Happy New Year!

Wow-time to start a new year huh? I know that alot of folks make New Year's Resolutions. The ONLY resolution that I make every year is to make NO resolutions. Half the time I can't remember what I resolved to do, and the other half of the time I fail. So it's just easier to say that I hope this is a better year than last year was, and I will strive to be the best Penny I can be.

Happy New Year everyone. God Bless and prosper each of you in 2009 and always.

P.S.....PLEASE don't drink & drive!

Back To Reality

Yep, the holidays are over. Time to get back to reality.

Reality reared it's ugly head awhile back, and gave me yet another reason to worry, although I try hard not to. I keep reminding myself to give everything to God, that He will take care of us....but for some reason, I keep taking everything I give Him back! Grrr!!

Our illustrious Governor, 'Uncle Arnie'-I call him that because I can't spell his last name-has said that if the federal government doesn't bail California out by February, state employees won't have a paycheck. Now, I don't know if this means ALL state employees, or just some. Jim is a state employee, once removed. His paycheck comes from the school district, who is funded, of course, by the state. I can't fathom how all state employees wouldn't receive a check, it just doesn't make sense, which means it probably won't happen.

And, of course, if Jim doesn't get a paycheck, well....well, I don't want to 'go there', because basically we'll be S.O.L....

So, I guess it's time for me to dig deeper for faith, because faith is the ONLY thing that will carry us ('us' meaning everyone) through these hard times. Time to quit freaking out about where the money is coming from to pay the bills, and time to quit losing sleep over things I have no control over. Time to lay EVERYTHING at the feet of Jesus. After all, He cares for me. He has plans to prosper me and not harm me. Plans for hope and a future.

Now THAT'S a reality check!

Blessings!

Holiday Fun

Wow, hard to believe the holidays are over! We had our Christmas on Friday, and I wanted to share some pictures with you. A wonderful time was had by all, and the holiday was made more special because we were all together, and, of course, it was Peyton's first Christmas.

By the end of gift-unwrapping, she was going into meltdown mode, but after a nap, she was once again her wonderfully cheerful self. Alissa and Justen were thrilled with their gifts. We all made it a point to get them at least one thing on their lists, and the look of joy on their faces were priceless.

Once again, we feel so blessed, and we look forward to a Happy New Year~I hope your New Year is happy, healthy, and prosperous.

God Bless~

What I Forgot To Tell You....

Is that winning 2nd place last night was nothing short of a miracle....

Jim has the light display on a timer. It goes on around 5-ish, and goes off around 9 or so. Well, last night they didn't go on at 5....or 5:15, so Jim went out to check. Remember a couple of blogs ago I told you that we've been having 'issues' with cords and lights and such....well, last night, of ALL nights, was no exception. No matter what he did, something kept tripping the breaker, and POOF-gone! Now, I am married to a man with a Type A personality. A Type A personality man who's been fighting a cold for several days, and in fact came home from work early yesterday because he felt like crap. Need I say more? After about 15 min. of fighting with the lights, he popped his cork, said some things that I cannot repeat, and stormed into the house, hands in the air, bellowing 'I'm DONE!'....

So I figured, 'Ok, that's that. We've had this display up & running every single night with no problems, and now, on the night of judging, we have nothing. Oh well.' I called the park manager & explained to her what we were battling, and she said if we couldn't get the lights to work she'd see if they could postpone the judging till Tue night. Then I saw Gary outside, and told him what was going on, and bless his heart, he offered to help Jim figure out what was going wrong, so the two of them worked steady for a good 20 minutes.

Voila! We found the problem! 1 stinkin' cord was tripping the whole thing-so we just left it unplugged (it belongs to a snowman). We got up & running at 6:25, and judging started at 6:30....by 6:45 we'd won 2nd place, and a $75 gift card to Stater Bros. (works for me!)....but it doesn't end there......

The light display took it's final bow at 7:02pm. Jim said 'It's out for the night.'

We think what happened is that something got too damp with all the rain we've been having. Jim had wrapped the cords tightly in plastic to protect them, and will check all cords today. The snowman has a brand new strand of lights on it, and yet that particular cord was the culprit.

Hopefully we'll be up & running tonight.....

2nd Place!

We took 2nd in our park's Christmas decorating! We decorate because we want to, but hey, if someone wants to reward us, that's just the icing on the cake! Pics posed of our house, and of Peyton 'helping' Grandpa put the train together last week.

Our neighbor, Gary, affectionately known as 'the competition' took 1st-and he earned it. His display is beautiful as well!

Whoo-hoo! We're stoked! Stay dry!

Busy Weekend!

Is it over already??

Seems like just yesterday it was Friday, and I was SO looking forward to the weekend. The hours have just flown by, but I did get so much accomplished. I am 100% DONE with Christmas shopping, and since we're not having our family Christmas till Friday, that gives me an extra couple of days to get everything wrapped....whew!

I spent most of today cleaning house, so at least it's 'presentable' now. Just a couple more 'touch-ups' and it'll be sparkly clean, just the way I like it. Okay, maybe not 'sparkly', but clean nonetheless. Enough to satisfy ME, and that's what counts, right? My motto is: 'Clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy'. Another cute little ditty in closing:

Although you'll find my house a mess;
Come in, sit down, converse.

It doesn't always look like this;
Some days it's even worse!

Have a good week everyone, and be careful in the rain!

Blessings~

In....Out....DONE!

That was the story of my Christmas shopping this year. I just started yesterday...took about an hour. Then I set out for points 'down the hill' to finish up. Left home just before 9am and was home at noon-I am SO proud of myself. I cannot get over how quick all the shopping was for me-I'm amazed!

With the exception of 1 more Christmas gift that I can get up here, and 1 more birthday present, my holiday shopping is complete. We drew names this year, and in light of the fact that I didn't have alot of people to buy for, I decided that instead of the traditional gift cards, I'd buy actual presents.

It was fun shopping for the grandkids yesterday. I went armed with their lists, and pretty much went right to what they wanted. And the clincher was that everything is massively on sale, so I saved a bundle!

Today was pretty much the same story. I was gone about 3 hours, but roughly half the time was spent on the road. Traffic? No problem. Parking? No problem. Large crowds? No problem. Costco was pretty busy, but even at that I wasn't in there more than about 20 minutes, so I really can't complain.

I am SO done-at least for today. Still one more gift to get (a gift card to Denny's for Mary Kay & Lee) and a birthday present for Princess Peyton, but those things can wait for now.

Time to relax!

A Bittersweet Christmas

Bittersweet......that's what Christmas is for me this year. I've been avoiding the term. But I can't anymore. It's too real. Bear with me through the 'bitter'. The 'sweet' is way better.

The bitter part is that this is the first Christmas without my beloved sister-in-law Julie. She was married to my oldest brother, and she was one of my closest and dearest friends. Julie died this past March of an extremely rare, and obviously fatal disease. She went into the hospital on Nov 1st 2007, and never came home. Julie was the epitome of a Christian wife, mother, grandmother....the list goes on. There's a definition of a Godly woman in Proverbs Chapter 31. That was Julie. She was 10 years older than me. I was a little girl of 8 years old when Julie came into my life. I've never known life without her, until now. I remember so much, and most especially the past 10 years, when we grew closer than ever before. She was my friend, my confidante, my giggle buddy, and most of all, my sister. I miss her SO much, but I rest in the knowledge that she is safe in the arms of our Lord.

Dear Lord, please help me get past this hurt. It hurts so bad. I know, time will heal, it always does. I guess God needed Julie more than I did. Julie has been reunited with loved ones that have gone on before her, and I know she's happy sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Julie, you'll never know how much I love you. Save me a place at the table. I'll join you someday. Then we can do an eternal lunch!

Now for the 'sweet'...Two new family members to celebrate Christmas with this year! Our granddaughter Peyton, and our beautiful new daughter-in-law Jessica! What joy! Jessica has been with us for about 3 years now, but THIS year she's officially a King, and of course, it's Pey-Pey's first Christmas, and from what I've seen so far, she is TOTALLY into it! We're babysitting her tomorrow so Mommy & Daddy can finish up their Christmas shopping, and this week our tree is up, so it'll be fun to see how she responds to it.

This weekend promises to be busy. Friday is our 3rd annual King Cookie/Candy Baking Party....then Saturday is Christmas shopping (I haven't started yet) a Costco run (one of my favorite places), and my plan for Sunday is to finally get to church!

So, while there is pain this Christmas, there is also joy. Amazing how God works...in the midst of pain, He gives us joy.

Thank You Lord, for the joy in our lives this year.

The Benefits Of Rain

Well, in the past 20 hours or so, Ramona alone has gotten 1.59" of rain. Now, those of you who know me, know that I am NOT a 'rain' person. I don't like it. Period. I get wet. It makes for a bad hair day. It's inconvenient. I can't 'run' in & out of stores for fear of falling. There are ALOT of accidents....and the list goes on.....

BUT, as I sit here, God reminds me of all the GOOD benefits of rain. Here are a few:

1. The earth is parched. It (like us) needs water to survive and to help us thrive.
2. Our lawns/shrubs/flowers/trees get watered...for FREE.
3. Fields grow, so that cattle can graze.
4. If our cars are parked out in the open, they get washed....for FREE.
5. Rain clears the air of pollutants and airborne allergens-a BIG plus for us allergy-sufferers!
6. It causes fire-prone vegetation to 'green up', thus reducing fire potential-for now anyway.

I could go on, but I think you get my drift. So, even though it's a little inconvenient, there ARE things to do when it rains.

Grab your kitty, or your kid, or your doggy, and curl up in a chair, cover up in a nice, warm blankie, and grab a good book. Read to the baby, or simply enjoy your book of choice. Oh, and while you're at it, a nice cup of hot cocoa or coffee hits the spot too!

Pop a movie in the DVD player-sentimental love stories are GREAT for times like these! Don't forget the Kleenex! :)

Or do like I did yesterday. Take the time and go through cupboards, drawers, and closets. You'll be amazed at how fast the time flies when you're going through these things! And at the end of the day, you'll be SO thankful for the rain that 'slows' us down.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us and our parched land a nice shower!

I know I am! Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I hear a cup of hot cocoa calling my name.....

Brrrr!!

Before I begin on 'Brrr', I just wanted to let you know that Rudolph is a little shy. Ok, Ok, so he's not shy...he's half hidden!! I downloaded this template because it's just so darling, and, as with the last template I downloaded, only half the picture is there. Being rather computer illiterate, I'm not quite savvy enough on how to move things around so the FULL picture shows....oh well, you get the gist...

It's just freaking COLD outside! 37 right now, and our high today was 44....ok, yes, I know. It's ALOT colder in other parts of the country. But we're talking SoCal standards. This is COLD for us 'weather wimps'! Could be worse, right? Like Oregon, where my cousin Kathy lives. I just signed off of IM with her about 30 min. ago, and it was a whopping 8 degrees. Or in the Northeastern part of the U.S....well.....let's just say 'bitterly cold' is a huge understatement!

It was a perfect day to stay INdoors and get some things done. And get things done I did! I have a china cabinet built into a wall in my living room. It has 4 drawers down the middle, and 2 cupboards on the bottom, one on each side. Now, I've always prided myself on the fact that I am NOT a pack rat. But during this time of getting ready to decorate for Christmas, I discovered, via the drawers and cupboards in the china cabinet, that I could very well be on my way to becoming a pack rat. Oh nooooo!!

So, I worked like a banshee, and boy did I get rid of alot of 'stuff'....it's amazing how easy it is to just stuff something in a cupboard or drawer and forget it. LOL...believe it or not, I found stuff in there from 1994, which in itself is sad, but we've only been in this place not quite 11 years! How sad is THAT? Never mind that I am married to a pack rat, and the stuff from 1994 was old union papers of HIS, the fact remains that we brought it HERE! Aarrgghh!! I am proud to say that it is now in the recycle bin outside, awaiting Wednesday's trash pick-up. And my drawers and cupboards are now nice and clean, and organized!

I even managed to go through the latest stack of pictures, and get them into proper 'piles'. I did this about 3 years ago-went through every picture and put them into albums. Then after Jim's parents died, we inherited twice as many pictures to go through. So I now have 3 neat 'piles'. One for us to keep (and put into yet another album), one for Jim's sister, and one for my kids to go through the next time they're here. It was actually pretty neat, sitting here going through family history by the way of old pictures. Once my trip down memory lane was done, I felt good about what I've accomplished today. One less thing to do tomorrow.....

The weather here is supposed to be wicked this week: everyone around here, please be careful while out & about & driving. Have a good and safe week...God Bless!

Christmas Decorating

Decorating this year for Christmas has proven to be a real challenge so far. Jim started putting up our outdoor Christmas display the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It generally takes about 3 weeks for us to get everything set up. Mainly because time is limited. Jim works on it for a couple of hours after work during the week, then has the church grounds to take care of Saturday mornings, so time is fairly limited.

This year we've had issues with lights going out and cords blowing fuses. Lights that worked when tested are now being difficult. Same with cords. I can't tell you how many trips we've made to Kmart, Rite Aid and Walmart :)

We finally got everything working on Monday, and the display looks beautiful. THEN.....up comes the santa ana winds. Monday night everything fared well with the exception of the nativity display. Wind knocked it over. Last night about 6pm I checked on everything again-no problems. Jim gets home an hour later and both snowmen that he hand crafted and strung with lights have been blown over. One isn't working at all, and only half a strand of lights is working on the other....sheesh.

On the UP side, we've added 'The Lights And Sounds Of Christmas' to our display. It is absolutely fantastic! You plug your lights into it, and the system plays dozens of Christmas songs while the lights keep beat to the music. The faster the tempo, the faster the lights...it's SO cool!

All that's needed now is the batting, and since we spent so much on lights and cords, the batting will have to wait till payday next week, but for all intense purposes, the display is finished. And it's beautiful.

This weekend we'll work on the inside...

So strap the kids in their seatbelts/carseats, and c'mon by and enjoy the show!

CHRISTmas

I don't get it. How can someone who doesn't believe in Christ celebrate CHRISTmas?? I think of alot of people who neither acknowledge Him nor believe in Him, and yet they celebrate His birth. Do they not realize that without Christ, there would BE no CHRISTmas?

What they DON'T know, is if they DO celebrate CHRISTmas, they DO acknowledge Christ.....yep, that works. Whatever it takes to make Him the One that we ultimately point to as our Creator and Saviour.

Blessings~

'Tis The Season

I love, love, LOVE this time of year!

But I am SO having trouble with the layout on my page! There should be a FULL view of my snowman, not HALF! Grrr! If anyone knows how to fix this, PLEASE let me know!

Kicking off the Christmas Season 'to do' list is, of course, getting my family newsletter and Christmas cards ready to mail. Took a family pic from our trip to Bates Nut Farm in Oct., and had it made into Christmas cards-turned out really good, and the price at Costco was right too! Got the family newsletter done and printed up last night, then spent some time addressing envelopes. Will mail them off tomorrow.

Jim has started hanging lights outside. For those of you who don't know, we have, for several years now, had a huge Christmas display outside for all to enjoy. Each year we add a little something more, and it really is quite a show! The park that we live in has an annual Christmas decorating contest, and never have we won any lower than 2nd place. Usually it's 1st place, but hey, winning is just the icing on the cake. We do this not only for ourselves, because it's something we enjoy looking at, but the community enjoys it too. Our neighbor directly across from us took 1st place last year, but he deserved it. He worked really hard on his display, and it was beautiful. I'm sure most of you have seen 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'? How about 'Deck The Halls'? I think those stories are about US, except that we don't steal electricity or anything else from Gary (the neighbor affectionately known as 'the competition'). I told Jim maybe we should change our name to Griswold...

Our kids get involved too. If they see something that they think would look cool, they buy it and bring it over. We have a 5ft singing/dancing Santa, a snowboarding Santa, slide-loving penguins, watchful snowmen, gentle deer, and all sorts of cool things. And of course HUNDREDS of beautiful lights.

We're at the entrance to the park, so our place can be seen from 2 different streets. It's not at all uncommon for cars to literally park in front of our place, let their little kids out to enjoy the display, and even take pictures! For those of you who can't be here to see our display, I'll post some pics after we're all set up.

We still have Christmas shopping to do-nope, I haven't started yet. I'll get there....eventually.

There are just so many plans to make, and this is the ONE time of the year that I actually enjoy making them with the help of my family. It's Peyton's first Christmas too-and boy is she gonna be FUN! I can't wait to see her face when she sees the pretty display outside at Grandma & Grandpa's, and when she sees the pretty Christmas tree inside.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....it truly IS.

Blessings~

Blessed

This is the time of year that I start compiling my family newsletter to send out with Christmas cards. In doing so, it causes me to pause, reflect, and give thanks to the Lord for His provision, sustenance, and blessings over the past year. I should be giving thanks EVERY day, and I do, most of the time, but there are days when I just don't. That being said, I'm going to list some of the many things that I am most thankful for:

My salvation through Jesus Christ-I am guaranteed eternity with Him....

My husband-who has defined 'for better or for worse' so well, and has loved me even at my most unlovable, and 'in sickness and in health', which again he's defined well, mostly in the 'sickness' part.

My kids Jim, Brian & Shannon-I love them more than life itself. I have been SO blessed by them. They are always just so there for their dad and me. I am blessed because they all live nearby, and I hear so many people say they wished their kids/grandkids lived closer...I am blessed because not only are these people our kids, but they're our friends as well...and we get together often.

Our 2 beautiful daughters-in-law Katie & Jessica. We are SO blessed to have them as members of our family. They are genuine, caring, family-oriented women who have made our sons so incredibly happy. I'm not sure that these 2 ladies know just how much Jim & I love them.

Our precious-beyond-words grandbabies. How we are blessed by them! They have caused us to see life through their eyes, and gives us a whole new respect for children. And best of all....they LOVE Grandma & Grandpa! :)

Our kid's friends, who are more like family to us. They too, are SO there if we need them...awesome people our kids have chosen as friends!

We have jobs. Even in today's scary world of employment, or lack of, Jim & I are both in the kind of jobs that would be hard to eliminate.

We have a roof over our heads, heat in the winter, a/c in the summer. Our little mobile home isn't much to look at, but it's HOME, and we love it here. It's our little sanctuary that we can 'escape' to amid all the unrest, and feel safe and secure.

Food in the cupboard, clothes on our backs, and of course, our beloved kitties, who help to make our world a nicer place.

The list goes on, but suffice to say, I feel SO blessed, despite everything. I will NOT complain.

I am blessed....beyond measure.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! God Bless~

Dead Bugs!

Catchy title, huh?

XTermite was here today....exterminated all those nasty little termites! The wonderful thing about it is that we didn't have to pack up & move out for several days. No risk of anyone falling through our roof while trying to tent, no risk of any damage to my outdoor plants, and no risk of residual odor/chemicals when we moved back in. XTermite uses all natural ingredients, the main ingredient being orange oil.
The only residual anything is the aroma of orange throughout the house, and I can live with that. They say the smell could hang around for a few days but will eventually fade away. Works for me!
No more bugs-YIPPEE!!

Last Yard Sale

I just finished helping to close up what is my final yard sale. I'm done with them, period.

Nope, I'm not throwing a fit, or ticked off, or anything like that. It just is what it is-too much work, and too time consuming for what I ended up with. Oh, I'm grateful that I now have a little more cash than I started with at 0700 yesterday morning.

All but a couple of my 'bigger' ticket items sold. I still have the monitor left, as well as the printer, a night stand, and a computer chair. Guess people weren't in the market for those particular things. But boy did my piddly little junky things sell like hotcakes-I was amazed!

Alissa & Justen set up their own cookie/lemonade stand, and in 2 days made around $22....not bad, and they really worked for it. It was THEIR responsibility to man their 'station' and serve customers, and they did an awesome job! Of course, Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunties Shannon & Katie all bought goodies from them, as did their dad & stepmom. Hey, gotta give the kids some encouragement to keep going, right? They will split the money 50/50 and each gets to spend their share as they choose. Good lesson for them-money isn't free, you have to WORK for it-and they did.

Money aside, I really DID get alot accomplished over the past 2 weeks, the biggest and proudest accomplishment for me being that my guest room actually LOOKS like a guest room now. No more clutter-yippee! I have a few things to transfer from that closet into the shed outside, but for now it's out of sight-and that works for me....for the moment.

Tomorrow Jim & I will go back over to Jimmy & Jess' and load up the boxes of leftovers that they have, and on Tuesday we'll take them to the thrift store and donate everything.

But we did have a good time visiting with Jimmy, Jess and the grandkids, as well as Shannon & Katie, who stopped in to visit, and chatting with the nice people that came and either browsed or bought something. There are alot of real nice folks in Ramona.

Jim & I are exhausted. We're SO glad to be done.

Yard Sale

We're having a big multi-family yard sale at Jimmy & Jessica's house next weekend, so I bet you can guess what I'VE been up to! You got it-going through all kinds of 'stuff that I've had-probably for YEARS-and downsizing big time. Geez, I didn't realize how much I've accumulated over the past few years!

Vases that I've had for I-don't-know-HOW-long, a like-new computer monitor, golf clubs that we 'inherited' after Jim's dad passed away, and all sorts of little what-nots. File cabinets (3 at last count), and a few end tables. Shannon will be happy to hear that-she says we're overkill on tables...LOL...

So far today I've spent about 4 hours going through, marking, loading into boxes and stacking those boxes in our guest room. Looks like the room blew up...LOL...and that's not counting the OODLES of Jim's union 'stuff' (I'm being nice here) that he never uses, but insists on keeping, 'just in case'....UGH. So I boxed all of his 'stuff' up, and put it in the closet-for now. Once the shed outside is emptied of yard sale stuff, his union 'stuff' will go into the shed, thus emptying the guest bedroom closet for GUESTS.

I'm totally excited that the guest room will finally LOOK like one, and I feel such a sense of accomplishment today, especially since I've been on the sick side for the past week between allergies and yet another sinus infection.

Ok, break time over-back to work!

Rainy Day Projects

Wow-this rain is just something else! We need it SO badly, and I just know that our desertly-dry and parched ground is drinking deeply. And of course, I forgot to turn off the timer to my lawn sprinklers, so they got an extra 20 minute drink at 5:30 this morning....oops!

I've been battling 'the blues' today. Over the course of the last week, several people I care about and love have hurt my feelings by comments and actions. Then to add insult to injury, I awoke with a nasty sinus headache this morning. It happens when the barometric pressure changes so rapidly. After a good cry over my morning coffee, I decided that today would be the perfect day for a few indoor projects. I fixed Jim & I breakfast, then got down to bedrock.

There are alot of things in my closet that I can no longer wear, or just plain don't wear, so I weeded them out, got them bagged up & ready for the thrift store drop-off, and started on my dresser drawers. Jammies I don't wear, sweat pants, and a couple of sweatshirts. I'm sure someone will get good use out of them. It makes me feel good to give.

Good time to do laundry too-especially if your W/D is inside, like mine is. Helps heat up the house!

Did a few things on my computer that I haven't taken time to do lately...added a program and deleted alot of stuff out of folders....and don't forget-disk cleanup and defrag!

It's cold & windy outside-what better time than NOW to bake something! I went to Costco last weekend and got, among alot of things, a box of the Krusteaz Pumpkin/Spice Bread Mix...YUMM-O!
Ahhh....there's just nothing like something baking in the oven to give your home more of a 'homey' feel, huh? Especially on a cold/rainy/gray day. I cheated and didn't make stuff from scratch, but considering the fact that my head is still pounding, I consider it quite an accomplishment that ANYTHING got done today :0)

Tomorrow will be a better day.

TGIF

Yeah, I know....I wrote a TGIF blog awhile back, but EVERY Friday is TGIF to me. Especially THIS week.

I feel like I've been beaten up spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It was NOT a good week for the elderly couple that I care for. Can you say cranky? LOL...'nuff said...

The presidential election (see previous blog) did a number on me spiritually and emotionally...

And the physical? Well, every day is a physical challenge.

I think God uses times like these to remind me to think not of how 'bad' things are, but how BLESSED I am.

So, I sucked it up and trudged forward. And I'm thankful for all that I DO have.

A few years ago I was in 'wallpaper' mode...can you say SOOO 70's?? LOL...we wallpapered one wall in our family room, top half only. Pretty floral print, but now I am SO over it, so early this morning I pulled things off the wall and painted over the wallpaper. Jim thought I was crazy....I reminded him of how horrific it was trying to get the wallpaper off the bathroom wall that had been there for literally decades before we moved in. Shannon can attest.

It was a perfect day for painting! Winds out of the east (yep, a santa ana) at about 20mph....84 degrees, just absolutely perfect, and my wall dried in no time flat. I feel such a sense of accomplishment! Looks kinda bare with nothing on it right now, but Christmas is coming up, and shelves are on my list.

Jim has the next four days off, which means I get to sleep in! Whoo-hoo! I still have to work on Mon/Tue, but at least I can wake up gently without that *@%$(# alarm clock blaring in my ear! Well.....maybe.....IF Casey allows me to sleep in. She's a little over a year old now and has adapted to our sleep schedule, so things are better.

I haven't seen my family in a week-I'm having withdrawls, but not to worry. Jessica's birthday party is tomorrow, and all will be there but Brian :(

I can't wait. After a week like this one, I feel the need to be around my family, where I can let my hair down, relax, enjoy good food, and fabulous company.

Have a good weekend! I know I will!

More Faith, More Prayer

Good Morning Everyone~

By now all of us know who won the presidential election. I have a few thoughts, and I'd like to share them with you.

Last night I was NOT a happy camper. I wasn't really surprised, but I guess I just needed to see the 'official' word before I accepted it. At first I just got this heaviness in my spirit, and I broke down and wept, because this man doesn't share the same moral and scriptural values that I have, and I worry about where this will take us as a nation.

Please don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that Obama is a 'bad' man. I vote for candidates that share my spiritual beliefs and convictions. Obama did not get my vote, for those very reasons.

Anyway, I immediately went to prayer, and what I came away from prayer with was this: that we, as Christians, need to have MORE faith, and we need to pray MORE than ever before. We need to pray for this new president, that he will seek the will of God, and that those beliefs of his that do not line up with scripture will change by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I myself am done whining. I am going to pray, and I hope you'll join me. 'The prayer of a righteous man availeth much'.

P.S....And just for the record, McCain didn't get my vote either-I abstained from voting for president, being unable to choose 'the lesser of the two evils'.

God Bless~

Random Thoughts....

Just a few thoughts on this beautiful Sunday morning...random thoughts, in random order...I'm assuming that's okay in a blog. But hey wait....this is MY blog, so anything goes, right? LOL...

Jim's 55th birthday was Friday. Yeah, yeah, halloween. I don't celebrate halloween at all, but I also don't criticize those who do. It's an individual choice. I have to follow my own personal convictions, and hopefully I won't be criticized for that either, but oh well.

It was a good day in general. Did errands and such, then went over to Jimmy & Jessica's for dinner. After dinner, Jimmy & Jess waited eagerly for their trick-or-treaters, with a big bowl of candy ready to be passed out. So they waited....and waited....and waited. Finally, 2 showed up...and that was IT until quite awhile later, when a group of 5 or 6 kiddos showed up...you should have seen Jimmy & Shannon (who had brought HER candy over to pass out too, since she'd only had a handful at her place) race each other to the door to pass out THEIR candy...LOL...then it was over. No more trick-or-treaters. Shannon said the same thing happened at her place-very few trick-or-treaters. Weird, because they all live in a very populated area of town, and yet still got no more than about 10 kids altogether. Jess had even decorated the porch outside with cute orange lights and 'cobwebs', and the decor was complete with a halloween cd going in the cd player. After Brian, Katie & Shannon got there, we even joked about how maybe we should all dress up, go door to door, and pass out candy instead of asking for it...no one had costumes, sooo....just strange since it was a Friday night...

I don't know about you, but I have had it up to HERE with politics this year. Unending phone calls by candidates asking for your vote, endless flyers in the mail by said candidates, and flyers in the mail from various groups suggesting how you should vote. Then there's the news....UGH. Ok so I know it's an important election, and I'm not minimizing that, but give us a break already! I do take my obligation to vote very seriously, and I do pray about just how I should vote. I read the proposed propositions, and I read about each candidate, then I vote my conscience. Jim & I vote by absentee ballot, and our votes have been decided, and our ballots mailed, so I've done my job. I'm just thankful that there's only 2 more days until maybe we can get a break from all this political stuff. Elections are an evil necessity in life I suppose, and I'm just glad it doesn't happen every year!

The weather....wow...we are SO blessed to have the weather that we have, but in all honesty, I'm looking forward to some RAIN. I am NOT a 'rain' person. But geez louise, we need it desperately. We need it for SO many reasons, one being to clear the air of pollutants and allergens. My allergies have been running amok for weeks now, as I'm sure everyone else's has too. Just a nice, slow, gentle rain, to soak into the ground, that's all. We've been hearing all week on the news about how there's a shot at rain this weekend. We're still waiting. But then, if you look at the percentage chance (30% at last report) you should know that the odds are NOT in favor of rain. Ah well, our rainy season is just beginning. Maybe we'll get lucky later on.

The time change had me up before 5am this morning. Well, before 5am AFTER I'd already set the clock back last night before bed. I guess that means I was up before 4am. No wonder I'm already ready for a nap! I wish it would stay daylight savings time year-round. I don't like it when it starts getting dark at 4pm during the winter months. It just doesn't seem 'right'...

November is here, and with it comes Jessica's birthday (on the 10th), Jessica LaTour's baby shower on the 15th, and of course Thanksgiving. We'll be having our Thanksgiving feast the day after Thanksgiving so that eveyone can be here. We'll do the same for Christmas. It's actually better for us, because no one has to rush through a meal or opening presents because they have go somewhere else. The day is relaxing, and full of fun, laughter, and love. It's all about family, the thing nearest and dearest to our hearts. I can't wait!

Well, time to get my day started. After breakfast I'm off to Poway to treat myself and get my van washed/cleaned at Body Beautiful, then a couple of other stops before my final stop at Costco-one of my favorite places!

Have a good week....

Bates Nut Farm/Pumpkin Patch

Whoo-hoo! We had our 3rd Annual King Family trip to Bates Nut Farm/Pumpkin Patch yesterday. It was SO much fun!

The 1st year we went it was sooo cold and we were all bundled up. Last year it was hot with santa ana winds blowing, and our visit got cut short because of the horrid fires. This year it was just plain HOT. Shannon suggested that maybe we'll get snow for next year's visit....I say NOT! LOL...Mama is NOT a 'snow' person, so I'm putting in my order now for good weather!

I was so excited about this family outing that on Friday I put the camera battery on it's charger, for maximum 'juice', and even washed my van inside and out. Got the camera in the van Friday night so I wouldn't forget it, and Saturday morning we were ready to roll!

Surprisingly, the crowd didn't seem to be as big as usual, and we got good parking in spite of the fact that we didn't arrive till around 11am. We decided to take our usual family photo first, so up to the hay bales we headed. I pulled my camera out of the case to hand it to Melissa (Katie's sister) so she could take the picture. Turned it on....and NOTHING. What the??? Oh CRAP. The camera works better if it has a BATTERY in it! Yep, you guessed it. I left the battery in it's charger....at HOME. UGH! Way to go Penny, but alas, Shannon to the rescue...she snapped all kinds of pictures, so as soon as she got them posted to her Myspace page, I went in a 'stole' them...LOL...so now I have my own collection of the day's events. Yay!

After the family pic, it was time to turn everyone loose in the Pumpkin Patch, armed with their wheelbarrows, in search of their perfect pumpkin. I have to admit, everyone has a pretty keen eye for pumpkin picking-and Baby Peyton? Well, she was just happy to sit among those big orange 'things'...Alissa & Justen had fun going through the hay maze with Star & Jeremy (Katie's little sister & bro). After the maze, and the traditional hayride, we had a bite of lunch, then it was off to Bates Store for some sweet shopping. Yumm-o! LOTS of sweet things to buy!

Time to head home for a new tradition we've started after our Bates trip/pumpkin carving. A cookie/goodie bake and dinner! We met back up at Jimmy & Jessica's for the festivities, and we had such a wonderful evening. They guys took the little kids out back, where they all got busy gooping out pumpkin 'guts', and creating their 'masterpieces'

Meanwhile, back inside the house, the ladies got right down to bedrock and baked their little brains out, and some of us (who shall remain nameless...LOL) got downright messy! But the finished products were simply sinfully yummy, and a good time was had by all.

Bates has a Christmas celebration too...we're discussing going there then as well-but only if there's NO snow!

Venting

Ok folks, I need to vent/state my opinion. Some of you may find what I have to say either harsh or hardhearted. The following is just MY opinion. I'm not here to argue my points. Just to vent.

Today 2 somebodies headed out of Ramona, on Hwy 67, not knowing it would be their last trip out of town alive. 2 somebodies that somebody else loved.

I check the Highway Patrol website several times a day. My son, daughter-in-law and daughter all drive to work via Hwy 67 every day. People I know and love drive that road either for pleasure or work every day.

Hwy 67 is NOT a 'bad road' as some have said. I've lived in Ramona for almost 46 of my 51 years, and cannot tell you how many times I've traveled that road. Too many times to count. If folks think it's a 'bad road' now, they should have been driving it 30 years ago! It WAS bad back then! 2 lane, VERY narrow. Dangerous. And years ago Hwy 67 between Ramona and Lakeside was tagged 'Slaughter Alley', with good reason.

No one can use that excuse today. It is NOT a bad road, period. Accidents happen, BUT, I don't consider it an 'accident' when someone is knowingly speeding, or driving drunk, or just not paying attention. There is NO excuse. I drive Hwy 67 frequently too, and let me tell you, I am just as guilty of speeding on that highway as anyone else. Many times I'll go 60-65, in the slow lane, and people pass me up like a dirty shirt right & left. I have determined that I will NOT do this any more. Yes, I know, people say that if you go too slow you may cause an accident. Very true, but whenever I can, I obey the speed laws. They were put there for a reason: to keep me and my loved ones ALIVE.

People, listen up. If we speed, and we cause an accident or are in an accident, we have no one to blame but ourselves! Driving is NOT a 'right'. It's a privilege. How would you feel if you caused an accident resulting in the death of someone, simply because you disregarded the speed limit?

PLEASE SLOW DOWN!

Someone loves you VERY much and would be devastated if you were killed because you were speeding. I'm not saying that everyone speeds. I don't know that for a fact. But I DO know that many do, without thought of consequences.

I also believe, with all my heart, that God sits in heaven, weeping for those who have disregarded the rules, and that He grieves right along with the loved ones left behind.

I choked up this morning when I read about the accident. Living in Ramona, the odds are pretty good that I've either heard of the people who died, or know someone who knows the people who died. Maybe I know them myself, and just haven't been notified yet. Whatever the case, my thoughts & prayers have been with the family and friends of those killed this morning.

My prayer today is that the Lord be with you as you get behind the wheel of your vehicle. That He set His angels before you, to make your path straight and safe, and that He keep you out of harm's way.

Come home safely. Somebody loves you.

Blessings~

Cat Mats

Well, I feel like a bad cat 'mom'. Over the course of the last few months, I've been so busy that I haven't brushed two of my medium-hair cats. Either I've been running like crazy, drop-dead tired, or just plain forgot. Any way you slice it, the girls haven't been brushed. The result: matted hair. Bigtime. UGH...

Most of you who have cats know what's coming....World War III. I've been wracking my brain on how to cut the mats out without A) stressing them out TOO much, and B) managing to get myself majorly bitten/shredded. So today I paid a visit to my vet. She recommended an all natural stress reliever for humans, but is animal safe. Great! Where do I get it? Down the hill, she says...at Henry's in Poway or Boney's, wherever THAT is...ugh, there's GOT to be a better solution. With gas prices, even though they're dropping, I don't want to make a trip down the hill for one little bottle of something. Instead, I decide to go to Animal Pharm. Nancy, the owner, is really knowledgeable about animals, and pointed me to an herbal stress remedy. It's expensive, but as I found out, well worth the cost.

You give in according to weight. Ok, lucky is first. She's my 10-year-old Maine Coon mix. Lucky is my difficult one. Ask Shannon. She doesn't like to be held, period. She'll sit on my lap, if it's HER idea. She much prefers laying across the back of my chair, or on the floor where she can keep her eye on me at all times. Lucky HATES to have her nails clipped. Ask Shannon. I'm afraid to clip them, so Shannon does the honors for me. The other 5 cats, no problem. Then there's Lucky. Now, Shannon is WAY better than I am, such a steady hand and all, but I think only once or twice in the past few years has she been able to manhandle Lucky enough to clip her nails. Back to the mats. I give Lucky some of this herbal stress remedy, and within the hour she is mellow-SUCCESS! Even though it took me an hour, I managed to get the clumps out, and she is again silky, smooth and beautiful.

Snuggles is next. We believe, judging from her looks, and the research we've done, that she's got Norwegian Forest Cat in her. I'll need Jim for THIS girl. Mainly because she has some mats on her lower tummy, so I'll need him to hold her REALLY good so I don't get attacked. I get the mats off of her lower back, despite the threatening growls and yips she gives me. Ok, so far I'm still in one piece, let's start on the tummy. Jim's got her fairly good, but when she twinges, so does he. Ugh, can't have that! I need him to HOLD her! He's afraid of hurting her; I tell him he's NOT hurting her. She's just PO'd. He finally gives up, using the excuse that he needs a shower. Grrr....So, I got SOME mats taken off her tummy, but not all...it'll just have to wait till another day-when Shannon's here. Hint, hint Shannon...LOL...I know that together we can get the job done.

At least both girls LOVE to be brushed, so hopefully we can avoid this happening again...

Have a good evening!

Sunday Notes

Yesterday we went to Station 80's Open House. It's an annual event that the entire community is invited to. There are safety demonstrations-Brian gave one on stove fires and Christmas tree fires-and tours, lots of pieces of apparatus to see, just alot of things to do. It was so much fun. There were engines there from each station in Ramona, as well as CHP and Sheriff vehicles. Mercy Air was there as well, along with USFS Helitack and CalFire's own Copter 10. What a show!

The whole family showed up-well, Brian & Shannon were already there. Brian was on duty of course, and Shannon was manning the Burn Institutes's table, filled with all kinds of useful information, as well as a 'spin the wheel' game for kids to play and test their knowledge. Every kid walked away with a treasure piece of candy...no child left behind there! Brian gave a guided tour to a group of Cub Scouts. They're so little, and yet they were completely mesmerized by the information Brian was giving them, and they asked lots of questions. Their attention was totally on what they were doing, and I was SO impressed that kids that young were that focused.

I actually learned something too-do NOT put ice on a burn-apparently it helps the skin continue to burn. Cold water is best. Wow, who knew? Back when I was growing up, we always used ointments, butter, oil, whatever. BAD idea, although we didn't know it then. Thx Shannon!

A couple of the stations got calls, so of course they had to respond. One call was a possible vegetation in Julian, so both the USFS Helitack Copter and CalFire's Copter 10 prepared to leave. Mind you, they are in the field, next to the station. A big field...all weeds, chopped down of course, but when you get 2 helicopters in the same field with their rotors going, well, everything flies, and I do mean EVERYTHING. Weeds, dust, dirt, and whatever else may be on the ground is now airborne...hold on to your small children! LOL...thank goodness the vegetation fired turned out to be a false alarm, so both copters came on back to the station...again kicking up everything not bolted to the ground. So much for my freshly washed hair!

Today my thoughts & prayers are with my daughter Shannon, as she participates in the Susan G Komen Walk For The Cure Breast Cancer Walk in Temecula. She's been preparing for this event for months, and has dedicated her walk to her friend Chris, a former CalFire Captain and breast cancer survivor. I've never met Chris, but she's been such an inspiration and role model to Shannon, so my prayer is not only for a complete recovery for Chris, but that Shannon is blessed beyond measure during this walk. She has raised over $600 herself, and I just couldn't be prouder of her. She's been working alot of OT lately, and she's tired, so I pray for strength and stamina for her today, and in the coming days. She has to come home today and get some rest for work tonight. She'll be fine.

Next Saturday is our family trip to Bates Nut Farm. I am SO excited! I've been monitoring the weather in Valley Center, and long range forecast says around 80 degrees next Sat. Perfect! Now if we can avoid a santa ana, it'll be a perfect day...whoo-hoo!

Blessings~

Termites-Part II

Ok so, a few blogs ago I told you that we have termites. Since then I've had 3 different pest control companies out. All 3 agree-drywood termites. Major infestation.
Company #1 says they'll do the job for $1100.00. We'll have to move out, lock, stock, and barrel, for 3 days. This includes food, medicines, the cats, and THEIR foods and meds. They will then come and re-inspect our house in one year, free of charge. IF we sign up for their termite protection plan. Said plan costs $225 per year. Why doesn't 'free' sound 'free' here? If the ONLY way they'll come and inspect for 'free' is if you join their plan, then it isn't FREE! Nope, we're NOT using them!

Company #2 came yesterday. They promise to beat the competition's price. Guy was really nice, explained everything, and told us that they guarantee their work for 4 years, and free inspections at NO additional charge. He gave us a price of $1150.00, but once we told him what company #1's price was, he dropped it $100. Still all the same hassle with moving everyone and most things out, but we liked what he had to say better.

Both companies stress that there can/will be structural damage to the roof and any other outdoor components, like trellises, carports, etc...NOT very comforting thoughts! Especially considering the fact that there are damaged boards on the porch that will need replacing once all the bugs are gone. Who can afford additional damages on top of everything else?? No THANKS!

Still one company left, and he came today....our hero!

Company #3 is Xtermite. They use all natural products, so you don't have to leave. It's human and animal-friendly. They use orange oil and boric acid. They also only focus on the parts that they physically SEE are infested. Our bugs are pretty much contained to our porch. So of course they'd treat the porch with the orange oil, which penetrates everything and even defies gravity, and then for the rest of the house they'd use the boric acid. I think that might be more of a deterrent, but at any rate, the $1300 pricetag is WELL worth the overall stress-free procedure that enables not only Jim and I, but our cats, to stay in the comfort of our own home. And the only residual smell is that of oranges. I can live with that. I like citrus smells.

Needless to say, Xtermite gets our business.

For those 'catless' friends of ours, moving cats is NOT easy. Not by a long shot. They are OCD bigtime, and have only been out of the house long enough for a car ride to the vet. They were NOT happy. Oh what a nightmare it would have been to have to move them into a hotel room or a rented trailer/rv for even a few days. Nope, don't even wanna THINK about how that might've turned out!


**Just a footnote here: all 3 companies told us that by the time you discover that you may have termites, in all actuality, you've already had them for 5 or 6 years. That's how long it takes them to build up their colonies.

So, all's well that ends well, and soon we will be 'bug free'!

Blessings~

Friday Night

I just can't think of a better way to spend a Friday night than with family. Tonight I get to do that! Jim and the big 'kids' are going to the Ramona High School Homecoming game (vs. Jessica's alma mater Orange Glen), so grandma is going to have all 3 grandkids. Just Peyton at first, then Alissa & Justen a little later in the evening.

I asked Brian & Katie to bring Peyton's playpen. That munchkin is FAST! LOL...man you should see her! She sets her beautiful baby blues on something and she's OFF...and alot of times gets to whatever she's going after faster than grandma can run and snatch her...and of course, even after thoroughly, she STILL manages to find something that I missed. Maybe cuz she's so low to the ground, huh?

In the meantime, I'm awaiting the pest control technician to come and give me a better quote than the last company I had come out. They promise to be the competitor's prices....we'll see. At any rate, I will be SO glad to get rid of those freaking bugs!

Tomorrow we have one more company coming out, so we'll see who gets the 'job' of ridding us of our destructive and UGLY little menaces.

Then it's off to Station 80's Open House. That's always a fun outing. We just never get tired of anything that has to do with firefighting. Guess it's in our blood. Must be, Brian's a 3rd generation firefighter on my side of the family, and of course now with Shannon with CalFire as well, well, it just doubles the pleasure.

Have a good weekend-we're promised cooler temp. I hope so!

Until next time.....blessings~

Fall...My favorite time of year!

Oh, I just LOVE Fall....and nothing quite says 'Fall' to me like our annual King Family trip to Bates Nut Farm....for me, and I think for my family as well, Fall is the gateway to the holiday season. Next to Christmas, our trip to Bates is a major family event.

We absolutely LOVE the holiday season...it all kicks off, of course, with Bates. This year we have two new family members joining us. Our new daughter-in-law Jessica, and our newest granddaughter Peyton. Jess had to work last year, so she missed our outing, and Peyton was there, but in utero, so she really didn't get to 'see' anything.

Of course, last year's outing was cut way short due to the Witch Fire, but we're holding positive thoughts this year.

It's so much fun to watch the little kid's eyes as they take in everything, finally zooming in on the petting corral and the rides. And ohhhh....the smells...holiday spices and such-it just does wonders for a person's well-being. I feel like we adults revert back to childhood when we're at Bates...we're all giggly and happy and carefree, and looking forward to our traditional hayride and family picture, complete with the special pumpkins that everyone has chosen for their very own masterpiece.

The store itself is fantabulous! Oh man, I could spend HOURS in there! Then of course, there's the kettle corn....yummm! Gotta buy a bag on the way home to munch on! There are all kinds of booths set up, from artwork, to ceramics, to food. It's all there-something for everyone.

We'll head over to Jimmy & Jess' house later, to carve out pumpkins, have dinner, and start our first annual King Family Fall Baking Party....not to be confused with the King Family Christmas Baking Party in December...and of course, anyone that would like to join is is more than welcome! We're all about family parties and traditions, and the more the merrier, so C'mon over!

This will be Peyton's first Christmas, and I can't wait. She'll be just shy of a year old (my gosh! Where did the time go???), and as with Alissa and Justen when they were babies, I can't wait to see her reaction to everything.

Between now and Christmas will be a total blur of activity, between birthday parties, baby showers, family outings, the birth of Jessica & Andrew LaTour's baby girl in early Dec. (can't wait to meet her!!!), and of course, topping it all of...Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

These things we look forward to, because in today's world, with all the economic hardships and everything else, it just does a soul good to be able to connect with family, and let all the drama go, even if only for a day. It's times like these that I greatfully thank God for, because my family is intact, and nearby, and able to come together at will.

My advice to you: if you have a pumpkin patch in your community, grab your family and close friends and GO. It doesn't cost anything but time-and a little gas-to go. This is what family traditions and memories are made of. This is what Alissa, Justen, and Peyton will remember. This is what we adults look back on, with such happy memories. These are special family bonding times, times that God has blessed us with. Take them and run...and remember.....good times!

Blessings~

Welcome Rain

It's raining....finally! I've been anticipating this rain for days. For those of you that live in this section of the country, you know what I'm talking about. We've been SO dry and parched for years. Never enough rain to make a significant and positive impact.

It started sprinkling here around 4 pm, but just off & on sprinkles, and I got a little discouraged, thinking "is this ALL there's going to be? Just 'spitting' here & there? What a ripoff!" But then as the evening progressed, so did the rain. Right about 6:30 it started coming down a little steadier and a little heavier. This is the GOOD kind of rain, the soft, gentle rain that soaks into the ground instead of puddling up and running off immediately. And the air after the rain is just heavenly...so clean, crisp and fresh...ahhhh....I love it...

I'll enjoy it while it lasts, because come Tuesday, we're supposed to be back up into the mid 90's once again.

Blessings~

Busy!

What is it about going away for a few days that seems to signal to the house that it's okay to get itself dirty, and the laundry to 'be fruitful and mulitply' while you're gone?

Anyone out there hearing me??

Maybe it's because I was so preoccupied with the wedding, and having 7 guests in my home...yep, those excuses work...LOL...

I've spent this whole day cleaning, doing yardwork, laundry and errands, and I'm still not done. Gee, that makes it sound like my house is a real pigsty doesn't it? It really isn't though. I'm just one of those people that kicks into high gear when I see that something needs to get done.

I've decided that the 2 last loads of laundry will wait till tomorrow. I'd have done them today, but one of my cats decided that the middle of my freshly laundered/made bed would be the perfect place to barf up a hairball....UGH! And having a king-size bed, you do not put a quilt and a sheet in the same load....

Got some weeding and watering done in the yard early this morning while it was still cool out, then showered and ran around town doing errands. Next on my to-do list is grocery shopping. I'm sure Jim will appreciate groceries in the house!

Jim got the wall hangings up in the guest bath, and it looks really cute. Next I think I'll get some of that fishnet with the seashells attached and kind of drape it over the doorway-and that should finish off my beach/seashell theme.

I got alot done today. A couple of things to do early in the morning, and I'll have the rest of the day to rest, play, or both!

There's no place like home......


Blessings~

Laughlin

We just got home from Laughlin today. Had a wonderful time! It was SO good to escape reality for a few days, but now it's back to the 'real world'

Laughlin was HOT! 115 both days....whew! But....'it's a dry heat'...LOL...and it was. We were surprised when we went to Bullhead City, AZ and saw the temp gauge. It felt hot, but not THAT hot.

We got to Laughlin about 3pm on Tue, and basically just stayed at the hotel for the remainder of the day. That evening I needed to go to B of A to make a withdrawl, and soon found out that the little ATM drive-thru that we've visited before is no longer there. We figured surely there must be a B of A across the bridge in Bullhead City, so we popped on over there, and after quite awhile looking, we pulled in and got directions. Not being real familiar with the area, we assumed that the bank would be on the main drag....NOT. We found the bank eventually, I went to the walk-up ATM and made my request. They wouldn't give me my money! Did an inquiry and found several hundred dollars LESS than I just KNEW we had. Short of a complete meltdown at that point, while we high tailed it back to the hotel where the checkbook was, I'm telling Jim, 'Honey, there's obviously a horrible mistake, and NOT on MY part!'...I was thisclose to tears. Paid a fortune to go online and check my bank account. Ah HA!! There it is! I'd paid my cell bill that morning, and on my bank statement it was listed THREE times! I hopped on the phone to AT & T, and, remembering that it is NOT the person I'm talking to's fault, I explain my situation, calmly....sort of....ok ok, just shy of panic and rage.... He assures me that only ONE transaction went through, and that I should call my bank, which of course I did as soon as I hung up with him. Talked to a rep at B of A, who saw the obvious boo-boo....(yeah, a HUGE 'boo-boo'!), and of course he fixed it, and assured me that the funds were there should I need them. Geez Louise! Nothing like a near nervous breakdown on the first day of vacation, huh?!

Wed we played a little, and shopped ALOT. They have this really cool Outlet Center in the heart of town, and it's a MUST for me when I go...gotta shop till I drop...and I did, but hey, I figure what I bought over there I didn't gamble away, right? I've been wanting to finish the decor in our guest bathroom, a sea shell theme, but could never quite find what I liked. Wed. I was successful, and now my guest bath is about 99% complete, decor-wise. I'm thrilled! Jim got a much-needed pair of work boots at half the price that we would have paid for here, and a new pair of tennis shoes too...

The hotel was nice, but it's at the end of the strip, up on a hill, so in order to go where we wanted to, we had to drive to the center of town, park, and walk. Next time we'll get a hotel in the heart of town-not so much driving that way. The riverwalk was beautiful, as usual, and a good way to work off dinner, at least walk off dinner to the point where you have just enough room for an ice cream cone before calling it a night ;)

It was SO nice to not have the distractions of everyday life, and Jim & I have some of our most meaningful conversations on long road trips. We decided to beat the heat and leave early this morning for home, so at 6am we were on the road. Stopped for breakfast about 9, and got home about noon. It's been busy ever since, unpacking, laundry, checking/answering email, oh yeah, and getting the new things set up in the guest bath. A trip to the post office to collect the mail we had held, and a short trip to the store for dinner tonight.

Tomorrow I'll finish up laundry, and wash the icky gross bugs off my van. But for tonight, I....am....DONE.

It's so good to be home.

Until next time....blessings!

Jimmy & Jessica's Wedding~

Wow, I can't believe the wedding is over already!

It was absolutely beautiful. Jess was a stunning bride, and Jimmy was such a handsome groom.

We are all happy, but exhausted. I'll blog more details later, but for tonight, I just wanted to share some photos that we took. I hope you enjoy them.

Until next time....blessings!