Tonight was a fun night!  Wasn't even planning anything and then we decided to barge in on Nancy and Jacob's date so we ate at  with them!  But before dinner - they called us to tell us there was going to be an hour wait - so we went back into the mall to kill some time.  Ainsley and Monte were nice enough to leave me all by myself to shop at Macy's (since I have that b'day gift card) and they headed off to find some Nikes for Ainsley.  Well, I ended up staying at the counter the whole time!  JUSTIN did my eye shadow for me so I got some new eye shadows  and a new blush (I haven't bought blush in years!)  Just think Bethany - if you and Kevin moved out to CA, he and I could go to the MAC counter together and let JUSTIN do our makeup!!!   Now THAT would be a site!!  I found out that the GIRLS that work there have to where their "LIPS", which is lip liner, color and gloss, but the GUYS aren't required to do so - they just have to where ONE product on their face whether it's cover up or powder or something - they got into a little argument about it when Lisa was telling Justin that it wasn't fair cuz what if a gay GIRL worked there and she didn't want to where the makeup, then why should SHE have to just because she's a girl!???  Then Justin came back with a pretty good point - "Well, she shouldn't be working here, if she doesn't like that kind of stuff then?"  ha!!  So I then asked Justin, "So that means that you don't HAVE to be wearing that royal blue eye liner and mascara?"  Justin says, "No, I don't have to - I've just GOT to since it's so fabulous!"     Too funny - he was very nice and didn't talk in that somewhat annoying stereotypical "gay voice" though - so it was cool.  He was very educated on what he was doing and gave me some good pointers like always putting on a wet or cream foundation on your eyes before your eyeshadow so your eyeshadow doesn't crease!  I've been putting on my mineral makeup over my eyes with my brush but he says powder on powder will just fold!  WOW!  Thanks Justin!

So here's me with my eyes all MAC'd up!!    It seemed like WAY dark to me - but in the picture it looks normal . . .  just fun to do something a little different.

So this is my cousin Jacob and his wife Nancy!  FYI:  Jacob's mom (Aunt Mary Alice) is a sister to my mom Barbara Cole, Ivan Costa, Cynthia Tidmore, Bill Costa, Myron Costa, & Louise Boek!  I'm sure there are MANY connections with lots of you out there!  They go to the Escalon congregation and live in Oakdale.

NANCY IS JUST FRESH HERE AT XANGALAND SO PLEASE click here (KINGSFAN23) TO WELCOME HER AND SHOW HER THAT XANGA IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN MYSPACE!!!

BTW: Nancy is often a Bass Fisherman's Widow - so some of you may relate!!

Has anyone had these shrimp???????  Oh man!!!!  They are TO DIE FOR!!!!  They will now be CONSTANTLY on my mind and I will be wanting to go back just for THOSE!!!!  They sound pretty weird - but it all comes together like many different instruments in an orchestra to create the perfect symphony!!!

Check out this "Mountain" of whipping cream on our choc cake!!!  Too cool!

Here's Ainsley cleaning off the skier after the avalanche!  ha!

 You've GOTTA love this picture!  Ainsley is SOOO wanting be in this pic!!!

Actually, we didn't ask her to be in it but I guess she thought she was SUPPOSED to!

Better go dry my hair and get our clothes ready for services in the am! Nighty-night!

FYI: I added a few more pics to my new slide show and also added captions since a lot of you might not know who everyone is . . . and I like knowing in other people's blogs.

Don't know why the quality of some pics aren't as good as others - they're all great in real life!!

Well, it's been a while - but I finally did a new slide show and changed my colors a bit to a more winter theme I guess - now I need to go find some cute winter graphics.  Anyone have any good sites for those?  I spend half my time just searching!!  UGGH. . .

So as you see above, we went camping the last week of deer season, last week of October - had a great time getting dirty, eatinga lot, playing games and hiking just a little! ha!  It was dry this year, so good for us but bad for the hunters - no deer to cut and wrap!

My bro Aaron and his wife Jill brought their BIG dog, Bruiser, who is just soo calm and sweet! Now Bailey, the LITTLE dog is very irritable and does not like kids - so we stay away from her!

Let's see . . . below, Ainsley and I were making candy for our candy bags we made for everyone and took camping.

I sent this pic out to a few people already - but I'll say it again - THIS is what happens when you leave a 2 year old alone with donuts around . . .

they have to try every one of the glazed donuts . . .  you can tell she thinks she just MIGHT be in trouble so she smiles big to prove how sweet she REALLY is! ha!!

Ainsley turned 3 on Dec 3rd so we had her party and threw in Monte's too since his was today (Dec 7th)  Most of my new slide show is of that party.  I had fun wrapping and decorating in Minnie Mouse

- the cake was a pic of Minnie and her at Disneyland

Monte had to answer sports/24 trivia to get to be able to open a gift - when he was wrong he had "punishment"

1) Pink Wig

2) Star sunglasses

3) Birthday Princess headband

4) TRIED to get him to sing/read the KANSAS Fight Song . . . but he WOULD NOT do it!  He said he had "STANDARDS" and he would NOT stoop that low!!  ha!!  I'm looking at him in this outfit and said to him "Standards"????  He's too funny.  He proceeded to rip up the Jayhawk picture I had for Ainsley to color and he showed her and the rest of the girls how they should STOMP on Jayhawks!!

He was way too good on the sports trivia - he got things that I NEVER thought he would get!  He LOVES Sports Trivia - I SHOULD have known!!  I'll have to put some of it up and see if any of my guy readers would know the answers.

Must go to bed -1 am - tired - Ainsley's still up and now starting to watch Conan O'Brien!!!  I don't think so!!!!

Until next time . . .

ANNOUNCING

OUR 4th ANNUAL

ROOK TOURNAMENT!

Friday, December 15th

(not sure what time yet . . . )

Please RSVP so Monte can have time to get the tournament brackets all figured out!  He takes MUCH pride in this task!  I think he feels like he's actually involved in a "real" sport when he does it or something!    Hey - maybe we should get some cheerleaders too! 

We always have a lot of fun . . . and eat lots of snacks!!  So if any of you are interested that have not come before, we would be happy to have you!  I hear Mike DeGough is still looking for a partner if anyone is interested . . . (Renee??)   Lyndsay - I hope you can come . . . and have a different partner!!

Here are some pics from last year

Even the LOSERS went away with prizes!!

  THE FINAL FOUR!  

Don't tell Ron & Doris, but Monte and I went ahead and let them win since we would

have felt bad taking home the prize of the tournament WE were hosting!! 

Ron & Doris Jordan

2005 Rook Champions

~ 2004 Tournament ~   

Yes, my nephews Cole & Lane REALLY won the 2nd tournament

The 1st year Cole & Monte were partners and the two of them won!

. . . . guess Monte wasn't too happy about it! 

Who will take home the coveted title of

ROOK TOURNAMENT CHAMPS 2006?!?!?!?

As always, click twice on above audio to get the "disney effect"

ha!  Ron looks a little disgusted at stitch, huh?

What happens at Disneyland. . .

STAYS at Disneyland!!??

This is Ainsley & Kendra waiting for the big parade to start at Disneyland . . . as you will see, I think they'd seen ONE too many parades this day!!

You'll have to listen closely to my commentary . . .

This is for all of those Josh Groban fans out there -- especially for my friends Melissa and Jenny!!

Click the arrow button twice to play

This song is called Lullaby - Ladysmith Black Mambazo also sings with him on this song

Oh yah, I should tell you -  this is from his new CD AWAKE that just came out a couple of days ago 

Click the "play arrow" twice, then close your eyes and take a virtual ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean!!  . . .

OK, you need to open them now so you can read the rest of my blog!   

Here are a few old pics I already had in my computer from last years Harvest Party.

Hi everyone!  Sorry I haven't got back to most of you on your comments - but I WILL!!   Just been busy! 

1)  Went camping

2)  Had to unload and clean up/do laundry (took a couple of days!)

3) Doing yard work - sooo nice yesterday!!

4)  Been working on our Disneyland DVD!!!  I love working on it but it is soo time-consuming!!!  I think I finally have it done - but the hardest part was coordinating the appropriate music to the right pictures!  You know - had to have the Winnie the Pooh music when the Pooh ride pics came up, had to have the Buzz Light Year music when Buzz Light year pics were up . . . so had to shorten lots of the music since I obviously didn't have 5 minutes worth of Buzz Light year pics!!!  Unfortunately, I didn't have ANY Pirates of the Caribbean pics since we just RAN onto that ride at 11:45 pm!  But I love the "Pirates Life For Me" music - so I had to add that in at the end and I just added a bunch of random "pirate" pics from the e-net and even stole one of Jen and Pam's pics of them with Capt. Jack Sparrow!  Thanks girls - let me know how much I owe you in royalties!  ha!

I showed it to my family over at Rachel & Greg's the other night and the girls (Kendra and Ainsley) were LOVIN' it!!!  Who doesn't like to see pics of themselves, right?  Well, I found out that when I burned my DVD, it somehow took an OLD version of my production and burned that to disc!!  WEIRD!  So, of course, I had to go back and add back in all of my little extras . . . and now I think I'm stopping so I can start on downloading my camping pics!!

Disneyland Tips

1. For FANTASMIC - get a GOOD seat, right down in FRONT by the water, even if you have to wait a while cuz if you see it from anywhere else - it just won't be as good!

2.  Stay until midnight and ride all the rides you want without a wait for the last hour!

3. Go during the WEEK - but if you do go over a weekend, you should do the weekend FIRST to appreciate the SMALLER lines!

4. See ONE big event per night so you can ride the rides with shorter lines while everyone else is watching the parade you already saw last night!

5. If you want to meet characters and get pics/autographs WITHOUT A WAIT, go to a CHARACTER MEAL!  I recommend the food at Goofy's Kitchen!

6. If you are wanting autographs - be prepared with a book BEFORE you get into the park since Mickey Mouse might be standing right in front of you when you walk in . . . and then never see him again!

7. Bring addresses with you & buy postcards the FIRST day, bring stamps, and actually MAIL THEM!! 

8. Call your family while you're there!  But PLEASE do not call them while you're in line and 2 INCHES away from the next person! (ANNOYING!)

9. Walk across the street out of the park to eat if you're really hungry! The walk is not far at all and of course the prices are NOT OUTRAGOUS!

10. Take STROLLERS for any child you MIGHT not be able to keep up with you!  I suggest age 10 and under!

11. have one person jog to a Fast Pass ride with ALL of your tickets and get a Fast Pass ticket for the whole party while the rest of you wait in line for a ride!

12. DEFINITELY go to the Aladdin Show in California Adventure!!!

 DID YOU KNOW?
Mickey Mouse is called "Musse Pigg" in Sweden, while Huey, Dewey,

and Louie are known as "Knatte, Fnatte, och Tjatte!"