GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.17 {2016}

4.16.16 ~ SHOWER for BABY BEE

BABY SHOWERS are thoughtful, social, & emotional!

SLE's shower was NO exception! While working with my mom, daughter, niece, sister & sister-in-law, it was ALL about thoughtful details. The mother-to-be didn't want a "themed" event, but agreed on greens & yellows. Once the event was in full swing, it was ALL about the social aspect of visiting, eating, playing games, and presents. I hadn't anticipated that I would be so emotional the week following the party!!

SLE told me on the way to LAX (to catch her flight to Washington DC), she "didn't want the party to end!" YEA!!! it was a G.R.E.A.T. success! 

I wish we had taken more pictures of family... urrgh!

Friday, JPE & I met friends for dinner at the Olde Port Inn, Avila Beach. Great conversation, tasty food (although, expensive) & a beautiful evening...

a RANDOM picture of our walk on the pier. We never take for granted that we live in a beautiful community!

Several days before the shower, I scheduled some time to teach Katie to use a sewing machine. She's at that age where she's expanding her creative interests!

Some of the handmade gifts... Katie sewed five burp pads (bottom left)... Nana/Gigi made the baby quilt... Auntie Allie knit the mint green hat & purple headband! the monkey first appeared on this blog a few weeks ago. Auntie Janene (top picture) did all the table decorations for the party! & I know Baby Bee will be getting a handmade gift from Auntie Stacy... Welcome to the FUN club, Katie!!

posting with Tamar at Random-osity

Flying to Washington DC tomorrow!

catch me here, or on Instagram!!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V44

 ::  GOOD  ::

Oh yeah!

five of us shared a piece of "Peanut Butter Madness"

after dinner at Bonnie Blue Bakery & Market, Winchester, VA.

this was beyond GOOD... I'm sure Steph, Mazen, JPE & Mom will salivate remembering the creamy-ness of this treat!

::  RANDOM  ::

totally RANDOM!

A bit of fluffy whiteness standing T.A.L.L. &
holding S.T.R.O.N.G. in the COLOR competition on Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

::  FUN  ::

Mazen to Steph: "Is this too big for our dining room table?"

Sebastian, "guide-dog extraordinaire" has no opinion!

The five of us took a FUN drive out to

Marker-Miller Orchards & Farm, outside Winchester, VA.

In addition to pumpkins, we purchased apples, 

jams, & apple cider donuts. 

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

THANKFUL FOR....

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Skyline Drive ~ October 24, 2015

I've been sifting through 900+ photos JPE & I

captured on our trip to Virginia & Washington DC!

Words can't describe the beauty.

The trees were a RIOT of COLOR!

SONG-OGRAPHY 3.2.14

paper sculpture ~ Sunnyvale, CA

 posting with Kathy @ You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

this week's song is "NOTHING MORE"

by Alternate Routes (an two-person indie band from Connecticut)

For some reason, I thought of women when I read the lyrics of this song. I pulled some samples of women from my photos archives to illustrate the theme of this week's SONG-OGRAPHY.

During my research of this week's song, I learned it was played at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Sochi...

painting on the side of a building ~ San Francisco, CA

statue of a military woman ~ Arlington Cemetery, Washington DC

wall art ~ Women in the Military Museum, Washington DC

This song, "Nothing More" was written  for NEWTOWN KINDNESS, the organization founded by a family who lost a child in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. You can learn more about how schools are using this song to “to promote kindness as a guiding principle of humanity” by clicking THIS LINK.

Before the Academy Awards begin, take a peek at some of the other bloggers posting their interpretation for SONG-OGRAPHY.

Will you watch the ACADEMY AWARDS tonight?

My prediction.... Best Picture Award will probably go to "12 Years a Slave" - the only movie in this category that we HAVE NOT seen. Having seen the movie trailers, I need to be in the certain frame of mind to watch the "deplorable" way we've treated people... in this case, slaves.

I predict "FROZEN" will win the Best Animated Feature Film & "LET IT GO" (from the movie, FROZEN) will win the Best Original Song. Will see this again when it comes out on video... YEP! it's great!

SONG-OGRAPHY + SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 2.214

Chinatown, San Francisco

talked to SLE this afternoon as she was walking home from yoga... the snow was melting into puddles...
our phone conversation reminded me of my last trip to Washington DC!
Katie, Mom & I spent five days exploring... Katie probably felt like she
WALKED A THOUSAND MILES!

sharing this photo with
Kathy at You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

also stopped by Ashley's for

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

this week's words:

BEVERAGE, SNUGGLE, THICK, BEHIND THE LENS & WHERE WERE YOU?

BEVERAGE of choice... coffee w/a splash of non-fat milk!

elephant seals in a SNUGGLE... the "pups" are molting!

JPE's compost is THICK with worms...

nothing like traveling... to put me BEHIND THE LENS!

wondering WHERE I WAS?
in Sacramento... bleary-eyed = reading grants!

see ya tomorrow! 
at Tamar's for
GOOD. RANDOM. FUN.

 

MEMORIES, DREAMS & REFLECTIONS 2013

ME... I'm MOST proud of organizing a simple, small wedding ceremony in 6 days! Stephanie & Mazen got married on Sunday, November 10th... at the Santa Monica Pier! An AMAZING fete considering she lives on the East Coast & we live on the West Coast.

Actually, Tasha took this i-Phone picture right before the wedding began. LOVE YOU, JPE for officiating the wedding.

Each winter we take an hour drive up the coast to see the elephant seals! STILL LAUGHING about their grunts, groans & barks! Hilarious!  

Driving 5 hours to the Big Bear cabin is such a treat... especially for a WINTER WONDERLAND! ACE & Lola play chase in the snow... the birds have gone for the winter... & Lydia, Tasha & JPE built this snow-bear!

Lydia turned 10 this past July... JPE made her some bear pancakes & then caught a huge fish for her birthday dinner! Another amazing BIRTHDAY celebration.

Did I mention Steph & Mazen's wedding was a small, intimate ceremony with some FAMILY & FRIENDS? The Santa Monica Pier was being renovated, hence the "industrial look" for most of the wedding photos.

I'm INSPIRED BY rain... fog... anything but warm, humid weather. Which is odd, as I was a sun-lover when I was younger. 

During our Spring Break, we traveled north to San Francisco & Nevada City... SPRING had arrived! Pictures were taken at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco.

Lydia VACATIONED with us the week before school started! We camped at Plaskett Creek (southern section of Big Sur) Campground... due to the danger of fire & the low-water table, we had to buy bottled water & ended up cooking our so'mores over the stove... no campfires allowed!

Our SUMMER included a visit to So California.  Matthew & Derek LOVE helping JPE set-off the 4th of July fireworks.

Aren't I lucky? A DAY IN MY LIFE includes driving along the ocean to & from work... When it's "high tide" the waves splash up the wooden staircase in Shell Beach. At "low tide" you can walk along the narrow strip of beach looking in the tide pools...

Loved this picture of Stephanie & Mazen - ALL SMILES! the wedding guests showered them with bubbles! Lars (the girl's dad, in the white shirt) will be able to remember their wedding date --- it's also his birthday!

Avila Barn & Ice Cream Parlor is "THE" place to enjoy the AUTUMN HARVEST. Stopping on the way home from work is a love-ly treat at the end of the day.

Instead of taking a vacation overseas, we did some HOME renovations... we had the popcorn ceilings removed, had new bamboo floors installed upstairs, had the master shower re-tiled (they found mold in the walls) and then WE painted the ENTIRE condo (yep, I spent several weekends with my paintbrushes). 

Steph & Mazen chose the Santa Monica Pier for their wedding CELEBRATION... it was the location for their first date (five years ago - Steph was attending UCLA School of Law & Mazen was an attorney in San Francisco). I made the sign for their wedding & included Sebastian (Mazen's guide-dog) as one of the "three" joined in LOVE.

Mom, Katie (9 year old grandniece) & I took a trip to Washington DC over the Memorial Day weekend. Katie got the "traveling bug" - so if I mention a trip to visit Stephanie, Mazen & Sebastian... she'll be the first to say LET'S DO IT AGAIN!

I gave them wings and when they left for college, I never dreamed the girls would settle in other cities. Allison lives & works in Sunnyvale (south of San Francisco, CA) and Stephanie lives in Arlington, VA (& works in Washington DC). Needless to say, I MISS THEM (thank goodness for FaceTime)! It's not often that we are ALL together in person... Steph & Mazen had flown out for Andrew & Talia's wedding (Saturday November 9th).

Following a snowstorm (at the Big Bear cabin in February), JPE & I noticed a BEAUTIFUL rainbow of ice particles in the sky. It looked like glitter floating through the sky.

Allison, Lola & Brian DRESSED for the snow. Check out Allie's owl hat & Lola's red parka! Lola even had red boots, which can be seen HERE!

A stem of dried flowers peeking out of the snow. MACRO shot taken with my Canon Rebel.

Mom & Katie came for a visit in December... to attend the Nutcracker Ballet, see a performance of Mary Poppins & celebrate my birthday. It was fun to share my HOLIDAY decorations & SANTA ornaments... a treasured collection.

Some of our favorite pictures have been taken during our visits to the Big Bear cabin. We appreciate being able to make MEMORIES with Tasha, Jack, Lydia, Taylor & Morgan. The "something beautiful" picture was taken the same morning as this photo.

For Christmas, we gave Lydia a set of bongos! She's taken flute & guitar lessons... JPE has played string instruments in bands, getting his start (at the age of 10) in a band with his dad (a drummer) & uncles. Lydia... we're hoping you DON'T EVER CHANGE & continue your interest in music.

JUST BECAUSE... I loved this picture of Matthew swinging on the rope... he looks like his mom, doesn't he? Don't know if Jodi will appreciate having this picture posted, but, I loved her expression!! (& her pups, Archie & Felix).

Well... my HOPES & DREAMS are to continue to travel. We're thinking of visiting Turkey, Morocco or Russia in the fall of 2014. And, of course, I hope for "great health" to allow this to happen.

Wishing all my visitors happiness, health and memory-making opportunities in 2014!

this post has been linked to

Ashley's Rambling & Photos.
Memories, Dreams & Reflections

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.