It's that time again! Time to Celebrate!!

Been "home" a week already. Now the celebration starts here.

July is our month; to celebrate, have fun, really let loose, get jiggy with it, love each other, laugh together to relive moments and make new ones...it's a great month for us!

Birthdays galore & a couple of Anniversaries.

We start out with our "1st date anniversary" on the 4th, this year we celebrate 9 years! The dogs birthdays are on the 7th (easier to celebrate on one day for them!) Jamies' birthday is on the 11th, our wedding anniversary on the 14th, my birthday is the 25th and lil hoot is the 28th!

Lots of celebrations! I call it Christmas in July (especially my birthday)!

Take a walk through some old memories and new moments with us...

Happy 5th birthday to our Naner Nut

Happy 5th, 6th or 7th Birthday to Chili Moon...??

And a Happy Birthday to yours truly!

 With our numbers in alignment with this year of 7, we believe we are already off to a great start of OUR new year.

We wish we could be with our lil hoot as she starts to celebrate her 22nd year on this Earth, but we know she knows we love her and are always with her in spirit. Hoooooot!

Here's to a great year not just to us but to all of you. Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, Happy....whatever!

Make it great and memorable. Here's to many more years of having an awesome life together and on this Earth.

Much love to all of you, from us to you!

PEACE

Happy (2nd) Sweet Sixteen to Me!

Today I get to celebrate my second Sixteenth birthday! No, I didn't get a car but I did get a sweet little celebration...J' is so good to me! We made a day out of going into Shaver Lake, we had to do a little bit of shopping anyway so it was perfect. We started out by taking showers in our Solar shower, it always feels good to be clean and that thing does a pretty good job.

[caption id="attachment_310" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Just wanted to see what I looked like[/caption]

When we got down to Shaver Lake we decided we would stop in for a quick bite at that awesome pizza joint. We got a mini Hawaiian pizza and a drink for only $5.29 (or something like that), pretty cheap for amazing pie! They always seem to be hella busy and today was no exception, they were slammed. We received our pizza within about 15-20 minutes, not too bad and sooo worth the wait!

[caption id="attachment_313" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Busy little place[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_314" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Hungry birthday girl[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_315" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I never get my (entire) way on pizza, but today it was all about the Hawaiian! Woo Hoo!![/caption]

After we filled our birthday bellies we headed down to Shaver Lake. It's a beautiful lake as far as the eye can see with huge granite boulders to climb on or look at or play on and around.

I told J' we should definitely come down here for a day, it's free and available so why not! Savannah chased ducks and swam a little in the water, she's afraid of the "waves" (the bigger ripples from the boats and wind). She was so funny, she would get in the water and the 'wave' would come and she'd jump back on shore like a jumping bean...she's a silly girl.

[caption id="attachment_317" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Chasing the poor duck[/caption]

I took pictures and pretty much had my head down looking for pretty stones, rocks or anything else I could find. I'm a little scavenger! Oh and I tripped on the only pine cone on the entire beach...it can happen anywhere ya'll! I found a bell, a couple of pretty rocks and a small piece of Quartz (and lots of glass, that I ended up putting in my pocket to throw away later).

[caption id="attachment_319" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Soaking wet & filthy, that's my girl![/caption]

Oh, we (mostly me pointing them out, haha) found pictures in the clouds. Remember when you were young? Did you ever lay in your yard or anywhere else in the world and make pictures out of the clouds...well I did and I did today as well. I found a heart...just for me on my birthday, a dolphin, a sparrow and a whale or mermaid tail...I'll say mermaid because they're a favorite of mine.

[caption id="attachment_321" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Heart and Dolphin (the sky not the clouds)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_322" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sparrow (I think that's what they're called)[/caption]

It was pretty hot at the lake, so you know what that means....Ice Cream!! We huffed back up the hot sandy hill to the van and went to the Bakery.

[caption id="attachment_323" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Workin' my way up to Ice Cream![/caption]

When we drove back into town, we saw this awesome bus that we saw a few days back. This thing is totally Retro and so very radical, I think we both would drive the hell out of that thing if it were ours. Take a look...

[caption id="attachment_324" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Enough room?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_325" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Awww, yeah son![/caption]

We finally made it to the Bakery to get our ice cream on. This little town of Shaver Lake is poppin' I tell ya. There are people everywhere, it's better than Fresno though! Everyone up here is just chill, it's probably because they are here to get away from everything, so they're just nice. We got our ice cream; I got mint chocolate chip and J' got his chocolate, both in big waffle cones and just one scoop was juuuusst right.

[caption id="attachment_326" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Get in my belly![/caption]

After ice cream, we hopped across the street to the market and picked up a few items we were out of and some dinner items as well, we invited Bob & Miss Cherry over for dinner. We ended up going to two markets because they didn't have some stuff we wanted at one and Miss Cherry asked for food for her lil baby, Tony and we had to get that at the other market. The bill always seems to shock us every time we go to the markets here, it's just plain ridiculous what they charge.

[caption id="attachment_327" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Yep, we're in America alright[/caption]

Once we got 'home' we put our stuff away and just hung out until it was time for dinner. Bob & Miss Cherry came over around 5:00, we made burgers and had some potato salad. Tonight would be the last night that I could go all out on food, for tomorrow I have a lifestyle change with my diet. So bring on the food!! Like I said, we had burgers and potato salad and then you may have already guessed it but do you know what Miss Cherry did? No, not cookies....a cake...a chocolate cake. Oh boy, my self control just went out the window...but it's okay tonight! Right...please.

[caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 2 candles for my 2nd Sweet 16![/caption]

The cake was delicious as delicious can be. You know what else Miss Cherry did? She made me stuff! Pretty stuff too! She made a beautiful Amethyst and Pearl bracelet with matching earrings...just for lil ole me. She is so thoughtful and awesome, I'm so glad she came into my life

...and Bob too...he helped by licking the bowl when the cake was made! hahaha Awesome Bob, so awesome!

[caption id="attachment_330" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I got a present![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_331" align="aligncenter" width="300"] She's so sweet...and talented! Thank you Miss Cherry!![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_332" align="aligncenter" width="300"] ...and everyone sang to me![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_333" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I'm a ballerina princess...yes I am![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Homer is pretty excited about this whole thing![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Group hug! Thanks for making my day more awesome!![/caption]

I thank everyone who made my day pretty darn special even though we already celebrated (yep, my babaa' loves me). I stuffed my gut and then gorged on cake later that night 'til I was sick (I know, I know)...but that was it for this girl. Tomorrow is a new day and will be full of healthier choices. I'm excited about the changes, it's going to take some time and some work but I can be really dedicated when I put my mind to it...and who can't stand to be a bit healthier, eh???

To fresher and healthier tomorrows...

PEACE

 

 

Once you go Black, you walk out!

This morning, I felt like a real girl! I woke up, took a shower...yes again! I washed dishes and made breakfast and even put on a dress, all while J' worked and tinkered around with our new TV (in the voice of the announcer from The Price is Right...say it again). I, probably unlike most women, LOVE to do dishes, well now that I don't HAVE dishes to clean anymore. It's very soothing and almost zen-like, ahhh. I wanted to make sure that every single plate, spoon, knife and fork were clean as well as our cookware and anything else that needed soap and hot water!

After everything was spic and span, I made us another pancake breakfast, we used the rest of the box and each got three nice sized cakes. I uploaded more pictures to my picture sites (still didn't get all the pics uploaded, think I need a couple of days but I was able to get about 9 albums loaded). J' got our TV working and figured out and we were able to leave the box behind as garbage. Lil' Phil (our portable TV) was NOT working out for us, let me name off a few reasons why; the screen was too little only 9 inches, the volume control was on the TV only, could not access it with remote, when you plug it in...which you had to do if you wanted to watch TV for more than 15 minutes, it would pixelate so bad it was almost unbearable to watch TV, it would only charge when the TV was off, not while it was plugged in and on...I will keep it at that. We talked about getting another TV, just a regular TV and we've been looking at Wal-mart. We saw a TV that would fit perfectly in our space (we know because we went and got a tape measure from hardware...) so, we bought it. It's a Sansui 19 inch and it totally fits in the space we have for it....so perfect!

Check-out was at 11:00 a.m. (I think it's wrong that we have to wait until 3pm to get into the room but we get kicked out at 11am. I know, I know, I've worked in the hotel industry, but I still think it's just wrong). It didn't really matter because we had somewhere to be, yep the Hullabaloo wasn't over yet, we were gonna go get our slots on baby!! Table Mountain Casino here we come!! This place was just a small place in the middle of the mountains and a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be. People did not give this place good reviews but we went anyway, the worst thing that could happen...we leave.

We spent a couple of hours here. Don't worry about the bug; covered parking and her A/C unit hooked up and working great and our check-ins on her, she was good to go. Now, you know that I am a picture girl (if you didn't know that, I am), I wanted to document our Anniversary/Birthday with a picture. I took a few pics of us, that didn't even come out good, in the elevator BEFORE getting to the casino.

 The doors of the elevator open, we walk out, walk past a 'security guard' and as we're walking past her she is hanging up a phone and says, "Excuse me miss, the men in the office just told me to tell you they saw you taking pictures in the elevator and you are not allowed to take pictures in the casino." I was like, Whoa!! They are fast. I said, "Oh okay thank you, it was just in the elevator though." Yeah, I got the evil eye! haha Geez take a chill pill. I get in trouble everywhere! We had a great time, though. J' played his games, I played mine and we got a free buffet because it was our first time there, oooo I even got a shirt! The food was good, the desserts were really good, I would know I had 3 or 4. And yes, I'm a law breaker, I took pictures of the food...so there evil eye-maker!

[caption id="attachment_366" align="aligncenter" width="300"] ...let me see that Turkey Roll![/caption]

Nutty Cheesecake & Brownie

[caption id="attachment_369" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Peach Cobbler & Ice Cream[/caption]

We even walked out 'up' from what we walked in with...woot woot! On our way home, we stopped at a little gas station. J' came out to the van and said, "Take your camera and go take a picture of the dog behind the counter." I didn't know why, but I trust he knows me all too well so off I go. I walked into the store and I saw no dog, no guy, no one. I waited and someone else walked in and I heard a dog bark...a big dog bark. I looked and looked but only saw a dogs' leg under the counter. Finally the owner came out and I told him, I was supposed to come in here to take a picture of his dog (and asked if he minded)...then his dog jumped up on the counter, well put his paws on the counter! It was the most beautiful Doberman I've ever seen, although he had just had his ears clipped (booo). He was gorgeous, 7 months old and his name was Homer! I'd have a Dobie in a minute if we had somewhere to put one.

[caption id="attachment_370" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sweet baby Homer[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_371" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Look at those paws...and that face...so sweet[/caption]

Since we didn't stop to get groceries, we stopped in Prather instead, just for bread, ice and drinks. Things are more expensive here too, not as bad as Shaver Lake, but still more than Fresno. I did get a free yo-yo out of the deal though, suckers!

[caption id="attachment_800" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Yo-Yo-Yo[/caption]

From the store we just came home, set up camp and hung out for the night. We watched our new TV (I'll make-up a name soon enough, gimme a break!) and we still only get two channels (I know it's the antennae). We get FOX and This. This~ is a channel that plays the most awful movies ever, they're all from the 80's or earlier (and not the good ones, yes there were some) and I swear they play movies where the main character in the movie must have gotten their big break from that movie or something...they're really something else. The other night we watched a movie with Alec Baldwin in it, hold on let me see if I can find the name.... Wow, that took some time. It was called Miami Blues and it was a stinker, so I thought. Tonight we watched Stephen King's Silver Bullet with Corey Haim, they were having a 24/7 Stephen King Marathon for Friday the 13th. That was the best movie we've seen yet on that channel! J' was asleep before me and off I went right after him. Our celebrations may be over on 'paper' but the celebration for life will go on and on and on.

Happy life to us all!

PEACE

 

 

Hotel Hullabaloo

Wow, the days fly by, huh? Well, at least I'm happy with myself that I left a post about being away...I know you all have missed me haha. So let's go back shall we...the morning of the 11th I cooked my babaa' a birthday breakfast, not his favorite but it's all I could grab from the Wal-mart that was out of everything; pancakes (just add water) and syrup, cost me a whole $2.00. It was pretty good and it gave us 4 big pancakes a piece, not too shabby.

[caption id="attachment_806" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Yes, even the Bug got one[/caption]

We hung on the knoll that day and after talking for a while, we decided we would go down to Fresno and handle our business with the solar earlier than planned. Our birthday/anniversary celebration would be done earlier as well. We had planned on doing a hotel-dinner thing on the 17th, but since we had to go down for the solar, we switched it to earlier in the week. We might be celebrating but gas is gas and it ain't cheap these days. So for the rest of the day we lounged & lazied. The sunset was perfect that night, so beautiful. Happy Birthday Babaa'!!

The morning of the 12th we woke up as usual, duh haha I'm a terd. We figured a hotel wouldn't let us check-in until at least noon...we wake up around 8:30-9 a.m. We packed up good ole Joon Van, it took less time but still probably around an hour & a half or so (2 1/2 last time). We hid a bunch of stuff in the forest so we wouldn't have to bring it, and we still had a lot of stuff. We both just think that Joon is not a big boned girl so she can only hold so much, then she just starts looking sloppy! After our pack up, we headed down the mountain. This 'ride' we take to get on the main road is really something else. I took a video of it, but don't know when I'll be able to post it due to how much data it will use. If you've ever seen Ace Ventura, the Sha-ka-ka one, where he's driving and acting like he's getting bounced around and the other guy is just sitting there...it's like that, but it's really happening. Look it up if you don't know what I'm talking about...there's probably a much better way to explain it, but that's my way and I know you like it! ha

[caption id="attachment_810" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The easy part[/caption]

Anyway, it's like scaling a mountain in your van...I don't think I need to pay someone $60+ for an extreme adventure, I get one every time we go to town! I know I fear more for the van than ourselves, because J' really knows how to drive and he doesn't want anything to get hurt, including ourselves, anymore than I do...it's just the fear of knowing this is all you have. I think we finally made it down to Fresno around noon:30 or so.

[caption id="attachment_812" align="aligncenter" width="300"] To Fresno we go[/caption]

We had one errand to run before we did anything, we did that and we were off to the hotel that I looked at online and 'locked' in, La Quinta. We walked in and told her we wanted to book a room, she said none were ready just yet and started taking our information. The rate went from $105 online to $119+tax walking in the door, to $144 for a ground level!!! What? Then we told her we had a lil Nana Bug and she said, "Oh okay, but you can't leave her in the room when you're not in there, even if she's crated...?" What? And you call yourself a pet friendly hotel...needless to say, we left. We scoped out the hotels around the area, called for rates and they were in the $159-169...for Fresno. We called around to a couple more, after I got my computer out, and ended up going to one of them. This Comfort Suites was about 6 miles away from the business park we were just at with the other hotel, it was $ 126 a night, allowed pets, had a pool and breakfast in the a.m., that's why we went to go check it out. Turns out they are in more of, let's say, an industrial park. The back of the pool opened up to a scrap yard and was about the size of the van, no joke. By the looks of the outside, I didn't want to see the inside, eat the food or sleep on the bed...so we left and drove 6 miles back where we just came from. Before we drove to the Comfort Suites, we had stopped into an Extended Stay, we have stayed with them before and knew what we would be getting and they didn't have a pool, that's why we kept looking. Their rate was cheaper by almost triple what everyone else was charging so we headed back over to ESA to get our showers on. It was about 1:48 p.m. now and we wanted to just come in, relax, scrub our skin 'til it was raw....er, take a shower, and just relax before we went to go eat. The sweet girl at the desk tried to do everything she could to get us into a room before 3p.m. but it just was not working in our favor,(they are renovating the whole 3rd floor...no rooms up there) so J' caught up on some phone calls while I played my hidden object games in the parking lot for an hour and a half. Finally, 3:05p.m. had arrived and we were on our way to our "Honeymoon Suite", really it was just the 2nd floor but hey, let me have my day! We walked in to clean, air conditioning and running water...what more could a girl ask for!?

Extended Stay America has to be one of the best hotels I've ever stayed at, they have a full kitchen (minus an oven) but they do have a 2 burner stove top, full sized fridge, sink and they even provide pots, pans, dishes & silverware. The rooms are always so nice, I don't even have to worry about wearing my shoes around the room or in the shower! I know, right! I did however wash my shoes in the shower this time due to all the lovely dirt that accompanied me on them. I let J' shower first so I could start uploading my pictures to Shutterfly & Snapfish (an online picture storage I use...yep unlimited and free). I have to get my pics up in case something happens to my computer, my old computer crashed and I lost about 5-6,000 pictures, all of when J' and I first met, so never again will I allow that to happen). We also brought every single electronic device that uses a plug into the room so we could charge everything up...GoalZero batteries included. Don't judge...that's what we are paying for! Plus, with our solar in the middle of being sent, we don't have power up in the mountains right now...we gotta get what we can when we can. I took my shower, my glorious glorious shower. J' and I both agreed we don't think we've ever been this clean in our entire lives. I'm sure it just feels that way, but it's an amazing feeling! The little things, I tell ya. We went to Chili's for dinner...I know what you're thinking...High Rollers! We love Chili's. You get a ton of food for a pretty good price and even though I can eat with the big boys, I usually have left-overs so I even get a second meal out of it. We had chips & salsa, salads, ribs, steak, shrimp, some sides and a to-die-for-yummy dessert (that we took back to make later) and some O'douls... all under $80 with tip.

[caption id="attachment_817" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Yummy Leafy Greens[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_819" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Bug in a Rug[/caption]

I think that's a GANGA!! We got back to the hotel and Savannah was being a good girl, she wasn't barking...at least at that moment, and we were really quiet coming up the stairs too. I have to say that we had a pretty good dinner celebration tonight...

Oh but it's not over...we have some plans tomorrow that are bound to be full of entertainment, fun and me getting in trouble...yes it happens a lot!PEACE