PLAYING WITH MY SISTER'S NEW IMAC

I'm just experimenting with importing pictures I took with the photo shop program. Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!! Until next time.....

Ciao Baby!

ZOEY'S HERE!!

Just some quick pics. Mom and Baby doing fine. 7 lbs, 9 ozs. - 20 inches, born at 8:01 today (11-29). Zach can't stand to leave her!!! We are all a bit tired! Here is my new beautiful granddaughter. Welcome, Zoey!

Until next time,

Ciao, Baby

SLOW DOWN!!!

OK, it's been busy with mostly a bunch of nothing. Been going to Zach's soccer games the last couple of weeks........it's over!!! Zach spent the night with me while JR was in Spokane. We had fun. We went bowling and it was such fun to watch Zach, he is so full of life. He gets the ball and clutches it almost like a football, runs towards the line and then lets it rip. Funny thing is, half the time he follows the ball down on his tummy. Too cute! We took Grandpa with us the next weekend. I hate to admit (ok, not really) that I beat JR by three points!!! Boy, you should have seen his face when my last ball was a strike!! He knew he was had.......therefore, lunch was his treat.

Thanksgiving was good. We went over to a friend's house and she outdid herself with a scrumptious meal. Full of fat and sodium........the scale was kind enough to remind me the next day! Humph! I didn't feel too bad though, because I may have gained two pounds, but JR gained four! After dinner, there was seven of us, we played cards and then called it a night. We had a very enjoyable day. You may be wondering where Trav, Traci, and Zach were. Well, Trav insisted that he did not want to do anything since Traci is sooooo close to delivering. After several attempts to change his mind, I figured, what the heck! JR and I had originally purchased lobster and crab legs for our Thanksgiving meal, but when we got the invitation, we figured we could have the lobster and crab legs Saturday! Anticipation.......

Now, as you all know the excitement is building and we are all on count down for the arrival of Zoey. I am getting so excited I can hardly wait. I keep thinking Traci will never make it to the 29th, she has gotten so big the last few weeks it looks like Zoey is going to explode out of her! I feel bad for her, she can barely get up and down from the sofa, and she barely fits behind the wheel of her car. She is scheduled for the C-section at 7:30. Zach is counting the days and looking forward to the arrival of his little sister. I will post pics as soon as I can after she is born.

That about sums up my last two or three weeks, so until next time.........

Ciao, Baby!

P.S. The lobster and crab legs were everything I dreamed of and more!!!

TWO WEEK UPDATE

It's been a busy two weeks. John's brother and cousin came up with their wives last weekend and we had a blast! Donny brought his rhino and his son's golf cart. Us girls managed to get about a half hours worth of riding time in on the rhino, which was more than enough! They all got in on Friday and we just kicked back at the house. Ate a lot and drank a little. JR made us a delicious dinner.....tamales (I bought those), chili colorado, beans and rice. A real Mexican feast!!!

The next morning the guys got up and took the rhino and golf cart out for a drive. When they got back, JR did his usual, made a fantastic breakfast!!!

After breakfast, the girls took command of the rhino and had ourselves an enjoyable ride around Golden Valley. It was a lot of fun, but very dusty. Susie did a great job of driving!!!

We made it home, safe and sound, and a little weather beaten. The guys somehow managed to find us and came in last!!!

The guys continued to ride the toys the rest of the day, and into the evening. The girls headed down to Laughlin for a little relaxation. The guys finally showed up at 7:00. I had an enjoyable visit with my sister-in-law at the Gourmet Room! Sunday we went to Grannys for the champagne brunch (lots of delicious seafood such as lobster, crab, oysters, shrimp, etc.) We all spent Sunday night in Laughlin gambling and dancing! It was a late night and how that group left on Monday is beyond me! I'm sure glad we only had a 20 minute ride up the hill! I took Tuesday off so I could recuperate, and I'm sure glad I did!

This weekend was a little more relaxing. We went to Zach's soccer game on Saturday, and got home around 10:30 that night. Yeah, you guessed it, a few stops, ending up at the Gourmet Room (unplanned, I swear!). We have come to know several of the locals down there and we had a wonderful time chatting with them. Today.....back to my exercising......I think I have about two pounds to work off. Also have bills to pay, accounts to log, etc. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooring!

Next weekend I am bachloretting it. John and JJ head to Spokane for a Stanford football game. It should be a nice trip as one of John's best friends lives there and they plan to meet up with him and his wife. Me.......I am having my boyfriend over and we are going to Parrrrrrrrrta'!!! You guessed it........that would be Zach! Annnnnnnnnnd, in about four weeks (November 29th, as it stands now) we will be welcoming our granddaughter, Zoey Olivia Early, into the world! I am getting soooooooooooooooooooo excited!!!! Until later,

Ciao Baby!

MAN, NEVER ENOUGH TIME

Don't have time to blog. Had company for dinner last weekend and had a great time!!! Having company this weekend (sis and brother in law and cousins). Looking forward to it. I am off until Wednesday.

So thankful the wind has died down and they are starting to get the fires under control in California. Thank God for keeping our family and friends safe, and thank God for our friends who expressed their concern because they know we have family in San Diego.

Until later,

Ciao Baby!

A HUNTIN' HE WILL GO!

OK, I wasn't going to blog this weekend as not doing anything; however, I have to tell you about JR's hunting trip.

He and his brother, Sig, get up a 5:00 A.M. and leave for the big hunt at 6:00, after scouting the area the day before. Well, he was rather irritated because he said there were a couple of guys out there with rifles and dogs, and hunting season didn't open until today. I think he really wanted to call Game and Fish on them, but figured what's the use. Well, about 8:00 A.M. I thought I heard something in the house, but figured, nah, JR can't be back this soon, must be noise outside. WRONG!!! In pops JR. He tells me that he got to the place he wanted to hunt but he couldn't get his lock off the gun! He dropped his brother off, came home and got out the directions for the lock, and got it off!! Next, he tells me that he was stopped by Game and Fish; they were just checking licenses. Well, he tells them about the two guys hunting yesterday, and they inform him that yesterday was opening day. He says, "no way" the book says October 13th." Well, he looks it up when he gets home and rightously points out that the book says opening day is October 13th. I solemnly point out that the book is for 2006-2007, and it does say October 13th. 2006!!! He then takes off again to go pick up his brother and head back out. Now about this time I'm thinking, "doesn't this just scream out that this guy shouldn't be hunting!" Off he goes, merrily on his way. Now, I have to admit, I detest guns, hate them, scared of them, and on and on. I hate to even see him go because I am scared someone will accidently shoot him. Well, after this experience, I'm kinda feeling sorry for poor Sig, who doesn't even have a gun (thank God!), but might be at a disadvantage! Really, all joking aside, JR has taken gun classes, etc. I know in my heart that the poor quail don't have much to worry about because he isn't that great of a shot! They were probably laughing their asses off when he couldn't get the lock off!!! He tells me, geez, I didn't even get to use my new boots!! Well, he arrived home three hours later. Guess what? He didn't even have one little bird!!! Told you they didn't need to worry! Until next time,

Ciao Baby!

Oh yeah, I did ask him why he didn't ask the Game and Fish people how to open the lock, and he responded that he was too embarrassed. I guess I would be too. Heck, I'd be scared they take my license away from me!!

ZACH'S 6!!!

MY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY BOY!!

Man, where does the time go? I was driving to work on Zach's birthday, thinking about the day he was born. It is always kind of bitter sweet because I always remember my parents coming up to surprise all of us. I remember my mom saying she wasn't going to miss her great-grandson's entrance into the world. I was so surprised when they called to tell me they were at the hospital. We all had such a great time, and I am so thankful for that wonderful memory. It hardly seems like it was six years ago, yet when I look at Zach I can't believe how big he has gotten! He is so full of energy and enthusiasm for life......I just love it, but the kid does wear you out!

We started the weekend out bright and early at Zach's 9 A.M. soccer game. Mind you, we have to be there at nine............it's like another workday, but a lot more fun. The game was great this weekend. Zach scored three goals. It is so fun to watch the kids, it is 40 minutes of laughter! After the game we did a little grocery shopping and then headed home to watch videos.

Sunday was Zach's birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. Wow, talk about noisy. He had a great time, as you can see below. We enjoyed it too, watching Zach with all his little friends. I think he is going to be our outgoing one. He never meets a stranger!

A calmer moment, while Zach opens a gift.

Too cute! Filthy dirty little feet, after running all over the place!

And what's a birthday without a Ninja Turtle Cake!

Zach with a few of his friends. I bet all these kids slept good last night, I know I did (oops, that was probably cuz of the drinks!)

Yes, after the birthday party, we met our friends, Jan and Jer, for happy hour, and then went over to the Tropicana to listen to the band. They were really good, but it is soooooooo hard staying awake through their breaks. We managed to make it unitil 1:00 A.M. I decided I should drive home since John drank more (no big surprise) and longer (again, no big surprise) than me. However, my night blindness hasn't improved with age. I kept my fingers crossed all the way up the hill. Thankfully, there was no traffic! You'd have to be buzzed to endure a ride up the hill with me at midnight!!!

Today, we did, ummmmmmmmmmmmm..........nothing. A lot of rest, a little exercise, and a few chores pushed over to next weekend!!!

Quail season opens on Saturday, so Hunter John is heading out early to try to get his quota of quail. I'm glad we don't have to depend on him for dinner! And, Donna, just a heads up..........................I will probably have nothing to blog next weekend, as I plan on doing absolutely nothing. Until next time......

Ciao Baby!

I'M A WINNER!!!!!

Started the weekend kind of early by going to my former boss's house for lunch. We had tater tot casserole, rolls, salad, and chocolate eclairs. It was delicious. She was famous for her tater tot casserole when we had our potlucks at work, so it was a much anticipated treat! Thanks, Pat. She shared all her computer scrapbooking ideas with us, which is something I might be interested in when I retire.

Friday, John and I took off for the Tropicana Express in Laughlin. We were entered to play in a slot tournament, WE LOST! But, it was fun. And, I may have lost the slot tournament, but I hit a ROYAL FLUSH!!! YIPPEE, FOR ME!!!

YEAP, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE!!! PRETTY, HUH? GOTTA LOVE IT!

Saturday morning we got up at the crack of dawn and went to Zach's soccer game. We always enjoy them, the kids are so cute. Trav decided to coach this year, and is doing a good job. It's not easy controlling six 5-6 year olds. The kids have a great time, and that's what counts. This week they were mostly on the ground tripping all over each other.

ZACH AND DAD, AREN'T THEY CUTE??? ZACH IS IN THE YELLOW RIGHT NEXT TO DAD.

ZACH IS IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE PICTURE - GOING AFTER THAT GOAL!!!


THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE TIME, JUST ONE BIG BUNCH OF KIDS!!!

After the game we went back to the hotel, walked to some different casinos, which took most of the day, and then got back to our hotel, verified that we had lost the tournament, (yeah, we did!), and were tucked into bed by 9:30. Got up early Sunday, came home, and got absolutely nothing done.

I came down to the basement to do my treadmill, and sat down at the computer. It is one hour later, and now I am tired, and I still have to treadmill!!!! YUK, I HATE IT!! Until later,

Ciao Baby!

NOTHING ABOUT NOTHING!

Wow, I can't think of one interesting thing to say, as we have done absolutely nothing this past week and weekend. We were supposed to go to Zach's soccer game; however, it turned windy and rainy so we decided to skip it. Travis said the field was very muddy, and all the kids wanted to do was play in it. He didn't have too successful of a coaching week this week, but, hey, they're just kids. Like I told him, it's basically just a play date at this age. John is presently watching the Charger game, which means he is screaming and hollering at every wrong move they make. Unbelievable! (and very annoying).

Zach got his progress report and got all check-plus, and checks, which is very good. He seems to have adjusted to school quite well. He will be turning 6 on October 4th. Time flies!! Baby #2 is due in another couple of months, and we are looking forward to that!!!

I've gone back to healthy eating and have dropped about 3 pounds, but would really like to lose about 10-15. Have to get ready for our trip to Aruba next May.

Next weekend John and I are scheduled to play in a slot tournament. I hope we win!!! There is a $5,000 jackpot and a $2,000 jackpot.

Other than that, nothing new. Until next time,

Ciao Baby!

WHEW! IT'S BEEN A BUSY TWO WEEKS

I have had a busy two weeks, and, am sad to say, not even a picture to post. I attended a seminar last week with Cindy, one of my co-workers. We had a great time, as we turned it into a mini-vacation. We decided to take a day off and head out early so we could cover a few shopping malls. The seminar was in Phoenix. The first day went perfect, made all our stops, didn't get lost, and we were back at the hotel by about eight. The second day we started on our venture to the shopping malls, with a stop at the Elephant Bar for lunch. Cindy mapped all this out for us, so we started our trip with about a ream of paper. Well, not to my surprise, the first thing we do is veer off course to the bead shop. She assured me it opened at nine. WRONG! Ten. Now we will be late for our first mall. She graciously offers to continue on to the mall, and skip the bead store, but hey, we're sitting right in front of it and it's 9:50 A.M. I graciously suggest we run in for about twenty minutes, which naturally turns into forty. No problem, we are on our way. The directions tell us to go towards Southern. How the heck are we supposed to know where Southern is! Nice directions, I say. She runs back into the bead shop and the girl tells her it is easier to get on 101 East and take Rural Road. Well, after about three u-turns, because we only see 101 West, and no East we decide to take 101 West. Well, lo and behold, the girl meant West! So we finally make it to our first mall. Have to drive around that a few times to find the entrance. It is one wierd mall! Get through that pretty efficiently, I must say, and we head out to Elephant Bar. Well, I'm not sure where Cindy got the address for this Elephant Bar, it was non-existent. We get to where it is suppose to be, and it is basically a vacant field in the middle of nowhere. Notorious for her sense of humor, Cindy says, "If they can put an Elephant Bar here, they can put one in Kingman!" Well, guess what, there wasn't one there! After several more u-turns (did I mention we went down a main street for 30 miles to get to this point?) I told Cindy, come on, there has to have been a freeway we could have gotten on. Anyway, we decide to forego the Elephant Bar, and just try to find the mall. Well, we continue on, find the mall after several more u-turns because our wonderful directions told us to go west off the offramp. Nope, we should have gone east! About now, I'm thinking Cindy should invest in a GPS system. Well, you won't believe this, but here sits the Elephant Bar, right across from the mall!!! We are still trying to find out where Cindy got that other address. Not bad, we are only two hours behind schedule. We had planned on being back to the hotel about 4 and watching all the other Mohave County folks check in. Well, we got back at 9:30!! Everyone was in bed!!! Thursday was our seminar, and we had a great time. Went to the casino with about five other girls, and had a blast listening to the band. The girls were all over the dance floor!!! Got home Friday and met up with John who had spent the week in San Diego. We went to Happy Hour Friday night for a little R&R and some time together. Yeah, we missed each other!


Yeah, I got a picture! Thanks, Jer


Jerry thinks he's a comedian!!!


Voodoo Lounge Rooftop

Tuesday (9-11) we left for Vegas to celebrate JR's birthday. Janet and Jerry, our friends from Mohave Valley, met us there (they stayed at Wynns) and we had a fabulous dinner at Buzios, went to the Voodoo Lounge, which is on the top of the Rio, and had a drink, then headed over to Wynns to see their water show. Jan had been wanting to catch this water show since their last visit, as they only caught the end of it last time. Guess what? They didn't catch the end, they caught the whole show, it is about five minutes long. We had a good laugh over that. We headed back to our hotel about one. The next day JR and I ran errands, and then had an early dinner at King's Fish House, as Linda and Larry were generous enough to give us gift cards for our birthdays. It was a delicious meal and we enjoyed it immensely. However, I ordered a lemon drop martini. When it came I tasted it and it was the worst lemon drop I have ever had. I figured they would know how to make it since it was advertised on their drink menu. JR suggested I send it back, but I said no, I would just drink it. Well, that was before I discovered it had a salted rim, not sugared. I said that's it, back it goes. I told JR I would not order another drink because I am always scared they will spit in it or something! Well the manager came over and apologized profusely and kept insisting I have another. Finally, I asked if the salted rim was the only mistake and he said yes. I said no thank you then, because, to be honest, the drink itself tasted like a bad margarita martini. He said how about something else, so I settled for a milky way martini, as I figured the bartender couldn't screw that up. It's basically all booze - vanilla vodka, kahula, and baileys. It was very good and I can only hope if he spit in it the alcohol killed the germs! We gambled a little at Green Valley and then headed back to the Rio. We found a nice little bar and had a couple of lemon drops, which the bartender made using our recipe. She liked them so much she said she is going to use that recipe from now on. Did I mention lemon drop martinis cost $15 at the Rio? Yep, but JR said I'm worth it! OK, he may have been a little tipsy, but that works for me. We then gambled at the bar, where JR managed to down about four shots of Patron in a relatively short time. This worked great for me, because he gets much more generous, and I was losing! He then ordered me a lemon drop martini there, and the guy made a pretty good one. JR said that one cost $200. See the more he drinks, the more valuable I get! We had a fantastic night, you know, one of those nights, where everything is funny. We hated to see it end, but end it did at 1 A.M. Hey, that's pretty good for us, we're old! Today, Costco, and home! So, as you can see, I've been a busy little bee. But, I must say I have had a great two weeks! Fun, Fun, Fun. Until later,

Ciao Baby!

P.S. I got great news this week..........my niece is pregnant! Congratulations, Megan and Tim! Did I mention they have a one year old? This should keep them on their feet, but if they get another one like Ryan, it'll be a piece of cake!

OK, WHAT DO YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT ME?

Take My Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com http://www.quizyourfriends.com/quizpage.php?quizname=070901230945-370150" target="_blank"> Can you Ace my quiz? Yes! No Let's Find Out!

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!

WHEW!

OK, here I am, still trying to adjust from my vacation, which was a week ago. I'm barely getting back into my routine.....which means I had my lemon drop last night......have to start the weekend out right!


Let's see if I can take a fast trip through the last two weeks. Below is a small birthday group at work. As you can see, we have a very short staff on Fridays. But, hey, we still know how to party. The cake, made by Little Carol (bet you can guess which one she is by the nickname) was delicious!!! It had so many things in and on it, it must have taken her hours to make! This started my vacation off with just the right kick!
Saturday we were on our way to Lawrence Welk Resort. Arrived about three o'clock, had a little happy hour, and then went to a wonderful dinner at Pechanga Resort and Casino! Shrimp Scampi for me! Gained a couple of pounds, lost a couple of bucks , and headed back to the condo. Sunday, a small group came over to help me celebrate my "real" birthday. Yep, Sunday was the real day (sorry for the confusion Bobby and Megan, who, by the way, don't seem to be privy to that info. Small suggestion.......mark your calendars!!!) We took this great self-timer group shot. Boo Hoo......no Trav, Traci, Zach, Bobby, Rachel, Caleb, or Desiree! JR made us a delicious spaghetti dinner, with a succulent (hey, I'm running out of adjectives) antipasto salad. Can a salad be succulent??? Probaby not.


We finished off that superb spaghetti dinner with a decadent chocolate cake, compliments of the Bradys, and some low-calorie, mid-calorie, and major calorie cupcakes made by my beautiful granddaughter Taylor. She explained that they were frosted accordingly.......low-cal, no frosting; mid-cal, outer edge frosting; and major cal, completely frosted. Well, it's not hard to guess which I opted for......hey, it's my birthday, it's my birthday.....I know, you're all pretty sick of that little diddy!

Don't I look happy??? I couldn't have asked for a better birthday!

We continued our week at Lawrence Welk with a trip to the wineries. We decided it would be more fun if we liked wine, but hey as you can see from the pics below, we made the best of it!
Donna and Taylor thought they would orchestrate a shot.......but, hey, let's face it......they had a darn good potographer!
Taylor found the cheery little wine maker, and, as you see below, Donna and I found the bar!!

Cindy, from work, told me about this fabulous winery (Wilson Winery) where they put your taste of champagne in dark chocolate EDIBLE cups. Naturally, this was a must for Donna and I, who happen to be chocoholics. Believe me, it did not disappoint. And, for Taylor, they filled her cup with sparkling cider! Not so good for the diet, since we indulged in two of these tastes!

Wednesday, it was off to the races. OK, didn't make much money there, but had a great time! Thursday, Donna and I visited the mall and did a little power shopping. Friday to the movies to see Bourne Ultimatum, and then over to the the Indian Casino (Pala) where I actually made a few bucks for a change!

Saturday we left for home, and would have gotten there at a decent hour if we hadn't decided to meet our friends, Janet and Jerry, at Happy Hour (yes, it should be capitalized, it's important!). Then from Happy Hour, where, by the way, I got turned onto a new drink......they call it a Cherry Martini, but what it is, is cherry flavored rum with a splash of grenadine. I will be on a new quest for these ingredients soon, it was off to dinner, a little gambling, and home at ten!!!

Now, this Friday, my three good friends from work and I had our annual birthday party celebration. Cindy and Carol prepare a special feast for Barb and I. As you can see below we had a great time. We have done this for about four years now, and it is a good time with great friends and luscious food. Cindy made us a wonderful chicken enchilada casserole, and taco salads. Carol topped it off with my favorite dessert............brownies, ice cream and hot fudge. A good time was had by all!

Cindy had set this gorgeous table for us!



The girls were having a fit while I was trying to get this picture...........THEY WERE HUNGRY...ESPECIALLY LITTLE CAROL!


Is this to die for, or what??? What a creation, and we each get to create our own!!!

So, as you can see, life is grand. This weekend is R&R, and catching up!!! Hey, good for me! I FINALLY GOT A LIFE, AND IT'S FUN!! Until later...

Ciao, Baby!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! AUGUST 12, 19??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY-----------JUST IN CASE YOU ALL FORGOT!!! TEE HEE

I'VE BEEN CELEBRATING ALL WEEK AT WORK!! THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE SO NICE AND THOUGHTFUL................THEY'RE THE GREATEST!

Until next time,

Ciao Baby!

HELP PICK MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S NAME

Trav put a poll on his blog site to help them choose a name for the baby. Please go cast your vote at:

ttzearly.blogspot.com or click on their link from this site.

Unfortunately, we can't add our own suggestions. If you have one, though, you can place it on my blog. But, please cast a vote on theirs, using the names they have chosen. I'm not sure our opinions will mean diddly squat.......but who knows, if your name wins, you'll think it's because of you!

Thanks for the help,

Until later,

Ciao Baby!

IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE ALL ABOUT ME, BUT....

Just a little useful info first (it goes with the pic) [I've never made one before, but have drank a few]:

Lemon Drop Martini

2 ounces vodka

1 ounce Triple Sec

2 ounces Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix

1 teaspoon superfine sugar

2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Ice cubes

Superfine sugar for dipping

Twisted peel of lemon

Place the sugar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Swirl the shaker around so that both ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Add ice cubes. Add the vodka, triple sec and margarita mix, and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass. Pour strained liquor into sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a twisted peel of lemon.

NOTE: To create a sugar-rimmed glass, take a lemon wedge and rub the drinking surface of the glass so it is barely moist. Dip the edge of the glass into sugar. (This is the best part, make sure and do it)
Makes 1 serving.

HEY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE MY BLOG IS INFORMATIVE, AS WELL AS ENTERTAINING!

OK, I've just about had it. JR is beginning to steal my thunder, and I don't like it one little bit. Yes, he has turned into the big winner in the family! It seems that lately, everytime we go gambling, he wins, and I don't. Now most of you who know me, know that I have always been pretty darn lucky and win most of the time. Well, it seems the tides have shifted, and something appears to be screwed up in this cosmic universe......John's winning and I'm not! You know, I was actually happy for him the first couple of times, but now it is really starting to get on my nerves, and the more he wins, the more he wants to keep gambling. Hello..................did you notice I'm not winning............you are starting to cost me money............worse yet, he doesn't seem to care. Well, I shall keep contemplating this lastest delimma, and try to figure out what "fun" thing I can do while he continues to gamble. My wife-in-law suggested drinking more lemon drop martinis, and it's starting to sound like a pretty good idea! So, this about covers my Friday night, except that we did have a very nice time meeting our friends for drinks at the Gourmet Room. I decided to start celebrating my birthday a little early, thus the reason for even drinking the lemon drops, as well as the cranberry martini, and the sea breeze. Hey, when you're sitting right in front of the bartender watching him make the drinks, you figure you might as well try a few. And the appetizer of mussels..........out of this world...........all in a wonderful garlic butter sauce. Boy, all of a sudden it just hit me.......how many pounds do you think this put on?

Oh, here's an interesting fact..........you can't get a battery for a Passat in this entire area. Yes, my battery went out and I purchased one at Sam's Club which was listed to fit a Passat. Well, the Passat manual says to make sure the dimensions are exactly the same as the original battery. When we got home, they weren't. We called several places, no one carries batteries for a Passat. So we called the dealer in Henderson and they said "$121!" I said, "John, it is time for your Mexican ingenuity to kick in (he's good at that). He said he could get it to fit, but he hated to start jacking up my car that way. I told him as along as there is no permanent damage, go for it. Well, he has the battery in, it works just fine, and eveyone is happy (at least, until the smaller battery comes flying out of the car!)

Now, most of you who know me, know that I roller skate (quads) and had an unfortunate accident when I first got my new skates about 1-1/2 years ago. Flew up in the air and come down hard on concrete. The wheels move when you are tyring to stand still......what's up with that? Well, I have been trying to figure out a way to slow them down ever since then, and have gotten really serious since my back and hip have been hurting. I decided the reason my hip hurts so bad is because I'm scared to death I'm going to fall again! Well after emailing a couple of skating places, about changing out the bearings, etc., one of them suggested I tighten the wheels. Who in the heck knew you could do that, for crying out loud!!! Well, guess what? Problem solved, it was an absolutely genuis idea!!! They are much slower now, which works for me, hey, what's the use of using them to exercise if you barely have to push with your legs......this will be better all the way around.

Did you all know that Traci (daughter-in-law) had her ultrasound and the baby is definitely a girl, which it well should be for the price!!! They want to take the baby on the day after Thanksgiving, but so far Traci is having none of that. I'm not sure why, but we shall see. Our older son said to remind his brother that there are a lot of football games on that day, but I surely don't think that would be Traci's reason. I have now probably given her incentive to let them go ahead and take the baby the day after Thanksgiving!!

Tomorrow we go out to lunch with Trav, Traci, and Zach. Then, guess what, JR wants to gamble! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Zach is starting school on Monday, so he is excited about that!! I'm anxious to see how he likes it, as he will be going five days a week, 9 to 2. Long day for a little kid.

We leave on Saturday for the condo at Lawrence Welk. I am so looking forward to it. I just have to make it through 32 hours more of work, and then I am out of here for some rest and relaxation!!! I can hardly wait. The only bummer this year is that Trav, Traci, Zach, Bobby, Rachel, and Caleb will not be joining us. We will miss them......we may be a bit dysfunctional, but we all love each other. Oh well, we will have Megan, Tim, and Ryan, so there is still enough people to get on each other's nerves. We will be touring some of the wineries in Temecula and hitting the Del Mar Races. Other than that, no plans, just whatever the heck we want to to. Taylor will be coming up to spend a few days, so we are excited about that.

Wow, I better go start packing!

Until later,

Ciao Baby!

WEDDING PICTURES

Priscilla and part of Josh (Hey, they walked too fast and my camera was too slow)
The Brothers

The Sisters-in-law

John and Linda

Donny, Elaine & DJ

Melody, Lynda, Marlynda, Mike

The Brothers and Cousins

Our Table (those gorgeous rose are all real!)

The Bride and Groom

Bride and Dad

Bride, Mom and Dad

It was a blast,

Until next time,

Ciao Baby!