My Big Bay Boom Wicked July 4th Week Part 2

Ok....so where was I.....oh yea, since my Part 1 post just a few hours ago - Kristen and the boys came over, I helped her pack up some stuff in her truck, we ran one errand, she dropped me off and ran more errands, a lady came to pick up something I had on Craig's list, the phone has rang off the hook, we can't find Brody's remote control for his truck, I consolidated stuff in the garage, I cleaned out the pantry, I packed a box of stuff for my sister, Kristen came and picked up the boys and I promised them an igloo pop....Brody wanted red but only the green were frozen, that did not fly well....I fought with Blogspot and ended up buying more storage....so, sort of a normal day around here.....on to Part 2!

So after the home 4th activities we went to a couple house parties....and over to my nieces (dang - forgot my camera!).....but we party hopped a bit....

 We decided not to go downtown to Adam and Shannon's rooftop for the firework show in the bay, which is usually  really well done....good thing we passed as this year due to 'a computer glitch' it all went off in one big bang!!!  I feel so bad for all the people who were downtown, at the beach, paid for ferry rides, etc.   At work this year we have to log our staff's 'defects' ...(you can imagine how I feel about that)...anyway I thought it would be so clever to send the article on the computer glitch to all the VP's with the email title 'San Diego Defect Report'....hahahahahaha....well, only one wrote back - they just don't appreciate my humor!!!  =)

 It was just no fun to go back to work on Thursday - it was like having 2 Mondays in one week.....Steve was smart - well, sort of.  He took Thursday and Friday off and decided to go fishing at the lake Thursday a.m. and to the ocean Thursday night.  I was happy for him!  That is how you should use a day off - not like I use day offs by paying bills and running errands....anyway, I digress....Thursday night he called me as he was going down to the water to help his brother get a fish and he slipped on the algae and fell in the bay - WITH HIS BRAND NEW iPHONE!!!!  Ugh....it was DOA for sure...luckily he is ok but cut his hand and knee pretty bac...Friday I met Kristen and her wonderful friend for lunch at Shades (one of our fave places - also forgot to snap a pic) and we had the boys and the dogs as Adam and Shannon took a quick trip to Phx and Kristen and Brian are getting ready for vaca.....The boys left early Sat a.m. and Steve and I went to see Wicked at the Matinee (it was a Mothers Day gift from my babies...THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 I know the Wizard of Oz story well and heard a little about Wicked and have missed getting to see it the past few times it has been through - always something going on.  I have to say WOW o WOW o WOW.  It is incredibly written and has the most fantastic messages of love, friendship, patience, tolerance, outside forces, misunderstandings, compassion and acceptance....let alone the fantastic talents, the costumes, just every.darn.thing.was.perfect.  Not sure Steve got as much out of it as me...but he enjoyed it too and was just happy he was not the only dude there.

 I did turn off my camera after the show started, but loved this of the Emerald City and the Gargoyle....we may try to recreate it for Halloween....

 So after the show we went to Roy's for dinner - yup, finally used the gift card The Addie and Shannie got us for our anniversary.....the Mai Tai's were good, however, if you ever come to SD go to the Bali Hai as they are the BEST - nothing else compares.

 Missed a shot of the salt and pepper calamari we shared and the salad we shared and Steve's scallops, however got a pic of my Asian Jambalaya - yummy!

 So I had a 3 dog night with the dogs downstairs last night as they sleep better if someone is in the room with them and just now I went downstairs to see Steve and the dogs wiped out from the dog days of summer.....

Not anxious to go back to work tomorrow  =(     Hope you all had a bang up week!

My Big Bay Boom Wicked July 4th Week - Part 1

This week was SO BIG - it required 2 postings....NOT really - blogger is trying to sell me on more space so I split it up in 2 pieces =)

Remember the sunflower Dylan has been growing all summer?  Time to harvest!

 He carefully picked out the seeds and shared them with everyone....

 Some of the precious harvest.....

 Then he decided to whip up a salad and add the shelled sunflower seeds in the ingredients!  Notice the tongue action - just like his PaPa, GiGi and Mommy......

 And a good friend at work, who is a master cook and chef, made the beautiful bread that we had for dinner with our salad!

 It tasted as delish as it was pretty....Thank you JC!

After school and dinner Brody joined us for a mid week sleep over so we had a little marshmallow roast in the evening....the boys love this!

 The summer shoe issue continues with me.....I was not happy with my other choices so found these tribal sandals on Zappos and LOVE THEM!!!!!

 Also got to do a little thrifting and found this great Lego game to play with the boys for only $3.00!!!  All pieces were included which is shocking to me to find at a Thrift Store!

 Wednesday a.m. we decorated the wagon and posed for our annual July 4th picture.  It was kinda cool this 4th - living so close to the water we had a strong marine layer that did not burn off until after noon and then it was still cool....

 Dylan is now too big to ride in the wagon =(  however he loved pulling his little Bro....

 We sat in our usual spot....it was chilly and you can tell how Dylan wrapped up in a stadium blanket!

 Celebrating love, freedom and the greatest country on earth!

 Then it was home for some water play....The Addie and Gramps set up the slip and slide....the water was freezing!

 These boys did not care!

 And Cosby, my grand-dog, got in on the slip and slide action - he loved it!

 Firework Show - the illegal kind that you have in a high fire zone with a fire department on the street behind you.....

 but to me....this was the real show....watching these precious faces.....

 Time to celebrate with food and drink!!!  May I offer you a glass of champagne with fresh raspberries?

 Plenty of BBQ and the Pasta Salad that my kids love to have every.dang.year.  That's ok - I want them to be happy and have great memories.....

 Something sweet to eat!

 ....and a ride on the swing is a nice way to relax away the afternoon........

Summertime...living is easy

It's Summertime....and the living around here gets easy....we have been known to break a few rules and let go of some of our rituals and just enjoy life a little bit more..... This week....Rocky even got a bone which is a  huge no no from the Vet....the vet does not want him to have any beef however one little bone won't hurt (I hope!)  He turns into a wild dog with a bone and will growl if you even walk within 20 feet of him.....we wait until he if finished and goes to get a drink of water and we sneak out and toss it....amazing how afraid we can be of a 3 lb dog!

 We took the boys to Bowling on Saturday...Kristen and Brian both had to work and it was fun to take them and watch them.  Bowling Alleys give me scary flashbacks....Years ago when I worked in AZ I had to go to Minneapolis for some training and the lady that trained us was a big bowler and it was her night to bowl but she had to take us out (there were 4 of us).  We went to this nice place for dinner but she got all liquored up and then started to slurr....after dinner she got behind the wheel and announced we were going to stop by and check on her bowling league and started to drive and almost ran into a train and then we got to the bowling alley and she started throwing back the beers....her team was the 'MaMa Roses' and they had these pink and black shirts....we were there forever....we were all young and too stupid to call a cab....God was watching over us that night and somehow we made it safely back to the hotel, however, I am marred for life in having flashbacks every time I enter a bowling alley.....

 Look how cute these tiny bowling shoes are!

 They are in different leagues, but got to bowl in lanes next to each other which made it nice for us....

 Dylan has a strike and Brody makes a spare!

 Time for a Brotherly Hi Five!

 Then off to help Gramps and GiGi at the rental condo....Brody brought his tool box....

 He was very busy fixing an area in the pantry!

 Then to Home Depot and home - Gramps - make us some disc swings for the Coral Tree!

 Drilling and hanging them up high (sorry - can't get this photo to rotate!)

 Dylan tries it out and give the smile of approval!!!!

Brody decides to cool off in the wading pool....then dries off on the patio but forgets to cover a full moon!

Brody sits on my lap and puts his little legs on mine....he is getting so tall!

 We went downtown to see Adam and Shannon's loft they are staying at until their relocation.....The Addie is a downtown boy at heart - has always loved the big cities and being in the mix of it all....it is nice to see them in such a fun and beautiful place.....Steve wanted me to get his hippie maxi dress.....

 The Addie has influenced all of us to drink the Apple KoolAid....we have the iPads, iPhones, Mac's, Apple TV and I even started reading Steve Job's book...I love this little area of his loft as I know it is where he is most of the time....

 The Addie and Shannie on the rooftop of their downtown loft....

 Incredible views.....

 That's the Midway and Star of India....

 ....this is another cityscape....you can see the Coronado Bridge off to the right....we walked to Rockin Baja Lobster and had a great lunch!  So  nice to walk and not have to drive and park!

 The boys made us this wooden American Flag - we love it!

Dylan was in the Futures Champions Golf Camp all week and so enjoyed  it....

 He came in 3rd place at the scramble.....proud mommy, Gramps and I were there for the award....Daddy was bummed as he had to work....

 Kristen and I had an outdoor lunch at this great cafe....Beach & Bastide....slow service but not a bad place to have to wait....I loved the muslin curtains and carefree patio setting....food was so so.....really all it has going for it is the ambiance!

 I spruced up my dining room table with a red, white and blue quilt I bought last year and forgot about!

 ....we hung a new flag!

 ....and we are ready for July 4th - what are your plans?