America

I love the summer! and the best day to celebrate summer? 4th of JULY!!! We got the special treat of having

Brian is graduating!!!

GRADUATION DAY: April 23rd, CONVOCATION: April 24th 2009

We couldn't be any prouder of our good son and his accomplishments~but graduation just added that extra dimension! He graduated with his Bachelors in Biology-cum laude (just shy of one class for a minor in Chemistry). And that money lei around his neck, that would be my doing! A hUnDReD crisp one dollar bills, folded multiple times for each, and then tied and fanned out. I hope you can admire it, because I won't be making it again! I am saving it to pass down to the next graduate, and handing Brian a hundred dollar bill.

Other things in Sedona

Most of Sedona is about the natural beauty... Ken and Linda enjoying the view from the top at Airport road

...but there are definitely some strange phenomenon in Sedona, and my kids thought it was only fitting to do as the "natives" do!

The BIG day

...and finally the day of celebration! Lunch at the diner in town, and THEN the DINNER at the Silver Saddle where we were treated to a "compliments of the chef" hors d'oeuver of bison meat on a prickly pear cactus salsa. Next we enjoyed appetizers that were bison meat, prickly pear cactus fries and python!!! YES! Python battered and fried and called "snake bites". We then proceeded to have our palates cleansed with a lemon icee, and had our main entrees. Nana had duckling and I can't remember what pop had, although I do recollect a cactus margarita or two. They finished up with a wonderful melted chocolate dessert made especially for them! yummmm, a meal NOT to be forgotten any time soon!

Christmas 2008

Here we are after church on Sunday the 21st. We celebrated "Christmas" with the grandbabies that day since they will be taking their turn with Grandma Sue this year. It was so fun!

Tradition...

We're traditionalist's...we don't start the Christmas decorating till after Thanksgiving. And the first thing Friday morning, is to have Dad and Brian put up the lights!

It's tradition!

Pre-Thanksgiving

Pre-thanksgiving festivities...dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Rancho CucamongaNora loving the 'sgettis'

our out of town guest-Megan joined the party...

let's see, is this before or after the "choking incident" and dad's Heimlich manuever save?!!!

Heidi lovin' the great mac 'n' cheese

Why Brian is KING...

(click to enlarge)

Back in 2004 while Amy was pregnant with Heidi, Brian would write home from his mission that she should always refer to him when talking to the baby as "king". I couldn't quite recall what instance in his life would have led him to make such a request until...I was going through my bin of pictures and memorabilia and found what I think is the beginning of his "fits of grandeur"

Circa 1991

So this is where it all started!

He has grown up to be a fine young man with integrity, intelligence and character. And maybe in the coming eternity he WILL receive the "crown" of his righteousness and rule forever with his family in the great councils on high.

Happy Birthday KING BRIAN! Hail to the King!

A legend is sung, of when England was young, and knights were brave and bold. The good king had died, and no one could decide who was rightful heir to the throne. Below the hilt, in letters of gold: "Whoso pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is rightwise KING, born of England." Though many tried for the sword with all their strength, none could move the sword nor stir it...until the time of Brian.

Maui moments

Aaaaaah the memory of Maui...

Happy 2008

It's always easy to look at the new year and say Happy...it's how we look back at the old one that counts though! All in all, though busy and filled with lots of new experience's 2007 was a good year. Here is our little celebration at 9:00 PM PST. We cheated and went with New York's time zone...easier for some of us to stay up for! "Ching-ching" with the help of Sparkling Martinelli's

Maui Wowee 1

Here's some pic's of our time in paradise, do I need to say more? Okay first off we went to a wonderful luau: OLD LAHAINA LUAU (http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/index_main.html) Definitely worth the admission--We vote it the BEST luau we've gone to, and we've been going to all of them for the last 7 years or so.

Next is one of the many rainbows we saw. This one right in front of our condo!

Then Miss Karen & Linda posing at Honolua Bay...

A visit up to Utah

Well now, Karen and Brian are settled into their lives as students up at Brigham Young University in Provo,Utah. So time for a visit to make sure their pantries are stocked with food, and to give them extras hugs and kisses. Annie and Laura joined me for a ride up in the dead of winter!

There is something almost unholy about 8 degree weather. For the first time since we have owned the Suburban (7 years), a messeage flashed on my digital directional...it said I-C-E. Yeah that has never appeared as a warning before! YIKES. People shouldn't be living in conditions like this!

But it was made worth it by going to my favorite places:

Zupa's (http://www.zupas.com/default.asp) for the best soup-Thai Coconut Chicken
A unique combination of spices and coconut milk give this soup a deliciously exotic taste.

Taco Time (http://www.tacotime.com/) Crisp Meat Burrito with seasoned lean ground beef and Mexi-Fries® One taste and you're hooked. Golden fried potatoes flavored with original seasoning. It's not a meal without 'em. And to finish this off-Crustos® Golden strips of deep-fried flour tortilla covered in our special mix of cinnimon and sugar.

Oh and seeing the kids was nice too!

NEW YEAR 2007

Well we rang in another year! Hip-hip-hooray!!!! My brother Tommy came and spent the night...by the next day he was off and gone again...nice seeing you brother! Nana and pop stayed up to celebrate too!