Birthday is over - - -

Yesterday was my birthday! The big one where you can order from the senior menu, and you start spending your social security money and then the choice of all those medicare plans. Fortunately, we skipped the medicare business because Alvin's job has better coverage and even cheaper.

I had a marvelous day. First I went to Cooper's baseball game at 10:00 and afterwards Gretchen and Chelsea took me to lunch. Then we went piano shopping because Chelsea is looking for one and then Gretchen and I went to a store in downtown Mesa so she could buy a half prize Halloween decoration. It was very cute - worth the effort to get there! Then we went to the apple store because Alvin bought me a "IPad" for my birthday and I needed to make an exchange from a 16GB to a 32GB. (why? I am not sure)

What a surprise that he bought me an Ipad - and he did it all on his own. Many of you know his history of buying any kind of present. So, I was so amazed that he actually did make such a great purchase. I do love it. It will take some time to get the hang of it but I will. Everybody is very jealous of me and rightly so.

So, I ended up back at home around 4:30 and Alvin and I went to dinner at Zetas. I love that place. The food is never bad and always such new and interesting dishes to try. Of course the chili pie is a must have for dessert even when you are filled to the brim with the main course.

Today, being Halloween, we went to Chelsea and Stephen's for dinner and birthday cake and more presents. I wanted necklaces and that is what I got. I love them all and they are all totally different. The kids dressed up for trick/treating and Alvin, Grandma Helen, Gretchen and I sat on the front porch and handed out candy while they all went out knocking on doors.


Chandler was Michael Jackson. Tatum a princess. Cooper a baseball zombie.




Can't forget my little guys in Washington! I talked to them on the phone and they had many activites to attend the last few days and were very proud of their costumes. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy! They sing a great happy birthday song too!!!!


Thanks everyone for a great birthday. I enjoyed it all!!!!

Fall Break Over!

Actually, the break was over for Chelsea today but the kids don't go back until Wednesday. So, today Chandler, Cooper, Tatum and I went for some amusement! I had read in the newspaper last week that Bret Michaels actually takes his kids out of school on occasion and takes them to "Cracker Jacks" in Scottsdale. His philosophy is they have more fun when not so busy with kids. It is an amusement park with golf, bumper boats, bungie jump, batting cages, race cars, food and arcade games. So, I took his word for it and decided to see just what kind of fun he has with his two little girls.

It was not busy because kids are in school this time of year except the Chandler schools. They had fun. First we did the golfing.



Chandler was very precise with every swing. Cooper swung his club with a vengeance every single time. Golfing didn't keep Tatum's interest.




This obviously was the favorite activity! Tatum didn't want to get wet. I couldn't drive very well. Cooper was always bumping into me. Chandler got soaked when he got stuck under the waterfall. I stayed away from that area but did try to get Chandler's picture when he was getting wet.


The little cars were rather small. Tatum couldn't ride because her legs were to short. I couldn't ride because - well you know why! They had bigger cars and obviously the kind we wanted to ride but Chandler wasn't tall enough and I didn't want to ride them myself.

We then went inside and ate pizza and drank Dr. Pepper and played the arcade games for a while. I think they had a good time! I did. Would I go back? Probably not!

Swimming Season Over!

The whole month of September was still very warm so that extended the swimming season for a few weeks longer. It has now started to cool off a little and that makes the pool water cool off very quickly. We seldom swim past the middle of September but this season it was way to the end of the month.

It is time however. Our big water blowups are leaking air, Cooper's swim trunks have no elastic left, and Tatum's swim suit gives her a major "wedgie". It was a fun summer with lots of swim time. I think Chandler and Tatum could swim forever. With Cooper that is a different story - he always gets "itchie" and needs a shower.