Frosted window panes...

We packed up the car and made it to beautiful Prescott delivering a Hobie Cat to a good friend along our way.



Cocktails at our favorite pub, Murphy's downtown, last night with our wonderful Prescott friends, The Hall's and the Dando's which makes our visits even more special.



A quick photo before we left with my Rosie...

Tonight is family night at Dorothy and Gary's beautiful Prescott retreat. Heading to the kitchen to make up the anise Pizelles and Sam to bake his famous peanut butter cookies.

It's that time of year when the world falls in love. Every song you hear seems to say "Merry Christmas may your New Year dreams come true"!

Attention Walmart Shoppers!

Just love dis girl!



Mommy and Daddy took her for a Walmart stroll yesterday before coming to dinner at Nonee's.
Adelina is intent on sitting up in the shopping cart at 5 1/2 months old. No Nuk for dis girl. She likes to carry her trusty caterpillar to suck on...
Love you baby girl!
xxoo

Job Secur-itree

When I decide to take a break from working on holiday orders, I try use my time wisely by making fun of my retired husband...lol. No, not really, not every break.



Yesterday, in the wind, as the leaves of our nectarine tree made it into the pool, my husband attempted to gather them up.



Once placed in the bag he turned around to another round of fallen leaves. He then quietly put down the rake and without a word, walked back into the house.



Thank goodness for retirement...now he has something to do on Saturday, lol.

Socially Distorted...

Just love our little Adelina in her "Social Distortion" onsie.

Her cousin (faux Auntie) Natalie gave it to her at birth and now she fits in it.
My how fast she is growing!

xxoo

Bee Happy

Well our Grandbaby girl had her first Halloween yesterday. After a long ride home from a wonderful trip with her Aunts and cousins in Prescott, AZ, she spent Halloween evening here in Henderson passing out "bee-lightful" candy to all the little gobb-lings, including Papa Sam.

2011 5th Annual Victorian Holiday Boutique

Yes, it's that time of year again. Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm are the dates to save!

The Annual Victorian Holiday Boutique has outgrown Prescott's Brinkmeyer House this year we have moved to the beautiful, historic Hassayampa Inn's Arizona Room, downtown Prescott (yes, I said downtown!).

We will have all kinds of gifts and decorations to help make this year's holidays one of your most memorable.

I will be selling Halloween and Winter Holiday themed ornies and dolls. My bestest sister Barbie of Periwinkle13 and bestest friend Cheryl will be sending beautiful bead work for sale too.

Creations by CS Designs will also be featured by my good friend Cindy. You can check her out at Creatively Living My Destiny under "sharing" on the left side bar of my blog.

This is a charity event with my proceeds going to Breast Cancer in memory of Angel Burch (miss you special lady!) and Dottie Viehweg, (one of Prescott's nicest ladies).

Come spend a fall weekend with us in Prescott, AZ. There's nothing like a walk through downtown when the trees change color.

So grab your hot cup of coffee, a warm jacket and take in the scent of fall.

Need more information?

Hassayampa Inn
The Arizona Room
122 East Gurley St.
Prescott, AZ
Friday, October 28th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday, October 29th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Need more info?
Call Cookie at 702.592.5886
or Bobbie 928.771.8135

"Eat, Drink and be with Mary"

After a wonderful 8 days it's time to fly home today.

Sam left early this morning on his bike trip back to Henderson. He's going to be riding 500 miles a day trying to get there by Sunday.

I will miss my "favorite" Aunt Mary and my Floridian cousins. I hope all the great food and drink can be worked off this month at the gym!! Wow, can we eat!

Thank you Aunt Mary for taking such good care of us as always on our visits.

I love you,
Norine
xxoo

Could there be anything more precious...

on one's birthday than a "funfetti" cupcake?

Sam and I enjoyed dinner and dessert with all my Floridian cousins who came to celebrate tonight.

Thank you to my "favorite" Aunt Mary who cooked a wonderful dinner and made the day even more special with funfetti cupcakes! xxoo

He may not be a movie star,

But when it comes to being happy, we are...
There's not a man today, who can take me away from my guy.

After a weekend in NYC for the 9-11 Anniversary ceremonies and the 3700 motorcycle rally/parade into downtown, Sam left his comm rads behind to drive to Richmond, VA to spend the night.

I arrived in sunny Fort Lauderdale after an hour delay due to "lightning" yesterday late afternoon.

Sam arrived to meet me at my Aunt Mary's home only a couple hours later. He woke up early in the morning to ride 925 miles down the east coast in an attempt to surprise me.

It had been 13 days since he left home. Not sure if he just wanted a home cooked meal or me. Okay, I suppose it was me ;o), LOL.

He is a little beat up with all the road he's rolled up under his bike and could barely stay awake through dinner and then talking with my wonderful cousins and Aunt late into the evening.

The next 10 days will be, "hopefully", relaxing for a man that can't stand or sit still for too long.

Golf anyone? Oh yes, brought our golfing shoes.
Hmmm, do you think they have golf courses in Florida?? LOL

He's in New York, r-ally!

The boys made it to Newburgh, NY yesterday where Orange County Choppers are hosting a 9-11 Tribute Rally...



Sam met up with Long Beach Firefighters, one of which knew a high school friend of mine who is now retired from the dept.

Today he's off on a ride through the beautiful state of New York (my home state...maybe I should have "cowboy'd up" and rode the iron horse with him)...nah, he's meeting me in Fort Lauderdale next week. I think I prefer the airplane's seat, well, not so much.

A "Site" to Behold...Memorial Flight 93

After four great days spent with our friends in Chicago, hubby left yesterday morning to meet up with his comrades to finish his drive on into NYC. They spent the night in Somerset, PA and then early today they rode to witness the Memorial of Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA.

Sam texted that he had arrived. He said that it was a sad place. The quiet there was like the quiet we observed at the Twin Towers location in NYC in 2004.

"Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night..."

kept my man from making it to Chicago yesterday.

Friday he left early morning from Colorado Springs, Co towards Omaha, NE for the night. He says Nebraska is the "greenest" state he's ever been in.

Yesterday morning he was back on the road or should I say "the river" to Chicago, IL. He said he almost stopped every 20 miles just to shake the water from his boots. He arrived safely yesterday afternoon at our wonderful friends, Michelle and Kelly's home. Thank you both for taking him in and drying him out.

Tomorrow they are on the way to a Chicago Cubs game. Sam's Dad's beloved team. Box seats by the way, nice, even though hubby's a White Sox fan!

He's on the road...

My man hit the road Thursday night on his ride to NYC honoring the 10th Anniversary of the Fallen Firefighters and Police Officers of September 11th.

He left at 7 pm and made it to Colorado Springs, Co Friday morning by 11 am for a round of golf with our good friend Jimmy. He's on the road again today heading for a night in Omaha, NE...then on to Chicago.

Stay safe. I love you!

Love the Scent of a Golf Course in the Morning!

I love to spend our early weekend mornings at the driving range.

With the high temps during the summer months, golf is tough sport to play in the afternoon. So this Thursday tee time will be at 6:00 am. Can't wait!

GIVEAWAY AT Old*Grey*Mare

My friend Suzan at oldgreymare is having a huge "give-away"!

There are 8 amazing gifts possible, created by 8 amazing artisans.

Just click on the cowgirl on my side bar and enter to win!

Here are several possibilities:



http://oldgreymareprimitives.blogspot.com



http://www.fatcowstudio.com



http://beadandneedle.blogspot.com



http://www.ribbonstore.com



http://www.etsy.com/people/theoldwhitehouse

Good luck to all of you!!

the rise of the phOENIX

6 sessions at 4 hours each. The rebirth of my little niece Natalie's tattoo.

"For those of you who are closest to me, the meaning behind this tattoo is obvious. 2010 was an extremely difficult year for me. But you can't hold onto the past forever; you can only grow & rise from it as a stronger, wiser person..." Natalie

A Little Sister Visit

My little sister Barbie arrived last Thursday to spend a week with us here in Henderson.

We woke up Friday morning and drove into Huntington Beach for a visit with our brother Ron and our sister in law Kelie.

Saturday we attended the 3rd Annual James O. Harper Elementary School class reunion. Had a great time with friends and family.

This week our precious little Grandaughter Adelina's Great Grandparents are in from Arizona to meet her for the first time.

Just Bead It, Bead It, Bead It, Bead It

And that Cheryl did...

Beautiful work Cheryl. Glad our get together's are productive for some of us, lol. I think my beads are still in the bag!

Thank you Tery for your teaching expertise!

Sam's Retirement Party July 9th

Between the birth of our beautiful, first Grandchild, a golfing tournament and my husband's retirement, we pulled off a great retirement party on July 9th.



We would like to thank all our wonderful friends and familly for helping to celebrate Sam's accomplishments during his career in the fire department. Glad to see our favorite faces.

Our friends from Clark County Fire.















Our family from Bullhead City, AZ.



Our friends from Chicago, IL.



Our friends from Bullhead City Fire.





Our family from Glendale, AZ (thank you Dorothy for all that you do for me!).







Our local friends.



Our family from Gilbertsville, KY (Thank you Debbie for all your help!).



Our family from Prescott, AZ.



Our neighbors from Glendale, AZ.













A special thank you to Briar and my daughter in law Christine tending bar and Liz for all your help into midnight!





...and thank you to Jimmy and Chris for giving the girls a break.



And a thank you to our son Alec, our "Master Bar b Quer".







And thank you Mel for taking all the photos for me!



Love to you all!!

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”