Our Crazy Arizona Family

Visiting Family in Prescott

2012-01-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks before Christmas, I was able to drive Aranna up to Prescott for a visit. She stayed a couple of days and Norm brought her back down and I visited for the afternoon and returned home since I had to work the next day. Baby Kale seen here is about 3 weeks old.

Hayden warmed up to me and we got to chat by the Christmas Tree.

Phil and Marissa's house was decorated so cute for Christmas. Here's thier tree.

Granaran got lots of baby Kale time.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I thoroughly enjoyed the season this year. Here's a pic of us and our babies by the fireplace on Christmas day.

Here's a pic of all of us on Christmas Day. Top from Left to right: Florence, Slavin holding Callin, Michelle holding Ava, Matt, Mollie, Mark, April, Richard. Bottom from Left to right: Norm holding baby Kale, Phil, Marissa, Corky, Jace Arrana holding Hayden, Jimmy and Mel

Aranna with her great-grandbabies. Ava was not into it at all!

The kiddos made out like bandits!

Oreo Truffel Balls- 3 ingredients~!

2011-12-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

It's Christmas Eve! A most excellent recipe here for you! Oreo Truffles! All you need is:

1 package of oreos (processed into fine crumbs)

1 brick of cream cheese at room temp

1 package of chocolate chips (feel free to use white chocolate chips or meltable bark to coat the balls

Mix the oreo crumbs with the cream cheese, then chill, Roll the dough into equal size balls. Place the rolled balls on cookie sheet coated with waxed paper and freeze them for at least 30 minutes. Then melt the chocolate for coating, drop the frozen balls in the chocolate to coat and place back on waxed paper, decorate as necessary.

Clean Christmas Dogs

2011-12-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

To get our furry children ready for Santa, we took them to the dog wash today. We have been going to the dog wash for the last couple of years and today I took my camera and got some pics.

For about $8.00 we can wash both dogs. The nice part about this is that it's close to home and the only supplies we bring is a wash mitt and towels, There is even a blow dryer for them there.

The dogs love going to the dog wash!

Rosie likes to bite the blow dryer so I had to restrain her.

Holy Jalopeno!

2011-12-03T20:15:00.002-07:00

Well, we just harvested a crop of Jalapenos. This plant was planted back in April with the rest of our garden. The light green peppers in the basket are Asian Peppers and that plant is still going strong as well. I made salsa last night for Mollie with a few of the Jalapenos. I used 4 pounds of Roma tomatoes, 1 onion, cilantro, salt, pepper and 4 roasted jalapenos. Youza it was HOT! James kept eating it, even though his lips were on fire! Thinking about making another batch of salsa for gifts. I have some jars, cute holiday ribbon, thought I would give it a go.

Happy Turkey Day

2011-11-25T19:55:00.003-07:00

We had a nice turkey day with the family. I am embarrassed that this is the only pic I have of the day. We had 10 people for dinner and we all sat at one table. Next time I need to recruit a photographer..... It's difficult to cook and clean AND take pictures. Can't wait for the Akins to post pics of the new family member that was born ON THANKSGIVING!

4 Years, 4 Months and 4 Days After

2011-11-17T20:00:00.002-07:00

On 11/11/11, James and I celebrated (not really), rather we realized we had been married exactly 4 years, 4 months and 4 days. When we went on our honeymoon we visited the Kauai Coffee Plantation. We bought a burlap sack and finally decided to get it framed. Here it is! We have it prominently displayed and absolutely love that it says '2007' on it.

Love my babies

2011-10-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

Now that we have wood floors, the pups who are the royalty of comfort, cuddle together on their dog bed. We have 2 dog beds that usually stay in their room. We put one in the living room and here they are.

It's so hard to resist a photo opp like this.

They are so cute.

After I took the first pic Rosie sat up and snarled at me. She likes to get up when I get the camera out for her close up. Oh and also if you look closely, you can see a CLEAN firebox as we got our chimney swept yesterday. We have wood, a clean chimney and all we need now is cool weather.

Prayers Needed

2011-10-23T14:42:00.001-07:00

Last week, my dear friend Jill emailed her closest family and friends about what was going on with her 2 year old daughter. Unfortunately the news was not good. It is with a heavy heart that I write this on the blog. I am hoping you take this information and pray for 2 year old Emma, her mom Jill and her dad Dan. Emma was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in her pelvic area and lungs. She started chemotherapy last week. I cannot fathom what Jill and her family are going through. They have set up a caring bridge website for her click here

Emma was also mentioned in an article on MLB click here

Click here to see pics from when I got to see Jill, Emma and Michelle for a quick visit

It is hard for me to wrap my brain around why and how this could happen to a sweet, innocent 2 year old. So most other things seem trivial compared to this. I think about Emma, and her parents daily. I pray that God will keep them strong and remove the cancer that has invaded her small body. Please do the same.

Sometimes, you gotta toot your own horn

2011-10-19T20:37:00.004-07:00

I was excited to recieve the manager of the quarter award last week. This is the 3rd time I have recieved this award and I was very surprised. My team celebrated bosses day with a sweet card, flowers and lunch for me. I felt ver special on Sunday. This is our white board at work (I blurred my last name since this website is public and for other obvious reasons). I have the best team and my recognition is their recognition. We have definitely celebrated our successes and I am so proud of them.

Before, During and After

2011-10-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

Here are the stairs before the carpet was ripped out. The walls and banisters had aleready been repainted.

Here's the carpet in the dining room. Not a smart idea to have carpet right under the dining table.

Living room with the same light colored carpet, a nightmare if you have dogs, kids, etc.

During! The crew arrived on Monday and immediately got to work. It took 3 men, 3 days to complete the project. We were thinking about doing the work ourselves but after it was all said and one, we are so happy we got the crew to demo/install everything. This picture shows the underlayment that was placed between the concrete and the wood.

Brazilian Cherry wood. So rich looking.

We are trying to get everything back to normal. It's been a slow process since we have been working so much.

Here's a good pic of what it looks like. We are still going to be tweaking our wall art, etc. It's very clean and we have already invested in a dust mop. I have the best steam mop but unfortunately we cannot use that on the wood, only the tile. We are looking forward to have friends and family over to see our new 'place'.

Like Peas and Carrots

2011-10-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Phoenix and Rosie are canine soulmates. These buddies are so sweet, I just adore them. They are the best guard dogs, you wouldn't tell by this picture but my money is on them if a bad guy were to cross them.

Whimsical Evans/Akin Wedding

2011-09-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

We trekked up to Flagstaff on 8/19 to celebrate the marriage of Alex Akin and Abby Evans that took place on 8/20 at 10:30 Am. It was a most beautiful day. Abby and Alex are a beautiful couple and had such a fun wedding.

Life's a Beach!

2011-09-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I spent an overcast day at the Beach in Oxnard. The beaches there are quiet, clean and familiar. We both fell asleep on the beach listening to the waves. There was also this random guy on a horse with a colt following him. Jimmy also explored down by the power plant and saw a dead dolphin on the shore, that was sad. We always enjoy our beach time and look forward to going back!

VINO anyone?

2011-09-07T21:28:00.001-07:00

I am barely getting this blog post up after about a month. Jimmy and I went to Santa Ynez and went wine tasting. We visited 6 Vineyards in this order: Gainey, Buttonwood, Bridlewood, Fess Parker, Firestone and Zaca Mesa. The first 3 we have been to before and are our faves. Buttonwood also has a peach orchard with the largest, yummiest and juciest peaches. We stopped at Trader Joes in Westlake and packed a pic nic. One thing I love about California is everywhere we went, THERE WAS A TRADER JOES, or a Gelsons, or a Bristol Farms, or a Whole Foods! Our first stop was Gainey and they had a beautiful pic nic area overlooking the vineyard. Firestone is a new fave, their tasting room and folks working are awesome. The region has probably about 20 more wineries/tasting rooms that we could have visited. Last Sunday we had Bridlewood's six barrell syrah. SO GOOD.

Fess Parkers

The lawn area outside of Fess Parker

More Fishing

2011-08-28T16:20:00.001-07:00

Jimmy went fishing yet again on a boat called the Erna B out of Channel Islands Sportfishing in Oxnard. He had a ball and even said that he is done fishing in San Diego. He said that the crew was nice, helpful and professional. He caught more than his quota so he was able to pass all of the fish that he caught to the crew and other fisherman on the boat. He did the full day trip from 7a-4p and can't wait to go again.

More California Vacation

2011-08-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night we went to the Terranea resort for some live music and dinner.

On Sunday, we went out on the boat for Tam's birthday. She got this idea to borrow this kayak from a friend and we would tow it and then her and I would get in it and paddle to the shore where the terranea resort is for bloody marys. Too bad there isn't picture evidence of the story I am about to tell you.

We only had 1 oar and it wasn't even the correct kind. The kayak flipped us into the ocean twice in deep water and the 2nd time I freaked out. We were in a kelp bed and the kelp all over my legs was freaking me out. We got back on the boat then decided to go tubing! It was fun but I was happier in the boat rather than on the kayak or tube.

Jimmy and Pierre go fishing

2011-08-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and Pierre went fishing and there's about a 1/2 dozen pics just like this with Jimmy grinning from ear to ear because he caught fish after fish. I know him and Pierre had a great time.

Hanging with Sebastian!

2011-08-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

When we got to Cali on our first day of vacation, we got to Tam and Pierre's and took a nice nap, taking in the ocean air. Both Tam and Pierre had work stuff going on so James and I got to hang with Sebastian. We went to the park, took some pics at home and really just enjoyed this little buddy. He is going to be 5 in November and I am so impressed with how thoughtful and loving he is.

Picture bonanza

2011-08-14T13:36:00.003-07:00

Here's some random pics from our vacation. We brought 2 cameras plus each of our cell phones and I can tell you we took 1/2 as many photos as we normally do. We had a fab vacation and the picture here shows Tito's Salsa, guac and chips before it was devoured! It was soooo good.

The first day we arrived, we got to spend some quality time with Sebas! He is such a sweet little buddy. In the first 3 years of his life, his nickname was psycho-Sebas but he has definitely out-grown that name. He was such a trooper and a thoughtful, loving munchkin!

More Titos. Sunday, was Tam's birthday and we had an adventure on the boat. This cake was with us the ENTIRE trip and the turbulence definitely got to it.

We went to the Ventura county fair again and had a great time. It was $3 before 3pm so it was PACKED. We only stayed about 5 hours but that gave us time for some awesome shopping at the outlest and a fab meal at wood ranch in camarillo! LOVED IT!

Pig race

2011-08-10T20:31:00.001-07:00

Jimmy and I have been enjoying our vacation in Socal. The weather couldn't be better, the shopping has been fab, the food has been fresh and amazing and we are enjoying the company too. Check out this grainy cell phone video from the Ventura County Fair. We always enjoy the pig races. We also saw something called Mutton bustin. If you haven't seen it, you are missing out. This is insane- kids ages 3-5 and under 50 pounds, ride a sheep as far as they can and even earn $$ for scholarships! I so wish I would have video taped this for your viewing pleasure. It is unlike anything you have ever seen.

Dodgers Vs. D-backs

2011-07-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

My wonderful husband bought tickets for us to go see my favorite team play his favorite team. We always have fun with the rivalry and last May when we went, we were actually on TV. The Dodgers won the game so it was a good one. It was the first game right after the all star game so the stadium and city were still decked out! A fun time was had by all!

Farewell Sam!

2011-07-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

We were happy to be able to spend some time with Sam in late June/ early July. It is always sad to see this guy leave. Jimmy, me and his girlfriend Danielle all packed in the car to drive to the airport. We love and miss you Sam! Get home safe and sound!

All-Star Game Central

2011-07-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Seems like forever ago since I was need deep in MLB! It was only 10 days ago. It was pretty cool to have the MLB All-Star game downtown. We got tickets to fanfest and got to check that out. We've been blessed to be busy at work. The hotel was decked out.

Garden gone Rogue

2011-07-11T21:51:00.002-07:00

Since it's been about 150 degrees outside for more than 3 weeks straight, James has given up on the garden. After work today, we went swimming and I noticed one of these monster zucchinis peeking out from the side of the garden. The tomatos also exploded. What is pictured here is just a portion of what I picked today. I also cut down the yellow pear heirloom tomato plan as well. I am hoping that it will bounce back. These Zucchini are by far the largest we have picked so far. By neglecting the garden, this is what we get! Funny that last night when I was at the grocery store I BOUGHT TOMATOS! Guess I should have consulted the garden first.

The Sweet Life

2011-07-07T20:56:00.002-07:00

Jimmy told me last week that for 4th of July he wanted me to make pulled pork sandwiches (the same ones from Matt's birthday with the jalopeno slaw) and carrot cake. Heck! I love to cook and I was happy to make this happen. It is 150 degrees outside so I wasn't thrilled about turning on my oven but it ws worth it. Here's some pics of the carrot cake prep and click here if you want to see pics and info about the pulled pork sandwiches.

On another note, today is our 4th wedding anniversary. Yep, 4 years of wedded bliss! Want to see highlights of the historic day? Click here

Rosie found something that bit back

2011-07-03T11:58:00.001-07:00

We woke up on Friday morning and Rosie's face had puffed up from some sort of bug bite. We don't know what exactly got her but her little face was swollen hard. We got her some doggy allergy pills at walmart that we have used before for Phoenix. James also put a warm washcloth on her face, which she loved. It didn't seem that she was in pain because she still her spunky self. By bedtime her face was completely back to normal. When we got home from camping, the dogs were beyond exhausted. They laid down in the office on their beds and didn't move for 8 hours! James and I did the same, except we were on the couch!

Happy Campers?

2011-07-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I headed up to Lynx lake in Prescott on 6/30. We arrived early to get a camping spot. Thank goodness we did this because this is a first come, first served campground. We got an awesome spot with lots of shade and we set up the tent, the shower shelter that we borrowed from a friend from work. We spent 2 nights there. We would have stayed longer if it was cooler and if we could have used the camp fire bowl provided. We brought the dogs and they did pretty good but Rosie got bit by something and her face swole up (next post). We had a portable toilet that we were able to use inside the shower room and we were also able to take showers even though there were no facilities since we had a couple of camp shower solar bladders. We ate well, making meals using my parent's old coleman camp stove. The first night we had burgers, pasta salad and 2 bottles of wine. The next day, I made breakfast burritos and for dinner we had NY steaks with mashed potatoes, baked beans and green beans and more wine.

The first night I woke up around midnight to noise of someone or something rifling through stuff at our campsite. I woke Jimmy up so he could see what it was and get it to stop. We were being overcome by SKUNKS going nuts in the trash bag. We learned that before bed, we should move the trash to higher ground and slept much better the 2nd night.

We are looking forward to doing a lot more camping. We love the shower shelter and if you're like me that is a must! A 5 gallon shower bag was enough for both Jimmy and I to take a shower with. We have a few things on our wish list to complete our camp surplus.

Happy Birthday Mollie

2011-07-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

June's Birthdays continue! Mollie's Birthday brought the 5 of us together for an impromptu, quick weeknight dinner. Mollie wanted to go to Olive Garden and this may be the only picture of the 5 of us together since Christmas. Mollie asked if I would make her salsa for her birthday. I was so honored that she liked the salsa that I made so much that she wanted more. Sooooo- I made salsa for her. No pics of that but I did use a jalopeno from our garden and whew- it was SPICEY!

Happy Birthday Matt!

2011-06-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome BBQ for Matt yesterday. He turned 30! About a week and a half before his big day, he sent me an e-mail asking me to do a BBQ for him. I made pulled pork sandwiches with the best spicy slaw. I also had a fruit salad, a veggie tray, summer sangria adn the rest of the fixings. Matt said it was the best birthday he's had in a long time!

Some sweet decor!

The 3 Musketeers. Jimmy decided to keep the shades on for the pic, despite my pleading.

YUM~! I am craving these NOW! Click here for the recipe. I used jalopenos from our garden.

The luau themed party would not be a luau without the drinks with umbrellas!

Jimmy got Matt a sweet smoker grill!

A pinata stuffed with candy!

We improvides on the pinata and Matt swung at it home run derby style!

Happy Birthday Grannaran!

2011-06-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

Callin and Ava were so happy to celebrate Grannarans birthday with her. Callin even got to blow out the candle on the cake! We had a festive family barbecue complete with smoked tri tip and all the fixins. The only thing we didn't get to do was go swimming. Maybe next time.

Happy Fathers Day

2011-06-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Phoenix and Rosie wished Jimmy a Happy Father's day on Sunday, 6/19 with kisses and love. We got the mist system running just in time for blazing temps. If you look closely in this pic you can see Jimmy getting soaked. I was enjoying it thoroughly. We had the whole family over as it was also Aranna's Birthday- that's the next post.

D-backs vs. White Socks

2011-06-21T20:23:00.002-07:00

Jimmy and I got to see the D-backs play the White Socks last Saturday. We met up with our friends, the Wilke's. It was great to see them and catch up. The D-backs lost that game but we did manage to get these shots after the game. Pretty soon it will be All-Star central around here. Better enjoy the calm before the storm!

Welcomed Invader

2011-06-17T09:20:00.002-07:00

Our Garden has reached it's peak and we now have this guy. I think it's sunflower. WE DIDN'T PLANT SUNFLOWERS. But that's okay. It sprouted up amongst the monstrous zucchini plants that are STILL PRODUCING! Want some zucchini? Let me know. I also have the most beautiful tomatos coming out of my ears. I want to make some salsa with those. Up next: Homegrown, homemade salsa.

Caprese Salad

2011-06-14T19:24:00.002-07:00

I have had this for dinner for the last 2 nights. If you grow your own tomatoes and basil, this is a MUST. I sliced the tomatoes and chopped the basil, added the mozzarella, drizzled it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and seasoned it with salt and pepper.

Here's a pic of the raw materials. Our little garden has been producing like crazy. We are worried that now that it's heating up, our crop will die. James has put so much sweat and effort into it and we are learning what to do better/different next year. We are toying with the idea of building boxes to grow a garden in.

Perfecting Eggrolls

2011-06-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

Asian Smorgasbord

2011-06-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, we had an asian potluck. Friends came over and brought asian dishes and I made eggrolls and vietnamese noodles. I was pretty impressed with them and I have a batch of filling marinating as I write this. My step mom taught me how to make her recipe when her and my dad visited in March. Here's some pics.

Phoenix gets snipped

2011-06-05T21:28:00.002-07:00

Guess who?

2011-06-04T10:16:00.001-07:00

It's Rosie and ........ Nope that's not Phoenix. That's Dolce, one of Phoenix and Rosie's puppies that were born in December of '07 (I think). She is a gorgeous boxer that looks so much like Phoenix. She's big like Phoenix and just so precious! Phoenix was absent (locked up in the bedroom) so these two could play. James didn't want Phoenix to get over stimulated after his neuter surgery last Wednesday. Phoenix is recovering well and him and Rosie and sleeping lazily as I write this.

Happy Summer!

2011-06-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

The pool is still a little too chilly for me to get into it. The kids came over and wanted to test it out for themselves. Ava LOVES the camera and her new sunglasses. Callin was too busy to look at the camera. They are both getting so big.

Comicon

2011-05-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

Memorial day weekend now means downtown is transformed into zombies walking the street, princess leah look alikes, darth vader, hell boy, star trek and most super heros, comic book villains, etc will be found on the streets in downtown Phoenix.

My assistant Sasa and I sporting our spock ears

James with the batman villain the penguin....

More baby shower pics

2011-05-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Monica and her adorable son Sebastian

Angie and Cari

Such a cute diaper cake that Molly made for Angie

Angie had the cutest little helper during the opening of gifts

High School reunion time! Megan, Angie, Mel and Monica. We missed you Mandy!

What a cute little baby bump Angie has!

Baby Shower Bonanza

2011-05-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I had the priviledge of having my dear friend Angie's baby shower at the house. It was a great team effort. Check out that beautiful fruit bowl I made....

Megan did the decorations and made those cool tissue paper balls

The baby clothes hanging were actually worn by Angie when she was first born

Mandy did the favors- so cute!

I bought the cake from nothing bundt cakes! SO YUMMY!

Cari brought these containers for the punch

Cari did most of the food and Mandy did the meat and cheese trays. Next post: Some pics of the mom-to-be with the rest of us!

Nature's Bounty

2011-05-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

This was yesterdays 'loot' from the garden!!! Radishes, tomatoes(the green ones were knocked off the vine by the dogs and we are hoping they ripen), 2 more gargantuan zucchini's that I shredded for zucchini bread. I also tried my hand at zucchini pancakes. I wasn't thrilled with those.... I also found a recipe for zucchini chocolate cake, which I cannot wait to make. The zucchini bread came out AMAZINGLY!

Construction Crew

2011-05-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

James came home with a 14 page print out titled, "Make your own Planting Station". He said, "I thought we could build this. I affirmed that we could certainly try and so we went to home depot and got everything on the list. He's been itching to get this awesome miter saw out of the box and put it to use so here it is.

Here's the happy builder in action. Note the sweet apron he's wearing!

After I took pics of him and set the camera down, he thought he'd give mea taste of my own medicine.

I put the camera down and didn't really do a great job getting step by step pics of our master piece but as you can see, he's putting the leg supports on in this pic.

Here's the finished project. If you would like to try your hand at this project, click HERE to get the pics and plans. I have to admit it was a lot easier than I thought. If we can do it, I am pretty sure anyone can. I get the sweet job of reading the instructions then telling hubby what he/we need to do next. I am feeling really proud of our accomplishment today. Now James has an outdoor workbench for all his projects.

Projects and Protesters

2011-05-23T20:53:00.002-07:00

Yep, home depot seems to be a weekly spot for us. Jimmy decided he wanted to try his hand at a project so here's the raw materials. We also got a bunch of wood screws, wood glue, and another couple of pieces of wood. I will keep what we are building a secret until the next post. I will just tell yout that it is supposed to take 3 hours to build and we are going to try it tomorrow. I will make sure to take pics before, during and after the project. Hopefully there are no casualties like thier were last weekend with the shed. We have a long list of directions to keep us on track so this should be interesting.....

I was inside the other day, looked out and saw Rosie in the pool. She loves the first step and she gets in a drinks the water. Her and Phoenix have fresh water, under the patio but they prefer to drink pool water. Makes me wonder what all those chemicals are doing to thier brains.

Zucchini, Zucchini and more zucchini

2011-05-19T21:16:00.001-07:00

Well, you can see here that we got more fruit today. They are huge and there are many more cooking up on that vine outside! I shredded some for zucchini bread. It's in the oven now and it is smelling great!

Dry ingredients, lots of cinnamon and other regular bread type stuff like flour, baking powder, soda, etc.

Here's the batter. Yep, 2 of these bad boys. I'll most likely take them to work. Sharing is caring right? Any more zucchini ideas? I will definitely do what Charlotte suggested: shred the zucchini, freeze it in cup or 2 cup measured batches for use later and she said she had a chocolate cake recipe with zucchini. Oh yeah- can't wait to try that! I will most likely bring some of these zucchini to work also since I will definitely not be needing 100 cups of zucchini in the freezer! Any takers?

Latest creations and multipications

2011-05-17T20:15:00.003-07:00

Baking makes me happy. It seems to make others around me happy when I bake too. The banana bread is my specialty. The cookies are called crisp oatmeal cookies. There's oatmeal, coconut and chocolate chips and they are the perfect mix of crisp and chewy. It does not get much better than these babies.

The previous post has 2 of these. We ate 1 with dinner and we picked 2 more. THEY ARE MULTIPLYING and we have enough zucchini to share. I wish the state fair was next week because I would enter one of these to win the largest veggie contest! Do you or anyone you know want a zucchini? I thought about making zucchini bread. Any other ideas for zucchini? These guys are huge and there are more out of the vine. The tomato plants are just teaming with fruit that will hopefully ripen on the vine soon then I will be showing you pics and hoping you write a comment so that I can give you some home grown tomaters.

More beautifully yummy cookies. Feel free to leave a comment with some zucchini ideas or offering to take some of these off my hands!

First Harvest

2011-05-15T07:12:00.002-07:00

HUGE Zucchini!

Store bought Zucchini, not looking as awesome as our home grown!

James and I check out our garden daily. I have been looking at our zucchini and telling James a couple of them are ready to be picked! Finally this morning, he picked these two beauties. The plants are teaming with fruit. The tomato plants are huge, the zuchini plants probably have 10 more zucchini growing. I can tell you that there are none as big as these in the store! I cannot wait for the cherry tomatoes to ripen on the vine. We also have yellow pear heirloom tomatoes that are growing like crazy. So, now I have to incorporate these beauties into a recipe.

Puppy Love

2011-05-01T08:05:00.002-07:00

Phoenix is smiling

It's been a while since I have graced you with a needy boxer blog post.

Rosie loves to pose for pics

We got home from vacation and Phoenix and Rosie made it known that they weren't happy that we had left them. The next day, they had forgotten all about it. We took them to the dog wash, which they love. If I remember I will take pics of it next time we go.

In the Garden

2011-04-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I decided to put a college effort toward a garden this year. We have had one before but the last couple of years, we just never did it before it got BLAZING hot. About 4 weeks ago, Jimmy tore out the old bushes that lined our back fence. God only knows how long those things were there- the roots were DEEP and long. He tilled up the flower bed, got rid of the weeds and we planted: yellow heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes (my fave), bush goliath tomatoes, jalopenos, asian hot peppers, wax beans, radishes, zucchini, mint (has been growing like a week for 3+ years now), basil, parsley and Thai basil. Jimmy completely redid the drip system to ensure everything is well hydrated. We have room for more but don't think we will be adding anything. I would like to add more cherry tomatoe plants though.... Maybe I can sneak more of those in before too long.

The tomato cage there with the white tag is the yellow heirlooms- can't wait to try these! I hope caprese salad is in my future!

Zucchini, you can see the flower below- we already have a 4 inch zucchini

Bush Goliath tomato, already have 6 young tomatos growing

Life in the barracks

2011-04-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

A Sailor and his dad

On our way to check out his room, Mollie looked at the picture and said, "dad you're short".

Cleaning up the place so he will pass inspection

Sam was not thrilled that I was taking pics

After Easter with the Martin's, we headed back to Bethesda to check out Sam's room. He had a roommate and now he doesn't. He shares a bathroom with the guy in the room next door. After 9/11 when bases were restricted to Military personnel, I feel like I shouldn't be there. But we drove right on a few times. We got to see Sam's room, etc. The first picture above has a grey suburban in the background, that my friend, belongs to Sam. We weren't lucky enough to get to take a ride in it but the Ford Edge we rented, did the job just fine!

Easter in Virginia

2011-04-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

Jean had such a spread- Ham, scalloped potatoes, cole slaw, baked beans, corn caserole, roles, Everything was so yummy!

Jimmy and Jean

Jean and Sam

Jean has 3 springer spaniels and they were so lovable

Jimmy, Mel, Sam, Joe, Jean and Gary

Jimmy with Harley, Rex and Ava the springer spaniels

We feel so blessed that Jean invited us over to her home for Easter Dinner. She has such a beatiful home and she put together a most delicious meal! We drove from Bethesda to Bristow Virginia, which was about 45 minutes. We hope that Sam gets to spend time with them while he is stationed in MD.

More DC Fun!

2011-04-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Michelle and Barrack!

Look close and you can see reflections on the Trolley

Air and Space Museum

Wishing we could go inside.... But the line is LONG!

Sam doesn't need a jacket!

You can see the Capitol from the Trolley stop

We decided to try the Trolley and see more stuff. Sam had a bout with food poisoning so on Saturday we wanted to see the sights with him. We got a cool tip to get on the trolley where you can hop on and hop off. Jimmy and I want to come back in the winter time when it's not prime tourist season. The crowds were unbearable at times but we still had fun

Mel and Jimmy Venture out to DC

2011-04-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

Just got off the metro and this is what we saw

WWII Memorial wasn't here the last time I was here

Lincoln Memorial is a fave- very crowded that day

American History Museum- Julia Child's kitchen. I LOVED IT!

Jimmy took a great pic- love that you can see the Museum entrace in the distance

Fountain outside HRB

We hopped on the train and headed toward DC. We walked and walked and got to see some great stuff. We saw the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, The Korea Memorial, We walked to the American History Museum. The weather was perfect, cold at times rained a little but we can't complain. We wanted to see so much that day- and we ended up heading there again on Saturday- see the next post!

Got Crabs?

2011-04-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

Sam wasn't sure about the Oysters.... He said, "They taste like shrimp"

Jimmy says yum, Mel says, No Thanks

1 dozen large crabs (BEFORE)

1 dozen large crabs (AFTER)

This place is a dive but it was fun!

after check in, relaxing

We left Phoenix and spent the day traveling. We got so lucky because our flight was cancelled but we managed to get rerouted and end up arriving over an hour earlier! We picked up Sam from the base, checked in and walked down to Bethesda Crab house. Here's some pics. More fun to

Birthday Dinner with Family

2011-04-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

Aranna and Florence having fun

Richard and April celebrated too!

Uncle Corky and Jimmy!

Michelle and Jimmy

The BEST carrot cake you'll ever have!

Jimmy singing happy birthday to himself

Happy Birthday Jimmy!

Last Saturday we celebrated Jimmy's birthday at home with family. I didn't tell Jimmy that Florence or April and Richard were coming so he was surprised and delighted to see them. We had Jimmy's favorite pasta dish that I make. Homemade meatballs with rigatoni with a spicy sauce, baked with cheese. For dessert, I made carrot cake from scratch. I found THE BEST recipe and it was even better days later. Happy Birthday Jimmy!

A little of this....

2011-04-07T19:59:00.002-07:00

Thought I'd tell you about what we've been up to lately. This is a pic of the most beautiful mushrooms sauteed with some onions that I put into quesadillas with steak, monterey jack cheese and goat cheese. Heavenly.

This is Phoenix. He likes to sit there and be rubbed by my feet. It's a daily thing we got going on.

This is a pic from a meeting I was in today. The best part about it was the fresh fruit at the far end of the table. Do you see all of the snacks? Name as many as you can and I will send you a prize.

We've been gardening, working, enjoying the cool weather while it lasts and enjoying time with Aranna, Matt, Mollie and friends. You've gotta enjoy life.

Tomato Soup, enameled dutch oven

2011-03-31T20:26:00.003-07:00

Who doesn't love Tomato soup? Well, I have a fab recipe for you. Pictured here is my new cast iron enameled skillet. I got this beauty at Costco and spent about 1/5 of what you would spend at any other store. It's my favorite new toy! I have made this soup twice and it's easy, yummy and slightly addicting. Here's what you need:

2 (28 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes

1 (14.5 ounce) can of chicken broth

3 TBSP of unsalted butter

1 onion chopped

1 bay leaf

2 TSP brown Sugar

2 TBSP tomato paste

2 TBSP all purpose flour

1/2 TSP baking soda

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

*drain tomatoes in a colander set over a large bowl, pressing to release juices. Transfer tomato juice and broth to large measuring cup (should measure 4 cups or more); reserve.

*Melt butter in dutch oven over med heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 min. Add 2/3 of drained tomatoes, bay leave and brown sugar and cook, sirring occasionally until tomatoes begin to brown, about 15 min.

*Add tomato paste and flour to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until paste begins to darken about 2 min. Stir in tomato juice and broth mixture, remaining tomatoes, baking soda and 1/2 TSP of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened slightly about 5 minutes, remove from heat

*Discard bay leaf and puree soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper. I also like to add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper for an extra kick.

Try this NOW, you will be hooked!!!

When life gives you Lemons....

2011-03-28T21:26:00.002-07:00

MAKE LEMONADE! I love lemons and wish I had my own tree. Luckily, my mom-in-law has a lemon connection and hooks me up with the most beautiful lemons. Obviously lemons are only in season for so long. Here's the secret: juice them, pour the juice in ice cube trays, freeze the lemon juice cubes then put the cubes in large ziplocs in the freezer! You will have fresh lemon juice ALL YEAR! I also zested about 1/3 cup of the lemon zest and put in a snack bag and froze that as well. Here's some pics for your enjoyment.

Spring

2011-03-26T19:50:00.002-07:00

Jimmy and I are planning out our garden. We decided to rip out all of the bushes on the back wall and to plant a garden. I planted some seeds today in hopes that they sprout and I can eventually plant them in the garden. The seeds I planted are: Tomato, wax beans, cucumber, radishes, pansies and four o'clocks. I went to home depot today (see picture above) and got some husky cherry tomato plants and a couple zucchini plants. I also have basil in a container on the patio. I want to plan another jalopeno but couldn't find any at home depot. I may just buy a jalopeno at the grocery store, remove and dry the seeds and try to start a plant from the seeds. We are going to shade the garden so that when it's blazing out, the plants don't cook out there.

We have 2 rose trees in containers, 1 in the front by the door and 1 on the back patio. A few weeks ago I pruned them up significantly. Now, there are an insane amount of buds. I can't wait for them to start blooming.

Stay tuned for the next post: Homemade Tomato Soup

Family baseball day

2011-03-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are out in front of my home where the sweet LA Dodger's flag is flying high! This was before the game

Our seats were literally where I was sitting takng this pic and yes, Matt likes Mustard on his dog!

View of the field from our Seats. They were THE best- in the shade behind home plate.

There we are. Enjoyed the game but we left in the 5 inning because the Dodgers were losing 14-3 and we had enough!

Took a pic of this in the 4th and you can see the score- 3-12 Royals. Love the surprise stadium. The prices are the best, nice people working there, clean, not too crowded and easy to get in and out.

Dad and Mel see the Dodgers take on the Padres

2011-03-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

The hottest day of the year so far.... We had incredible seats (see pic- FIRST ROW) and enjoyed the game until the Dodgers threw 5 runs away in the 5th inning. Here's some pics. We are so happy that dad and Hahn are visiting. We are going to a casino tomorrow, another game on Saturday and in between Hahn is going to teach me how to make egg rolls. We went to the Pacific Seafood buffett tonight and it was so good! More pics to come.

FAN atic!

2011-03-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

You may or may not know this but I am a Los Angeles Dodger Fan and I have been since before I was born. I have many fond memories of being taken to Dodger Stadium with my brother and dad when I lived in socal. So naturally when I saw earrings I HAD TO HAVE THEM! Yep..... Personalized Jersey, check- Hat, check- bracelet, check- EarringS, CHECK! We saw the Dodgers vs. Colarado and before heading to talking stick we went to Camelback ranch to go to the team shop to pick up some gifts and of course these sweet earrings. The first pic above is the new skipper of the Dodgers, Don Mattingly.

With my Dad and step mom coming to town, we are most definitely gonna see some sweet spring training. More pics to come!

Spring Training Fever

2011-02-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Spring training is finally here! James and I are stoked to go to our first game of 2011! It also happens to be opening day at the brand new stadium for the D-backs. We are also looking forward to a spring training weekend with my dad and step mom. Stay tuned for pics from the game.

Do you get excited about your Birthday?

2011-02-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

I do. You can look at things in 2 ways- the glass 1/2 empty or 1/2 full. Getting older doesn't bother me. I like me and another year older = another year better! It's a time to celebrate your life. Birthdays are special and I like to celebrate people I know and love. Everyone likes to feel special on their birthday right? So do whatever makes you happy on your special day. Eat cake. What's your favorite way to celebrate?

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T20:23:00.003-07:00

You may have seen the commercial saying that, "Valentines Day is not about saying, "I love you", it's about saying, "I love us." It's so true. The idea of Valentines day is nice but I see at really as a Hallmark Holiday in order to boost the sales of cards, candy and flowers. Who doesn't love getting candy or flowers and being told how much they are loved. I joke and say, "Valentine's day is everyday". It's not a joke. So, make it a point to show your Valentine everyday how you feel about him or her.

Here's a pic of me and my valentine at the AZ state fair last fall. There was a free texas booth promoting tourism and we got a free pic!

PS- if you haven't seen the movie Valentines Day, I highly recommend it! It has a great soundtrack and became my fave after I saw it the first time!

Sarah Mclachlan

2011-02-12T20:06:00.004-07:00

Last night I went to the Sarah Mclachlan concert with a couple of amazing ladies. The music was amazing and brought back a lot of old feelings and memories. Sarah played with Butterfly Boucher and Melissa McClelland. I loved the concert and I loved that it motivated me to get my 4 Sarah albums uploaded to itunes so I could enjoy it on my iphone.

It also made me remember my mom's funeral service. My old roommate, Anne made the most beautiful DVD with pictures and music. (Anne is an amazing woman and literally the most generous and loving person I have met). One of the songs was Sarah's I will remember you. The video is about 3 minutes long with pictures spanning my mother's life. It's very touching and I still watch it from time to time. (James does NOT like me to watch it as he knows I miss her but I think it's therapeutic in a way). So that got me thinking about the sound track of my life and what songs I would want played at my funeral service.

I know I want the song "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum played because it's upbeat and the lyrics are just hilarious. Click here if you would like to listen/watch. I also love the song, 'Kind and Generous' by Natalie Merchant. Click here for a view. I know it may be morbid to think about things like what songs will be played at your own funeral or what the soundtrack of your life is but I love music and if I listen to a certain song, it can take me back to where I was at a certain time in my life. So, I will continue to love music and continue to make my 'playlist'. What's on your ipod?

2011, so far

2011-01-28T19:30:00.002-07:00

It is January 28th and 2011 seems to be flying by. Jimmy and I have been eating healthier and exercising in an effort to maximize our life expectancy and minimize our waistline. We are not getting any younger and it's just gonna get harder the older we get so might as well tackle it now. I am feeling like the blog needs a change. I am wondering how this blog got 17 followers. If I can get 17 followers by sharing the boring details of our life, perhaps I could get more followers with sharing something different. Any ideas? Could I make a living at blogging? That would be flipping sweet. What things interest me? Cooking, creating original recipes, travel, family, gardening, isn't that what everyone is into? I guess not. So, should the blog be transformed into something different? Your ideas will be given careful consideration. Please let me know that you're reading even. I am going to tweak some of the blogs that I follow as well.

PS- Please keep my Dad in your prayers, he is having his appendix out tomorrow.

Ava turns 2!

2011-01-27T21:57:00.003-07:00

January 5th marked the day of her 2nd birthday! I also hear that Miss Ava is potty trained! Check out her sweet Minnie Mouse PJs.

Mollie and James having fun!

2011-01-15T22:28:00.002-07:00

I got this sent to me today via text from Mollie with caption, "WEEE". They spent the entire day at the Motocross event. They're gonna sleep well tonight!

2011-01-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

Fingers crossed for more Christmas pics!

2011-01-06T21:29:00.003-07:00

I have some great shots of Christmas and when I posted the Christmas post, blogger wasn't cooperating! So I have more shots trying to be uploaded right now and my fingers are crossed that they load quickly. The first attempt failed. I am now trying for 3 photos... Fingers are still crossed!

And... WAh LA- here they are.

The boys with the singa ma jigs, then Grannaran with the grand kids, then Arpil and Michelle! Enjoy. I still have a lot more good ones....

Beautiful Christmas

2010-12-25T14:09:00.004-07:00

The sun is shining and the doors and windows are open. I kinda wish it was cold here so we could have a fire in the fireplace. We did our Christmas yesterday on Christmas Eve since Jimmy is working the Cardinals game today. BOO! So I am here all alone watching movies. Matt is supposed to get here but until then, I'm flying solo! Here's some pics to highlight yesterday's events. Ava and Callin made out like bandits. Ava LOVED opening the gifts and was just so adorable! Callin got a bike from Grannaran and Ava got the cutest table and chairs that she just loved. We are excited for NEXT Christmas when Norm, Florence, Marissa, Alex, Phil and babies will be her e in AZ!

To Tamale or Not to Tamale....

2010-12-04T12:39:00.003-07:00

Greetings! It is December 4th and I don't want to even blink because December will be over before I know it! There's a lot going on and every year I ask myself, "Am I going to make Tamales this year?" I think the answer is yes. I didn't do it last year because I was sick so I guess that means that this year it's on!!! I just need helpers. I am thinking the week before Christmas I will do it but I really don't want to do it by myself. I am gonna have to recruit some helpers! Are you making tamales this year???

Remembering Mom on Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T11:21:00.002-07:00

It was mom's birthday yesterday. I wish she were here to take part in the feast tomorrow. It was one of her fave holidays (because there was glutonous feasting involved). It would fall on her birthday some years. I miss her dearly and think of her daily. Click here for pics and a post I did this time 2 years ago. She was a fun-loving, crazy lady that loved us like no other. I know that she would be proud of Matt and I. I hope I get to see her again someday.

Mel and Jimmy play in Flagstaff!

2010-11-22T17:12:00.005-07:00

We trekked up to Flagstaff last Saturday and played till Monday! It started to SNOW on Sunday! It was the first snow of the season. We loved seeing Mark, taking him to Lunch and Dinner and getting him some groceries! Here's some highlights! We got to relax and enjoy each other. Little America has one of the largest fire places that I have ever seen! We got to sit by the fire and read the newspaper Sunday morning!

We also got to meet Mark's new friend Maria. We of course ate at Oreganos and she joined us.

50 Free Holiday cards from Shutterfly!

2010-11-22T16:37:00.004-07:00

This is the first time I have ever tried this so here goes! Thank you Charlotte for the info! I am excited to get free cards but now the hard part is trying to decide which design is best. Unfortunately I won't be able to have all the kids together this year for a family portrait so I am going to have to get creative!

If you are a blogger and want to get in on the action, click here. I really like the card pictured here and I toyed with the idea of not doing cards at all. OR maybe doing New Years cards since I will get the opportunity to get all of the kids together for Christmas Eve.

Every card has to have a picture. Check out this link and pick out your favorites. There so many cool things to choose from and I am surprised that the prices are so reasonable! This card is pretty festive and I would be so torn on which pictures to choose. What do you think? Please drop a comment and let me know which design/direction I should do.

Now that I get free cards, not doing cards is not an option right?

Visit with Aunt Wilma!

2010-11-14T20:33:00.003-07:00

Aunt Wilma was here visiting and we got to spend some time visiting! Here are some pictures.

A storm like no other

2010-10-08T17:31:00.002-07:00

Last Tuesday, there was a severe storm here in the valley that produced winds that had to be atleast 70 mph, golf ball sized hair, quarter sized hail and was over all, unlike any storm I have ever been through. This is the aftermath. I took video and will try and upload it. I wanted to take pictures of Jimmy last night sweeping the roof. We lucked out at the house and the only damage we have is a broken condensation line on the air conditioner and plastic chairs with big holes in them that are now going to chair heaven. The neighbors trees were shredded onto the lawn and into the pool. Jimmy is cleaning up the yard today. Stay tuned for video!

Jimmy and Mel on vacation

2010-09-16T09:54:00.002-07:00

We finally got to escape the heat and take a vacation! We drove to Palm Springs to break up the driving and spent the night there, got up then headed to Palmdale, CA to see my Dad and Hanh. We went to the Peach Orchard and picked more fruit than I thought possible. We had a nice visit with Dad and Hanh and even got to play a 3 hour game of Mexican poker.

The next day we set out for San Diego. The traffic gods were on our side and we got there before noon. Just in time for Jimmy to hop on a boat and go sport fishing! He was in hog heaven and so was I. I got to lay by the pool and read a magazine (something I never get to do on vacation).

We also had a beach day. We packed a picnic, our beach chairs, blanket, umbrella and got ourselves a good spot on Mission Beach.

Me lounging at the pool

The View from our room

We also got to spend a couple of nights in Huntington Beach. I reminded Jimmy it was basically the exact same trip we took when we got engaged, minus the Palm Springs and Palmdale stops. We got to hang with our good friends Tamara and Pierre and thier little munchkin Sebastian. Looking forward to taking more vacations!

San Diego Swap meet sights

2010-09-16T09:48:00.004-07:00

Here's a video I took of a couple of guys and thier homemade instruments. Not sure if you can tell but the guitar, drums and amp are all made out of suit cases. Pretty unique

Walking around San Diego

2010-09-16T09:48:00.003-07:00

Jimmy and I took the train to down town and walked around a bit. We went to the new Hyatt property on 5th called Andaz and went up to the roof where they have a bar, pool and amazing views. You can see the view from the roof. The Padres were playing at Petco park and we could see and hear it!

Manager's Outing to Chase Field

2010-09-02T09:39:00.005-07:00

Jimmy and I were able to leave work around 1pm, head over to Sliders to enjoy some food, drinks and company of our fellow managers. It was a nice break in the day. We got to go to the D-backs Vs. Padres. It was also the first grandslam that I have been in the park for. Brandon Allen hit a grandslam in the 7th inning and the D-backs won 5-2. It was pretty awesome. Our GM gave each of us an authentic game ball that the Oakland As used for practice. I made James pose for this pic and I also told my brother that he caught the grandslam ball. Too bad we were sitting in left field and the grandslam was hit in right field. After I had him going for a while, I told him the real story!

Ray Lomantagne and David Gray with Matt

2010-09-02T09:39:00.004-07:00

Last night Matt and I went to the David Gray concert. It was one of the best I've seen. This video is a portion of his song 'Nemesis'. After watching the video, I wish I would have recorded more. The lights in the front were so bright, it looks like one big light but there were 6 individual bright lights that caused me to wear my sunglasses in an otherwise dark auditorium. David Gray is amazing and Ray Lomantagne was unlike anyone I've ever seen.

My 3rd Natalie Merchant Concert 8/17

2010-09-02T09:30:00.003-07:00

I was asked the other day, why I am not updating my blog more frequently (you know who you are). As I looked at some other blogs bookmarked on this page, I noticed that some of them haven't been updated in as much as 11 months. So, that leads me to believe that I am doing okay with the blog. And where I slack off, I have Florence and Norm to add some pics and posts of thier Kauai adventures. It's hard to keep up on the blog when you work from 7a-7p 5 days a week. That leaves little time for much and the time I had, I just wanted to plant myself on the couch.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Shannon and I went to Dodge theatre to see one of my favorite musicians, Natalie Merchant. She was amazing. She adapted childrens poems to music. She was animated, fun and engaged with the crowd. She played so long, it felt like 2 concerts. She played all of our favorites. Her last song was Kind and Generous, which was played at my mom's memorial service. It was a great ending to a most enjoyable show!

Giving back at the Ronald McDonald House

2010-08-27T18:44:00.003-07:00

James and I went with

our fellow managers to the Ronald McDonald house to serve dinner to the families and children staying there. It's always rewarding to give back. A fun time was had by all!

Jace's 1st Day of School

2010-08-26T16:29:00.005-07:00

Jace started pre-school on Monday and this was his first day. After four days, he is still not real sure about the whole thing but the teachers say he is doing better. This is going to do wonders for his speech issues, etc.

Aranna Visits Kauai

2010-08-20T20:23:00.007-07:00

We are very excited to have GranAranna visiting us here on Kauai. Jace and Hayden love having her here.

Happy 80th Uncle Corky!

2010-08-03T20:54:00.004-07:00

Uncle Corky turned 80! We had a family birthday celebration for him on Sunday, July 25th. We love you uncle Corky and we look forward to celebrating MANY MORE birthdays with you!

Special time with the Family

2010-07-18T15:27:00.002-07:00

Last Friday, the kids were here for dinner and we all went swimming. Had a great time and looking forward to more family time while Sam is here!

Jill and Family visit!

2010-07-16T13:33:00.002-07:00

One of my most cherished friends came for a visit last Saturday. It was so good to meet Emma and see Jill and her mom Michelle! I am so lucky to have such a great friend! Here are some pics.

Community Service, feels good!

2010-06-25T11:37:00.003-07:00

This is our team at work. We took some time to give back to the community and prepared dinner for the families that are staying at the Ronald McDonald House at the Phoenix Childrens hospital. It was fun to get together and work as a team to help others. There was an older lady who came in to eat dinner who said that she had a horrible day and had just lost her grandson. It broke my heart and also made me thankful for the experience of helping other human beings. I am inspired to continue to give back to the community.

"Toes In The Water, Toes In The Sand, Not A Care In The World, A Cold Beer In My Hand, Life Was Good Today"

2010-06-18T12:31:00.009-07:00

Comicon Phoenix adventures

2010-05-31T15:49:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Mollie!

2010-05-22T15:37:00.005-07:00

Mollie graduated from Ironwood HS on May 20th 2010 at 5pm! The graduation was held at University of Phoenix stadium. Here are some pics and hopefully I can get the video to load. We are so proud of Mollie! She was recognized as being the 4th person in the family to go to Ironwood!

Mom's Day Continued

2010-05-09T19:08:00.003-07:00

The highlight of the day was seeing the Akins! We haven't seen them for about a year or so. The babies are so adorable and so big! It was our first time meeting Hayden and she is so precious and LOVED her dresses that uncle Jimmy got for her. We had a fab lunch with all of our Costco faves and really enjoyed the afternoon!

Mothers Day

2010-05-09T18:52:00.004-07:00

Today was our 3rd annual Mother's Day Walk to Empower. We piled in the car and headed to Tempe Town lake early this morning! Mollie joined us too even though we left at 620am! Here's some pics~

Our Last Day in VA!

2010-05-09T18:29:00.003-07:00

Monday was our last day in Virginia. Since Sam was back to school after an awesome weekend with us, Jimmy and I set out to do some sight seeing. We headed toward Williamsburg. First we wanted to visit the Berkeley Plantation, circa 1690. It was very beautiful, green historic, etc. Here's some pics. Then we set out to the Williamsburg Winery and afterward we had about 1.25 hours in Williamsburg. These 3 things that we did in a short amount of days should of taken us about 2.5 days if we wanted to do it right and see EVERYTHING possible. It was a lot of fun and I would love to go back. The wine tasting was AWESOME and we learned alot about Virginia Wineries- they are 4th in the nation for the # of wineries.

Virginia- Day 3

2010-05-06T20:40:00.005-07:00

Sunday, we stopped by a Kite festival. It was small but still in a cool park surrounded by water. We then ventured to the Nauticus Naval museum that also has the USS Wisconsin, which is a berthed battleship that was built in the early 1940s and was even used during both Gulf wars. Here's some pics.