Kim's Smoke is Visiting Us!

This is the smoke from California rolling into the Las Vegas valley tonight. They warned us. It's not clouds, we don't get clouds here, just blue sky most of the time. Just imagine what Kim has if this is what we're getting after traveling over the mountains. YIKES!!

On Fire

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm sure you all know that we are literally on fire out here. I know several people who have come close to losing their homes but thankfully we are not even close to that situation. The only problem we have is all the ash in the pool and now that the winds have stopped its really difficult to breathe. Jacy's practices have been cancelled all week due to so much smoke.
Today was really bad due to smoke. The winds at least blew everything out to the ocean but fueled the fires so its a real catch 22.

I guess it doesn't matter where you live there are always elements to deal with.

Everyone take care,

Kim

Savage

So a week or two ago we sold our Ford Escape and picked up this '98 Suzuki Savage 650 as our third car. Finally I talked some sense into my folks :) (taken at Red Rock Canyon)

HEAD FOR THE BASEMENT!

OOOOEEEE did we have an exciting day yesterday. First we were had tornado watches around noon, then around 4 it became tornado warnings , then at 5 the sirens went off at the fire station and the weatherman on the TV said to head for the basement and our weather radio said the same thing. So, Tom, Gracie and me on crutches went down to our basement. We have everything we need in the basement so we settled in for what we thought was going to be our first tornado because it was headed right for us, but then it took a jog north and went above us, then picked up intensity and spread out and hit New Albany, IN and down into Louisville, KY. We had been at my orthopedic doctor in New Albany in the morning and it was just raining then. When we first moved here, I thought it was weird that the TV weathermen were so serious because in Las Vegas the were anything but serious. Here they tracked storms by city and time, like they say "the rain will be in Elizabeth at 7:31" or what ever and they are right and now I know why. Well anyway the sirens went off at 7 and we went back upstairs. It didn't look like any of the tornados went to Kelsey's area. I am going to call her this morning. I am glad that our house is all brick!

Good News!! I passed my National Environmental Health Exam! Whew - I was sweating that one. There were so many topics and a lot of the questions were so detailed. But, now at work, I can sign my name: Barbara Johannessohn REHS/RS. Ha - I have a title!! (That stands for Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian.) I got one package saying I passed and it had my certificate, another letter had my annual dues of $90. Ya never win! So, even the old can pass tests - I learned all that stuff 29 years ago.

Halloween fun

ENJOY THIS ADDICTING GAME !!

"http://dedge.com/flash/hangman/hangman.swf?a=300"

What we have been up to....

Hello everyone...so, I need to get better at checking our blog!! Nick and I have been pretty busy the last few weeks...but, it has all been a lot of fun and worth the lack of rest!! The top two pictures are from Barry Bonds' last home game as a Giant. I bought the tickets a while ago for Nick because the last home game was on his birthday and then the week before they announced that Barry wouldn't be coming back to the Giants next season....it was awesome being a part of a historical night (regardless of how anyone feels about him ; )...we like him!)
The second set of pictures are from last weekend....My best friend since the first day of Kindergarten got married last Saturday (she is the one in the white dress..haha). Our families are very close and it was a special day for everyone! The other picture kind of shows the awesome view from where the wedding was. Anyway, we finally get to relax the next couple of weekends and then we are getting ready for the big Halloween bash...I will post more pictures and check in more often!!!

What happens when you:

1) have nothing to do
2) own a sharp knife
3) have a large lime
4) own a patient cat
5) drink too much tequila
6) and it's football season?

Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize today for his efforts to educate people about global warming.1 It's not only a testament to his important work on the issue, but it's also a great example of the kind of leadership it is going to take to lead us out of this mess.

It's a good thing the Nobel Prize people didn't no about Gore's utility guzzling house.

Breast Cancer Awareness

This is another great site where the net proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The site is www.shopwarriorsinpink.com

Granny's 96th Birthday

Here is a picture with the grandkids, great grandkids and great great grandkids from Granny's 96th b.day party. It was a lot of fun to see everyone (even got to see Christine who I hadn't seen in over 20 years). I went by myself because Stephanie was sick, Rachel was taking her SATs, and Shane decided to stay home and Rick stayed home with Shane. I have to say, it was fun going by myself. The drive there was nice and so pretty. I am used to driving south to Marin County for work all week and it was nice to drive North (it was a lot prettier).

Eric (he is in the back row with the baseball hat) brought some of his horses for everyone to ride, however, I decided not to ride this year even though I love horses. I felt that since I drove myself up there, it might not be good if I were to say fall off the horse and not be able to get home.

As you can see, I am kneeling down in the green shirt (this was a time where I decided to wear my disguise because I didn't want to make the rest of the family feel bad).

Natalie

Oktoberfest Healdsburg, CA

Keith and I had an Oktoberfest party at our place last weekend. We had the keg-er-ator filled with Erdinger Dunkelweiss and about 25 friends come help us drink it. Unfortunately, the Lederhosen we bought for Keith on Ebay didn't arrive in time- so he was stuck wearing his T-shirt from last year's Oktoberfest!
My dirndl, however, did arrive- even though it was a little too big. And not low cut enough!! LOL!
This is our friend, Mike- in his German Police uniform - Keith is wearing the Police Hat. Mike is wearing the Birthday hat Keith received last year - a big goofy gag Oktoberfest hat. Aren't they cute!?!

Headrush

This video makes me chuckle.

My Cure For Insomnia

I couldn't get to sleep last night so I watched this for a while and after a few minutes I was sleeping like a baby. It's a lot of fun. Enjoy. Oh and if anyone has ever heard and/or likes the band Arcade Fire, check this out.

Hello

Some of you may be wondering what Rick and I look like so I have put pictures of both of us so you all can see. You might be thinking that Rick looks like George Clooney and I look like Catherine Zeta Jones and, yes, we get that all the time. A lot of times we put disguises on so we won't be bothered, but I thought you would want true pictures.

We are going to Granny's birthday party tomorrow and I am going to bring chocolate chip cookies because it is basically the only thing I can make.

I will write more later because I need to go to the store to buy chocolate chips. Talk to you all later.

Natalie

My morning walks

My scenery on my morning walks, which will end on this tuesday because I am having knee surgery and will be on crutches for 4 weeks:o(

This is the life!

This is who I had lunch with the other day! I was in Boulder City, that's Lake Meade in the background, and stopped at a park to eat my lunch. Not much for conversation but great for atmosphere! Kelsey actually ran a cross country race here many years ago and ran through rams such as these at the finish line! There were about 18 of them in all. I just love my job!

Number Change

Hello Everyone,
I changed my phone number today to a Portland area code. The new number is 503-799-6582. Please make a note of it beeeeeeeeep.

Breast Cancer Awareness

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness and on Good Morning America's web is this link that is great and everyone, male and female, should read it. Having gone through breast cancer I wish I had had this information. Please go to this site and read it. I did not find my lump, it was when I went in for my annual mammogram--so important!! If you get a chance watch Good Morning American this morning.http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlus/

I just watched the finial episode of, "The War." It was an absolutely incredible series. I have never seen one so well done, and viewed from such a multitude of views. Yet, all that I have read about the war and seeing all the images of it--I still can not fully appreciate or fully grasp what they went though. Imagine--somebody that you don't' no or no anything about, and that person really and truly wants to kill you. And you really and truly want to kill him. And all you both want, really and truly, is to be home. Home--with your wife and two point four kids in your three bedroom, two bath house, surrounded by a white picket fence.

It's just too bad somebody hadn't pointed out to our Hitler idiot, the sheer horror and insanity of war before he started his.

heyy everyone

hey everyone! its Shannon!! i just wanted to say hi. And i made an aclompishment! i figured out how to do this little thingy! tehee. well i hope i see all of you soon!

-shannon

The gap between the President's priorities and your priorities has never been more clear. The President just decided that 3 million poor children shouldn't receive healthcare. It's crazy. At the same time he's asking Congress for $200 billion more to continue his war in Iraq, he's vetoing a healthcare program for needy kids here at home that costs just a small fraction of that.

We have been watching The War too, and it is so good. We bought a new DVD/recorder and I have been recording it. They should show it in the schools!

For you Floridians, I just saw on the new that because Lake Okochobee (probably spelled wrong) is so low that archeologists are finding artifacts that are hundreds of years old-very interesting.

Jason, I click on test color and pick red, is that what you are talking about?

What's up???

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to tell everyone that Sunday Jacy and I took the train to San Diego for her first professional football game. It was the Chargers against my favorite team the Chiefs. Chiefs won which made it all the sweeter. The train ride is two hours one way with a trolley connection that took us straight to the stadium. We met some people on the trolley and they invited us into the club section of the stadium and they were the best seats ever. They also bought Jacy and I lunch. They were very nice. We had a great day and hope to do it again soon.

Jacy also had a double header on Saturday and played two awesome games. She has really stepped up her game and is playing better than ever.

Talk to you all soon. Have a great day!!!

television season

OK I am curious as to what everyone is watching this year. Our favoites are Boston Legal (love that show), Two and Half Men, Las Vegas, Numbers and Shark. We watched Sexy Dirty Money and Looks like it will be pretty good. Of course we love our Nascar, NHRA and FOOTBALL--yea COLTS. I recorded Cane but we haven't watched it yet.

We are headed for Cleveland today for my 6 month checkup on my eye. I am always nervous before seeing the dr. It is a 5 hour drive but we are going to stop in Indianaplis to have lunch with some friends, do some shopping and then head for Cleveland. My appointment is early tomorrow morning.

Love you all!!

Three moles break into a cabin in the woods, one mole sniffes the air and says "I smell honey" the second mole sniffes the air and says "no it smells more like brown sugar", the third mole says"you are both wrong, it smells like MOLEASSES". Sorry, couldn't resist.