Day 9 & 10 - San Clemente

We regretfully forgot to take pictures of our double date with Francesca we had Wednesday evening. We were nannies together in Switzerland.

Day 8 - Arizona

What is not featured in these pictures is the fact that we also:

- Ran errands for Chris' birthday, which would be a Mexican food feast. Thank you Katie for the pre-dinner 7-layer dip! We are all not very hungry for dinner after that tasty treat. And the Price Domestic Goddesses made a killer apple pie, especially for Chris.

- Made a new flower arrangement for the dining room.

- Christy and Kelsey went to see Jodie at her place of work and went to Target. Weeee!!

That evening Aunt Louise, Jodie and I had a water aerobic session - refreshing and invigorating!

Day 7 - In Arizona with the Prices

Even in extreme heat, we drove to the Cardinal's Stadium (Chris' favorite team), visited the disorientating Botanical Gardens (do not do that in summer - everything is closed inside, like the butterfly exibit and cafes), and then played games with the Price cousins!

Road Trip Day 6 - Grand Canyon Hike and Meteor Crater

-The trail down!

-Strata changes on the way down into the canyon.




-Barringer Meteor Crater, Arizona. A very big hole made to look small by following our Grand Canyon visit.

Road Trip Day 5 - Las Vegas to Grand Canyon

Thunderstorms in the Grand Canyon.

We entered into Arizona, crossed the Hoover Dam (which, I believe was in Transformers 1, right?). We were lucky to be followed by the desert thunderstorms, which cooled things off and provided some shade on our drive. Arriving to the Grand Canyon, is truely breathtaking. I think we would like to return there to hike down to the bottom for a few days. Chris will hopefully post pictures from his hike a few miles into the Canyon. It was on a trail shared by the guided mule rides.

Road Trip Day 4 - Las Vegas

Chris at CircusCircus, a conflict in values, pirate ships, and one lioness at MGM.

Las Vegas was a lot bigger than we were expecting. Finally pulling into MGM Grands' parking structure was like going to the airport. No bell hops or getting registered first before parking - we felt sort of like cattle, cash cows more like. So for the first couple of hours we were not impressed, even though our hotel room was very nice at the MGM.

So we decided to play the slots, the penny slots that is! We figured out that you are offered complimentary drinks whilst playing. With a $1 tip and $1 on the slots, that's a $2 drink - pretty nice! I (Christy) personally liked the pool area, which I didn't get to until around 4pm on Thursday because we walked the Strip for about 3 or 4 hours. This place definitely is a party all the time with tons of people, music playing at all hours. If you want peace and quiet you have to go to your room. Even on my lounge poolside, there was DJ music and I didn't get much reading done. Oh well!

Our favorite slot game was Village People Party! Probably super annoying to the neighboring players, but it you got "Village," "People," "Party" to line up then you got to play another game for bonus points, with little dancing Macho Men!

MGM Grand is huge! All the Casinos were like small cities in the Strip.

The Venetian and Paris looked super cool. I also liked the look of New York, New York with, I think was, the Brooklyn Bridge replica.

Road Trip Day 3 - Death Valley to Las Vegas

This is all I can do right now because we have to hit the road! 1. Chris in Golden Canyon, Death Valley, 2. Badwater walkway, 3. Scenic lookout with a bench that looks like barely anyone has sit in it.

Day Two - Yosemite to Death Valley

So I tried to upload these in cronological order. We left Yosemite and took Tioga Pass, shistine! Ni-nite time! These pictyres are: 1. rock 2. mono lake 3. hot 4. more hot 5. coyote puply 6. sand dunes in def valley.

Road Trip Day 1 - Yosemite

Hello All, We (Chris and I) started on our 5th anniversary adventure May 29th from San Mateo, where we went straight to the Yosemite Rose. A picture of that wonderful B&B will be posted on the next post. We finally have Internet because we paid for it in Las Vegas (where it is actually day 4 on the trip, but OH WELL). Whilst in Yosemite we had points of interest, compared with our original honeymoon. This trip we went to see Bridalveil Falls, containing a short walk someone in their later stages of life could attempt, and so, Chris thought it would be good for me. It was delightful - not the misty walk it sometimes is called, but nice and with a wonderful brook to dip your swollen, pink feet in. Hearkening back to the Yosemite Rose, where we were treated like a King and Queen compared to other accommodations we have visited afterwards, we stayed in our original room from our honeymoon (awwwwww....). When we got there, Katherine the lady who runs the beautiful home with her husband, told us a tale; Since we stayed there, a gentleman who was morbidly obese stayed in the room and could not fit in the shower stall. Hence they expanded the bathroom to include a full-size shower and Jacuzzi tub - to use a Las Vegas term: Jackpot! What a lovely surprise and treat! I know what I will ask for for Christmas - a bath with jets!

Going back to Yosemite - it was immense and gorgeous. They were doing controlled burns, but we got to see a bear! Whoo hoo! We saw the little red-furred guy when we visited Glacier Point.

Over prepare then go with the flow...

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."