SpokeVegas...part deux

So.  Alot to write and mucho mucho pics to share!  The girlfriend trip was awesome....and very soul soothing.  I got there a day after the others and on that first day, they went boating where one of the crazies jumped in the lake and precisely cut her toe on who knows what and ended up in urgent care getting it stitched up.  I know, for a fact, they she felt NO pain.....if ya know what I mean!!  Nor did she allow herself to feel any pain for the next 4 days....if ya know what I mean!!  Heh.  Most days and nights, we just hung out at our buddy, clisa's house, where she entertained us to the hilt.  She is the hostess with the mostess of all time.  No one was EVER hungry or thirsty the whole time we were there.  She and tricka prepared the most awesome welcome bags for all of us that included such fun stuff....we all got wine glasses with different scenes according to who we are.  Mine, of course, was surf and sea!

Jules also brought all of us the coolest bracelets.....we are a "starfish" kinda group!

One of the days, we were taken to the Arbor Crest winery in Spokane.  It was high atop a mountain and overlooked the Spokane River..........a beautiful view.

There was a live Blues band that played while the tastings were held all afternoon and into the evening.

Our hostess with the mostess prepared the most beautiful picnic for all of us to enjoy on the grounds while listening to music and laughing until our bellies hurt.  When you see these pics, you'll agree about the quality of this picnic!

Gorgonzola potato salad, boiled jumbo shrimp with red sauce and remoulade sauce, fresh fruit, tarragon chicken salad along with 4 of the melt in your mouth cheeses and crackers I've ever had!

We tasted alot of vino, stood around and talked, sat on the ground for our picnic and walked thru the estate.

Some drank out of bigger "wine glasses"!!!!!

It was truly a magical day with good food, good drinks and the best friends a gal could ever hope for!

And on the last night, when everyone else had to go home, I was still there to bother the hostess.  Take a look at what we pulled out for dinner for the two of us!!!

HaHaHa......girls gotta eat!!  But mostly, we just did this!

Plotting and Planning the next trip!!!  dontcha know?  This one ^^^ is gonna spend the first 12 days with me in Italy.....WOOOOHOOOOO!!

Spokane Washington.....2012!

What Makes a Mama's Heart Warm???

Well.......this pergola that my boyfriend built for me at the new hunting camp with the most gorgeous view, to swing my grandbabies in or to just spend some quality time looking out into the wild blue yonder!!

(there will be 2 swings in it when finished!)

Or..........having this view of the cabin to look at in my gazing hours!

But what REALLY makes this ol' heart happy is to see THIS view!!

My sons and my boyfriend and an adopted son all "swangin'" together with me in the swing!!!

**sigh**.......Man, I love those boys!!

Happy Sunday!!

Good Times in Spokeville!!

Haven't had time yet to go thru all my pics.  Will be back over weekend to share the awesomeness of the PNW!!

A-Shopping-We-Will-Go!!!

Since my card reader is not working and I can't get my pics from my camera to my computer to show you all the fun and awesomeness that is going on while I'm up here in the PNW...that would be Washington state to my southern friends....I will just tell you how much fun we will be having today!!  My peep, that I'm staying with and who is going to Italy with me.....God, I love the way that sounds!!....and I are going shopping today for our trip!!!!  Who knew we would be able to do this??  SO. MUCH. FUN!!  Not for clothes, of course, since there will be NO room to even bring alot of clothes....but just the incidentals that we're going to need to fulfill our needs!  hahahahaha......the list may be long!!
Back to post pics when I get home on thursday!!!    CIAO!!

WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOO!!!

It's Birthday Time!!

HAPPY HAPPY 31ST BIRTHDAY TO MY MIDDLE SON!!

uh-oh.  While searching thru my image files for a new pic of baby birthday boy....I just realized that I hardly have any!!  Um.......ahem.........since the birth of my grandchildren, I seem to have stopped taking pics of their moms and dads anymore.....aaacccckkk.  Must correct that.  Soon!

So.........not only is this HIS^^ birthday but he was born on my daddy's birthday!!  He's not with us anymore but never a yr goes by that I don't smile on the 20th and think about two very special guys in my life!!

Who be bad??

These are a few of the "ladies" that I am flying up to Washington state this weekend to play with.......and that is a sceery word!!!  Yep.......some of my internet buddies of about 12 yrs are getting together for a long weekend of boating, winery visiting, eating ms. clisa's too cool for school foods, drinking just a few teeny tiny cocktails...........and laughing!!  We try to get together every few yrs to catch up and renew the love!!  Funny?  If I ever needed anything at any time, I know these chicks would be on my front door in the blink of an eye even tho we live many, many states away......WA, St. Louis MO, Nashville, TN and TX!!!  Just as I would be there for them....and they know it.

So.............come Friday???   Leavin' on a jet plane!!!!  WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!

The Dancer!

One of the instructors at my Pilates studio teaches ballet to little girls.  Well.................I ALWAYS wanted to take dance class when I was a little girl but unfortunately that was a little too pricey to be included in the family budget when I was growing up......back in the old days!!   Not to worry, I thought....I'll just take my daughters to ballet when they're old enough.   Ahem........I soon learned that was not to be since my 3 sons chose hunting, fishing, golf and football over ballet!!  So, it's only fitting that my first granddaughter should be enrolled in ballet and my daughter in law has graciously accepted my offer.  YAY!!! I get to be a dance YaYa after all!!!  Her first experience will be next week at 'dance camp' and then she will begin regular classes in the fall.  And just take a look at her first little leotard and ballet shoes......why she already even has the moves down!   She is too adorable..........

I see more tutus in the very near future!!

An-ti-ci-pa-tion!!!

                                                  
  (courtesy of pinterest)
2 months from today!!!  I will be boarding a plane to connect in Atlanta with a very fun peep from WA state, where the adventure will begin!!  We then get on a plane at 6pm and fly and fly and fly until we arrive in Paris in early am...........then a short flight to Pisa and we're Italian by noon!!!
Have SO many things planned..........truffle hunts, cooking class, spas, travel to as many cities as I can get to in few months!!  and PASTA!  with a teeny tiny bit of vino thrown in for good measure...hahahahaha!!!  My list is getting long of things I don't wanna forget even tho all I'm taking is one carry on bag and a backpack!!
When my boyfriend and I went to Italy back in 2005, I had a huge obsession with windows and felt the need to photograph all I saw.........thinking every one of them were more beautiful than the previous one.  Hoping to hold the window shots to a minimum this time!!  Somoe of my older images:

Sigh..............just perusing my old pictures makes my heart beat faster in anticipation of my trip!!!

Cap'n and Sweetcheeks!

Ms. Lilli and her mom spent the night with us last night while the husband - dad- son was working overtime!

We had fun, of course, swimming and eating and talking.  This morning when we woke up, it was raining so we hung out on the deck, enjoying the cooler temps and watching the rain droplets fall....washing the tree lined river with a fresh haze ........making the colors pop with color and smells of summer!!  So lovely.  Meanwhile, my hummingbirds were circling the wagons (feeders!) and buzzing my head telling me they were hungry and to get up and fill their supply.  At one point, I counted 9 around one feeder!  Well, lil ms. inquisitive had to help me  make it - should have heard me trying to explain to her how the water turns from clear to red with food coloring - and then help her grandfather hang them back up....all the while the birds were buzzing around their heads.  It was quite the picture and so sweet.

Daughter-in-law is getting to be quite the photographer....she captured this pic with her camera!

Simple times like this are becoming so important to me...making me realize how lucky I am to be living the life I live!!

Good Times!

We had very dear friends with us this year ..... known each other for a very long time. Things change....times change...but the feelings for good friends always remain the same.  So fun to have them share this holiday with us!  Our chirren were all scattered about this yr and specially since the holiday fell on Wednesday and most had to get back to work today, it was a NOT SO LOUD day.  And they all know what I'm talking about!!!

A friend and his mom.....and everbody lovin' them up some ribs and corn and sausage!!

Visions of sugarplums....er, Independence Day foods....danced in our mouths!  Cannot believe I didn't get a pic of those ribs........cap'n outdid himself on those!! (OR the fireworks display..tsk, tsk)

Another wonderful summer celebration at Rio Bonito!!

(cap'n told me my flag hanging looked kinda tacky.....I was all, wha??? what's more american than duct tape??!!)