Being Silly!

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The Art Institute, Mamma Mia! & Bahama Breeze.....

What a great weekend I had! Jacob is here visiting colleges and I was so impressed by all his drawings. He really enjoys art and certainly has the drive and the creativity needed to study art. People think you are born knowing art. Art is a skill that is learned, just like math. Some people do better in math because they like it, some people are more artistic - because they like it! He is so passionate about his characters, and his imagination is HUGE! Jacob needs structured instruction to channel his artistic abilities and the Art Institute will be able to provide that for him. Guess we will see if he gets accepted and if he decides to attend the Art Institute. I am delighted that Don and I are able to provide him the opportunity.



Yesterday I saw the Broadway play "Mamma Mia!" in Pittsburgh with two friends, Anna & Christine. What a great musical. It was full of energy, excitement, gogo boots and spandex. We had a blast. I can't wait for the movie to come out on dvd next month.

After the play Anna and I went to Bahama Breeze for dinner. We had great mojitos, jerk chicken pasta and flatbread. I had a great girls day out.

Today Jacob has an appointment to tour West Virginia Northern Community College here in Weirton. It is cold today and we had a lite dusting of snow on the ground this morning. Don and I both took the day off work to spend with Jacob. Touring the Art Institute inspired me to draw...which I havent done since High School! I got out my sketch pad and charcoal pencils and started drawing the human body to scale to give Jacob something to study by! Good luck Jacob - I hope you get to follow your dream! I love you!

New York City, John McCain, Halloween Fun......and a some BIG NEWS....

I have had so many fun things going on since my last blog. I simply cannot spend the time needed to keep this blog updated with everything I am fortunate to experience. Just in the last week I have been to New York City, attended a John McCain "Whistle Stop" in Ohio, and dressed up and attended a Halloween Party! Life moves quickly.......

Last weekend I went with three friends on a "Redeye" motorcoach tour to New York City. We left Weirton, WV at 11:00 p.m. on Friday night and arrived in Manhattan at 7:00 a.m. We had a one hour driving tour of the city and then we were dropped off at Macy's on 34th and Broadway. We did some purse shopping that was quite an experience. Got some "good deals" on merchandise if you know what I mean. Love my new Gucci, Coach and Dolce & Gabanna handbags which I picked up at a fraction of the retail price. We had a great breakfast at "Ellen's Stardust Diner" at 51st and Broadway - home of the singing wait staff! The staff are all kids trying to make it on broadway and they sing and dance while waiting tables. Much fun, great food and I highly recommend the experience. We did some shopping, visited Rockefeller Plaza (the ice rink is much smaller in person!) and experienced the subway!

The tour guide Ronnie, and my friends Patti, Jeannie and Debbie all in front of Macy's just after he dropped us off. 8:00 a.m. on Saturday October 25th. 56 degrees!




This is a picture of Jeannie, Debbie and Me in front of Rockafeller Plaza at the ice skating rink. We also toured Ground Zero, St. Paul's cathedral, saw the Statue of Liberty from across the water and had so much fun just being together and walking around Manhattan for 12 hours! We arrived back in Weirton at 3:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. Very exhausted and tired, but we were all committed to going back and doing it all again in the Spring. I just kept thinking about how much my neice Andrea loves New York City, and how much I would love to take my daughter Alex - she would love it too!

On Thursday I got an email at work from the office manager telling us that John McCain was holding a rally at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Steubenville, Ohio, on Friday at noon, and anybody that wanted to attend was free to take off work with pay to go! How much fun I had! I went with two girls from work (one was Jeannie from the New York trip) and after standing and waiting for 2 1/2 hours for John to get there (he was an hour late) we realized it was worth it. We were dead center and five rows back.

He looks much different in person and you can really feel his sincerity when you are face to face with him more so than on television. I am glad I was able to attend. My first political rally and I am such a McCain/Palin supporter!

That afternoon my friend Anna invited me to attend a Halloween Party with her. Don had to work so I agreed to go. Had to come up with a costume at the last minute and after looking through my closet I remembered my labcoat and scrubs that I was going to use to paint in. I put them on, grabbed a witch's hat and went as a "Witch Doctor".

The theme for the party was Caveman/Cavewoman. It was lots of fun. Thank you to my friends Mike & Karen for holding a great party in their beautiful historical home! Don is sad he had to miss it.

Next weekend will be lots of fun too! We are so excited to have Jacob coming for a visit from Alaska!!! He has applied to attend college at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and is flying down for a campus tour and personal interview with admissions.

NOW...for my BIG NEWS.....

I am going to be a GRANDMOTHER! I know, I know, I can't believe it either!! Congratulations to Heidi & Michael.


They are expecting their first child, a baby boy on April 1st, and have chosen the name "Tristan Michael". We are excited and hope and pray for a healthy pregnancy.

I told you, Life moves fast!!!

Happy Labor Day, and a Birthday Wish!

Happy Labor Day to Everyone! Don and I are enjoying our day off and getting ready for his parents to come for a visit next weekend. The ivy needed a light trimming and the weather was just perfect this morning to get it done.

We returned from the Florida Keys last Wednesday and were quite happy to get back to our home, puppies and normal routine. It was a great birthday present! I enjoyed a "Cheeseburger in Paradise", great rum runners, key lime pie, margaritas and two very luxurious resorts - thanks Donny for being my best friend and always treating me like a Queen!

Happy Birthday to my Dad! Hope your day is great Dad, despite the weather you are probably experiencing from Hurricane Gustav. We miss you and although we are dreading the winter weather, we are looking forward to December because of your visit! Have a great birthday, we love you!

Blasts from the past?

I found this cool website on friends blog and just had to play with the pictures. I took one picture of me and uploaded it in various yearbook pictures from previous decades. Very funny! Check out my pictures:

1990:

1974:

1964:

1960: I really enjoyed seeing what I might have looked it from 1950 - 2000. Go to http://www.yearbookyourself.com/ and see yourself "in the past"!

By the way, I am still on vacation in the Keys. Just hanging out in the hotel room and surfing the net!

"Happy Birthday to Me...I'm in the Keys"!

I turned 44 yesterday and my wonderful hubby brought me to the Florida Keys for a week long celebration of my birthday. We flew into Miami yesterday. I absolutely love Miami - it was very clean and the people were not only very friendly, but very attractive. Love the latin feel of it all. We arrived in the Keys today and are spending the night tonight in Islamorada before going down to Key West tomorrow. The weather is beautiful. Tropical Storm Fay is way north of here and shouldnt affect the rest of our trip at all.

Don is not liking the hot humid weather, but I am sure some bikini clad women and some rum runner drinks at the Tiki Bar will make it all worth while!

Jacob & Alex's 4th of July Visit!

What a busy summer it has been in West Virginia. Alex and Jacob came for a long weekend visit over the 4th of July and we really enjoyed showing them around Pittsburgh. We saw the Zoo/Aquarium, Andy Worhol Museum, the Heinz History Center and The Natural History Museum/Art Museum.



It was great to see them and we wished they could have stayed longer. We are excited about going to Anchorage next May to see Jacob graduate High School and to check out Alex's first home away from home! Speaking of Alex - HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!


She turns 19 tomorrow. She is getting ready to start her second year at the University of Alaska, and we are very proud of her. Visiting with Jacob & Alex was certainly the highlight of our summer.