Let it Snow!

View from Aunt Diana's house.

Ridgecrest, my hometown, is in the desert and is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Snow falls every couple of years here and it is always an exciting time. While we were visiting for Thanksgiving, snow fell on the Sierras right outside of Ridgecrest and Inyokern in an area called Walker's Pass. Walker's Pass is on the way to Lake Isabella and it is one way to get toBakersfield from Ridgecrest. The snowy mountain views were fabulous and I talked Rob into driving us up to see the snow. He had been complaining about our 80 degree Thanksgiving so this was a great opportunity for him to be in some "weather". We made the short drive and found the snow was melting fast...but the sky was getting very dark again. We climbed around on the snow and took some pictures and then decided we were cold enough to leave. Just as we began to drive away, small flakes began to fall. We stopped to see if it would turn into anything and sure enough a stronger flurry began. The girls had never been in falling snow before! They were very excited. It was a quick little trip that ended up super fun!

I have included a video...WARNING...turn sound down before you watch the video...the radio distorts and makes a horrible sound!

Thanksgiving…

 

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house again this year!  Rob’s family came up from San Diego area and my mom, brother and nephew were also able to make it.  We enjoyed our usual turkey dinner and grandma’s noodles.  The girls had lots of fun with their cousins.  On Friday we made the trek to Ridgecrest and had another turkey dinner at my dad’s house.  We also got to enjoy more time with my brother and nephew.  My dad has 3 new pug puppies and that kept the kids occupied a lot of the time.

Sydney, Savannah and spider George  Cousins on Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving picture!

Tis the Season to Be Crafty!

Stocking by Grandma Jo



Rob says it is the season to eat and watch football....I say it is the season to be crafty! I love to find a holiday craft and start working on it as I watch tv or movies snuggled under a blanket. I have been crocheting, but that has started hurting my wrists, so I took a break. Then I started looking at Christmas gifts and started thinking about my Christmas decorations. Some of my favorite
decorations are stockings that my grandma handmade, each sequin hand stitched and the letters cut out of felt and sewn on. I love these stockings and they are so special to me. I put them up every year and remember the times that I did Christmas baking and crafting with her. I realized that my grandma was never able to make a stocking for my nephew George. I decided to try and see if I could copy her beautiful craft"woman"ship and make his stocking. It was a little scary starting out. I wasn't sure if I would be able to cut anything out of felt and make it look like it was supposed to. I wasn't sure how my wrists would take hand sewing all of the sequins. Well I am excited with how it is working out so far. I decided to try a snow man, poinsettia, and a truck. So far they look great! The sequin sewing is a little tedious, but also surprisingly therapeutic. I actually can't wait until work and the daily grind is over, so that I can begin sewing at night! I haven't told my brother that I am making this and I hope to surprise him with it. George won't understand the meaning behind it yet...but I can't wait until he understands and knows how special it is and he is!

My work, with the snowman, next to grandma's work

Guilty Pleasures!

Okay…here it is…I admit it! I watch soap operas. Well not all, just one! It isn’t my fault, really, it is in my blood. Both of my grandmas watched Days of Our Lives and so did my aunts and mom. I have been following this soap forever. My friend Cathy and I listened to Bo and Hope’s wedding on cassette tape after her dad taped it for us! So I am crazy about this show. NBC had a “Day of Days” event at Universal City Walk today, and my friend Mona and I went to “stalk” (Rob’s word, not mine) the stars of Days.

Doug and Julie Sami and Rafe EJ

The cast….

It’s Slime Time!

The students at my school have been working hard to increase their scores on the state tests.  I am the language arts coach and I get to work with all of the kids and teachers in all grades in this area.!  My partner in crime is Alicia and she works with teachers and students in the area of math and English Language Development.  Our principal made a deal with the students.  He told them that if they made Annual Yearly Progress he would get slimed!  Then he brought us into the act.  We played along and told the students that we didn’t want to get slimed, but we would do it for them!  Well we received our results and the students did it!  They made the progress they needed to and so we had to get slimed.  The pictures are the results of our slime day!  The students loved it and wasn’t so bad for us!  I would do it again in a heartbeat if it helps motivate our kids to work hard!  Yeah Students!      

Happy Halloween!

We had a great time with the Youngs and the McIntyres in our old neighborhood last night. The gets got way too much candy and they only went down two streets! Rob and I got into the spirit and dressed up too! Rob was a nail (yes, I know he is strange) and I was a blind ref! Our girls dresses as a vampire fairy and a witch! It was a great night!