Suprise!

 

Last Saturday was our Grandpa Buddy's 80th birthday. Our whole family threw him a surprise party at Ethel's Old Corral. Let me tell you, throwing a surprise party for someone who doesn't have any internet, social media and etc. was the easiest thing because they will never find out about the party because you don't really have to hide it. I swear if you knew this man you would never think he was 80 years old. Grandpa Buddy still to this day drag races his quad in the dunes. Absolutely fearless. That's the best way to live life to the fullest.

 

 

 

 

 80 years of friends and family gathered around watching a slideshow that Aunt Wendy made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone enjoyed being around life long friends. Even though it was 103 degree outside and Ethel's Old Corral only has a swamp cooler. We all had a blast.

 

Here's to 80 wonderful years. Happy birthday Grandpa Buddy. I love you!

 

Join me tomorrow I will tell you all about our anniversary celebrations.

One.

One year ago today... I woke up bright and early surrounded by all of my closest friends and family members as we prepared for the biggest, most important day of my life. My mom zipped up the most beautiful white dress and my sister putting my veil in my hair.     One year ago today... My daddy gave me away to the most handsome man standing at the end of the sandy aisle. I promised him forever and he did the same. We exchanged rings and a kissed and we were pronounced married.  

One year ago today... I became a wife. I gained three new steps sisters and two step brothers and two amazing set of parents. My parents gained a son and my sister finally has the brother she has always wanted.

  One year ago today... my new husband and I danced to the most beautiful song. I cried with my dad on our father daughter dance.  

One year ago today... we had an incredible celebration of love with all of our loved ones where we ate, drank, and danced.

  One year ago today... I became Mrs. Lopez and I think God for each and every single day he has given me with this amazing man.    

Happy one year anniversary! xoxo      

Welcome Home, Hero

One of my favorite blood cousins is Stevie. (Shh.... don't tell anyone)  Stevie has been in the army for the past 12 years as a helicopter mechanic. He has been on 6 deployments. In my high school years I became really close with Stevie. I could tell him anything. Last Friday he was finally home. And when I mean he came home, his home for good.   Last Friday Stevie didn't know we were coming down for his welcome home party. Once my family and I walked through the door. His eyes got big like he was so happy to see us. He got up and gave me a hug. I held my tear back so much.   I have such respect for the wives/husbands of all military men/women. Saying goodbye or hello is probably the most emotional thing EVER!    

   

Left to Right: Mom, Me, Stevie, Jenny, Curtis, Dad

   

Top Left to Right: Damon, Tom, Curtis

Bottom Left to Right: Me, Stevie, Jenny, Mom, Dad

 

Stevie and I

 

My dad, Stevie, and I

 

My mom, dad, Stevie, and I

 

Hitched! McKee Wedding

Damon and I had a blast on memorial day weekend. We stayed in Morro Bay, CA because our cousin Courtney was getting married in Cambria, CA. Her wedding theme was happily ever after princesses. It turned out so beautiful. Love you Courtney! You made such a beautiful bride! Congratulations!

 

The room we stayed in at Morro Bay was beautiful. We have a fireplace in our room with ocean and Morro Bay rock view.  

 

(We were watching the movie Ted)

  Since we were leaving on Memorial Day. I wanted to stop by my papa's cemetery to put flowers on his grave and tell him thank you and how much I miss him. He is buried at Bakersfield Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the Tehachapi hills. It is so beautiful. Every time I go there I can feel him next to me.

 

Michele's Graduation

Congratulation to my best friend Michele on her graduation from California State University of Fresno! I am so proud of you! You did it!  

 

   

Patio Dreaming Ideas

As you all know, Damon and I want to cement in our front patio. Today is our Home Owners Association meeting. Today is when we get the okay to get rid of the giant litter box in front of our house and make it into something we can lounge and enjoy the outside weather. That is if its not to hot. It can get up to 115 degree in the summer time. I put together some items together to show you how I would love to decoration our front patio.

 

Let's start with furniture. Since it's a smaller area I chose these two comfortable lounge chairs with an end table. I found these at Kohls.

 

 

Then there are the smaller items that add big character to a room/area. I would like to put a solar candle vase on the end table along with a smaller plant. The bakers rack is going to go in the corner of our patio with flowers on it. I will be placing flower planter boxes around the whole patio. I found the green patio rug on Amazon and the outdoor pillows at Target. Shanty 2 Chic my favorite DIY blog shows you how to make the mason jar chandelier pictured below. She has a lot of good ideas. Go check her out.

 

 

I'm head over heels with the image I have in my head for our front patio. Wish us good luck with our  meeting.

 

Can't wait to show you the process and the end results to our front patio.

Unit next time! Enjoy!

 



Vacation/Event Overload

I've mention before that Damon and I plan on going somewhere once a month Well that changed to every weekend. So here our schedule..... out of town. We are on vacation and event overload.   April 12, 2014 Courtney's Bridal Shower   April 13, 2014 Melissa's Baby Shower   April 19, 2014 Feed to Homeless in town   May 10, 2014 McKee Bachelor/Bachelorette Bush in town   May 11, 2014 Mother's Day/Eli Young Band Concert in town   May 17, 2014 Michele's Graduation in Fresno, CA   May 25, 2014 McKee Wedding in Cambria, CA   May 30, 2014 Stevie's Welcome Home Party in Covina, CA   May 31, 2014 Michele's Birthday   June 8, 2014 Our First Anniversary in Pismo, CA   June 14, 2014 Caitlyn's Graduation in town   June 27-30, 2014 Damon's Trip to Mammoth, CA   July 3-6, 2014 4th of July Trip to South Lake Tahoe, CA  

Patio Dreaming

 One of our next projects is to lay concrete in our garden section in the front of the house. Since we had a crazy cat lady that feed all the strays. Our garden has been nothing but a stinky outdoor litter box for the strays. Damon and I have decided to lay cement and buy a small set of patio furniture or a bench.   Once we get the approval from the association. It is time to get our hands dirty. Next time I blog about the front patio it will look completely different.

 

It's the ... Catalina Wine Mixer

Sorry it has been almost three months from my last post and only my first post of the year. Damon and I have been so busy and tired with work. We really haven't done anything other than that. I was talking to Damon about how we need to relax. We decided that every month we deserve a weekend getaway. So in March.... (which is also our five year anniversary of dating and two year anniversary of our engagement) that this month needed to be something special.

I surprised Damon with the location of Catalina Island.

Most people know about Catalina by a quote in the movie Step Brothers. Hints the name of the blog. Yes I edited the f-word out of my blog title. And yes Damon found a hat that had that quote.

We left our town after work on Friday and drove to Newport Beach. We stayed at the Hilton and got a bite to eat. I couldn't sleep at all I was so anxious to go to Catalina in the morning. We boarded the Catalina Flyer. It took about two hours to get to the island.

Once we arrived I was breath taken by the beauty of the island.

The water was so clear you could see the orange fish below.

  

We grabbed a taxi because walking half a mile up a hill to our hotel is very difficult with luggage. We stayed at Catalina Canyon Resort & Spa. Once we got our room keys and dropped off our luggage. We walked back down to the shops, pier, and all the attractions. As we were walking down the marathon runners were finishing. The fastest time was 3 hours 04 seconds. Holy cow..... 26.2 miles in 3 hours and 04 seconds on an up and down hill and mountain island. WAY TO GO MARATHON RUNNERS! The marathon started at the other end of the island which is called Two Harbors.

I had the best long island ice tea and fish and chips at Bluewater Avalon. The restaurant has it own pier and overlooked the water. I highly recommend it if you ever go. After we ate we walked around explored all the shops, and got ready for a semi-submarine tour called the Nautilus. It was a yellow submarine. Like The Beatles song.

We all live in a yellow submarine. Yellow Submarine. Yellow Submarine. We all live in a yellow submarine. Yellow Submarine. Yellow Submarine. 

The submarine was the coolest thing I have ever done. You could buy torpedo shots. And it shot out food to the fish. I felt like the fish knew that we were going to be feed because they would follow the submarine.

Here fishy fishy fishy

After a long day of walking around, enjoying the beautiful atmosphere, and relaxing. We ate dinner at Cantina Catalina a Mexican restaurant that looks out to the pier. Then headed back to the hotel.

The next morning we check out of the hotel and paid for a luggage service since our boat didn't leave  to Newport Beach until 4:30 P.M. and we didn't want to carry our luggage around all day.

We went on a tour that took you around the island and dropped you off at the casino. (It's not a gabbling casino just a building that is called the casino. It is a ballroom and an event center. It is now a museum and a theatre.)

Some of the views from our tour were so beautiful!

I was so fascinated by the tour and learning all of the history of Catalina. In 1919, William Wrigley (founder of Wrigley Bubble Gum) bought Catalina Island for 10 million. He also owned the Chicago Cubs which is why the Chicago Cubs used to hold there summer training in Catalina Island. The golf course is where the baseball field used to be.

During World War II Catalina Island was strictly a United State Military Base. The only people allow onto the island was military. The tour showed us a street of houses were the military base was. Some of the old world war II quanza huts were turned into houses.

I hope you enjoyed our trip as much as we did.