Cami turns 40

My friend Mike called me a while back and said, "do you think we could pull of playing some music at Cami's birthday party?" I thought, "bass and saxophone, we might need to fill it out a little." We came up with our friend Kenny, really Kenny was a ringer, he's actually good.

Mike's idea was that we would play some jazz standards so he came up with a list of tunes and we got together and practiced once and showed up for the party a couple of weeks later.



Mike and Cami did a great job of putting the party together. Lot's of yummy food and beverage and after dinner we set out to play. They had a nice patio tent with dance floor.


Me, Kenny and Mike




Club Marchand. There were some points that folks actually got out there and danced.


It was a good time. Felt good to get out and play.

My Birthday - Free Disneyland

So, my birthday was last week and Disneyland is giving away free entry to everyone on their birthday, what a deal! Junia still has an annual pass that she's not getting much use out of since the rest of the family expired so I took the day off work and had a father daughter birthday at Disneyland.

Before we left the Pasadena area we stopped for coffee, chocolate milk and a bear claw.


The first ride was, as usual the Tram from the parking lot and then Small World. I was pushing for Indian Jones but was out voted one to one.

Junia commented as we walked up, "They are all shiny, did they paint it?" Apparently so, but that doesn't mean they made they fixed the functionality of the ride, we got about 3/4 the way through and the ride stopped. Fortunately the music stopped as well.


Then we went for a little out door driving.


Junia thinks she's a natural driver.


We headed over to the canoes. Junia was a great help paddling around the island.


After a few more rides it was time to head home to have dinner with Ethan and KC, but there was a sign on the way out where Mickey Mouse thanked me for celebrating my birthday at Disneyland.




Junia did a little song on the way to the car.


We got home and went out to dinner as a family. At the Claim Jumper we shared the Brownie Finale.... brownie, ice cream and lots of hot fudge.... yummy.

KC "fit by 40"

My wonderful wife turned 40 on Feb 20th which meant we had to have a party! KC being all about themes and making it creative went with a "Dress a Decade" theme which meant guests could pick any 10 year span and stereotype dress for it. We've got some pretty cool friends that embraced the theme.

Based on pictures I've seen from the past I don't think it was much of a stretch for Pamela to get the '80's Metal rock chick thing going.


We worry about Mike.


Neighbor Don.... I think his wife Shelly really got into the theme and made him dress up. She looked great too. Jim with the 50's thing was about 10 years early and Rog, my brother did a big stretch with the '90's grunge flannel... of course his name tag read "Kurt."


KC has been doing Extreme Bootcamp for the past year. Yes, an hour a day, 5 days a week for the past year and has been loving it. Her mantra has been "fit by 40", and it's worked. The gang from bootcamp all won chocolate bars in one of the party games.


Of course there was cake. The only candles Rosanne and I could find were left over from the kids birthday's over the years. So there was a "4" and some other candles arranged kind of in a "0". Kerrianne made her own cake, her mom's recipe that has to be the best chocolate cake in the world.


For me, I spent the week before the party growing some righteous lamb chops. I might keep 'em for a while because they are a great conversation piece.


Me and my lovely wife. Take note of the 1977 tile on the floor behind us, not getting to that part of the remodel projects really made for a nice welcome to the party as people entered.


And here she is, "fit at 40."

A good day to be inside

Went for a hike yesterday with the Tiger Cubs and only got a little wet from crossing the creek and the mist from the waterfall... it would be very different if we were out there today because it's pouring.


Today is a beautiful day of hanging inside, watching the rain and collecting music for KC's birthday party next weekend.

The leg is still a little sore from getting kicked last week. I'd really like to get some running in, maybe I'll head to the gym tonight and give it an easy try on the treadmill.

Up the hill

We had Junia's birthday party today. 9 little girls and Ethan all went for tea. Ethan was quite the gentleman dressed in his suit, holding chairs and getting things for the ladies. All the girls wore pretty dresses and received feather boa's and necklaces. There were scones, some sorbet to cleanse the pallet, little sandwiches and it ended with a sundae, oh, there was also a choice of teas, lemonade or the favorite, hot cocoa.

After we got home I went for a run. I took off up the wash to the top of the dam then followed the road over to the Clamshell Trail (Hillbilly Hill) but then followed the road. Those were two tough hills. From there I just followed the roads around Monrovia for a while. I ended up with just over 6 miles by the time I got home, for me that's a decent long run.