below the grass that did not stay atop the brush. Silly birds....what were they thinking?

It is nice to see all the birds and hear them chirping but it is not fun cleaning up their messes!

Have you noticed more birds in your area this year?

Gluten Free

2011-04-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

My son was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. For the past couple weeks he has been eating gluten free. This has not been easy. Yes...I have been to Trader Joes, Henry's etc. I am having a hard time coming up with things for my son to eat. I made chicken strips last night but I searched for something I could bread them with....spending hours in the store reading labels, talking to people that work there, getting a list of gluten free items within the store has been crazy. Well...I get so excited once I do find something that is gluten free but then.......I look at the other ingredients..... contains nuts or may have been processed on the same equipment as nuts or peanuts. YIKES.....back on the shelf it goes. My son also has severe food allergies to nuts, peanuts, seeds, eggs. And to top this off he is a very picky eater. I must admit he has been trying things he never would touch before. Corn tortillas, beans and fruity pebble cereal has become a staple in the house along with fruit. If you have any suggestions or ideas please pass them to me. I need to get more creative so my son is not eating the same thing everyday!

HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER

2011-04-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to you all.

Hope you have a wonderful day no matter how you spend it. I will spend mine cooking and having family and friends over. With the BIG Egg hunt for all the kids.

Stomp

2011-04-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Last night my son and I had the opportunity to go see a great show....STOMP at the Balboa Theatre downtown. I have always wanted to see this show but never purchased tickets. Tonight we had FREE tickets. This show is amazing; the talent and energy these young adults have is incredible. Not to mention what great shape they are all in. Wow....what a workout. You can read about them here: www.stomponline.com/show/php.

A very big chair and a party

2011-04-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my Nephew and Nieces birthday recently at a local park. Praying it did not rain on their parade; it turned out to be a beautiful Spring day. There was lots of family, friends, conversations, lots of food and a fabulous view of the Coronado bridge and bay. There was this big chair and my son acting silly.

It was a perfect birthday party day.

Happy Weekend

2011-04-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

It is Spring and time for new plantings. Although we had some pretty heavy rain last night today the sun is shining once again. The air smells fresh and the newly planted flowers, plants are thriving. Don't know why but that puts a smile on my face. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Sadness

2011-04-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Seems like lately I have had only bad news. My Uncle passed away a few days ago from cancer. He went quickly after being placed in the hospital about two weeks ago. My mother had one sister and one brother and all have passed away. All of some form of cancer. My Uncle was a great man; he lived in South Dakota and called me every few weeks to see how I was doing. He liked to reminisce about the days when they used to visit and all the fun things we would do. He liked to talk about my mother (his sister) and that would some times get us both chocked up. In his 80's he used the computer, email and he sent me E-cards. I will miss those phone calls and emails and I will miss my uncle.
Rest in peace until we meet again.

It has been confirmed

2011-03-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

My son does have Celiac Disease. So now we start....the Gluten free eating. Besides being a picky eater my son also has peanut, nut, egg and mustard allergies. So....this is going to be a challenge for me. Luckily he has told me he is okay with trying new things. I almost had a mishap last night. I decided I would bake some chicken with a gluten free flour on my sons pieces. I coated one and it dawned on me I had not even looked at the rest of the ingredients.Thank goodness I caught myself because this flour also had a statement on it "May contain peanuts"! Yikes...I was so worried about the gluten free that I forgot to look for the other allergy information. In the past my son would not touch baked chicken unless it was chicken nuggets or chicken strips BUT......he liked it. Wish me luck as we venture into the gluten free world.

A New Week

2011-03-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

My son made it through his procedure last Friday and now we await the results. A new week begins and Spring Break is over for my son....was not much of a Spring Break as he had doctor appointments, ortho appointments, band practice, golf and surgery. Now its time for me to regroup and get busy Spring Cleaning!

Well Wishes

2011-03-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

If you saw my post from a few weeks ago you know my son was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. After seeing the specialist it was decided he needed to have an Endoscopy done to take a biopsy. The blood test came back positive for Celiac and the Endoscopy will ensure this is what he does have. I don't really understand some of it but he will undergo this procedure on Friday. As a mother it breaks my heart that he has to undergo this procedure and that he has been diagnosed with this disease. I am praying everything goes well during this procedure. In the meantime I am a nervous wreck!!

It's Here

2011-03-22T07:21:00.000-07:00

Yes.....Spring officially arrived this past Sunday. Although we have had rain here in Southern California the last couple days I know it won't last and the sun will be shining bright soon. And even though the sun is not shining I can hear the birds chirping and the flowers are blooming.

Hope your Spring is off to a good start.

Problem Solved

2011-03-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

I am not quite sure what happened to my google account but the last few days I have not been able to log in, upload photos or make a new post. Technology is wonderful until you have difficulties. I am persistant and finally figured the problem out. Hope you are all having a wonderful Monday.

Difficulties

2011-03-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

I have had no problem in the past uploading photos into my blog. But....I tried yesterday and now it will not let me upload any photo unless I open a Google Account?? Why is this. Is anyone else experiencing this problem? Technology....it can be stressful at times.

Chilly Weather, Hail and a Krumb Cake

2011-03-01T22:14:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had a storm roll in. The weather was was wet, cold and not a good day to be out shopping like I was. That evening I heard heavy rain which soon turned to heavy hail. It was coming down pretty good. My son and I ran out onto the back patio to capture the sight.

It felt alot cooler than 40 degrees outside. It was 10:00pm when the hail started.

Back In Time

2011-02-28T08:29:00.000-08:00

Are you old enough to remember the 70's? I took a walk back in time last night. My sister and I went to see "Blue Oyster Cult" and "Foghat" in concert. You remember the songs......."GODZILLA" and "I just wanna make love to you". The days of the 70's seem long ago and maybe I am dating myself but those were the good ole days! And I must say I really enjoyed the concert. If you have no clue who these bands are check out youtube there is plenty to be seen there. We had a good time and both bands have quite a following! And yes I did see both bands live back in the 70's.

It's Back; Full of Color

2011-02-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

I was out walking around in my yard yesterday and noticed my little cactus is back! Yeah! It died out when we had so much rain but somehow it survived and came back to life full force and full of gorgeous color. We are expecting another big storm by the weekend. I hope all my flowers survive.

Here is another little saying from my book Now Is the Time...... to watch the clouds

Take time to watch the clouds as they decorate the sky.

See how they morph into fabulous, ever-changing images.

Note their ephemeral beauty and their endless patience.

Admire their stunning simplicity.

Learn their signs.

Heed their warnings.

"In the hour of adversity be not without hope, for crystal rain falls from black clouds."
(Persian Proverb)

Outstanding

2011-02-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Broadway performance of the Wizard Of Oz. My all time favorite movie since I was a small child. This performance did not disappoint. With the wonderful acting, singing, performances of all including the dog Toto this was an outstanding show. Over the years I have seen The Wizard Of Oz over 100 times on television, on ice, plays, shows, on the big screen and my son played a flying monkey at the age of 5 in a performance of The Wiz with a local theatre. As a volunteer I helped with costumes....that was an exciting time to be in the midst of the behind the scenes of a huge production.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day. Hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful day.

I am watching my nephews today so I whipped up a couple fun treats for them. My son does not eat cookies and chocolate but my nephews LOVE it. So I will spoil them today.

The above is Rice Krispies, white chocolate and semi sweet chocolate, sprinkles and conversations hearts. I don't like a lot of chocolate but when I tasted this it was GOOD! I got the recipe over at http://bakeat350blogspot.com/. She is one creative lady. And this was very easy. After it sits for a bit you break it up into pieces. Yummy.

Enjoy your day!

Bad News Thursday

2011-02-11T08:40:00.000-08:00

To make a long story short....I went to the doctor today to get my lip checked out due to some discoloring and a bump. The doctor ended up taking a biopsy...I will spare you the details of that experience. Came home with my lip stinging and pounding and looking like I was hit in the mouth and had stitches. I no sooner got in the door at home and the phone rings.....it is my sons pediatrician...after a routine physical a week or so ago so my son can be on the golf team at school they sent him for extensive blood work. The doctor on the other end tells me "the blood test came back that your son has Celiac Disease...HE HAS WHAT??? And he is slightly anemic. You need to make an appointment with a specialist gastro for more testing....gastro what??" I hear her say "I am sorry I have to give you such bad news over the phone; but all the other blood work came back normal." At this point I feel like I am going to hyperventilate. I don't like anything to do with doctors or medical stuff. Even talking about it gets me quizzy. After I hung up I was numb, my heart sank and all I could do was cry. All I could think about was how was I going to tell my 14 year old son he has this...it just made me cry even more. My son already suffers from asthma and severe food allergies. After I get over the initial shock and heartbreak this brings to me I am sure we will get through this. I did sit my son down and explain it to him and told him this is another challenge that has been thrown our way and we will get through it. I had him read a simple explanation of what this is and I think he was okay.

And oh one more thing.....my brother that died on the operating table a few moths ago and they brought him back was in surgery today. He lives in Tennessee and I have not heard from his wife how he did. I think I need a few prayers sent my way....please. Thank you for listening to me ramble; I think I feel a bit better for the moment.

A song in the Air

2011-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

Lately in the morning when I wake up I hear birds singing their song. The chirping, the singing.....I have noticed so many birds around our yard. It's not Spring yet.....is it? Our weather has been so strange that maybe the birds are confused. What ever the reason it is joy to my ears when I hear them singing. During the day it sounds as though they are carrying on conversations. Here's another quote from my little book......Now is the Time.......to listen for the birdsong
Whether your"re in the wilderness,
or in the "Big Smoke,"
listen for the songs of birds.
Somehow, somewhere, they will be near you.
They offer a sign of optimism,
of the rhythms of nature,
of the triumph of the individual.
They sing of hope.

Hope you have a song in your heart.

Seizing the Moment

2011-02-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

A while back I was browsing the local book store and came across this cute little book.......Now Is the Time 170 Ways to Seize the Moment by Patrick Lindsay. As the inside cover reveals this book will inspire you by gentle, encouraging words, reminders that within you lies the power to change your life, for the simpler, for the better - if you just embrace the moment and seize the day. It also states that the morsels of insight, each accompanied by a meaningful quote from a noted luminary, contribute not only inspirational guidance but also specific actions one might take. The fist one in the book is so true......... Now is the time.......to tame your inbox ~

Stop allowing e-mail to dominate your life.

It interrupts your concentration.

It puts you in a state of constant anticipation.

Break the cycle. Disconnect.

Treat it like snail mail.

Check it once each morning and late afternoon.

Give yourself time to think.

"Information is pretty thin stuff, unless mixed with experience."

Clarence Day (1874-1935)

From time to time I will post more of these. In the meantime.....enjoy your day!

The simple things

2011-02-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

I purchased this cake stand a few weeks ago. It caught my eye as I wondered around the store. When I picked it up to take a better look I noticed it was half price......even better! It even came with a cake server. The price for this was only $12.99.

Although no one in our home eats cake very often I had to have it. The colors are vibrant and it just puts a smile on my face. Isn't it grand when something so simple can make you smile? Hope you all have something in your home that makes you smile when you glance at it. Happy Friday!!!

Sunny Shadows

2011-02-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday as I looked out my back door I saw all these wonderful shadows and decided to capture them. Saturday was a warm sunny day in the 80's but Sunday was a different story - the weather turned cold and rainy. No complaining here after seeing how much snow is coming down on some of you.

Hope you all are having a wonderful week.

SWEET!!!!

2011-01-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I was the Winner of Underthesunwithme's 500th blog post. Yesterday when I came home I had a package waiting for me. So excited I opened it immediately. Wow....what a super fun surprise. This was the sweetest package. Everything I so adore. Birds, seeds, fun packaging, note cards, garden themed fun stuff.

Don't know if you can see them but the cutest little flower pot earrings, and the birdie clip is so darn cute! Can you tell I was crazy over my sweet surprise?

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this sweet giveaway. If you have not checked out this sweet gals blog please do so it will put a smile on your face.

Wrapping it up

2011-01-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Going to a birthday party to celebrate a brother in law, a sister and a nephew's birthday. We will have a big family get together to celebrate. My brother in law loves to golf so I thought wrapping his present up in this container would be a fun idea. Bought the container, a piece of scrapbook paper and stickers at a local craft store. Cut the paper for the lid of the container, placed the stickers on and there you have it. A few more golfing goodies will be wrapped and placed inside the container.

My husband came home from work and saw this sitting on the table and said "hey that is pretty cool" where did you buy it? I said I made it......Um....I do have a little creativity in me.

Let the New Year Begin

2011-01-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was spent cleaning up after our New Years Eve Party. And packing away all the Christmas ornaments and decorations. The house always looks a little bare after Christmas is put away. How many of you made a New Years Resolution? I did not make one this year but........I am going to work harder to get these extra pounds to shed off my body, get some of the projects I keep putting on the back burner done and do some of the things I never can find time for. Hope your New Year started off right.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T01:38:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a safe and happy new years eve. We celebrated with family and my son had some friends over. We ate, laughed, played board games and had a fun evening. We celebrated at midnight with party poppers, horns and noise makers and the kids had a fun time with the silly string. You don't want to see our patio right about now.

May the New Year be good to you all. Wishing you health, happiness and many memory making times.

Balloons

2010-12-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

This morning my sister and I with her daughter and my son braved the crowds and the chilly weather and headed to the San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade. The sun was shining but it was very chilly with a breeze that chilled you to the bone. Mr. Potato Head was my favorite balloon.

Betty Boop was quite tall. She almost took a nose dive.

Bob the builder

kawabunga dude

These large balloons were quite amazing. We thought they were suppose to be higher in the sky but that might be how they look on TV or maybe due to the wind they kept them lower??

Are you in the wrong parade Mother Goose?

I must say that Woody was a little bit scary looking to me. And the handlers were having a heck of a time keeping him up. It appeared Wood had a rough night! haha

he was up (sort of) and then

Woody was going down. They finally got him upright for about two seconds and

then he scraped his nose on the street and they drug him for a while. It was pretty funny to watch. I am sure it is not an easy task keeping these balloons to behave.

We had a fun time watching the balloons, the bands, the various groups go by. The Wiener dogs were pretty cute and they were all dressed up. Did not get photos of that. It was a fun time.

Decorations

2010-12-27T23:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas seemed to come and go so quickly this year. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones. The house is so festive with all the Christmas decorations, items collected throughout the years. The house seems so bare after I take them down and I normally start right after Christmas. This year I might enjoy them a few extra days. When will you start taking down your tree and decorations?

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2010-12-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Eve and all is done. Sitting back waiting for Santa to arrive. For the first time in many years we are relaxing on Christmas Eve. Hope you are having a wonderful evening.

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas. May Santa be good to you.

Fun Stuff

2010-12-21T21:37:00.000-08:00

I love wrapping presents and I love fun stuff. This is a miniature party popper; I thought they would look cute tied on packages. And these Martha Stewart little Christmas Tree boxes were adorable and although a little pricey I had to have them! You get red and green tree boxes with clear stickers to close up the bottom after inserting a special treat and dove stickers with To and From on them.

For my nieces and nephews these cute little tree lollipops purchased at Disneyland and rock candy sticks will be tied to their present.

Speaking of fun stuff isn't the elf the cutest? I purchased him at The Attic last year. I just love his little face.

Hope you are having some fun this Holiday season.

Leaving with goodies

2010-12-14T21:38:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I paid a visit to "The Attic" in Coronado. The store was filled with so many fun and unique items. Lots of handcrafted ornaments. I brought home a couple of treasures that day. I just love my cute lil Santa. He reminds me of days gone by. The handcrafted seashell is so sparkly and looks wonderful on our tree. The photo does not do it justice!

Then there was the kitchen tea towel. I was going to give this as a gift but when I got it home it was just too darn cute to part with so I kept it. I guess this shopping spree was just for me!

If you haven't made it to The Attic this holiday season do so you will not be disappointed!

Prayers are needed

2010-12-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

My brother went in for surgery Friday morning ~ something to do with the arteries in his neck. When they administered the anesthesia his blood pressure dropped drastically and his heart stopped. The doctors revived him and placed him in ICU. There he stayed for the night and was doing okay as of then. If he is okay today they will be sending him home and rescheduling the surgery. Someone is watching over my brother.....he had 3 heart attacks before the age of 50. Has died twice on the operating table with no damage to his brain. This I say is a miracle. Sending prayers to my brother and his family that all will be okay.

Chilly and Catching up

2010-11-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

It has been down right chilly here is Southern California! You laugh.....This is cold for us here. The sun is shining this morning but the nip in the air is enough to chill you to the bone. Time for a hot cup of tea and to start decorating for Christmas. I am a little off schedule this year. Normally everything is up and done right after Thanksgiving. I have some catching up to do today. Hopefully rushing around will keep me warm. Have a wonderful day no matter what you might be up to.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2010-11-24T22:03:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving Day.

A wild, rainy but fun weekend in Arcadia

2010-11-24T09:43:00.000-08:00

We started out by meeting at my sons school at 3:30am Saturday morning. The Seniors had the band room all toilet papered - I guess this is what they do they day of their last marching performance. A Sign was left for my son on our porch.

The marching band heading for Arcadia for the big Festival of Bands Parade and Field Show. My husband and I are volunteers and once we arrived we had to unpack and set up camp for the kids arrival. Once the kids arrived they are into their band uniforms and practicing. It was a rainy cold day. I walked the 2 miles parade route along with some others while getting drenched. Our kids did a wonderful job in their parade routine even though it was pouring rain. Back to the buses and onto Citrus College where the Field show would take place. Everything a wet mess.

The kids had some down time where they were fed and able to relax a bit. Thankfully the rain had stopped for a while until our marching band took the field.....as soon as the kids marched onto the field the skies opened up but that did not stop them from putting on an excellent show. It was sad because as soon as they were done and marched off the field the rain stopped! It was a crazy day; a very long day. We finished up and packed up and headed over to the hotel we would be staying in overnight. With one of the charter bus drivers getting lost for over a half hour we waited for the kids arrival it was about midnight by then.

Next morning it was up early for breakfast and on to Disneyland where the marching band would get to have some fun and then march down main street. It was so awesome seeing these kids marching and performing at Disneyland ~ So proud of our son. The kids then enjoyed Disneyland at night and then boarded the buses that would bring them back to school around midnight. Kids did have school Monday morning bright and early. These kids are amazing!! What a wonderful but tiring weekend we had.

THOUGHTS AND WELL WISHES

2010-11-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

My father in law had heart surgery this morning. He lives in Texas so we were not able to be there with him. His surgery went well and I just want him to know that our prayers and thoughts are with him. Hoping in the days ahead he feels better and has a speedy recovery.
We love you!!

Busy.....busy

2010-11-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

After a busy week of gearing up for my sons Band Tournament this past Saturday it is time to get in gear for Thanksgiving. For those of you that have or have had kids in High School Marching band you know it is very demanding and busy during the fall. To watch as the High Schools from near and far get out there and do their performances - it is just amazing. Tournament days are long days and being a parent that volunteers it is tiring but so rewarding. Prior to Thanksgiving we have two more tournaments one close to home and another up in Arcadia and then the next day the kids will be performing in the Disneyland Parade ~ yes an overnight trip......yikes...not sure I am ready for this one! Off to decorate the house for Thanksgiving.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2010-10-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

For the second time in 19 years we will actually be home to answer the knocking at the door and see the cute/scary costumes yelling trick or treat. Love giving out treats ~ a little sad that we don't get too many kids at the door. Last year maybe a total of twelve.

Hope you all have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Transformation......

2010-10-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

into a ZOMBIE. My sons school marching band was performing Michael Jacksons "THRILLER" at the football game at halftime and everyone was to show up as a zombie.

My Zombie Boy

I think my husband did a great job transforming our son into a zombie. The marching band performed an awesome "Thriller" show at halftime. They were all so different looking but everyone looked great. At the end of the show they all limped off the field looking like something from a zombie movie.

Sculpture ~ Summer/Fall Edition

2010-10-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

Check out the Summer/Fall issue of Sculpture resource guide. It is filled with some great articles and information.

http://sculpturesd.com/resource-guide.htm

We would like to hear what you think of this resource guide so please check it out and leave a comment here. Thanks for looking!

Halloween Party

2010-10-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

The cutest little box that says things in a creepy voice when opened

A little bit creepy

my son the smurf thingy -did not get his legs but they were blue!

This year I got a late start planning, decorating and getting things prepared for our Halloween Party but things came together. Lots of food, games, prizes and fun. Everyone showed up in costume this year; we had Darth Vadar, Iron Man, Luigi, a hot dog, Smurf, todo, ninja and two completely different Mad Hatters and a few other very creative ones. My son and his friends are quite the characters! Iron man squeezed his body into a kids costume wearing plastic mask and all - they were all going around playing the parts of their costumes - it was a blast. We really should of been video taping instead of snapping photos.

Yes, even my husband and I dressed up. Funny how in the photos you can see the pillow my husband stuffed in his costume. And yes the makeup all came off after washing our faces several times. Although I still had a tint of green look to my skin before I got in bed. For some reason I did not take many photos this year(the paparazzi mom) but I know my sisters got some good photos and I can not wait to see them. Halloween....one of my favorite times of the year. Are you dressing up this year? What will you be?

Close to my Heart

2010-10-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

October 9, 2003 is when my mother passed away. Seems like only yesterday but it has been seven years. My how quickly the time flies and not a day goes by that I don't think of my mother and miss her. My mother was a great lady. She opened her heart and her home to foster children for many years when I was just small; babies in the house that my mom loved as if her own. Later in life she opened her home to babysitting many children and later opened a daycare where she took care of so many precious children including her grandchildren. She had the patience of an angel, her energy was never ending, her love of life, her family and children were the most important things to her. I have so many great memories of my mom that make me smile but without her here there is an empty spot in my heart. My sisters and I celebrate each year by taking a trip to the cemetery bringing flowers that my mom loved so much and going to lunch. We love you mom and miss you with all our heart.

Interesting Fruit

2010-09-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

I was watching the food channel last night and they were talking about this plant ~ A Buddha's Hand. Hmmm never heard of this or seen it before. It is a fragrant citron variety whose fruit is segmented into finger like sections. It grows on a shrub or small tree with long, irregular branches covered in thorns. I was not listening completely to what they were saying but remember them saying they were somewhere in Northern California where they grow it. A vodka company uses it in the process to make their vodka - no...don't remember which brand. I thought it was interesting. Have you ever seen or heard of this fruit before? I must go read more about it.

Friday Night Dinner

2010-09-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Friday nights around here have gotten a little hectic. I can not spend hours cooking so tonight we will have stuffed jumbo pasta shells. I have just finished putting this together so this evening I will just need to pop it into the oven until warm and bubbly. Jumbo pasta shells, ricotta cheese, 1 egg (hope it is not on the recall list!) Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, fresh shredded Parmesan cheese, parsley, thyme and nutmeg, spaghetti sauce. I filled the shells using a pastry bag - so much easier than filling by hand. I will add a nice green salad and there you have it a quick yummy Friday night dinner.

Enjoy your Friday night and have a wonderful weekend!

Say it isn't so

2010-09-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

They say after Labor Day summer is over. Can it be true? In Southern California summer felt like it never really began. With temperatures cooler than they have been in years and a very busy schedule; I feel like summer whizzed by in a blink of an eye. This past weekend was nice; my sons first performance in the marching band at the High School football game. All I can say is wow......what a performance and seeing your child in that uniform for the first time.....it just brought tears to my eyes! Saturday was warm with temperatures reaching 100 and I spent the entire day in the backyard enjoying the last days of swimming, sun and the view of all my beautiful plants and flowers. With a BBQ in the evening, the day was perfect.

Hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend. Enjoy your week!

Wondering.......

2010-08-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

These flowers are so dainty and pretty. I was out this weekend looking at my plants and flowers to see how they were holding up in the heat. When I glanced over and saw this lil guy climbing the wall.

I ran in to grab my camera and when I came back out he was gone. He must of fallen but was persistant and I spotted him startring up the wall again. I can't say I have ever seen any of these in my garden before. Don't know much about worms but he was a green type. Have I not seen these before because I was in a hurry and never really looked or was there really none? Is this the culprit that is eating the leaves off some of my flowers? Hmmm........will he make it to the top? Will he continue his journey to the other side of the wall or fall again and give up? I wonder........

Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Blooming Happiness

2010-08-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

My plumeria has bloomed! So beautiful, the fragrance is wonderful. Flowers blooming puts a smile on my face. This plumeria started from one stick that my husband brought me home from Hawaii about 14 years ago. It took a few years to really get growing but when it did it did not stop! We had a huge plumeria that we kept cutting from give pieces to family, friends, neighbors, planting them around the yard. When we redid our yard my husband dug up the plumeria and gave them away all but two that I had in pots. Don't know why he did that. But one of them has bloomed and I am happy. Have a wonderful week everyone!!

Back to School

2010-08-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Gotta have a Fox backpack and Van shoes. Purple & black.

Back to school time already. This summer has flown by faster than any other I can remember. It may be due to the fact school let out later this year and went back earlier. This year clothes shopping was a breeze; my son was in a good mood the day we went and it was quick and painless. Any of you that have had or have a teenager know that they can be moody, grumpy and sometimes hard to get along with. Mine turned 14 last month and is usually in a good mood but there are those days!! Every school year I have taken my sons photo in the hallway. This year he said "Why do you always have to take a picture of me on the first day of school"? My reply "I just do". Don't know why but I always get teary eyed as I approach the school and let my son out on the first day. This year was no different; as soon as he got out of the car, my eyes filled with water. This is his first year of High School - where has the time gone?

Looks like Fingers on a Carrot

2010-08-09T22:28:00.000-07:00

I was peeling carrots for dinner one evening and I reached into the bag and pulled out the scariest looking carrot I have ever seen! Yikes.....what happened here? At first I chopped that part off, then I decided I should take a photo and post it for you all to see. Is this the strangest carrot you have seen?

Do you see it?

2010-08-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I was out looking at my flowers, plants and giving them a little drink. This little guy popped his head up from under the plant and gave me a scare. I have never seen such a tiny baby lizard - and I don't like the creepy crawly things. I know.....there good for the garden; they eat the bad bugs....but I still get creeped out by them. I went out to our front yard to water the plants and several of those babies popped out. YIKES.......where did they all come from....there in the grass, the garden, my pots. Not too happy about this invasion........where did they come from??? The only thing I can thnk of is our neighbors were cleaning up their yard which had piles of stuff on the side of the house and these little guys decided to take a stroll. I saw them around for a couple days but have not seen any since. Strange.....hopefully they decided to stroll off to a new place. I really don't care to see them when they grow up.

Busy Days of Summer and an Unplanned Trip

2010-07-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Where have the days gone? Summer has felt like a whirlwind and we have not done half the things we wanted to do. June was graduation, family birthday get togethers, High School registration. July ......our son turned 14! Hard to believe. A family party, a friend pool party/sleep over with 10 of my sons friends - am I crazy?

It did go well and all had a fun time.

This is a live statue.

Only 100 degrees at 9:00pm!!

An unplanned trip to Las Vegas for five days. Fun.....if you like 118 degree weather! We saw Lance Burton the magician. He put on a fabulous show turning his girls into birds and levitating his car. Hmmm wonder how they do that? My sister and her family met us there a few days later. We shopped, took in some of the sights,we took a gondola ride at the Venetian, did some gambling, took the kids to do fun kid stuff. The husbands golfed two days in a row. Who in the heck wants to go out in the heat of the day to hit a little white ball around - they must be nuts!! A trip to the old downtown area was fun but crazy. If you have never seen the light show with the music it is fun. The last time we went to Vegas it seemed more family oriented; not so much this time. More geared toward those crazy drinking twenty and thirty something people. The clothes, the shoes.....oh my......maybe I am just getting old. We had a fun time but we all were so tired by time we arrived home. It is nice getting away but it is always nicer returning home. Saw several trucks like this on the way home. Do you see them? The trucks were filled with Pigs! I have never seen trucks filled with pigs only cows.

My husband and I celebrated 19 years of marriage on July 27th. We were going to go out but decided to have a quite evening at home so we made a nice steak dinner and relaxed.

Not much longer and school will be back in session. My son has band camp the next two weeks and it is long days for him. 9:00am to 9:00pm. He will be in the High School marching band. He has been playing the Saxophone since 5th grade. Have your summer days flown by as quickly as ours??

Cichlid

2010-07-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we inherited an African Cichlid fish. It has been in a tank where my nephew works for several years. The people in the office decided he needed to be gotten rid of. Some were thinking of throwing him in the bay but others said No you will change the echo system. My nephew asked me if we wanted it since our fish tank had no other fish in it at the time. He explained to me that this fish was a little wild. I said what the heck bring it to me. First off this fish was larger than I expected but our tank would work out long as this was the only fish we had. Apparently the tank at nephews work had other fish in it at one time and this one fish got rid of them all! Yikes. The fish immediately started to rearrange things, uprooting the plants, moving the skull and shark I had in the tank. The second day he was here - I was in the kitchen and I heard this loud horrible humming sound - the fish had pulled the entire water filtration system off. Husband came in and fixed things. He also has been moving the rocks around; takes them in his mouth and spits them at the glass so I keep hearing rocks pounding on the glass. He has them piled pretty high now. He is a pretty awesome fish, pure black with some silver stripping. I just hope he survives and doesn't break out! I think he is liking his new home.

Laid to rest

2010-07-10T23:29:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Debbie was laid to rest today. Over the past eight days since her death I have gone over in my head a million times thinking about all the good times we had together, the last time we spoke or saw each other. Although we were good friends I thought of things I may have never known about her. I have cried alot and felt so much sadness and keep asking why. I know I must pick myself up and continue on. Rest in peace my friend until we meet again.

A Friend Taken

2010-07-02T23:58:00.000-07:00

It was only nine days ago I received word that my dear friend was in the hospital, and eight days ago she was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. Today at noon my dear friend passed away. I have no words to express how I am feeling. I can only say my heart and my prayers go out to her husband, her two daughters, her mother, and her siblings. I loved you like a sister and I will miss you dearly my friend.

What do you say when bad news is delivered?

2010-06-26T22:56:00.000-07:00

What do you say when your friends mother calls you and tells you her daughters in the hospital? I received a call a few days ago and my friend of 48 years is in the hospital and not doing well at all. I was okay while on the phone but as soon as I hung up all I could do was cry. I am miles away as she lives in Florida now. I called the hospital and got to talk to her; she did not sound like herself at all; told me there was something wrong with her pancreas and they were pumping fluid out of her by the pints. I know.....I only got to speak to her for less than five minutes because the nurses came in. Spending the day in a cloud. The next morning the phone rings early in the morning - it is her mother again who is also miles away from Florida and this time she is crying. She told me the doctors say she has stage 4 cancer of the pancreas and they give her 3 months (if that) to live. I felt as though my heart fell out of my chest and I could not breath. Every time I think about her laying in that hospital bed I burst out crying. What do you say?

Let Summer Begin

2010-06-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks of school were hectic around here. Eighth grade events, award ceremony, dinner/dance and graduation. We are so proud of our son and all his accomplishments in Middle School. It is hard to believe he is heading for High School; seems like yesterday that my husband and I took him to his first day of Kindergarten. The time sure does go quickly. Time for some summer fun, a few lazy days and maybe I can get to a few of those projects I have been putting off.

PHOTO ALBUMS and STICKY PAGES

2010-06-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

Remember these albums? The ones with the colorful covers and the sticky pages? I think they came out sometime in the early 70's. No problem pull back the film, lay your photos down, put the film back over them and presto photo album done. Well.....back then it seemed like a wonderful idea. But.....I have just spent a couple hours removing all my photos from these old pages. Some of my photos were so stuck on they started to rip, some of the books the sticky disappeared and my photos just fell out. I also noticed that some of the photos were yellowing. Nevertheless, these books are out a here. How many of you have these photo books somewhere in your home? Ahh....another project completed.

Decorating Dilema

2010-06-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have a dilema. After looking for over six months I have finally found two pictures to hang in our bedroom. Now the problem I have is do I hang them in the center of the wall or the center of the piece of furniture - the bed?? Can anyone give me some advice on this?? I would greatly appreciate it.

Backyard Makeover

2010-06-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

My husband has been working hard in the backyard. My brother in law and him cut out the old patio slab and we are having a new one poured, along with extending the current slab by our pool. This has been a hot dusty job for the two of them.

That is alot of cement. They have been working hard to get everything ready for the concrete truck which arrived early Saturday morning. Several concrete workers that my brother in law works with came to help out. Me....I don't like to be around when stuff like this is going on so luckily my son had a band performance to be at early this morning for a local Flag Day Parade. By time I got home the concrete was poured, the truck gone and the workers working diligently.

By the end of the day everything looked good. Now there is more work to be done.

Another Year ~ Already!

2010-06-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's my birthday. I woke up to flowers, cards and presents from my two favorite guys - husband and son. This past year has flown by; don't know where the time goes. But today I will not worry about my age or time, housework or laundry.....today I will relax and enjoy my day.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

How ever you may spend your Memorial Day weekend I hope it is safe and relaxing.

The NO T.V. Challenge

2010-05-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

One of my sons teachers has given the students a challenge. A NO television, no video games, no computer games challenge for 7 days! This challenge is optional but if they choose to take it they can earn up to 100 extra credit points in the class. My son has decided to do the challenge and in support of his decision my husband and I will do the same. We did this last school year and we did survive. Me.....I am happy not to have the television blaring, and seeing my son do other things besides head for the video games, my husband is addicted to the TV but he had no problem taking the challenge last year. Wish us luck.

Remembering

2010-05-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

May brings so many wonderful things. But May also bring sorrow my way. Both my parents birthdays were in May; a day apart none the less. This is the month that my dad passed away so suddenly twenty eight years ago; just four days after his 57th birthday. He was a wonderful dad and I have so many great memories thanks to him. The sadess part is my husband and son never got to meet him.

FLOWERS and PLANTS

2010-05-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

During the last several years with our water shortages most of my flowers have gone away. We are sprucing things up a bit in the yard. Flowers and color make me happy. So this year we are planting some flowers for color and some drought tolerant plants. The above photo is a plant that lasted through the drought.

Plumeria

Although summertime around here seems to be a busy time for us; it is also a time for family get togethers, swimming in the pool, BBQ's and I am certainly ready for some fun in the sun. What is the one thing in your yard that makes you happiest??

Happy Weekend

2010-05-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

This week sure flew by for me; but so glad it is Friday. Hope your weekend is a pleasurable one and that you have lots of happiness in your garden.. Enjoy!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2010-05-08T02:29:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Mother's Day weekend!

The Launch of Sculpture ~ Mind, Body & Soul

2010-05-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for my sister who has just launched San Diego's premier resource guide for cosmetic surgery, dentistry and well being. If you are not interested in cosmetic or dental surgery this guide offers so much more for the mind, body and soul. There will be new articles quarterly. I hope you will take a few minutes to take a look at it even if you are not from the San Diego area. You can check it out at www.sculpturesd.com. I wish her much success.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

2010-04-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

About a month ago my husband brought home a page of the newspaper with recipes. He said him and the guys at work were talking about how good these cupcakes sounded and he volunteered me to make them. A few weeks went by and I decided to make them. The recipe makes 36 cupcakes. My husband took the cupcakes to work yesterday and they were a hit ~ the guys loved them!

Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water and stir until smooth. Cool .

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in flour mixture alternately with cooled chocolate mixture, beating after each addition until batter is smooth. Beat the filling ingredients together. Place the cupcake batter in cupcake tins, and add a spoonful of the peanut butter filling then cover with a little more batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Mine baked for 25 minutes. Cool and frost with chocolate frosting.

Cupcake Batter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups boiling water

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

2 1/2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

1/2 package of cream cheese

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

For Chocolate Frosting : Melt butter in a large saucepan; stir in cocoa, milk and vanilla until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and salt until smooth.

A BOOK FOUND AND A FAMOUS POET

2010-04-25T22:33:00.000-07:00

Another old book found tucked away. The name of the book is Standard English Classics -Carlyle's Essay On Burns, Boston, U.S.A. Ginn & Company, Publishers - The Athenaeum Press 1904. Copyright, 1897 By Charles L. Hanson. This is a book that was passed down to my mother and I had never seen it until a few months ago when my sister came across it while going through some old things. There is a name written in the book but it is not my mother's name nor her mothers. I can only guess that it must of came from my grandfathers side of the family (moms dad).

Robert Burns (Jan 25, 1759 - Jul 21, 1796) - was a famous Scottish poet who died at the age of 37 and on the very day his wife gave birth to their last son. As far back as I can remember my mother had one of his poems hanging in our dining area and now my three sisters and I have copies in our kitchens as a remembrance of our mother and our Scottish heritage.

In Scotland every January 25th is Burns Day a national holiday to celebrate the birthday of their national poet. You can read more about him and this event if you google his name. Another book for me to sit down and look at and treasure.

Migraines ~ What a pain they are

2010-04-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Last week I was down and out with a migraine headache for over four days. For those of you who have experienced one of these horrific headaches knows the pain. For those of you who have never had one consider yourself lucky. The light, sound, nausea, and even every breath you take hurts. The throbbing so intense your are too sick to even get up and go to the doctor. I have suffered from migraines and headaches since I was a teen. I am curious how many of you out there suffer from headaches or migraines and what you do to ease the pain?

Strawberries and a bug video

2010-04-16T23:36:00.000-07:00

I received an email the other day with this video about Strawberries attached. I usually give my fruit a good washing when I bring it home but.......I have to wonder if I have ever ingested any of these little critters. I have never actually seen these on a strawberry.......have you? Something to think about this weekend. Have a great one.

http://www.star-k.org/cons-appr-vegetables-videos10.htm

Birds Chirping and Camera Failure

2010-04-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

This morning I was awaken by baby birdies chirping. They have made a nest outside my bedroom window. I went to take a photo and the camera would not work. After a few days of shaking and day of rain the weather today is picture perfect 80 degrees. I feel so much better when the sun is shining. Its a wonderful day with the exception of my camera failing me.

A little shout out to my nephew who is celebrating his 23rd birthday. We will all be together tonight for a birthday celebration. Happy Birthday nephew of mine.

Eggs go Rolling

2010-04-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

Easter afternoon we were hiding plastic eggs for the big easter egg hunt for the kids when all of a sudden the eggs placed on the patio started falling; then my husband yelled did you feel that? Earthquake........yikes I stopped dead in my tracks and just froze standing there swaying back and forth waiting to see if it was going to stop or get worse. I was standing in front of the patio at my sisters house watching the eggs fall to the ground, the patio swing not only swinging back and forth but moving from side to side. The entire patio appeared to be moving from side to side. My nephew and his dad were in the front yard and said the cars were swaying back and forth and the road appeared to be rippling. Several after shocks were felt afterward. I was feeling a little dizzy after the big one. Nerves a little rattled we finished hiding the eggs and had the egg hunt. This morning around 4:00am another - I slept through that one. I have lived in California all my life and I can say this one was strong and gave me a scare.

Goodies for Easter

2010-04-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

I have spent most of the day baking goodies for our Easter get together tomorrow. A Philadelphia Vanilla Mousse Cheesecake. I found this recipe in The Home Journal magazine and thought I would give it a try.

This is the photo from the magazine. I hope it taste as good as it appears.

Then I made Lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting. My niece and nephews will like these.

Must go finish icing and decorating the cupcakes. I still have strawberries to dip in chocolate.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Sigh of Relief

2010-04-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

Feeling so much better since our son returned home safely from his 6 day trip to Washington D.C. He had a wonderful time. He said he saw and did alot in the short time he was gone. They went to three cities, went and saw many sights; took a dinner cruise and attended a play on Broadway in New York City (Mary Poppins). Took lots of photos and managed to keep track of all his electronics and had no problems with his food allergies. When I asked him what was the most interesting thing they did he said it was the Holocost Museum. No photos were allowed to be taken in this museum. This was such a great opportunity for the 8th grade students and I am so happy we let him go.

Anxiety

2010-03-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well ....I am happy to say that half of my anxiety about my sons trip to Washington D.C. is over and I am feeling much better. He called me at 3:12am to let me know the plane landed safely. When I asked him how his flight was he replied in a very tired and excited voice " Well....if you call being on a HOT plane with no air, not being able to sit by any of your classmates and having no sleep then it was fine.

This past Friday ~ Getting up early for school, coming home getting ready and getting to the airport 3 hours before their flight took off at 10:30pm and arriving at 3:12am and still having to take a 2 or 3 hour bus ride to their destination with little or no sleep. Starting their tour right away and spending all day and night until approximately 11:00 tonight no wonder why I have anxiety!! Hopefully the rush from being over excited about this trip will keep all those kids going. I am hoping the camera made it out of sons backpack and he remembered to take photos.

A Mother's Nerves

2010-03-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

Our son will be leaving soon for Washington, D.C. with his eighth grade class. I have been a nervous wreck just thinking about it. I am one of those people who always thinks "What if". I worry about the flight there, the bus rides to their destinations, their dinner cruise on the Potomac. I tell myself to stop....take a deep breath and am fine for a moment. Then I start thinking about his food allergies. Although he is very aware and leary of food he eats it scares me to think he will be eating places he has never eaten before. What if......oh gosh. He has his Epi-pen and we have gone over this a zillion times since he was two. He is a very responsible 13 year old and I know he will be just fine. I try not to show that I am worried but I can't hide that fact from my husband or my son. They tell me to stop worrying and that everything will be fine. Easier said than done. I suppose I am going to have to keep myself very busy while he is gone - maybe this is a good time to get to all those projects I have been putting off.