50 Things To Do Before I Am 50

This was way harder than I thought it would be. I mentioned in an earlier blog that I pounded out the top eleven things and then hit a wall. I had to do some real digging to figure out what I REALLY would like to do in my immediate future. I really only have six years before I am 50, so this list seems really ambitious to me! I just keep going back to the fact that the joy will be in pursuing these adventures and goals. If I only manage to do ten of the fifty, then maybe that is ten more than I would have done had I not written them down. There is no way to lose with this. Unless, of course I get mowed down by a train today and don't get to mark any of them off the list. That would be totally sad.

As I worked through the list, I realized how impossible all of the travel goals will be. I would have to leave now and stay on vacation until I turned 50 to get all of these accomplished. But, I will mark as many of them off the list as I can. Those that don't get accomplished before I am 50 I will move to a 60 Things To Do Before I Am 60 List. If any of these adventures or goals are on your life list, then let me know. We can do them together!

If this inspires you to write a list of your own I would love to see it. I am sure there are many things that I couldn't think of that I would like to add to my list! It will be a living document, being added to as new ideas come to me!

1. Get Baptized
2. Volunteer to feed the homeless
3. See the Giant Redwoods (August 2013)
4. Visit Colorado in the winter
5. Slow dance in a piano bar
6. Go to Alaska (July 18, 2011)
7. Write a letter to my children to read when I die
8. Ride a horse on the beach
9. See Mt. Rushmore
10. Take a vacation in an RV
11. See a whale in the ocean (July 17, 2011)
12. Drive through Maine in the fall (or summer!  July 2015)
13. Have a room in my home professionally decorated.
14. Make an apple pie, with a lattice top, completely from scratch. (Completed 7/5/10) 
15. Visit all 50 U.S. States (Remaining: Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin)
16. Work on a Habitat for Humanity house
17. Take my boys to Atlantis
18. Take a two week vacation in a little house on the beach.
19. Read Gone With the Wind. (Completed 8/17/10)
20. Complete a Bible Study. (Completed 12/6/10)
21. Run another 1/2 marathon (and enjoy it!) (Completed 2/21/16)
22. Anonymously pay for the meal of a young service man in a restaurant. (Completed 12/4/10) 
23. Journal for a solid year. (Completed)
24. Visit a winery and learn something about the beverage I enjoy so much
25. Make a t-shirt quilt for my children
26. Make homemade ice cream with an old crank machine. (Completed 9/4/10)
27. Take an art class (painting, ceramics, glass blowing, needle point) (Completed 2/3/11) 
28. Go berry picking and make a cobbler
29. Visit one of those tropical hotels where the rooms are huts over the water with glass floors.
30. Try a spin class. (Completed 4/14/12)
31. See a Broadway production in New York City. (Completed 4/19/14)
32. Grow my fingernails long enough to get a manicure. (Completed 9/12/10) 
33. Take a cruise (July 16, 2011)
34. Do Yoga (June 2012)
35. Tailgate at an Alabama football game with my boys
36. Take a dance class (Jazzercise - March 2014)
37. Implement a No TV Game Night every Tuesday night for a year.
38. Write a family update every three or four months to send to our elderly family friends that do not have computers.
39. Provide Christmas for a family in need (Completed 12/12/11)
40. Make a beautiful birthday cake.
41. Volunteer to spend time with someone in a nursing home. (Completed 3/30/11)
42. Learn to play tennis
43. Get caught up on my filing. (Completed 1/21/11) 
44. Get a legal Last Will and Testament in place. (Completed 9/24/15)
45. Swim in the world's largest swimming pool (San Alfonso del Mar. Algarrobo, Chile)
46. Talk less and listen more.
47. Take a nap in hammock by the sea.
48. Drive the entire Pacific Coast Highway.
49. Visit an Art Museum (Completed 6/25/11)
50. Print this list out and hang it where I can see it daily! (Completed 6/29/10)

Bob Chronicles - Seventh in a Series

Hello all. It has been some time since I have entertained you with a Bob Chronicles, so let's get going here with the seventh in a series. It's a good one.

Once upon a time, my folks were traveling with my Granny, not sure exactly where, but they had pulled over at a Burger King to grab some lunch. After they ate, Bob was going to hit the restroom before they got back on the road. My mom asked him to show Granny where the restroom was while she finished eating and cleaned up the table.

Bob was happy to do this. Granny is getting on up there in age, but is still sharp as a tack. She and Bob have a great relationship and although she is fiercely independent she was agreeable to my dad helping her on this occasion.

Bob leads Granny to the restroom, makes sure that she gets in and then he hits the men's room across the way. He gets done with his business and comes out to find Mom and Granny and get back on the road. On the way out, he notices a couple of middle aged ladies at a table smiling at him. If you know Bob, at this point you should be able to picture the look on his face as he smiles back at them and sucks his gut in a little bit. He still has it. I can almost picture him walking by giving them a grin and a wave "Helllloooo Ladies".

Lord, I can only hope he didn't turn on his "flirting" face. Remember this from when he played Guesstures with us on their last visit to Texas?

Anyway, Bob gets back to the table where Mom and Granny are waiting and he has a big old smile on his face. He is feeling pretty good after the ladies were checking him out.

He asks Mom and Granny if they are ready to go. It is at this point that Granny raises her eyes and glares at him and says "You put me in the Men's Bathroom." Mom said his face went from a big smile, to confusion, to alarm in the span of about three seconds.

That's right, if he put Granny in the Men's bathroom, then that means he was in the Women's bathroom.

Those women were not checking him out for his baby blue eyes, confident stride or strapping build. They saw that confused man coming out of the Ladies room and it was probably more of a smirk than a smile they were flashing his way.

He couldn't get out of Burger King fast enough.

Once in the car, they rehashed the whole thing from beginning to end. Granny said she didn't notice that there was a urinal since she had gone directly into the stall, as most women do. She said she was at the sink washing her hands when a man opened the door to come in. He quickly turned to leave and Granny thought, oh that poor fool went in the wrong bathroom. As she was heading to the door she saw the urinal on the wall and she knew. He wasn't the fool, she was. The gentleman was waiting outside the bathroom and she had to walk by him on her way back to the table. Granny was so embarrassed and she wanted to kill Bob.

On Bob's end, he said he went in the bathroom, looked for a urinal and didn't see one so he also went into a stall. He didn't notice anything unusual, except maybe the cleaner than usual toilets. No one came in while he was in there - Thank Heavens!!!

This story gets told many times and Bob can laugh himself to tears recounting it for others. It is a classic and I am so happy I could permanently record it here and share it with my four loyal readers. You will have to ask Bob about it if you see him - he tells it much better than me!

Health Progress

Stop reading now, if you could care less how much I exercised this week. Hit the back arrow, X out of this page in the top right corner of your screen or you can just keep reading if you are bored, burning some time or want to root for the high triglyceride girl who is trying to get her blood work back in check.

This blog is really just a great place for me to keep a little log of what I am doing so I can track my progress. This week I did pretty well.

Monday - Walked for an hour with Martha - Recreational swimming with the family.
Tuesday - Swam for about 35 minutes (22 lengths) then jogged in the water with Rebecca. Recreational swimming.
Wednesday - Walked for an hour with Martha. Lifted hand weights and did lunges, squats while watching Wipe Out.
Thursday - Swam 32 lengths (1/2 mile)
Friday - Walked for an hour with Martha.
Saturday - Walked 5 miles with Martha and then swam 40 lengths! New swimming PR for this summer! Go me!
Sunday - Walked 4 miles with Hubby - Recreational swimming.

I did not weigh myself this week. I am trying to concentrate on eating healthier, drinking smarter and exercising and not the number that the stupid scale gives me. It can skew my day whether it gives me good feedback or bad feedback and I really want to break that cycle. So maybe every couple of weeks or when I am having a particularly thin feeling day! Or maybe never!

Hope you were able to do something for yourself this week! If not, do it for sure this next week!

First Time for Everything

Before today, I was a forty three year old pedicure virgin. I had never had my feet professionally serviced. There was a good reason for that - my feet are horrible! In fact, for years every time my mother showed up on my doorstep she had some new cream, gadget, lotion, home remedy you can think of for me to try and soften these babies up. I can recently remember her with something for horse hooves that she got at a feed store. Another time she wanted me to try Crisco. All to no avail. In my defense, I like to be barefoot a lot. Sort of like a beautiful Indian Princess...or something like that. I think my feet have just hardened up in self defense.

Anyway, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, my good friend Peggy gave me a Gift Certificate last year for my birthday. She had seen my feet on many occasions and knew they needed professional help. We went today and it was a life changing experience! Here is how I prepared for our day and the fun we had showing my feet a good time.

First, I have always thought my feet were beyond help and the idea of walking into a shop with them as they were made me sick to my stomach. Yeah, they are that bad. So in anticipation of my appointment today I did a little prep work myself to try to make them at least presentable.

Here is the before picture. You can also see from my tan line in this picture that I am fond of my flip flops!

Yesterday, I dug out this little Ped Egg that my mom had brought me on one of her previous trips to Texas. I worked my feet over pretty good and if there was a maximum capacity for dead skin in this baby I am sure I exceeded it.

After I finished with the Ped Egg, I went hard core with the moisturizer and opted for straight Vaseline! 100% Petroleum Jelly! I caked this stuff on in a nice thick layer. It was probably overkill.

How did I walk around you ask? Wouldn't this get all over the carpet and the floor? Wouldn't I slip and fall and break my neck?

Not if you put your feet in giant Ziploc bags and put socks on over that! My boys were very disturbed by this footwear! I asked Harold to take a picture for me and he said "Mom, getting a pedicure is weird." I am not going to tell him that not everyone goes through this rigorous of preparation. He will think his wife is a rock star if she can just walk into a pedicure without doing the baggie/bootie intense moister and softening process.

I am thrilled to report that I wore the baggie/socks for about three hours and it worked like a charm! Although my feet were still pretty horrible, I brought down the horrible several notches.

I did almost fall down in the shower later in the day cause they were still pretty slick! Several times yesterday and again this morning I soaked my feet in lotion to keep them decent for this morning!

We arrived at the spa at about 11:15 this morning and spent about 10 minutes picking out a color. That is hard. Too many choices - too many shades - shiny - matte - glossy - glittery. It was like picking out paint colors for your house. Every shade of pink and red ever brought together on a display cabinet shelf stared at me. I was scared to go too bold and sassy, most definitely no red for me. I settled on a nice dark brownish pink. Is brownish pink a color? Maybe it is pinkish brown.

My sassy pedicure companion went with a fantastic hot pink that made her beautiful feet shine like she was a foot model with $1M insurance on each foot. She gives me major foot envy.

After we picked our nail colors we were brought over to our chairs. I know most of you have done this before, but if you haven't please make note of a few important features. This is a massage chair. Kind of like the ones you always jump in and try at Brookstone in the mall. You know with the massage rollers that go up and down your back, alternately beating your back, kneading your shoulders. PURE HEAVEN I tell you!! Then please notice the jetted tub of hot water where you soak your feet! DOUBLE TRIPLE PURE HEAVEN!!

My feet are in hot water, my chair is doing its thing, and I have met my person. He was a boy. I wasn't expecting that. I gave him my disclaimer that this was my first rodeo. He smiled and said "Well I hope you enjoy it." He didn't flinch when my first foot came out of the water. He didn't turn in his two week notice. He didn't raise an eyebrow. He did say something in Vietnamese to his side-kick that was doing Peggy's feet and they both laughed hard. I don't think it would be me being paranoid to think it was some comment about the amount of time, tools and sheer magic it was going to take to whip my feet into shape. It didn't hurt my feelings at all because really who could blame him.

Then he got to work, scrapping, rubbing, massaging, doing all the enormously enjoyable things that these people do. By the time he was done I wanted to marry him.

Look at my stubby, supple, soft, toenail painted feet. They have never experienced the level of joy that happened today. It was my first pedicure, but it will not be my last.

Thanks Peggy for convincing me to go - I completely loved it. Thanks especially to the man whose name I didn't even learn who introduced me to the world of the pedicure. I am forever grateful!

Sucking it Up and Sniffing it In

This morning I totally did not want to exercise. Period. The End. Roll over and go back to bed.

But I didn't.

Unfortunately, I stayed up way past my bedtime, reading The Time Traveler's Wife. Loved it. Cried like a baby. Could not put it down until I finished it, which was like almost 1:00 this morning. I could have gotten finished sooner, but I spent half an hour looking for the damn cat who I could hear meowing, but couldn't find. After extensive searching, I found her locked in the upstairs linen closet. Stupid cat.

Anyway, back to my grumpy, grouchy attitude this morning. I got up at six, barely had enough coffee to make a pot, totally did not want to put on a bathing suit and go swim. I was moaning and groaning in the kitchen and Hubby says "Why don't you go for a run instead?"

Apparently, he has never met me, has no idea of my limitations, desires, capabilities or pursuits. Go for a run. Yeah right. I will suck it up and put on my swim suit.

Am I ever so glad that I did. This morning I did 1/2 a mile without stopping. That is 32 lengths or 16 laps however you want to look at it. It was good. Felt surprisingly better and better as the laps clicked by. So, sucking it up worked this morning and I will try to reach back and remember how good it felt when I am dragging on another day. If anyone cares, this is Day 6 of consecutive exercise - which will be followed by 5 miles on Day 7 and 4 miles on Day 8. Happy to get my streak going again.


On my walk back to the house I found this right outside my front door. A gardenia. A sweet smelling, memory evoking gardenia. I came to love the gardenia when I first met one in my Grandma's back yard. She had several big gardenia bushes and when we would visit in the summer we loved to pick them and smell them. She also had these tiny pink roses on a bush that I loved. I also loved the big container of compost and fishing worms in the back yard, just so you know. I haven't had much success growing gardenia's myself, but every time I get a bloom it brings back such fond, fond memories. I hate to pick them, but I do. I almost am afraid I will suck one up a nostril I breathe in the aroma so deeply. My Grandma rocked. She was a funny, energetic, loving woman who would have delighted so much in watching us in our lives. She died too soon. She left an impression while she was here though. One that fills me with love every time I smell a gardenia.

Today is going to be a good, good day.

Confession and Celebration

First, my Confession. You know how some people sneak cookies or chips? Thinking that if someone doesn't see them eating it that the calories don't count. I don't personally know anything about that kind of behavior, but I have read about it. Maybe in one of those self help books or a magazine laying around here somewhere. Oh alright, I am sure you all know I am lying. I know a tiny bit, maybe have actually experienced it once or twice before OR maybe it is a daily occurrence in my life. Regardless of the answer, today I hit an all time new low.

I snuck out to the garage with a cup full of ice, dug a hot diet coke from the bowels of the garage where I had hidden them a few weeks ago. I tried to quietly open the can, pour it quickly into my cup and then bury the can in the outside trash. I so desperately didn't want Chip or Harold to see me breaking the no coke ban. I should be setting an example with nothing but pure fresh water as a beverage.

Don't judge me. I was desperate. My eyes just would not stay open, hard as I tried. At one point my head literally almost went through my computer screen. I jerked my head back so hard my neck hurts a little bit. I would have had coffee, but the afternoon sun has already warmed up my office to the point that I am warm and cozy and subsequently spontaneously dozing off and pulling muscles in my neck. The idea of drinking hot caffeine just did not appeal to me. So there I was, slinking into my own garage in my own house digging out the contraband Diet Coke. Embarrassing.

I was ashamed, but I gotta tell you, it was the best damn diet coke I have ever had. I can live with the shame.

Next, my Celebration. I am going to get my first ever pedicure on Saturday. My girl Peggy gave me a gift certificate last year for my birthday and we finally have a date to get it done. I am planning to photograph and document the entire experience for my blog. Did anyone who knows me just throw up in their mouth? Stop it! I know you may think I have the worst feet ever, and you may be right. However, lets see together if that is true or not. I will try to capture the expression on the girls face when she first lays eyes on my feet. Will she be surprised, stunned, cry, cuss, run screaming from the room, pull out a chisel and a belt sander with industrial strength coarse sandpaper?? We don't know yet, but we will on Saturday.

I am hoping that maybe, just maybe she raises one eyebrow, furrows her brow and shakes her head a little. Then I will flash her an apologetic grin (or a $20) and she will go about her business of getting 43 years of accumulated crap off of my feet. It may throw off my equilibrium to lose a couple of inches off my feet or I might go down a shoe size. It is going to be exciting!!!

A Conversation with Chip

Last night after a fun night swim, we were all settling in to watch a little "So You Think You Can Dance". Chip asked me if he could have a snack and I suggested a piece of cheese instead of the goldfish crackers he was about to dig into. He goes to the refrigerator and gets a regular old slice of American Cheese and sits next to me to eat it.

Chip: Mom, this is good. I can't remember cheese being this good. I mean it is REALLY good.
Mom: Well, I am glad you like it.
Chip: Mom, can I have more cheese tomorrow?
Mom: Sure, buddy.
Chip: Can I have more cheese tonight?
Mom: Well, why don't you wait until tomorrow, okay?
Chip: Can I have it for breakfast?
Mom: I guess.
Chip: Can I have another piece for lunch?
Mom: We will see.
Chip: Mom, what I really want is a cheese schedule.

I laughed so hard. A cheese schedule.

Happy Distraction

I went outside to pull a few weeds and was so happy to see some new blooms popping up in the garden. Thought I would take a few pictures and share my happy little distraction. I am sure most of you could care less, but my sister will appreciate it.


This is my beautiful pink Phlox, which is spreading more and more every year. In front of it, the Black-Eyed Susan's have just started to bloom. They are really blooming in the front, but I didn't get a picture of those.

Close up of the phlox. Isn't it so pretty?

Purple Coneflower is also putting on a show.

An up close shot.

I think these are called Spider Lillies. Lots of blooms already and many, many more on the way! Yeah!

Close up of Spider Lily.

This is a little baby Sago Palm that came from a friend's yard. It was just a little nub when I put it in the ground, but it is super happy in this little spot and is growing new fronds. Can't wait to see how big it gets.

My crepe myrtle is blooming like crazy.

A shot of my favorite corner of the yard this time of year.

It looks like a jungle out there, but I sure love watching these plants and flowers grow! Wish I just knew what the heck I was doing! Maybe I will add Learn How to Garden on my list of things to accomplish!

To Do Lists

I need a list. I feel myself stumbling aimlessly through my day. Nothing on the calendar for today. NOTHING. I don't think that has happened since early April. I need to work, obviously, but putting in about 4 hours of work leaves lots of hours left in the day to be productive. I should embrace these days of leisure, but I feel a need to cross some things off a list. Here are a 10 things I would like to get done today:

1. Put away laundry. (DONE - A day later)
2. Sweep floors. (DONE)
3. Unpack the boys backpacks from our trip. (DONE)
4. Go to the grocery store. (DONE - four days later)
5. Find recipe for Roasted Garlic Brown Rice (DONE)
6. Clean out the car. (DONE - two days later)
7. Order pictures for my Month frames. (DONE)
8. Take recycling to recycling center. (DONE two days later)
9. Schedule my annual OB appointment (DONE)
10. Pull a few weeds in my garden. (DONE)

Here are some bigger projects for the weekend:

1. Clean out the toy closet in my office.
2. File some work paperwork.
3. Wash out the outside garbage cans. (DONE)
4. Send email to friends and neighbors about final Breast Cancer Yard Sale.

Speaking of lists, I am working on a list of 50 Things I Want To Do Before I Am 50. I started jotting things down yesterday and only came up with 11. I am obviously not thinking hard enough. Help me out here. Give me some ideas of what is on your Life To Do list so I can get my creative juices flowing.

Hope your day is productive and fun!

Being Optimistic

Several good things have happened around here over the last 24 hours:

1. After two days of dreading the scale, expecting a vacation four or five to be stubbornly clinging to my butt, I finally got brave enough to weigh this morning. It was exactly the same as when I left last week. That is beyond good - that is great! It also may be a first! That exercise and eating right really might just work!

2. I found a great little lake house for the family reunion in a few weeks. Sad not to be going to the beach, but so happy we will have a place to gather and spend some time together. It will be so much fun and I can't wait to blog about it! In honor of the upcoming Lake vacation I have changed my blog background to a picture of a beautiful lake! What's Up? Getting fancy around here!

3. Got a haircut! HIP HIP HOORAY!!! My hair is so thick and this Texas humidity is doing a number on it. Lord help me if I go outside for any length of time. By the time I walk back in the house, my hair is touching the sides of the doorway. If you could only see the hot mess it is when I take off my hat after exercising in the morning. I seriously look like I have a hairnet on - but there is no hairnet. Hello Lunch Lady. Not just a regular, working the serving line Lunch Lady either. I am talking Queen Head Honcho Lunch Lady. It is matted down on top and ultra fuzzy at the bottom. Not a pretty picture.

4. Hubby has a work dinner tonight, so we are having Waffles for dinner! Easy, cheesy and no oven! Hubby likes Waffles too, but it just seems like a simple dinner tonight that the boys will eat and I won't be left with a lot of prep or dishes.

5. Beth gave me some home grown tomatoes from her Daddy's garden. I put some Balsamic Vinegar on them with a little salt and pepper and it was happy explosion of summer in my mouth. Delicious! Thanks Beth!

6. I grilled some chicken breasts outside on the grill last night and Chip said it was the best meat he had ever eaten. Not supremely high praise, because the boy doesn't really like meat, but I am going to take it as a nice compliment.

7. My garden phlox and black-eyed susans are blooming. I love them.

Just so you don't think it is all rainbows and sunshine over here, there are a few things that haven't gone quite as well.

1. My dog is shedding like crazy. Hair everywhere and all around.
2. I still haven't finished all the laundry from vacation.
3. I think our Water Softener might be broken.
4. My garden is becoming overrun with weeds AGAIN!!!
5. It is not Southern California here - it is HOT AND HUMID! I wore a sweater last week and now I don't even want to touch a sweater to hang it up.
6. My boys are playing a rented video game like their very lives depend on it for survival. It is not on the list of summer fun activities and they need to stop it.

I am going to leave the Not So Good stuff on number 6 so that I can be optimistic that the good outweighs the bad! If you were brave or bored enough to read all the way through this blog I will be shocked! You would probably like that 45 seconds of your life back and for that I apologize right now!

Vacation Bloopers

Vacation Pictures that didn't make the cut:

The best of times!

Father's Day Interview

I got this idea from another blog that I read and thought it would be funny to see what our boys had to say about their Dad. I think they know him pretty well and some of their answers just made me laugh.

What is Dad's favorite color?

Harold: Crimson
Chip: Red

What is Dad's favorite number?

Harold: 13
Chip: 13

What is Dad's favorite TV show?

Harold: Sports Center

Chip: Baseball

What kind of car would Dad drive if he could drive any car in the world?

Harold: Ferrari Cherry Red

Chip: Corvette

Does Dad have a nickname?

Harold: Los Papas Fritas, Papa, Dad, Cheetah Man

Chip: Cheetah Man or Kong

What is Dad's favorite restaurant?

Harold: Freebirds

Chip: Freebirds

What is Dad's favorite exercise?

Harold: Going for a run

Chip: Lifting weights

What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?

Harold: Play outside throwing football.

Chip: Throw baseball or beat him in Xbox

What makes your Dad so awesome?

Harold: The fact that he is bald and doesn't care, his left of his face doesn't move, he had a hole in his heart and he just doesn't care. He is in his 40's but acts like he is 20. He's a sports guy and he is in great shape. He is smart, funny and hysterical.

Chip: He saves peoples lives and he is a good coach.

What is Dad going to be when he grows up?

Harold: Probably a baseball analyst.

Chip: A softball player.

What is Dad's favorite animal?

Harold: Cheetah.

Chip: Cheetah.

How does Dad make you proud?

Harold: By getting through heart surgery. Being a good coach.

Chip: By being super funny.

Why do you love your Dad?

Harold: He is my best friend.

Chip: He is a Super Hero.

So Happy Father's Day to the best father I could have ever hoped for my children to have! We love you!!!

Final Day in Paradise

We woke up on Day 7 of our vacation and Chip says "Hey, we haven't even got to swim in the pool at this hotel." We fixed that first thing in the morning.

Taking a dip in the biggest salt water heated pool in California.

They even had music piped underwater. They loved that.

And a big screen TV with ESPN on - HEAVEN!!

Dad goes for a quick run on the boardwalk.

We shower, get dressed and head out to explore downtown San Diego. Dad gets a map and some information from the concierge desk.

The boys lounge around waiting in the lobby like they owned the place.

Directly across the street is the Historic Gaslamp District. Shops, restaurants, etc.

We make a beeline for Petco Park to do a tour of the stadium. Stop and spend a moment with Mr. Padre, Tony Gwynn. His son is actually on the team now.

We have about 50 minutes before the tour so we head over to Lolita's to grab some lunch. It was very good Mexican fare. HUGE food.

Well fed and it is time to learn a few things about Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres.

It is only about seven years old and it is pristine and new and fabulous.

Water walkway at the entrance. Seems like you would get your shoes super wet walking up those stairs!

Waiting on the tour guide the boys make their all-star vote selections. This is serious business. Once they made their separate selections, then they criticized each others choices. I was glad when tour guide Mike showed up to break up the arguing.

First peek inside the stadium.

The old Western Metal Supply Co. is an original downtown warehouse that was incorporated into the stadium. Old mixed with the new.

Sitting in the dugout is always a thrill.

All three of them imagining themselves in a bottom of the 9th, two outs, bases loaded scenario hitting the grand slam for a win.

I didn't see this while it was happening, but just stumbled on it when I was looking at the pictures. I have a feeling my boys left their mark on the infield.

I love this picture.

Inside we got to see the Padres Hall of Fame. Lots of cool old baseball gear on display.

We had some old, with the old warehouse and here is some new. Huge rubber gaskets all through the stadium walls and floors in case of an earthquake. It allows the building to sway and shake without falling. The tour guide said this would be one of the safest places to be in a major earthquake.

After a very enjoyable tour we hit the Metro uptown to our next adventure.

GoCars. I spot them across the road and immediately start panicking.

They are little, and like motorcycles, but with three wheels. It has a GPS in it and that tells you where to turn and what you are passing. You just drive on the regular road with other cars. What? Not sure I can do this. You drive with your hands and wear a motorcycle helmet. They also only have two seats so that means I will have one of my precious children in the car with me. On these busy streets? Seriously, is this legal??

Poor Harold got the short stick again and forgot to say "I call Daddy!" before Chip did. He has got to be quicker. This is the only smile I think I mustered for the hour on this deathtrap. The boys loved it. Even my poor side kick.

These two led the way and I just tried to keep up without screaming, crying, or wrecking.

Oh, maybe this was my last smile. We hadn't made it out of the parking lot yet.

I specifically asked the guy if we stayed on side streets or if we would be on the big busy streets. He said there would not be much traffic - HE LIED!!! He probably got struck down by lightening.

The kids are all gawking at the sights and I am like a Defensive Driving dip dorf.

It took us to all the popular San Diego destinations like the Harbor Maritime Museum, but guess what - all the popular San Diego destinations means there is lots of traffic.

Here I sit at a traffic signal in my tiny GoCar. People are pointing and Harold is waving. He thinks he is in a parade.

Got stuck in a parking spot at Balboa park. This baby doesn't have a reverse so Harold had to push us backward.

Balboa park was the best part, because it really wasn't lanes and lanes of traffic. I relaxed just a tad while we toured around in here.

Heading back, we are back in the thick of things. I was just waiting for the little GPS lady to tell us to get up on the Interstate. Max speed was 35 mph and we were doing that for some of the time. It was an hour and fifteen minutes of HELL for me, but the boys thought it was totally cool. I have never been happier than when we pulled back into the lot and I climbed out of that death trap.

It was getting close to game time and we had GoCar'ed longer than we expected. So, Hubby and Harold headed to the game and me and Chip went back to the hotel to pick up our coats. When the sun goes down it is downright chilly!

We had terrific seats again and it was a really good game between two not so good teams.

I was ready to go in the bottom of the 7th, but Harold begged that we stay. I was not thrilled, but it turned out to be the right call. The Padres won in the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs with a walk off single by Gonzales. It was fireworks and fanfare and screaming and jumping around.

A short walk across the street to our hotel and bed. Tired, but happy.

Overall, I think our vacation was excellent. We had so many laughs, experiences and all around good times! That makes for some wonderful family memories! Vacations are just the best and we can't wait to start planning the next one!