Hippity Hoppity Birthday Delaney!!!!  

Summer Happenings

Whew....I just got done uploading 392 pictures from my trip to Shutterfly.   Now I need to figure out which of those get shared here, but until then I thought I would do a very quick recap of my Summer up until the time I left on my trip.

These pictures are out of order also, sorry.   I wish Blogger had an easier way of managing pictures, but they don't, and I don't have enough time to monkey with them.  

I drove into California and my car registered 105 degrees.  I drove out in a torrential rain pour and my car registered 41 degrees (scroll down for pictoral proof of 41 degrees).   How's that for some extremes?   

On my way I decided to stop at Donner State Park.  It was so beatiful, that I had to take a little hike/walk around the nature trail.

Did you know that Walt Disney was the Chairman of Pageantry for the Winter Olympics held in Squaw Valley?  I didn't.   But this flag pole has taught me otherwise.   You just never know where you will find a little gem of knowledge.

This monument stands 200 feet tall (I think) and represents how high the snow was during that fateful winter.

Ahh, here it is.

I spent some time with my favorite girls.

Kylie Chillin.

Delaney dressed up. 

3 Cowgirls.  Yee haw.   I like the rakish angle that Kylie has chosen for her hat.

I finally learned the name of this sculpture in the Salt Flats.  It is not the Tree of Life as previously thought, but it is actually called - Metaphor: The Tree of Utah.  Yah I don't know either.  It is a bad metaphor if no one gets it...I am guessing.

My dear, dear friend Jenny got married.   Isn't she so pretty?

I attended my beloved Highland games.

I went to a few concerts.  

Keane

The Shins

I saw some baby ducks.

And a pretty tree.

The end!

(soon to be followed by too many pictures of Denmark and Sweden, rest up)

Samuel Cracks Me Up

Hi, as you know (especially since I started this Blog with a picture of my niece Delaney), I think my nieces and nephews are the best.

Lately Samuel has really been hilarious. Well, at least to me.

I took some pictures of him last week when we went to dinner, but I was reminded recently of a set of pictures I took of him almost a year ago.

He was taking a nap on the floor, on the other side of my coffee table, so I couldn't see him. When out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small figure appear over the edge of the table with a blanket on his head. He crept up slowly, inch by inch. For some reason it really cracked me up, but the pictures don't do it justice.

Then last week we went to Blue Lemon for dinner and he was in rare form.

Cheesy

Happy

Bashful

Annoyed with his Aunt Heather

Resigned (and happy to be drinking sprite)

I sure do love this kid.

Cali XMAS 2012

Here are some pictures from my trip to Hollister in December. They are in no particular order because I can't stand how long it takes to upload pictures to Blogger. :)

The great Snuggie Swap of 2012. I was thrilled to receive a Snuggie (a 'Real' one) this year especially since I get so cold in the morning on my Conference calls. Mine, as you can see pictured above, had monkeys. Delaney got a pink one. And since Delaney is called 'Monk' (short for monkey) in her family, we thought a swap might be in order. I hope no one minds that we swapped. I must confess that it wasn't until after we swapped that I noticed, the Monkey Snuggie has a place to put your hands and the Pink Snuggie does not. I contemplated taking the Monkey Snuggie back, but then decided that would be rude.

Kylie opening her birthday presents. Diapers from Aunt Heather. Aunt Heather is super boring...sorry Kylie.

Cute!


I do enjoy these off kilter self portraits. Melissa is pretty!

Poor Kylie. It is probably hard being one, and having everyone make you do things like take pictures with your Aunt...and then your Aunt doesn't even get you in the picture because she is a picture hog.

I like this picture. Hopefully my Sister does as well because it is now posted on my Blog for everyone to see.

This is Delaney demonstrating the song and dance she will perform on New Year's Eve. It was...umm...entertaining. I liked it, I have to say...but I think my Dad thought it was too loud.

Sweet girl!

Delaney showing off her beautiful ring.

The End.

Resolution Update

• I have read 3 more books from the library, and have 3 books to go. Also, I joined a book club. So hopefully this will encourage more library reading.


• I have eaten celery a few times this week.


• I started drinking more herbal tea during the day.


• I can't stop watching Hoarders...Sigh.
  
  

Gratitude Month: A few of my favorite things....Nieces and Nephews.

Since we celebrate Thanksgiving in the Month of November, I have decided I should post one thing I am grateful for each day this month.

Today (and everyday) I am grateful for my awesome nieces and nephews.

Delaney - whip smart, imaginative, soccer star

Kylie - smiley, tender, and loving

Samuel - sassy, fearless, and sweet

Tanner and Tanielle - this picture is way too old. They are both in High School and so grown up. But how cute are they in this picture? So cute!

Krakow, Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Home....

Yay, I am flying home tomorrow. I am exhausted. Seriously exhausted. Check for my pictures of all my other travels on Facebook. Or Kodak Gallery. I will try to add titles some time in the next 10 years, but if you have any questions just let me know.

The picture above is a hint about what might be coming in the mail for Delaney in the next week.

To my favorite 5 Year Old! Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Delaney!!

I just got back from a delightful trip to California to visit some of my favorite people.

Here are a few of the pics from the trip.

First of all I should say that I took the Amtrak this time, because it was a considerable amount less expensive than flying. Plus I thought it would be fun. And you know what? It was fun. But it also had its not so fun moments to cherish as well. Having said that, I think my problem is that I envision riding the train to be like how it was portayed in the old movies. You know...sleeper cars, fresh white linens, Bing Crosby singing, and Danny Kaye getting up to some antics. I guess they still have sleeper cars if you can afford them, but the rest...no...it is more like paper table cloths, dry chicken, stinky bathrooms, and a man having a seizure in Elko. Alas, not the same romantic elegance I envisioned, but the part where you ride through the beautiful Sierra Nevada's and little old men from the Sacramento Train Museum regale you with history and train lore, that part is worth it.

Anyhoo, on with the story.

One of the best parts of the trip was going to Hollister to see Delaney's dance recital.

Bless those four year old little hearts, but they mostly just stood there. I loved it though. I tried to get more pictures, but that cutie next to Delaney kept getting in the way.

Final Bow.



Then we played some Bob the Builder.

And some My Little Ponies.

By the way Minty - he's the green one she's holding - has some very bad manners. He is always butting in line to get a ride on the scooter first. Tsk, tsk. But he does always wear his helmet, which is nice.

Mary Ann and I went to Old Sacramento and had dinner on the Delta King.

And then we went to San Francisco...one of my favorite places on earth.

First we went to the de young museum to see the visiting Impressionist exhibit from the Musee D'Orsay.



It was great. I really enjoyed seeing some of those paintings in person for the first time.




Then we went next door to the Japanese Tea Garden. I love this place! It is so beautiful and peaceful.

This bridge by the way is beautiful and cool, but scary to climb.

And finally we went to see Wicked at the Orpheum Theater. I loved it!

And on a slightly unrelated note, I bought all new bedding when I was in Yuba City. Green and Brown. What do you think?