Goodbye, Grandma

Howdy, my dear friends!  I'm so sorry I haven't been blogging much this week, I just wanted to spend all available time that I could with my grandma before she departed for College Station, TX on Wednesday morning.  I had my psychological evaluation for the bariatric surgery right when her flight was due to leave, so I thank my in-laws very much for taking her to the airport and making sure she got her wheelchair in prompt enough time!! 

I said good-bye (I HATE that word!) to her before my husband and I went out to Gilbert for my appointment.  I gave her a great big hug to get me through the lonely times when I see her again.  Is there really a big enough hug for that?  All I know is, I had the time of my life with her.  Jack did, too.  He sniffed her WHOLE luggage out; I guess he is practicing to be a feline drug sniffing agent.  :0)  Frankie had fun, too.  We sure will miss her - I will miss being called my mom's name for sure....it almost made it like she was with us somehow by saying her name a lot.  I know....I'm very nostalgic!!!

Anyway, my pysch eval when OK.  It showed I am indeed SANE...in case anyone had any doubt.  :0)  I met some really nice folks over there, too who are just like me....very heavy in search of some weight loss help.  We are done with our dieting screw-ups and are hoping to find the answer under the knife.  The psychologist was very nice and she asked me all kinds of questions about my past life and we figured out right away that my stumbling blocks to keeping weight OFF was stress and my ability to cope with stress.  So that is where the support groups come in handy. And I just need to find a different comfort than food.  Easier said, than done!!!  But I will do it this time.  What is different is that I will remember the pain very well this time.  I didn't have pain when I lost weight in high school or college.  NOW I have LOTS of pain, and a lot of it due to being morbidly obese.  (Another word I HATE!!) My poor back and legs are taking a beating and I will definitely remember that for the rest of my life.    Anyway, she said at the end of the interview that I would make a good candidate for the surgery.  Her only concern was post op pain management when I got home.  Because my body is soooo used to narcotics, I need a larger amount than those that don't take narcotics.  My body is now physically dependent on them and she doesn't want me going through withdrawal on top of post op pain!!!  Nice woman.....I totally agree!!!  So I definitely will have a conversation with the doctor about that.

I hope you all are doing well.  My lower back is KILLING me.  Santa was nice and brought me a heated back massager mat, so I need to lay on that again.  Pains are shooting down my legs and I'm about to scream!!  The weather here is nasty....we had quite the storm last night with real live thunder and lightening!  And today, it's only 45 out.  I know, I know.  For my friends and family living back East, you really don't sympathize with me.  :0) I never did, either, when my grandma would call from Yuma, AZ to our snowy home in Michigan and say...."I've got my shorts on.  It's only 60 here!"  But when you live in AZ long enough, your blood thins and you get cold at anything below 60.  What can I say?!  Now I know what she meant when she said ONLY 60.......

Today is the LAST day FOR THE CHOCOLATE GIVE-AWAY.  Please see my post in the December archives that says "ANOTHER GIVEAWAY"  and enter it on that post ONLY.  I don't have a lot of people signed up for it....what, nobody likes chocolate anymore?  If I had my way, I'd sign up 5 times and win all 5 spots....but I can't do that.  So I have to live vicariously through my friends....PLEASE SIGN UP!!!  :0)

Have a great night and I will post winners tomorrow.
Stay warm, everyone!!

God bless you all

PS....In a very near future post I will tell you the story of about how I fired my Social Security Disability lawyer this past week.....so stay tuned!!

I Have Some Winners....

Howdy, ho, friends!!  This will probably be the shortest post in the world as I am just dead tired and will be going to bed soon.  I went to Walmart with my husband and searched the whole store twice trying to find measuring cups!!  My feet are killing me and so is my back!!  It's time for my new heated massaging mat......

OK, before I close, I just wanted to relay the lucky winners of my Bubble Chocolate Contest.  I have five of them and I have notified each individually by email.  They have 72 hours to notify me and if they don't, then I will pick another winner.  Hopefully that won't happen!!!

Here are the winners:

1. Sharon Ballentine
2. "Answer Is Chocolate"
3. Shawn Becker
4. Grace Matthews
 5. Rochelle

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  And remember, to the people that didn't win, you can still join my second giveaway with a different chocolate company by going to the post "Another Giveaway" in my blog archive.  I have lots of openings in there, so I need you to join!
Thank you!

Hope you all have a great day (or night) and I will post again real soon.
Hugs to all!
God bless ya!

Hurry Up!

Howdy, folks!  Just wanted to let you know that if you hurry, you can still enter my chocolate giveaway by midnight, PST.  I will be picking winners and emailing them to let them know they are a lucky winner.  I get to choose 5 winners...and I've got plenty of room left for you to sign up if you haven't done so.  They can make perfect stocking stuffers if the company sends them out in time....I'm sure they will!!

Hope you all are having a great Saturday.  I'm still having a horrible time with my right leg/calf and can hardly walk on it.  I'm nervous about my upcoming hearing for the disability.  If anyone has been to a disability hearing, if you don't mind sharing your story I'd love to hear it.  My lawyer says I don't have much "paper evidence" so maybe seeing me in person and how badly I get around will help.  I hope so!  And she said I can get on Medicare in two months as I've already done my time waiting to get the hearing!  That is what I was worrying about..the standard two year wait for Medicare.  I would lose my state benefits if I got a check monthly and I can't lost my medical insurance.  That would be a nightmare!  OK, I'm finished with venting!!!

My grandma is so sweet....she got me a new camera for Christmas.  It was on sale and boy is it a beauty.  I took the videos and picture in my last post with the new camera.  We are having so much fun just yakking around and enjoying each other's company.

OK....time is of the essence....sign up NOW for my giveaway by going to the "For Chocoholics" post in my archive.

God bless!

TGIF!!

Howdy, my dear friends!  I hope this post finds you all happy and in the holiday spirits.  I'm getting there...I've already received two early Christmas gifts from my husband and Grandma!  Aren't they sweet?  I got a massage with heat pad and that feels oh, so good!!  I have a hard time coming off of it!!!  My hubby couldn't have found a more perfect gift!  He probably is tired of me constantly asking for a massage....LOL!

My grandma got me a wonderful digital camera.  It has 10 megapixels and works much faster than my old one.  With the old one, I had to use rechargeable batteries and they would only last for about 5 minutes before you could take another picture.  NOT a good camera for fast -paced sports activities!!  This camera solely takes alkaline batteries and those lost so much  longer.  The camera is called "Insignia."  I used the camera all day yesterday when we were out and about, and the batteries are holding strong.  I can even take several videos of the lights and show you my new camera.  OK---here we go!!!

I just love Christmas, don't you?  I love praising the Lord for this is His day always.  Christmas has become so commercialized, hasn't it?  Kids want all the latest toys and adults want the latest electronics.  When I was kid, I got mostly clothes for Christmas and toys that didn't require batters that run, but your IMAGINATION!!.  What happened to those days of yesteryear?  Sigh.  Here's another video:

The Shutterfly photo book I posted yesterday was actually FREE for me, I just had to pay shipping and handing.  Shutterfly paid the rest.  Because I got the new camera, that deal came with it!  How sweet!  I've loaded it with pictures of my mom, dad, hubby and me as a memory book to use when I feel down.

Having Grandma here has been a blessing.  Just like old times, except we are in Phoenix instead of Yuma.  And my mom's not here for us to be the "Three Muskateers."  I feel bad that my legs and back are NOT cooperating and we can't really do much but ride about and look at lights.  She says she is having fun and having problems with her back, too.  This morning I woke and and took that first step and my leg hurt so bad I thought I broke it.
Then, as I walk on it, it gets a little better.  I had to cancel the pulmonologist due to I couldn't walk into the office.  Literally!  Now that is pretty bad!!

I will be getting more pictures of me and Grandma (who cares if I'm fat? I've come to accept that and more on to ways to get thinner.)  And who knows when I see Grandma again?  I'll post those as soon as I get them.  :)  Tomorrow I have to work on my application for state food stamps and medical insurance.  Oh, fun!  I'll just use what I had for last year and copy that.  Nothing has changed with me, unfortunately!!!

I have a hearing date for Social Security Disability....January 29th.  I have yet to see me lawyer and she said I don't really have much evidence, but wants me to go so they can see me in person.  I am a pathetic sight.  I'll take my walker, my medical records and the the truth.  My lawyer says that if I get disability, then I would qualify for Medicare in two months, because I've waited almost two years anyway fighting my case.  So we shall see.  I just don't want to lost my medical insurance.  Please pray for me!!!

Last but not least, don't forget to register for my giveaways!  I'm got on on the post page "For Chocoholics" witch ends soon- December 18th at midnight.  And the new one on the post page "Another Giveaway."  That one ends December 30, if I remember correctly.  It's wonderful chocolate and makes excellent stocking stuffers.

OK, my leg is killing me so it's time to get it up.  Jack agrees too....talk a look at the cute picture I got of him with my new camera:

Man, WHERE can I get a life like his?  It just isn't fair!!  He doesn't do laundry or house cleaning or cooking.  But he looks at you with that face and I'm taken in again!!!  I love you, Jackie!!

Hope you all have a good weekend!
God bless you and yours.
Until next post,

Prednisone, Anyone?

Howdy, all!

Hope you are all recovered from Thanksgiving and Black Friday and are looking forward to Christmas (yay!) and the fresh New Year to come.  God, I hope it's a better year all around.  I'm having to go down on my Prednisone or the bariatric surgeon won't operate on me due to increased infected risk.  I can see his point and he wants my odds of success to be as high as they can be, but God....oh, dear God am I suffering.  If anyone ever offers you Prednisone, JUST SAY NO!  I wish I would have about 5 years ago when I was started on it when I was having a bad flare of my rheumatoid arthritis and nothing else was working.  Now I'm stuck on the damn stuff and can't function at the 10mg I was started on way back when.  I've been on 20mg a day for about two years and when I got down to the 10mg (following my rheumy's advice) I could hardly get out of bed.  I walked like the tin soldier and every joint in my body just ached.  After consulting Dr. Schranz (my nice mother-in-law!) we think I took too much of a jump from 20 to 10 so now I'm on 15mg.  I feel a little better.  At least I can walk for a longer time, but I can't stand at all now.  All my weight is up front and pulls on my lower back when I stand and oh, my dear God, it hurts SO bad!  It's those moments that keep me going and thinking that the surgery is worth the going down on the Prednisone and all the misery that it entails.  Boy, I've got myself in such a bind and gaining all this weight is my own stupid fault!!  I promise, God, if you will help me get thin again I WON'T mess it up!!

My husband is not doing too much better.  He is having problems with vomiting about 2-3 times a day now.  And really BIG, LARGE amounts!  We've had him try everything: tea, toast, eating small meals several times a day and the list goes on.  Even his anti-nausea medication isn't working anymore.  I've asked him if he's stressed about anything and he says no, but sometimes you can be worrying about things and not even know it. It lurks below the surface.  I just don't know what to do.  Luckily he has a doc's appointment coming up.  He may need to see a gastro doctor.  We shall see.

Nothing else going on.  We're just survivin' the best we can.  I go on the computer and go on "blog hops" a lot to get my mind off things and how awful I feel.  It really does help and you meet a lot of new and interesting people by "following" their blogs.  If you got a blog, try the two blog hops I have up currently in my left sidebar.  I highly recommend them!

Thank you so very much for all your sweet comments and advice.  My Thanksgiving post had 9 comments...wow!  That is the most I had EVER!!  So keep 'em coming.  I love knowing what you guys are thinking and feeling.  Don't be shy!!

To end this post I'll put in another one of my poems and a pretty picture.  I hope you guys are liking this new feature I'm doing.  :0)

 A Friend Is A Friend

You always were so cheery and bright
I would sit back to see you succeed through the day
And sit in gloom as you would shine through the night.
You always knew where you want to be,
Who you are and how to get there;
You even tried to show me.

A friend is a friend is a friend.
Someone who is there
To love and cherish
A friend is someone who'll always care.
A friend is a friend is a friend
Someone who is true
And loves through every trial
To talk to when you are blue.
A friend loves you through it all
Through good times and bad
And they even pick you up when you fall.
A true friend is a person you can't easily forget
All the times shared are stuck in your mind
And all those times you will never regret.

When I first thought of leaving
I shook my head
Not knowing what I was believing.
I will keep you close to my heart
For always and eternity
As I wake up today for a new start.
Don't be sad for me not being here, friend of mine,
Don't cry nor weep but do one last thing for me-
Let that internal light that was always there shine.  

This photo was taken by my soon-to-be stepmom, Gina.  She is an awesome photographer. This picture was taken in Oklahoma, where she lives.  Please stop by her blog and say hi and that Missy sent ya!  She'll love it!!. Just click here to visit her KEWL blog!!     

That pretty much does it!  Wish me luck on my doctor's appointment tomorrow.  I'm gonna give her an earful about the Prednisone.  Heck, she probably runs screaming for the hills when she knows I'm coming! Ha!

Have a great night!
God bless!

Sicker Than A Dog Tuesday!

Today is our 14th year wedding anniversary.  Unfortunately, I'm sicker than a dog.  Woke up vomiting, upset stomach and my legs are killing me because I slept all day yesterday and never took my Morphine extended release.  NOW I'm paying for it!!!  I'm going back to bed.  Maybe I can write more later.  I wanted to do a special anniversary post for my husband and maybe I still can later.

Hope you all are well!
Hugs,

Lil' Miss Cutie-Patootie!

Howdy, folks!
I don't know how long I'll be able to stay at the computer to write this post, my right leg is cramping up so badly I can hardly breathe.  I have to wriggle around the chair to unclamp it and only then it lasts for minutes, if not seconds!  I just don't know why this is happening to me.  If, for some reason, I can't have the bariatric surgery, then I'm going to have to resort to asking my doctor for one of them electronic scooters to get around.

My husband and I went to the post office and library today and I bet I had to make a least 10 stops to the doorway.  Thank God for my walker or I wouldn't have made it at all.  It's scary with how quickly this is progressing.  I'm so afraid that one day soon I won't be able to walk at all.  My husband is so kind and sweet and patient with me.  He lugs my walker in and out of the trunk without complaint.  I don't know what I'd do without it or him.  I'm so fortunate to have such a caring husband.  I thank God for him everyday.

My dad is getting very excited about meeting his new girlfriend out in Oklahoma the end of October.  I'm happy that he is happy and I adore the lady he is going out with.  I've spoken with her many times and she sounds very caring and supportive. Just what he needs at this point in his life, especially after losing Mom so quickly.  I can tell a big difference in just his voice when I talk with him on the phone.  He's laughing and cheerful and positive.  You can't ask for anything more than that!  I hope their upcoming meeting goes well.

For Today's post, I'm going to include some pictures of my new adorable second cousin, Megan Elizabeth.  She is the new baby to my 1st cousin John and his adorable wife, Amanda.  I can't resist not showing these photos....she is such a cute patottie!  She is almost, if not, 9 months old now.  My husband and I are unable to have children, so I'm having fun making little albums of Meggie and giving them to Amanda.  Here's some of my favorite Megan photos:

Amanda with her new lil' bundle of joy: Megan Elizabeth.  Isn't she just a doll?  Oh, how I wanted a baby so badly myself before the fibro and arthritis took hold and all the medications I'm on now that I can't stop!  But I truly am happy for my cousin and his wife for their little blessing.

The new little family: baby Megan, her daddy, John and her mommy, Amanda.

Baby Megan with her grandma Penny.  Doesn't she look like a little doll you can play "dress up" with when you were a little girl?  :0)

She's so precious....and created by God above.  What a miracle life is!!

Can you find baby Megan in all that pink???  Her daddy put this picture on his phone and uploaded it with the message, "can you find the baby in all this pink?"  Well, I think she is "pretty in pink!"  What do men know!

Megan and "Mr. Blankie."  I think we all had a "Mr. Blankie" when we were babies.  Something to hold on to and call your own.

Megan in her daddy, John's, arms.  Isn't this just too precious?  She will be a "daddy's girl" for sure!!

Megan smilin' at her daddy and vice versa.  What a cute little bond they have made together.  Father and daughter.

 Grandma time!  Megan with her great grandmother, Marge to the left, and her two grandma's from Amanda and John's side.  The middle grandma is Amanda's mom and the one on the right is grandma Penny, John's mother.

Megan telling her toys her world, exactly how she see it through her eyes!!

Amanda and Megan in a field of Texas bluebonnetts.

  

Amanda and Megan - I thought Megan looked a little on the grumpy side, but my Aunt Penny said she just was bored of all the picture taking.  Geez-what can you do when you are a star like lil' miss Meggie?

Look at that smile - is she going to be a heart - breaker or what?

Newest head wear fashion for babies - shower caps!!  Amanda said she had a hard time taking Megan's picture as she kept bouncing and wiggling and shrieking in joy over her new shower cap!

She's starting early advertising Texas A and M.

Megan just loves her little giraffe!

Megan in deep thought!  :0)

Such a beautiful picture of mommy Amanda and baby Megan!

Here's another striking photo of Amanda and Megan. Both were getting over a case of the sniffles when this was taken.

Meggie's very first Aggies game!  Isn't she adorable all dressed up in Texas A & M stuff?  :0)

Megan with her doggy, Murphy.  Everyone is all dressed up in Texas A & M garb!!

Last, but not least, Megan getting a head start on reading her book!!

Thank you all for surviving my "brag fest" over my new second cousin.  She just is so cute, it's awfully hard not to brag.  I hope to meet her in person one of these days.  Arizona is not too far from Texas!!  I haven't seen my cousins in ages and it would be nice to see them.  Maybe after my surgery and I've lost a lot of weight my hubby and I can take a trip to Texas and see everyone.  I would like that.  Alrighty, hope you all have a good night.  I plan on taking a shower in my new shower chair tonight and then just stretching my legs out on the bed.  They hurt me so bad I could just scream.  I think it's all the changes in the weather.  It goes from triple digits to 70's in the matter of one day!  It was gorgeous out today. We had our sun roof open for the first time since last Spring and it felt soooo good on the way to the post office and library.  I hope it lasts now and doesn't go back up in temps again.  We shall see.

God bless, everyone!

Until next post,

Lil' Miss Megan, our cutie-patootie of the family!

Rodeo Drive, Baby!

Howdy, folks!

I LOVE waking up and having it pour outside!  Maybe it will even wash the car for us, as the rain we had the other day was the typical AZ rain that just stirs the dust around on the car and makes it look worse than it did BEFORE the rain.  The only problem with rain is it brings humidity and that reeks havoc with my fibromyalgia.  When I took that first step out of bed this morning, I thought I was stepping on nails!  My whole right leg was killing me, starting with that "fiery" feeling in my foot all the up to my thigh.  That nerve involvement is getting worse in that leg, I can feel it everyday.  And no matter how many neurontin I take now, it doesn't really help.  I'm on the maxed out dose, I think.  I've never tried Lyrica, wonder if that would help?  If anyone of you has tried Lyrica, let me know what it does for you.  You see the ads on TV all the time how it helps, but those are just ads.  I need REAL advice!  :0)

OK...here's another episode of "Down Memory Lane."  I remember when my folks first came to AZ, they were really excited (as was I) to visit California. We went to San Diego first (which I already profiled in a past post) and then moved up the coast to Los Angeles.  My dad has a thing for cemeteries, so naturally, we had to stop at Forest Lawn, outside of Hollywood, I think it was.  Speaking of Hollywood, poor Mom was driving down the 101 at top speed to keep up with the other drivers and I kept getting blurred pictures of the Hollywood sign.  So she must have driven down that about 4 times and I never did get a picture of it!  How frustrating!  I did get lots of other good photos, though, I 'd like to share with you. 

Here we are, shooting into LA on two wheels, I think!  The traffic pretty much determines how fast you go...but yet, it's always the out of state tags that get the speeding ticket!! Not that we got a ticket, but I've seen it happen a lot of times, out-of-state cars pulled over to the side of the road. We rented a car for this trip, a beautiful blue Ford Taurus, as we still had the "Thurderbird" and we didn't want to deal with the oil leak and it had just completed an across the country adventure and we didn't want to push it!.  We went on this trip as a special 24th birthday gift for me.  I always have loved California and my parents really did chose a special gift for me!

 

 Here my parents are, all tanned and really to go on the LA adventure scene!  Side note: this motel was really hard to find, as all the ones we went to where renting rooms by the hour if you know what I mean!  But the room here was very nice and we rented it for the WHOLE night, which probably shocked the check in guy!  Second pic above is me and my dear Mom.  :0)

And what's Beverly Hills without Rodeo Drive?  My ma was so involved with looking at the street with all the little shops that she almost rammed into the "Beamer" in front of her!! I hope that taught her a lesson...don't look at the sides of the street while driving!  Focus straight ahead at your object and when he brakes, you brake!!  My mom wasn't real receptive to driving comments, but I threw my two cents in anyway!  After all, we were in a rented car and MY name was on the application!!

My dad has this thing about cemeteries.  He loves 'em!  He even has a "Find A Grave" coffee mug that he ordered off of one his favorite grave sites.  A lot of the cemeteries in his book are beautifully landscaped.  And Forest Lawn outside of LA is no exception!  Here is the fountain that greets visitors right at the front entrance.  There is a security stop point there and it's always manned by someone.  You can purchase cemetery maps there, but it doesn't show where the celebrity graves are.  The guy at the booth said that would cause havoc!  He did give us a clue to a general location where some of them were buried.  My dad was particularly interested in where Marilyn Monroe was.

Here my dad is, way down at the end of a plot divider, looking at all the graves. He was like a little boy in a candy store....all these graves, so little times!!  He was sooo excited, in fact, he left his glasses on to of one of the plots by mistake and forgot to take it with him.  We had to search and backtrack where he had been - like the whole cemetery! - to no avail. So we left the name and address they could send it to if they ever were found.  (To our surprise, about three weeks later, they WERE found and mailed to us.  Some person found it and turned them in! Yay!)

Here I am by the grave of Andy Gibbs, from "The Bee Gees."  Dad loved taking pictures of us by celebrity grave plots.  I wonder about him sometimes!!  :0)

Here dad is, posing by Bette Davis's plot.  He's too cute with how dramatic he can be.  He was in his wearing pants all year round stage because his legs weren't tan.  How could they get tan covered with jeans?  His logic was something else!  :0)

Dad just insisted I get a pose by Bette Davis's plot, too!  He's a silly little guy!!

Mom posing by Freddie Prinze's plot.  He was from "Chico and the Man" series.  Doesn't she look good?  And that's for being about 100 degrees out with the humidity about that high, too.

Here I am again, this time by Liberace's grave plot.  It was almost as decked up as he himself was in life!!

My mom walking down the cemetery sidewalk, looking at plots in the ground.  My dad was still in the celebrity section.  They were having a funeral on the other side of the celebrity section and my dad would yell out, "Mother, come here quick. I found a movie star!"  The people in the funeral would pause for a moment and look over at dad.  Mom told him to be quiet, they are having a funeral!

Somehow, Mom got Dad back into the car, even though we never did find Marilyn Monroe.  Dad was almost positive she was buried in Forest Lawn cemetery.  Oh, well.  We did find a lot of celebrities we didn't expect to find, so I think it was a fantastic trip.  Now we are in our air conditioned rental car, heading back to the motel.  Tomorrow we head back to Yuma.  Boy, was that a fun birthday!!  One I'll never forget, that's for sure.

                                                                                                                     
Thank you, Mom and Dad for an excellent 24th birthday party (June 24, 1994).  I love you both dearly!!

Thank YOU, folks, for coming along with down memory lane and my birthday bash "Dad style."  Which that always includes a cemetery or two!  We later found out that Marilyn wasn't even buried at that cemetery!  I forget where she actually is buried at, but it isn't Forest Lawn that we were at!!

Hope you all have a great Wednesday and be sure to go blog hoppin' with linky down below.  Just add your site, "follow" with Google Friends the 1st slot (which is the hostess) and then whichever site appeals to you.  It is so much fun, don't miss out on it!!  Every day I'll have a different linky that corresponds with the day of the week it is.

 

God bless you all,
Until next post,                                             

62c4d810-2ab6-4f75-b394-bfadfb2c3c7e

1.03.01

An Ocean Of Memories

Hello, everyone!

My Sunday is going along OK, although I'm still having a lot of pain in my right leg.  Every day is a new day of torture.  It definitely has gotten worse.  The muscle in my calf is rock hard, a result of constant muscle spasms. Even my muscle relaxer, Soma, is not helping much.  I can't stand long enough to shower, so tomorrow, we are going to go look at shower chairs.  It might be a problem because our shower is so narrow.  I hope we can find one or I'm in serious trouble....nobody will want to stand by me too much longer! LOL!

I don't know why my leg is doing this to me.  I'm on so many medications to help and they do....or I'd be literally SCREAMING my head off in pain, but I still do have the severe pain enough that it inhibits my walking, bending, and standing.  Is it all the pinched nerve roots or from my weight?  Maybe both.  I don't know. All I know is it HURTS.

I was looking through my family photos again and the memories just swirled around me.  I remember when my mom, dad, me and my husband piled into the car and headed for my favorite city, San Diego!  We went to the beach and took about a roll of film's worth of pictures.  Here are some of those pictures:

They look like gang members, don't they? :0)  This is a photo of my dad, my mom and Frankie.  They take up just enough space you can't see the ocean behind them.

Yikes!  I look like an absolute WHALE!  I'm with my dad and mom in this picture.  I can't wait for my weight loss surgery!!!

Here's a good shot of my mom and dad. Dad always had his hat and sunglasses on, rain or shine!  :0)  Behind them, you can see the beach patrol pick-up truck.  These photos were taken on Mission Beach.  The next batch are from Pacific Beach.

 

I think this is one of my favorite pics of my parents.  I've titled it" Ocean Dreamers."  It looks like they are dreamers, doesn't it? 

I'm also rather fond of this picture, too.  It took Mom a long time to get to that rock, but she was determined.  She had a lot of help from Dad, too!!

And, to end the show, here is myself and my husband, Frankie.  Two peas in a pod!

I hope you all are enjoying your Sunday.  Spend lots of time with your loved ones.  As the saying goes, "Live, Laugh, Love" or something like that. I may have the order reversed, but you get the idea!!  ;0)

The blog hop below is also for today, too.  So add the URL of your blog and go blog hoppin' and you'll be amazed at how many return the favor and visit your blog.  It's just all around a neat way to meet new friends and read fantastic blogs.

God bless!
Until next post,

62c4d810-2ab6-4f75-b394-bfadfb2c3c7e

1.03.01