We're Off to Italy!

We headed to Italy and France to celebrate our 7th anniversary!

It was an 11.5 hour flight from LAX to Switzerland (ugh), but just a quick hop over to Rome! We left on a Friday night and arrived on Saturday night - here is Michael on the Leonardo da Vinci Express train into the heart of Roma:

Leaving the airport:

We needed a drink after traveling for so many hours ... so I had a beer when we got to the hotel:

About 2230 we went to a local restaurant for some dinner and vino:

Enjoying some margherita pizza:

... and gelato!

Our hotel on via Nazionale:

We started sightseeing right away so we headed up the road to the fountain. Along the roads there are all sorts of vendors like this:

The fountain about 1 block from our hotel. There were ancient baths behind us - totally normal to have ancient ruins everywhere you turn, huh :)

Memorial Day 2011

We went out to Lake Mead to meet up with Michael's Dad and Step-mom for Memorial Day! It was the first time we've been able to use our camping gear (bought in Oki) ... and Michael was pretty pleased that he was able to setup the tent in the dark for its initial use!

There was even a light with a switch in the top! (I know, fancy - huh!)

Princess Piggy in her bed:

Princess Tipsy in her chair:

Enjoying a beverage in the shade:

Michael, Jan and the dogs in their chairs:

Piglet taking Michael's chair the second he got up :P

Piggy watching her Daddy - never letting him out of her sight for a second!!

We had a great time - maybe the next go 'round won't be as windy as the first two tries!!

Mustang Restoration

Michael and his dad found a place in Vegas to do the paint and body on our Mustang. We went and visited the pony over Memorial Day:

She looks so sad!! She'll be all better after they media blast her and fix her up though!

This is the deep-green color we are going to paint her ... can't wait!!

Some catching up to do ...

Not a lot has been going on ... lots of yard projects and bbq'ing though!

Piggy and Michael snuggling:

Ready for her close-up :P

Bailey-cat watching the birds at sunset:

The kids had their teeth cleaned and they were pretty pathetic when they got home. Bailey kept hallucinating ... in the water bowl ... so we had water everywhere all the time.

Piggy was so out of it she kept forgetting to put her tongue in her mouth :)

poor babies ... still coming out of anethesia.

Our good friends Michael and Linda came over for some bbq and spirits ... Piglet re-established her friendship with Michael right where they left off in Oki :)

Linda and my Michael hanging out on the deck:

sniffing in the wind:

taking her relationship with Michael to the next level:

Our new orange tree!

We put the stones back down and new mulch when we decided that adding irrigation lines and grass was a bridge too far ...

We did decide to put up a lattice fence to combat the bunnies ... they are killing our grass!

Huge lizards sunning on our rocks:

Piggy got hot:

The first part of the fence is up!

Planning our trip to Europe for our anniversary!!

Back from Afghanistan ...

Our good friend got back from Afghanistan in April. We went to greet him on the flightline! Here is his wife and good friend:

Michael with the balloons (no balloons on the flightline!):

The plane!

Just a few tears :)

Marines heading home:

Where's Waldo?

Found him!

The happy couple back together again :)

Eddie Money Concert

Where to begin ... I'll just start since it has been so long since I've blogged.

We went to an Eddie Money Concert here in Ramona a few months ago. Did you know they sell pre-mixed shots of liquor in convenience stores now?? It was a long wait in line ...

the thriving Ramona Mainstage:

getting ready to head in:

the HUGE stage :P

He was really good! He still sounded like he did back in the 80's ... we loved hearing some of the oldies!!