BIRTHDAY

Yep...today is my 63rd birthday...where did the years go?

I don't feel this old...but when I look into the bathroom mirror, I have definitely aged...who is that person?

Isn't it funny that when you were young this age sure seemed old, but now, not so much. It's hard to believe that in just 7 years I'll be 70...and here again, it that really that old?

Oh well, today is my day. We believe that the day truly is yours to do with what you want. Now a lot of the time you feel like you have to do what the family wants but in the long run you also have to do some things just for you.

I plan to go shopping, of course. I have the day off, and there are some stores I just don't get a chance to visit. Doesn't mean I am buying!!!!

Tonight, Ron is making my favorite meal...veal oscar with asparragus from Indiana!! Of course we will end up with some chocolate and some of the Bowie Red!!!

I won't be able to hug my little ones as they have other activities that they have to attend but a call wishing me happy birthday was wonderful.

Hopefully I'll have some photos to add to this later.

I'm off...to celebrate MY day!!!!

Vacation

South Arizona...my niece Janet is here visiting and we decided to take a short road trip to southern Arizona to visit Earl and Edie. They live around the Dragoon/Cochise Stronghold area...pretty much out in the country. They have neighbors but more like a farming community type neighbors so they aren't out there all by themselves. When we arrived Edie had lunch for us and when Earl got back from playing golf we went wine tasting and kind of a drive about.

We were going to eat at the Triangle Ranch but they are closed on Wednesday nights so we just drove up and around their property, etc. Went to Bowie to their little Winery and tasted wine...WOW...the wine was wonderful and we all bought a LOT. Of course we had to drink some of that when we got back home. We then went to eat Mexican food, which was delicious and had to have some margueritas which were also delicious. Between the drink and the food needless to say we were all ready for bed!!!

Next day we took Janet thru Bisbee and Tombstone and thru Tucson. Ron stopped off and visited the Horizon Wholesaler where he gets most of his spa parts and we ate downtown where they have refurbished an area with restrauants and stores. We got back to Mesa around 4:30...tired and glad to be home...but...we had a very enjoyable drive about.

Many stories for Janet to tell back home!!!!!

Beautiful BRA

I'll bet that got your attention!!! Photos will be added real soon!!

I am in the process of decorating a pink bra with all kinds of sparkles to be auctioned off at the first Casting For Recovery (CFR) "BIKE RUN"...yes I said Bike Run!!!

May 1, beginning at 10:00 at the Renegade Classics Outlet Store (3102 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix) going to Arizona Biker Leathers, Connolly's Sports Grill (lunch), Bartlett Lake and ending up at the Dirty Dogg Saloon. FUN...FUN...FUN!!!!

You don't have to have a bike to enjoy this event. We are also looking for some volunteers to be at the CFR tables at each location. Come on out and support CFR and have a good time too!!!

There will be give-a-ways and the Beautiful Bra Auction at the end. I am definitely going to have pictures on my blog after this event!!!

BUNCO

Get ready everyone!!! BUNCO is going to be August 8th at the Mesa Hilton. We are sooooo excited. Hilton as our host (and a wonderful host I might add) has taken us under their wing and this is going to be the best BUNCO event ever. Some of you might remember the Pavon room...it was a nightclub and is beneath the lobby, restrauant areas. It is huge and beautiful. Has butterflies on the walls all the way down the stairs. Don't worry if you can't do stairs...we will be able to take you down the "freight" elevator.

All proceeds are going to Casting for Recovery. You know how passionate I am about this organization. If you do not know about CFR please go to http://www.castingforrecovery.org/. If you know of Breast Cancer survivor or are one yourself...please go to this website and sign up for a retreat. You will never be the same again!!

Okay...back to BUNCO. GREAT and I mean GREAT Auction Items....a hint....a complete set up of Starbucks...yes the machine, the coffee pods, etc. etc. Also you know I would have a hotel/restrauant package...Also a wonderful fly fishing package...yes, rod/reel/vests/8 hour guided excursion, etc. AND MORE!!!!!!

Registration will still be $25 and there will be a lot of fun, give-a-ways, appetizers, drinks, did I mention FUN!!!?!!!!!

Tell your friends, save the date...we want this to be one of the premier events (we also have a Wine Tasting event on October 2nd...more to come on that) for CFR this year.

CFR has been approved for a second retreat in 2011. This gives us the ability to provide a retreat for more survivors. We had 81 ladies sign up for 14 spots this year. That just won't do...we have to do better. We can do better with your attendance and assistance.

If you would also like to volunteer for CFR, please go on line and fill in the volunteer form. We will be calling you. In order to grow...we need YOU!!

See you at BUNCO!!!!!!

SPRING CLEANING

I WISH I was as good as my one sister on spring cleaning. You can eat off her floors/walls/window sills/you name it. She was taught cleaning by our maternal grandmother and is the best. We are planning on visiting there in July and she is already at it!!

So, this morning I looked around and boy do I have a lot of cleaning to do. It's really hard to stay indoors when the weather is getting so nice and there's all kinds of cleaning and things to do outside. But I have to go thru the closet, thoroughly clean the bedroom. bed, windows, drawers, etc. ...and that's just the spare bedroom. My neice is coming for a visit in April and I will have to find another place to throw my clothes...you know, the ones that are cleaned but you just don't take time to put away when the bed is handy!!!!!

Now, Ron is estatic. He has a new Romba...the little circle sweeper that moves on its own from room to room. It was either a Romba or a dog and you don't have to feed the Romba. You would have thought it was Christmas time and he just got the gift he asked for. I had gone to bed early and he even woke me up to show it to me when UPS delivered it the other evening! He was waiting on a spa part that he needed the next day and the delivery of the Romba was like icing on a cake! So I don't have to worry about the floors in my cleaning.

I really do hate cleaning windows but it is time even if they will be opened. It's also a good time to pitch things and go thru paperwork.

So I think this weekend is going to be very busy!!!

BRANDON 3-21-10

WhenBrandon arrived Saturday afternoon he was not a happy camper. They had been to the Festival, he had not had a nap, he was hungry and he knew Mom & Dad were going to be leaving. However with toys, entertainment, and food he was out cold for the night at 7:30.

When he woke up at 3:30 in the morning he was a very happy little boy. Grandpa had been up earlier on the computer so he had some milk and played with grandpa and the toys. I got up around 5:30 and Grandpa went back to bed for a bit of a nap and Brandon just wanted to play and watch TV with Grandma.

Waffles and ham for breakfast. He was a hungry little boy by the time breakfast rolled around and was still wanting to play with the toys and the books. Grandpa was on the computer and Brandon was going thru the books...he loves books.

Then down for a bit of a nap at 10:30. Mom and Dad came and when he woke up he was even happier. His little face lights up when he sees his mommy. Daddy always walks him around the yard touching trees and talking about what things are. Brandon was also very interested in the boards Grandpa was cutting for Daddy.

Such a sweetie!!!!!

JOCELYN 3-19-10

Grandpa starts Joci on the "sugar" high right off...shopping at Sam's Club and eating a chocolate ice cream sundae!!! Joci is so very different than Joe...and should be. She's a girl and 2 years younger. I could see a lot of what Joe was like at 4 and more. She is definitely her own little person and so in control.

We started out Friday with donuts...homemade out of biscuits. Grandpa is so patient and lets her assist him, only she got a little bit of a grease splatter on top of her hand but she was way to busy with the donuts to worry about it until later.

Grandpa had a spa job so Jocie and Grandma ran errands. We got dressed and Joci decided that she wanted to weat her dress instead of shorts. First to Walmart to get some felt. I needed purple and dark blue but they only had dark blue so we got that and a pair of Cinderella PJs, of course. Then off to look for some sandles. We ended up at JoAnn's Fabrics and got the purple felt and a few other items like the Cinderella wooden doll that needed to be painted.

It was time for lunch and Grandpa wanted to go to run some errands so we stopped and ate at Ruby Tuesdays. Joci has always been a good little eater. She had the salad bar and really loved the spinach dip with the dark tortilla chips. AND, as you can see by the photo everyone thought she was the cat's meow!

Next on the agenda was Pedicures at Walmart at Signal Butt. You would have thought that no one in the place had ever seen a little girl all dressed up. You would have thought she was the queen of England. There were about 10 chairs and we had to wait...pretty much all filled with grandmas. And the staff were making such a big deal over and talking to her, etc. She picked out "pink" (of course) polish and they put flowers on her toes. (Grandpa could not believe how little they were as her toe nails are very little!). While they finished up with me she very politely sat with three ladies and chit chatted like a grown up. When we left she got hugs and waved good by to everyone. So cute!!!!

Home...grandma and grandpa were getting tired but just like Joe, Joci said she was not at all tired. However, after dinner, some ice cream and a bit of TV she was out!!!

Saturday we had to go back to JoAnn's for more fabric. I needed to make a couple of tri-folds/displays for CFR and Joci was my helper. She really did help with holding the material when I cut it and pressing out the bubbles when I glued it. She even had her own little display...hmmm...mommy forgot to take that...I wonder if that was on purpose!! :) She and grandpa also put some rock around the fire pit to make it look nicer. Even though she did not get in the spa she had to wear her green goggles around for a while and helped pick oranges and make juice.

Mom and Joe came to pick Joci up and I think she did miss them a little!
Grandkids are the BEST....