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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A Foggy Morning

Early this morning, I looked out the window and saw that my yard was blanketed in fog...It was so tempting to pull the covers back over my head and go back to sleep...Enticing as it was.. I prevailed and headed off to the gym. 

Check out the view I gave my car while I went inside to move my bod:

I love the fog...especially when you can stay home in your flannels and read..or just plain veg...

Unfortunately, I must be on my way to work.

Monday, November 28, 2011

It Is Now Official

For some, Christmas season starts the minute they put their fork down after stuffing themselves with turkey on Thanksgiving and they race to stand in line for the midnight opening of their favorite big box store.

For me, Christmas really does not begin until Sunday night where our town has their annual Festival of Lights Parade


The Shoes came with us...this is little Shoe's first parade..
isn't that shark hat a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e?

There were motorcylces pulling trailers topped with snowmen

Choo Choo trains festooned with lights galore...


And more trains..

There were high school bands, and fairy tale characters, and dancers, and butterflies,
 all lit up with colorful lights.

The most important float of all was Santa and his eight reindeer

The 2011 season is official now.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Giving Thanks


Thankful for such deelish food



Thankful for my dear parents
So thankful for this sweet babe
Thankful for my family


And thankful for such scrumptious pie

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Jungle Themed Baby Shower

When I found out one my friends was pregnant with her first baby boy
I asked her if I could throw her a baby shower
She was planning to decorate her nursery with a jungle motif..
So I decided to go with the wild animal theme.

Since the invitation sets the tone of your party
I  created something a bit different:
(those are wild animal squishy balls  inside the cellophane spotted bags)

I put the word out to my sisters to go on the hunt for jungle stuff...
And Gayle sent me the cute vintage giraffe and lion ceramic vases
 and the glittery "BABY" sign:



I served "Monkey Banana Cream Pie"

And had a treat bar with "Cheesey Cheetos", "Gummy Grizzley Bears", and "Wild Animal Cookies",

I had monkeys swinging from the rope "streamers" and hanging vines

My friend Lisa collects Noah's arks...
and she let me dock two very cool arks and all the animals at my house for the night.







Martha made the cute signs for the treats and desserts
 (she attached the signs to vintage wooden elephants )



I also placed a ferocious lion to guard the piranha gold fish treats...


A collection of Stieff bears enjoyed the festivities  too
as they sat atop of the buffet


What a fun evening with these lovely ladies ....
Can you find our soon to be mama?  (Hint:  her name is Tracy)

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Alfred Hitchcock's Birds Stopped By This Morning

I heard some racket outside my bedroom this morning
A major war of the birds was going on
Must have been at least 75 crows 
Perched and flying between three trees
The Monterrey pine and two redwoods 
It went on and on...


I wonder what they were crowing about....

Friday, November 11, 2011

Veteran's Day 11-11-11

Veteran's Day

11-11-11

The most handsome man I know who donned the Navy duds:


My dad.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Family History Books

Over the past dozen years or so, I have been gathering, organizing, scanning, and printing pictures, documents, and mementos. I place everything in these binders:


I have organized everything by generation and family.  For example, I have a book for my mother's parents, one for my father's parents, one for DZ's mother's parents, one for my parents (which has subcategories for my brother and sisters), one for DZ's parents, one for DZ and me, and one for each of our children.    I even have auxiliary books with categories for my aunts, uncles and cousins.

Everything goes in plastic sleeves for protection and is arranged in chronological order (as best I can).  



It has been a long but oh so satisfying process...
I have much more to do (including labeling ) but at least it is better than having everything scattered about and shoved in boxes and drawers.  Having everything organized like this makes it so much easier to find and then to share.

I love perusing through the photos and reading  my ancestors' life histories and letters.  I feel like I know those who have passed on before I was born. 

So note to self and others....
Write down your life history or keep a journal, continue to take pictures, and write letters (those are precious).   Document....document....document...make sure you date everything.  Your descendants will certainly appreciate all that you do now.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A Gorgeous Sunday Afternoon in the City

David and I made a quick trip to the city after church on Sunday.  We headed straight to the Legion of Honor and parked adjacent to the golf course. My car had this gorgeous view while we went inside to view beautiful art.


We passed between a pair of urns filled with aromatic Asiatic lilies as we entered the Spreckles Gallery.

Where we listened to the organ recital for a bit...

Then viewed the Pissaro exhibit..a most.lovely impressionist artist.

The weather was outstanding...check out the Golden Gate (I know, the bridge looks like it is leaning doesn't it!):
We headed down to Lands End beach where I collected some driftwood for a project I am working on.

Look at the outstanding picture postcard scenery behind those goofy people in front...
We hurried back up the many, many, many stairs...(got a good workout)

And viewed a spectacular sunset...
A most lovely day wouldn't you say?.
I live in a beautiful area and feel so lucky.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Adendum to Halloween

Ok, Halloween was a week ago, I know.  But I just have to ask, do you know how many costumed visitors came to your door?  Well, I can tell you how many came to OUR door.

Let me backtrack a bit here..

When we first moved here 25 years ago, our kids were about the only kids on the block.  Not too many costumes would be found on our street when we took the kids trick or treating.  Over the next dozen years or so, people with small kids starting moving in.  For many years, there were so many kids, our street was blocked off to make it safer.  I would buy bags and bags of candy so I would be sure to have enough.
The kids are older now...and not so many little ones go trick or treating.

Back to the number of visitors....

This year, DZ bought the Halloween candy ...$30+ worth..ackkk!  Ten different varieties..double ackkk!
Before the night began, he started counting out the candy.



He has this whole system of organizing by type of candy.  And tallying the number of visitors who come to the door and the variety of candy he gave out.  So..if you ask him how many visitors came to our door.
He can tell you..... 44 
And how many of each variety were disbursed.


A bit strange...I know... but it is something he enjoys.

P.S.  Wish he gave the little ones more..for we have a HUGE pile of leftover candy.

Fall Back

So here we go again...the end of day light savings time.
Turning our clocks back really messes me up, for at least a week
For example, I awoke at 5:15 this morning
 (I don't use an alarm clock..I naturally waken...) 
Tried to go back to sleep to no avail. 
 By 6:00,  I couldn't stand it any more and just decided to get up and get my day going.


So...who resets your clocks? (DZ)
How many clocks do you have to reset? (6..thank goodness for phones/computers that automatically reset)
Did you come across any clocks that didn't get changed 8 months ago? (one)

Maybe I will surprise my boss today and be early!