CRAZY Summer and

Things have been so crazy around here I'm sorry for the lack of posting! Summer is over and the kids are into school knee deep. I've started running again and the FFP is busy taking fire classes and hunting. Not a lot of time for much family stuff but we did get a weekend or two away this summer for camping and a trip to the beach. We had so much fun at Butt (seriously... it is called that) Lake once with Good Neighbor, Julz and all of our kids. FFP came up one day and GN's parents were in in camp site across from ours. We got the perfect spot right next to the beach and would sit right in camp and watch the kids play in the water. It was perfect!

I did get a girls weekend away at Bailey Creek (Eagles Nest owned by the Simmons Parental units) and 5 girls w/ lots of wine and vegetarian food was a blast! I won't even tell you how many bottles were consumed because you'll probably not even believe me! We did crazy things like run through the sprinklers on the golf course, do self pedis while watching old movies and lots and lots of silly laughing and talking. We had a BLAST!

Got the hubby off of work so we went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Monterey for a few days too. We had entirely too much fun on the rides at the beach before heading to Monterey for the night. We even ate at Bubba Gumps and it was probably the most amazing sea food I've ever eaten which isn't saying a lot, but hands down best service in any restaurant too. We all crashed hard that night then headed to aquarium the next morning. The kiddos got to do the scuba dive (more like snorkeling w/ dry suits and scuba gear) in the little cover and they loved it! So worth the $$$!) The aquarium is one of my favorite places and I love that the kids still love the touch pools. I'm sure they'll outgrow them but I'm not in a hurry for that at all! We checked out tide pools too and saw seals, otters a pod of killer whales all out by Lovers Point. It was an amazing trip!

For most of the last 7 years I've walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. This year I crewed. I took GN with me (she's my 3 time AWBC buddy, my hot red headed friend, momma and Aunt Sandy with me. We packed a crazy amount of stuff into 2 and a half days. Friday night we went to see Wicked! It was wonderful and I would totally see it again. Saturday GN and I worked our fingers to the bone crewing rest stop #1 and RS #3. We were exhausted beyond reason and actually changed our clothes in porta potties without getting dirty. We are that good. We headed out to AT&T park to see Sir Paul McCartney play. He was absolutely mind boggling freaking incredible. Momma and Aunt Sandy had seen the Beatles in 1965 at the Cow Palace. So I'm glad they got to experience that with us. I'm not sure if GN's hubby will ever talk to me again but Oh Well. We finished off the weekend with another crazy early morning wake up call and off to RS #1 for more crew duty. Today we got to cheer and bring everyone in. Much better than the 12 hours of cutting fruit. Next year I'm back to walking for sure!

We made one more trip to Butt Lake with the Cafferata clan and added a dash of Simmons since Doc is dating the youngest of the Simmons boys. We had a blast and spent a whole day over in Mickelson Cove doing things like Kayaking (thanks to Gail) and the boys fished for crawdads and reading books and visiting with friends. Lots of yummy camp food too! All in all it was a pretty awesome summer.

Birthday Wishes

Me and Kelli in front of the 2007 SF AWBC Stack

Sending out a shout out to the BFF! She's 29 AGAIN! Its amazing how time just stood still for her again. I have to say I think she's getting younger instead of just halting at the last year of her 3rd decade but I won't tell you how long she's been there.



Reasons I love my BFF



1. after 14 years we can still talk for hours and not run out of things to say.

2. If she thinks something is wrong she'll tell me and she's not afraid that it will hurt my feelings because she knows I'll not only forgive her but I know she's telling me because she thinks I need to hear it.

3. No matter how long it is between times we see each other it feels like yesterday

4.we still talk to each other 4, 5 or 15 times a day

5. the only person I would ever get a tattoo with is my BFF

6. She's the girl side of my soul mate. You could say she's my SOUL SISTER

7. We'll vowed to call each other on stupid crap forever and if a slap is deserved for the behavior go for it. No seriously.

8. We have the same views on raising our kids and our priorities for our families and if our views on something are different we agree to disagree.

9. She walked in two Avon Walks for Breast Cancer with me and she rocked them!

10. Apparently when she turned 29 she stopped aging. Damn her, why didn't that happen to me?

The Count Down

Next weekend I will not be able to attend my Aunt's Super Secret 60th birthday that she knows is happening but doesn't know anything about. Isn't that fun, I mean for someone else, not for me... I don't like surprises. I'm the girl who... yea I know.... reads the last chapter of the book first. Its awful, I admit it. That's just how I am. I DO NOT LIKE SURPRISES. I'm OK with them as long as I don't know they are coming. lol. My Aunt on the other hand. I think she savors them... holds onto the suspense as long as she can, she is the essence of LOVING the surprise. I'm envious of that... OK not really. I still want to know and I want to know now.

I know that while they are celebrating an amazing woman who we have been blessed to have for 60 amazing years I will be thinking of them as I'm laying in my tent in Chrissy Field in SF. I would have had a MUCH harder time getting my funds for my walk had Aunt Sandy not put together with her friends that amazing Bunco fundraiser mothers day weekend. Together with her friends and Vicki's backyard and months of preparation we raised an amazing $2,100+ for the Breast Cancer walk. That's all the funding I needed for one walk and some of my next walk. WHAT WONDERFUL GROUP OF GALS my Aunt and her buddies are.

Vicki opened up her house to us for the second year in a row. She and her husband are so sweet and generous. They have been wonderful to me and to my Aunt when she was facing a very difficult time in her life when my uncle was so sick then passed away almost two years ago. Unfortunately my aunt is having to repay that since Vicki is now fighting her own fight against cancer. She is my thoughts and prayers and this walk is a bit bittersweet for that. Two years ago we were so worried about Uncle James, I hate that we have to do this again. My hope is that finding a cure for Breast Cancer will be the key to unlock the key to other cancers too.

So this Friday Good Neighbor and I will be heading off to SF for a whirlwind weekend of walking, talking, making new friends and new experiences. I can't wait. We will be walking through the beautiful Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge again, walking through the sweet little town of Sausalito into Mill Valley and back. We won't have TOO many hills the first day but 26.2 miles is plenty to make up for the lack of HUGE MOUNTAINOUS HILLLS we find on day two. We get to sleep in tents (that we have to put up ourselves) and shower in semi-trucks, this is my FAVORITE part, eat yummy yummy food all day both days and all while raising awareness for helping those with Breast Cancer today and in the future. I feel so blessed to be apart of this and to be able to share it with first my (x) sister-in-law in 2004, My mom and BFF in 2006, my BFF and her sister and friends and Diane Stratton who I walked a bit with in 2007 and this year with Good Neighbor. My hope is that Aunt Sandy, my mom and Chris's Gma Margie can crew in LA with me this September. What a wonderful trip that would be. Although Gma Margie might be sick of me by then. LOL