Paris and Madrid- High School trip with the French and Spanish Classes

My girls have an opportunity to go to Paris and Madrid with their High School Spanish and French classes.  It is an amazing trip with wonderful opportunities for them to learn many new things they could not experience here at home.  The downside is the cost of this trip! With the economy the way it is we aren't able to just pay and go and it is good for them to work hard towards something they want.   They are raising money by doing bake sales, car washes, selling candy, babysitting, doing chores... Anything they can think of!!  

 Me and my rugrat daughters!  They are growing up and I'm getting old! Ha Ha  I LOVE THEM!

Hard to believe she is my BABY!!

Big sister.... They are growing way too fast!

Hard to believe they are the only two left living at home.  In the blink of an eye it feels like I went from a full house with four little rugrats running around to BLAM... An adult married son and a son off at college!  Two left at home and no more babies!  Time goes by so quickly!

Ciao Bellas~
Momma

My Facebook Page Blew up from this Post

This totally throws me under the bus BUT.....


My nephew reads stories at school (1st grade) and he has to explain how he relates to the story.  Our trip to Maui last summer I got knocked down by a wave (some of you may remember the video....I'll share again)....  So when my sweet little, adorable, love him so much I can't stand it, nephew was asked and recorded by my sister last night, how this story related to him, this is what he said.... (and she sent to it me).....  Keep in mind a story last year reminded him of this too and he told the story to his class last year.  My sister was working in the class when it was time to share the story..... She by the way was laughing to hard she was crying....


So here is last night's video... (Please remember to scroll down on the right hand side of the page and pause the music to hear the video)

Now what is he talking about?  Well, my sister got that on video too.  In fact I posted about it after it had happened.  For those of you who don't remember OR who just feel like a good laugh (at my expense) today click here to watch.   I have to also say on my sisters behalf that she hates that she said OMG in the video she would want me to tell you that.

What I would like to point out is the my little sister BLESS HER HEART was laughing in both videos that she taped...  She just felt so sorry for me...

Have a great day!


Ciao Bellas~
~Momma~

Vail, Colorado

Some more photos of our trip to Vail, Co.

When we left my sisters house it was raining...I'm like......June? Really? The weather has been so crazy this year!  It's almost July and it was raining in California today.  Hope it's good weather tomorrow.  We fly back home tomorrow afternoon.

Oh ya, I was talking about Vail.......  It is soooooooooo worth the trip!!  Do not however get a haircut there without double checking the price!!  Holy Cow!

So beautiful....  I was driving (of course cuz I'm a SPAZ BACKSEAT DRIVER and my sister doesn't like to drive in the mountains!!) but my sister was snapping photos! 

The closer we got to Vail it started to look a lot more like Christmas (in June)

The kids have been holding their breath through tunnels since we have been here but this one was loooooonnnngg....... no way they could do it.... But they tried.  ha ha

We came out the other side of the tunnel to it SNOWING!!  It was crazy.  So much fun!!

Beautiful views all the way in and WE MADE IT!!

We stayed at the Lodge at Vail and it's location was PERFECT!!!  We just walked out the back door right into the village.  Lot's of shops and restaurants. YES,it's so all about the food.

Our kitchen....

And another shot showing part of the living room and the kitchen.  We had a real wood burning fireplace but we never used it. We had one bedroom with two twin beds and a bathroom downstairs and upstairs were two bedrooms. One with two queen size beds and a bathroom and one with a king size bed and a bathroom.  Was perfect for going with kids or a group of adults.  They also have two pools and a great restaurant.  I've never in my life had eggs so fluffy that they actually melt in your mouth!  We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the great weather. 

This was our view from our balcony.  It looked down on the village.  It had a few chairs out there to kick back and people watch relax in.

My nephew and my son and youngest rugrat.

We had a great time!  It was different going in the summer and with the rugrats this time and also during the fall the color is very beautiful here.  You can go here and see my last trip there.  We had a blast!!  BUT Vail is fun and beautiful anytime of the year and with or without children.  I'm thinking maybe Christmas?? 

Hunk told me I'm already planning my next vacation while I'm still on a vacation....but I LOVE to travel!!!!  I'm all over the place in my head.....always searching for great places to go.

Where should we go next???  Where is your favorite vacation spot?

~Ciao Bellas~

~Momma~

OUR VISIT TO COLORADO- VAIL AND MOUNT EVANS

The day after my sons wedding my girls flew back with my sister, her hubby and son to Colorado.  They went up to Mount Evans.  My oldest daughter (thinking it's summer time and being a California girl) only brought shorts... And did I mention she has no fat on her tiny body...........If she wasn't 13 and my daughter I may not like her for that....NOT JUST KIDDING.....

Because of her lack of body fat and lack of proper clothing AND elevation level her lips were BLUE. 

 My sister, my girls, my nephew and my brother in-law.

 Isn't it beautiful!!??!

 I LOVE waterfalls!

Fast forward to the next day and back down to Denver elevation and the weather was a bit nicer so my brother in-law and sister set up the slip-n-slide for the kids.

Then they played ball with their cousin and uncle.

 Then I arrived party over kids and the party began. HA HA.. Hunk was with me and we hug around for a few days and he had to get his butt back to work.  So we took him to the airport and peeled out of there as quickly as possible we drove home talking about how I would miss him and picked up the kids and headed up the hill to Vail.

Here we are in Vail..... LOVE GOING HERE...  was a little different than our trip with just the two of us last time but we had a great time.

Great thing about having a sister who is a professional photographer is that you get great photos, bad thing is she is usually not in them (unless she sets the timer)..

After all the stress that has been going on with graduation, college applications, wedding planning, becoming a mother in law and soon to only have two rugrats left at home this wasn't Maui for a month is a great vacation.

Still determined to find and keep my Aloha......even if it is in Colorado!

Graduation photos are almost done being edited (my sister has been slammed with her own photography business work and/or vacationing with me so she is being SLOW)..

Yes, Tami, I called you slow......Do you still love me? ;-)

So what are your summer 2011 plans??  My next one is camping.  I can't wait to be filthy and bathe and wash dishes in lake water!!

Ciao Bellas~

~Momma~



SUMMER IN CALIFORNIA?? NOT SO MUCH

The weather has been sooooo crazy.  Our good friends had their "Hoe Down"  a couple weeks ago.  We were afraid we would be rained out but it was perfect.  It was a lot of fun.  The guys did did some skeet shooting.

And so did my Rugrat daughter!

I had to laugh because earlier that day I had posted the below photo of her on Facebook

And I said "My daughter baked a cake.. WHERE DOES SHE GET ACTING LIKE A GOOFBALL FROM"????

Then at our friends "Hoe Down" we all started dancing and I (shocker) started doing air guitar and jumping up in the air with one leg out to the front and one leg to the back... Then laughing so hard (and crossing my legs as to not pee my pants,  Yes, I'm serious)

So my friend grabs my phone and takes this photo of me (and yes we posted it on Facebook)

Which shows exactly where my daughter gets it from.  Ha Ha

Fast forward and the weather hasn't improved yet!!..

This last Saturday was my son's bachelor party here at our home.  My hubby was throwing it for our son and he was so excited.  I went to Costco and stocked up on all the good food and drink for them.  Hunk took all the guys to the shooting range where they spent a few hours target shooting on a course at the gun club.  Then he had hired a Seaplane to come in out of San Francisco and land here on our little lake.  They guests would get rides in the seaplane and then it would head back to San Francisco.  He was so excited....And then what happened?  STORM.  It rained all day.  The seaplane couldn't get out of San Francisco because of the storm.  They did still go to the gun club and shoot in the rain... such men.  They then came back and Hunk set up his tractor and hung a rope for them to do some rope climbing something or other..... (girl description... sorry)...  They played horseshoes and then I'm told there was a beer pong game.....

Me?  The girls and I hit the road with my friend!  She came in from out of town and we headed up the hill to Tenaya Lodge.  It also rained there all day but the girls swam in the indoor pool and my friend Sharon and I sat in the jacuzzi while we watched them.

We had the pool to ourselves.  Most of the guests were at Yosemite (National Park) during the day so it was quiet until the evening.

That's when we had this.  Doesn't this Bloody Mary look more like a Salad Bar?  It was so yummy!

If you guys ever make it out to California and want to go to see Yosemite National Park, Tenaya Lodge is a great place to stay!  (with or without kids..  They also have a beautiful spa!)

My week is crazy this week (as usual)!  Wednesday my son graduates high school, Friday is rehearsal dinner for my other son's wedding and Saturday is the wedding.  Sunday the girls fly back to Colorado with my sister.

I have a few Prom Photos to post and I will soon have graduation and wedding photos to share but I wanted to give you all an update on my crazy BUT BLESSED life.

Ciao Bellas~

Momma

P.S.  Please pray for no rain or snow on the wedding day!  Never thought I'd be hoping for that IN JUNE.... We were previously worried it would be too hot.  I'm thinking it will be beautiful weather for a beautiful day!  (Glass is half full, right?)

OUR SUMMER FUN AT DISNEYLAND, CALIFORNIA AND MEDIEVAL TIMES

Disneyland!!!!! Wooooooo Hooooooooooo..........

This is the view of the park from our hotel room.....

Every year the kids think they will be able to pull the sword out of the stone......

I think I can.......I think I can............I think I can........

I thought I could.......I thought I could......I thought I could......

He is on to me..... I had to all but make him go try to pull out the sword! I NEEDED it to go with all the past years photos of when he thought he actually might be able to pull the sword out.....

He's being so kind to his mother, standing for another photo..........Such a good boy... I've scared him for life I'm sure...... I told him I'd help him write his letter to Dr. Phil or Oprah, entirely up to him which one..... I'm just nice like that......

Oh I can pull this out easily!........ Ok ready to get the picture of this mom??

What the heck? This sword is really stuck! At least I still have one to try this on again next year...

Here she comes down the tree house! Oh wait,

Rugrat: "Mom, do you want to take my picture?".....

Momma: "Yes, I'm taking it right now honey"......

Rugrat:"Oh, Ok, I'll stop so you can get a good one"....

Momma: "NO, that's ok, I got it........keep walking...."

Seriously girlfriend? Move it before those boys push your rear out of the way...... Actually they were so patient.....

but honestly.......what do you expect? It is the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH after all..

Just ask all the mom's with the kids dressed up in little Cinderella costumes who are screaming at the top of their lungs, stomping their feet or my all time favorite, throwing themselves on the ground for the crowds to walk around them. While the mother yells "GET YOU A** UP NOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!" With a look of anything but JOY on her face......

Oh Ya, it IS the Happiest Place on Earth......

Tree house fun....

Another breakfast......... and...YES, it IS all about the food......... (In fact it is a must to get the HUGE turkey leg in the park..........sighhhhhhhh.......yep, it happened again, my butt just grew thinking about it!)

Sorry son.....for catching a bit of a nerdy look on your face (I hate it when I get this goofball looks when the camera snaps just right.....well, ok, I always look like a goofball or nerd, take your pick, but I'm just sayin'....)...... I had to put this photo on here because it's crazy how close the bird got to his plate. In fact I was watching and didn't want to move so I didn't get the shot but he actually ATE leftover pancakes off of the plate! Crazy little guy! It was too cute. I mean he was polite and did wait until he was done eating....

You can see him wondering if it would be okay to come back for seconds....

Breakfast with the characters is so much fun.... Well, it's a lot MORE fun now that the girls are older and don't freak out when they see them..... Well, lets just say The Mad hatter still won't come to our table after the shrill scream of my little blond haired chicken girl a few years back. In fact I think if The Mad hatter did try approaching the table, even know, my rugrat would hit the floor running. I'm sure she would give some urgent reason like the food wasn't agreeing with her tummy and she had to run to the bathroom. It wouldn't be because she was afraid...... but we know......we are on to you little sista' we know you are still a big chicken under that 11 year old skin!...... She thinks Mad hatter is just ugly and she isn't sure if it's a boy or a girl and that scares her..... LOL

YES, I AM awake. YES, I AM tired..... My eyes are open, well kind of.....I was trying to wake up.....

What I'm really wondering is what the heck the lady behind us is doing.

Is she showing us what food she is eating for breakfast? Is her husband tossing food into her mouth from across the room? Or is she just shocked to see me, the celebrity that I am (not) there in the restaurant? I'm trying to remember if she ran over to get my autograph...... hmmmmmmm.... my brain is going back in time... ..hmmmmmmm. ....autograph....autograph......autograph..... I'm going to have to go with a big NO on that one....

She probably saw the Mad Hatter.....

My "tired" Hunk and the three (sniff sniff, one is missing....WAAAAAAAAAA, ok, I'm alright now) rugrats waiting to go chow down on the buffet with the characters....

Our cute little family....... MINUS ONE BIG RUGRAT......

Awe.......I can feel the love..........

Done for the day.......back to the hotel........ "and the ants go marching two by two hurah.......hurah....."

"Daddy, do you think we can go to the swimming pool? Disneyland was great but my favorite part about the hotel is the pool.." HONESTLY, what is up with that?

It was my son's 16th birthday and we have always done the Disneyland and Medieval Times trip for our family vacation since the kids were small. My boys LOVED Medieval Times so we thought it would be a great time to embarrass him..........errrrrrrmmmmmmm... I mean HONOR him by having him "Knighted" on his birthday. I knew he wasn't going to let me get away with this much longer... so I went for it! He was a great sport for his Momma!

Over here birthday boy! Look at your Momma! You cute little boy who can't be 16, who just turned 6 last week. Who shouldn't be a Junior in high school, I was just walking you to Kindergarten.... sighhhhhhhhhhh.......sniff........sniff......... my babies are growing up way too fast! Ok, sorry, I'll be okay, don't worry about me...... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oh ya.......that's our Knight. Mr. BLUE...... come to Momma..... Kidding!!!.....Kidding!!! (kind of) LOL, I'm probably old enough to be his Momma.......

Aren't they beautiful? OK......so is the princess..

Ha Ha Mr. Green Night..... our Blue Knight was the winner!!... But can you pose with us for a photo?

Now this red and yellow knight was a silly guy....... He would pop into photo's the girls were taking with other knights..... He was fun!

Oh ya, there he is!....... Thumbs up Dude! He really was a pretty fun kid though. The girls were laughing at him........ which only egged him on....... Maybe he is related to my Hunk...

Dashing.........

Here is our Man...........

There I am sitting upon my throne. They asked me at the last minute to fill in for the Princess............ Okay, so it's not me.......

It's the King and the princess.......watching her man go to battle against the other knights. I wonder what it was like in Medieval times. Can you imagine your husband fighting possibly to his death? Ummmmmm no thanks. The eating with your hands was kinda fun and a man did seem to enjoy yelling out "come her wench" to our waitress... shock and awe moment for many.......... I don't know what got in to him.......maybe it was the Budweiser..... I could be wrong........it happens from time to time....... shhhhhhhh dont' tell my family.....


Hope you enjoyed viewing our summer memories........

Have a great day!!!

Ciao Bellas~