We spent Christmas Day until Sunday in Las Vegas and we enjoyed the change this year. However, I will be ready for a real Christmas next year! Hope you enjoy the pictures.
MGM Grand Hotel, this is where we stayed.
Treasure Island, they have a pirate show but we did not get to see it.
Earlier last week they received about 7 inches of snow and we hear that they were snowed in for 3 days. There were still about 3-4 inches on the ground yesterday.
Cars were parked all over the place and on every side street.
Nicholas and I on the street corner. We really enjoyed the day. I would like to go back when it's less crowded. Who says you can't have a white Christmas in Southern California! Here's hoping your Christmas will be Merry and Bright!
Don't ever believe that Marines don't have talents beyond the battlefield. Here is proof that they are very much into lights and Christmas. Since I took these several more houses have been decorated and/or added more lights!
Can you guess what this is on the top of this house? Well, if you could look closely it is a picture of the state of Texas!
And last is a picture of the Christmas lights that Nicolette and I hung together. There are very few houses with blue lights, but we are having a "Blue Christmas" without Jeremy.
This past Saturday we went to an Ornament Exchange at a friend of Nicolette's. We really had a great time. It was nice to see some of the people I had met when I was here last June/July..JPG)
I took a group shot for the girls because some are leaving the military and some are moving to another post. This group has been together for several years. The lady on the first row with the jacket on is Major Keel's wife Robin. Before Jeremy was sent on this deployment he was in the MASS 3 unit (Marine Air Support Services) and these are the wives of the guys he served with. Most are waiting for their husbands to return in March..JPG)
Nicolette and Melody. Melody is from Utah and her husband from Alaska and she lives in the same neighborhood as Nicolette. She is very sweet and they are very good friends. I am grateful that Nicolette has such a great group of girlfriends and that they all support each other during the rough times. 
I began today finishing up a couple of projects. The first one is for a friend of Nicolette's named Carrie. We are invited to her house on Saturday for a Ornament Exchange and Nicolette wanted to take her a hostess gift. So after a trip to Michael's here are the wine charms that I made for her to give. One set for Christmas...
The other to use whenever!
Then it was off to the beach after a 30 minute Curves workout. It was beautiful and the sun felt great. I think I got a little bit even though it wasn't that warm.
As you can see I had the whole beach to myself. No one, I mean no one around. There was one guy surfing and one lady walking and that was it. I really had it made.
And here are my treasures from the sea. I could not believe I found the sand dollars! They were just laying there waiting for me to pick them up. Of course they are still brown which means they are still alive but after today I think they will be dead. Can't wait to go again! SEA YA!
I have been in Oceanside, CA for one week and so far Nicolette, (my daughter in love) and I have hung Christmas lights and decorated her tree. The lights are blue because we are having a "Blue Christmas" without Jeremy this year.
She purchased 2 pre-lighted Christmas wreaths and I decorated both alike, they look pretty good hanging from the windows and are really pretty at night.
Today I had a Subway sandwich at the pier in Oceanside, these are some of the many surfer dudes that were probably freezing while trying to catch a wave.
These 2 beauties were just a couple of the pelicans that were allowing people to get very close for a picture. I named these two Fred and Ethel.
This was my view from the bench where I ate lunch. The temperature was a warm 74 degrees with a wonderful breeze. Several people laying out on the beach and one was actually in a swimsuit. Tried to take a picture of a seal but you really can't tell much about what it is, so I may have to try again. I am enjoying my time here to just relax and enjoy the quiet and the beautiful weather. God is so good and I am enjoying His goodness to the fullest! Later dudes!
These are my pride and joy, my daughter in love Nicolette who is a Physicians Assistant in California, and is married to my oldest son Jeremy on the left currently serving in Iraq as a 1st. Lt. in the Marines, and my youngest son Nicholas on the right is a senior at Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. As many of you are I too am proud of my children and all they have accomplished in their short lives. They are much better than I at handling difficulty and are good to their mother. I have the privilege of spending about 6 weeks in California beginning December 2 until January 6 with Nicolette for Christmas and New Year's. Nicholas will be flying out for about 15 days for Christmas. We have made reservations to spend the holiday in Las Vegas, which will be very different for us. Since I lost my husband to cancer earlier this year I am finding that it is hard to do things or get through the "Firsts" and Christmas would just be pitiful here with just Nicholas and myself. So, a new normal will take place this year and hopefully next year we can all celebrate the holidays here at home together and begin to change our traditions to be something we will all cherish and remember without having the pain of loss.
This is a picture of Naileen the nail queen at our church's Fall Festival on October 30th. Needless to say I am a little behind getting this on the blog but Naileen has been so busy that today is the only time she has had available. Yes, this is me in my bling country fair attire. I had a great time! Seeing all the children having a wonderful time playing and eating and even singing to the karaoke was just the best. It was the best pick me up and a great time of fun and fellowship for the adults too! Hope you are enjoying your fall wherever you are! 
