Hot Giants!!

The day is May 16th, a beautiful Saturday afternoon and we were given ticket to the San Francisco Giants game by Richard's boss. We were delighted and then we found out that the weather in Santa Rosa was going to be in the 90's so we were delighted to go to SF where "it's always much cooler"!!

Little did we know that it would be a whopping 89 degrees in San Francisco with little or no sea breezes (notice the flags in the first picture). The Game started at 1:10 PM and our seats were in the sun. We were in for a good time but a hot one.

Randy Johnson, "The Big Unit", was pitching and we were playing the Mets. We tied the game twice but they always seemed to get ahead of us. The final score was 9 to 6 Mets. However, the Giants were the only ones to score a home run! We enjoyed our hot dogs and garlic fries but we didn't like the intense heat. I got quite sunburned on my arms and am now "peeling" because of it. However it was a great date to have together. We have fun no matter who wins.

After the game, we didn't want to get stuck in the big traffic jam leaving the parking lot so we took a nice leasurly walk along McCovey Cove. Here are the ever present seagulls waiting to get into the park and clean up after the fans.

It truly was a gorgeous day as you can see by these pictures Richard took from the car on the way home. San Francisco has a beautiful city scape and of course the Golden Gate Bridge is one of a kind. Hopefully the next time we have an opportunity like this the weather will co-operate and the Giants will win!!

A Fabulous Mother's Day!

Thank you to my wonderful family for making my Mother's Day absolutely delightful!

I called my mom early Sunday morning and talked with her about her choral show the previous night. All went well and my Sister sang a solo of "Fever" which was a show stopper. I love that song and look forward to seeing the DVD when we visit over the 4th of July. I then spoke to my Dad who is recovering from some surgery he had the week before. He sounded great and is doing really well. I'm so grateful for that!

After Church, Richard and I came home and enjoyed a delicious lunch that was prepared by our son Chris and his beautiful wife Emily. It was chicken salad sandwiches on special rolls, fresh fruit salad, Sierra Mist soda with fresh strawberries, and chips (low sodium variety for Dad). Ummm! It makes me hungry just writing about it. They did all the preparation and clean up. I loved it all!! I also love my yummy fragranced hand and body lotion and "4 footed" massager that feels so good even though it doesn't look like it should. Thanks so much Chris and Em, it was all so thoughtful.

After a nice visit with them the greatly anticipated phone calls started. We began with a "skype" call (on the computer where you can see each other and talk too...sci-fi style) with Dave, Brook and Carter. It was so fun to watch Carter's antics as he walked all over the place. Chris and Em got to be a part of the call too and enjoy the adventure. I love modern technology that makes the miles melt. It's the next best thing to being there.

Then I got the remaining wonderful calls from the rest of the family...George, Jeff, Christy and Jason, then John and his kids sang to me on my cell phone voice message when I was on the house phone so I have that saved. So precious. He called me later to have a mom/son talk. It was great having long converstations with all of my children. Thanks family for all your love.

I also got two beautiful cards, one from Christy and the other from Aaron and Jason, two of her sons. That was an added, unexpected treat the two days after Mother's day. Thank you so much.

A few days before Mother's day, I got this beautiful picture of our newest granddaughter, Brooklyn on my cell phone. She is 6 weeks old now and we can hardly wait to see her and hold her in person on the 12th of June when we go to Idaho to visit George and his family.
Look at those eyes! What a doll!

"April in Pictures"

April started out with our trip to New York to see our daughter, Gwen and her boyfriend, Yasir. This picture became a familiar site as the Astor Park Subway station is just to the right of the angular building in the center of this picture. We walked there many times during the week we were there.

I was fascinated with the subways and actually enjoyed riding them.

Our first day of site seeing we took the subway and got off at "Grand Central Station". It was very impressive.

As we came out onto the street and looked up... there, rising above another office building, was the top of the Chrysler building made famous in the first "Ghostbuster Movie" See the gargoyles poking out??

We walked several blocks, passing by huge buildings and famous streets. Notice the reflection of the surrounding buildings in the glass office building? Pretty cool!!

Our next stop was the New York Public Library where another very famous scene from the first Ghostbuster movie was filmed. I have inside shots on my phone as they wouldn't allow flash inside. It was very impressive!! We learned that the first New York phone "book" was one page and had 16 names on it.

After the Library, we headed over to time Square. I was surprised to see how small it really is. On New Year's eve, it seems much bigger.

A couple days later we took the Subway and went down town to the Empire State Building. The weather was quite cold and overcast but we got some pictures anyway.

In this one notice the gold tops of a few of the buildings. It's a strange phenominom when you are up that high...the buildings you are looking at look big and tall but the site is familiar because of movies and pictures you've seen so you don't really feel as high as you are. There is nothing else even close to you to really compare your height. But when you get back down to the street and look back up of where you have been and the size of the buildings around you...then you realize just how far up you were.

The Chrysler building is in the center of this picture with the East river on the right.

A nice man offered to take a picture of all of us and we gratefully accepted.

Saturday, Richard and I went with Yasir to get their t-shirts and "bibs" for their Central Park race the next day. We walked to the building where we picked them up and this was a very old, impressive church nestled amoung the tall apartment buildings. I thought it was quite a contradiction of old and new.

We then walked down the side of Central Park and saw neighborhoods like this one on the side streets. Yasir said the the house on the right is a single dwelling and right by Central Park. Can you imagine the value of that home?? Really beautiful buildings as you can see. We walked many, many blocks that day and saw the edge of Central Park complete with Break dancers at the south end doing their thing. Gwen was home practicing for her "gig".

That night we went out to dinner at the best Italian restaurant we have ever been to called "The Three of Cups". Great food and company!!

Sunday was their 4K race through Central Park. We enjoyed looking around a little but after our very long walk the day before, we just sat and watched people. It was fun. After the race we ate bagels, apples and juice. Then walked through the park a little. Pretty scenery!!

On our way back to the subway, we walked along Park Ave. and saw many amazing, fancy apartment buildings.

Sunday Afternoon, Richard and I took a walk along the East River enjoying the view of the city.

Just a we were ready to turn around and go back to the apt. I went to the end of a walkway and discovered to my delight a view of the Statue of Liberty. Because of bad weather...this is the closest we got to her. Next trip for sure we'll go see her up close!!

Sunday night was Gwen's Gig at the "Scratcher Inn & Pub". She and LisaBelle were "back-up singers" for Elaine. It was fantastic music and fun atmosphere. Very Irish!!!! Elaine is from Ireland as is the owner and the performer that sang before her.

This is a self portrait taken by Gwen of the four of us on what we thought was our last day there but because of bad weather we were there a extra day which was frustrating but pleasant to have an extra day with them.

The day after we got home, Dave, Brook, and Carter arrived for their vacation in Cali. We celebrated Carter's first Birthday with a party held at our house. We had a wonderful time!!

Carter's special Birthday cake made by Grandma, of course!!

One of his favorite things to do was play drums on my bowl wrapped with foil. As you can see, he's really getting into it.

Kathleen and Mark came to celebrate with us too. Here is Richard with their almost 1 year old, Lucas.

I don't know what setting my camera was mistakenly on but I really like this Easter Morning Picture of Dave swinging Carter. It's got a cool effect to it.

The following weekend was Lucas's 1st Birthday Party at Mark and Kathleen's house. It was very warm so Lucas had a hat on to keep from getting too much sun.

He really likes spatulas so Kathleen let him serve his own little birthday cake with one. He had a great time. His brother, Joshua, was right there to help him make a mess.

The last event of the month for me was making this wedding cake. It is a first time cake for me because it is very different from any other cake I have ever made...it is a fake cake. It's made with Styrofoam circles that have Fondant over them. The Mother of the bride did that part then I did the decorating with royal icing that drys VERY Hard and added the ribbon and pearls. This cake traveled all the way to Utah and they served sheet cakes to the guests. I'll be anxious to hear how it all went when I next see the bride's mom.
On to a new month and more exciting family events.