Scotty's Castle

 
 
 
 

Kidnapped

  I ended up in Death Valley this past weekend. Don't ask me how I ended up there. I fell asleep and the next think I knew I woke up heading to Las Vegas.
 We arrived on Saturday night but the place that Tom was trying to make it to was closed for the evening. So the next morning he took me to this hot spring were you can go in and sit for about 30 mins. It was quite relaxing once you got in but having to get out into the cold was no fun... It was down in the 20's and the highest it got was in to the 40's.Yuck!!! I wasn't even prepared for this little getaway.
  After the hot springs we headed into Death Valley.
 
Here are a couple of pictures of Scotty's Castle.

Getting Ready for Christmas

 Wow where did the time go. I was driving by Home Depot just the other day and they were already getting rid of their Christmas trees. We just started getting ready. As you can see Jessica is our tree this year because we were to late.(j/k) Things just seem to be to rushed this year. That's okay we will walk to our own tune.... We've even changed the day for Christmas for the Bray family so that all the kids can be together to open up their presents. We spend the day thinking about the real meaning of Christmas and have a nice. Dinner... No more stomping to the tune of the merchants that are selling things... I've even decided to go green this year and send Christmas cards via email... Save the trees!!! Well, I will post more after the holidays... Enjoy!!!

Jasmine in Action

Uno

 Hopefully, this will come out... Usually, Jessie and I will hangout at the coffee shop on Wednesday night but unfortunately we had to move it to Thursday. Jasmine and Anthony accompanied us on this trip. I was fortunate enough to capture this on tape. This is a game of Uno that we were playing. Can you see the sibling rivalry?

My Guy!!!!!

  Our weekend getaway... Yes, the two of us went away for the weekend just the two of us. This is starting to be a ritual after 11 years of marriage. We don't get to have a date night that often because he's in school, so we take a few days every now and then to recharge our batteries. I thought on the way up our batteries had died but once we arrieved they started flowing. We have our days when we are cold as ice to each other or what you would call a frappacino or those days when we are loving once in a bluemoon. In all we are stuck like glue... On one of the hikes he pushed me up the stairs of this place called Morro Rock as I was exhausted but with his help I was able to make it to the top.... Isn't it great when you have those days when you are on top of the world!!!! That was the feeling once I arrived but I couldn't have done it without him.... Yes, my guy!!!

Sequoia Kings Canyon

 Well, I hope that everyone had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving. Ours turned out very nice. We had a lovely Thanksgiving and then to top it off Tom and I drove up to Sequoia Kings Canyon for the weekend. We did a little hiking and a little bit of rest from the daily grind of things. No kidding, the first night we were in bed by 7:00 and then the next morning we were up at 8:00 at least I was. Tom had to leave and go to Walmark to buy a sleeping bag as he forgot to pack two and we couldn't fit into one... He lasted until about 5:30 and then took off... Even the dogs were cold. I was well prepared with my snow pants... Yes, that's the secret I found this out a couple of years ago and that how we are able to go when it's cold or I would never survive. Well, I have to run but this is a deer that we ran across on our hike down to the river. I will post more thu the week....

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

This is quite funny. I wish that I could go into detail regarding it but unfortunately I can't due to the stalking issue.(hint hint) Don't worry Jasmine, I'm not talking about you honey... Lots of Love Mom

End of Season

 
 Well, soccer season is finally over for Jessie... They didn't win any games this year but for the last game the team gave it their all!!! These are a few pictures that were taken by the coach's wife. They turned out great. She also made a collage of each child and different action shots. In the end Jessie has decided that she would like to return for next season. Tom and I were pretty excited because this is something she can actually do if she puts her mind to it. I will keep you posted on her next activity.

Lost in Time

 
 
 
Last night, I pulled out the photo album and started to reminisce about old times. Pictures like these are what keeps me going. As you can see these were taken quite awhile ago. In a previous blog I was telling you about our side trip to San Francisco. Well, this is it. It's a little seaport villiage right outside of S.F. The name escapes me at the moment but I would love to go back. Hopefully, next year we will go back. Tom was talking out going to see the San Francisco Mission. Yes, another mission trip. It's not about the kids it about us and living through them. We can't wait for this project!!! I'm not kidding. Jessie wasn't to happy about the matter. While working on Anthony's mission project I almost had a heart attack because he wanted to help. How dare he!!! Jasmine has a scrapbooking project that she had asked me to do but I was fired. She's decided to do it with a friend. The nerve of that child. I didn't want to do it anyway.(ya, right) Tom, you and I better get a life before the kids leave the nest. We'll actually have to start dealing with one another when that happens. That's okay it will be like those summer days when the kids are away at Nana's house. Yahoooooooo....

The Harvest

  My favorite time of the year has just arrived as Turkey Day is next Thursday. It's not the food but family and friends. I remember my first Thanksgiving when I was about four or five. My grandmother preparing the turkey and I would call it Tom the turkey and watching the Macy's Day Parade. In the years to come I would learn to make Sweet Potato Pie, Macaroni and Cheese, the Turkey and a few other things. I'm not sure if it's as good as my grandmother's but everyone seems to enjoy it. I need to pass these things on to my children before they are lost. Here is to my grandmother... Granny as we like to say. She's so cute!!! One time, I remember going in to say Hi to her and she said, "Hey Girl Friend." or another time when my mom and aunt were having an argument and she turned to me and said,"Stop your Crying". It was just shocking because she hasn't said much of late. Oh, how I miss her stories. She use to always have a story for me... Well, it that time of the day again when I must get back to work... I love you Grandmama....

The picture of the corn is the for how much we have been given. The harvest is plentiful as always.

seven

http://www.badongo.com/file/5136330

A Day at Nana's House

  The kids and I decided to go and spend a few days with my mom. As you can see they Jessie and Seven were having a great time ganging up on Anthony. It was all in fun.

Toes

 Aren't these the cutest little toes you have ever seen??? That's a mom for you. Jessie was fooling around with my camera and this is what I found. Too cute!!!

Morning Walk

 
This morning after dropping off the kids, I decided to do something for myself and go for a walk. I pass this little park every morning and it looks just so inviting. Well, I was right. Once there I was wishing I could spend the whole day there but I knew I had to be at work in a short time. Actually, just be at hope so that I could start work. This working at home is starting to have its perks. I even had time to have breakfast. Oatmeal... Yummm I still have about 12 mins to kill. Well, gotta run so I can get my day started... Until next time....

San Francisco

  This is a very dear friend of mine that I have known for the last 20 year if not more... I'm to tired to do the math. We've been friends since middle school. She's like my sister when ever I'm in a bind she's always there to help out. I tell her it's not my fault but my mom's because I'm a only child. I can call her at anytime and she will be there. It's gotten to the point that I will ask what she is doing first, so I will know if I should ask or not. Otherwise, she will drop what ever she is doing for me to help out.
By the way this is Teresa and her husband Steve in San Francisco. It looks like they had a great time from the pictures that she sent. I've gone up to San Francisco once but hopefully, I'll make it up there again one of these days. Tom and I drove over the San Francisco Bridge back in 2000 on our way back for Davis we thought we would take a side trip but coming back on the 101 freeway took forever.
We were their one other time but that was a layover from Hawaii and we couldn't make it out of the airport to do any sightseeing.

See I was there...

 I didn't quite feed into all the hoopla but she got the doll anyway from her father. He would go to the ends of the earth for her even walk thru fire but wouldn't any parent.

Something Unusual...

 I had taken this photo about six months ago if not longer and thought I would post it. I was trying to take a picture of something abstract and then put it into a collage. I still trying to form the idea. It's always work in progress.

Five things you didn't know about me...

1)I love taken photographs and scrapbooking.

2)I love my family and friends.

3)I'm a procrastinator... I work best under pressure.

4)I hate cooking except for holidays.

5)I love listening to music.

Brazil

  I found this picture yesterday while surfing the net. I just love the picture so I thought I would post it. If I could be so fortunate to be able to take pictures like this. My dream would be to go to another country to go on a photography trip. Someday, maybe when the kids are older and doing the own thing who knows.

American Girl

This past weekend Tom and I took Jessica to the Grove to buy a doll. Yes, a doll... The cost I would rather not say but if anyone is familiar with the brand they will know the cost. I was amazed at what went on in the store. Young girls running around with a doll that was quite expensive and adults leaving with tons of bags but it made me think of why people have an aversion toward Americans. Don't get me wrong I love being an American but we are the most spoiled people in the world. It just made me sit back and think about the less privileged population.
Tom and I support a little girl in Brazil and everyone once in awhile we will send things to her but they say not to send too much because if others see it they will get jealous. I believe that Brazil has one of the highest crime rates in the world. So I can see why they say this. My hope for this coming holiday season is to do things right in my own backyard so to say. Giving up my time. I find that one of the hardest things to do but after seeing what I saw this past Saturday I want the less fortunate to have the same experience as the little girls that were running around with the doll. I don’t think that we need elaborate things to have joy but for someone to take the time out to say that they are just as important.
I hope that this holiday season that I will pass down to my own children the art of giving up their time for others rather than just receiving gifts.

Here are a couple of links if anyone is interested.


www.worldvision.org
www.dreamcenter.org
www.hungerdefensefund.org

Fall Festival 2007

 Dr Bray and Superfly... Don't ask. For some unknown reason Anthony didn't want to get dressed up this year for Halloween, so he came as himself. I guess since he has entered middle school he thinks he to old for those types of things, of course, he's been stealing his sister candy. Your never to old for candy. Right??? Dr Bray wanted to be a mad doctor hence the red eye shadow. She wanted to go for the blood theme but I intervened... Well, maybe next year we will try something different. The kids are getting so old they might not want to hang out with me... We'll see. Jasmine has already left the nest for her second year in a row on Halloween night... Any suggestions.

The Great Pumpkin

 
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Pumpkins But Were Afraid To Ask...

- Pumpkins are fruits. A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family (Cucurbitacae), which also includes squash, cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.

- The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was in 2005 and weighed 2,020 pounds.

- Pumpkins have been grown in North America for five thousand years. They are indigenous to the western hemisphere.

- In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of North America, he reported finding "gros melons." The name was translated into English as "pompions," which has since evolved into the modern "pumpkin."

- Pumpkins are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber. They are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron.

- The largest pumpkin ever grown was 1,689 pounds. It was grown by Joe Jutras of North Scituate, Rhode Island.

- Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow and are picked in October when they are bright orange in color. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year.

Sisters

  You don't love someone because they are perfect. You love them inspite of that fact that they are not.

These two are always in an arguement of some sort but when it comes right down to it they love each other and are there for one another when they need to be.

Soccer

  Well Jessie has tried her hand at track, softball and now soccer... I don't think we have found her passion as of yet. I told her that we would get her into a ballet class and see how that goes or maybe cheerleading. I'm hoping to find something that she will love to do. Wish me luck on this adventure.