A MAN OF MANY TALENTS...

JPE is NOT just a fabulous baker!!! 

his talents extend to ice cream scooping with

decorative hearts of chocolate syrup.

oops! he missed the bowl...

P52 {WEEK 47}

The Nutcracker Ballet is a-coming!

Our holidays get into full-swing when I start playing Tchaikovsky's musical score for the Nutcracker Ballet... our daughters took ballet lessons, so I'm very familiar with the precision & skills required of ballet dancers. Although they never danced in a full-length holiday Nutcracker Ballet....

...our nephew, Daniel, has been dancing in the Nutcracker since he was 4 years old... He's played most of the roles... and in a couple of weeks, he'll be dancing his last Nutcracker Ballet at the Arlington Theater, in Santa Barbara, CA. {Daniel is JPE's nephew} I knew when I watched his first performance, he loved performing! for the past three summers, he's participated in "ballet intensive" summer programs --- in New York, Chicago and Salt Lake City!

Daniel again!
December 2012

My mom & grandniece, Katie, will be attending one of Daniel's performances... I know this year's ballet will tug at my heartstrings, so I can imagine the impact it will have on his mom & dad! He's planning on graduating from high school, and move onto the next step of his journey... and ultimately, a career as a professional dancer.

Do you plan to attend a Nutcracker

performance this holiday season?

if so, where?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 11.24.13

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

The words for this week are:

HORIZON

BLUE

DIAGONAL

SHARP

LEATHER

THANKFUL FOR THIS VIEW

ON MY DRIVE TO & FROM WORK!

CUTE BLUE TEA POT!

STITCHING ON A DIAGONAL!

YOU'LL NEED ONE OF THESE TO COOK A TURKEY! 

FANCY LEATHER COIN PURSE!

A QUICK POST BEFORE HEADING TO BED!

THANK-FUL...

AHHH!!!

starting to enjoy my Thanksgiving Break!

How about you?

A FUTURE --- SEA-BASS!

Sebastian --- yes, he's as sweet as he looks! In fact, he's a total lover-boy! He's been featured on my blog numerous times --- HERE, ALSO HERE and MY FAVORITE, HERE!

Mazen, Sebastian & JPE at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

If he were smaller, he'd love being a lap-dog --- but, he's a working dog --- leading Mazen through the maze of people riding the Metro in Washington DC, attending concerts, plays, parades and the last two presidential inaugural festivities, sitting through court proceedings, and even visiting the White House (where he slurped a bowl of water, creating a bit of a mess on the floor).

Sebastian "loving" ALL the attention --- from Ada & Katie

If I remember the story correctly, Mazen & Sebastian met at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, CA. Mazen also received his first guide-dog, Ragan, from the same facility.

which brings me to today's post...

Today, a light rain (enough to ruin to totally create havoc with your hair) fell as JPE & I walked across the  Cal-Poly campus (California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, CA) this afternoon. 

We trailed behind a group of trainers working with their "guide-dogs" --- the puppies were practicing walking in the rain, maneuvering among the college students and learning to pay attention to the "ebb & flow" of the moving bodies.

As JPE & I were getting ready to walk into a meeting, we saw the dogs once again. In the middle of the UU (University Union) --- the puppies were calm, listening and were demonstrating the expected behavior of a guide-dog.

Having been around Sebastian for the last 5 years, I understand the working relationship between a guide-dog and their mobility partner...

Mazen & Sebastian in Georgetown, Washington DC

... it's a "priceless" partnership of love --- trust ---  work --- fun!

You can learn a lot about guide-dogs for visually impaired or blind persons at this WEBSITE. 

Most importantly --- when a guide-dog is wearing a harness, they are not to be interrupted from their work. Ask the owner for permission to pet or speak to the dog.

P52 {WEEK 46}

the tree outside our front door is shedding its COLORFUL leaves.

Checking in with Tamar @ Random-osity for Project 52 {Week 48},
as we spin toward the end of 2013!

First Congregational Church - Long Beach, CA
site for Andrew & Talia wedding!!
stunning stained-glass windows!

Sebastian, "guide-dog extraordinaire" wore a lavender bow-tie
to Andrew & Talia's wedding!

Sycamore Mineral Springs, Avila Beach
{click on link - it's amazing place}
JPE & I celebrated our 9th anniversary!
with a morning hot-tub, massages &
breakfast at Fat Cat's Cafe (on the pier in Avila Beach).
Sat on the patio enjoying the beautiful weather!

we want to book another massage soon!

a touch of FALL inside...

A busy few weeks! 
B.U.T.
Thanksgiving Break
is coming soon!
{looking forward to some time off}

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 11.17.13 + SONG-OGRAPHY

11.17.13
OKAY, MOM - - - This post is for you!

I know how much MOM looks forward to pictures from my week! After a whirlwind two weeks, I think I can once again get my camera out (this coming week).

ASHLEY at RAMBLING & PHOTOS continues to host

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY. This week's words are:

PATTERN, SUNGLASSES, ROUND,

LOOKING IN and CRUNCHY.

Photos were taken on my i-Pad mini.

PATTERN

Zig-zag PATTERN in the dining room rug! YES, the rug is actually a muted yellow, but the bamboo floors soften the color.

SUNGLASSES

I know! I know! I should wear SUNGLASSES when I'm in the bright sunlight. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old... plus those horribly uncomfortable "hard" contact lens, and now alternate between glasses &  soft contact lens. Constantly changing glasses to sunglasses, sunglasses over contact lens... I'd need a backpack to carry all the cases. Urghh! (SO, I don't own a pair of SUNGLASSES --- that'd I'd want to take a picture of)

ROUND

A quick picture (remember, I'm using my i-Pad)... ROUND dishes in our newly painted kitchen cabinet.

LOOKING IN

We're already getting ready for the holidays. JPE unpacked & set-up his "holiday houses" yesterday (so, we enjoy them for a longer period of time). We love window shopping & LOOKING IN these miniature windows is no exception. I'll post better pictures of what's inside the shops, another time.

CRUNCHY

Apple Farm had discounted their Fall decorations before Veterans Day, so I grabbed this wreath for 60% off. Some of the crispy, CRUNCHY leaves have fallen off --- what a pleasant reminder that Fall is all-about color and sounds!

And now, to SONG-OGRAPHY! If you head to Kathy's blog, You'll Shoot Your Eye Out! you'll find stunning pictures for this week's song, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

photo by JPE - Mason, OH - before Veteran's Day

"I see skies of blue,
And clouds of white.
The bright blessed day,
The dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world."

Oh, there's so much to be THANKFUL for!

that's for certain!!!

Will be checking in with Tamar tomorrow.

Back to regular photography! See ya then!!

P52 {WEEK 44}

LOVE the "GLAM PUMPKIN" in the middle

~ such brilliance ~

 don't ya LOVE the Fall season?

~ teeny, tiny rose hips ~

don't ya think it looks like a pumpkin?

~ MAMMO, PAY DAY & TGIF ~

many reasons to stop for a breakfast treat!

~ thought about DAD today ~

a working day in the kitchen 

(paint brush, putty knife, sandpaper = rough hands)

more about Dia de Muertos

getting close to the end of the condo updates!

Thanks for stopping by!

stop by Tamar's @ Random-osity & tell her I sent you!