Rozlyn turned 29 on Saturday. Her boyfriend, Jonathan, put together a surprise party for today, and pulled it off. She had no clue! She thought she was meeting Brittany for lunch, but had to stop by Raul's brothers house first, which is where the party was. As usual though, she was late and we were all waiting for almost 45 minutes! But is was worth it. Notice the new haircut-she donated it to Locks of Love. Happy Birthday, we love you!
Dean loves animals. Always has and always will. If he had his way he would bring home every stray and have a zoo. Don't get me wrong, I love animals too, it's just you need to remember how much work pets are. He is cute though, and he loves Dean to pieces.
+of+Copy+of+CCF07302008_00001.jpg)
Your mom is always right. When I was young my mom told me time passes so quickly and as you get older it will pass even more so. Thinking how can a clock go faster when you are older when there are still 24 hours in every day, this made no sense to me. Well, guess what? The older I get the faster that 24 hours goes!
We have been married ten years today, and have lived a lifetime in those ten years. Some good, some not, some fun, some heartache and on and on....I often think the Lord gave us a full plate so we could bond in ten years what normally would take 25! So really this should be our 25th, isn't that your Silver Anniversary? We were supposed to go to Italy and celebrate, but had to cancel. His mom is doing better. Hope we can reschedule. I need a trip!
Happy Anniversary!
.jpg)
This was the road they rode up.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
My life seems to start out as planned. Start being the operative word. Then something seems to take a turn... We planned a trip to Italy, with Raul leaving on the 23rd of June and I would be joining him on the 29th. He was going through the Alps on a motorcycle ride with some friends. I was going to meet him in Vienna, spend a few days there then fly to Milan, visit "Georgie C" in Lake Como, then on to Venice. After that we were going to Florence, then Rome. In all Raul would be there three weeks and I would be there a bit over two. Sounded like a trip I really needed.
Well, I know everything happens for a reason, but I'm still trying to figure what that reason is...I was supposed to leave Monday morning, but Sunday I got a call from Raul's brother telling me his mom was in the hospital and had to have emergency surgery. She had a twisted intestine and it had died and infected her blood. Thank heavens he went to pick her up for church and found her. I scares me to think what could have happened.
I had no idea how to get ahold of Raul as he was riding and I didn't know what hotels they were staying in on their journey. I figured he would call me sometime that day, and when he did I had to tell him the news. Ever try to get someone home from Europe on the week before the 4th of July? Guess everyone wants to come see our fireworks. Add that to the wave of fans coming for Michael Jackson's funeral, and it makes for no flights. I couldn't get him home for almost three days and then the cost was about three times what we paid for a round trip ticket. Thank heavens for friends, sisters! Julie and Bill gave us their miles so I could get him home in one day. While a normal flight costs about 35,000 points this was 106,000! Yea you read that right, they really gouge you when you're down. Anyway words can not express the gratitude we feel for them. Now that is true love. Lesson learned, take your cell phone.
His mom was in the hospital for almost two weeks and just got home Sunday. Someone had to be with her round the clock, so everyone is extremely tired. She is staying with Richard, but is with us for a few days while they are at the river. She is lucky to still be here, and we are thankful for all your prayers. Guess it was a good thing it happened when it did. Can you imagine what it would have been like if it happened 24 hours later while I was on the plane to Vienna?
Anyway Raul had a trip of a lifetime and thoughly enjoyed himself. He said the pictures don't even do it justice. It was beautiful. We would love to go back, maybe in six months or so.
Funny thing is: as I'm writing this I realize our plane should just have come in from Rome!
I know I said I was going to do this before, but then time got away and here we are again. I have most of your e-mails, but if not send them to me and I will add you. Have not really checked out how to do it, so I hope I get it right.
Well we finally got the Bar-B-Que finished, and just in time. Really I mean JUST. At 7:00 Friday night Raul got it to light. For several days it had been one thing after another, ending with the fact that when we went to turn on the electricity, we discovered the electricians didn't run power to the source we were pulling power from! Thank heavens Dean and his friend Jessie came through!
We are starting a new family tradition-having lunch on the Saturday before Easter. A bit more relaxing that way. Dean bar-b-qued a tri-tip and it was yummy. We were flying by the seat of our pants, but it turned out great. If anyone has any tips, please let me know. To anyone who wants to attend-mark your calendars now.
The Easter Bunny came early-the little ones loved hunting for eggs (especially the ones Uncle Dean hid in the waterfall-although Jaiden just about went swimming while trying to retrieve them!) The kids played with the horse and goat, did hula hoops (how come I can't do this anymore?) ran around and just enjoyed eachother. I know I say this all the time, but I have the best family ever!
Our only boy turned 27 today. I know we all say this...but where does the time go??? He has grown a lot this past year (and this time I don't mean physically). He got a new (to him) truck a few months ago. It's a grey 2004 Niesen Frontier, and he loves it. Thanks to Kevin we got a good deal and he could afford more car than he thought. Well actually Grandma fronted him the $$$. I was so tired of driving him around for six months I think I was the happiest of all! He also moved into a friends house and is doing very well. I do think he is missing the comforts of living with his parents though. Isn't it surprising what we take for granted until we don't have it?
The song from Fiddler on the Roof couldn't hit home better..."Where is the little boy I carried, where is the little boy at play, I don't remember growing older, when did they?"...
Dean is still very thoughtful and is always doing something nice for someone. He has a surprise box for Devin and Juliett that they may pick from if they can tell him something new they have learned. He doesn't have much money, but he finds good deals so he can keep the box stocked. It's hard, you try to teach your kids to be giving, but that needs to be balanced with saving and taking care of your own needs also. Dean will give you the shirt off his back, wish I could temper that just a bit.
We have spent virtually every year with all our family/cousins for Christmas. A few years ago we were forced to change it to the Saturday following Christmas because as our family grew so did the commitments. Christmas day will never be the same, but I am glad we still make it a point to celebrate together, it's really a highlight. There is nothing more important than family. There are four of us that rotate having the party, so this year it was in St George, Utah. Maybe because we left the day after Christmas or for another unknown reason, the traffic going there was worse than the Annual Sale at Nordstrom's. What is normally a six hour drive (remember the kind of driver I am married to...) was an eleven hours endurance marathon. The drive back was only a bit better, ten hours (but that included an hour in line at a gas station to use the one seat potty!). Once we got there we had a great time, Saturday we went for a hike in Snow Canyon, and I was impressed as my mom went with us! She is 81 years old, but does very well and had many hands to help her. The ages ranged from two-months to 81 years! After that we went to the church and played soccer. If any of you know my family to say we are competitive is an understatement. The rules were no hands what-so-ever, you had to kick the ball from where it was, even if that happened to be under my chair while holding my almost one-year-old niece in my arms. Back to the hotel to shower and then off to my cousins home for dinner. We found a new way to sing Christmas Carols this year. Another cousin, Steve, cut pipes different lengths to make chimes, handed them out and then gave us nails to hit them with when it was our turn. He had the notes to play printed up so we could follow. If one person screwed up you could hear it. I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. By the end we were doing fairly well. After that we played "Mafia". It's basically a game kind of like Clue without any game board. Everyone really gets into it and it's all about lying and trying to talk the others into believing your way, with the main point of not getting killed, or not letting them know you are the mafia. We played until 1:30 in the morning. It's amazing what comes out of your mouth when you are trying to lie, and keep a straight face, all while not giving something away. The whole day was so much fun, but it just makes me miss my family all the more. Rozlyn's boyfriend, Jonathan, went with us and I was a wondering if he would be overwhelmed, but he loved it and fit right in. We missed those that couldn't make it this year. As you can see by the picture we had a good turnout. What you don't see is that about half are missing. Hope next year we can have as much fun and even more can attend. It's at my house so plan ahead PLEASE!
Well we didn't get any pictures this Thanksgiving, which if you know our family is highly unusual, and disappointing! Raul had been sick for over a week, it was raining and I was even more tired than usual. We did have a wonderful time though. Brittany and Susan, a friend she works with, came up from San Diego. So all our kids were here = I'm happy! Raul and Jonathan deep fried a turkey which turns out better with each passing year. Brittany helped me cook Wednesday evening so most everything was done ahead of time! Every day I am reminded just how much we have to be thankful for.
To name just a few...
*We have four great kids who live within a two hour drive
*We have been blessed with two lovely grand kids
*Our health is basically good
*Our mom's are still around, in good shape and living close by
*We have a large extended family that are loving and supportive
*We have wonderful friends, both long time ones and new ones
*We have been able to retire and do some of the things we have always wanted to do
*We are able to enjoy our "toys" with our kids, family, friends and have experiences that we can laugh about for years to come
*In these hard times we are stable and have a warm home with food on the table Unfortunately, so many have it rough today
*We live in a time where almost anything we can think of is within our reach
*We live in a country where we are free to choose and even though things might not be as we would have wanted, we are blessed we have a voice in things
*Most importantly...We have the gospel in our lives that puts things in perspective. If we keep that in the forefront and remember to put things in the correct order, our lives will be just fine. 
Saturday Brittany and I went to see the movie Twilight. Dean saw it earlier and really liked it, which suprised me since his taste in movies is usually very different than mine. It was good, not as good as the book, but then again I seem to always enjoy books more. I was a bit dissapointed with the way they made Edward look in the beginning, a bit pasty, even for a vampire. He was much cuter by the end. I never understood the fuss about these books until I questioned my niece Shari. She informed me it was a story about vampires. My first thought...Oh great, I never liked that kind of stuff. In fact not only do I not like it, but it gives me nightmares! Tempting fate, (or maybe just giving in to peer pressure) I gave in, picked up the first book and was unable to tear myself away until I devoured all four! I was hooked. I am now suffering from depression because I feel like I have lost my friends! I want to know what they are all doing and what is going on in their lives! Sad huh??? Think I need to get a life?!? Stephenie Meyer makes you feel like her characters are a part of your life, always leaving you wanting more. The last page of Breaking Dawn actually said "The End" but remember Bobby Ewing came back in the famous shower scene a year after we thought he was dead. I can always wish...
Has anyone read or even seen her new book? Any comments???
Raul's Republican Friend
WE finally managed to get away even if it was just overnight. I emphasise the "WE" as Raul is away all the time, hence the name "The Happy Little Wanderer". Saturday we drove the Corvette up to Ojai and stayed at a quaint little B & B called the Lavender Inn. We even stayed in the Lavender Room. Didn't realize how much I really needed to just relax. Our room had a cute little patio that overlooked the backyard with a beautiful view of the mountains. Perfect weekend-even if it did rain a bit. To top it off, Raul went into several stores with me and didn't complain one bit! For those of you who know him this is no small task. Even better, he marked antique stores on the map, and actually went to them. Sunday we drove into the Angeles National Forrest and then stopped on the way home to see my "sister" Angi and her kids. He's right, we do need to do this more often. I get so caught up in what has to be done that I forget to relax and enjoy.
Are we really old enough to have a 30-year old daughter? Jeannine keeps reminding us of the fact that when she gets older we do also. That can not be true. Jeannine, better known as Juliett's mom, is living nearby in Lawndale with her husband, William and Juliett. She is working at a doctors office in the valley area and also at Sports Chalet (where they have Tall, Handsome Flag Pole Holders-see July 27 post). She loves fairies and butterflies, the color black and Angelia Jolie. She is fascinated by strange movies of any kind, and likes to search deeply into the hidden meanings. She is the one who taught Juliett everything she knows about being a "Drama Queen", and Juliett has added her own twist to that knowledge. She is also the one who showed Juliett how to be loving and caring. Being the oldest she likes to run things, and is always looking for ways to help her younger brother and sisters. She has a warm, loving, big heart. Happy Birthday, we love you.
After seeing Wicked again last night I am convinced why this is my all-time favorite (although I do love A Chorus Line, Cats and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). I went with my cousin, Shanna, and my nieces and nephews, Brooke and Curtis, and Tyler and Vanessa. This play never ceases to amaze me. The costumes and sets are outstanding, not to mention the cast. Although I was a bit disappointed that Glinda's standby (Emily Rozek) was playing the part. Good, but nowhere near the magnitude of Megan Hilty or even Erin Mackey! The part of Madame Morrible is now being played by Carol Kane who I guess originally was on Broadway, but unfortunately her understudy, Linda Kerns, was playing the role last night. Too bad, I would have loved to see Carol Kane and compare her to JoAnne Worley who I thought was perfect. I love Teal Wicks as Elphaba, but I have heard Eden Espinosa is even better. Both Megan and Eden are returning on the 30th until the end of the run on January 11, 2009. My mom, Dean and Brittany (Rozlyn already went) want to see it so maybe three will be it, (number of times I saw Cats), that is until a movie is made! Wonder what the show on Friday night (Halloween) will be like?
???Does anyone know the difference between a Standby and Understudy???
Brittany and I went to see The Secret Life of Bees this weekend. I was expecting it to be good, but really, is a movie ever as good as the book? Rarely. This is an exception! I loved the book and the movie does not disappoint. I can't remember anything in the book that would have made the movie any better. The only disappointment was the man in front of us trying to sit in a chair that wasn't there, taking three of us five minutes to get him off the floor. Plus the lady across the isle chewing her popcorn so loudly that she made a pig seem passive, then moving onto her endless supply of ice, which she annoyingly consumed only after swirling the coke around in it first.
On a scale of 1-10: Movie 10--Ambiance 3
Okay, I'll brag a bit...I have a beautiful daughter both inside and out! I'm re-doing the frames in the office and came across this picture of Brittany. I think it's my new favorite. But I still like the one with the hat. What do you think?
Raul had all four of his wisdom teeth pulled on Thursday. He is really being a trooper! For some reason, many years ago, some dentist, who I believe got his license in a Cracker Jack box, put crowns on three of Raul's wisdom teeth. Well, I guess he got a cavity under one of them and was told it wasn't good to pull just one on a side, so that brought us to two. Then as long as he was going to go under, he might as well just do them all. So that brings us to four, thank heavens that's all there are or who knows how many he would have had pulled! Just what we needed... lots of $$$ spent on something you can't even see or have fun with. He is doing great, and is catching up on all his westerns that we make fun of him for watching. No one can make fun of a swollen hurt guy right?
Since he likes the western days so much, maybe I should remind him of how things used to be...
On Saturday we went to Disneyland with my college roommate Jamie and her entire family. 30 years ago we were running to 7-11 at 2:00am in the snow, and today we are at Disneyland together with our grand kids. It was so much fun and no matter how long we are apart it seems like just yesterday...Brittany and Devin came with me and all her kids were there. Jamie and Kevin's kids: Erica, her husband Kirk, their kids, McKenna, Tanner, Avery and baby Emersen. Lindsie, her husband Shawn and baby Owen. Landon, their son, and Camber with her boyfriend Joey. It is so fun to see the kids all enjoying each other. When Brittany was at ASU she went over every Sunday for dinner and established a closeness in her own right. She is, and will always be "their other sister". Tanner and Devin are only a month apart and act like they are long lost friends. They enjoy each other and I only wish they lived closer. Note: Tanner is batting 500 when it comes to getting lost at Disneyland...he has been a total of four times and has gotten lost twice! It restores faith in humanity though as everyone around was concerned and helped find him. Last time he didn't know he was lost, but this time he knew--it was so crowded I'm sure it just looked like a sea of legs and butts to the little guy! Thank heavens most people will step up when needed. Can't believe these kids, they are so great, they went on Tower of Terror, the Matterhorn, Space Mountain and Splash Mountain, along with anything else they were tall enough for. I have always wanted to walk around inside one of the rides, and well...I got my wish...there was a "log jam" on Splash Mountain and we were stuck inside for a LONG time...as they evacuated us we had to walk out of the ride. It was kind of fun to see behind the scenes. Although I would have liked it better had it not been 9:00 in the evening with tired kids. They were great though! Mind you, this was after we rode the Pirates of the Caribbean where Lindsie and I became DRENCHED when a tidal wave came over the side of our boat. Seriously our first clue should have been the 3-inches of water on the floor in our section when we stepped in. That, or the fact that while the rest of the boats were 7 or 8-inches above the water, ours was, at best, four. Add to that the boat tipping to the side (and it wasn't because of anyone's fat bootie) only because this vehicle should have been retired many voyages back! The whole park was decorated for Halloween and the Haunted Mansion was transformed into The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was wonderful, so much work involved. Wish the day could have lasted longer.
.jpeg)
+of+Cabo+Feb+2010+127.jpg)
