WORDLESS WEDNESDAY {4.13.16}

this post will be short & definitely sweet!

BUSY... BUSY... BUSY...

cleaning house

packing a bag

packing the car

the E.X.C.I.T.E.M.E.N.T. is building!

pick up ACE & SLE from LAX

on Friday evening

for a 

BABY SHOWER

on Saturday!

memory-making weekend!!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.15 {2016}

all pics taken 4.11.16

Okay. Here's the deal... I'm totally absorbed with the BABY SHOWER! I'm getting so excited. My daughter, SLE, is having a baby GIRL in June... but she's flying out this weekend so her sister, aunties, cousin & Nana can throw her a baby shower! No worries... GOOD thing she doesn't check my blog often (if at all?). More shower pictures will be posted next week!

Of course we have to play some RANDOM games... one of which is "How Many Kisses FOR Baby Bee?" Since we don't know the baby's name, I have lovingly started calling her "Baby Bee" as her last name begins with a "B"...

While waiting for Saturday to arrive, I've been indulging myself... by creating signs using my scrapbook stash & "whipped into shape" some picture frames (purchased from the Dollar Store) using off-white spray paint! (ok, I know my family is chuckling about my spray-paint habit)... 

Another FUN little project... this is a teaser, so you'll have to come back next week to see WHAT this will be! Needless to say, I've got the bug! crafting & sewing... Cleaning? dust balls are swirling under the beds & in the corners. Cleaning will have to wait another day!

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

{sorry I missed GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. last week} 

see you soon!

ON THIS DAY.... JANUARY 28th!

Being an "overachiever" and NOW a "procrastinator" I tend to avoid posting pictures on my blog if they aren't new or what I consider "blog-worthy"... I've been spending a chunk of time each day editing my photo library. It's gotten unmanage-able (over 42,500 photos)... and many of them need to be trashed. Of course, that prevents me from wanting to add more photos until I take care of this problem.

So... to SIMPLIFY life... I dug back into my archives for some notable happenings on this day... specifically, 2013 and 2011... Here's what I found. Also, I borrowed photos I hadn't posted to illustrate this post.

January 28, 2013

We took visitors to see the ELEPHANT SEALS on 1/28/13. An easy drive... it's always exciting being outside in the brisk, winter breezes along the coast of California. AND, who wouldn't like seeing the elephant seals... 

Actually, I enjoy seeing the expressions on people's faces while they watch the nuances of ELEPHANT SEAL life. This photo happens to be from February 2014, but I love the look on Matthew's face.

January 28, 2011

Then there was this LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE IN 2011. 

I had broken a bone in my left foot. I had written about the emotions that I was feeling as the result of being on crutches. Little did I know that I would use crutches until mid-July. AND, then have physical therapy for several months to regain my balance. 

JPE & I had already booked flights to see SLE & MB in Washington DC. So, off we went... You can see "da boot" that was "oh so glamorous!" We are laughing at MB, who was taking our picture! He's taken some of the best pictures --- and he's blind. Of course, we had all sorts of comments to help him snap this photo. 

Well... hope you enjoyed "On THIS DAY" (in 2013 & 2011)... perhaps I'll have to make this a regular feature here!

See you soon! 

THE POWER... IN READING!

quote by Lynn Payne, American artist

Retirement has allowed me to become "friends" with my local library again! When my girls were young we visited the library every Wednesday for Story Hour, and brought home a stack of books to read. Both my daughters love to read... although they fell in LOVE at different times in their lives.

Now, as a primary school teacher, Allison's classroom library is the "envy" of her colleagues. Need books to support a lesson on APPLES? she'll loan you Johnny Appleseed, Apples and Pumpkins or How Do Apples Grow? from her stack of primary books. She shares the MAGIC of books with her 5 year olds every day!

via amazon

When Stephanie wasn't at the dance studio, she had her nose in a book... my fondest memory is the summer we drove to Colorado to visit family. She was reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor... she went to that MAGICAL place where you aren't aware of your surroundings... tears rolled down her face as she was turning the final pages of her book. She was silent for an hour, processing what she had read, glancing back through the book to re-read passages that captured her emotions.

via amazon

When we returned home, she checked out Let the Circle Be Unbroken and Song of the Trees... also authored by Mildred Taylor... I believe this was her introduction to African American literature.

With a book in hand... you can experience different periods of history, explore new countries, learn about other cultures... the POWER of READING is MAGICAL. 

How has reading changed your life?

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V50

Sunday, December 13, 2015 - rain beading up on roof of my car

As I mentioned in my blog post yesterday, the Central Coast of California got a bit of rain! Californians get EXCITED about rain due to our multi-year drought. So, anytime we get ANY rain (we had less than 1/2 of an inch yesterday)... that is the "talk about town". A GOOD reason to celebrate!

Monday, December 7, 2015 - Bunco party treats

Last Monday, I hosted our Bunco Holiday celebration. No, we still don't play BUNCO, in fact, we don't even know who has the box (with dice, scorecards & pencils)??? but, we DO love to EAT & TALK about what's happening with our families... All of us are at different stages of our lives. A few are retired, most have grandchildren, a few have grown children who are getting married or defining their career paths, and almost all of us have creative interests (gardening, sewing, painting, decorating, baking or entertaining). 

JPE made dinner for us - lasagna, fresh olive bread and I added a kale salad (prepackaged from Trader Joe's). As everyone arrived, we munched on dried apricots, nuts, crackers & cheese. 

If you haven't tried this cheese, run (yes, run, because it's a seasonal treat) right out to Trader Joe's for a chunk of STICKY TOFFEE Cheddar Cheese. It's not a very pretty cheese (color, bleech!) but it's filled with toffee bits, raisins & dates... a RANDOM tidbit to add to your holiday eating!

Arroyo Grande Village Holiday Party - store window

I'm first to admit I cannot draw... but I do like to try my hand at lettering signs. I created a chalkboard drawing for Allison's and Stephanie's wedding. It was an opportunity to add my personal, FUN touch to their very unique weddings. If you haven't tried chalk lettering, Pinterest is the place to search ideas, or better yet, visit Lily & Val to order a copy of this book... The Complete Book of Chalk Lettering, by Valerie McKeehan. 

Well, must get to my house cleaning! then run a few errands before meeting JPE in San Luis Obispo for dinner with friends. YEAH! 

posting with Tamar at Random-osity!!

give her blog a peek! & tell her I sent you!!

KONYA & RUMI...

Mevlana Mosque (Lodge for Rumi)

Well... we finally have some internet connection, but details of our days are melting together. We are on information overload! which is GREAT, until it's time to pull the written words together to detail our journey.

Street corners are decorated with whirling dervishes which I'll address in a future post!

Konya, Turkey

is a very conservative city!
Most women on the street cover their heads with headscarves... but we also saw Westernized attire worn by young women (perhaps college age?)!

Stephanie asked for prayer beads from Konya! Do you think she'll like these?

JPE & I are amazed by the number of mosques that dot the horizon...

these clay bottles act as chimneys & prevent rain from entering the flue...

a shopkeeper cleaning the sidewalk in front of his store!

one benefit of staying in a business hotel is comfy beds!

ummmm! endless cups of coffee or tea!

crispy potatoes with cumin, sausage or hard-boiled eggs...

an assortment of olives...

apricots (the tastiest dried fruit ever!), raisins &

 cereal (similar to cocoa puffs), as well as cornflakes...

& a chef to cook your omelette!

after one night, we're off to Antalya (on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea).

ON EVERY CORNER!

BLUE MOSQUE

located two blocks from our Istanbul hotel

Visiting MOSQUES & learning about Islam was a key factor in taking this Rick Steve's Tour!

Our tour guide, Mert, (raised by his parents in the Muslim & Jewish faith) has been sharing the similarities & differences between the religions of the world! It's been truly enlightening... 
Mert completed his graduate degree (Bible Studies) in Dublin, Ireland, so we couldn't have asked for a more knowledgeable tour guide...

HAGIA SOPHIA

(the name means "divine wisdom")

faces the Blue Mosque

 Muslims pray five times a day. Speakers located on the minarets (tall, slender columns) announce the call to prayer... with the exact times of prayer changing every day, depending on the position of the sun. 

a mosque can be an elaborate design or something very simple. 
Simply stated, a mosque is a place of worship!!

Mosque of Suleyman
overlooks the city & dominates the skyline during the day & night...

the beauty of the mosque(s) takes your breath away!
& the 'call to prayer' is a constant reminder that 98% of Turkish people are Muslims.

Also, to confirm a statement from SLE, there APPEARS to be a mosque in every neighborhood.

IT'S HER BIRTHDAY....

Our daughters

(Allison w the birthday girl, Stephanie, on the right)

have been tent camping since they were infants. 

and because...

TODAY is STEPHANIE'S BIRTHDAY!

I'm feeling a little melancholy, so I'm posting some of my "favorite photos" from her YPN* birthdays!

Most summers, SLE (Stephanie) celebrated her BIRTHDAYS during family vacations at YPN* (Yosemite National Park).

our camping trips were times to connect with family (Acosta's & Enyart's), as well as best friends (Skids & KVC). Click HERE for photos KVC took of Stephanie's birthday.

such wonderful memories!

Nana & Papa bought the three girls "Annie" tshirts for this trip. The girl cousins spent a lot of time performing Annie songs on "The STUMP"

each summer, our goal was to get the campsite with

"The STUMP"... lots of activity happened on

"The STUMP"!

(l-r: Keena & cousins Allie, Steph, Andrew, Reid & Jodi)

rafting, sunning, & dipping in the chilly Merced River was always on the agenda.

so, although Stephanie is all grown-up, and

lives on the other coast (Arlington, VA),

I still remember these days as if they happened last year!

"1-4-3" SLE

we LOVE you &

send BIRTHDAY WISHES on your special day!

JPE & OMO

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!

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Memories, Dreams & Reflections