Easter 2011

These two green T-Rex's were the greeters for the family coming in for our annual Easter Brunch

Instead of a warm sunny day, it was cool and a bit drizzly....but that did not slow down Dylan in the egg hunt...he even conned Gramps into holding the bucket while he hunted!

Brody did the best finding the hard to find eggs that were up high....Uncle Adam was the perfect assistant to reach those high places!

Two little dogs (Cosby & Rocky) view the hunt from the swing....Benson was right with the boys.....

After the hunt we all sat down for brunch; ham, potatoes, asparagus, cowboy caviar, pinto beans and apple crisp and ice cream for dessert....we missed you Brian!

Truth be told I think I overcooked the potatoes and apple crisp - I am no cook and am constantly humbled by my attempts!

Big Boy Work = Little Boy Fun

A few weekends ago our water heater went out....which is crazy as in the 23 years we have been here this was our 3rd water heater! Steve was determined not only to hold the warranty in tact but install/replace it himself (after our quote of $1500.00!)

So step one was to drain the water out of the outgoing water heater.....he hooked up the hose to drain it and 2 very interested little boys decided to help....

The water that was draining was so warm and it was a warm Sat morning and it was just too tempting for two little darlings in their pj's.....

so as long as the water drained....the play continued....water and little boys - a match made in heaven.....

hmmmmm GiGi's car looks like it should be washed with draining water heater water!!!

Boys will be Boys!

Time for some appreciation....

No shopping trips....no thrifting....no craziness....time to appreciate....my family, my health, my home, my friends, my job, fresh air, a furry dog.....blessings of all kind.....

Rambling thoughts about a Bitter Sweet Week.....

This was quite the week.....I had to work last Saturday on an unsuccessful conversion and roll back which took most of the day....Sunday was busy with prep work for a work trip to Scottsdale and more tax research....Monday we finalized taxes (hallelujah) and I flew over Tuesday afternoon to Phoenix and did some Scottsdale Thrifting (2 very cute new Turkeys for the collection, a Napco Angel bell and a set of white doves - total $7.00)...had a wonderful dinner at Cowboy Caio (love that place) and settled back in the hotel for meetings to begin Wednesday...woke up at 3 a.m. sick as can be with some sort of Sinus/Sore Throat/Aching kind of thing...drug myself out of bed and got all ready by 7 and headed to the lobby to meet other work people and I could barely walk and focus...then in the lobby I just knew I was not going to make it so I just handed over the keys to them and went back to bed. Luckily room service brought me hot tea and soup for lunch and even a get well card....a co worker brought me dinner and a jamba juice which felt so good on my throat....I literally did not even have the energy to get up, pack and get to the airport to come home....Thank goodness for iPads and WiFi - my only connection to the outside world....I did make it out Thursday and flew home and started RX right away....I stayed down and worked from home and started coming around Friday night....

Since I did not feel good Friday - the boys came over Sat night for sleep over....these fill and thrill eggs provide hours of entertainment for my boys....these, Hi Ho Cherry O, playing ball inside and out, drawing, nerf guns, Stuart Little and making up stories is what we are all about with our boys these days....

but before that....Steve, Adam, Shannon and I participated in the San Diego Museum of Man 5k Race for Race.....aren't we the vision in our official Race Tech Shirts

Adam and Shannie look official, we look hopeful....Shannie did fantastic, winning in her age bracket and in the top 30 of all racers....impressive - and we are oh so proud of her.....

yes that is the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile in the background - we sang and got whistles :) Steve, Adam and I walked the course which was very hilly and muddy due to recent rains and we finished waaaayyyyy after Shannie....but they did announce our names and cheer for us when we crossed the finish line!!! (They read your numbers from a distance and then call your name at the finish). After the Race and Trophy ceremony we went to The Waterfront for breakfast and then home to play with the boys. We were suppose to head to the Encinitas Street Fair, however, Steve got an urgent business call and our water heater started leaking and needed attention! The boys slept over and we did errands this a.m. - a quick run to Target to get a new bat as Slugger Dylan wore out our other one....Steve needed Dockers and then back home to watch the Masters and do a few things around the house.....I did not get much done, however, it was so nice to feel better after that bad trip!

Spring.....

All things considered.....I love the fall season the most....the crisp air, the fall colors, my favorite holidays, fireplaces, close family times and more....however, since I have no control over the calendar I do embrace Spring! A visit from the Easter Bunny excites my grandboys....love to watch them hunt for eggs in the backyard where there mommy and uncle Adam did the same....seeing those little boy legs in shorts.....listen to them laughing while playing outside when it stays lighter longer.... My display table all done up with my little Easter 'smalls' and a new Little People Easter Train set on top for the boys for play with....and hidden is a Thomas the Train Easter train and cars....

On one of my Thrifting Trips I scored on these hand carved items, the bunnies are about 10" high and the egg is about 8" high and 6"wide- really nice and I love them....

In my kitchen window I have my Fitz and Floyd Bunny plate, my Wedgwood Cake stand and the styro balls I covered in Spring colored fabrics.....

My dining room table in the family room is all set with my Easter place mats with my plates and mini bunny plates and each place setting has an enameled bunny....in the center is a ceramic basket with ceramic eggs I made in 1972 flanked by a very cute bunny all dressed up in a felt coat clutching a purse ready to shop till she drops and a very adorable yellow fluffy chick all ready for the spring season!

...and this is the simplicity of it all.....a little robin egg in a feather lined nest in an apothecary jar....what season is your favorite?

Thrift Store Finds!

It had been a few weeks since I could go Thrifting....my days have been filled with work and volunteering, doing taxes and sick parents, the boys birthdays and life in general so it was a fun escape to get out the other day and hit my fave spot - I never leave that place empty handed! The day I went was 1/2 off day! I got this wonderful working radio (1934) for $25.00 the cabinet is all wood and the dial is all aged yellow and I love the shape and detail on it - a great patina brass candelabra for $3.00, two wooden candlesticks for $2.00 each and a huge wicker basket for $1.00! The plastic hat form is for Kristen, she always needs these and it was $1.00 as well.

I put the candelabra on the mantle and love the patina on it...it goes really well with the old world stuff I have on the mantle right now...it has lots of scroll work on it and is really heavy

I put one of the wooden candlesticks near the hearth and Dylan put his pine cone that he found for me on it....he wants to make bird feeders with pine cones, peanut butter and birdseed - what a great idea!

I filled the wicker basket with my fluffy duck and lots of empty fill and thrill eggs...just waiting to be filled with goodies for our annual Easter Egg hunt.

Cheap Thrills~aren't they the best?

China!

When I was a little girl I never imagined traveling all the places I have been lucky enough to go to....so when Steve asked me to go to China I was excited and thrilled....

We planned a quick fun getaway to Hong Kong, Lantau Island and Kowloon! I loved it!!! Steve has been all over China - Beijing, Shanghai, Tiajin, etc., but this was my first trip to Asia....there were people 24/7 everywhere we went! This one one of the busy streets we were at in Hong Kong - there are high end stores (Mont Blanc, Tiffany, Bulgari - even people lined up to get into Chanel their economy is so good!) In between the high end stores are street markets - fish mongers, etc. You can buy anything you can imagine on these streets.....

At this market the fish mongers had fish in barrels, fish on ice, and these fish were so fresh they kept their lungs and heart in them and you could see the hearts beating....now that's fresh!

At this market they slaughter and sell every piece of every animal. On 'display' here is tripe, tongue, heart, kidney and tail!

This was a fresh produce market and we also went to many famous markets - Stanley Street Market, Ladies Market, Jade Market and our favorite the Night Market and we went there several times. We loved the outdoor food service and activity all mixed in one area....and Steve was happy to sit there and people watch while I shopped away....they love to 'bargain' there and you negotiate back and forth and it is quite the experience.

One day we went to Victoria Park where they were having a flower show. There are very very few parks or flowers or greenery anywhere in Hong Kong or Kowloon....the locals flock to these flower shows and take endless pictures of tiny blooms and blades of grass....

One day we rode the subway to Lantau Island and took the 35 minute, 4000 ft Tram ride to the Monastery and Big Buddah....loved this...the tram made several turns and we went mountain to mountain high above the Wisdom Walk and Path of Buddah

Few cars and the intent of this picture was to capture the bamboo scaffolding they use over there - no OSHA - no hard hats - no wonder they can get things done so fast. They can build a 60 story highrise in 4 months. We rode the double decker bus all over Hong Kong (30 cents US)

One of the food stands at the night market....night after night we enjoyed shrimp, dumplings, noodles and more....every meal was perfectly delicious and no napkins anywhere - they put a roll of toilet paper on the table and when you go into the bathroom no toilet paper so bring your own!
One night we ate in a 5 ***** restaurant and it was not nearly as fun.

In Hong Kong they pretty much tear everything down to build a new skyrise, however in a few pockets we found some old world treasurers....

We rode the Hop On Hop Off Train and the Tram to Victoria Peak....loved this view of Victoria Park with the concrete jungle in the background. Every night at 8 pm they have a laser show across the harbor where 40 buildings on each side flash lasers syncronized to music....amazing

Some of the old and new....old world British influence and Chinese skyscrapers

Even with all the wealth they still have the 'Junk' Saipan boats where people live on them in the beautiful harbor....we snapped this shot on one of our many trips back and forth from Kowloon to Hong Kong on the Star Ferry (25 cents a trip!)

We loved Lantau Island and walked the 200 steps to the Big Buddah and went to the monastery and ate at the vegan restaurant in the monastery.....so wonderful.

I have a million more pictures and the trip home was a bear (28 hours, thanks United) however I would do this trip again in a minute. It was so interesting and was wonderful to be there with Steve and I do have to say I felt sorry for America once I saw the Chinese technology, order, structure and wealth.....buy American everyone!!! Let's support the USA - we are almost a 3rd world country compared to what I saw!!!