You think you know someone?

This last week my niece Chloe left her IPod here and I asked her if I could listen to see if I wanted any of her songs. I cracked up! You think you know someone really well until you find out what they listen to? I never miss a chance to tease my Chloe so I thought I would share some of the "surprises" on her song list.

Dolly Parton~ Better get to livin?

The Bangles~ Walk like an Egyptian? I think I listened to that one in the 80's

Joni Mitchell~ Her voice makes me want to just jump already (deeepressing)

Me and Mrs Jones~ Ok Chlo I'll give you that one only because its the remake by Michael Buble. But that song was on the album that my mom bought at Goodyear Tires.

There is also way too much Barry Manilow. I know you are a huge "Fanalow" but Chloe dear...Barry?

I love that there is a lot of Disney. Nothing like a little "Hakuna Matata" first thing in the morning or "Under the Sea" from Little Mermaid.

There is also a HUGE collection of David Archeuletta. (for the general public who do not know who that is, Chloe is a big American Idol fan) so of course she has some Ruben Studdard and Jordin Sparks thrown in

This was fun, I loved listening to your tunes Chloe and was happy to be reminded how much I loved the Partridge Family!

Hooray for Hollywood

Since I occasionally post photos called "Memory Lane" I thought it would be fun to post some old Hollywood photos of my family. I have been blessed with a family rich in history in areas of film. And I find it much more interesting than any of the parties involved.They are all very nonchalant about it. But I want my kids to always remember how terrific their aunts and uncles were in their field of work as well as being such good people. So here are the first two....

Uncle Nick who was married to my Thia Mary ran the commissary at 20th Century Fox Studios.He was a sweet man who I used to love to talk to. Mary has so many great photos of him with famous people.I will never forget when he passed seeing so many well known movie stars at his funeral. He loved and adored Shirley Temple and took such good care of her while she was there taping. They became good friends and she was very fond of him all her life. Here are a few photos of them when she was little and then again when they were older.






And this is an absolute FAVORITE one of mine. Uncle Nick with Marilyn Monroe!



I still love to talk to Mary and hear stories of their life and friends.But she is just one part of the story.There is Uncle Angelo who has made incredible films and won Academy Awards,Uncle Pete who starred in Star Trek, Uncle Mike who ran the security department,and my own mom who typed scripts for years and met numerous stars.So I hope to share little snip-bits of this fun branch of our family tree!

What are moms for?

Here I sit in my comfy jammies, just out of the tub,sipping my iced tea and signing my boys up for Wipeout!



I love the show! And every week I think "my kids could win this" So without asking (easier to get forgiveness than permission) I went online and filled out all the paperwork.And now I am really praying they get picked for the show! I first signed up Chad because he mentioned how much he loved the show and I think he would be perfect for it! But when I sent in the info I told the producers they should do a "siblings"show and completed another application for Travis. Travis once made it VERY far in the "Survivor" process. He went through numerous interviews and had the "secret packets" sent to him. After much time invested they told him to come back in a year or two because he was still a little too young.(he was only 18 at the time) Oh my goodness how fun it would be if they were picked. I know its a long shot but it doesn't hurt to try! And with the prize money being FIFTY THOUSAND dollars, I as their agent would probably at least get a good lunch out of the deal.
This is kinda fun...I think I will sign Steve up for Wife Swap ?

I love...

Spending five days with my husband, brother Dave, sis in law Sandy and my niece Chloe

Laughing at totally lame stuff

One piece of Red Velvet Cake and five forks

Having people who are so like you that you never feel a second of awkwardness

Telling Steve when he asked for chap stick that my lip gloss goes on clear. He believed me,applied generously, and we have never laughed so hard seeing him all lipped up with shiny pink gloss. Hysterical!

Looking over during 'Blue Man Group' to see Dave dancing under the strobe lights (solo while everyone else was seated)

Visiting Paris,Italy,and New York while never leaving the strip.

Staying in a five star hotel with super comfy beds

Grand Lux Cafe~ Grilled Salmon.

Remembering together all the funny sayings our parents had. Funniest one was my mom would call our sandals "go aheads" or "tongs"

Starting the day with Yogurt and fresh berries or bagels and lox from Wolfgang Pucks(delivered poolside of course)

Watching silly Dave toss throw coins in the fountain while making a wish.We giggled so loud the security guy came to check on us.




Laying out by the pool, having people pass by with fresh cut ice cold oranges and yummy sliced cucumbers.Sipping frozen lemonades and reading a good book.


Having Abby puppy sit and never worrying for a second about my home or baby. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts Abby!
Davey,I miss you guys already and cant wait until we have another trip on the calendar!

Happy Birthday Shea and Sean~

Yesterday was the 18th birthday of my best friends twins. I still wonder how those 18 years flew by so darn fast.Shea invited all the girls to Palm Springs for a get away to help celebrate! I feel so blessed that she included auntie Karen in on the fun! Shea has always had such a soft spot in my heart. She has not been the easiest child for Sandy, but I would always remind them that she was going to be a GREAT kid. And she sure is!! (just like my Chad they have too big a personality to fit in little bodies) Shea loves her family and hanging with us when we are there.Steve just adores her too.To Sandy and Dennis I say "Great job" You are wonderful parents and those twins who were so much work are all grown up and they are amazing! I feel so blessed that I have been able to be part of their lives.Here are some fun pics from the birthday celebration. Sorry Sean you are not included in this post, but I am sure the poker party with all boys will be a blast (and it will be smelly,messy,rowdy,and filled with a menu of meat,meat and more meat) I love you both the most!





Sweet younger sis Cassie doing her hair

Thinkin...

I have much on my heart, and writing always seems to ease my mind....

Michael Jackson~ I wasn't going to weigh in on this because it seems the whole world is consumed with the man whose talent literally robbed him of a normal life. No amount of money can fix the problems of the heart. I loved his music and grew up listening to him, but was a little jaded about the whole funeral circus until his little girl spoke.
No matter who he was to us and to the world, he was her Daddy and the heartbreak in her voice about did me in. I am going to pray for those kids every day that they might have the kind of love he searched for his whole life. And I know it is the unconditional love of our Father in heaven.

Sweet Melanie who won my blog give away took a photo of her gifts and shared it on her blog.My moms favorite song from the Sound Of Music was "My favorite things" She would sing it to us endlessly and I loved it! So I sent Mel a few of my favorite things.Gift cards to Jamba Juice for their steel cut oatmeal, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for their apricot iced tea (amazing!)and Golden Spoon for their cake batter frozen yogurt.I also added one of Brody's favorite chew toys for her new puppy "Radar" and my favorite new laundry soap. It was so fun to send a serendipity and think I'll have another give away soon!

My camera broke and I could not even make it a week without it.So off I went to Costco yesterday for a brand new shiny one. I missed taking photos so much! We had a great 4th of July but was not able to take a single shot. Once some of my family and friends post photos on facebook I will steal em and share the fun. I so love the 4th of July!!

Brody LOVES me! He gets so darn excited when we get home he can hardly stand it! And I find myself hurrying home to see this little guy! He is getting so big and so darn smart! He knows, sit-stay-come-shake-leave it-and water. a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.

The countdown is on! Steve and I leave Sunday morning for a five day get away with my brother and Sandy!! I can hardly wait to see them and give them hugs! Or as Dave says "git over here and let me love on yur neck"

Whats on your heart? Share something in my comments, I would love to know.Have a sweet rest of the week and know that you are loved. REALLY LOVED ! By me and more importantly by the Lord who says His thoughts of you outnumber ALL the sands of the sea. If you feel lonely or sad, scoop up a handful of sand and start counting. He loves us more than we can ever imagine.

.99 Cent Stores

Who knew there is another culture of people who shop? Well there is and they shop at the .99 cent store! Today I parked at Petsmart to get my baby puppy some chewy bones. And there was so many people going in and out,the curiosity got the best of me.And I have to say if you are in the mood its kinda fun. I left spending $12.85 and had two big bags of fun stuff.
(One of the bags I had to pay 3 cents for because apparently its BOYB) Luckily my Petsmart bag had room so I was able to put some of my goodies in there. I bought Reynolds aluminum foil, Soilove (which is the BEST stain remover ever) 2-6 packs of orbit gum, a head of cabbage which looked so fresh and yummy, a strawberry car freshener, peach Secret deodorant which I realized will now give me "peach pits" and lots of other fun things.And everything is .99 cents! Random stuff for sure.I could have left it all there and not missed a thing but you get caught up in the excitement of it all! Which is why I had a 10 lb bag of russet potatoes in my cart.It was such a good deal but how can two people eat that many spuds? So I left them behind for my other bargain shopping friends.Will I go every week? probably not, but if I am in the area I think I'll stop by again. It's like a treasure hunt and who knows the goodies you'll find....

Happy Birthday Travis~

I love to do birthday tributes on my blog! Travis is 25 today and I can't very well do the 25 things I love about Ashlyn and not do one for Trav.So if you would indulge me one more time as June shares a little about this fabulous kid of ours.
Here's the "25" things that I adore about him.They are not all be good, but in true Mom style I love the 'not so good' just as much.Its what makes us real and even more endearing.

1-He loves the Lord with his whole heart

2-And loves my daughter in law the the same way

3-When he gets frustrated he makes this little scowl and I swear he looks like he's 9 again.It just happened this last weekend and Ash and I both just cracked up

4-He laughs with his whole body.His head tilts back and it's really a whole body giggle

5-His nickname was "Thor" because he is so stinkin strong!

6-His shoulders literally fill the booth at a restaurant and so none of us want to sit by him.You end up squished with your bum half off by the time dinner is over

7-He loves his Mom and Pops!

8-He gets cranky when hungry but is easily soothed once the food arrives

9-He LOVES a bargain! He will call and say "Mom I was so Greek" and tell me the great deal he got with so much enthusiasm

10-He is a great "puppy daddy" Bentley loves him! He has surprised me with his patience and how proud he is when Bentley listens

11-He has a very grateful heart!

12-He LOVES Chad! I will never worry about their friendship because they love each other too much to ever be mad for more than a minute

13-He expresses his heart so tenderly on greeting cards and I have never been able to throw a single one away

14-He is a little boy when it comes to play! He loves to wrestle,surf, skateboard,run,and climb

15-He is extremely savvy about budgets and saving

16-He truly appreciates all the little things Ashlyn does for him.Clean towels,sheets and home cooked meals

17-He also loves that she buys her taco shells

18-He is faithful! To the Lord and to doing what is right. He doesn't waver even when it isn't the easiest path to take

19-He has his Momma's Greek calves

20-He loves his sister in laws and is very protective of them

21-He is turning into quite the handyman around the house. Fixing pipes and building fences

22-He wont go to sleep if he thinks someone is upset with him. He likes to smooth things over and he never carries a grudge

23-He is adorable in a baseball hat. But his mother in law saw his cutest outfit yet, Ashlyn's fuzzy robe over his trunks to go surf one morning!

24-He planned for two weeks how to propose and wanted there to never be a story like theirs

25-He is just plain fun to be around and his joy for life is contagious!

The pride we have in who he has become over flows our hearts.
Travis you stole my heart from the second they laid you in my arms
Happy Birthday ~

Sunday Six...

Another week to pause and say "Thank you" for the blessings of my week. I often find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for our many blessings.Here are six that come to mind this week.

1- Spent a great day with the kids yesterday!! Travis will be 25 on Tuesday so we went down to celebrate with just our family. It was so fun!! The boys surfed while Steve and I watched from the cliffs on a perfect,sunny late afternoon. Then off for a fun dinner at "Corvette's Diner" They are all such good company! My very happiest moments in life are those spent with them.

The birthday boy and his precious wife.
Sweet sis in law with Chad...


2- Some of the Bunco gals decided to meet up last minute for dinner and a movie! So we went to PF Changs and to see"The Proposal" It was such a fun night and I am glad I dropped everything to go play.They are such fun girls and the cleaning & errands can always be done another time. ps. What a cute movie....Loved it!

3- My boys are such sweet gentlemen and it doesn't go unnoticed by this Momma. Travis carried my chair down to the cliffs while carrying his board and Chad insisted on holding my hand while I walked down. They are very sweet and attentive and I adore that.
I wasn't as close as it looks, and I just love this shot of the boys down below before they paddled out....4-I love to find great new products! And I have fallen in love with these. You put them in your wash, then in the dryer, and your clothes smell amazing! They are so simple to use and they really do get your clothes clean and soft. Anything to make laundry more fun is good in my book!
5- We get to vacation with the Tennessee Krikacs!! Just confirmed it today for a 4 day get away next month with our fabulous family! Sara will be at camp and so we all thought "lets go somewhere" If you hear loud clapping, and squeals of delight that's me!! "Brotha my Brotha" & "Sandy my Sissy" I am counting the days!!

6-I don't know why this last one is on my list but I had to throw it in. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Vince Gill. I have often said I don't love him more than Steve, I love them both the same. There is just something about that man that gets to me. He has a killer swagger and a voice that is melodic and amazing! It has been a long time crush and I look for him every time I am in Nashville! Well guess who sat right next to my sister in law at church today?? VINCE! Now Sandy I know you are in the house of the Lord and all, but couldn't you have snuck one little photo with your cell phone? One little video clip of his hands? Or better yet pass the bulletin and have him sign it "I adore you Karen" She said he smelled really good(of course he did,he's Vince) Just hearing about all this made me happy. And from now on all visits to see my family will include a Sunday service. I know God understands.

I wish you all a fun week filled with giggles,love, friendship and blessings galore!

Silly Sara~

Silly Sara!! The name I lovingly call my precious niece. I even made up a jingle that I sing to her and she laughs every time. Sara has so many amazing qualities and she can melt a heart faster than anyone I know. She has had a few little crushes, mostly on people from her favorite TV shows. At church she loves to visit the boys on Sundays and is quite a popular young lady. Well it seems a very special boy now has a little crush on her! She told me he calls her all the time and they love to talk on the phone about their day. She said last week sometimes he calls too often and she is a little too "busy" to be on the phone so much. Well sweet "Tripp" took Sara out for a date last week. She got dressed up and they went out to dinner and then for a long walk through shops and out for a ice cream cone. It's just the sweetest thing for her to have someone who adores her. Apparently he is quite smitten, and they are building a fun new friendship.They are very similar in maturity and are about the same level of disability. I just cried when I saw the sweet, innocent joy on their faces in these pictures and asked Sandy if I could share them.Only God knows all that Sara is capable of,but she sure shows us constantly how much goodness, kindness, love and joy we all should be capable of giving to others.

Fabulous Fathers Day!!!

The Beach-Our Kids-Family-BBQ-Sun-Puppies-Surf-Umbrellas-Baseball-Sunsets-Smores-
All the ingredients for a perfect Fathers Day! And how I hope my Daddy watched from heaven at the legacy of love he has left with his kids.We are blessed beyond belief....

Pups learn what they live...

And this little guy is so much like Steve and I its crazy! The traits I recognize from me...
He is quite the social butterfly. He loves "drop by" company and has had lots of fun visitors! He gets all excited when the doorbell rings and people come to see him.Rhonda came by with Gus her 120 lb tender heart dog (who does not know he is a big dog) And Brody loved him! They played so sweetly and Gus just let him climb all over him.Brody loves snacks, hugs, kisses,and going in the car for adventures. He is a bit of a spazz and is very clumsy.
Just like me

The traits I see from Steve...he loves T.V, hogging all the covers, being in the garage just kickin it & watching the neighbors drive by. He LOVES naps, and having his back scratched.
Just like Steve

I cant believe we are becoming "those" people. The kind who think their dog is the cutest thing ever! If you see me buying him sweaters and having his pictures taken for Christmas cards STOP ME.But in the meantime.....

Fathers Day!

What a blessing to wish my sweet husband a wonderful Fathers Day! We are off to the beach for our annual BBQ and bonfire, Steve's favorite way of celebrating with the boys. Of all the things I love about Steve, I think watching him as a Dad has been the BEST! There is something so tender about a man who cradles his babies and sets his life aside to make his childrens well being of utmost importance. He loves his boys(&girl) more than anything and all he wants in life is for them to be happy and know how much they are loved.One memory I will always cherish was when Travis was 16 and had to drive the freeway to work at a baseball tournament.Steve taught him all the dangers, reminded him of all the safety rules, and then five minutes after Trav left Steve jumped out of bed and "followed" at a safe unseen distance all the way to Riverside to make sure he arrived safely. He then turned around and drove the hour back home.Travis never knew he did that until much later but it was such an example of what a caring dad he is.Now it isn't all good, lest I sound "June Cleaver" again. He is a big ole pushover.Yep he is alllll talk. The other night when I got home late from the play guess who was on the couch watching Conan O'Brien? Brody!! Steve said he looked sad about going in the crate so he thought he would let him wait up for me and watch a little TV. The kids were allowed to eat in our bed, have junk for dinner and donuts on Saturday mornings.He did the big speech about paying for your own insurance once you drive and Travis was on our policy until the day he got married.Chad still is....
So to our big softie "Thank you" for loving us so much! We love you back and wish you the happiest day today!!

I had the time of my life....

Last night Chloe Lindsay and I went to see "Dirty Dancing" at the Pantages!!
Even though the story line was not my favorite, the play was a BLAST! When you add in a live orchestra,the incredible dancing, being in that historic building and walking out of the theater onto the "Walk of Fame" it makes for a magical night!
We met up early and stumbled upon our favorite restaurant "The Grand Lux" at the Beverly Center. So after a nice dinner and a little shopping off we went to the play. Wicked is still my #1 favorite play ever! But I am enjoying every live production more and more.And when you can see it with some of your favorite friends it's perfect!


We love to be geeks!

One of "those" moms

I promise I wont be a crazy "dog mom" for long but this little guy has stolen my heart.We spent the day with the kids and both puppies and had so much fun!!! I made sure the boys knew that we love them all the same,but this new baby is stealing tons of my attention. Bentley was very sweet to share his yard and played nicely most of the day. He is just so studly and clumsy that sometimes Brody got a little trampled.But he soon got the hang of it and held his own.After tons of play time we put them in their crates and all went out for a nice dinner.Then home for a long walk through their lovely neighborhood. It was such a beautiful day and me & my pup are tuckered out. Emma (who was the the cutest flower girl ever) and her sweet family came by to play and Emma was adorable. She loves puppies! Here are some fun pics from our happy day....