hailey sue comes to visit

It just doesn't get any cuter than this! Our niece/cousin, Hailey Sue, came to visit us, all the way from Franklin, TN. Hailey is 14 months old, and a real "triple threat" (cute, smart & sweet)! She brought her parents, Andy (my brother) and Karyn, as well.



Neil has been wanting a pet, for quite sometime. After eliminating anything that sheds, barks, purrs, hops, tweets, bites, or flies, we happily helped him choose FISH! Keith and Neil got the aquarium all set up and ready, then Uncle Andy (who loves aquariums), helped him choose the fish. For now, there are two, Swimmy and Finn. Ahhh, fish. The perfect pets.


Keeping in the fish theme, Andy and Karyn took Neil and Hailey to the Sea Life Aquarium in Carlsbad. It's sorta kinda part of Legoland, and the aquariums are full of cool Lego statues. Oh, and fish, of course, too.





When they got back, Hailey sat on my lap, snuggled, and told me all about it.


Next day, La Jolla Cove was calling, so we answered.

Hailey posed with her Dad & Mom.

And she talked to the seals.

Then she ran away from them.


Keith and Neil explored the tidelands.


And then it was time for Jose's Court Room for dinner! We have been going there since we first moved to CA in 1979. Andy and Karyn did a romantic dance out front, while Keith and Neil walked ahead, pretending not to know them.


On their last night here in San Diego, we took an evening trip down to the beach.
Until it was so cold that Hailey's lips matched her dress.

This morning, they left, and Del Schner just isn't the same. It will be awhile before their next visit, as Hailey will be getting a little sister in July. That will make her travels a bit more complicated, so next time we'll go see her! And her mom and dad!

visits, visitors, and uninvited guests

Neil's best buddy, Casey, spent a day with us here at Del Schner.



My BFF, DeAnne, did too!




And then HE came to visit -Eeeekkk! I was organizing the pantry last night, and noticed some signs that we had an uninvited guest. By the looks of things, he ate alot more than Casey or DeAnne. Cardboard, spice labels, Ritz Bitz, Target bags, and hot cocoa for dessert, to be exact.
I emptied the entire pantry, but he was no where to found - just his urine and fecal matter - ICK! Keith stopped at Home Depot, and brought back every imaginable non-poisonous device available to kill a mouse, rat, lizard, or small cat. We set the traps, which in no way resemble the photo above. The new traps are high-tech gizmos - fun for the whole family. The best is the Victor Electronic Rat Trap. That puppy uses electronic shock to kill! Who knew? An electric chair for furry pests. You gotta love that. Anyway, we set the traps at about 8:00, and by 9:15 - fried mouse!!! Best $39.99 spent. Ever.

del schner

home sweet home

...and sweet it is! On Friday the 13th, (good thing we're not superstitious), we moved into our new house!

This is the third house that Keith and I have had, since we married in 1997. The first house was our "happy house", as it was bright, colorful, and cartoon-like. Our next house was the "big boy" house, as it was bigger and newer. Now we have our "cozy house"! It is the smallest, but cutest. Seeing it grow from a dirt lot into our home has been such a bonding thing. (And I mean with the house and with Keith)!

Neil started at his new school on Monday, and he said it rated 8 or 9 on a10-scale. His teacher is young and attractive, thank God, because Neil was pretty sure he would not like her if she were over 50 and/or ugly. Nice. Anyway, his class has only 23 kids - bonus! He was immediately invited to participate in a one-day "field trip" to Sacramento. Only $385. Something tells me we're not in El Cajon anymore. And yes, we gladly sent a check.

I am working on posting pictures. A recent computer virus had me using an expert to restore the system, and now I can't do anything without a 3-hour round of reading manuals. I will figure this out, and pictures are coming!

more floor!

floors

All of the flooring is done, and it looks pretty darn good! Downstairs is mostly cardboard, accented by wood (the budget, you know). Upstairs is the mocha-colored carpet, with tile in the baths and laundry.
Neil is really excited about his room being done! He almost has an ocean view!

happy campers

While camping (living in a depressing apartment while waiting for our house to be complete), we have met some neat neighbors here. I call them the GIRLZ, and sometimes we clear out the dining room to showcase their talents. Click on the boxes to the right to see what we've done.

lulu de francisco

Karly has officially moved to San Francisco!

She sold her car, bought a one-way plane ticket, and took as many personal items as she could cram into 5 suitcases. She is sharing an apartment with a friend, and so far is loving it! We had a bon voyage dinner at the Cheesecake Factory before she left. I miss her already!

shelley's work is never done

I have resisted the urge to post much about this, but it is time to give credit where credit is due. If you are offended at namedropping, or so intellectual and deep as to be bored by celebrity news, exit this post now.

Anyhoo, Shelley (my twin sister) has been keeping very busy with her "work" in Tennessee.

Living in such close proximity to so many stars, she has become a real Nashville celebrity enthusiast. Unlike L.A., Nashville treats the celebs like regular people. They seldom get approached for autographs or photos(tacky!) and therefore go about there lives like regular folks. Some of us, who are unashamedly interested in the personal business of such celebs, find this a real treat.

Back to Shelley's "work": Shortly after moving to Nashville, in 2005, Shelley came to the realization that all of this was going on right under her nose. It only seemed right to enjoy the gift and share it with others, and hence her "work" began. After opening HSI - Hensley Special Investigations, the jobs came easily. With the aid of internet info and her trusty Junior Agents, the sightings flooded in, many right in their very own neighborhood.

Her "work" became so thorough and up-to-the-minute, she was asked to incorporate it into the children's ministry she leads at her church (also the church of Miley and her family). Shellebrity News was born! Imagine, what 11 year old kid does not want to know just what color Nick painted his kitchen? Or if Aaron is indeed living with him? Or, who are Nick and Aaron? Children who may otherwise be atheist, democratic heathens, have been led to faith by Shellebrity News.

Her most accomplished work began about the time that Keith and Nicole got together and made their homes (yes there are 2) nearby - VERY nearby. It was clear that all agents needed to be on full alert, and that work paid off. Oh, reminder: Shelley and I have been huge fans of Keith for years. His concerts, the CMT awards, etc... I even got to meet him at an awards show, but that's another story. Nicole -we're not big fans of hers, but she is A-list, and got both Tom and Keith all whooped over her.

It all came together this New Year's Eve. Neil and I were there visiting, and Shelley woke us up at 7:00 am. She said "get dressed, and get in the car". She then drove us to the back alley of a certain coffee shop. She parked next to a black Bentley with deep-tinted windows, and we went in the back entrance. There they were, just the two of them, drinking coffee and chatting.

Most of the tables were taken, except for one right by theirs. We then took that table and enjoyed 45 minutes of coffee and breakfast next to Keith and Nicole.

I must say, "excellent work, Shelley! That's the way to start 2009!"

celebrations

Christmas sure was different this year! Something about Camp just doesn't say "warm and special celebrations"...


so we celebrated and opened gifts at Paul & Rosemary's hotel room!


...and bonus - no cooking!

...except on Christmas morning, at Camp. Do Pillsbury canned cinnamon rolls count as cooking?

Paul & Rosemary, thank you for another very special visit!


On the evening of the 25th, Neil and I flew to Tennessee for a week with the Johnsons and Hensleys. Grandpa and Neil went fishing, and Neil caught 2 1/2 catfish! (I'm still not sure about the 1/2. The front or back 1/2?)


We spent a day at the incredible Opryland Hotel...

...with Leaf Lady.

Mom and Dad took us to their delicious buffet...

..and they went ice skating.

I took bad photos of Mom...


...who was taking great photos of this life-size Nativity.

Neil loved the Discovery Science Center.

I loved Old Spaghetti Factory.


so did Hailey.


On New Years Eve, we had a family party, complete with an 'Apples to Apples' tournament, 'Scene It', and a hot dog feast. (Yes, Shelley was the cook). Thank you, Mom & Dad, Hensleys and Johnsons, for a great week of Tennessee Christmas fun!Happy 2009!