12 of 12 for June 2010

12 of 12 for June landed on a weekend. It also landed on a Saturday with no real plans. However as the day progressed, the plans came together.

1. First picture of the day was of our back yard. Yes, it is June Gloom.
Most times it burns off by afternoon. Sometimes it hangs out all day.


2. FINALLY! I made it to the grocery store!


3. and was able to get some fresh fruit.


4. Then it was off to Kobey's Swap meet down at the San Diego Sports Arena with my two girlfriends, Julie and Debbie. Unfortunately what we went down there for was not there. I spent 6 dollars. Bought a $2 harness for Dude (picture further below) $2 worth of funnels for my husband (50 cents apiece) and a $2 calculator for work.


5. Along with going with Julie and Deb to the swap meet, Julie's Daughter and my "niece" Melissa and her friend Vicky joined us.


6. On the way back to Escondido from the swap meet we stopped in Rancho Penasquitos for some frozen Yogurt


7. The Frozen yogurt place was called Tutti Fruiti. It was a self serve place, meaning pick the flavor you wanted and the toppings you wanted. It was all then weighed to give us a final cost.


8. Here is Dude aka Deet da dee with his new harness on that I purchased at the swap meet. It rendered him unable to move and completely freaked him out. In an effort to get him used to it, I left it on him for the afternoon. He stayed put the whole afternoon. Finally took it off of him at dinner time.


9. Since last week I have been CRAVING a lemon meringue pie. So I finally made one. This time my meringue turned out perfect which was amazing.


10. Here is a Caesar Salad that I put together for dinner minus the dressing. So simple, yet so good.


11. Here is "AL" the bunny rabbit at our friends Jim and Julie's house. Funny story about "Al". "Al" was purchased up in the Garment district in Los Angeles on a street corner as a baby. As a baby "Al" was named Alice. Turns out baby bunny wasn't a little girl bunny but a baby boy. The Hurkman family figured this out after 6 months and a visit to the vet.


12. We went over to Jim and Julie's house to watch the movie 2012. Come to find out after watching the movie there was a 4.9 earthquake felt all over San Diego County during the movie. We didn't even feel it. It's probably a good thing we didn't.

Crazy busy!

What a crazy busy time this has been. Kevin prom, Kevin Graduating, Kevin's Birthday / Graduation party, Kevin up to University of LaVerne for placement testing. But enough about Kevin then there's the work junk. It's busy season for my business and it's been busy. I hope and pray that nobody stops by and visits the house because it is embarrassingly messy. Oh and we are running low on food in the cupboards, not because we can't afford it, but because I haven't had the time, nor taken the time to get my hiney to the store. Bananas crazy for sure! It's amazing I'm fitting the blog in. I just had to, it's my happy relaxation thing. I know, weird.

Here is a picture that pretty much sums up where I would like to be doing this minute as well. I took this yesterday. Kevin had just finished up with workouts at school with his coach and he was beat. I don't know what Roxy's excuse was. I really do wish I had the dog's life sometimes. Now I certainly get that saying now, "It's a dog's life!". (or is there such thing as that saying?)



And on the other couch we have Dude aka Deet da dee.......enjoying his afternoon nap.



This past weekend we had the graduation / 18th Birthday party for Kevin. Kevin and his buddies set up the biggest slip and slide our yard has ever seen. All the kids had a blast. This is video of Kevin going down:


I'm going to close off this blog only because I'm off to another meeting. This one should be fun as we're having it at Hacienda de Vega.

And I think sometime this weekend or tomorrow I'm going to make that lemon meringue pie I've been craving. My mom always made the best lemon meringue pie! Plus we have some HUGE lemons on our lemon tree that need to be used!

12 of 12 for May 2010

It's 12 of 12 day photo project. Every month, on the 12th day of the month, take photos and post 12 that express what your day was like.

As luck would have it, this month my 12 of 12 landed while I am in Hawaii on a business trip. Here are my 12 pictures that defined my day in the Aloha State.

#1 - 1st picture of the day was of my work area here in my hotel room. I am staying at the Marriott in Waikiki. Love Marriott properties, this just happens to be one of my favorites. Also, it's early here, because my body hasn't quite adjusted to Hawaiian time yet. We are 3 hours behind Pacific Standard time, therefore I was up at 5 a.m. ready to go!


#2 - Here is the hotel lobby. I met the "girls" down here for breakfast and a quick meeting before we headed out for our day's activities.


#3 - Our meeting at 10 was at the State Offices in Honolulu.


#4 - The elevator in the State Offices had a tropical/jungle theme on the walls. LOVED it. Here is Julie and Elizabeth in the "jungle"


#5 - On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Leonard's for some malasadas. Malasadas are big donut holes with a cream filling. Very very yummy. The bakery has many other yummy treats too!


#6 - Back in my hotel room. We ordered room service for lunch and finished off our big proposal and practiced on presentations.


#7 - Any time I travel alone without my family, "stuffy" is my replacement. "Stuffy" was given to me by my oldest son Michael about 7 years ago for Christmas for this very purpose. I've taken pictures of "stuffy" during my various travels. I've come back to my room being made up to see "stuffy" in interesting situations. I've had maids make a bed for him, snuggle him up in the pillows and one time *gasp!* thrown on my suitcase! "Stuffy" is an accomplished Traveler for sure!


#8 - After work and preparation was done, we took off for a beautiful beach view via a world famous bar and enjoyed a Mai Tai!


#9 - And of course we had to indulge in the "world famous" Hula pie from Dukes.


#10 - The view wasn't bad either.


#11 - After Dukes, we wanted to head to the "pink" hotel, the Royal Hawaiian. Beautiful property. And here is the view as we finished off our night with one finial Mai Tai.


#12 - Final picture for the day is all three of us enjoying a beverage. It struck us as funny that the sign I am holding said no drinks on the beach. However, the bar was "on" the beach. Hmmmmm........regardless, it was good time with good friends and co-workers! Julie, myself and Elizabeth.

Where has the time gone?

A beautiful morning in Escondido!



Holy cow! It's been busy. This month promises to be a doozy! And then looking forward to June, I was just informed by my good friend Debbie that every weekend in June is booked too. The work life has been just as busy and just as exciting! Kevin has less then one month left to go for his K12 career. It's amazing just how fast the time has gone and both of our boys have grown up into something we can be very proud of.

So a couple of things that have happened in the past month. Kevin and Cierra invited me to go play Frisbee golf with them at Kit Carson Park this past weekend. The course was just installed a month ago and what a blast we had!



Our Frisbee Golf game was cut short, but it was okay, because Roxy started to enjoy going after the frisbee. She has us laughing so hard, tears were going down our faces. I'm just sad we didn't get video of her with her butt and legs up in the air as she was going after the frisbee. She hit a hole, tripped, butt over head, didn't miss a beat and kept going. This dog is a source of constant entertainment! Enjoy the following video:



We are also currently going through a brand new roof installation at our house. The guys that have been doing it have been wonderful. I can't wait to see the final outcome and get my house back to myself! (no offense guys!)




So next week, I'm going to try and complete and accomplish my 12 of 12 day. I will be away from home and it's a fun place to be when you are not working. Even when you are working I suppose it is a fun place. Plenty more opportunites are coming up for me to take photos. Kevin's Girlfriend Cierra has her prom this month, therefore Kevin will be getting dressed up in his monkey suit again. (he's so darn cute in it) John's Birthday. Even though he will complain about me taking pictures, he'll thank me for the memories 10 years from now right? Then we have Kevin's BIG Graduation and after that, we're going to have a combo Graduation / 18th Birthday party for him. Oh and of course Memorial day on the Riviera.

With that, here is an orange blossom from our tree. I love the smell that these put out, my allergies not so much. But they are beautiful!



See you soon!

Prom 2010 Orange Glen High School

As I sit here writing this, it is the "day after" one of my youngest son's, new high school memories that I am sure he will not forget. Kevin is still snoozing away in bed, happy dreams about finally getting those dang dress shoes off that he had to wear all night.

This year "the group" of kids came over to our house for pre-picture prior to the Limo Bus showing up to whisk them all away to Humphry's by the Bay for dinner and afterwards, The House of Blues for Prom 2010. The weather held out and we had a perfect evening for "pre-prom-get-together and pictures. Below is the "picture" story of the "pre-prom-get-together".

Here is Kevin waiting for his date Cierra to show up. Okay, yes, typically boy goes and gets girl for Prom. But in this case, special circumstances were in place. Cierra's family lives up in Ramona (about a 1/2 drive up the mountain from us) and her family wanted to come down and take pictures and see the kids off in the limo.


While we were waiting, I took Kevin outside to test some photo locations in the yard. He actually succumbed to his mother's pleading and humored me. Of course...I did get some nice shots of him.


When Cierra arrived, it was her turn for the photo shoot. She looked like a princess.


Kevin and Cierra looking so grown up. So amazing how fast time has gone by. I remember these two as infants. (Cierra was literally born in the same hospital as Kevin, the day before)


Time for the Boutonniere'


And then the Corsage




I was so amazed I got this shot. Kevin actually smiling and enjoying himself. ;)


Pretty soon other couples started to show up. Here is Andie and Eric.


Once everyone had arrived we lined up all of the girls first for a group shot. I loved the color of all the dresses and they all looked fabulous!


Then the boys. So handsome!


Next, the entire group. All very ready to get their evening on the move on and get down to San Diego!


A different angle at the group.


Of course mom and dad had to sneak in a picture with their baby boy.


Then the Limo bus arrived and it was time for all of our grown up kids to get going and have the time of their life!




I am positive their were some happy memories made. Comming up on May 22nd, Kevin gets to escort Cierra to her Senior Prom for Ramona High School. So one more go around for these two. And of course one more go-round of torturing these kids through another round of pictures!

Easter Weekend in the Desert

Boy oh Boy it's been busy! So much happening lately and of course we have the home stretch coming up on Kevin's senior year in high school. Prom this weekend, Graduation in May...College in August.

We had a fantastic weekend out in the desert! Here are the pictures and the stories that go with them.

We arrived late Thursday afternoon before the Easter break. First order of business was putting out our Flamingos in our front yard. Our desert neighbor Ron Neeley passed away in a an accident a couple of weeks ago. At Christmas time he had given all the neighbors Flamingos to hang on our door. He liked flamingos.


Sunset on our first cocktail hill run ever. We are starting a new tradition on the Riviera. Everyday at sunset we'll head to the hill at the end of Saundra and have a cocktail and watch the sunset. Catch up on the days events with our neighbors and maybe plan things for the next day. Our first sunset on our maiden run was beautiful!


The "Day before Easter" potluck at Scott and M.A's. So much food, so many people, lots of good times. All the neighbors and their friends joined us. I think we had over 50 people show up.


Our "Day before Easter" potluck host, Scott aka Pappy


Some of the "girls" at the "Day before Easter" potluck


Another run to our newly annointed Cocktail hill. This time we toasted our friend, Riviera family member and Neighbor Ron Neeley with Orange Martini's. His favorite color was orange and he LOVED the desert. Ron's wife, Cyndi is in the red jacket.


A part of "the gang" at cocktail hill. What a great night we had, tunes, dancing, talking and watching the sunset.


The next day was Easter Morning. All the neighborhood kids met at our house to look for the eggs that the Easter bunny had hidden in the lots next to and behind our house. I think we had over 20 kids show up! They all came back with a basket full of eggs and each got a gift. Thanks to our desert godmothers Debbie and Paige. They'll have some fantastic memories!


An overflowing basket of found easter eggs!


My sons Michael and Kevin and I went on a little Easter ride. We did a geocache while we were out and then Kevin led us around on a nice little ride in the desert.
Here is Kevin


And here is Michael looking for the Geocache "Busy Intersection" We ended up finding the cache in the street sign out there.


At 10 to 4 on Easter Sunday we experienced the Easter Earthquake. The kids and I were sitting in the living room and John had gone back to the bedroom to get something when it started. Kevin was the first to say something: "Am I the only one feeling that?" Then Michael and I: "nope, we feel it too" We still were sitting on the couch. The Salton Sea area gets a lot of quakes and so we just ride them through normally. This one wasn't stopped and seemed to be getting worse. When we started hearing things fall down in the kitchen was when we decide we probably should get outside. The most amazing sight? Seeing John's Avalanche truck with the trailer attached shaking back and forth on the street. It's truly amazing to see that kind of energy from our planet earth. After the quake was over we went inside, I went online and saw the magnitude of the quake. Initially registered as a 6.9 it was later upgraded to a 7.2. It was the most powerful quake I've been through. I'm blessed that my whole family was with me. No worries about anybody being okay. Here is a picture of our kitchen. Some of the tin from up top came down, pictures on the wall in the kitchen fell and framed pictures throughout the house needed to be straightened. Other things fell down throughout the house. I'm good with earthquakes now. I just hope I can live through the rest of my life saying that was the strongest I've been through. I'm done! ;)


It was a doozy.