Continuing my Birthday Month...

I traveled up North to visit Kara in San Jose, and Frank in Seaside. It was another birthday celebration and I got totally spoiled again with delicious meals, miniature golf, and seeing a 3D movie called "How to Train Your Dragon."

Frank and I first went to Kara's studio where she had fresh strawberries and a very yummy trifle waiting for us. As always, we set a table and chairs outside so that the cat won't get to Frank, but the kitty Beatrix joined us anyway at the window...it was such nice weather!


These pictures are us at BJ'sRestaurant where we had yummy appetizers of lettuce wraps and chips & salsa. Then we split a huge cajun chicken southwestern salad with a huge portion of Calazone stuffed with artichoke hearts and cheese. We split the dishes so that we would have room for dessert....hot cookies with scoops of ice cream on top!! One cookie was white chocolate with macadamia nuts, while the other was oatmeal with walnuts. It was so decadent!!

Sorry no pictures of the miniature golf game, but we had a very good time, and the weather was beautiful, but it helped to give us an appetite for dinner...after dinner, we went to the the Dragon movie which was much better than I thought it was going to be with a pretty good storyline and great visual affects.



So I'm home again. I still have to play with my kitchen toys. And my doggy Maggi was very glad to
see me!!! Such a long drive home!!

Exciting Kitchen toys...

Boy oh Boy, I love Birthdays!! I don't even care if I'm a year old...if anything, I'm grateful for my health and surviving another year. And, yes, I make no apologies...I love getting presents!!

My husband Frank found a very good deal at Costco.com for a KitchenAid bowl-lift mixer...came with some prep bowls, instant $40 rebate, and a fill-in rebate for either the grinder or slicer attachment. I already have the grinder attachment that I got for my Kara "borrowed" KitchenAid mixer, so I chose the slicer attachment and popped it in the mail...

I'm so glad I chose the silver...almost got wild and crazy and picked the red, but glad I got a hold of myself! I'm loving the shiny silver! Looks so professional!! I can't wait to use it...probably do something simple like a cake mix or something...





I also received a very heavy package from Amazon.com that contained a cast iron Le Creuset French oven. I think it's called a French oven because it's from France, but don't let it fool you...it's really a Dutch oven with a French accent!!

I'd love to find a good scallop potato recipe for this one, so I'm about to go off in search of one, but if anyone out there has any good recipes, I'd love to hear them. I want to do this fine piece of kitchen pottery justice...

My kitchen is officially full...what I need now is a new kitchen, but that isn't happening anytime soon, so I will pretend to be cooking with Fabio or Bobby Flay when I prepare food with my new kitchen toys!!!

Squirrel!!

Here is one of the many squirrels that come in the yard to steal nuts from the bird feeder. So funny when they come around since we yell "Squirrel!" to the Maggi dog so that we can watch her run around and get all excited. If the squirrel is on the ground, Maggi will even give chase, but no way can she ever catch this squirrel or any other squirrel for that matter.

But I love how these squirrels pause in the tree and look back at the dog as if to say "Neener neener neener!"

SQUIRREL!!

Ultimate Birthday

It was my birthday yesterday, and I spent it with my parents and Peter at an Ultimate Frisbee Tournament that Peter participated in. It was held at the college I graduated from many, many years ago, California State University at Long Beach, so I wore my Alumni CSULB shirt!! I promise next time to wear my Cal State Fullerton MOM shirt next time!!
Peter had a great time and showed so much energy and technique during his play time. I think I sort of understand what's going on now...kind of a combination of football, basketball and soccer!
In the evening, we had Thai food and then indulged in some death by dark chocolate cake!! It was so delicious!!!!
And very pretty too!!!!
You want a bite????

All in all, a very happy birthday!! I got spoiled again with a pretty sweater and some money...which will be put to good use, I think, buying plants for the backyard!!

Early Easter

We had an early Easter on Saturday this year since Sunday is a traveling day for Kara and her dad Frank to get back up north for school and work...worked out rather well!! Above, Kara and her Oma preparing dinner and appetizers. Kara made a delicious gaucamole which got gobbled up in no time!
We took the Maggi doggy along even though she does get a little car sick...she's very happy once we get to my parents...here she's kissing William...
And she's ready to get Peter in the kisser too!
Kara showing her Opa her new phone...kind of a complicated one with all the gizmos on it...
We had a nice visit and had a nice family dinner...just being together on Easter and other holidays is what's important to us.