Favorite Mother's Day Quote

"Parents, we can either fear that we have messed up our kids or trust that every moment with them still matters." 

                                                                                     ~  Allan Fuller, Pastor

                                                                                          Mountain Park Community Church

                                                                                          Phoenix, AZ 

Spring Blooms at Covo Hills 

                                                                                  

I love that every moment with our children still matters, which in turn means, every moment with our parents still matters. There's nothing to fear in the the empty nest except a lingering look at silent rooms with beds always made. Why does that makes us sad? When adult children leave home, relationships grow sweeter and every moment more precious as the days between hugs grow longer.

Easter...again!

Instead of questioning why there are two Easters, I decided to rejoice that I could celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ twice.

First at Mountain Park Community Church on March 31 with wacky, wonderful, wise and witty Pastor Allan who drives home the message like none other.  He took us on a unexpected Easter journey from YOLO ~ You Only Live Once in the world where earthly pleasures and successes are your reward to YOLO Extreme ~ You Only Live Once in the world but maintain an eternal perspective with heavenly rewards.

And today, at the Greek Orthodox Church, where the Resurrection was celebrated as in the past with incense, candles and the traditional Easter Song ~ Christos Anesti ~ Christ has Risen sung many times over thanksgiving and holy reverence.

A different interpretation but the language of LOVE remains the same.

Missing Lakewood

There's something magical about living on a lake, even a man-made lake in the middle of the desert.
The privacy of an uninhabited space that stretches beyond your own backyard. Natural views by day, magnificent sunsets at night, always different, always worth stopping whatever you're doing to gaze at the changing hues and reflections on the water. 

Out for a Spin in January

Colors of the Sunset

Welcome Winter Rain

Easter Evening

 Lighting up the March Sky

Our cul-de-sac

Morning Walk

This is what I will miss most about Lakewood.
 

Girls Day Out

I love this photo...happiness...sigh
Missing you two already

The Other Side of Vegas

This is the glamous part of Vegas art we're accustomed to seeing at the Bellagio gardens.

Thanks to Lanie's birthday wishes and her daughter's willingness to be our chauffeur, we strayed off the strip into the downtown area where legendary casinos like the Golden Nugget, Four Queens and Binions remain the hallmark of old-style Vegas. Fremont Street is now a pedestrian mall with a zip line down the middle and state of the art multi media canopy with larger than life animations, integrated live video feeds and synchronized music, according to the Freemont Street Experience website. We saw a tribute to Heart.








Some kitschy neon signs remain standing downtown. Others are preserved in the Neon Museum. Sure, the signs are tacky by today's standards, but also charming and senimental ~ a nod to a bygone era when a casino was just a gambling hall and not a trip to a foreign land.

Jeff cashed out and got real coins 

Fremont Street

Jeff and Marianne, Jerry and Lanie

Notice the zipliner hanging on the left side 

Taste of Chicago ~ Portillo's comes to Scottsdale

We've talked so much about Portillo's that our friends in Scottsdale kept us posted on the first one under construction in the valley. Lanie sent me this text yesterday morning before we got together for the day and I jokingly responded. After bowling, Jeff wanted to drive-by even though Portillo's wasn't officially open for business. We talked to some folks at the front door, even name-dropping, with no success, then chatted with some guys by the drive-through, asking questions that made us sound like regular customers, which of course we are in Hinsdale. The next thing we knew, we were invited to help "train" the drive-though employees by ordering for real and mock paying.  Jeff made sure the offer included meals all around, so two chopped salads and two Italian beef and sausage sandwiches, we were heading to Lanie and Jerry's with our freebies, included drinks, fries and onion rings. Nick and Katie were jealous to hear of our good fortune. Portillo's is one of those places you may not go to real often when it's right down the street, but every so often, the craving comes and it's nice to know it's around the corner.

Never Alone

Watching me check emails

Ozzie quickly settled into his winter home.

Even though he still goes outside, Ozzie is not the wandering cat he is in Hinsdale. In fact, he doesn't go far at all.

Sleeping in his basket

Trapped on his leash

On the computer before breakfast