The Big, Bad, Blog Update

So I know, I know.  I've been a very bad girl lately in not updating the blog.  But now I have!  Be sure to go all the way back to the April post "Happiness :)" to see the beginning of the updates including:  our Vegas Anniversary celebration, a Memorial Day treat, and the opening event of my project!

In other news, everything here in Cali is going great!  Brandon got a new job and no longer works at Jersey Mikes.  He is a lube tech for a dealership here called Sierra - they handle cars for Mazda, GM, Subaru, Honda, and a couple others.  He's been there a few weeks now and is really enjoying being able to work in the field he loves.  One of the best benefits is that he's home by 6:30 during the week.  So not only do we see each other more, we actually get to have dinner together!  On the downside for me, I actually have to cook something because B isn't a fan of "grandaddy mike" dinners all the time!
(Those are the shrimp cocktail and cocktail dinners I like!)

 

I keep trying to catch a pic of him in his uniform but this is the best I've gotten so far - and he doesn't even have the shirt with his name on!  He runs from the camera - I'll get him one day!  He will graduate in November then either move up to a better position at the dealership he's at now or head somewhere else.  Mercedes was really interested in him but needed him to be fully certified so come November maybe he can go there!

Star Tours is open and over so I've moved on to other projects.  I have one really big project that will have exciting possibilities for the future so stay tuned!  I might be headed back to Florida for a few weeks in the fall for another project but that's still in the air.....

What can I say - I still love my job and couldn't do anything else.  That's what we're supposed to find right?  RIGHT!

Hopefully I can keep up with the blog.  At least I'm going to give it a bigger effort.  And no, I haven't done a painting in a while so the weekly ones are out but maybe I'll start something up again.  It's (art) is a moody thing for me - when I've got to do it, I've GOT to do it!  And when I don't have to do it, I ponder about what I might want to do :)  We're fickle....artists.  I know I'll be back onto something soon, wonder what it will be!

But now, I'm not going to let that cloud my head.  Brandon's finishing working on his bike and I have a book calling my name:  "Water for Elephants."  Really enjoying it so far.  Just finished Eat Pray Love a couple of weeks ago - LOVED!  And Dan Browns "Lost Symbol"  also LOVED!  Dan Brown is the DaVinci Code guy.....

We are headed to the pool to hang out with great friends, get some sun, relax and enjoy the Cali weather.  This is what we're headed for:

 

Our Oasis :)

Happy Summer!!!

Key Artwork

I have a new piece of artwork in the apartment I made.  So cheap, so cute, and super personal :)

 

 

A $5 frame from Marshalls, yellow paper from Michaels, some hot glue and keys and done!

I LOVE this so much :)

Cuteness of the day!

 

Am I right or what!

Press Event

Star Tours is OPEN!!!  Hooray!!

We're getting FANTASTIC feed back from guests - come visit Cali and see it for yourself!

I was invited to the press event for the grand opening of the attraction.  It was a great time and celebrations with the team :)

 

Liz and I are ready!

This is about as geeky as I'll get with Star Tours!  :)

 

Alex (our project coordinator), me, Craig (our graphic designer), and Liz

 

Our WDI box we had to stand inside - notice the green line on the ground....

They were sticklers about staying in the box too!

 

YAY!

We love Alex!

 

Our view of the stage for the opening event!

There were Jedis, Storm Troopers, and of course....Darth Vader!

And be sure to watch this video - Darth Vader Visits Disneyland:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4_dZPVg8KI 

After the event, Liz and I "stormed the stage!"

 

Then we rode one last time all together...

 

HOORAY!!!  We are OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Memorial Day

We had a cookout with the neighbors for the holiday.  I made a berry trifle - YUM!!

 

angel food cake soaked with a sugar glaze.

blueberries.

whip cream/cream cheese mix.

strawberries.

repeat!

Flora

For Mother's Day this year, I decided to give my "other mother" from across the street a special gift.  Amber's mom, Pat, is always joking how I paint all kinds of things for Amber - well now she has a lovely "one of a kind Di" for her home :)

This was in honor of her mother who recently passed and told everyone, "nobody loves you like I love you."

School Days.

If you didn't know, Brandon is going to school at UTI (Universal Technical Institute) in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.  It's a bit of a hike - 35 miles vs. 17 miles I drive to work but he's always against traffic and I'm always IN traffic.  The school isn't on semesters or quarters, instead each class is three weeks long then on to the next!

Here's the school:

Brandon has taken 12 classes and has made SOC (student of the class = best in the class) for 9 classes!!!  So PROUD!  Go B!!!  And keeping a steady 4.0 GPA too :)

When you get SOC, you get a pin to add to your badge.  Brandon is running out of room!!

 

Just needed some bragging time :)