Above and below – The final photos Ron took at the Fair speak for themselves.

This one absolutely speaks for itself!

KJ – for YOU… Wednesday evening I had dinner at Herb & Wood in Little Italy with my GNO group. Look at the ingredient dead center on the Roasted Baby Carrots! 

Of course I had to order it and take pictures. My entire meal was fantastic. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who doesn’t mind loud and pricey. A very flavorful meal. I had a ravioli with goat cheese and roasted beets.

A quick selfie before leaving the restaurant. It was a bit dark so the photo’s blurry.

This, my friends is Kando getting his first taste of the “pouting place.” All the grandkids know about it, why should he be any different? Let’s learn’m young! Amma’s rule is no crying in the kitchen. He was crying so I picked him up and set him up on the second stair where he immediately slid to this position. Of course he didn’t slide any farther because that would be too uncomfortable. He stayed there about two minutes before he realized nobody was going to rescue him and he was missing out on too many things. So he got up, shook it off like a big boy and proceeded to give all of us high 5’s!

Robb and the kids arrived last night a little later than he planned due to unforeseen circumstances, one of which would be the small plane that crashed on the 405 by John Wayne Airport earlier in the afternoon. But they made it safely and everyone was happy to be at Amma and Pappa’s.

Today Robb took the kids to Balboa Park with a lunch I packed for them while Pappa and I are making Maya’s birthday cake (unicorn theme) for her party tomorrow. She’s going to be FIVE!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and MacBook with LOVE!

Above – The perfect rose in our yard.

Below – Last Saturday 11 students attended a 2-hour International Yoga Day fund raiser for the Bellur Trust at my home studio, a record number of students in my studio.

Bear and Ziggy somehow napping alongside beach balls “someone” put in their crates. They don’t like beach balls.

Luck struck on their final day – Alo and Kando with a bird’s eye view of road work just outside our window.

Sometimes a meal is worthy of a photo – Spinach salad, big eye tuna, quinoa & grilled zucchini.

Succulent flowering along my morning walk.

The Fair Part 1:

This one’s for KJ – look who I ran into at the OB Street Fair!

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Above & below – Alo and Kando were good sports for Amma on safari in Great Grandma’s back yard looking for photo ops.

Kickin’ back on the balcony.

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Above – Robb sharing some time on the patio with his grandma.

Happiness is enjoying Thai food wearing your bike helmet.

Below – More KJ & a visit to see Ron and the kids. KJ was playing some hide & seek with the kids.

No peeking!

Kando & Alo posing in one of those politically correct photos where no private parts are exposed.

Alo and I took a trip to the grocery store & Alo scored a ride in the fire engine cart.

Kando likes to eat & he’s really good at it.

Here’s one for the boys! Coming up the stairs from walking Ziggy I found this beetle. It was about an inch long. The boys would have loved it!

Did you know … tomorrow is Bruce’s birthday.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!!

Above – That’s the new portfolio photo for my “Yoga Bio” on the Iyengar Yoga La Mesa website teachers page and also used for the bio on my own website.

Below, Alo and Kando watch a music festival band in the street from the second floor of a Mexican restaurant in Sacramento three weeks ago. Yes, I’m that far behind and have been neglecting my posts.

Here’s how we stay in touch with the boys of the North – Skype, except of course when we visit them or they visit us. Robb and the boys were here last week for a couple days for Aunt Flo’s memorial service. I took a lot of really good  photos of them I share as I get caught up. 

This is the Monday morning class I’ve been subbing while my teacher is in China. I had 17 students this day, all in Sirsasana (head stand) of some sort.

And here are eight students in supported Savasana at my home studio.

Maya and Sparty at Pizza Port with their daddy sharing what looks to be a root beer float, or maybe it’s a chocolate shake.

Now here’s a concept. When your legs aren’t long enough to reach the pedal, find a friend or in this case your sister to push the pedal for you. CORRECTION: Ron wanted me to add that Sparty was going 80 miles per hour AND he was on the road (not bouncing off the walls)!!

While I was in SDCCU to make a deposit …

The kids were outside waiting for this nice officer to come out to take a photo. 

Below – L-R Liz & Adam (Evan’s kids), Jordan and Jill (Evan’s wife) – June 6! But really I should be saying, Adam & Jordan holding up their new Certificate of Marriage! Congratulations are in order not only for this moment, but also for Adam receiving his PhD the day before! Happy days!

Weeds. Very healthy ones & pretty too.

What we have here is a very tired little boy. At least I think it’s a boy. He was wiped out.

I am determined to get caught up on posting my photos. I have some really good ones from when Robb and the boys were here and some videos too. I’ve got to get a handle on this before I leave for Pune so I’ll be fresh and able to post daily. That’s my mission and I’m sticking to it!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and iMac with LOVE!!

Above – Surfing bay side at Surfside Deli on Rosecrans.

KJ, fka Karin Longway, long time friend going all the way back to Dana Jr High School, paid us a visit and left last Friday to return to the land of Kiwi, Pineapple Lumps, Whittaker’s chocolates & Dukkha.

Below – Evidently this is a very special treat in NZ. I think it deserves an award for its name alone.

I especially like the warning. After all, if you’re going to eat candy, you should be sure to enjoy a balanced diet!

Here’s another treasure from NZ. So good!

One of the nights we got together with Dennis Huber and his wife, Shelley, at The Venitian Restaurant. I’ve known Dennis since before I can remember. He lived down the alley from me and we went to the same elementary school. Kick the can comes to mind here …

We got together with KJ’s brother, Jonny (who is an owner of Surfside Deli), for happy hour at the Kona Kai.

This horse made out of scrap wood is in the lobby at the Kona Kai Club. An odd thing to have on display at a yacht club, I think. Just sayin’.

Don’t ask because I have no idea what this is. Scary.

A second trip to the Kona Kai and yet another horse in the lobby.

Siblings – Jonny, KJ & Kathie.

Farewell lunch at Nati’s.

I was catching birds. I know this is hard to believe, but not one bird fell for the old corn chip on the head (or the shoulder) trick.

Dukkah – dip some bread in olive oil, then in the Dukkah & eat it. Good stuff. KJ couldn’t find it anywhere so she ordered a package on Amazon. To our surprise it was shipped from NZ and arrived before she left!

Dukkah went very well with this bottle of NZ Sauvignon Blanc KJ also provided.

KJ stayed with us almost 3 weeks, minus a couple short trips to Rosarita Beach and Salt Lake City to be with relatives. We always enjoy her company and we were sorry to see her go. She left Friday, a day before Robb and the boys showed up.

A special farewell to my Aunt Flo who was married to my mom’s younger brother Chuck. Flo suffered a severe stroke about 10 years ago and passed away last week. Her service was today – a beautiful Jewish service followed by lunch at Tio Leo’s. 

I am so far behind in posting. I need to get back into the swing of things before my India trip.

Stay tuned.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!

Above – Can you tell what Sparty is holding up?

Hangin’ in the Hood  …

Hodads!

Child prodigy…

Purisima Creek Redwoods …

Banana slug!

Making a cake …

Oops, got a little frosting on their faces …

Everybody loves a double decker bus!

Gotta love ’em all!

We have a house guest. Well sort of. She’s in Mexico with her brother & sister. I’ve got some photos I’ll share next post.

Oh, about that featured image, it’s a toenail!  It was hanging on the big toe for a long time. That is until Pappa snuck up from behind & yanked it off!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!

Above & below – Alo and Kando cherry picking last weekend. Together with Robb they picked 11 pounds of cherries!

Amma and Sparty on a walk to the end of the pier.

Annie’s All Stars.

… and someone who couldn’t get enough of them!

This is Alo’s class activity. Alo was really good with the sand. The rock, not so good …

Maya and Sparty doing sit-ups at gymnastics. Sparty’s on the far left, Maya 3rd from the left.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo. This is how Coach Laura keeps the kids in line. Maya makes sure she’s in front. Every time.

Amma and Pappa took these two for FroYo.

Last weekend – Alo and Kando at the water park.

What kind of daughter takes a picture of her mom on the surgery table? That would be me. Don’t worry. It was a small skin cancer and it looks like she’s going to be just fine after the bruising goes away and the stitches are taken out.

That’s about it. There are more. There are always more and there’s always a next time.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and MacBook with LOVE!

Above – Group photo! There was a big turnout for Sparty’s 3rd birthday party.

Our day started with a short visit from Ron and the kids to pick up a couple things for the party. The kids didn’t waste any time moving bar stools around so they could get up close and personal with “The Birthday Cake.”

The bounce house! I even went in it for a while and had great fun bouncing and sliding with the little ones. I think there’s a video out there somewhere …

The birthday boy.

Maya the Bee.

Face painting!

Minnie Mouse.

This is Maya’s friend, Eva, who lives up the street from her.

Street tacos were the order for Seis de Mayo!

I guess a couple hours of bouncing around will do a little one in.

Make that two little ones (that’s Henry in there) …

Then there was “Pin the Tail-Pipe.”

Here’s Maya pinning the tail-pipe somewhere far, far away from where it should go.

This is Ron’s friend, Chase, handling the blindfolds. It was so much fun watching him. He took over the job and I can tell you why. He loves kids! He started with the smallest ones and worked his way to the older kids, situating the blindfold, then lifting it just enough so they could see where to put the tailpipe, then he’d pull the blindfold back down and direct them toward the motorcycle. He’s a big guy but very calm, soft spoken and gentle with the kids – such a nice guy. Those are his two sons in the photo below.

Sisters who talk and laugh alike.

Here’s Eva’s mom and little sister Valerie.

There was some very serious bean bag tossing.

Ron had some trouble lighting the candle because the wind decided to pick up at the wrong time. It never did light.

Presents!

And some good ole hearty laughs!

Piñata time.

Thank God for the big kids coming in to finally bust up the piñata.

Scramble!

Pirates booty and a happy birthday boy.

The party was a blast – Lots of things to do, good food (& cake), very nice people and a lot of sweet, respectful kids.

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone and MacBook with LOVE!

Above – A masterpiece! Pappa and I spent many hours today building a cake for the Sparts’ 3rd birthday – German chocolate cake complete with motorcycle and stop sign. There’s a story behind this that has to do with playing the motorcycle game and stop sign game while driving wherever we’re headed. The game is simple (after all we play it with a 2 & 4 year old) – we take turns finding either a motorcycle or stop sign. Usually Maya and Sparty make up the rules as we go along but I suppose that’s the way it goes.

To give you an idea of how big this cake is, we brought this young subject in to sit behind it.

If that doesn’t do it, how about this – 4 cake mixes and 7 tubs of frosting! BIG!

Meanwhile, we have another empty nest. These precious little – teeny tiny actually – eggs …

That hatched into these hungry little beings…

That grew into these beautiful, amazing creatures …

… have flown away.

Let’s take a look at what Robb and the boys have been up to – another outing in the Bay Area – Tennessee Beach, Marin.

Here at Amma & Pappa’s – pizza for breakfast.

And a challenge for Amma to crawl through the doggie door. It’s a tight squeeze!

Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!