Huntingdon Beach and the Ducks

Randy felt he had to conduct some business, so Kris and I hung out at the pool. When he was finally done, we headed to Huntingdon Beach for some fun in the sand. Actually found some decent shells which I am sure the kids will fight over. Went to the Huntingdon Pier and had dinner at the end of it at a restaurant called Ruby's. Another 50's diner! This state is liviing in the past! After that we headed to the Honda Center previously known as Arrowhead pond to see the Anaheim Ducks crush the Dallas Stars. We were in the second highest row of the arena. Good view for the most part. Matt had a great time. Usual assortment of fights, annoying fans trying to convert LA King fans into Duck fans, etc,etc. Oh, I finally got to try an INN and Out burger. Former Californiaites claim these things are the best thing on the planet. Not so. McDonalds on a bad day is far better. Don't need to experience it again. Today we will be going to the San Diego Wiild Animal Park and walmart for things I forgot.

San Diego Zoo and Hard Rock Cafe

12/19/2006:
We went down to the San Diego zoo for the day. Lots of fun and walking. Kristen exhibited her non rule breaking traits by refusing to walk on the moving walkways. It said stand so she was going to stand. Randy taunted her by walking back and forth. Beautiful weather continues. Randy got some great shots of animals and some of the kids. After the zoo, we went to Hard Rock Cafe in downtown San Diego. Food was good and Kristen got another bear for her collection. Matt got a long sleeved tshirt and I got a lemon martini. Got back to the hotel and finished Christmas cards and postcards. Did a load of laundry much to the dismay of the staff. Virtually the entire hotel is a constuction zone.

The beach

Yesterday we went to the beach. But first there was breakfast. Went to a 50's diner called Tommy. Blue plastic furniture. Really cute. Expensive.$47. Started out going on the beach briefly at Screppy's restaurant just to take a family picture. We discovered the surfliner train that runs along the coast runs about every 20 minutes. Randy took one of many pictures of that. Since we had to pay .50 for every half hour, we moved onto to San Clemente State Park. There is a rock out in the distance that has sea lions. Randy got some pictures of that. My camera could not get close enough. Went down on the beach where Kris and I waded in the water while Matt and Randy walked up the coast. The storm from the other day cleaned up the beach pretty well from shells, so Matt found it boring. Moved onto the San Clemente pier, after a hellacious walk up a path. The walk was straight up a cliff. Did not make me happy. Randy and Matt had to race each other. Way too much testosterone there. I digress. back to the pier. Beautiful area of town. Nice family beach. Kristen and I spent more time on our new hobby watching surfer dudes. These guys make tremendous eye candy. Even Kristn was checking them out. Ate "lunch" at a restaurant on the pier. Since breakfast was huge, this was supposed to be a light lunch. Matt got fish tacos, Kris got a calimari sandwich and Randy and I got salads. Both of these salads came in the size of containers you see at Olive garden for an entire table. I ate a 4th of my spinach bacon salad and Randy ate 3/4 of his chicken casear salad. Kristen finished his. Did a little shopping. Bought a tshirt, mousepad with the San Cl. pier on it, lip balm and sunglasses for Kristen. Back to the hotel so Kris could swim and we could all veg out. Ordered in for dinner. That's about it. The S.D zoo and hardrock cafe today. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.

Beaver, Utah to San Clemente, CA

We woke up to snow in Beaver and drove through an hour of varying stages of the white stuff. Road crews more concerned with plowing the shoulder than the actual road. Made good time after that. Randy hates Nevada and this trip reiterated that to him. He has vowed never to stop in Nevada again. A. No rest stops. B. crowded and poor traffic directions. We stopped in a McD. parking lot and ended up eating food we brought. Arrived in the Los Angeles Basin around 1:30 and got to the hotel at 3pm. No traffic at all on any road here. Almost surreal. Hotel is ok, not great, but ok. Matt says the pool is a ghetto pool. Kristen and I both have colds and she has a scraped foot and knee from the foggy pool in Utah. We drove up the coast to try to fin d a nice restaurant. Ended up at Denny's. It was an adobe building, but inside was a 50's diner motif! After that the fun began. We could only turn right out of the parking lot.(not the way we came). We ended up going into the innards of Dana Point and then into the innards of San Juan Capistrano(very quaint town) in search of Interstate 5. We never did find the ramp to 5 South, but did end up back on the Pacific Coast Highway and made our way back to the hotel. Kids went in the ghetto pool for a little and now we are all back in the hotel room for the night. It is 8:15 local time and I am ready for bed.

Beaver, Utah

We left the house at 8:03 am and arrived here at the Comfort suites at 5:15pm. We made great time. Very little traffic problems. Had Dinner at the timberline restaurant across the highway. Discovered that Utah does not like tomatoes and they consider salad dressing a side dish. Very nice room with free wireless. Kids are in the pool swimming. Off to San Clemente in the morning.

Well, we are off....

It is 10pm and we are pretty much ready to go in the morning. Some stuff is in the 'rango, but most of the big stuff still needs to go. We are leaving around 8am and hope to be clear of the state by noon. Everyone seems to be doing ok other than all the stress getting ready for a trip.

Graduation/California/Matt

Graduation: There is so much to say about this, but I still feel overwhelmed. The time flew by, despite all the worry, work and stress. Hard to believe it is over.

California: Why was I so stupid to think I could do Graduation, California and Christmas in the same two week time period! Wrapping last of the gifts tonight. Kristen and Matt had a blast playing with the Zacks gift. I actually managed to wrap at least one of them without setting it off. Have to ship them all off tomorrow.

Matt: This kid is going to be the death of me. Not taking notes in science so expected result is achieved on tests(expected by everyone except matt), slacking in English so grade dropping there also. I think I need to begin planning on summer school for him. Looks like Kristen will have the relatives all to herself.

Oh the well outside is frightful....

It is 18 degrees(this is the high), a layer of ice and then snow. And yes we have school. NO wimps(or sane people) out here. R. does not want me taking the Durango since he is afraid I will wreck it. Nice. Kids got haircuts last night. Tonight is Driver ed for Matt and hopefully decorating. Christmas shopping at lunch. Fortunately I work real close to Kohls and Borders and the mall.

It's over!

I finished my last class, turned in my last assignment! The only thing left is the ceremony and the goodbyes. Cap and gowns are nicer than I expected. I love the hood. I have wanted a hood ever since my graduation at Ship and now I get to have wear one at least for a few hours.(it is rented-cost prohibitive to buy) I was not as emotional as I expected. Probably because the instructor had an ego the size of Kansas and totally did not get our cohort. We have been the black mark on ESU's record so to speak and they will be just as glad to get rid of us as we will be to say goodbye to them. I am pretty sure she was given instructions that all of us had to pass this course. They want us all gone.

While I was gone, Randy cleaned out the refrigerator and Kristen mopped the kitchen floor. When I get back from PA, the house will be cleaned 2.5 years of neglect. Matt went paintballing and Kris went swimming. Randy was fishing and I did laundry. Matt did some more driving, getting more practice at that crucial 65 mph. Plan is for him to get highway time in western utah/NV depending on conditions. Kristen was even brave enough to go along with them this weekend.

Election day in Colorado

It was depressing. Not who won or lost. In my precinct I was only the 223 person who voted out of 1000. I voted electronically for the 1st time since leaving PA. Boulder county gives up old habits hard. It was one of the longest ballots in CO history. All kinds of voting problems in Denver-3 hour waits to vote, parking ticket, etc. This state needs to get it together. Apparently everyone in the city of Denver wanted to vote at the botanic gardens-at least you had something nice to look at while voting.

Matt and Mom

Matt's play was this weekend. The girl, her mother and I went Thursday. He did great. She gave him spider mums and a stuffed flower. Friday I had class so Randy and Kris went. Saturday we all went again. Glad it is over. Randy's new camera took awesome pics and videos. That is the good news. Matt can't seem to exist without being in trouble. Randy happened to go into his room and found two wooden swords, apple cores and a lighter in his bed. Grounded him for a week. Then his grades for the 1st quarter came.
Orchestra-A
German F
Math D
Science D-
Us History D
English D

Grounded for even longer now. Kids both spent yesterday cleaning their rooms


Me: This was my second last weekend of classes. Hard to believe. Happy/Sad at the same time. Three more projects to finish and then off to PA. I have the Colorado association of libraries conference this weekend. Randy will be in California Wed-Friday.

Matt has requested paella for dinner for those of you of the cooking persuasion. Kristen has no food requests until we get there and then she will have some of course.

Matt is driving!

Matt had his first driving lesson today. He started out in a middle school parking lot, then moved on to a the dirt road going to Union Res. and then drove home from there. No driveway yet. Go Matt! He did all this with Randy. Tomorrow is my turn. Stop laughing Mom! He will not go down any hilly steep roads like I did all those years ago. At least not yet. He is required to do 10 hours of Mountain driving though. Matt driving in RMNP-shudder. I don't even like driving there!

quickly checking in

Don't have much time. So this is going to be rambling...
Matt got his learner's permit Monday. Matt found out he will be wearing red tights, yellow shirt and a hat with a plume in one scene. His grades are pretty much in the toilet with science being the worst. He still loves Jen and ramen noodles.

Kristen broke up with Drew, but her old boyfriend Trevor, from Mead now goes to Trail Ridge. There is a dance Friday. Kristen is now an aide in the library. She no longer has debate, but now has World War II which she wants to drop because it is so ridiculously stupid. She is in cheerleading club. She knows 3 hand movements and one jump. The poor waif wears my slippers because she has none of her own.

Me? I have two more class weekends and 5 projects. If this does not send me over the edge, nothing will. Every evening until 9pm I am apparently repeating 7th grade. I help Kris with all her homework and then mine does not get done. Did you know that the tiger preys on Moose? I didn't either.

sabrina 2

Well doggie did not get sick, no diarrhea no vomiting, no toxic shock or seizures. Kristen and I slept downstairs to confine her in one area and what did the sweet dog do? Paced and paced, up and down, tried to get on the love seat with Kris, cried all night because she wasn't sleeping in a bed. No sleep for me. If this dog does not get sick, I will be ready to kill her. Just like some people can hold their liquor, my dog can hold her chocolate.

Sabrina

WE went out for icecream. Dog decided she needed a snack. The trash has been fine lately. But, she ate an entire bag of choclate balls filled with fudge, peanut butter or caramel. Since she does not have opposable thumbs, she ate the tin foil that they were wrapped in to look like eyeballs. Only evidence of this is the plastic bag they came in. GRRRRRRRRR. It is not as though she is not getting attention or food.

Life in the fast lane 2

had to leave to go to Kristen's conference. All is well. There was some confusion about whether she should be in lit lab(NO, she should not). She is being harrassed by her partner in tech so after next week she will be an aide in the library for the next quarter. Went to the bookfair at TRMS and spent 35.00. Not much for me.

Matt is pulling his usual, not doing work and hiding undone homework assignments. Busted. He spent the past two days catching up or at least for the most part. Hopefully, he can stay caught up now. Much yelling and tears. Not fun to be the mom or the kid.

Tomorrow night Matt has driver class 6-9, Thursday is his concert, Friday is more play practice. Saturday, they both have bowling and haircuts and then she is spending the night at her friend Emma's and Matt has his dance with Jen.

Sunday, we are doing Nothing!

Next Monday matt has play practice, Tuesday another bass lesson, Wed more driver class, Thursday picking R. up at the airport. Friday-Sunday, I have class again and then 10/23 we take Matt for his learners permit and picking up a bottle of wine to calm my nerves.

Life in the fast lane

Let's see...life has been busy as ever. No rest for the weary.
10/8-7:30took Randy to the airport to catch a flight to Singapore. Yes, he made it safely. I was more nervous about it this time due to what is going on in Korea.
8:30-arrived home with breakfast from McDonalds. This satisfied the beasties for about 10 minutes
The day went downhill from there.
Both kids were irritable and fighting with each other all day(typical of post Randy departure)
Fought with Matt to do late science homework. Fought with Kristen to stop talking back. Kristen had confirmation. Took Matt to old country buffet and then to Borders. My stomach hurt the rest of the night. After that, picked Kristen up and went to Walmart for groceries. Kids fought about who got to sit in the front. (remind you of anything?)
Got to go...to be continured

Matt does laundry

Now that Matt is 16, a decree has been made that he do his own laundry. Lesson 1 was tonight:
Whites do not include grey,tan, blue or black
Socks will not get clean if they are still halfway inside out.
No going downstairs to the computer while working on laundry.
What the difference is between medium and xlarge loads of laundry
It is not necessary to fold t shirts before putting them in the washing machine.

Matt's birthday, bowling date, class ring, I want cake

Matt's birthday:We went to Chili's and took Jen with us. Apparently she is a vegetarian. Did not seem to be a problem that she was surrounded by carnivores. Matt got an mp3 player that now has become melded with his body; some books, a rammstein t shirt, a penn state t shirt, a mighty ducks jacket. He got money from Leon. He started driver training class last week. 10/23 Randy and I will be taking him for his permit. Bring on the prozac. Stop laughing mom.

The date: It seemed to last an eternity for me. We were at the library for him to help her tear down the book sale at 3pm. Approx 5pm they got to the bowling alley and we went to starbucks. At 6:30 we realized we would have to retrieve them and did so. They both had a good time apparently. Next up: the dance 10/14. Matt wants to go paintballing that afternoon, but am undecided.

Matt came home with class ring forms yesterday. Very confusing and very expensive.

WE never made Matt a birthday cake. So Kristen decided last night was time. Unfortunately, she grabbed the wrong box. She made a yellow cake mix. Since we all agreed peanut butter icing would be wasted on a yellow cake, she put cream cheese on it. Tonight we will be reicing it with probably choc. She found cream cheese alone does not spread well on cake. Kitchen is still a wreck from the cake making and the maid being too exhausted to do anything about it and yes Heidi, I still have not done anything about this problem.

Sabrina

She must be the only dog on the planet who burps after drinking water.