How We Spent Thanksgiving (today)

Spent Some Time With The Grand-kids!

Yes, I can still sit on the floor...Indian style...I'm getting better at electronic games...good enough that Maycin has full confidence in me to play with him!

The Three Gilberts (Maycin's first name is Gilbert)!

The Rios Family...

The Yokley Family (minus Maycin...he didn't want to be in this photo)...

Sisters...

This is Cliff after every Thanksgiving meal...

Going in for the...

...kiss!

It's not only Thanksgiving, it's our Wedding Anniversary!!

(Thanks to Lacee...she took all of the black and white photos except the one of her and Ashlee.)

Grandchildren

Edits to look like paintings...taken today!

Brett Rush Concert Live (at our church)

It’s been a wonderful week getting ready for Brett Rush Concert Live at our little church, New Life Community Church. Brett is a pastor and a young Christian recording artist. He and his team came yesterday giving a worship workshop seminar. After, we invited them to a church potluck, and later he and his team gave a 2 hr. concert. It was a fabulous time of worshipping together with Brett, Andrew, Ryan and Austin…and you know me…I had my camera and Brett and his team were very accommodating. More about Brett:

www.shoutlife.com/brettrush

www.myspace.com/brettrushmusic

Brett Rush and Band

After the concert my friend, Joanna, took the next 3 photos with my camera. I'm much more comfortable behind the camera...the dork that I am, I decided that the "secretary look" was appropriate with Brett. After all, I did introduce myself as the church secretary...

Then I got negative feedback from the audience; Aw, Gayle, just do a nice smile! I brought my hand down and around Brett, I felt something very cold. Behind us was a counter, and Brett put his ice-cream on it (we served ice-cream after the concert). I had laid the back of my hand right in his ice-cream bowl. He told me not to worry about it; let the photographer keep shooting. The photo below is me putting my hand in his ice-cream. Ugh!

So, I straightened right up and got ready for a nice smile shot...this is the result. After the camera was put away, Brett was more worried about my messy hand than his ice-cream that he ate anyway!!

Our worship team with Brett & team having fun!

I just had to do it! Everyone wearing glasses is on our team plus Pastor John.

I'm sorry the photos are such poor quality...I'm not great at indoor Photography!!

Discovering Feet!

Today...little Miss Margo has been discovering her feet!

Rios Puppies!

There were 7 in the litter...one sold already. Two males and 4 females left. I know the one with the brown patch over one eye is a male, but not sure about the rest.

Parents below...female pure-bred no papers, male papered

Good Day with Grandkids!

It was a rare moment getting Maycin to be still long enough for a quick photo!! Not only did he allow me the privilege of getting a solo shot of him, but also a shot with his little sister, Princess Peanut (aka Margo Fargo). Yep, my dear people, it was a good day!

Pink Hat and Pearls

Today was my day to watch Margo Fargo (aka Princess Peanut), and I could hardly wait. Ashlee dressed her in a cute pink coat and this adorable pink hat. This hat was hand crafted (knitted) by her babysitter, Promise. Don't you just love that name? Promise?? Every time I hear her name I think of God's promises...Promise is a fabulous name indeed. Anyway, I was oozing with delight all over this beautifully hand crafted (knitted) pink hat made just for Margo Fargo. Oh yes, I was told that Promise whipped this puppy out within 1 1/2-2 hours! What a talented young lady. Okay, so I was truly taken by this adorable hat and just had to have a photo shoot with Margo Fargo and her hat.


Props are always fun with babies and I thought the hat would be enough until I remembered my string of pearls...well, they aren't really pearls, but I'm not going to tell Margo Fargo. Here is her meeting with the pearls. "What the hoppin' bunny are these?" I figured she was thinkin'.



Back to looking at Nana..."Nana, how's this pose?" I of course thought it was quite perfect for a 4 month old baby girl that is getting acquainted with pearls. She liked draping them across her porcelain smooth skin.

"Awwwwww, Nana! These are feeling wonderful against my porcelain smooth skin. I think I love pearls!"

"Nana, thank you for introducing me to these glistening, shimmering, gleaming polished beauties! I can get use to these real quick!"

"No, Nana! I really mean it! These are definitely something I like against my smooth porcelain skin!" She screamed with delight!

Margo Fargo (4 months tomorrow)

Margo has a new nickname...Margo Fargo (but she will always be Princess Peanut to me). Margo is hanging with me on Mondays now while Ashlee becomes a professional embroiderer seamstress. So, I'm taking advantage of influencing Margo in every way, and versing her in all of the Nana world I can, such as, "Nana is an outdoor girl". Guess what?

So is Margo Fargo! Can you see that smile?

Margo is taking this very seriously. We were just talking about the beautiful fern and the redwood overhead...what beautiful creations of God. I think she agreed and...

...she pondered while she admired His work overhead...the redwood! And then...

...she did what babies do.

Nothing like fresh air to go with that thumb...

"Does anyone else feel sleepy?"

Going, going...

...gone! Margo, we'll catch up later...yawn!

Pelican Feeding Frenzy (part 1)

When the girls, Maycin and I went to the beach last weekend, I had gotten up before the rest on Sunday morning and went for a walk along the beach. I came upon a pelican feeding frenzy right off shore. It was amazing to watch and no one else was there to watch it with me. So, I video taped it. This is part one of two. Be sure to watch it in high quality (click down below video on right side).



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjVNwTLqAfg

WE ARE FAMILY....Pajaro Dunes

This just happens to be my favorite photo of my whole weekend get-away with the girls and Maycin. I can't tell you how wonderful it was in words! We did a lot of everything...playing in the sand, laughing, eating, taking photos and playing in the sand again and again! God's grandeur brings not only a grateful heart but also jump-starts the little kid inside ya again. Wonderful combination!!

HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU???

Clifford came home from the store today, buying all kinds of things we needed...mostly groceries. We needed other items as well...like body wash...Clifford is very particular about his body wash. I'm glad Clifford is particular about his body wash, because his body wash is oh so fragrant. And, because his body wash is oh so fragrant, it makes him oh so fine. Yep, I'm glad he is particular about his body wash. Well, he is particular about his body wash but not so much about his lotion and he wanted to try something new. Well, when there is anything new in our family we sing and we rejoice and and sing some more!! But what we love the most is testing the new product out. So, naturally, I had to test it out. I began by opening the lid of this new product and leaned near it so I could smell it. But, I wasn't able to smell a thing. So, I ever so gently squeezed the bottle and POOF!!! Cliff and I laughed and laughed... (You can click on the photo to enlarge it if you like)

Flower...MURDERER!!!

Like most of you, I like looking at my flowers in my flowerbeds and gardens (they bring a smile to my face)...These mums are prolific this time of year!

this trailing Petunia is going strong along my sidewalk

these yellow Lantana add mounds of splash here and there

These purple Lantana happen to be my neighbor's across the street. I love purple Lantana. Purple Lantana are drought resistant and they love our central valley summer heat. I love purple Lantana because they are pretty and draw butterflies. Yeah, Lantana and I are pretty tight. However, just a couple of nights ago, while sitting at the kitchen table I hear Clifford mowing the front lawn. Only, whatever he was mowing was certainly not supple morsels of grass. So, my interest drew me to the window, and to my horror, Clifford was mowing down my (okay our) beautiful purple Lantana!! I was near tears and probably would have gone outside and jumped Cliff, and punched him between the eyes, but my baby, Lacee, was watching. She felt my pain and yelled out the window to an unsuspecting and quite unknowing Clifford (as he was deafened by the mower's pulverizing and hacking sounds), "You FLOWER MURDERER!!" Oh that made me feel so much better as it left us both light-hearted with laughter! Now every time Cliff walks by we whisper, "flower murderer" to each other and smile!

Poor Lantana!

Poor, poor Lantana! Oh, I guess I should say in Cliff's defense, we do cut the Lantana back to nubs in the fall, as it comes back gangbusters in the spring. However, we usually wait until they have completely pooped out of their blooms!

While Lantana lay dormant, I have decided to treat our bed by the garage with Starbucks grounds. They are free and give nutrients back to your soil. My hope is that our neighboring cats will not like the grounds as they seem to love using this area as their personal cat box. YUCK!! GRRRRRRRRRRRR!