Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sea World - Part 2

                                Shamu Show Believe
A picture as the stadium was filling up - everybody was there - we didn't sit in the soak zone since we knew we were going to have a long day and wet shoes and the sniffles never make for a good day. It was a cute show and it wasn't too long (none of them were)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sea World - Part 1

Mr. got a 5 day 3 for 1 pass which we had to pick up at Sea World, so that is where we started our journey. Thank goodness it was such a beautiful day - since our hotel dropped us off at 9am and will be picking us up at 9pm (a bit after since the fireworks go off at 9pm). But we didn't want to rush or miss anything. We didn't know it was spring break but the crowds weren't too bad. So let's get into the pictures. This is the holding pool-the show won't start for another hour so the whales were just swimming and showing their bellies. It was really cute.

The Famous San Diego Zoo

Welcome to the San Diego Zoo. We servived 12 hrs at Sea World and we were feeling pretty good - 8 hrs at the zoo should be a snap. WHAT IS WITH ALL THE HILLS!!!! But it was soooo beautiful. We got our map and off we went in search of ... coffee!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Happy Birthday Mr.

I would be lost (mind, body and soul)without you.
Live long and prosper sweetheart. XOXO 

Friday, April 23, 2010

Shabbat Shalom

Draw close to God and he will draw close to you.
James 4:8
Many blessing to everyone and be safe.

Special Birthday Wish .....

For a very special lady ..... Ms. Pamela Springer.
May all  the greatness that God has to offer be with you every step of every day.
*This person is very special to me - she is truely a treasure & I am blessed that I know her*

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

So This Is San Diego

So we got to the hotel at about 4pm on Thurs, April 8th. The traffic was actually pleasant - we have heard sooooo much about CA traffic that we were expecting not to get to the hotel until sometime in June (LOL) but the drive was smooth-no road blocks, no constructions, no problems.
We got a 2 room suite which was decent - I mean its not a 5 star hotel by any means but it was comfortable. There were kids playing in the pool and when we went to bed, we couldn't hear a thing. Thank goodness. We had a Walgreens next door (an added bonus since Mr. is diabetic so if we broke something we could get a refill right away), Henry's Market, Einsteins Bagel, TJ Max, Jamba Juice, Pickup Sticks across the street, so again, if we needed anything it was right there and tons of local food joints. So we un-packed and got settled in and decided that if we were going out to eat to do it now - so that we can be back before the sun sets. Since we are in unfamiliar territory we might get a bit lost.
So we got a free nacho appitizer coupon to a restaraunt called Tio Carlos on Rosecrans, which is located next door. OMG!! It was the BEST mexcian food EVER!! *Confession time - I am not a fan of mexican food - I don't like the smell of chilis or cilantro. I lost a jalepeno eating bet - so even looking at it in a jar is revolting to me. I eat my veggie tamales with ketchup. My mom cringes every single time - so when I go out with her we usually go out for Chinese food. LOL* The food was GREAT! Not too spicy but too plain - the seasonings were simply delicious. The servings were HUGE so I took some back to the room with us (we had a mini fridge in our room - a lifesaver.) and had left over fajitas as a snack. The people were GREAT! They waited on you without hovering - they were very kind and friendly. You could tell by the wonderful service that this is a family business. I even thanked the cook - which I never do but even he was accessible.
We left the restaraunt and got a city map from the Walgreens before going to the hotel room. We were settling into bed about 9ish, since we are going to start our adventure early tomorrow, and we hear a POP! POP POP! Like some 85 yrs old people "Oh my! That must be a drive by!" But the popping continued so we step outside on the balcony and it is the fireworks from the Sea World! Hee hee haa haa! We are such dorks!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Going To California

Hello Everybody! I am back from one of the most awesome vacations that my Mr. & I have taken. I took OVER 600 pictures! That is sooo crazy! But I wanted to make sure I snapped everything so I could share it with you. Now my Mr. & I don't really go on vacations. Right now, with our crazy schedules, we only have 1 full day off and that is Sunday, so to go away for 5 days was a really BIG deal for us. It was about a 5 hour drive but when you are excited to get someplace it seems like its a 50 hour drive but it made getting there just that much sweeter : D  We went to all the attractions and a few off map places and I'll tell you about them all. But being a Phoenician and having to deal with crazy Californian drivers I was expecting the same mean people but they weren't. Every place we went and drove was nothing but super nice people. Maybe in Phoenix are all the Californian's that got kicked out for being rude. LOL So fair warning these posts will be a bit long with tons of pics but I hope you enjoy them.
So these pics are for some of you who have never been to the Southwest. I believe this is before Yuma,AZ nothing but clear dry land-the only way to describe it is if you live by the beach & you know how all you see is water well here all you see is desert.

Then little by little regular desert dust was transformed into sand. This was a little bit outside of Yuma. There were a few RVs parked out there and my Mr. was telling me that some of his work buddies actually come out here to ride their quads for the weekend.
This was a bit bizzare - I ended up just staring around instead of snapping pictures but on both sides of the road for quite a good distance all you saw was mounds of rocks. It was like driving through a rock quarry or something.




This is how I knew we were in CA. Wind turbines! They were soo huge! I felt like eating a sprouts and avacado sandwich & sipping on a fruit smoothie. Or going home & adding solar panels to the house.

But you can also see the change in the scenery. It started to get greener & greener. Scrubs turned into bushes that turned into trees. I LOVE the color green so this was such a treat for me. Each second we drove elevated our moods. Then we saw the sign that made us really smile.

Monday, April 19, 2010

I-Tube! Do You-Tube?

Did you know that some people don't even You-Tube? That is just crazy to me! I understand, some people think that the information out there is junk but there is some really interesting stuff out there. Everything you every want (or not) know is on You-Tube. Want to watch The Doors on the Ed Sullivan show? Missed church &/or want to watch a sermon? Interested on how to knit? Want to listen to Rene Oldstead's (yes she's the young girl from Still Standing with Jamie Gertz) sing "Midnight At the Oasis"? Or want to know how to apply makeup (CorrinaBMakeup)? What is urban homesteading (watch the Dervaes')?  It's all there - on this big glorious screen to absorb. Woops gotta go! "Down Home With the Neely's" is done loading & I'm making my man something yummy for dinner! (At least that's the plan. LOL) Let me know what You-Tube.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Shabbat Shalom

Everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded
of him;and the one whom people put in charge of much,
they will demandmore than usual of him.     Luke12:48

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Movie Review

 
My Mr. and I watched this on Easter Sunday & in the scene when John C. was saving his family from an earthquake (3:40pm) we felt a rocking. We went outside - it was windy but not that windy. I hopped onto Google and found tons of tweets about the earthquake in Baja. (May the grace of God be with those in Mexical and Baja) It did add a little something to the movie experience. This wasn't a bad movie. The graphics were good & the plot was decent enough to watch over again.

 
Planet 51 is such a super cute movie. A definite must watch and we don't have little kids. It is entertaining for adults - the way Hoodwinked is. (Watch Hoodwinked if you haven't yet) Very cute & again a family must watch.  The idea that life out there isn't so different than the life here - will be an interesting topic for families to talk about.


 
Well, I was watching this movie. And just ho humming along with it and then towards the end when she finds the sketch book - the pictures were so graphic that it threw me for a jolt. But I guess that was Jane Austen's way of putting the politics of the day on paper and making everyone who reads the book, to think and deal with what is happening. (If that scene is in the book - I don't know I haven't read it) This was a slightly different Austen movie than Pride and Prejudice or Becoming Jane as to Fanny is surrounded by vipers - snotty, mean women - all by herself, yes she has her sister to confine on but she isn't an everyday presents - Fanny is alone in keeping her composure and wit and tries not to let the people she is surrounded by to get the best of her. At times she is sucked into their pettiness and forgets for a moment who she is but she reminds herself that she isn't like those women. A reminder for ourselves that we too can be swayed but we have the power to return to our true selves.

B-Day Gifts

I will start by stating that I have such dear friends. This year I announced to those around me that I do not wish for any birthday gifts. All I wish for is to be blessed. You know "I wish all the blessing from Heaven above to be with you and yours." kind of blessing. Each one to be unique and special - something that the giver of the blessing has to put thought into. Well almost everybody listened. I got cards or gift cards. But from one friend I got something that ... well, every time I see it will remind me of how blessed I really am. She says she got me these items before I announce my wish. What else will be the prefect gift for me but....dragonflies.

Blossoms & Fruit


My grapefruit tree is  blossoming - we just planted it back in October and it is FULL of flowers. I'm not too sure if we will get fruit but it is exciting just the same.

 
Well, my one lemon is still going strong. Hopefully it will have some friends joins it soon. I'd rather have a glass of lemonade, than a glass of water with lemon slices.

 
But until then I'm enjoying my oranges. Sliced with a dash of salt. Yum.. I can eat them morning, noon, and night.

 
This has, bar none, been the most successful strawberry crop we have EVER had. We have two plants, both in hanging planters, and they have taken off. Both plants have suckers that have trailed onto the ground and have anchored themselves to the ground below. The fruit is plentiful, large and soooo delicious. I am very pleased.

Orange Blossoms & Nostalgia

Orange blossoms ALWAYS makes me nostalgic. I remember little things:

Playing jacks in the hallway on a rainy day.
 
Riding my bike during sun showers.


Sleeping on a hammock (or playing with every single cousin)
 
Playing four square before school started.
 

Playing with our spider monkey. (What you didn't have a pet sider monkey?)

Roller skating.

Soft breezes, napping on a rainy afternoon, mellow 70's rock, playing kickball on the street, pancakes after Church, climbing trees, riding my bike without hands, troop meetings, playing on the slip n slid (my friend had a small slope and we would go so fast that we always past the slid and got grass burns), Saturday morning cartoons and cereal.
 
 Yup the little things I remember when passing a citrus tree ALWAYS makes me smile.

    

Yellow Is The Color Of ....


pretty daisies and my nails. I like the color yellow - I think it is so ... cheery. This is only 1 coat of Sally Hansen's 'Lite'. I got done polishing the first coat and put down the bottle to notice a drip of polish running down the bottle onto my very pretty dark wooden table. : l  I picked up the polish and noticed that the bottle was broken. It is a super shimmery polish and maybe two coats might be a bit much. Stay tuned for the next color - even I'm excited to know what the next color will be. Until then I'll be having fun with my cheery nails.  :)