Festival of Lights

So last Friday Allen and I went to the DWP Festival of Lights at Griffith Park and it was awesome. I would highly recommend it. The best display was the the one from LAX. They had the resturant, the light towers and a plane taking off. Second place display was the entrance it was a tunnel Christmas lights. Christmas lights are awesome.




Then on Saturday we went to Marina Del Rey to see Allens uncles boat in the parade of lights. Although we never got a hold of him, I'm sure we saw the boat. It was very strange. There were only like 6 boats and there were like 100's of people and it was pouring. I wore 2 pairs of pants, 2 shirts, a jacket, scarf, beanie, gloves and combat boots but I needed wind shield wipers on my glasses.

Sunday was a much more lazy day. We spent the whole day decorating the house for Christmas.

We have finished all our shopping but it's that darn wrapping that I haven't gotten to yet. But there is always tomorrow. But tomorrow I plan to do the Christmas cards but I'm sure I'll find time before Sunday when we'll be celebrating Christmas with Allen's dad. And between now and Sunday I have to bake a boat load of cookies for Allen's presents for his co-workers, go to a Christmas party and we have committed to volunteer on Sunday to wrap presents for MEND. Oh, and I have to pack for Chico and wrap all of Allen's gifts before Wednesday when we're celebrating with each other. CRAP!!!!

1st weekend in December 2009

Ahhh! Allen and I almost gotten eaten by a billion year old shark!


This past weekend marks Allen and I's nine years of dating, so we went to a moutain cabin in Ramona, Ca (by San Diego). We had a great time and the cabin was about the same size as our 1st condo.

On Saturday we went to a LA Kings vs St. Louis Blues hockey game and the Kings lost but we got a super cool bobblehead and Allen bought me a little breast cancer helmet to go on him.

On Sunday we went to Seaworld, it was super cool. We saw the shamu holiday show and ice skated. It was a great reminder of what winter fun can be like. The only thing missing was a inner tube and some snow.

We even brought up the Christmas decorations and we've been threatening to start decorating this weekend.

As a side note, Allen and I just bought an ipod ... I know we're like the only people in the world without one but we bought it using money we got from collecting cans ($30) and lost coin change ($191) and we each but in $20. It was amazing... we had $20 in pennies.

My Birthday Gift

For my birthday Allen got me a flying lesson. I was able to do the pre-flight with the pilot, he let me taxi to the run way where he took off and he let me fly the air plane all the way to Ventura, down the coast and over a little bit of ocean before we headed back to Van Nuys airport. He landed but let me taxi back to the hanger.

I had a great time and will be having a meeting with the pilot soon to see about getting the 40 hours required to get my pilots licence. And after watching 2012 last weekend Allen and I are glad we getting the licence. We'll be able to get to China and get on the ark with no problem.

October

This past weekend we spent the last bit of our shell vacation points from the explorer membership to go to Anaheim and go to a duck hockey game. Even though they lost, we had a great time. We got to see a zambonni, a giant sheep, a fight and of course some hockey. I love watching hocky because it's very fast and entertaining. And it goes by so quickly. They don't stop for commercials. They don't stop to measure anything and they don't really even stop when they hit each other or change members they just stop the clock so they can get off the ice.

October

We had our annual Mammogram / Pap test day on the first day pts can get their flu shots and it was a long day. Hopefully we catch someones cancer early and can save or improve their lives.

August / September

Deborah is pictured here washing my hands in the water fountain in Saint Peters square. I have touched the holy water. Don't worry I will bless you all the next time I see you.












In Venice they don't have streets so everything is a boat, here is an ambulance boat. We also saw a DHL boat, UPS boat, taxi boat, police boat and the famous gondola boat.









Pictured here is my mother and I in Tuscany. We visited the cities of Siena and San Gimignano and of course grape vineyards, the ones we are standing in front of are for Chanti. Our picture is being taken by our, and only our, guide for the day Danielle. He was an excellent buy from Costco and it was great to have a local driving us around and telling us where to go.






The last week of August my mother and I traveled to Italy. We had planned a private visit with the pope but at the last minute he cancelled ... something about blessing an orphanage. I guess the ball is in his court. We had a great time but the plane ride is aweful. It takes days and to recover takes days too.

August

NASA was at the air show. Wouldn't Allen and I look good in space!!!

Robosaurus was awesome!

And so were the Navy Blue Angels.

We also visited the Salinas air show. Robosaurus, the Navy Blue Angels and some of my family were there. It was great to see such awesome air tricks. Tony and Allen both enjoyed the day in the grandstands. They laughed everytime I applied my sun screen but the week after I wasn't the one that looked like I had Hansons disease ... Leparsy.

August

In August, Allen and I went to the Reagan Library for Cajun night. It was fun but there was a drunk lady that was "saving" me from Allen and his beating ways. I'm not sure what she thought she saw but we ate peacefully on our own and danced a little but mostly people watched. We also met a lovely couple, the man talked a lot about his friend that needed a colonoscopy.

But the lesson that I learned was that crawdads are a lot of work for not very much meat.

Allens Birthday Weekend

So Allen turned 36 on Saturday July 25th and we celebrated by traveling to Arizona to visit our nephew Isaac and see an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game.
We visited Isaacs local grocery store, school and library.

And the Diamondback game was Awesome. The stadium is indoor and air conditioned. It's going to ruin every other outdoor stadium game.

Independence Day

So I (Deborah) just came back from the weekend at my parents in Chico for the annual 4th of July party. Here are some pictures of the event.

MAY

It has been super busy in May and hence the lack of a new posting.


After re-decorating our spare bedroom we decided that it was time to get our bedroom re-decorated.

1) We needed more closet space! So we had contractors come over the first weekend of May to give us estimates and plans. We picked one, moved around all the furniture and had a closet built in an alcove right before the second weekend. Then we had to put all our stuff in the closet. It is awesome.


Before






















After

2) Get rid of some furniture .... CRAIGS LIST!

We sold both our dressers and the dining room table that we keep in our room.


3) And since we moved our bed we need to get rid of the venetian blinds that go from ceiling to floor and so it's off the Lowe's for window treatment shopping. We got roman shades that are cordless but they won't be delivered for a couple of weeks.


4) Now it's time for bedding and accessories.


5) Then Memorial Day weekend we sanded, stained, painted, hung curtains, purchased bedding and put it all together. And we used every second of every day.


Which brings us to this weekend. Our Roman Shades came and we'll be hanging them and the room will be done. I'll post an after picture later.


Until later.

Allen and the doctor

Allen recently took a sleep apnea test which he failed. He has severe sleep apnea. He was then given another test to determine how much air he needs at night. This machine makes Allen look like an elephant.

In just a couple weeks he'll have his own machine and we'll get to sleep again. YEAH!

Air force one at the Reagan Library

Our visit to the Reagan Library

This Easter weekend we had our nephew. We visited with Grandpa Camou on Friday evening and celebrated Isaacs birthday with cake and gifts.

Isaac and Allen (Uncle Buck) woke up on Saturday and ran some errands while I (Aunt Deborah) slept. Then daddy John came over and we headed off to the Reagan Library.

We saw all kinds of neat things there. We saw many exhibits about President Reagan and Nancy Reagan. We saw the Magna Carta. We saw an old Air Force One, inside and out and an exact replica of the oval office including the resolute desk. And because it was Easter weekend there was an egg hunt within the exhibits.

Although nothing could top the Library we tried with a trip to Toys R Us, Walmart and a fiesty game of Monopoly, which Aunt Deborah won. I'm sure Uncle Buck and Issac would agree I probably cheated. But when you've got Boardwalk, Park Place and one of each of the other colors so the only hotels on the board belong to you, it's difficult to lose.

Then Sunday just Uncle Buck and Isaac played Monopoly while Aunt Deborah slept. I'm sure I won't be invited to play for a while.

Sunday was a day of rest. Allen and I had to clean up after Isaac and get ready for the work week ahead.

Here's us all getting ready to board Air Force One.

Our random Sunday

It started as a regular Sunday .... Allen got up at 6:30am to sit on the couch and nap while I slept in until about 9:30am. We then spent the better part of the morning shopping. We went to Lowe's for some bathroom parts and Harbor Freight for rubber gloves.

Then we arrived home to put together our Saturday IKEA purchases and I was on the computer updating the church website. I went online to my bank account to check on a few things and noticed that all my $$ from my checking and money market accounts had been transferred into my savings and everything I had purchased in the past week had all gone into overdraft. These kind of shinanigans never happened with my piggy bank!!!!

After getting the bank accounts fixed, I was in no mood to cook. Allen, his father and I went out to Chili's. Allen had to pay because I'm broke until tomorrow when all the $$ will be returned to it's proper places.

But in happier news we finished the redecoration of our guest bedroom.

Check it out!!!

We love Hawaii!

Great people! Great views! Great food! It is the best place to visit. We have recently vacationed in Oahu, Hawaii. We spent 9 days in honeymoon bliss, a little late, but better late than never!

We had such a great time in the sun, Allen and I got a little sunburned but I got a 2nd degree burn on my leg. The sunburns are mostly healed but there is still a bit of scratching. We find ourselves rubbing our backs on the elevator walls or hallway corners.

Check out my 2nd degree sunburn.