Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful for so much today!! Andrew is home from college and my family is well.

AND my husband is not a couch potato and drug me out on a trail hike early this morning.









Love this guy!!

More later

--A Ro

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Oh My

So my wonderful husband was gracious enough to take me to see the Los Angeles Master Chorale in concert last night at Walt Disney Concert Hall. It was three hours of the best choral music that the Chorale had done in the past 50 years.

Rich didn't know what he got himself into when he married me. Long concerts and operas.

Truth be told I think he might have actually liked it!!

It was an amazing concert and I was blown away.



Singing with other people is one of the most wonderful things. You stop being you for awhile and become us.

I know I am biased but I know that singing with others have soothed souls from the coal miners to 9/11 and I think if more did it the world would be a happier place.

Last night proved it to me. Thanks honey.

More later

- A Ro
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It's OK I Understand

I understand your skepticism over this post about my lack of blogging and my continued promises to "get better" but at least you can't say that I am a quitter.

Just a lazy blogger?

Yeah I like that one better.

Andrew is in college at the University of Arizona and absolutely loving it.  I wish he didn't love it so much as he probably would need me more, but I can't really complain.  He is playing baseball, has a job, and texts me now and then.

Bella has been cast as Wendy in our upcoming production of Peter Pan.  She is doing great and I love being around her.  She is a hoot.  She also got her tonsils out right before school started, she is one tough cookie.

Sarah is knee deep in marching band and they had their first parade yesterday.  They were the highlight of the parade, in my honest opinion.  Don't get me wrong I love the Square Dancing club Boots and Slippers, as well as the Masonic Family Center, and don't forget the Wheelie Guy, but nothing says parade like a good old marching band.



I love embarrassing her, she is right behind the Sousaphones, and has the red face and big grin as she walks by.  So proud of her and all she has done with marching band.

So, there you have it.  Miss you all.

More Later

- A Ro
(The Lazy Blogger)

Just a Little Behind....yada yada Part 2

Ok. So we left off with my little boy graduating high school.

My sister and her family, which includes the ever so cute Abby redhead extraordinaire, and my Mom came to California for the aforementioned little boy's graduation.

My sister came on her birthday and I missed her husband Dustin's birthday so I made them cookies.


Kate is a big Cubbies fan and Dustin loves The Cardinals.

I also baked for my faculty friends


We did a lot of hanging around.


With Bella...


...and with aforementioned little boy.

We also went to Disneyland.





Sleepy girl.

And Sarah had her birthday.












We loved having everyone around!!!

More Later

A-Ro
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Just a Little Behind...or in My Case...Nevermind

At least I am only a month behind. You should see my scrapbooks. Yikes.

Soooooo My little Boo graduated.

Sigh

It was a wonderful ceremony and a great week filled with lots of fun family times and two birthdays!!

Yes...some pictures follow. This will be part one of two. I'll take it easy on you.



Graduation rehearsal and last day of school.



Me and my very special class of seniors.



Me and my very special senior.


The whole family. Look how coordinated we were!!!



Proud Nana


Proud Aunt Kate. She spent a lot of time with him when he was little. It was so nice for her and her family to make the long trip here for this.


I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures.

I must go now and scrape my heart off the floor and get a Kleenex.

More later...I promise

A-Ro
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The OneThat Purges Her iPhone

So I can only hope to express the craziness of the last few weeks with a pictorial.

I have to say how much I love my iPhone. It takes great pictures and I can upload them do easily!!!

Lucky you, right?


Choir Banquet





Andrew getting The Teachers Pet award..ha

Bored Bella with the phone.


Favorite activity of the group.


Maggie on the way to the park on Memorial Day for a picnic.



The rest of the park gang.



Andrew getting some presidential award.



Andrew getting the music department award.



Andrew presenting at the global awareness symposium.

Gonna try another video.  This is Bella and her peeps singing at the talent show.  Hard to see her she is the one on the very left of the screen. She is the soloist after the break and she sings harmony.


More Later

- A Ro
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My Abby

My little Abby burned her hand a couple days ago. She is going to be just fine but if you find the time to say a little prayer for her that would be wonderful. But most important a little prayer for her mama, my sister, because as you know it is way harder to watch your little one suffer than to actually suffer yourself. Motherhood can be a real heartbreaker.


More Later

- A Ro

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First of All Way Too Many Lasts

Those of you who have had a child graduate high school knows exactly how I am feeling these days.

Those of you who don't are wishing he would just get gone already so I'll stop whining about it.

I totally understand...

However, tonight was another one of those lasts...

His last jazz band concert.


He is a pretty darn good bass player. That coupled with his best friend, who is also graduating, playing lead guitar next to him makes this picture all the more special.

I have a video of them playing my favorite song, Spain, which is very slowly uploading to YouTube from my phone. I realize that even if it uploads it may never upload to my blog...or is it download to my blog...whatever. All I'm saying is it almost never works.

In the mean time I'll tell you about my jalapeño mishap.

Ok so Rich started a garden in our side yard. He is growing onions, green peppers, potatoes, cucumbers, basil, jalapeño peppers, and tomatoes.

Now I know some of you who pay attention know that we hate tomatoes. However, we love salsa and decided to grow ingredients to make our own. This weekend we had a jalapeño that was ready and some onions, so I decided to make guacamole because we didn't have any tomatoes ready yet for the salsa.

OK I AM getting somewhere with this...

So I seeded the jalapeño under cold water and threw it into the food processor along with the onions and avocados. All of the sudden my thumb started to burn so I instinctively put it in my mouth.

Wholly guacamole my tongue was on fire. Who knew that stuff was so potent.

OK I totally did...I watch enough Food Network to know better...Aaron Sanchez would be very disappointed in me...

Since then I have washed dishes, my hair, my hands a dozen times, and still if I lick my thumb my mouth burns.

62% loaded

I am so excited that my favorite red head is coming to see me in a couple of weeks.


OK she is actually coming to see Andrew graduate.

And she might also be coming to go to Disneyland for the first time and see some princesses.

But I am sure seeing her Aunt Amy is among the top five.

This video better load faster the mundane is getting thick around here.

Finally...here may or may not be a video of Andrew playing bass on Spain. I love Jamo grooving out..




I am sorry if it doesn't work...but not surprised.


More Later

- A Ro

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Weekend Wrap Up

Pictures galore this weekend...beware.


Bella as Ramona in her middle school production of Ramona Quimby.


Playing Ramona was a FAR stretch for Bella. Especially this pose. She NEVER puts her hands on her hips and gives sass.


Or this pose...not MY Bella.

Oh the sarcasm...


However she does love her Mama.


And her friends.


And her post show oysters.


What?!?!?!


Then there is this guy...


Senior Prom

My heart can't take many more weekends like this one...



More Later

--A Ro



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Weekend Wrap Up

Just a few pics from the weekend. It was a very relaxed and fun weekend.

Rich had to work late on Friday and I got off a little earlier than usual so I came home and started watching old home movies.

I know I am a glutton for punishment.

It was kind of like that scene in Christmas Vacation when Clark gets stuck I'm the attic and sits and watches those old movies. Except it was a heck of a lot warmer and I didn't fall down the ladder when everyone got home. Although there were a few tears shed.  I can't believe they were ever that small.

Saturday we went down to Santa Monica to pick up Bella from a Bar Mitvah party at the pier so we ate dinner and walked around. A very nice date night.

They have a Tesla showroom down there and we always have to stop. Rich's dream car...I'll have to admit they are very cool!

Sunday morning started with sleeping in a little and then I did something for me...
I ran 3.2 miles.

Rich put up our hammock and even though it was about 100 degrees outside we all took turns relaxing in it.

Rich is one of those husbands who just listens...he listens when I mention something I would want and then remembers.  This means I always get the best gifts.  This year I got a waffle maker (yes!!) and some chocolate and a personalized bag, and some very nice cards and a gift card to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.
I got all the things I wanted. 

Rich BBQ'd tri tip.

The kids each vacuumed and cleaned up their rooms.


...and we had a family game of wiffle ball.  Andrew took no mercy...as expected.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

More Later

- A Ro

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