What a week that was......Planet alignment - Neptune are you out there?

I have loved astronomy since 3rd grade since my teacher brought us to school at night to view in a telescope to see Neptune. I was star (planet) struck!  Also my parents would take us to Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff to view the planets in the summer and later when I took astronomy in college it was not so fun because it was all math and retrograde theory....I prefer the looking through the telescope in a wooden observatory and looking at planets  kind of astronomy.  My Dylan also loves astronomy and when he was 2 would always tell me Neptune was his favorite....he said it sooooooo cute...we talk and talk about planets and their order in the universe....but as much as I love planets and have some knowledge of planets (especially Neptune)  this week I wasn't sure however if the planets were in alignment:

 

 Or out of alignment:

 

Because the week was cray cray.....Rocky gave us SUCH A SCARE!  This is the closest we have ever come to losing him and it made for a miserable few days.....

 He was so fine when I got home last week and then Sunday he really felt 'sick as a dog'....thanks to our wonderful vet and our wonderful maxed out AMEX card.....

 He is feeling much better....still cautiously optimistic and hovering over him like a helicopter parent!

 And speaking of parenting and unconditional love of our children (ahem) as close as my son and daughter are they are they are so completely different.  Adam (first born) is most like me with OCD tendencies and perfection goals (which are impossible to achieve but we keep trying).  He plans the work and works the plan and life is scheduled, accomplished, structured, organized and symmetrical.

Kristen on the other hand is a free flowing artistic spirit with a million projects and over volunteers and offers to do things, yet she is equally as accomplished, however little is structured or symmetrical or OCD'ish. 

This has led to many philosophical discussions in our house about who is more 'normal' which is another impossibility to achieve but we love philosophical convo's around here so we talk a lot but solve nothing.  Adam wants to be more like her; she wants to be more like him.

I love and accept and support both, however, when I hear my daughter asking for help in structuring her schedule with the boys in a.m. and p.m.'s my GiGi Boot Camp tendencies kick in with wild abandonment.  There are not enough white boards and markers to appease me.

The best part about all of this is the boys love structure and quickly adapt....we are still hoping Kristen won't lag too far behind....lol.  I am happy to report much improvement in the pre and post school schedules at their place and I am always happy to help as she helps me do things to relax and embrace an unstructured pace!

 So while the planets were lining up or not lining up and whatever they were doing was impacting me Steve's cousins decided to come to town on the spur of the moment for an event near us we invited them by for the afternoon and dinner to catch up and hang out.  We invited other family members too and with Rocky feeling better I was ready to cook and enjoy an evening.  I shopped, I cleaned, I planned and cooked.  I preset the table and cut all the vegies up, made some BLT dip, made nut cups and marinated 8 chicken breasts for Greek Chicken.  I made a great salad and home made rolls - I was on a roll - and not the kind I made either!!!!!  They were due in at 3.....at 2 we got a call they were delayed.....later we got a call they missed their plane.....later we got a call that they were not going to arrive until 11 p.m. and go straight to their hotel =(

So, what do 'normal people' do when they are thrown a curve ball????? THEY GO FURNITURE SHOPPING!  WHA??????  We had -0- plans to get new furniture and found ourselves in a furniture design room.  We got caught up in the moment when the salesman (this was his first day, first sale and we are suckers for wanting young people to achieve and do well) told us if they had what we wanted in stock they would deliver 'same day'!  Well that just sounded wonderful!  So we paid for this new sectional at about 4 in the afternoon and were told we would be called within 2 hours with delivery information - how cool is that....so we went home and at dinner time ate our way through our Greek chicken (we will be eating that for a week) then decided to be proactive and move out our old couch and furniture and be ready when it was delivered ....and when the robot call came it said we had a 'delivery window' of between 8 pm and midnight!  Well, the best laid plans.....surely we thought we would be closer to the 8 pm so at 10 pm we finally called a human robot and they said we were 'on the tail end of the delivery at 11:55 p.m.  I AM NOT KIDDING!  By 1:00 a.m. they were done with assembly and installation and Steve and I staggered off to bed.

 I got up at 5 the next day and finished putting things here and there and then the 'oops' happened....the couch is higher than Rocky's stairs and he cannot get on the couch by himself....

 We shopped locally for larger steps (which he refused to use) so have ordered a pet ramp that should be here Tuesday.....until then we have to manually put him on and off the couch....which he does not mind one bit!

 It has been way too long since I have done anything crafty....between Rocky and unfailed dinner parties and midnight deliveries this week was anything but ordinary.  In one of our home depot stops I checked out the 'Oops' shelf and found this awesome Behr chalk paint for 50 cents!  I also had found this clock at the thrift shop for $2.00.  It was time to bring these two things together.

 First I painted it with the base chalk paint - easy peasy....love Behr products....

 Then I took a piece of light sand paper and distressed the edges......

 And put it on the table in the dining room.....

 I like it there but I think it needs something where the rooster used to be....

I know....maybe a picture of Neptune????

And before I sign off - a tribute to this amazing weekend holiday which my MaMa Auten used to call Decoration Day.....

 And we now refer to as Memorial Day

Their Glory and Memory will never fade!

Together again.....in more ways than one - Yee Haw!

Some of our best San Diego friends ever moved to West Palm Beach about 10 years ago....we made a vow to get together at least once, if not twice a year.  We do trips with our spouses and then our girl trips. 

We have been some great places together and in our girl trips once in Savannah we ate at a place called Sisters of the New South and decided that was our tag line.....

 

 

Us girls just love our time together....we need our time together and we are so compatible in what we like to shop for, eat, drive, watch tv, etc.  We have been some great places in the past, Amelia Island, Sedona, Jacksonville, Key West, Savannah, etc and this year we decided on San Antonio and Austin to be 'together again'....Our Mission - Shopping (mostly antiques and thrift stores) , Good Restaurants, Lifetime Movies and lots of Champagne.....we had a great room overlooking the River Walk in San Antonio.....

 

 We walked and walked all along the river and in the square....such a beautiful city...

 Lots of old church's....

 ....and Alamo memorials....

We found some great restaurants....loved especially Mi Terra.... 

 Funky, fun....

 Kitschy and very San Antonio....

 I mean - where do you see nuns in habits selling their wares in a restaurant????

The River Walk really wound up later at night with parties and performances all over the walk....lots of good music and weather was perfect to just walk around and soak it up!

 We drove one day into Austin which is only about an hour away....it did rain that day but it did not stop us. Weird Austin did not disappoint....except for the Cathedral of Junk which is now by appointment only!

 

Lots of fun Texas type objects.....

 And other weird things.....

 Have you ever seen hand sanitizer like this???

 Of course, everyone knows one of these....

 And Texas ingenuity.....

 So among our more than 35 plus shops in San Antonio and Austin these are just some of my treasurers.....

 A little close up of one of my finds and a thrift store in Austin....this pilgrim candlestick holder ....you know I can't resist anything pilgrim!

 I had purchased this one in San Diego right before I left......

When I got home and unpacked I pulled out the purchase in SD and set it by the purchase in Austin and they are a complete set, matching bases and makers....

Together again - Reunited and it feels so good!!!  Just like the Sisters of the New South

Yee Haw!

 

PS Even better news - we are meeting up as couples next week in Jackson Hole - thrift and antique shops be advised!!!

Speed Blogging - a few of my favorite things!

Insane is not the word for how crazy busy life has been lately....NOT COMPLAINING....just trying to capture everything and I know I can't so only going with a few sound bites so I won't forget EVERYTHING!!!

2 months after our Cruise I finally downloaded our pictures - over 200 of them and no way possible I can upload and comment on them....so happy I keep a travel journal....here are just a few of my favorites to remember that great trip..

Steve and I sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale.....

Favorite place of all....our Belize hut....

 Favorite day in the water.....but clear kayaking was a close second....

 Favorite way to read and relax....with sushi and wine on our balcony....

 Favorite before picture of my furry baby....

 Favorite after picture....he is not amused!

 Favorite time from our recent trip to Arizona - our fun boat day!

 My favorite and only brother and my love....

 My favorite captain!

 My favorite time of boating!

 My favorite items I thrifted in Arizona.... 

 

 My favorite birthday for the boys with proud Gramps and Uncle Adam looking on....

 Park at the Park Padre fans...

 Favorite family shot at Petco Park....

 Favorite Dylan and Rocky moment this past week.....

 After all that speed blogging and picture sorting I am ready to go back to this!