Mother's

When your day looks like this:

Read these quotes....and maybe....

Your day will turn out like this!  At least in your dreams!

Happy Mother's Day!

lessons from kathryn hepburn

these are so cute...always loved kathryn hepburn.......

Lesson #1: Always be honest about one's feelings, even if you're facing someone as handsome as Cary Grant. (Also: Add a statement collar for extra flair.)

Lesson #2: Revenge can be the small, subtle gesture delivered with a smile.

Lesson #3: Take advantage of every opportunity.

Lesson #4: Fit in exercise when you can.

Lesson #5: Dance like no one's watching, and knock over couches like no one cares.

showers and more showers!

last weekend i flew up to slc to have a couple of fun celebrations!  we had 2 baby showers for kerry on saturday....how is that managed?  we had a family shower at polly's house at 12....then, a friend shower at my house at 4...it was pretty busy, but a really fun day....how often do you get together with family and friends all on the same day...the family shower was really cute and had delicious food...kerry got so many cute items for her sweet baby....the shower had a 'travel' theme because we want to take that cute baby everywhere....in the afternoon, the friends shower had a 'wild things' theme which was darling...he will be a wild thing...for sure...once again, kerry got so many cute things...i think she's set! it was a fun weekend...russ and kristen came up, kelly and her kids...it was a great time...and it's always so much fun to see everyone...alot of playing...shopping....visiting....and most of all...eating...what a grew time....i need more just like it....

                                                     kelly and sarah

                                       taryn, kathy, charlie, kerry and kristen

                                     rachel (had her baby this week), kristen and kerry...the pregos!

                                                    marty, katie, sarah, julie, eliza, tommy and marta with seth

                                                          dillon and tyler

                                                      beautiful table

                                                ashley, larene, danece and kelly

                                                          jan and kristen

                                                     silly girls! charlie and elle

                                                             bromance

                                                              pretty curls

the dodo....trying all the pie!

Fire!

last week we had a little excitement in newbury park....the weather had been in the 70's...then, on thursday it got really dry...really windy and really hot.....and that always brings a really big fire! although, fire season usually happens in the fall, so it was a bit off kilter to have a fire in the spring....when i woke up on thursday i could hear the wind..i have plates on the wall outside my house and i could hear them clanking against the wall....and then i heard the news...a small fire in camarillo had traveled up the mountain and was on top of it...heading into dos vientos....this part of newbury park is opposite me...i'm at one end of n.p and they are the other...the cloud of smoke was unbelievable...the sky was so blue and the cloud was so black....all of dos vientos was evacuated throughout the day...it was pretty scary to hear and watch...the firefighters were great...they took so much care in trying to control the fire...during the evening, the wind shifted and the fire was pushed down sycamore canyon towards the beach...burning alot of beautiful country as it went...friday morning the wind shifted again...this time it shifted to the south..the fire headed up the canyon again and newbury park was once again in peril...although this time it was closer to my house...it was heading towards the southern part of n.p and towards hidden valley...this made me more nervous because i'm on the other side of hidden valley...we share a mountain...lucky for all of us, they contained the fire to just the end of hidden valley...whew!  and a blessing to everyone was that on saturday the weather turned a bit cooler, the winds died down...sunday was even cooler and today it's been raining...weird weather...but, we'll take it...anytime after a fire like that...thanks to all the great fire fighters that worked so hard to save our homes...

           smoky, ashy sky

favorite things

today i was just thinking about things that i love....i love to travel, i love movies, i love to shop...sounds pretty shallow so far!  i love to read...i love to be with my family...i love to eat...unfortunately that has a bad side effect!! so right now, i'm off eating....bummer!  anyway, back to what i love...i love my family...my children, in laws, grandchildren...i just love to be with them...my favorite day is when i can talk or be with all of my loved ones...but, the interesting thing about things that you love....i realize that if you are eating, going, doing those things every single day...it's not as special....for instance...probably one of my favorite things to eat are dunford donuts...you can only get them in salt lake...they
are chocolate with chocolate frosting...i've loved them all my life!  i think i ate one every day that i was pregnant with kelly!  but, i've realized...if they were in california, they probably wouldn't be as special...what i'm getting at is this...we need to be really grateful for all those things and especially people that we love...we need to enjoy the times that we can be together or be doing the things that we love...it makes it much more special....we need to really make an effort to do those things that we love to do...but, don't make them commonplace...keep them special in your heart...we never know what will happen on any given day...so be happy when you can do, can be with those that you love.....don't ever take life 'for granted'...cherish every moment you have...

just a wrap up....

i just wanted to wrap up our trip....it was fantastic!  couldn't have been better (unless it was the weather)...but, hey, i'll take it anyway, if i'm in france...i loved the sights, loved the scenery, loved being with my kids and hannemanns...it was great...except for the ride home...not that the ride was bad...it was just looooooonnnnnnnggggg! plus, i had a bad sinus infection, conjunctivitis in my eyes...everytime kerry looked at me, i think she cringed...it was NOT attractive at all!!  people probably thought, what disease does this lady have?  so, the trip was long...getting through customs was longer...the drive home to forever....i was really, really glad to be home...but, i'm so happy and grateful that we could go and have such a fun time...it 'pain' was worth it!!!!   and of course..after the doc gave me some meds...i was one happy girl!!!

our last day :(

today we left biaritzz...it was a great spot...fun to chill in...and we did chill, as it was sort of cold!!  we drove up past bordeaux to st. emilion.....it's a beautiful little wine town...the cathedral was built in the 700's!  it's so cool, with all the little streets etc...we wandered around...had lunch at a little brasserie....it was very good, except that andrea on her last 2 bites had a piece of glass in her salad!!  they just say 'ok' and don't do anything else...in the states they'd be bending over backward!!!  then, as we walked around, tams fell and cut his eye...andrea and kristen took him to the pharmacie...where they gave some holistic drops that took down the swelling...we had gone back to the car because it was freezing...they wandered a bit...we went looking for them...finally all got back together!  drove back to bordeaux...sat in traffic for about 1 1/2 hours!  whew! finally got to their house...we decided to just go to our hotel that's by the airport...it was getting late, so we had to say 'au voir'....which was very sad....we had a great time with them...they are so easy...the kids are super easy and fun...tama is a doll and ira is such a good baby...hope my kids took notes!!  so off to paris, then munich, then the usa tomorrow!!! a long, long day!!!  it's been a fantastic trip!!!

good friday in biaritzz

today was sunny!!! woo hoo!  at least for half of the day...we could see how beautiful it is here in good weather....we just hung out in biaritzz all day...nice and relaxing...mostly we ate....after breakfast...russ and shem played a little pitch and putt....tama played along with them....at one point, shem being funny, hit the ball...but, it almost hit andrea and ira!  it just whizzed by them...lucky!we walked into town in search of all the goodies we needed to have....we found the pastry shop with all the amazing pastries....then went to a bench overlooking the ocean to enjoy them....walked around town....had waffles...they are delicious!! they are made with a thick yeast dough...russ had 2....bought more chocolate....yum!  then, it started drizzling...then, raining as we made our way back to the hotel...afterwards the boys went swimming in the indoor pool...i wanted to, but, the spa was maybe lukewarm...not worth getting into....we just napped and visited...tonight we went back to the restaurant from last night...it had the best steak...fries....all delicious....so as you see...we ate a lot!!  tama is so good at trying things...he makes a funny little face, like' do i have to?' but then eats shrimp, mussels, whatever...amazing!  so after a day of eating we all rolled back to the hotel!

san sebastian

today we drove down to san sebastian, spain...originally, we were supposed to go stay there...but, our hotel in biaritzz is so nice that we changed our plans...i'm glad we did...san sebastian is nice enough....but, it's a much bigger city...and it was really, really cold...it's only 45 min. away from biaritzz, so an easy drive...of course, we got there just before siesta...we seem to do that alot on this trip...can't get the hang of everything closing down at 2 until about 4 and restaurants until 7:30...we did find a fun little restaurant...the food was very good....afterwards, even though it was so cold...we had to get gelato.....we then, just walked around the town...i guess marijuana is legal here, but, we didn't inhale!...turns out from our pictures, that we picked up a 'bum'...he was asking persistently for money at the gelato shop...then, in pics we saw him at the cathedral...then, he was at the car park...hmmm...i gave him 2 euros....shem says i shouldn't...the car park itself was an adventure.to get into a parking spot!!  but, russ did a fantastic job...no crashes...it's funny over here....if they are parallel parking on the street...9 times out of 10, they hit one of the other cars...and no biggee!  even when we are watching...funny....we drove back to france...there are 3 toll booths in the 45 min drive...down and back...rip you off!  the boys and tama went to play 'pitch and putt'...we chilled....then tonight went to a great basque restaurant...it was really great food...i don't know...after this trip...russ and kris might be eating meat again!! they're loving it!  then, we took a 'short' half hour walk home...looking for waffles...but, this place closes up early when it's off season!!
a fun day!!!

biarritz and surrounding towns

today was hung out a bit in biarritz...austin, russ and shem went surfing in the early morning, but, there was no surf....so sad.....so then, shem and russ rented bikes and went on a little 50 miler ride....we drove down to meet them in la ruhne...the concerige showed me a main road to take...couldn't find it, so we typed it into map quest...we went on a beautiful ride through alot of little towns of the basque country...of course, it also made kristen pretty sick...all those windy rodes will do it for you...in la ruhne we had planned to take the petit train up the mountain to see the view...but, alas!  the cloud cover ruined the view.....so, we thought...let's have lunch...went to the pretty 'little' town of sare...no luck...every things still closed from the winter...went to another village...no luck...we did get a pastry to tyed us over...drove onto st jean de luz...but, by that time it was too late for lunch...over here they serve until 2:30...then restaurants are closed until 7:30....it makes it hard to have a late lunch!!!  we walked around the town centre of biarittz....saw a few shops....and then finally could have dinner...it was delicious! they are so cute with little kids here....it's fun to watch....so another fun filled day....

driving to biaritzz

today we got up too early...(i only slept 2 hours)...russ, shem and i went to rent our car..i reserved a 9 passenger van...shem was a little worried because he thought it would be too big for the streets....almost was!  got the car, went back to the hotel...checked out and went to pick them up....it took us awhile because streets had diversions...so we'd have to go around...it took a bit (thank goodness for map quest!)  got to their street which is super tiny!  barely room for parked cars and a driving lane...russ almost took out a car as he was parking, went over a few cement things...guess it happens all the times....then, we packed up....wow...back to the days...alot of suitcases, 2 baby seats, and 2 surfboards...they didn't fit on the roof, so they fit them in by the window...reminders of the good old days!  all of us got into the car....drove south to biaritzz...car ride wasn't too bad...kristen was sort of squished, she was in the front middle seat with the stick shift....andrea, ira and i in the middle seat, kerry austin and tama in the back...not a lot of air...had to keep opening the window...we drove to bayonne...it's a pretty little city...we are now in basque country...the basque people are not from any tribe or group of people...they have been here for at least 4000 years...have their own language and customs....they live in southern france and northern spain....have alot of good food!  bayonne is the city that brought chocolate to france...they have delicious chocolate!   we had a mousse hot chocolate...very rich, thick and frothy...yum!!!  then we walked to a creperie and had different crepes for lunch...on most of them, they cook an egg with whatever you have...different, but good...afterwards, we drove on to biaritzz...i'm in love!!!  it's a beautiful beach town...has a gorgeous beach....our hotel was built by napoleon 3rd for his empress eugenie...it's gorgeous...our rooms look over the ocean...now, if the weather would cooperate!  at least it's not raining....it's a really nice hotel...we all have great rooms...shem took tama swimming in the indoor pool...he loved it...the kids are so easy...we had a really good dinner on the beach...never finish until about 11...late!  tomorrow the boys are surfing in the morning...then, some sightseeing1

bordeaux

on sunday we got up...got ready and went to the train...we rode the train to bordeaux...3 hours..beautiful scenery of rural france....after arriving in bordeaux, we called the hannemanns and they met us at our hotel....we walked around the city...saw alot of the beautiful old buildings...we had a late dinner (they don't start eating dinner until about 8)....then, hit our beds...this morning, shem had his last day of school...we took it easy and met them at about 12...we decided to try out the spa...so, we all took turns having massages....while each of us waited we shopped around all the fun shops...the chocolate shope which is delicious...chocolate and macaroons....yum!  we had pastires...bordeaoux is famous for different ones...have to try them all!  we had lunch at 'west coast burgers'....he was nervous when we told him we were from l.a.!  and more nervous when we said shem had a burger restaurant in hawaii!  but, they were delicious!  it's so fun to hear tama chatter away in french!  he's so cute...he has a crush on kerry...wants to hold hands with her as we walk...he picked her a flower on his way home from school....the baby, ira, is so easy also...just eats and sleeps...not much crying...perfect baby!  tonight we went to a great restaurant...we all tried something new...russ had escargot and oysters....kristen actually ate a steak!  i tried the escargot...i think everyone  had those....shem had steak tartare which is raw steak...we all took a bite...yuck...andrea had veal liver...ordered by mistake...and not loved!  it was fun....so tomorrow...off to biarittz!