I hope you all had a fabulous Memorial Day Weekend!
We sure did!
We got to spend lots of time with Friends and Family, and we even got to have a nice down-time day.
We had good eats, too, racks of ribs, deviled eggs, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and even Chicago style hotdogs. Yum!
We had a great talk with the kids about the meaning of Memorial Day (see my Mom’s blog, here). Joseph really gets it, Jocelyn, not so much. Our kids do always associate anything to do with the military to their Uncle Chris who is in the Army.
And, while we all agree the Holiday is not all about fun and BBQ, I do believe that it is a part of it. We acknowledge and give thanks to our Military and Veterans and all the sacrifices that they have made for us, both now and throughout the history of our country. So it’s important that we enjoy this day and are thankful that we are able to enjoy this kind of day.
This morning was just amazing. My baby boy graduated from Kindergarten today. The entire Kindergarten class put on a program full of the kids singing and dancing.
I am so proud of my sweet son. He is a very bright boy, well behaved, sympathetic, and everyone's friend. He has learned so much just in Kindergarten this year, it's so much more than just pasting leaves to construction paper. Jocelyn was not very pleased about having to wait for the program to start.
Yup, Joe was the letter 'C' and did a great job!
Joe getting his diploma from his awesome Teacher.
There were cookies, so Jocelyn quickly got her sugar rush on.
Joe's Teacher, Mrs. G. We couldn't have asked for a better Teacher for him. I hope he's just as lucky next year in the 1st Grade.
Grandma and Grandpa helped a lot. I really liked this picture. Yes, another cookie for Joci.
I’ve had this on my list of things to blog about for awhile. I’ve kind of had a bit of writer’s block lately, so I went back through an old list of ‘things to blog about’ and picked one to try and get this ball rolling.
Lynn from “For Love or Funny” is a really talented writer and I really liked one of her posts lately on what her Kryptonite is. After sharing her Kryptonite with everyone she put a question out there for all of her readers…”What’s our Kryptonite”.
So, here’s my list of Kryptonite:
1. Underwire bras. Ok, even though you get so much better support with the underwire, they are simply way too uncomfortable for me to wear.
2. Bathroom floors. I hate being barefoot on the bathroom floor, I have to stand on a rug of some sort.
3. Eating whole fish. I can’t eat anything that is looking at me with it’s big dead eye before I have to eat it. Fish filets with the head and tail removed, well that’s ok.
4. Sharks. I am both strangely fascinate by them (can we say Shark Week?), and absolutely terrified that I will be bitten by one. Jaws is one of the scariest movies ever.
5. Pepto Bismol. The color, the smell, the taste, it does the exact opposite of what it should for me, simply because it’s so repellant, to me.
6. High Heels. I know, I know. They make your legs look longer and they are super popular right now. I hate it, though, when you see women wearing them that can’t walk in them and they hurt my feet, bad. Also, I’m 5’8 and don’t feel the need to be any taller. I like flats, especially sandals.
7. Whining. When my kids whine, my brain hurts. The space between my eyes gets tight and contracts. It literally is painful for me to hear others whine.
8. Cigarette Smoke. I’m so happy to live in a state that has many cities that are very strict about smoking. I have never understood why smokers think that just because they are outside, other people won’t be affected by their smelly smoke.
9. The Heat. Yes, I’ve lived in Arizona for most of my life. The summer can get upwards of 120 degrees, so you may wonder how or why I would hate the heat and choose to stay here. The answer is simple…I hate the snow more.
10. Thumping Music from the next car. This is one of my HUGE pet peeves. REALLY? Do I have to listen to your music on my ride home?
I had a fantastic time in San Francisco last week. I joined Jon on his business trip and really explored San Francisco. I did a lot of walking and used a lot of public transportation. On my own I saw Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, Boudin, took a Golden Gate/Alcatraz boat trip, ate at the Imperial Palace in China Town (and met Martin Yan from 'Yan Can Cook' there), Powell Street and Union Square, and yes, I rode on both the streetcars and the trolley.
To say I was a bit tired after just a couple of days would be a vast understatement, but I tried to 'Carry On' and have a great time with Jon over the weekend. Together we explored the Golden Gate bridge (there was a jumper that day:( ), Sausalito, North Beach, French Quarter, China Town, and all the great stuff in between. We also saw the Bay Bridge, Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. Jon and I had delightful lunch (Capresse with the freshest mozzarella we've ever tasted and porcinirisotto) at the North Beach Restaurant, light Sangria at the Market down the street, and a superb french meal (pate, onion soup, and beofborganion, all amazing) later that night. Oh, and the night before all that, I had a fresh chopped salad at an organic restaurant in Sausalito. The romaine lettuce in the salad was by far the freshest lettuce I've ever had, I had no idea lettuce could EVER taste that good!
I love the weather in San Francisco. I tend to run hot so a cool breeze that blows all day is just fine with me. Everyone there was so very friendly and helpful, too. I liked that people were outside enjoying the weather playing and sunning in the parks, talking to each other and enjoying their city. The Farmer's market at the Ferry Building was ridiculously amazing. I wish, wish, wish, we had something even close to that here in Gilbert. There were food vendors, farmers, and crafts. We ate a Korean taco, tried super fresh goat cheese, ate enormous Asian pears, and I had fresh oysters on the half shell. If we had had a refrigerator in our hotel room, we would have bought a lot of food.
There were only 3 things I could do without. The first was the trolley's, I hated them. I know, they are treasured there and that is the first thing you think of when you think of San Francisco, but, they are overcrowded, and if you're on it, you either have a butt in your face or your butt is in some one's face. Also, the operators were surly, obviously annoyed and just plain rude. Then there are the bathrooms. Do not ever use a public bathroom while you are there. I tried to find nice restaurants and order a snack or a drink and then use their restrooms. Lastly, and I know this is part of the charm, but walking those hilly streets is a KILLER on the calves. Even the locals don't seem to care for it.
All in all it was a great time. I got to spend time with Jon alone, do a lot of sightseeing and shopping, and ate at some fantastic restaurants. I really needed the break, for sure.
Sorry for the rambling, but it's late at night and I wanted to get this posted.
Alcatraz:
Architecture I thought was beautiful:
San Francisco had art everywhere:
The Bart subway station at Powell St.:
Ship used on the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty":
The Bay Bridge:
Famous Boudin Sourdough Bakery:
The old Del Monte Cannery had a gorgeous facade:
We had a flight of wine here. I loved the way they put cut off bottles over the lights:
I hope you all had a fabulous Memorial Day Weekend!
