Another earthquake in L.A.

Just to let you all know that we had a 4.7 earthquake at about 8:39 this evening.... everyone seems to be fine. It was felt far and wide, but those closest to the epicenter, which was just south of LAX in a city called Lennox, said they experienced shattered glass, dishes falling out of the cupboards, a couple of tv's falling down, and their animals getting a little riled up, etc. We've had three aftershocks since the major one.... hopefully, we'll have a peaceful night.

My weekend was very good!! Yesterday, I met a girlfriend for a very nice lunch at a sidewalk cafe, we sat at an outside table under a huge shady tree and shared a cobb salad and a turkey sandwich.... it was so nice to be somewhere that we could feel a cool breeze on a hot day!!

And today, after church, we went to lunch, then we (2 girlfriends and I) went to Tom's Farms and just enjoyed walking around, shopping in the wine & cheese store (where I bought 5 bottles of wine) and then the candy store (I bought ALOT of candy, too... LOL!!). I also bought lots of fruit. And before we left, I got a Mango smoothie!!

Didn't get pics today, but check out the link to Tom's Farms, it's a pretty cool place.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Joann

Introducing Javid & Naoko

I have to share a beautiful new sound I found while walking through Downtown Disney, Thursday night. This husband & wife team are guitar wizards. I don't even know how to explain their music, it's kind of a mediterranean/cuban music mix... sample the first two albums, those are my faves... http://www.javidandnaoko.com/samples.asp

I wanted to take a picture of them playing for you, but it was pretty crowded.

Anyway, my son and I had a great time at Disneyland, Thursday, celebrating my baby's 19th birthday!! (Today he's celebrating with friends at the beach). We enjoyed riding on all our favorite rides with only 5-15 minute lines!!



This one's for Beth.... who LOVES Space Mountain!! That's us in the second seats!!



And this one's just for fun... this is the beginning of Main Street!!



Hope you're all having a great weekend!!

Joann

Happy Mother's Day!!

Just wanted to be sure to wish all the mother's a very Happy Mother's Day... some of you have kids, some of you are a mother to your pets, and some of you are mothers to your husbands!! Anyway, Hope you are able to celebrate with your mother, too!!

We had a beautiful relaxing morning... the streets were actually pretty empty. We took my mom some flowers and a portfolio of son's senior pics.

Then my mother, my son, and I, went to church, where they were offering free family photos, so we got our photo taken, and we'll get the pics in a week or two.

Then we enjoyed a very nice, quiet breakfast at a place where I was SURE we'd have to wait at LEAST half an hour or more to be seated, but surprisingly we were seated right away, and served right away, too!! I had a Shrimp and Asparagus omellete, and it was DEELISH!!!

Now I'm home ready for a nap, before going to my mother in law's, a little later!!

I hope you all had a beautiful day!!

Joann

My Graduate!

OK, I still may be jumping the gun a bit... we're HOPING that he'll graduate, but he's cutting it CLOSE, I'll tell you!!






And THIS is how he looks every OTHER day.....



Yes, that IS the same guy.... cleans up well, doesn't he?? LOL!!!

Hope you all have a great Cinco de Mayo... if you don't celebrate, have a taco and a cerveza, anyway!!

Joann

8 Special Things

SPECIAL ENTRY - EIGHT THINGS

Playing the game...Tag You're It. I was tagged by Lynne!!

Here's the rules: mention the person that tagged you. Complete the lists of 8's. on it! Tag 8 of your wonderful blogger friends. who do i want to tag??? mmm....Go tell them you tagged them! here we go!

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:
1. Getting rid of this cold once AGAIN!!!
2. Reaching my goal weight;
3. Getting son graduated from high school
4. Seeing DANNY win Hell's Kitchen;
5. Summer being OVER!!
6. Getting the year end closing DONE
7. Heaven and all that goes with it (I like this Lynne, Can I keep it in mine = )
8. Leasing an RV someday and travelling the USA. (this, too!)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Took my mom's dogs to get their shots.
2. Went to lunch with my mom.
3. Took a good long nap.... and wanted to sleep the day away.
4. Went to church for a class.
5. Cleaned the kitchen
6. Went to Pollo Loco to get dinner.
7. Thanked God for such a beautiful cool day.
8. Complained all day to noone in particular about how badly I felt from head congestion and cough.

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
1. I wish I could fly like an eagle
2. I wish I could swim with a dolphin (I will one day!!)
3. I wish I could play the piano or guitar or a HARP... How cool would THAT be!!
4. I wish I could encourage my son more.
5. I wish I could see my name on a marquis on Broadway.
6. I wish I could defeat this weight challenge
7. I wish I could be a philanthropist of the needy, going around a making wishes come true anonymously. If I ever won a multi-million dollar lottery - I would give back. I like this one too, Lynne.
8. I wish I could be content in all things.

8 Shows I Watch:
1. Hell's Kitchen
2. American Idol
3. Lie to Me
4. Desperate Housewives (sometimes)
5. Seinfeld (reruns but still great)
6. Fringe
7. Medium
8. Bones

I was tagged, if you want to be tagged, grab this and do your own, be sure to leave me a link on the comments.

Joann

Mamarazzi's Swap

Mamarazzi's Favorite Things SWAP 3 is now UNDERWAY!!!!! WOO HOO!!

This is my first time joining the SWAP, and I'm so happy I was able to get in!!!

Check out the website for more details... although it's filled up now, you can keep watch for the next one at Dandelion Wishes!!

Joann

Mom's childhood home

Whenever I'm with my mom visiting Tucson, she likes to drive by her childhood home, the one that her father built with his own hands for his family of 10 along with a general store next door to the house.

This past visit (about two weeks ago) was no exception, only THIS TIME, there were people outside the house... and my mom jumped out of the car before I could stop her. She went over and told the people her history with the house, I was SURE they were going to call the cops on this crazy woman!!

Lo and Behold, it was the SAME people that my grandfather sold the house to in the mid 60's!!!! They STILL LIVED THERE!!!!!! An elderly couple who turned out to be the NICEST people in the world, they didn't remember my mom, specifically, but they remembered her family, and INVITED US ALL IN TO SEE THE HOUSE!!!!!!! (My mom, my son, and me.)

Of course, I didn't know the house when it belonged to my grandparents, I was like TWO last time I was there (my mom said so). But my mom was so happy to be inside the house again, she couldn't stop crying... and I don't know about YOU, but when my MOM cries, I tend to cry too!

There were ALOT of things in the house that were left EXACTLY as when my family owned it.

This is the SAME Planter from way back then!! No kidding!! I saw pics of the front porch with my mom standing there when she was little!!



This is the front porch swing that my grandfather made from old bed springs, and still it's strong enough to hold people who want to relax and reminisce. My mom has a picture of herself behind the bars of that porch window "jailed".



My Grandfather made his signature doorframe around every single window and door in the house, and they're STILL THERE today!!!



This crucifix is still above the front door after all these years!! I saw it in my mom's wedding pics!!



It was an amazing trip down memory lane for my mom, and a pretty cool visit for my son and I, too!!

Joann