Hello Summer!

Sienna and Spenser, great students as they are, were counting the days for summer vacation to start.  The last day of school came and went, and the next morning the family packed into the 300 for the 9.5 hour drive to Arroyo Grande, California.  They had a great school year and certainly earned some rest and relaxation in the cool temperatures of the Central Coast.  Rob was determined to get them there quickly, yet safe and sound.  Happily, he was successful!

The next morning and the only full day Rob would have before heading back to Arizona, found us on the shores of Pismo Beach for scenic exercising.  Sienna did not participate on this day, but Spenser did!

We even shared the beach with some horses!

After a good workout, Splash Cafe was a great place for lunch and the most famous clam chowder around!

 The next day it was time to say goodbye to Rob and try to vacation without him.  What do I like to do while on vacation in California?  I would sit and read a book every day on the beach if I could.  Why can't I, you may ask?  Well - the sun doesn't always make an appearance and being bundled up in a beach chair just doesn't make sense to me.  But that doesn't mean the surroundings aren't scenic and worthy of some meditation.  Sienna and I enjoyed a picnic lunch on a bench overlooking this spot.

Then we got adventurous and descended a stairwell down to a private beach area where we got a little sun - finally!

Sienna enjoyed reading and relaxing while I captured some photos.

In addition to lounging on the beach, I also use the beach as a source of fitness inspiration.  

This photo was the halfway destination of one of my morning walks.

I parked the car at Avila Bay Club, and walked/ran the 1.7 miles to the beach.

Rob would be so proud of the amount of exercise I'm putting in!  Of course, he's not here to see it, but I'm sure he's glad to hear it.  Another activity we ALL participated in was golf.  I have been to the driving range before, but never actually golfed.  Papa decided we all would do a scramble, which I was leery about but still willing to try.  The course was Dairy Creek, one that he marshals at.  Here is Spenser, teeing off!

Me too!

I actually did all 18 holes!  Lots of fun, but not the easiest sport to just pick up.  Papa wanted to include Sienna, so she helped keep score.  He called her the "comptroller."

And here she is also driving the cart!  Just kidding, she didn't really drive, it was only a photo opportunity!

Here is Papa Rose, hitting hard and far, even with osteoarthritis in her knee!

Check out Spenser and Papa, ready to drive it far!

Papa was very happy with our golf results.  We hit a 71, which was par!

Here is Spenser, walking hand in hand with his grandparents, even at his junior high age.  Rob would love that!

Spenser caught me being silly on the beach -

and Sienna caught me meeting Elvis.

Another required activity?  Practice on the drumline!  Here is Spenser getting some hits in at Arroyo Grande High School.  Incidentally, this is the same high school where Zach Efron went to school - you know, Troy Bolton from High School Musical?!

While Spenser drummed, Sienna ran the track.  You'll just have to believe me as she would not allow me to take a picture.

So that's what we've been up to during our first week of vacation.

I'm hoping to post next time a picture that looks just like this one, except with warm blue skies!

Goodbye 7th and 9th!

Spenser finished his 7th grade year this afternoon, amazing us with his academic and musical feats.  He wondered why he had to go to school when grades were done and all the teachers were doing was showing movies.  Rob wanted him to go to the last day of school and enjoy the "socialness" and finality of it.  I reminded Spenser of why Daddy might be making him go to school............so that he can come home from work early and video the whole thing - duh! 

Here he is catching Spenser and his friend Drew's arrival.

 

 

Of course he had to work it a little bit.

 

 

Some pics......

 

 

What did he want to do to celebrate the occasion?  Have chicken chili and cornbread!

 



 

 

 

 

It was Sienna's last day of freshman year today as well, and she was ECSTATIC to not see her dad videoing her getting off the bus.  She's just fine with a hug and a 'way to go!'  She's over the video fanfare.  She along with the symphonic band is playing the commencement ceremonies tonight at Perry High.  She too had an AMAZING freshman year, astounding us all with her academic and musical talents!  She was the Marching Band Rookie of the Year and Freshman Musician of the Year!  Wow!

 

We are very proud of both of them! 

 

They deserve a break so off to California we go!

 

 

 

 

 

NJHS

Tomorrow is the last day of school for both Sienna and Spenser, which reminded me that I neglected to report that Spenser was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society two weeks ago.   Unfortunately, I wasn't there because I was at the Miranda Lambert concert so Rob had proud parent duty all alone that night.

 

Here he is walking across the stage to receive his certificate.

 

Proud dad.

 

Here is his certificate showing his membership.  Now he just has to keep up those good grades

and do volunteer hours both on and off campus.

Great job Buddy!
 

Happy Mother's Day!

Well if this isn't a tear jerker, I don't know what is......(click on link)
 

 




Mother's Day Video



 Thank you to my lovely daughter Sienna for the walk down memory lane.

What a lovely and thoughtful present, although the best gifts I have are my daughter and my son.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wild Weekend

I must admit I'm a little star struck and enjoy all things celebrity-related.  So how tickled was I when I read in my morning paper that Peter Facinelli, aka Dr. Carlisle Cullen of the Twilight Saga, was coming to my local mall for an autograph signing.  I was SO THERE!  It became a girls' night with Sienna and her friend Laila, and my teacher friend Sue and her daughter Jessie.  After Peter's arrival, he began signing.

 

While waiting, we played Twilight trivia.

 

 

Then the time came!  Here I am giving him my doll to be signed.

 

Check out the finished product, personalized and everything!

 

 

I ALSO GOT A HUG!  (It only took 3 hours, so that's how rabid of a fan I am!)

 

Then the next day, Victoria Justice made an appearance.  I just stopped in, took a few pictures, and left.  Easy peezy if you don't need an autograph!

 

 

I even got a wave from her on video!

 

 

Then after that craziness, it was time for Sienna's last performance with the Perry Winter Guard.  They performed at Grand Canyon University Arena, and they did great!  They earned 2nd place! Here they are celebrating after their performance.

 

 

Not much opportunity for pics, so here are a couple old ones.

 

 

 

Here is her retired costume along with her 2nd place medal.

 

 

Another great season, 2 in one year!

 

WOW!!

 

 



 

Loved and Lost - Almost Last

This Saturday is the Winter Guard Championships for the Perry Winter Guard.  Tonight they had a full rehearsal and tune-up to competition with a performance for parents.  The good news, we could video!  Here's what I captured with my camera.

The show looks great and after their Saturday performance, the season is officially over.  However it ends, we are so proud of our little girl.  Marching Band + Winter Guard?  You amaze us!

Here are some pics of set up...

 

 

 

and clean up.

 



 

 



 

Good luck Perry!

 

 

 

Spring Break Room Switcheroo

With no out of town trip to occupy my time I thought a small project around the house would make it worthwhile.  You've seen the results of Spenser's new room and you probably remember his old room, one that Grandpa helped decorate with the construction border.  Spenser's desire to move out of it showed that my little boy is all grown up, sniff sniff, and the removal of the baby boy border only solidified that for me.  There are remnants that remain:  the blue walls, the crib stored in the closet, the few stuffed animals he had as an infant.  My "little baby boy construction worker" is now a "pre-teen video-game-playing drummer," but I'll always remember his patient, adorable face waiting for his mommy or daddy to pick him up out of his crib.  That remnant will never leave me, no matter what changes are made to the room.

 

Sentimentality aside, the process was a messy job.  I went to Home Depot and purchased the required materials (gel spray and a scraper).  Having never done this before, (too bad Grandpa wasn't here), I learned as I went that the more spray - the better. 

 

 

As it started to come off, it revealed the seam from the two colors. 

 

 

I did not plan on painting so I had to come up with a quick and easy fix for the seam.

 

 

 

Off to The Dollar Tree I went and purchased these mariposa wall decals.  Ten bucks later, easy on, easy off, and  - VOILA - seam covered. 

 

 

Now the room has a piece of both my kids.  Here's what it looked like after adding the new butterfly border.

 

One more purchase, a bedding set to pick up the pink of the butterflies.

 

 

I got to reuse some of Sienna's old bedding (sheets, pillowcases, shams) which was a great bonus.  Plus they have guitars and ROCK STAR on them so that's just perfect. 



 

 

 

Sienna really likes the room and considers it hers since it's right next door.  Now she says she has two rooms!

 

 

The only thing it needs now is a t.v.  Once that's there I might use the room too!