My Candy Drawer

Here is a picture of my candy drawer. It generally isn't this full. However, yesterday for my birthday Steve bought me candy! 6 packages of the regular skittles, 4 sour, 4 tropical, and 4 wild berry packages. Plus! 6 regular starburst packages, 3 tropical and 3 baja califonia flavor! YUM! Steve thinks it will only last me 2 weeks. I give myself 3 months. How wonderful is this picture...so beautiful! So for my birthday BART was free. I'm THAT special. So my friend Heather and her son Luke, Rebecca and I, traveled into San Fran in the morning, to evade the heat briefly. We walked around and ate some delicious lunch and did a little shopping before taking BART back to Walnut Creek. Where we then walked home in at least 96 (most likely hotter) degree heat. Yes I know I'm from TX, but we aren't crazy like the Californians who still walk around outside at outdoor malls even though it is HOT! Anyways, Steve and I went out to dinner in the evening to Vic Stewart's, a steakhouse. We went there for our anniversary this year and it is so delicious! We picked up a Great Wall of Chocolate from PF Chang's on our way home for dessert. Pretty low key, but tons of fun. Thank you all for calls and cards and text messages. It made my birthday quite wonderful.

The Ocean

Matt came last week and he sent me some pictures yesterday. Also, for some reason the sound is not working on those videos...I'm working on that (slowly, but surely). So while Matt was here we went to Carmel, CA where this picture is taken and our little family was standing on the beach while Matt took the picture and right after the snap of the camera the wave that is just at our feet came and crashed up on us. It got my shorts wet and Steve shorts wet, but little shorty being held didn't get wet, lucky goose.

The water looks like it was just barely at our feet. How crazy is that?! We also went to Monterey on the way down to Carmel and here are some smiley baby pictures while we were on the pier at Monterey.

RED Party!

On Saturday, I had my birthday party and the theme was RED! It started with the idea of Red Velvet Cupcakes. Then I thought of spaghetti, plus I could wear my beautiful red shoes (refer back to April 14, 2007 post titled The Shoes for pictures of the beautiful shoes). Along with that we had fruit salad with strawberries, raspberries and peaches (the skin is red) and blueberries (because they are so delicious). Also, a red green salad - red leaf lettuce, raspberries, dried cranberries, dried cherries, raspberry vinegarette and feta. We had to have garlic bread even though it wasn't red, because you have to have garlic bread with spaghetti.

Here is the whole table of everyone. James messily eating a cupcake.
The cupcakes and candles!
Our friends Mardee, Spencer and their daughter Cadence decked out in red. Spencer was actually wearing long johns with the trap door in the be-hind, but he was wearing red soccer shorts over to keep it G-rated. So pretty much it was a lot of fun with yummy food. It was so wonderful having a birthday party. It was my first one in YEARS! Happy Birthday to ME!

We're Back!

So Rebecca and I have been back from Texas/Colorado trip for a week and a half, so about time to post (right Ash?). So RJ and I went to TX and for the first few days we hung out with my grandmother and aunt. They have 3 cats, well actually 2 cats and a baby kitten. Rebecca loved pulling kitty tails. After a three days in TX, we were off in the car driving to Colorado, Ouray, CO, to be exact. Ouray is called a box canyon because it is surrounded by mountains, and they are close! We went on a jeep trail up one of the canyons, rode into a mine, panned for gold, went to Telluride where we rode the gondola and ate lots of chocolate at Mouse's Chocolates.

After all the fun times in Colorado, we drove back to Texas (don't worry it wasn't Rebecca who drove). We flew out the next two days later after getting back to Texas. Steve came to pick us up at the airport and then we spent the afternoon in San Francisco.

Another New Cousin for Rebecca

Thursday, July 12, 2007, Isaac Rees Palmer was born at 9:25 am. He was 7 lbs. 5 oz. and 21 in. Mother and baby are doing well. So much fun!

Rebecca and I are getting excited for the next fun for this summer...coming to TX! Can't wait!

Happy 2 Years of Marriage!

So July 9th (Monday) was Steve and I's anniversary. We went to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, CA! (Yes, I did plan it, obviously). It was sooo cool! We got to see how Jelly Belly's are made and then we got free samples. They also have this huge downstairs where you can buy all the different flavors and candy they make there. They make candy corn and some sunkist candy at the factory too. You could also buy flops (I restrained myself). They also have a tasting counter where you could try any flavor you wanted, but they only let you try one or two flavors (so sad!).This is me in front of a wall covered in Jelly Belly's with the Jelly Belly guy! I have my paper hat on that they make you wear as you go through the factory. They don't let you take pictures inside the factory, so this is after. This is Steve out front with the big blow up Jelly Belly.

This is Jelly Belly Art! They have tons of these displayed throughout the factory. The two most common are President Reagen (because he used to have Jelly Belly's at the White House because he used to them to quit eith smoking or tobacco, I don't remember which it was) and then Elvis. But they are actually Jelly Belly's. They said how they are made is they paint a picture first and then the same technique for mosaic art is used. They put the Jelly Belly's in a clear glue and put them on the painting.

After the factory, we went to this oil tasting place that was just down the street. We ended up buying some Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar. It is so delicious with a little sweetness! yummy! Then we had an hour couple massage that was just heavenly. Then we ate dinner at Vic Stewart's which is a steak place here in Walnut Creek. It is at the old train station depot and there was a train attached to the building. We actually sat inside the train, the caboose, to eat. Then the seperate train compartments are turned into private dining rooms that would fit like 8 to 10 people. It was awesome, but sadly I forgot my camera. We had a porterhouse steak that was so delicious along with mashed potatoes and asparagus. We finished it off with creme brulee!

I have no pictures of Rebecca...but don't despair, I do have more videos! So click the link and check these out. They are both pretty short. The second one, Rebecca gets up on her toes and this is becoming more and more common. Lots of times when she does this, she sticks her butt up in the air more.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Fireworks are the BEST!

We went over to our aunt and uncle's house yesterday for the 4th of July for a BBQ. The cousins played with Rebecca while we were there. They kept her very entertained.


After the BBQ, we went to Central Park (obviously not the one in NY) for Fireworks.
Uncle Robert helping Rebecca to stand...she is still quite wobbly. Rebecca had not slept much during the day and started to get fussy because she was tired. But then the fireworks started...

She was so quite while watching! She LOVED the fireworks. But the minute they were over...WAHHHH. She was screaming again.Aunt Debbie holding Rebecca while she watched the fireworks.