LUCKY SEVENTH!

November 12, 2004 @ 11:00am

ELOPE?? YEP - we did! Our family & friends knew we were planning to get married ~ but WE didn't know when or where or what to wear... Rather selfishly, we "ran-away" & took my mom & dad with us. 

A destination wedding?


memorable, beautiful (just check out that view), easy to get to... 


BIG SUR! LOVE-LY!!!


my parents earned their "badge of courage" by following us onto a narrow ledge, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, in order to be present at our ceremony! Fortunately, the ceremony lasted only 15 minutes... 

Basket ~ Hot Air Balloon

FAST FORWARD TO OUR 7th ANNIVERSARY... We're pretty adventurous... so last year for Christmas, Natasha, Jack & Lydia "gifted" us with a hot-air balloon ride.
BOOKED A FLIGHT FOR FRIDAY! With camera(s), scarves, coats & binoculars, we arrived at the launch site (a winery in Paso Robles) at 6:30am! It turned out the weather patterns were unpredictable (it started raining later) ~ so, our flight was canceled. Breakfast at Dorn's in Morro Bay! 

Sycamore Mineral Springs ~ Avila Beach

TODAY, we headed to Sycamore Mineral Springs in Avila Beach.

• HOT TUB... 
• COUPLES MASSAGE...
• LUNCH @ FAT CAT'S...
• TEA @ JOE MOMMA'S...
• AFTERNOON MATINEE ~ J EDGAR... (great movie) 

LOVE-LY ANNIVERSARY!

redwood hot-tubs line the hillside
@ Sycamore Mineral Springs

I'll be honest ~ we live 15 minutes from this LOVE-ly place. Check out this WEBSITE!... we "floated" through the day after 30 minutes in the hot-tub + an hour massage!

HaPpY ANNiVerSaRy, JPE!

COME PLAY ~ WEEKWORD...

:: hanging on ::

KATY @ CREATING MISERICORDIA  is hosting WEEKWORD. I'd lost contact with my WEEKWORD buddies & Carmen let me know that a WEEKWORD PORTAL had been set up, making it easier to find the word & host for the week.


If you haven't participated in WEEKWORD, it's easy, encourages you to "think outside the box," it's open to anyone with a blog, & you meet a lot of new bloggers when you visit their websites!


I hosted WEEKWORD at the beginning of 2011! you can CLICK HERE to learn about WEEKWORD....


The word this week is: I-N-E-R-T-I-A


As the summer winds down, I begin dragging my feet (ummm... enertia?), thinking about going back to work. The GREEN GUY represents my "current mood" ~ I'm "hanging-on" to every moment of my time off this summer!!


This picture is just a "teaser" to get you interested in participating... visit KATY & leave her a note that you'll post your interpretation of INERTIA.


There's a WEEKWORD button (sidebar) that Carmen created for the :: WEEKWORD PORTAL ::


You're welcome to add it to your blog ~ encourage participation ~ and post your interpretation of the word of the week (poem, drawing, picture, trivia, story, etc) on your blog. The host for the week will leave a list of all the participants, then you can visit & leave comments.

RESTAURANT? CAFETERIA?

GOODBYE Food Pyramid!

I was visiting MEG DUERKSEN @ WHATEVER... & she asked the question, "What do you feed your kids in the summer?" 

Over 200 women commented... so, visit MEG'S SITE to see the tasty meal & snack suggestions posted. 

Before you venture to WHATEVER, consider some of these COMMON SENSE IDEAS: 

1) Don't operate your kitchen as a cafeteria or restaurant. kids will eat what's put in front of them, IF they are hungry. OR they can wait until the next meal. 

2) Eliminate eating non-stop! whether this happens in your  home, when you are out running errands, at the park, or while transporting kids - STOP! LOOK around & I think you'll agree... it seems kids are allowed to SNACK ALL-DAY LONG!!! When dinner comes, they aren't hungry for the meal being served. 

3) Check your habits. Not only are our eating habits supporting a CULTURE of "NEED-IT! WANT-IT! & NOW!" but more importantly, children are eating out of boredom, often substituting sweet drinks for water, consuming a full day's calories before dinner, and may not be eating a healthy portion of a day's suggested amounts.

Over the years, eating & physical activity habits have changed - When I was growing up (the 50's), we were not allowed to get a snack unless we asked permission & it wouldn't "ruin our dinner" (meaning, "ruin our appetite" for dinner). And, everyone knows we spent more time outside "playing"... 

 
4) Commit to adopting a simpler outlook on eating. I saw this in a NYTimes article - check the date on this poster, published by the US Food Administration. 1917... these concepts are NOT NEW!!

5) Model healthy living. SO - while your kids are young - establish eating habits that are healthy, ones you can live with financially (box drinks were expensive - perhaps you might consider these as treats to be used while traveling), and allow your kids to learn to make wise food selections & portions.

Question: are you running a cafeteria? restaurant? fast food stand? 

I'd like to continue this conversation later this week...

BOOK-MAKER (WEEKWORD)

handmade book

Sorry - this is a LATE post for WEEKWORD! No internet access for the past few days!!

 

Last Friday's WEEKWORD was B-O-O-K!!

destination = Washington DC

"OUR GREAT ADVENTURE" (Washington DC)

three generations = author, SLE & Mom/Nana

In March 2009, my mom & I flew to Washington DC... SLE was receiving a disability leadership award, and that was an excellent excuse to do some sightseeing. 

The following pictures are some pages of the book I made to commemorate our travels!

map of Smithsonian Mall

during our trip, I collected paper ephemera from museums, tourist stands, etc... you know, the throw-away sort of information you pick up when traveling (NO COST!!)

added purchased travel stickers...

National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)

personal pictures of favorite exhibits... we loved the National Museum of the America Indian!!! as some of you know, my dad was a California Mission Indian, so this museum really resonated with us in a spiritual way!

more pictures...

and hand-lettered "narrative" to remind us what we learned at the American Indian Museum!

 

I also included information from our hotel & it's location on the map...

Loved this quote, "Never go on trips with anyone you do not love." I traveled with my mom & we met SLE in Washington DC.

National Museum of American Indian prism & door

...the view of the prisms glistening on the wall of the main floor of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)... The Mitsum Cafe is the best of the Smithsonian Museum cafes!!! don't miss the fry bread! excellent food!! (lower floor of the NMAI).
More info can be found HERE!
 
We also visited the American History Museum, Library of Congress, went to a play at Ford's Theater... there's so much to SEE in Washington DC!

Ford's Theater + play memorabilia

AND....

...it SNOWED during our visit ~ view of snow from hotel!

I LOVE making books to preserve memories!! another favorite book - Lydia's FIRST camping experience... perhaps I'll post pics of that book another time?

To see other WEEKWORD participants, check SALLY'S BLOG!!

GEORGE'S RICHES...

Mount Vernon ~ all pics taken 4.23.11

Rain showers were predicted for Saturday... gathering our rain gear (umbrellas & coats), JPE drove the four of us + Sea-Bass (MB's guide dog) to visit Mount Vernon ~ the 200 acre estate of the first president, George Washington.

Upper Garden w/Fleur-de-lis-design

Taking a pleasant walk up the hill to the main building (for  the 4:15 entry to the Mansion), we were showered ~ not with the wet stuff, but with petals blowing from the trees along the graveled paths!

  

lovely tulips

The Upper Garden was still wet, with puddles of water pooling around some of the flowers & the newly sprouting lettuce. 

Luckily, we missed the rain showers... having only to dodge the mud puddles and low areas of the pathways.

While SLE, MB, & JPE explored the Slave Quarters, the Blacksmith Shop, the Spinning House & the Gardeners House, I wandered the gardens (actually, I was trying to give JPE a break from pushing the wheelchair & MOI!!!)...

Looking across the Bowling Green, you see the Kitchen! On large estates, the kitchens were detached from the main living quarters to keep the smells of the food away from areas where people congregated to chat.

the "NECESSARY"

Washington was ahead of his time!! although these buildings don't appear on the map of the estate, we noticed several of them just off the path leading to the Mansion! the sign called them the "Necessary" or "Privy"... Washington had all human waste collected, which was then recycled as fertilizer for the gardens. In addition to having a convenient way to centralize the waste, Washington understood the importance of sanitation....  JPE jokingly stated, "...these were the original porta-potties!!"

Timmy + George

Of course, Timmy was part of the adventure (see him sitting on George's hand??). We took a moment to "record" him meeting our first president, George Washington, for ACE's kindergarten class. If you missed the first episode of Timmy's Washington DC Adventure, please click HERE. 

delicate, lilac colored flowers

Our trip to Mount Vernon started a bit late (due to impending rains), so we missed walking over to Washington's Tomb (YES, he's buried at Mount Vernon, along with his wife Martha, and some other family members), the Whiskey Distillery, and the Potomac River Wharf. 

George Washington wanted to create an estate that could be visited, and that displayed an aristocratic view of life in the 1800's.

A visit to Mount Vernon could be a full-day event... kids activities are available in the Hands-on-History Room (Education Center) - and they can solve the PUZZLE by completing an Adventure Maps (best for 8 year olds & older)... CLICK HERE for more information about Mount Vernon...

HIGH CLASS READING!

Library of Congress ~ 4.19.11

"A library is the most enduring of memorials, 

the trustiest monument for the preservation of an event or a name or an affection; for it , and it only, is respected by wars and revolutions, and survives them."

~ Mark Twain, American humorist, author & lecturer (1835-1910)

Library of Congress ceiling

We visited the Library of Congress - getting there in time for a FREE docent-led tour. Each docent provides basic info about the Library of Congress, and then shares tidbits of trivia that they have a passion for! This was my second tour & our guide was particularly interested in the hall "themes" that told the story of the ornate, colorful ceiling & wall paintings. 

Minerva ~ Goddess of Knowledge

A tiled mosaic of Minerva, Goddess of Knowledge, is located at the head of the marble staircase that leads to the LOC Reading Room. 

BTW, pictures can only be taken of the architecture (Italian Renaissance style) and it's a NO-NO!! in the special exhibits & collections halls.

wall art & quote

If you don't see yourself calendaring a visit to Wash DC in the near future, the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS website will provide an amazing peek at this public facility. 

dedicated to SLE & MB

 

AND - I don't imagine your library has statues like this... 

 flowers that remind you of Easter eggs...

...or a view of the Capitol Building. 

What an incredible day!

TAKE A RIDE...

"Just as the hand, held before the eye, 

can hide the tallest mountain, so the routine 

of everyday life can keep us from seeing 

the vast radiance of and 

the secret wonders that fill the world."

~ Author unknown

My drive to work starts with 

a view of the coastline 

before heading inland 

toward the city of San Luis Obispo...

learn about SAN LUIS OBISPO here!! 

Along Hwy 101 is 

SEE CANYON 
a fertile, micro-climate for growing apples and grapes... 

Turning off Hwy 101 onto Hwy 1,
 (not as confusing as it sounds)
and heading towards Morro Bay, 
I pass the entrance to...

 

CAL-POLY, SAN LUIS OBISPO 

a four year state college...

 ~~~~~

known for their

agriculture, architecture, business, crop science, engineering majors...

CAL POLY - SLO QUICK FACTS

 

 ...continuing my drive down Hwy 1,

are the entrances for

Cuesta College 

(local two-year community college)

AND

:: SLOCOE ::

San Luis Obispo Co Office of Education

(ahhh... )

:: a beautiful place to work ::

:: great colleagues ::

:: stimulating environment ::

and located in a 

thriving natural environment!

CHECK OUT

some of our "neighbors"

another "neighbor"

outside our lunch room!

...these pictures were used for 
a state-wide meeting

to highlight the  
amazingly-beautiful  
areas of San Luis Obispo County!

I moved here almost 40 years ago
(doesn't seem possible) 

to attend Cal-Poly
(and never left)

I'm one of the lucky ones! 

:: housing costs are hIGh ::

:: finding work is difficult ::

:: pay scale is low ::

 But - it is worth ALL the 

sacrifices to live here...

I pinch myself every day I drive along the coast

AND try never to take the beauty for granted!

FYI ~ San Luis Obispo is listed as 
one of the BLUE ZONES in this book...

Did you enjoy my 25 minute drive to work??

TODAY IS ?? READ ON!!!

2009 poster

Today is International Children's Book Day. It also happens to be Hans Christian Anderson's birthday - the author of numerous children's fairy tales - a few of which are: The Ugly Duckling, The Steadfast Soldier, The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, & the Princess and the Pea.

I heard fairy tales as a child, and also read them to my girls, but I'm not so sure that mothers, today, read fairy tales to their children??

Perhaps some mothers & grandmothers will response to this question?

all book covers from amazon.com

This is not the Princess and the Pea I read to my daughters, SLE & ACE... but I love the artwork of Rachel Isadora! Her colorful, collage-like artwork has an African feel to it - most likely because she spent 10+ years in various countries in the continent of AFRICA. Trained as a ballerina, she left the professional world of ballet when she experienced an injury. LUCKY for the children's book world, she has written and illustrated over 100+ books. 

ACE uses this book in her kindergarten class

For more about International Children's Book Day, check out the USBBY (UNITED STATES BOARD on BOOKS for YOUNG PEOPLE) website. 

I found a fabulous list of children's books which support the purpose of International Children's Book Day, which is to "inspire a love of reading and draw attention to children's books that focus on international understanding." Here are two of the book covers from this list, 2011 BOOK LIST for CHILDREN.

SHADES of PEOPLE

by Shelley Retner

& Sheila M. Kelley

the book shows children of all colors with happy, smiling faces.

appropriate 

for birth to age 5 years.

A LITTLE PEACE 

(A National Geographic publication)

by Barbara Kelsey

written for grades 3-5

simple pictures from around the world & "plants the seed" that we ALL have a responsibility to make & keep peace on this earth. 

Seems SIMPLE!

Why do ADULTS make this so difficult??

PANERA'S ~ ISN'T JUST FOR BREAD!

WISHING YOU LOADS OF LAUGHTER.... GOOD FOOD... FAMILY, FRIENDS & TIMES OF CHEER...

STAY DRY.... (Southern California weather for SUNDAY predicts RAIN?? doesn't seem possible??)...

STAY WARM, IF YOU HAVE SNOW!

COZY UP YOUR FEET!!!

AND SHARE YOUR LOVE!!!

PANERA'S BREAD = 

FREE Wi-Fi.... 

LOVE IT!!! 

HAVE A FABULOUS-LY WONDERFUL HOLIDAY! 

CHECK BACK ON SUNDAY FOR WEEKWORD... PASS IT ON... THE WORD WILL BE FUN!!!