Ezra helps to clean

We find ourselves doing some pretty goofy stuff when Ezra is around. One of those goofy things is crawling around on the floor. And when we're down there chasing him and whatever has rolled under the furniture, we see lots of dust. So we taught Ezra how to dust....or something close to that!

Dinner with Friends

We finally got some time where all four couples could get together. We had a potluck dinner and I had dessert duty. My instructions were "light". Now these are die hard chocolate fans so how to do light? I just chucked all that and went with a "Pig Cake" because I loved the name!





After dinner we had a rousing game of "Preferences", which is a board game that started big in Canada. Great time and we did pretty darn good, I guess we know each other.

More Toys for Ezra

Our friend Teresa surprised Ezra with some new toys. He was so excited. After he licked all the faces, he started moving them around and trying to ride them. And my house is beginning to look like a day care!

Viva Las Vegas Stamp

At the urging of my friend Susan, I dashed off to Viva Las Vegas Stamps. Words cannot describe this place so I'm giving you a link to a short video.

I grabbed a cab (because it is so cold and I have no idea where this place is located) and the taxi line director gave me the oddest look because he thought I was a postage stamp collector. When I got in the cab I gave him the address and he gave me the oddest look. As we approached the area I saw why......it's located in a very seedy side of the strip. I know, the entire strip is seedy, but if you think that, you can not imagine what the seedy side looks like.

Finding the place was an adventure. It's a good thing I had a driver with a sense of humor and determined to find the place. He's lived here over 40 years, and driven a cab most of that time, and has never been here before. After a phone call, which was an adventure because I didn't write down the phone number and my iPhone Google app thought I was saying "viva las vegas dance", he called 411 about the time I googled it on the internet. We did this while pulled over to the curb across the street from the gay bath houses and wife swapping club, I kid you not.

We ended up driving around the back and finding this shack, and I'm being generous. The driver asked me if I really wanted to go in, and then he said he wouldn't leave me there. He was going to wait for 15 minutes and if I didn't come out he would come in.

I walked up and had to ring the bell so the guy could buzz me in. Should I have been concerned? After trotting down a dark little hall I walked in the door to a room crammed (and I mean stuffed) full of rubber stamps. This is more stamps than I have seen in my entire life. He makes his own and they have so many, and odd ones, that you could spend hours here. But I had the cab driver waiting for me. But I did some quick damage and got back to the cab. I will be returning to this store when I have more time and someone to share the adventure, other than the cab driver.

Oh, and there are cats everywhere in here. Long haired cats. They are laying around everywhere. Even on the tiny little counter. I didn't see the dog but he did bark a whole lot.

This place would be hell on earth for my dear husband.

Happy 2011!

Well this year we changed things up a bit. We have been going to a friend's home in recent years, but they got divorced in 2010 so we all had to make different plans. We ended up doing one of our favorite things in the world......staying at home! But the best part was having Ezra for the whole weekend. His parents spent the weekend in the wine country celebrating their 3rd anniversary, William's new job, and their charmed life...we still call them the "Magic Couple".

But mostly we watched football all weekend......all football....all weekend. Ezra now lifts up both arms straight up when the football crosses in to the end zone. We no longer need to say "touchdown". That's how much football this boy watched. And we were really pleased that the Raiders won. Silly, but we're so happy to be at .500.

Still no new photos. My camera can't snap photos fast enough to capture the quick moving Ezra. My new iPhone has a faster response time, but I've yet to learn how to download/upload the photos. I think technology may have passed me by, or I just need to get motivated to learn a new trick.

We are so blessed to be happy, healthy, and surrounded by family and friends. We're eagerly anticipating more joy in 2011.

Lindsay's Leaving California

Today's the day that my adopted daughter, Lindsay, leaves California. She's on to her next adventure, moving back with her family in Colorado. She has a dream job that she's starting in January. Her dad and brother drove a pickup truck to Dublin, CA where they rented a U-Haul, filled it full of her stuff, and are now driving back to Fruta, CO....home of Mike the Headless Chicken, but I digress.

I'll miss Lindsay's sparkle, Jessica and William will miss their sister, Ezra will miss his Aunt Lulu. She has become such a huge part of our family and it hurts that she's so far away. But we'll all tough it out because she's on to a great situation with people who love her (they after all had her first :))

We can still text! The first text on my new iPhone was to Lindsay!

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas!

Gifts from Mama Judy (aka Ooma), she wrote the words for each shape on the puzzle pieces

A hooded towel for Ezra, also worn by William, Ezra's daddy

A book about the birth of Baby Jesus, recorded by Great Grandpa Watters, very cool and Ezra really likes it
You may notice that the Swensons are sporting red PJs, this is their Christmas gift from us. We went way out of tradition and opened some gifts last night...BEFORE Christmas! That is so far out there for the Arterburns, Jessica could not believe it...she was in shock. But then you just need to mix it up sometimes. The theme was PJ's for all the kids, even Lindsay.

Then we had breakfast and a game of Rummikub, won by William....but Edie did actually go out first on a round..for the very first time EVER...Merry Christmas to her!