Viva Las Vegas Ya'll

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.

Family Elf Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Let It Snow, Let It Snow!!!!

Yesterday we drove to Julian, California about 60 miles northeast of Oceanside. It took about 2 hours because we were driving through the mountains on a 2 lane road and when we got just outside Julian the traffic was terrible. We were backed up for about 2 miles before we entered the town there. People were everywhere and we could not get into many of the shops. Seems Julian is famous for their apple pies and we certainly made sure we tasted the best, Apple Carmel Pecan Pie! Check out the scenery: 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 Nicolette standing in front of "Nick's Knacks," this was kinda cute since they both go by Nick.

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!

California Christmas Lights

Hope you enjoy seeing these. . .
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.

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.

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 too am grateful for my girlfriends, and you know who you are, (Fabulous 5 & The Incredible). Without them I don't know how I would make it! Friends Forever. . .

Seashells by the Seashore

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!

Subway by the Sea

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!