went to Chinatown with Jose this time!

So when we went to Chinatown with Jose and the boys, Yuri, Matthew and their daughter, we did not take the train this time. We drove in and parked at this funny ramp, where you drive your car right into a little elevator, turn off the engine, and it automatically closes and whisks your car away someplace until you come back with your parking ticket and some money. Cool Beans! It was just our luck that their was some kind of festival going on that night, with a parade. We ate hearty in a Chinese place, of course, don't ask me to find it again, and were served by the only surly and neglectful Japanese waitress we've ever had here. It almost made me homesick for the Perkins in Forest Lake, MN. The food was delicious as usual, all of the four times we've been there.

What made the parade a bit suspenseful was that people randomly set of fireworks in a garbage can, in the middle of the crowds, almost made me pee in my pants. Definitely had me jump three feet in the air. Crazy bastards! :)

another birthday party....

The cutie little neighbor girls, the bane of Nate's existence, had a birthday party at the bowling alley last weekend. At the top are two of the sisters whose birthdays were just a week apart. Then, my boys. Frankie discovered that even though he is a big cool teenage boy now, it is still fun to hang out at kids parties, especially when his friends are roped in by their parents as well. Then my neighbor and good pal Yuri (head cut off) and her husband and tiny little girl learning to bowl with Dad.

Afterwards we went up to a model shop in Yokohama with Yuri and her little family, to let the boys check out some cool models. Frankie got into the gundam, Jose got the battleship Yamato, and Nate found some naughty models meant for much older boys. Yuri and I walked around and found a Starbucks, window shopped a bit, then wound our way back to the boys. Once they were good and done at the model shop and had a Japanese guys staffing the shop good and giggling, we went to Chinatown for some Chinese food for dinner.

Lil fishy

Finally, I have gotten the boys into swimming lessons against their will. Wills? Anyway, here is Nate learning to hold his breath underwater as any self-respecting Navy kid would do. this week, floating on his back. After a few tearful anxious moments, he discovered new confidence and had fun wth it. I'm so proud!

Summer on the Base

Well, we got back from Minnesota and are setting into a routine with a few weeks of Jose being home. Since he is still working, I hardly notice him being home except finding his socks around the house and noticing large quantities of food missing out of the fridge, and things not being where I have put them. Seriously, it is wonderful having him back. Soon, not sure exactly when, he will leave on another thing, to South America, and be gone until December. Thank God I have neighbors who understand and are in the same boat.

Here is the giant kiddie pool that Yuri just bought. The kids are loving it!

My kids are starting swimming lessons soon and are dreading that a bit, being nervous and unsure in deep water. I am hoping Nate will be a little fish by the end of the summer.

Ucle Jo Jo's crazy kids

Chaos (the big girl) and Charles, my brother Joe and his wife Lindsays to doggies, on my parents' deck. The didn't appreciate the local fireworks, really, at all. Cuties!

latest cross stitch

Here is the latest cross stitch I finished, while we were in Minnesota. I found a frame at an antique shop in Stillwater, and used that. Whew...that took a while! But, what a great way to pass time on a 11 hour plane ride.

my brother Matt

Here is my brother Matt and Nate, holding the Jackson Flying V electric guitar that Matt just gave him. He is in heaven right now with that guitar. Matt is a wild and crazy fun Uncle, who the little boys just love. His sense of humor is perfect for 5th and 8th grade boys! :) Hi Mee Mee!

Laura and Donald

Here is a pic of my old pal Laura and her son Donald. He is a cute little firecracker, and very huggy too. He talks a mile a minute about farm equipment and vet things. Laura is a vet who works with both large and small animals. She has two miniature horses and one large pony, a dog who showed up starving and mangy looking at their house one Christmas Eve, and some assorted cats. Anyway, here they are!

My ole buddy Meredith

We paid a visit to my ole buddy Meredith, who has a precious new baby girl. Isn't she sweet? I think about two months old now. Big brother Charley is a sweetheart, and showed me how he changes diapers and uses the wipes on his blow up froggy. He is a good brother to Lydia (Sp??). Anyway, since Meredith is such a groovy chick, Auntie Wendy brought over some matching tie die for the kids. Here we are having lunch at Dino's Gyros in Saint Paul, a great city. Meredith is a social worker who used to work with me, and that is how we became friends. She now works nights doing psych for the ER. She was trying to convince me that I might like it, after I complained about how much I miss working and using my social work degree. I probably would like it, except that I like to sleep at night. I especially don't like to be woken up for a psychiatric emergency! Not pictured is Frankie who tried a gyro for the first time and polished off the entire 26 pound thing.

Can you see the crabby Old Man of the Dalles?

More pics from our paddle boat cruise down the St. Croix River. In the top pic is a famous crabby old man glaring down at boaters. Can you see him?? He has defined cheekbones an a fabulous large pointy nose. I think having a big pointy nose like a beak is hot! I mean, haaaawt...especially in a woman in her late 30's. Anyway, can you see him?

See the Bald Eagle?

There was a Bald Eagle friend watching us from a pine tree as we cruised up the St. Croix. Pasha tried to show Nate where he was perched. He finally saw the fellow, but I'm not sure if he was impressed.

Gomez boys in, under and around Cascade Falls

The boys love the falls, and went around, behind and inside of the water with my Dad. There is a reason why 5th grade and middle school boys love my Dad! ;)

boys and Grandpa Crescenzo

Here the boys are with Grandpa Crescenzo when we went to a little park, which descended down a hill, to Cascade Falls, about 15 minutes away from my parents house. After asking "Why are we going down these stairs? Why do we have to go here" etc, Nate is shown grinning after he realizes it may be fun to get a bit closer to nature than he might see on the screen of his Nintendo DS. Frankie is smiling because it is more fun to get soaking wet than sit in a hot car. The picture is not as clear as it could be, minutes before the photographer had her iced latte and pint sized scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream from the local coffee shop in Osceola. In the background is Grandma, egging everyone on.