WEEKLY WRAP-UP

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

9/21-9/27/2008

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WEATHER: HOT!

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SUNDAY SERMON: I was too exhausted to ANYthing yesterday.

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LIFE LESSONS: I am not as shy as I used to be and if I stretch myself I will grow and change for the better.

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FAVORITE MEAL: Fried Chicken with gravy (see Recipe blog)

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TREASURED MOMENTS: Jade's walkathon; meeting with my high school friends for dinner.

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TALKED WITH: mom, my middle sis, my friend's from high school.

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THINGS I READ: The Shack by William P. Young; No Wonder They Call Him Savior; Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

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WHAT WE WATCHED: America's Next Top Model; Ugly Betty; Grey's Anatomy; football

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PLACES WE WENT: Katy went to her first dance Friday afternoon; Katy and I went to Jade's walkathon; I met my high school friends for dinner.

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BUDGET SAVERS/BUSTERS: Saver: Only spent $120 on groceries and stocked up on chicken and ground turkey.

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BLESSINGS: great kids and a great best friend that let me lay around and rest all day on Sunday.

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CHALLENGES: the walkathon (3.3 miles)

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS: finished walkathon

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FAMILY HAPPENINGS: AC was sick most of last week with an upset stomach, he's fine now. KT started volleyball practice on Mon & Wed.

Katy had her first dance on Fri afternoon and I worked the concession stand, it was so much fun! Who knew that jr high kids could be so much fun.

I am now the secretary of the PTA at KT's school.

Sat, Katy and I participated in Jade's walkathon. It was so awesome. I almost didn't think I was gonna make it but I kept telling myself I was doing it for Pruda (my late mother in law) and I finished it. I was pretty much out for the weekend after that though. Emotionally and physically drained.

Sat night I met up with my girlfriends from high school and had a wonderful, fun-filled dinner out.

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PHOTOS:

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I took these on the walkathon on Saturday. We walked from the Civic Center all the way around the circle of Grand (for those of you who know what I mean).

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St Edward's Catholic Church

where my mom and dad got married

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My old jr high school

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Some things never change:

House on Grand

The Silver Dollar Pancake House
The Girl Scout house


Home

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Where I wish I was going right at that moment

(it was at the very end of the walk)

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(these are for my mom)

Jack's house

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The apartments on Avenida.

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My high school friends and I.

Like I said above: some things never change!!!

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NOT SO WORDLESS WEDNESDAY #18

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This is for my mom and eldest sister, who haven't been to our hometown in years.

Last week I had to take Jade the stuff I made for her bake sale. I can't seem to be able to go there without taking a detour up to the house.

(this is the house where I spent my first 24 years):

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Gramma's house:

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The Women's Improvement Club..site of my eldest sister's wedding reception and a few fashion shows; and mom's Triple M ( I never did know what that really stood for)

(and why women needed "improvement", I don't know)

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The house again:

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The alley, looking at Gramma's garage:

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The back of Gramma's house:

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This is where we would turn to go home after Mom had picked us up from school. There used to be a mailbox there. When they took it out, she had trouble remembering where to turn:

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This is my elementary school. (it's a horrible picture because I was driving and school was letting out. I was sure someone was going to take down my plate number and call the cops because I was taking pictures when all the kids were getting out of school).

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That's it!! I'm sure I'll take tons more pictures this Saturday at Jade's walkathon. We walk around Grand. They have the whole circle closed for it.

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NEW RECIPE

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I've posted a new recipe....Oven BBQ Ribs. YUMMY!!!
It's on my recipe blog.
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WEEKLY WRAP-UP

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WEATHER: hot in the beginning of the week, but then beautiful by the weekend (around 80-85)
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SUNDAY SERMON: Pastor Greg spoke about heaven.
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LIFE LESSONS: there is such a thing as slowing down TOO much, I was starting to feel lazy
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FAVORITE MEALS: ziti and sausage
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TREASURED MOMENTS: KT being so excited that she made the school volleyball team; driving around my hometown when I took Jade the stuff for the bake sale; T coming to AC's game and KT's back to school night.
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TALKED WITH: mom
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THINGS I READ: finally finished Rhett Butler's People; Max Lucado's No Wonder They Call Him Savior; Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
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WHAT WE WATCHED: We Are Marshall (good, and I didn't cry!!); Intervention (me); America's Next Top Model (me and KT), Cops, TMZ, football
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PLACES WE WENT: AC's game; KT's back to school night; I went to church
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BUDGET SAVERS/BUSTERS: NO busters this week!!! Saver: I owed AC a game for his bday, it was supposed to be $40 but since he exchanged in some old games, it was only $24!!; only spent $130 on groceries!
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BLESSINGS: stayed within budget
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CHALLENGES: none really
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS: actually watched one of our Netflix movies; Saturday marked 6 weeks without drinking.
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FAMILY HAPPENINGS: KT had Volleyball tryouts Mon, Tues, and Wed. She made the team; AC had an away game on Thurs, he didn't get to play but then won 22-8; We had KT's back to schoool night on Thurs and met all her teachers; Terry and I made a side bet with football, whoever has the most wins at the end of the season gets taken out to dinner by the other person, so far we're tied.
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New Recipe

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Check out my recipe blog for a great recipe for Baked Ziti and Sausage!!!!
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THURSDAY THIRTEEN #15

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13 CELEBRITY CRUSHES OF MY CHILD/TEEN YEARS

(just remember....there's no accounting for taste)

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1. Pete Duel (Alias Smith and Jones)... I LOVED this man (even though he had been dead for quite a few years)

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2. Ben Murphy (also from Alias Smith and Jones)

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3. Clark Gable

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4. Bobby Sherman

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5. Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky & Hutch)

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6. Omar Shariff

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7. Burt Reynolds

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8. Frank Sinatra

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9. Robert Redford (is this not the HOTTEST picture you've ever seen of him?!?) .

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10. Paul Newman

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11. Robert Blake (Baretta)

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12. David Cassidy

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13. Peter Tork (The Monkees)

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY #17

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When we launched rockets a few months back:

(look how different AC looks!!!)

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WEEKLY UPDATE

WEEKLY UPDATE

9/8-9/14

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WEATHER: beautiful!!! Upper 80's most of the week.

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SUNDAY SERMON: Pastor Greg spoke on how God uses circumstances, good or bad, to bring glory to Himself and to bring us closer to Him.

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LIFE LESSONS: I don't have to be busy all my waking hours. It's ok to slow down sometimes.

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FAVORITE MEALS: taco nite

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TREASURED MOMENTS: AC's first football game; seeing Johnny and Marty at church.

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TALKED WITH: mom, dad, Johnny and Marty

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THINGS I READ: No Wonder They Call Him the Savior; Rhett Butler's People; Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

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WHAT WE WATCHED: football, America's Next Top Model (me and KT), Intervention (me)

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PLACES WE WENT: AC's game, taco night, I went to church, took KT to the dr.

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BUDGET SAVERS/BUSTERS: saver: got a rebate check from AT & T

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BLESSINGS: enjoyed slowing down my schedule, T got a new job, seeing Johnny and Marty

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CHALLENGES: slowing down

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS: baked 3 loaves of quick bread for Jade's bake sale; went to church

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FAMILY HAPPENINGS: KT had to go to the dr on Wed for her 2nd in a series of 3 shots. The dr also froze some things on her fingers. It hurt really really REALLY bad.

AC's first foot ball game was on Thursday.

T got a new job; he starts a week from today.

My cousin's wife, Peggy, passed away from breast cancer.

There was a horrible train accident in L.A. on Friday night. A Metrolink commuter train hit a freight train head on. It was horrific. We watched in all night long. So far there are at least 30 people dead.

After church on Sunday, I ran into one of my really good friends from high school who I haven't seen in 20 years, Marty. She told me her husband Johnny (my first boyfriend ever) was working in the parking lot. So after visiting with her I went and found Johnny. The look on his face when he realized it was me was priceless. I am sooooooo happy I got to see them and am looking forward to seeing them more.

FOOTBALL FRIDAY!!!!

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Yesterday was AC's first football game!!!! They lost by 1 point!

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He's #82 on the very end.

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This is his first war wound.
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THURSDAY THIRTEEN #14

13 THINGS I REMEMBER ABOUT SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 (AND THE DAYS FOLLOWING)

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1. When I first heard, I was in line at McDonalds and my boss called me and asked what was going on, New York was being bombed.

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2. When I got to work, I walked by the lounge and the door was open and everyone was gathered around the TV.

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3. The first image I saw was the Pentagon.

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4. Seeing the people jumping out of the windows.

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5. Seeing the 2nd tower fall.

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6. My boss actually letting me stay in the lounge watching TV all day.

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7. I called every single person in my phone that day to check on them and tell them I loved them.

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8. Driving to church that night, seeing every church parking lot filled.

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9. Standing in line at the flag store for 3 hours with 100 other people and NO ONE was bitching and moaning about standing in line for 3 hours.

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10. Donating money and giving the firemen some McDonald's cookies when they were standing on the corner with their boots.

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11. The homeless man walking the streets scream and yelling about the (derogatory term for Arab people.)

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12. The total fear I felt, that I've never felt in my life before or since.

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13. I thought it was the end of the world.

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY #16

The two pictures I've entered in the local fair:

WEEKLY UPDATE

WEEKLY UPDATE

8/30/08-9/7/08

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WEATHER: Hot!!!! 105 plus all week.

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SUNDAY SERMON: Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel, was our guest speaker. He spoke on idols and the fact that only God can fill the void inside of us...not money, power, food, alcohol, pleasure...only God.

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LIFE LESSONS: God is awesome in so many ways!

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FAVORITE MEALS: lemon chicken

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TREASURED MOMENTS: T surprising me on my bday with a blender/food processor combo; just what I wanted!

AC's first out of town scrimmage; they won 2-0.

The surprise cake and singing of Happy Birthday on Saturday night.

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TALKED WITH: Mom, middle sister, friends from Class of 81

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THINGS I READ: No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado; Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig; Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

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WHAT WE WATCHED: UFC fight (Chuck Liddell got KNOCKED out by Rashad Evans, bad!); Sunday football

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PLACES WE WENT: taco night

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BUDGET SAVERS/BUSTERS: Buster--$40 for my dr visit

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BLESSINGS: my birthday gift; I have insurance on KT's phone (which she lost); getting my tax incentive check; I went to church.

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CHALLENGES: sticking to my punishment with KT for losing her phone; dealing with everyone drinking on Sat night

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS: I made it to 45!!; I went to church; my cooking rocked on Sat.

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FAMILY HAPPENINGS: I went to the dr for my annual physical, everything is A-OK, but I haven't gotten the bloodwork done yet.

AC had his first scrimmage on Friday in Huntington Beach; they won! His first game is this Thursday.

We hosted the UFC fight again on Saturday. Had a million people over.

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PHOTOS:

This is my new blender/food processor combo. It works great!! I used it Saturday to chop onions and mushroom stems for the stuffed mushrooms.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN------NOT!!

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No Thursday Thirteen today. It's my birthday and I'm taking the day off.

BUT...you must check out my sweet Jadey's blog for her very special edition of Thursday Thirteen (it made me cry!).

Click here...... http://cutthroatbodyart.blogspot.com/

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY #15

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Trying to catch a gnarly wave, dude

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

WEEKLY WRAP UP

8/25/2008-8/31/2008

WEATHER: HOT! And humid...105 plus most of the week. It cooled off to around 95 on Sunday.

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SUNDAY SERMON: Didn't make it to church because we were at the lake.

Memory verse: Psalm 62:5-6...Let all that I am wait quietly before God for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; my fortress where I will not be shaken.

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LIFE LESSONS: Not drinking is a good thing.

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FAVORITE MEAL(S): Papa John's chicken alfredo pizza on Sunday (my bday dinner)

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TREASURED MOMENTS: when KT and I walked into the house all day there was pee on the dog pee pad, I told her "KT, pick up all this pee-ness" (say it out loud and you'll see why it was sooooo funny; they haven't let me forget it yet); being able to talk with the lady who bought the beach house from us; walking along Newport beach.

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TALKED WITH: mom, my eldest sister

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THINGS I READ: No Wonder They Call Him Saviour by Max Lucado; Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

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WHAT WE WATCHED: The Amazing Jonathan (a comedian magician.....not so amazing)

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PLACES WE WENT: Newport Beach, Lake Elsinore

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BUDGET SAVERS/BUSTERS: Buster: $35 transportation fee for AC's football season;

Saver: free 3-piece chicken strips at Chick Fil A yesterday when we wore our football jerseys with a team logo on it. (Poor AC, he didn't want to go because all we had was my extra Vikings jersey. I think it made him ill just to put it on.)

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BLESSINGS: we had safe trips

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CHALLENGES: just usual life; T's back was out most of the week.

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS: house looks decent

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FAMILY HAPPENINGS: Saturday we went to Newport Beach and I got to visit all the places that were so familiar to me growing up. I even go to talk to the lady who bought the beach house from us. Sunday we went to Lake Elsinore with all of our friends. We had a nice time. I read and slept. The kids rode on our friends boat and KT got a jetski ride. T pretty much just sat there and sometimes went in the water because his back was still out.

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PHOTOS:

For my family.........a trip down memory lane......

We wanted a parking spot right on the beach so we parked and set up at 22nd St. right next to the pier.

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We went to the dorry.

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KT tried to scatter the seagulls

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T, KT and our friend Stacy took a walk on the pier

(T is trying to make me freak out by pretending to throw KT off the pier)
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FINALLY!!!!! AC gets it!!! He's got the drizzling skills!!!!!!!


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Fighting over a fish head

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My favorite part of the day:

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Looking at house from the boardwalk

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This is the wall on the corner of 18th and the Boardwalk. I've always loved this wall. Only it's not pink anymore, it's a light bluish gray.

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The house.

The lady was so nice. She said they bought it from us and they had been renting it out all these years. But her husband passed away a year or two ago and she moved in. She doesn't even rent out the garage, it's her guest house. I didn't go inside because I was wet and sandy. She said to stop by next time.

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The walk to the bay ( I even walked along the white strip in the crosswalk)

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The bay.

It was completely empty!!!! There was absolutely no one there. It was very strange. What happened to the little kids go to the bay and the big kids go to the ocean??

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The apartments next door. Notice the "vacation rental" sign. EVERYTHING down there now has a vacation rental sign.

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The house

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The sidewalk at 18th

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Close-up of Crap Castle

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AC thinks this drizzle looks like an elephant.

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KT did this one

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The black in the sand

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The kids rock-hopping

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My haul for the day

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THE LAKE

Our friend the Afro duck was there

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Me and T

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