2.28.2009

PEPAW

When A & K came out two weeks ago, Pepaw finally got to hold his grand-daughter. He was so excited to finally get to see her and to hold her at last. He loves her so much. Here is a picture I took of him holding her just before she was whisked away to go back home. Precious one on one time with Pepaw and Gracie. This is my absolute favorite picture of the two of them. It just makes me melt. Truly.
We already have a trip to Utah planned for the end of March. I will be taking more pics of Pepaw and Gracie while we are there. And Gracie and me. And....

Well, ya'll get the idea.

I AM ADDICTED

To Costco. What is Costco (much like Sams Club for those of you familiar with them...but, oh, so much more)

There I said it.

Isn't admitting you have a problem, the first step to recovery? Ha ha. There is no recovery from an addiction to Costco. I've tried.

Oh where do I begin? Is it the vast selection of foods or wines or clothes or gadgets? Books, clothes, gear, kitchen stuff? Or maybe what they carry for holidays? The electronics? How about the tasting? The quantities? The variety? The things you never knew you needed or couldn't live without?

If you don't have a Costco where you live, you must go to one if you ever get to visit a city that has a Costco. Really. Forget Disneyland. Go to Costco!

Just look! Shop even...

COSTCO

But you have to visit a warehouse to get the full effect of everything there is to the experience of shopping at a Costco.

When we move to Tennessee, we will be 38 miles away from the Costco in Nashville. We are 3.2 miles from our Costco now. But we will make the trek. It is way worth it.

Here is an article from the New York Times about the Nashville Costco

There was a lot of criteria for choosing Middle Tennessee for our relocation. Having a Costco was one of them.

Did I say that outloud?

It was a just small part of the quotient.

Honest.

2.22.2009

PRETTY IN PINK

I just had to post these pics of Grace taken from Saturday when
she and A & K returned home from having breakfast out at Dee's.














She looks like such a sleepy girl...so pretty in pink. So sweet. So loved.









QUIET SUNDAY MORNING

I am spending a quiet morning at home. Enjoying my third mug of coffee, which is more than I usually drink on the weekend. But Bruce went to his softball practice and there was still coffee in the pot. And it was still hot, so I poured myself another mug.
I lit some candles and turned on CMT. I love country music. In fact, despite living most of my life (from age 6) here in San Diego, I have loved country music since I was in junior high. I can't even remember how I got hooked on it. But I remember having albums (do you remember those?) of Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Charlie Rich...yikes, that makes me sound old, huh?

I really love mornings like this. I can be reflective and creative. Music on. Candles lit.
I also started playing the guitar in junior high. I took a summer school class to learn guitar and then began taking small group lessons with the YMCA when I was in the 10th grade. But in between that time, I taught myself chords and wrote songs. My parents found someone to give me private lessons so I could learn to read music, but honestly, the guy was hardcore. He intimidated me and unfortunately, that made music just not fun anymore. I quit the lessons. Now, looking back, I regret that I did. Maybe I regret that I did not take my lessons more serious. Or maybe it is just I regret that I did not seek another teacher that I could learn from and grow as a guitarist and musician.
I sold that guitar when my life became filled with being a wife and stay-at-home mom (SAHM) of four beautiful children. Two years ago, I got myself another guitar. I started getting back into playing, but when we put our condo on the market and began the frenzy of moving, it fell to the wayside again. However, I recently moved my guitar into our living room so I would be more apt to play it more. My son-in-law, K played it while he was here last week and Grace seemed to like hearing him play!
During those years of being a SAHM, I took up crocheting and also learned to quilt and tole paint. My best friend Heidi (who was also a SAHM and joined me in many of those classes) sent me a book for my birthday, The Friday Night Knitting Club and a gorgeous skein of yarn and needles to go with it. For those of you not familiar with the book, there is a pattern for a scarf at the back of the book. This is on my fun "to do" list.

Speaking of books, my three Jonathan Kellerman books that I mentioned yesterday are still calling my name. I did begin reading 'Obsession' while I was in Utah last month, but only made it through the first chapter or so.

It looks like we may get some rain today...apparently the rain that was forecast for tomorrow may come in today. I guess that means that I won't get to sit out on the patio today. But that's okay.
Kona and I are perfectly content to stay inside with beautiful candles and CMT.

2.21.2009

BACK TO THE GRINDSTONE

Today was a beautiful day here in San Diego. The sun was out, the sky blue and the temperatures were hitting 70 degrees. A day perfect for being outside on our patio in the backyard. Maybe put my feet up, dive into a good book. So inviting. Which would be perfect because I have three Jonathan Kellerman novels that I got as gifts recently and I began to think how great it would be to lose myself in a wonderful mystery.

Our cats, Missy and Cleo thought that laying around in bed was a good way to spend the day. Except they are laying on our dog, Kona's bed. They could not resist that sunshine streaming in. Kona is very accommodating. Or intimidated. We are not sure which.

To be honest, Kona probably doesn't care because the couch is just as comfortable. But I think she is a little bit intimidated by Missy and Cleo. Don't tell her I said that, though.The backyard kept beckoning me. The sunlight was streaming in our back door and there was a soft breeze. A really nice breeze. But I had a mission to accomplish...I mean WE. Maybe tomorrow I can get out there and begin reading one of my books.
Here is the deal. It has been a long time--and by long time, I mean since the long Thanksgiving weekend--that we were out in our garage, tearing into boxes and sorting things out to sell or throw out or donate. Which must be done if we are going to be ready to move in two months.

Yikes, two months? Actually, Bruce has it down to days already. 67 days. I prefer to still think of it as months. Thank you very much, I am not ready to panic. And counting it in days will make me panic.

Our lives got very busy for a couple of months right after Thanksgiving.

A & K came to visit the first week of December, then came the shopping, wrapping and entertaining for Christmas.

Next up, New Years....and then, you all already know that our sweet grand-daughter, little Gracie decided to arrive 15 days ahead of schedule! (Now that made me panic!)

Finally, after my memorable week in Utah getting acquainted with Grace and helping A & K and their trip here to visit us just last weekend, Bruce and I made a committment to get back out into the garage again and GET SERIOUS again--today. Oh my.


See those boxes inside the open cabinets? We had to still go through them. Get organized and decide what goes with us and what does not.

I don't have an after picture yet because although we made a lot of progress and filled our recyling trash can with a lot of paper and have added to our "donate" and "see if the kids want this" piles, you can't tell by looking that we did a single thing. I mean, we KNOW we did, but our garage is still in disarray. Organized chaos. I will take some "after shots" later.
Much later.
If I don't panic first.

2.20.2009

REASON TO SMILE

I got a new phone in November and I love it. It's the LG enV2--in black, of course. But I have yet to go get an extra charger to keep at my office nor do I have a car charger.

That is not what this post is about, though. I digress.

Anyway....yesterday, after a lengthy catch-up call with a dear friend I had not talked to in ages, (Hi Alana!), my phone battery died and I had to wait until I got home to plug it in.

And when I did, I realized I had a text message from A. But not just a text...a video of Grace. Smiling.

Gracie offered her first spontaneous smile Monday night while she was in San Diego visiting and now look at her...the girl is beaming! She is not the only one.

2.18.2009

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

We had a memorable weekend visit with A & K and Gracie. It was full and busy with lots of family time.

On Saturday, we were able to take a group photo with my parents (the great-grandparents) and Auntie M. Our good friends, Larry and Debbie came by to visit and Debbie graciously offered to take some photos of the family.

Here is how that went down. First we had to get everyone in the room and situated, of course.


And make sure Gracie girl was a happy camper, too!

We were trying to figure out how to get us all in the shot (and being our silly selves).
But we finally got everyone in the room and in the photo -- we were still laughing over our silliness, though....it's hard having so many comedians in one family. But that is a burden we are willing to bear. Okay, this shot is much better...there is not as much smirking going on in this one.
Hmmmm.....Grace may not be as impressed with our comedic shennanigans!
That's okay, she'll get used it. Eventually.
Or maybe this is her own attempt at being funny! Either way, I think it's pretty darn cute.

Thank you again, Debbie for acting as our photographer!

2.09.2009

MY VIEWS

It's raining again today. Here is my view from my office window this afternoon, looking up toward Balboa Park.
I get to work before seven in the morning, and on clear summer days, this is the often
the view that I arrive to see.


But when it comes to my job...well, this is my other view....
And here is what I would rather be seeing....and this weekend I will!
Counting down to Friday!

2.07.2009

THE FUN TIMES GUIDE AND THE PEEPS BEHIND THIS SITE!

Shoutin' out to Lynnette and Jim of The Fun Times Guide!!

Kudos to our dear Nashville friends and their wonderful site. Love you both and your site!

We cannot wait to move to TN and spend more time with you ! You guys are the best! You have helped us so much in finding our way to Middle Tennesse!

2.06.2009

FRIDAY NIGHTS HERE AND THERE

Tonight we went to Sardina's, which is one of our favorite places to go on a Friday night and hang out, have a drink, something to eat and relax after a long week. Sardina's is a cozy italian restaurant with great casual ambience, superb food and a wonderful happy hour menu. We love to sit at the bar (with big screen TV's, friendly attentive bartenders and waitstaff) and share an appetizer and salads for dinner. I order a glass of wine but Bruce prefers their IPA on tap. We have been going there on alternating Friday nights long enough now that we're "regulars".
Tonight, while we were there, we were talking about how we would miss Sardinas and then we remembered a restaurant in Clarksville, Tennessee that we wanted to try but it was so busy, we were not able to get into on a Friday night when we were out there visiting. Despite the fact that it was 9:30 at night, the place was packed! Where you ask? It's the Black Horse Pub and Brewery and we're looking forward to eating there after we move.

We have eaten at a lot of wonderful restaurants in Nashville. But, while I am talking about casual fun restaurants, Big River Grille & Brewing Works on Broadway in downtown Nashville, comes to mind. We enjoyed good food, great service, billard tables, big screen TV's and ice cold drinks! On our last trip to Nashville, we ate there with our friends Steve and Pam, before attending a Predator hockey game.

So even though we will miss our Friday nights at Sardina's, we know that we will find favorite places for our Friday nights once we move to Tennessee, too! And we really can't wait!

CATCHING UP AGAIN

It's been over a week since I posted anything. Of course, right off the bat, I have to post a couple of recent photos of Grace, who will be 4 weeks old tomorrow!

And who in one week, will be HERE for a visit with us! I moved my rocker into the living room last night. I know it will get lots of use by Memaw next weekend!