My Great Grand Parents

My cousin Randy in Wisconsin recently sent me this wonderful photo of my Great Grand Parents on their wedding day in 1906. I never had the opportunity to meet them. "Ma" died in 1955 and "Pa" in 1966 when I was only 16. We'd never even been out of Los Angeles. My Dad's best memories as a kid were the times he spent at their cottage at Lake Okauchee, just outside of Milwaukee.Papers and elements from Stacey Tower's Random Musings "Purple Pudding" kit.

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Week Four: Photo a Day 2009

Well this week was a bit boring, a bit sad, with a bit of a drizzle but mostly days of blues skies with white fluffy clouds. Both of us have been battling colds and it's accompanying fatigue. Gene's cousin Walt died allowing us to reconnect with his daughters, their children and other cousins.

Here is WEEK FOUR of my "Photo a Day." Layout from Vicki Parker’s A Work in Progress “Fall Memories.”

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Week Three: Photo a Day 2009

Here is WEEK THREE of my "Photo a Day." Taking a photo a day puts into perspective that my life is not really boring. Again, hard choices as to which one photo to post. You can view the Ocean Beach Bike Ride Photo Gallery here.Layout Papers and elements from Barbara Lee’s Just Passing Through “Jeweltone.”

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Bike Ride at the Beach

We woke to another beautiful day in San Diego— 80°F with sunny skies. Gene suggested we go for a bike ride at the beach. His idea of a ride is more like a scenic jaunt with lots of stops so I was able to get a bunch of great beach photos. You can view the Ocean Beach Bike Ride Photo Gallery here.

It was 3 PM at Ocean Beach and there were still lots of people in the water and lying on the sand.This is the middle of winter!!! We are so lucky to live in Paradise.
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Week Two: A Photo A Day 2009

Gene & I just got back from a six day cruise to Cabo and Ensenada. It was a fun trip and we are ready to try cruising again.

Here is WEEK TWO of my "Photo a Day." This week the challenge was to figure out which one of many photos to use in this layout. Since I took so many photos, you can view our Cruise Photo Gallery here. Paper, elements, and alpha from Vicki Parker’s A Work in Progress “Land & Sea.”

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Ski Canada with Pacific Rim Alliance

Pacific Rim Alliance Ski Club has two snow ski trips going to Canada in 2009. There are still openings on both trips and air has not been cheaper in a long time. And because flying into Canada is an international flight, you get to bring two bags, one of which can be ski equipment (boots, skis, poles), for no additional charge. In addition, the dollar has gotten a bit stronger than the Canadian dollar so if it holds, the cost of the ground portion will decrease.

* All air prices quoted are for round-trip and includes all taxes and fuel charges.

You can download a one-page information sheet here.

To sign up for these trips you need to get your own air and then send Pacific Rim (10818 Viacha Dr., San Diego, CA 92124) a $200 deposit. Final payments will be due soon. We are in the process of finalizing the costs and should have them in a week.

Big White—
April 5-12, 2009 or April 6-13, 2009
These dates are flexible. You can elect to stay April 6-13, 2009 to take advantage of the lower air price of flying on Monday. Ground price of $650 includes 7 nights in hotel room (dbl. occ.) with microwave, refrigerator & fireplace, 5 days lift tickets, round-trip transfer from Kelowna airport, nightly cocktail parties and one dinner. Air costs on January 10, 2009 for one stop flights were as follows.

• Alaska changes planes in Seattle.
• Air Canada changes in Vancouver.

Mon-Mon: April 6-13, 2009

• Alaska: LAX from $425*.
• Alaska: San Diego from $522*.
• Air Canada: LAX from $334*.
• Air Canada: San Diego from $334*.

Sun-Sun: April 5-12, 2009

• Alaska: LAX from $627*.
• San Diego from $612*.
• Air Canada: LAX from $334*.
• Air Canada: San Diego from $541*.

Kootenay Safari—
February 28 - March 8, 2009
Ground cost of $1,299 includes 3 nights in Fernie, 3 nights in Golden, 2 nights in Kimberley (dbl. occ.), 7 lift tickets (3 Fernie, 2 Kicking Horse, 1 Panorama, 1 Kimberley), transportation from Cranbrook and to each resort, and nightly cocktail parties.

Air is on Delta through Salt Lake City into Cranbrook. Prices from San Diego or LAX are currently $305*. Check the Delta web site for other cities.

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New Year's Resolutions

I do not make New Year Resolutions, at least not on a conscious level. My honey gave me a clipping from the local throw away newspaper and highlighted a few items I need to work on. I returned the list with some highlighted items for him. It’s a good list and the right things to do. So here is my highlighted list. In the New Year… Mend a quarrel • Write a love letter • Share some treasure • Give a soft answer • Encourage youth • Keep a promise • Find the time • Forgo a grudge • Forgive an enemy • Seek out a forgotten friend • Apologize if you were wrong • Try to understand • Welcome a stranger • Listen • Dismiss suspicion; replace with trust • Manifest your loyalty in word and deed • Examine your demands on others • Think first of some one else • Appreciate • Be kind; be gentle • Laugh a lot • Deserve confidence • Express your gratitude • Make a date to spend with someone special • Gladden the heart of a child • Take pleasure in the wonder of the earth • Climb, ski, or just visit a mountain top • Speak your love • Speak your love yet again…

Layout used elements and paper from "Flower Child" by Stacey Towers. Photo of our friends, the Loyd family, courtesy Big White Ski Resort, B.C., Canada.

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Week One: Photo a Day 2009

Since my parents died, I've been tasked with going through their old photos and mine as well. I've learned a lot about myself and family from them. But what drives me nuts is the fact that so many of the photos, mine included, have no notation on who, when or where. And the really sad part is that there is no one left to ask. I wish I had started this project years ago.

So the thought of taking a "Photo A Day" and then scrapping & notating it was intriguing. The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea. I take tons of photos but not everyday so that, and creating a seven-image layout a week, will be the challenge. It will also give me a reason to share photos that typically reside only on my hard drives. Here's WEEK ONE.
Background from Stone Accents Studio "Happy SAS DAD." Alpha from Vicki Parker's A Work in Progress "Baby Boy."

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New Year Celebration

As we watched the Chargers wallop the Colts in an overtime nail-biter, I scrapped some of our memories from the New Year Weekend. We opened gifts, walked the beach in Coronado, visited the "Del", tasted Martinis, toasted the New Year with champagne, went to the movies, watched more movies at home, enjoyed seeing USC (go Trojans!) win the Rose Bowl for the third year in a row, ate lobster, calamari and way too much food. Layout made from "Happy New Year" by Lou Cee Creations. Frame from "Christmas Around the World" by Johanna L. Silhouette dancers from "Happy New Year" by Joni Gray.

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