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~

HOLY COW- MICKEY MOUSE- AND ALL THAT - I'M ALLLIIIIVVVEEE!!

I'm alive!  I'm typing to you in a dark room at the Grand Californian Disney Hotel at the Disneyland park.  Why in the dark?  Because my rugrats are still sleeping and I woke up thinking......do I go back to sleep?  NOPE..... I need to write my e-friends!  I've been thinking of you all and missin' you all and so swamped I've hardly had time to PEE!.  OKAY....I've peed but seriously......busy girl!

Some good.......some not so good.

Let's see......since my last post I went to Southern California for my Oncologist appointment....Everything went good.  I need to go have a chest Xray done next week some time but all in all was a good visit.

My friend Sharon came with me and we (actually stayed right here where I am typing to you from today...WELL not this exact room, but you get the picture)......and we went in to Disneyland for a couple days while we were here......AND we got rained on for a couple of days while we were here.

THEN I had a party at my house with a few friends. 

THEN my oldest son called me in tears because he was having so much pain in his chest.  I flew over to his house and drove him down to the hospital (stopping only once to get out and calm my nerves because I was staring to do what I do...and work myself up.....and felt sick to my tummy and a bit light headed....not the best thing for the DRIVER to do)......we got to emergency and waited  and he had xrays done and was told he had pneumonia.....a few days later.........back to emergency we go......new stronger meds (over $300 later WITH insurance) we had the new meds.......slight improvement....yesterday he went in to his primary dr. and was told it is asthma/allergies and his lung is full of mucus, not pneumonia.  The reason his whole body has started aching is the lack of oxygen to it......the gurgle in his lung is the mucus......  So hopefully he will REALLY be on the mend this time.

AND.....I've been touring colleges with my other son.  We went to UC Merced one day, next day UC Davis,  next day (yesterday) Cal State Bakersfield......where we met with the wrestling coaches and my son was offered a spot on the wrestling team there......and then we drove farther south and stopped here at Disneyland.  We will go into the park today, see a water/light show tonight and tomorrow we are touring another college.  Biola University which is a private Christian college down here.  And then we head home.  Saturday he has the ACT testing and my oldest daughter has dance performance at Oktoberfest!

Seriously......ugh......one of the kids just farted.....not sure who, but lets just say it was not quiet.  If I stop typing it means I passed out from the smell.....How can they not have been woken up by the fog horn sound that just happened?  If Hunk was here I would have blamed it on him......it was that......okay, sorry....I'll stop.

Sorry.....even in the midst of a hectic couple of weeks I still have to keep it real....Spill the beans on my life.....and right now my life is in a hotel room, missing you all, worrying about my oldest son, thinking about how I won't see my Hunk for a couple weeks (he is leaving tomorrow for hunting in Idaho), wondering which college my son will choose and which one will choose him, thinking about all the money that Mickey Mouse will make off of us today and all the fun we will have while he does......

And OF COURSE......wondering if a gas mask would have been a good investment for this trip.....

I hope you all are doing great.   Miss you tons and think about you lots, just feelin' like Dori lately "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming".........

Have a great day!

Ciao Bellas~

Momma

Vail, Colorado~ Let the Sister trip begin!!

Here we are!!! Me and my little Sista'...... We were on our back deck.. It was so B-E-A-utiful!

We are family...ya ya ya...... I got my baby sista with me....... (we used to sing this song when we were little, it was my sisters favorite!)

You know the song, right? There is one in every crowd and it's usually ME? Well, here I am. You know I love to people watch.... well, the way I see it I can't be the only one who enjoys people watching. And these people traveled all the way to Vail, I can't let them down! Come on now, they needed a good story to tell their friends.

I'm thinkin' there story went something like this:

Ring......Ring..........Ring..... "Hello?" ..... "Susie?" ....... "Yes, this is Susie.".... "Oh my gosh girl you missed it! You should have with us to Vail! We just got off of the gondola ride and were walking up the plaza heading to eat dinner. You should have seen this lady. (not sure if I qualify for the term lady)... She stood up on top of this fireplace RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF VAIL PLAZA.... Her sister had a camera and I thought she was going to just take her photo. Then she jumps up in the air ....now mind you she isn't some petite thing, but she got all the junk in her trunk up off the fireplace and was flyin' like the wind... then she throws her arms up and strikes a pose in mid air. Now wait.....the BEST PART, she lands it.....well we thought she was going to land it and then she falls to the ground. She is laughing so hard and I hear her shout out, wait little Sister don't laugh, I can't laugh right now... I'M GOING TO PEE MY PANTS!!! We waited to see if she was going to be sitting in a puddle but it never happened. I don't understand people. I mean seriously? In Vail Plaza. Go to a park lady... You really need to come with us next time. (Ya sorry not showing the wipe out photo! See I can't, my little sis was laughing so hard that there isn't one)"

Yep, there is one in every crowd and the scary or maybe just plain sad part is I'm PROUD to say It's USUALLY ME...... (just doin' my part... I'm just thoughtful like that.. ) The leaves were starting to turn. It is a great time to go to Vail. Not only for the beautiful changing of the leaves but everything was on SALE. I mean "K-MART Red (or is it blue?) light Special" kind of sale. We are talking 50% off sale. An occasion 51% off, just for good measure. Almost every restaurant offered buy one bottle of wine and get one free. Our Suite was 50% off as well. HIGHLY recommend this trip, I will cherish the memories with my little sis forever!

Soooooooooo beautiful!!

So you know I have another story! My little sista' and myself are laying back at the pool catchin some rays. Of course you would think living in California and being a less than tan that I would not forget the importance of sunscreen. One would think this was just common sense. Especially when you are up soooooooooo high and the sun can burn you even faster. Nope, I'm still peeling a bit from my burn. But the fun story for picture isn't how I left looking like a tomato.... it's that I sent this picture in a text message to my hunk a hunk a burnin love with a sweet little note letting him know how much I appreciated that he was here with the 4 children while I was burning by the pool and drinking a margarita.

I sent the photo of my margarita and under it I said " Thanks honey! I love you!!!"


MY PHONE BUZZ's BACK WITH A TEXT (Wowza that was fast, hunk a hunk a burnin' love usually replies with a text saying "my phone number is".... ya, he's not a big text person) I get so excited and press to open it....... THIS is what I see..

Ya............................ Your welcome.........

SMART BUTT!!! A man of many words........ Nice photo of his McDonald's lunch in his work truck. I laughed so hard......... imagine it.... ha

My sister being a photographer had me stand here for a photo because of the beautiful lighting. I really was in awe of how beautiful it was there. Did I mention I think you all you try to go sometime???

My gorgeous little sista'......... Oh I just love her so much!!!!

I decided to just sit on the fireplace instead of jumping off of it this time.

We had fun taking photos in this Gondola. In fact it was our pleasure to give others walking by something to look at (again)... But the way I see it. We only live once, we will never see these people again, so let us be the dorks we are and get our fun photos!

My sis looks so pretty......

And then the silliness begins...........

YES! I PROMISE you it really really was that funny and then some! Oh boy we had a great time!

I know this looks so real, right? I was trying to pretend as though I was hundreds of feet in the air and about to step off. But obviously, the photo didn't quite capture that with the nice stone walk way right beneath my foot. But again........ it's OK,...........because we had fun..... we laughed, we laughed so hard that we cried at some moments. Well, lets be honest.......we laughed so hard that I almost peed my pants at some moments. Like I said in the beginning of this post. The memory of this trip with my sister, I will always cherish! I love you little sista'......

Ciao Bella~