This year we spent Christmas at Rich’s house.  As usual the food was awesome!  We had prime rib, mash potatoes, asparagus, and all the trimmings.  For dessert we had a fruit torte cake from Ettore’s and a pecan delight of some sort.  See picture below.  I could have ate the pecan cookie thingy all night if I could.  It’s was Serene’s recipe from her co-worker.

Instead I sat in the message chair, watched TV with the family, then open gifts before we left.  We got some cool gifts from the family, including some nice treats for Minik and Candy, our puppies.

Here are some pics from last night’s dinner.

Wish you could be here to celebrate your birthday Mom!  Don’t worry, we’ll have all the stuff you like for your birthday.  Barbecued ribs, potato salad, and heck we’ll even throw in some sushi.  We miss you and are happy to know you are watching over us.

Mom

Love you,
Rolando and Ebru

In support of Breast Cancer awareness month we volunteered for the Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk in Sacramento.  Special thanks to Sharon Pinzon at Franklin Templeton for coordinating participants of the Power of Pink Team.

We had a great time at the walk being part of the sea of volunteers, walkers, and survivors.  The route around the Capitol was very scenic.  It was nice to take over the streets through Old Sacramento and the K Street Mall before the hustle and bustle of daily traffic.

Here are some pictures from the event.

It’s never too late to donate to Making Strides.  You can donate as little as $5.

Last Thursday we went to Arco Arena to watch, ‘So you think you can dance‘.  We had a great time!  It was so exciting to see our favorite dancers in person dancing our favorite routines.

They were just as smooth and energetic in person as they are on the show.  Yes they performed all the routines including one of our favorites ‘Bleeding Heart’ with Chelsea and Mark.  These kids are unbelievably talented and beautiful.

I thought that we might be caught in a crowd of teenagers at the event, but there were people there of all ages.  It was refreshing and surprising to see so many people.  This show has made dancing cool again.  Looking forward to next year’s season.  The new contestants will have big shoes to fill.

Here are some pictures from the show.

So much to do, so little time.  As usual we have been out and about trying out the local eateries of Sacramento, attending special events, and keeping busy at home.  Last month was no exception.  We attended the Dave Koz and Friends Jazz Festival at the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa.

It was a great outdoor event facing  the beautiful hills of Napa.  We sat about 6 rows from the front in the reserve seats just to see one of our favorite Jazz artist Dave Koz.  He is such an entertainer.  David Benoit was the opening act.  I have been a fan of David for many years and to see both David and Dave together in one concert was a dream.

Here are some pictures from the concert.

We will be keeping our eyes open for Dave’s next concert.   If you haven’t seen them, you should.  You won’t be disappointed.

To my brother Joe who passed away on Monday, August 11th.

Thanks Joe!  Thanks for everything!  For taking care of Rich and me when we were young.  For not having any judgments and for being a good role model.

You left behind a great legacy and a wonderful family.  It was great to spend time with Stephanie and the rest of the family.  It’s no wonder you were so happy.

You had a little slice of Heaven in Ridgecrest.  Take care Joey and say hi to Mom and Buffy.

Your brother,
Rolando

If you have read the news, then you know all about the California fires. Hundreds of them spread throughout the state. The smoke caused by the fires has caused a lot of problems up here. Sensitive groups are having breathing problems, the roads have up to a 10-mile visibility, and in worse cases people are being evacuated from their homes.

Last weekend we went camping up by the Lake Tahoe area and for the most part it was clear on Friday and Saturday. The peace and quiet of camping gave us a chance to reflect on nature and the trees that have taken years and years to grow. We were sadden with the thought of all the trees being burned.

As home owners with a backyard we understand how long it takes for things to grow. We are in our backyard 5-8 times a day and just watching our fruit trees and other vegetation. Time seems to crawl when we look around in our own area. We can’t image the time it took for the forest trees to grow. There is no comparison.

This is a picture of the camp grounds we stayed at. The beauty and stillness is breath taking. We pray for a miracle to save the forest and the people who are near the fires.

Dru Campgrounds

God bless all the emergency crews out there as well. It has been especially challenging this week with temperatures over the 100 degree mark.

This is a continuation of our remodeling of our kitchen and bath. This last project was to replace the carpet in the kitchen, living room, and hallway to hardwood (laminate).  During this time, we took advantage of the clear space to paint the walls as well.

The living room now has a soft green and the kitchen has a yellow hue, the same paint that was used in the bathroom. All the painting was done by Ebru. I hate painting, lol.

The laminate floor adds a nice touch and compliments our furniture. We couldn’t be happier with the work that was provided by Granite Expo. There is no way I could have done this work on my own. 4 contractors completed the work in a day in a half.

Observations – Without carpeting we notice that all the sounds in the remodeled areas are louder. There is nothing to absorb the sound. Also, it’s a little harder on your feet since there is nothing cushioning our steps. However, it is fun watching our dogs slide across the floor during their play time.

Their nails do not have any effect on the floor as far as scratches. However, we do hear their every footstep.

Wish we had done this sooner.

It’s a day our family has been waiting for. Diego has graduated from the 8th grade today! The graduation was held at Diego’s middle school, Albert Einstein in Sacramento. It was a perfect day to have an outdoor graduation.

I forgot how it was being his age. They sure don’t make kids like they used too. Here are the pictures and you can judge for yourself. Diego has a break for high school. Hopefully he’ll be ready for the world. If not, we’ll be there to support him. Way to go Diego! Congrats!

The rest of the pictures can be found here.