30 December 2011

Kingman ...

My parents were taking a mini vacation in Laughlin, and invited us down yesterday to meet up with them for some antiquing. I have a new obsession with crystal. My mom has given me a number of bowls, trays, candle holders, and candy dishes. I added a great crystal salt and pepper shaker set to my collection, and of course I got a deal. Next on my list is finding a crystal wine decanter. Justin got a lot more license plates to hang up in the garage. I can't wait for us to put them up to fill in more of the far wall.

Til our next antiquing adventure.

24 December 2011

Magical Forest ...

Tonight we all went to Magical Forest at Oppurtunity Village. We haven't been in a few years and man did they upgrade! We had a great time strolling up and down the paths and enjoying hot cocoa and funnel cake. We even saw Rollie Fingers there with his family. I didn't have the heart to interupt him and his family, so there's no picture. I love Christmas lights, they are like the cherry onto of a sundaie.



23 December 2011

Holiday Light Parade ...

The family climbed into my parents SUV and we had a mission. Travel around town looking at all the Holiday lights. Better said than done. Our Itinerary included us all going to dinner, the glittering lights at the speedway, a few holiday dancing houses, and the magical forest. There wasn't enough time in the evening to experience everything without us feeling rushed, so we never made in to the magical forest, but that will be on our list for all of us to visit on Christmas Eve.

GLITTERING LIGHTS AT THE LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY





THE BEST DANCING HOLIDAY HOUSE



13 December 2011

What the Flock ?!

My mom usualy puts up her giant artifical Christmas tree every year full of thousands of lights and ornaments, but this year my dad really wanted to get a real one, and flocked ontop of it. We all made it a family outing to the tree lot and browsed all the different tree types from charlie brown to ones that looked like pine cones. Of course in our style we made a joke every fifteen minutes about "flocking" and of course we thought we were the funniest people ever.





11 December 2011

Secret Menus 411 ...

Not sure if any of this is true, but mighty intresting ...

24 Secret Menu Restaurant Menus

10 December 2011

The Merriest Place on Earth ...

Last Tue, Wed, Thu we went to Disneyland with another couple that we are friend with. The weather was absolutly perfect and we had a blast.

First night we went shopping at downtown disney and had the greatest dinner at the Jazz Kitchen. The atmosphere was so great, and I had the best beef medallions and bloody mary ever. The boys had a few too many moonshine drinks, but made for a very fun evening.



The next day we spent the whole day from sun up to sun down at Disneyland. The Holidays are the best time to go for the best decorations. It even snows after the fireworks. We even got to be picked to ride the Tower of Terror before the park opened. Best perk ever. We took pictures with Chip and Dale, and even go to sign the guest book.







And of course we stayed at Candy Cane Inn.

06 December 2011

Happy Saint Nicholas Day ...

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th (December 19 on the Julian Calendar).

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

Nicholas' tomb in Myra became a popular place of pilgrimage. Because of the many wars and attacks in the region, some Christians were concerned that access to the tomb might become difficult. For both the religious and commercial advantages of a major pilgrimage site, the Italian cities of Venice and Bari vied to get the
Nicholas relics. In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari succeeded in spiriting away the bones, bringing them to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy. An impressive church was built over St. Nicholas' crypt and many faithful journeyed to honor the saint who had rescued children, prisoners, sailors, famine victims, and many others through his compassion, generosity, and the countless miracles attributed to his intercession. The Nicholas shrine in Bari was one of medieval Europe's great pilgrimage centers and Nicholas became known as "Saint in Bari." To this day pilgrims and tourists visit Bari's great Basilica di San Nicola.

Through the centuries St. Nicholas has continued to be venerated by Catholics and Orthodox and honored by Protestants. By his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, St. Nicholas continues to be a model for the compassionate life.

Thank you to Saint Nicholas Center for all the information.

05 December 2011

Plastic Wedding ...

Super-talented—and super-creative!—photographer Beatrice de Guigne masterminded this ingenious photo shoot then captured it all on film over three days.

“Barbie & Ken were married at Faraway Castle, in Plasticity. The bride bought her dress from The Fairy Godmother shop and her shoes from the Cinderella Store. The groom wore a suit from The Prince Charming Emporium. The couple met more than 50 years ago (yes I know they look young). Barbie was tired of waiting so she asked Ken to get married.”

Barbie & Ken's Wedding Pictures

Beaticede Guigne Blog

01 December 2011

December Means ...

It's time for the Holidays !