Dean Turned 27 (Well at Least Physically!)

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.

Cousins Christmas

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!

So Much to Be Thankful For

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???

Stop and Smell the Lavender

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.

We Have a 30 Year Old!

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.

Witches Came Early

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???

The Secret Life of Bees

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

Which One?

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?

Lost Wisdom

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...

It Really is a Small World

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.

Juliett Turned 6

As you can see Juliett came into this world making noise and hasn't changed much! Juliett turned six on the 26 of September. Jeannine and William had a party for her at their house on Sunday. If you know Juliett, you know she loves being the center of attention, and her birthday is the perfect excuse! She had another princess party, but my guess is she is favoring Hannah Montana now. Next year it will be something different. The kids enjoyed jumping in the princess bouncy thing, and the adults enjoyed Williams great Bar-B-Que along with all the great food that everyone brought. Juliett wanted a pinata and "Ama Dean" taught Devin that his shirt made a much better stash for gathering candy than the paper bag they provided. He cleaned up, but being the sweet kid he is he shared with the other kids.
Last week Juliett got glasses and seems to enjoy wearing them. We'll see how long this lasts! Or at least how long before they are lost or broken. I remember those days...
Juliett always has a big hug and kiss for you, and is one of the most loving kids I know. She is always telling us she loves us, (even when she is in trouble-wonder if that is a ploy???). This child has one of the most vivid imaginations I have ever come across, who knows maybe someday she will be a famous screenwriter!
Oh, the other little blondie is Maddie Mae, who is Juliett's cousin on the other side. They could be sisters they look so much alike.

One Last Time

Well, sadly summer is officially over. We made our last trip to the river Thursday through Monday. It was a really fun time and I was especially happy as three of my four kids were there! Dean went with us and Brittany drove up from San Diego. Rozlyn, Devin, her boyfriend Jonathan, and his son Jaiden met us on Friday, along with Raul's brother Richard and his wife Sandy. They are all such goofballs and it is fun seeing them interact with each other. At times you aren't sure just who the five year olds are! In fact Brittany got caught doing something and she immediately said, "The five year olds did it first!" They each bring a different part to the mix.
Raul misses the jet skis as he gets stuck driving the boat most of the time. I really enjoy the boat as it gives us the chance to all be together and we aren't stranded at a beach somewhere. Richard and Sandy brought their skis, so we had the best of both worlds. We are down to one ski now, but Raul has his eyes on an Ultra 150...I've seen that look somewhere before...
The boys each went on the tube by themselves and then together. I have to say they did a good job, but Juliett can still kick their bootie! They didn't want "Papo" to go faster, were holding on for dear life, and wouldn't even think about going outside of the wake. Whereas Juliett kept asking to go faster holding on with only one hand while resting her head on the other, as if to say "get with it, this is boring" if we were not whipping her out of the wake! Next year the kneeboard is coming out, and I'm pushing for the skis too.
I would love to get a houseboat next summer or a week or so if anyone has any connections...or suggestions. Don't even care what lake. We rented one with my family many years ago and it was sooo much fun despite all the strange things we had happen...an outdrive broke stranding us in some cove in the middle of Lake Powell (pre cell phones), a huge storm with waves crashing over the top of the boat, (yes, I do mean the TOP), losing all our shoes and running into quicksand. No one said our family did things half way! It was a trip like no other and I have a nephew who still will not get within 100 yards of any houseboat, even if it's dry docked (sorry Ryan). If you mention the word "houseboat" in our family it is a sure way to get a laugh. Memories...

Through the Years

Time has a way of passing without us realizing it. In some ways people have been a part of your life forever and in others it seems like just yesterday we were young and carefree. I have been trying to get my pictures in order and ran across these...Jamie and I were roommates in college and developed a friendship that will last throughout the eternities. I know Kevin & Jamie love my kids just as I love theirs. While Brittany was in college she went to their home every Sunday for family dinner. It is one of the things she misses most from her college days. Brittany met a few friends in college that I am sure she will stay close like we have. This is something I truly cherish.

They Failed Miserably

The most devastating and unprecedented terrorist attack in history happened against the United States of America, the world's mightiest superpower, committed by 19 radical Arab Muslims who hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing them into the WTC, the Pentagon, and an empty field in Pennsylvania.

They Failed Miserably

Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes,
they cannot succeed.
(Palms 21:11)
And the terrorists did not succeed.
They failed miserably.
Instead of dividing America,
they unified America.
Instead of destroying our Spirit,
they strengthened our Spirit.
Instead of moving us away from God,
they moved us closer to God;
and strengthened our faith.
The evil cowards who attacked us failed miserably…
in every way.
And while our 911 angels are in Heaven,
the satanic terrorists will burn in hell for eternity.
They failed miserably.

By Kevin Caruso


My cousin, Resa, and her dog, Bella, were part of the team that went to help at the WTC. They were instrumental in finding about 20 victims. Please check out the story below. What it doesn't tell you is Bella was medically cleared for her full return to 'disaster response' duty just the day before, September 10, 2001. What a difference a day makes.
http://simivalleyacorn.com/news/2006/1117/neighbors/027/

First Day of Kindergarten

Well we now officially have both grand kids in school! Devin started Kindergarten at Arnold Elementary on Thursday 4 September. Rozlyn, Raul and I went to see him off on his first day and I am proud to report I didn't shed a tear!!! Of course Devin was fine, in fact he couldn't wait to say good-bye to us. His teacher has a wonderful outlook on life and seems to be very easy going (a huge benifit for a teacher!) A boy in his class even plays on his soccer team.
Devin spent the night with us Tuesday and was a bit worried about this whole "Principal" thing. Don't know where he got the idea of being afraid of her, probably some TV show. Anyway, after assuring him that the "Principal is our Friend" and as long as he did what was right, everything would be fine, he was okay. He also wanted to make sure I would still pick him up if he was sick. Although I was tempted to tell him no, he would have to stay and suffer all by himself, I chose to be nice and tell him of course I would. It's funny the things that go through their little heads.
Juliett is in First Grade at Torrance Elementary, which is where she went to Kindergarten. When I get pictures and more info I'll fill in.

















UPDATE:Add two kids moves to my list of moves since our wedding...Jeannine, William and Juliett just moved out of one of our apts and into a house in Lawndale. Rozlyn and Devin moved Labor Day weekend into another of our apts, so things are even more chaotic than usual.