Well, I meant to post to Facebook!

I guess this is as good a time to start posting again, as any,,,,,I really enjoyed this video of marching geese.

Hello, everyone!  We have had an eventful summer:

We spent July 4th weekend at Starvy Creek Blue Grass Festival  Maggie and Jiggs.  This was our first outing with the Motor Home.  As usual we had a great time.  We took the dogs, as fire works are not allowed, and they start the first of July or earlier in our neighborhood. vexing all the puppies.

In August we went to St George Utah, for my nieces wedding.  It was a true family reunion to have my brother and his family, DD1's family and DD2.  We had a grand time.  It rained all morning but the sun came out in the afternoon. and all was beautiful and fairly cool.
She had cupcakes instead of regular wedding cake, which Caшa, and Лука, enjoyed!  She did have an unusual smaller cake that the bride and groom cut.  It was decorate with blackboard and chalk frosting something she always said she wanted!

The reception was fun with lots of dancing and a photobooth Лука, who has been dancing since he could walk, danced all night along with his mother, or his brother or by himself.  Caшa was possessed by the photobooth.  He photobombed a number of guests and learned how to take the picture.  Every time we lost track of him he was sneaking into the photobooth.

The next event is our trip to Europe at the end of the month.  I have had the London segment pretty well planned for a month,  We are going 2 days earlier than the tour for some extra time.  I splurged on a 3 day London Pass for the extra days and I hope it will be a worth while expense.  One good thing about the pass was last week they sent me an email about some tickets for Buckingham Palace being available,  I went right to the website and scored 2 tickets for one of our non tour days.  It was really something I wanted to do that was not included with GoAhead Tours.

Christmas Travel Prep-Friday Fragments

It's always fun to join with Mrs. 4444 for FF as it gives us a chance to share "Fragments" of our week without a large posting, please go over and join us. 

We have made lots of lists so we can get the RV ready for our trip to California.  I woke up this morning ready to get started.  We are going to stay at Carpenteria State Park right on the ocean.  I hope the much needed rain in CA will stop and it will be beautiful....as usual. Actually we can jump in the car and go, when we don't take the RV, but we have to do some stocking of the pantry and there are some projects that concern towing a car.

I have to get the dogs ready for the trip as well.  One nice benefit...they will get walked several times a day when we travel with them.  Also have to shop for groceries for them too.  I have to check their immunization for Bortadella, and get them all bathed and clean.

I have my shopping done for the boys...I went out to pick up some books, yesterday, and that finished up my list. I got a book of Christmas Stories, that includes the first Christmas Story. I am not sure they have heard that particular story yet and I believe they should be introduced to the reason for the season. Their folks are not religious and I am not fanatically so. but at almost 6 and 3, they should have heard about something besides Santa Claus. 

I still have some things coming from Amazon, that should come today. I have wrapping them before we go...on my list too.  Hope it gets done and I don't have to wrap Christmas Eve as usual.

DD2 isn't going with us as she has to work.  She signed up to work for Christmas Day for the double pay.  We are all going to get together for a Family wedding in August so she will see the boys and her sister then. I wish she could go, maybe next year.

Chatting About Travel

1.  What are you most looking forward in the remaining months of 2014? Visiting California in September to see the boys, some fall travel in the RV, then the Holidays which will take us back to California. I also am looking forward to Fall TV, there are a couple of new shows that look interesting. 

2.  Tell us about the last movie you saw, or book you read.

We watched Divergence recently, it was ok, but, I think I like the Hunger Games better. I am reading the next book in the Outlander series. 

3.  Do you ever make smoothies or juice? I prefer smoothies to juice, but since I can only find my immersion blender since the move, I don't make them as often. There is a place in Santa Barbara called Blenders in the Grass, I love that name. They make great reasonably priced, smoothies in a variety of flavors. I usually go when the boys are at the park or taking a nap to get one for lunch, they are so good and fresh.

4.  Who do you wish you could talk to right now? 

My mom, I miss her so much. Recently I have had some questions about her side of the family and I have no one to get the answers from.  They are mostly gone now. 

5.  Please finish this sentence. "If I could spend a week in a lovely cabin in the mountains I would like to be able to go to the Rockies and spend some time camping in the cool weather.  It has been very hot this last week."

Merry Christmas-Saturday 9

1. As you can see, when Sam Winters was a little girl, she loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. If you could ask Santa for anything at all, right now, what would it be? 
I would love to have a slightly used small car just to tow behind our RV when we travel next fall. 

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there? 
I think, my grandsons would say, I am on his nice list, and I know they will think that when, they open their Christmas Presents.

3. Are you traveling this Christmas? If so, are you going by car, plane or train? 
I traveled last Tuesday. by many planes, to Santa Barbara, CA.  It was a very long trip, three planes, four airports.
4. Did you buy yourself a gift this year? 
Not yet, I will probably pick up some earrings as I did not bring any with me.  My gift is really this trip.

5. What's your favorite holiday-themed movie or TV special? Have you seen it yet this year? Last year, I shared Christmas Vacation because I have several favorites and we had the same question.  Another favorite is Love Actually, which takes place at Christmas.  I watched on Netflix last Sunday afternoon and I love the music.  I has some of my favorite male actors in it too.

6. Which do you prefer: candy canes or gingerbread? Gingerbread for sure! I like almost anything ginger.

7. Close your eyes and tell us the first carol that comes to mind. 
Silver Bells, since I sang it to my grandson Caшa last night, when I put him to bed. 

8. What's your favorite winter beverage? 
Hot Buttered Rum, my dad use to make it Christmas Eve.  

9. What will you remember most about 2013?

Chatting about the Holidays

http://www.everydayruralty.com/

1.  Have you baked any Christmas cookies yet? No, since Christmas will be at DD1, and Mr BC and I don't need to eat cookies here in MO.  
2.  Have you finished your shopping yet? And what did you get me? No, but I have started. Since I am taking an airplane to CA I will finish it out there.  Wendell you have my best wishes for a ton of carrots and to feel better.
3.  If you had reindeer like the story of Santa, what would you name them. (Be creative.) Remember, they were Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolf. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go on to the next question, please. Aches, Pains, Trouble, and Worry, I wish they would dash away, dash away, all.
4.  What was the most memorable Christmas gift you ever gave or received? We gave DD2 a new VW Beetle, one Christmas. We wrapped a small toy version of it with a half dozen clues that eventually led her to the garage. It was a total surprise.
5.  Please tell me something new, interesting, or funny. 

A Chat on the Porch

1.  Please tell me the three most valuable things you learned as a child or young person.

That ultimately life is not fair so you make the best of it.

My mom and dad knew more than I thought they did.
Always Flush.

2.  Did you participate in Black Friday or Cyber Monday?

I did order something for Christmas online. See my last post for my feelings about Black Friday.

3.  Do you pray? I bow my head when others pray.  I prayed as a kid, and though I question all the time, I do find myself beseeching the great unknown, in times of trouble, (Like when Mr BC was having an angiogram last week, all is well) so I guess I do pray.

4.  Have you been invited to any parties to celebrate Christmas or New Year? I am going to CA on Dec 17, for a weeklong moving party, with DD1, when they move into their first home. I will spend the day after Christmas with my brother and his family.  No specific party, though.

5.  Have you ever owned cowboy boots or a cowboy hat? (A cowboy? Tee-hee :) Just had to throw that one in for fun!)  I had a Cowboy hat and boots when I was little and have a picture of it somewhere.