Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A visit with our Long Beach Friends!

Stephanie was coming down from Vegas with her family. A few of us got together at Rebecca Ellsworth home for a little lunch.

Stephanie, Julie, Rebecca and Daleen

Sabrina, Corrina and Aliza.
Last week Aliza filled out a little questionnaire from school. One question was name a best friend. So when she was quizzing me to see if I "knew" her. She stated that there were four answers for that question. I said ok....Chelsie, Kaylee and Taylor. Then I paused and said hmmmm..I don't know who you picked for the last one. She let out an exacerbated sigh and said My very first best friend Mom...Sabrina!
Steph and I were pregnant at the same time and spent lots of time together with our new babies....but we did move away when Aliza was one! I love how connected these two still are, after all these years!
Stephanie's, Rebecca's kiddos with Aliza!
I finally got to meet and hold Mr. Noble Waite! He is the oldest of Stephanie's babies by the time I got to meet him! He is 8 months old now. He has a great smile and his sister Camille's beautiful blue eyes! I love being able to get together with long time friends and catch up!

Christmas Gifts

Everyone gets a new pair of shoes for Christmas!

Len loves to make breakfast. He has coveted one of these flip waffle irons for years!

New jackets for Sarah and Jordon

Aralie tried very hard to guess her gift this year. The hint I gave her was, something you will love...that you want but don't know you want! She loves Micheal Buble...so a concert ticket for her to go with us in April!

Hannah wanted an Itouch and a favorite new flannel

Aliza in her favorite outfit from Christmas and her Itouch. Aliza was so cute with Christmas this year. She wrote Santa a letter (actually several) thanking him for being such a hard worker, asking about Elves and a little note to Santa about a gift. She said since she and her sister were both asking for an Itouch, that if there was only one to give it should go to Hannah because she wanted it more. She also noted she would be very happy with an Easel and art set. I just adore her loving spirit!

We had a great Christmas, it was happy, relaxing and enjoyed just being together!

Christmas Eve

Every Christmas Eve we celebrate with certain traditions. We read Luke 2, The Littlest Angel, The Nephite Christmas Story and we drive around and look at lights. Then we open our ornaments and new jammies!

This year Vernell (Len's Brother) showed up just as we were leaving for a get together at the Rudolphs. We had a nativity play and went Christmas Caroling with some good friends!

Aralie has re-discovered Harry Potter this year, Hannah has been infatuated with Toy Story, The cute bears for Jordon & Sarah, Fun Disney for Len and me...and a cute little dancer for Aliza!

Vernell and Leonard
The Family with all our new Jammies on!
The Christmas loot waiting to be opened!

Feliz Navidad

Considering the tough economic times this Christmas we decided to have a special dinner with a few other families that we normally exchange gifts with. We did a little Mexican Fiesta Dinner with The Bowens, Banrys' and Mowers'. We had lots of yummy food and just enjoyed an evening together!



Feliz Navidad!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Ports O Call...20 Years Later!

We got married at a little wedding chapel in San Pedro on the boardwalk in
Ports O Call. We went back to take a picture in front of the chapel for our
20th anniversary. It was gone! sniff sniff! It used to be a really cute place, but it is all changed. Run down or commercial. It's unique character is gone!

The View from Our Room

For our 20th Anniversary we went to the Terranea Resort in Rancho Los Palos Verdes.
It was right on the cliffs of the ocean! It was a beautiful resort with amazing views! If I can't fly to Hawaii...this is the next best thing!
We had a fantastic time walking along the cliffs, enjoying the sunsets and getting pampered in the spa!
This was the view from our 6th story room at Terranea.
I could just sit on the big comfy chair at enjoy this serenity!

This is a view of the Spa..it had it's own private pool and chairs right on the cliffs!
A view of Catalina Island right from our room!

Sunset at the Spa Lounge

After enjoying a day at the spa, we enjoyed sitting out on the private spa deck and watched the sunset.

A view of Catalina Island

The moon just appearing as the sun is setting!

The colors of the sunset were just phenomenal

The Coast Line Hike

The resort had a two mile coast-line trail!
The water was a beautiful aqua green!


A nice gentleman from North Carolina offered to take our picture!

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The Cliffs at Sunset

The sunsets were just amazing. The colors and hues were so breathtaking! We could stroll along the 2 mile trail and just take in all the beauty!



My Sweetie!

Sitting on the rocks listening to the waves crash, while watching the sunset.
There is no better way to spend an evening!

Nelson's Cafe at Terranea

This was the view from our table at Nelson's Cafe at the resort.
The cafe sat right on the edge of the cliffs!
We had a scrumptious shrimp po'boy!


The view of the Lighthouse. It is a real lighthouse ran by the coastguard.
We could hear and see the waves crashing on the rocks from our table.

An Anniversary Bouquet

A beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies from my sweetie for our
20th Anniversary!

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Happy Birthday Sarah!

Happy 17th Birthday Sarah!



I made Sarah a cake for her birthday...a yummy chocolate one!
Her she is making a wish and blowing out the candles!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

December 16, 1989 = 20 years today!

20 years ago today I married my Sweetie!
We met and married in 1989. A chance encounter when I dialed the wrong number and heard a very sexy voice say, "USS Missouri, Boatswain on the Watch" We met later that night at the US Naval base in Long Beach!
That was March 24, 1989-Good Friday
We danced, we talked and we laughed. It was Easter Weekend and we both had plans. We made a date again for Monday. We saw each other everyday after that for months. Then he left for a final cruise on the ship, just for a few days!
We married 8 months later on December 16, 1989.
20 years later we have four kids, we have lived in three very different areas and owned three homes! We have made many wonderful lifelong friends in each place. We treasure those friendships and the love and life lessons we have learned from them.

We have endured illnesses, layoffs and loss, but we have gained so much more in the life we have built together in these 20 years! The memories that we have made together with our kids is what life is about! I am looking forward to see what the next decade of life brings us!

I love you Sweetie!

The Bride

The Groom
The Ceremony

Mr. and Mrs. Hoskins

The Wedding Party
Marie Lambert as Matron of Honor ( her sister was the one we borrowed the name Aralie from)
Daleen and Leonard
Edward Terry as Best Man
Kenneth Morton(aka Squirrel) as the brides escort down the isle.

Last year I wrote 19 reasons why I love my Sweetie. This year I will re-post and add 1 more for our 20 years together!

1. He's a great Dad
2. He loves to Coach the kids in sports
3. He always wants the best for me
4. He always thinks about my comfort or happiness first
5. He's helpful
6. He's kind and considerate of others
7. He works hard
8. We like the same movies
9. We like to share entree's at restaurants
10. He lets me pick the Desert
11. He loves Lost, The Office, Desperate Housewives as much as I do
12. He always fixes my computer when it's sick
13. He likes the same sports I do
14. He always does the early morning shift, no matter what it is. Thanks Babe!
15. We like the same music
16. He loves mexican food
17. He spends time with his family
18. He likes to play games like Settler's and Power Grid
19. He's a handsome sexy guy!
20. He never forgets the Special Occasions...
Birthdays, Anniversary's, Valentines and all the other holiday's! He always goes out of his way to do something special for me, like the Roses he brought home today! (well he did have to learn after the first Christmas that women do not love shower caps as a gift) But, I have never been disappointed since!

Celebrating Us!

We had our Reception in the Club House of the apartment complex. With no family and only about 30 guest coming to help us celebrate, we just did easy and simple. We hired the deli girls to cater and serve a small dinner. We ate, we danced, we laughed with our friends....and then we headed off to Jamaica!

A Toast to Us!

Our first night at our steak and lobster dinner at the Resort.
Wow, such 80's hair!
(isn't it funny when you have random people in your pictures!)

The happy couple...despite the 80's fashions! Nice short shorts Len! Check out those acid was shorts on me! Yikes!
The Sandals Resort was so much fun! So much to do and it was couple only too! We met 2 other couples that were married on the same day and at the same time as us!
We went out on Kayaks, Catamarans, Snorkeling, Horseback Riding, The Falls, Canoeing up the river to watch Island dancers and eat Jerk Chicken!
Dunn's River Falls...the water was sssooo COLD!
(again with the 80's fashions-short bathing suit)
We said when we were in Jamaica that we would come back for our 5th anniversary...well two kids and two houses later in 5 years that was NOT happening! We still haven't returned in
20 years!