10-29-16

Halloween Party 2016 @ Jason & Kendall's home.

Jason is Willy Wonka.

Kendall is on Oompa Loompa on the left.

My Medusa costume was a total FAIL so I went as a REDHEAD. Bob went as my blonde surfer husband. :-) Cheri is Christmas Gift Wrap Girl & James is a high school baseball player (wearing his original uniform from those days).

Nick & Heidi were a couple for AARP Lives Matter. Laurel was a character from Game of Thrones.

It was a great party with friends and I guess...

REDHEADS have more fun too!

10-28-16

Adrian & Russell returned to our house for a couple days & last night we tried out Top Golf in Scottsdale.

The 4 of us had a fun time hitting golf balls to the lighted targets.

You can choose from a variety of game options too which adds challenges.

Congrats to Russell who was tonight's winner! He's a very good golfer BTW.

Top Golf was packed, especially for a Thursday night. I guess they are pretty busy all the time & book a lot of company functions  & parties too. We topped off the night with pasta at Oreganos & heard exciting details from their past month's travels. Today the boys flew back to Australia.

10-27-16

For over 3 + months we've been up to our eyeballs in home projects!! Not just our master bathroom remodel at our house (which that alone is plenty) but also the Mini Mansion & our other rental house in Ahwatukee.

We probably bit off more than we could chew while Bob still had work trips & I went back to Iowa in the midst of it all. Despite the craziness we kept all the projects going; redoing landscaping on 2 rentals, new sprinklers on 3 homes, new skylights & refinishing wood floors at Mini, new carpet, paint, sliding doors & more at the other rental.

The top 3 photos show the Mini Mansion patio. The brick was pulled up, ground leveled & bricks reset. It came out GREAT! Thanks to Nico & his hard working crew!

Today Bob & James added some artistic iron bicycles to the front & back yards. Yesterday they poured the concrete & today they bolted the bikes in place. Thanks guys!!

This is the road bike...love it!

10-26-16

Morning jog with the dog.

10-25-16

Bob did a great job planting the seeds & encouraging our garden to grow!

Radishes, carrots, tomatoes, spinach & more. Yay!

10-24-16

ANGRY emoji reflects our emotion today!

Bob's mountain bike was stolen from our garage last night. We think we must have left our garage open by mistake & forgot to cable lock 2 of our bikes. Our bad...a very bad mistake! This morning I discovered a strange clunker bike laying in our driveway at 5:30am & soon realized our garage door was open. That scared me (& Harely as we were just heading out for a walk). Once it registered, I quickly got back in the house, woke Bob & called the police. Bob's nice mountain bike had been stolen. ARGH! We are so angry there are such horrible people in the world who look for opportunity to steal. Today we've been adding extra safety mechanisms to our home.

10-23-16

Mountain biking fun with Vitesse friends!

It was a good morning in the desert!

10-22-16

It's been a couple years since we've seen a Horny Toad but we saw one today! I think that means "good luck" is coming our way! :-)

10-21-16

An evening to sit outside & enjoy.

10-20-16

It's an eggs & bacon kind of morning! Thanks to Bob & Harley for making a yummy breakfast!

10-19-16

April found THEE perfect wedding dress tonight!! PS: It is not the one she is wearing above.

This is the dress...blurred out for the official reveal on their wedding day; April 22, 2017.

Carol & I along with Michael's mom, Carole had the honor of accompanying April to her 1st wedding dress appointment. April did not expect to find her dress on a 1st appointment but when she appeared in this one...we all knew...PERFECTION! So fun to be involved in this very special shopping day. April will be a gorgeous bride!

10-18-16

Getting my Halloween costume ready for a spooky party on October 29th.

Any guesses on my costume?

10-17-16

Looks like Adrian is having an awesome time flying & driving around the USA!

They left Arizona & have been in constant motion. Top 2 pics: Adrian's aerobatics ride over Las Vegas!

Adrian took a flight in the TF-S1 Mustang (Crazy Horse) in Florida!

That's a pretty sweet rental car in Hawaii! 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera S.

They're getting in some R & R too. Pretty sunset on the north shore of Oahu.

Adrian & Russel will be back at our house for a couple days next week.

Looking forward to catching up with all their adventures!

10-16-16

Harley teaches me how to enjoy all our senses;

1) SEE the beauty before us.

2) HEAR nature's music.

3) SMELL and identify ALL fragrances.

4) FEEL the world's wonderful textures (on your belly).

5) TASTE and enjoy.

#doglessons #sunrisewalk

10-15-16

Bob flew into Phoenix today.

I picked him up at the airport with our bikes, drove to S. Mtn. Park on Central, and biked to the towers. 

Saw this guy at the top about to launch for a nice paragliding ride over the desert.

10-14-16

Hi Martin! :-)

Thanks for sending these lovely photos from your recent anniversary trip.

Pretty accommodations in Mudgee.

Interesting flower.

 Beautiful Ruth!

Cows from the land down under.

I always enjoy seeing photos from Australia! 

10-13-16

Happy Birthday to Bob's mom! We are blessed to have such a loving mother in our lives! Wishing you the best day, Pat...we love you!! Photo from Tahoe...a fun pic of Pat with Bob & Bob. Harley posing on the camp chair. teehee :-)

I want to show a recent photo (stolen from M) highlighting the talent & love that Pat shares with others. Here she is helping her granddaughters sew their Halloween costumes. Love this!

And since I was in Iowa, October 6th... I didn't get a chance to post birthday wishes on my blog to our beautiful nieces. Happy birthday! We love you two!!!

10-12-16

Shadow Selfie.

And biking with my babe.

My tail bone is better & I'm trying to increase my cycling again. I've missed it!

10-11-16

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

This is my special find from today! I was browsing Hallmark's numerous Christmas ornaments on display (yes, well before Halloween). :-/. The Rice Krispies ornament caught my eye & I had to bring it home. This ornament is an instant reminder of my mom who has always made the best Rice Krispie bars (I think her secret is double the butter.) ;-) An easy peasy treat but such a sweet reminder of her making them with love when I was little (& even when I was big). :-)

10-10-16

My Three Owls. 

Found these cuties at an estate sale recently. They have a pretty gold finish & I posed them in our curio cabinet full of knick knacks that I love. :-)

10-9-16

Well...I knew it would be hard to leave mom today and it was. :-( I had a week spending each day with mom; helping her get comfortable, helping her adjust to this strange place & helping her with physical therapy to get stronger & walk again. I am so happy with mom's progress! Mom still needs to gain a lot more stability, stamina & strength but she has great therapists working with her plus many family & friends surrounding her daily. 

PS: I am also thankful this week was time to talk & just be together. I will always be so proud of mom...she is an amazing woman! Thank you Bob for taking this photo...it captures our week to a "T" & makes me cry.

10-8-16

Bob flew in last night & we had breakfast with mom. Then Bob & I headed up to the farm to see my brother, Monte & Emily & a bunch of their kids & grandkids. Most of them were in the field taking down an old fence. It was a pretty blue sky day & they were having a fun time!

7 of Monte & Emily's 10 grandkids. Too much cuteness! :-) We had lunch with the crew & enjoyed catching up with everyone. Extra special to see Janna, Andrew, Kavan, Riley & Keelan. They are loving Iowa & their new home & job in Sioux Center!