LA

The Magnet Recognition Program was in LA this year.  It's allowed for time to connect with friends from across the country and experience new adventures.

 My room was interesting - the hotel is a Moroccan theme, but with a metal cactus in the lobby.

Glass door knobs - I love them!

A little bling at the convention center

A High School of the performing arts - one like Glee is based  on.

 Melissa Gilbert welcoming us to the conference Wednesday morning

 Guacamole created table side

 Interesting lights in the restaurant

Filming of NCSI-LA on the way to the convention center Thursday morning.  You can see we had clouds and some rain in sunny LA.

Mark Feuerstein, the star of Royal Pains Welcomed us on Thursday morning.  He was a hoot and the crowd loved him.

A Win in OT!

Wow, another nail biter!  They took us into overtime and then we finally won with a field goal.  One that we just knew was going to be short.  To our surprise it just cleared the goal posts - whew!  We're 3 for 3 games that we've gone to that they win in OT.  Is that good or not??

 

 

9 Years

It's hard to believe it's been 9 years already since we said "I do".  The time is flying by!  Kendall sent me a dozen beautiful roses and we had a nice dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

 



Happy Birthday!

Today is my sweetie's birthday.  I decided to re-create a cake that I found on Pinterest.  Check it out here.  I think it became a work of art!  How fun...

 

The Creation in the making.  Two layers of brownies, 2 layers of chocolate chip cookies, 2 layers of cheese cake, 1 layer of Graham Crackers - all held together by Marshmallow Fluff filling and Chocolate Butter Cream.

 

Chilling in the fridge

Glowing

Let's hope he gets his wish!

 

Peaches

Last night Kendall and I produced 11 quarts and 1 pint of beautiful Colorado peaches from a box that Melanie got for us on her trip north.  This still leaves us some for eating and enjoying the fresh flavor and juiciness.  As last year, we lost a jar in each batch of the water processing.  One of these years we'll figure out what the issue is!  The total would have been 13 +1 if we wouldn't have had the mishap.  No jam this year - maybe we can work that in next year.

Grand Canyon

We were able to fit the Grand Canyon into yet another weekend this summer.  This time we had a little twist to it by catching the train that was part of the Grand Canyon Railroad.  It was a leisurely 2 hours and 15 minutes up, about4 hours at the Canyon and then another 2 hours and 15 minutes back.

Friday on the way north we passed this sad site.  The driver was standing behind the truck out of harms way, just watching it burn.



Saturday morning began with an old fashioned shoot-out

The Train on arrival at the Canyon



Kendall looking out over the vastness of the big hole in the ground

Indians doing a dance outside the Hopi House

We spent about 15 minutes in rocking chairs of the El Tovar porch - very relaxing!



The train on the journey back to Williams



The weather forecast was for isolated thundershowers - we saw some off in the distance

 

This cloud looked like an angel feather that had escaped

We were victims of a friendly robbery on the way home



 This was our car



Heading back into Prescott we saw this rainbow

Glads

So thoughtful of a friend to bring flowers to Bunko last night.

Will Rogers Follies

We had a fun time at the Arizona Broadway dinner theater last night as we took in Will Rogers Follies.

Photo courtesy of the theater website.

The Morning Scramble

It's been awhile since I was in the studio to do a cooking segment.  This time I was with my friend Janne who did a grilled Salmon.  I made Jean's Broccoli Salad = YUM!

Ingredients ready to assemble

Tonya Mock, the host of the show

Microphones

The finished product

A Novel - The Widow of Saunders Creek

The Widow of Saunders Creek, a novel by Tracey Bateman


The author, Tracey Bateman, pulls from her environment in the Missouri Ozarks where there can be the clash of the mystically-oriented and beliefs from the Bible. Corrie Saunders moves into the house that is being renovated by her late husband’s cousin. Born into the lap of luxury, Corrie decides to move into the country of the Missouri Ozarks in hopes of staying close to her husband who died a hero while serving in the Army in Iraq. She struggles with the ‘presence’ she senses in the house and growing feelings for Eli, her husband’s cousin. A time of healing and seeking God bring her to a place from where she moving into the future.  The subject of the mystically-oriented family members is an interesting one for a Christian novel. As the reader, I would say the jury is out whether it was effectively pulled off.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sunday Dinner

It smelled like an old fashioned Sunday dinner walking into the house after church today!  We certainly enjoyed it.



Pot Roast with Vegetables

Cake!

I was in the mood for German Chocolate Cake, so I started out with Lois' German Chocolate Cake recipe in THE Cookbook (My Sister's Recipes).  Then I realized that I didn't have any coconut.  Bummer!  But wait, there is always peanut butter in the house!  So I went on line and found a great butter cream recipe with peanut butter in it.  Actually it is the filling for Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies, but it works.   Wow was it good!

Time with Barb

It was so good to have some time to spend with Barb again.  We can pick right up where we were years or decades ago.  I was in North Carolina for business and couldn't resist the 2 1/2 hour dirve to spend a little time with her and John.  It was so good of the Angie, Tiff and her family to come hang out for the evening.

Angie - so grown up!  I will always remember her a such a cute but self sufficient 13 year old.

Tiff and Bob.  How could she have already attended her 20th High School reunion?

We had yummy Chocolate Tunnel Cake along with BBQ Chicken and yummy sides.

We also had dipping chocolate.  Here are Tiff's children (Ava and Cooper) with Nana (Barb) in the background.

This is in the elevator in my hotel



Weekend Activities

Another activity filled weekend.

Friday we headed to the Diamondback's game, and then Saturday up north for some coolness

State flags at the Courthouse in Prescott

It is the state's centennial this year

A Forever stamp of AZ

Draping from the 4th is still up

Sunday afternoon we met up with extended family for a birthday celebration for Jayna at Chili's

It's a Three Ring Circus!

No, really!  Kendall took me to the circus for my birthday.  He is exposing me to new adventures, and I love it!

Let the fun begin!

There were lots of kids having a good time

High fliers

 Graceful elephants



SEVEN motorcycles inside the ball!