another mouse birthday!

Matthew James Walker - the happiest baby in the world :)

I can't believe my sweet little baby mouse is turning 17..... SEVENTEEN! But he is.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW MY PRECIOUS BOY!!!

turning 8 years old :)

turning 9 years old :)

 10 years old :)

11 years old :)

ONLY THE MOUSE would insist on wearing a kilt to his 6th's grade graduation! :D

I couldn't find birthdays 12 or 13 which is gonna drive me INSANE.....

so his kilt pic will have to substitute for them both :/

 Turning 14 and flying high at City Walk and Hard Rock :)

15 with Davy at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles.....

..... and doing some big time high flying of an entirely different kind this year!

16th birthday with Ambrosia and the gang at (you guessed it) Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles.....

..... and of course a visit to Amoeba Music afterwards - Ambrosia, Matty, John, and Davy :)

~

So how is Matthew going to celebrate turning 17???

You have a few days to guess - you'll have to check back to see the pics!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW - I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

kill the fatted calf! (which you know I would never do)

 In early August my oldest boy came back from spending 3 months in Laos! WAHOOO!

WELCOME HOME DANIEL!!! :)

A non-profit organization had hired him to do research for them.

I hate, hate, hated to see him go :( But it was a good job offer, so he needed to take it.

And as you can see from the computer on his lap and the boxes full of packages to the left of him, he did a LOT of online "retail therapy" while he was gone! Now that's my boy!

 It was fun for all of us to see him open everything - it was like Christmas actually!

But most of all it was just wonderful to see my boy, my precious boy, 

and to have all 3 boys together again. As you know, that's my all time favorite thing :)

It didn't take long for them to rip everything open and start playing new video games, heh!

One of the VERY FUN things we did after Daniel came back from Laos, was to go to 

the Baked Potato!

It's an AMAZING jazz dinner club down in Studio City (close to where we used to live when Daniel was a baby!). It's been there for a long time (since 1970) - just a teeny little place, but lots of famous people perform there. John, Davy, and Matty had been there several times and couldn't wait to take Daniel. This time Davy's girlfriend Taylor and I joined them and it was SO FUN!

And talk about the size of their baked potatoes! HOLY SPUDS!!!

~ Leland Sklaar ~

(no, not Billy Gibbons!)

Okay, you may think this is silly but I don't care. If you know anything about amazing musicians - or if you happen to look on at least half the albums you have - you'll see the name Leland Sklaar. One of the most sought after and highly regarded bass players, both in the studio and to tour with. We've seen him perform with some of the greats for over 30 years, and we've even spotted him in Studio City before - but never sat in a jazz club with him all evening! It was SO AWESOME! The Mouse even went over to shake his hand and introduce himself. He told him how much we all admired him. He was so nice to Matty, asking him questions and was genuinely interested in his answers. It was a really neat experience to see the Mouse go over and meet this great man :)

mouse heaven

After Shell and I were done romping through the Sweet Tooth Fairy and reaping the benefits, it was greatly anticipated by the Mouse that he spend a good amount of time worshipping at his personal sacred mecca known to regular people as Cabela's sporting goods. 

 (cue angels singing)

He went in so fast we could hardly document his arrival. We knew he could legitimately stay inside for days on end, but all we cared about was that we had long enough for lunch and a pedicure. And for him to purchase as much army/survival gear as was humanly possible in that amount of time. It was definitely a win/win situation for all parties involved. 

 And then was the time for a ride in Shell's husband's brand spanking new Mini Cooper.

Look at the expression on the Mouse's face! HAHAHAHA!

 It doesn't take a genius to determine what a fine example of a downright fun sports car this is!

Thank you John!!! For taking Matthew on several very momentous rides! :)

 !!!!!

 !!!!!

 !!!!!

!!!!!

 Surely you didn't think I'd forget a pedicure pic did you?!

We remembered just as we were saying goodbye - sniff :( (Don't look Joanne!)

Shell, both you and John were so loving and helpful and fun during our stay - THANK YOU!

 6 or 7 hours later, the hazy view of Las Vegas in the distance.

"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy"

Never mind. 

This part was not fun. That's the temperature, not the speedometer. (that would've been fun!)

and now some sweet fun

If you thought for one minute that after the cemetery service was over, 

and our goodbyes had been said, and my brother had driven back to southern Utah..... 

that Matthew and I drove right back home as well..... 

YOU WOULD BE WRONG! 

I mean come on - I'm staying with my cousin Shell! Let's get this party started!

~

Those of you who read the Nie Nie Dialogues will recognize the name of this YUMMALICIOUS Utah bakery! I had only read about it though, and now I had the chance to GO to one! YAYYY!!!

 Yeah..... I'm just gonna let these delectable goodies speak for themselves.....

 !!!!!

 !!!!!

 !!!!!

 These INSANE little candy-like nuggets are..... wait for it..... CAKE BITES!

 !!!!!

 Oh-my-stars-in-heaven-above..... these cookies were some of the best cookies I'd ever eaten!

IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!

The cookies themselves were unbelievable, but the frosting..... the FROSTING!!!

!!!!!

So suffice it to say, I dream of the Sweet Tooth Fairy in my dreams. 

Check them out to see ALL their amazing creations and make yourself miserable like me :/

----------> the Sweet Tooth Fairy gourmet bakery <---------- 

THOSE COOKIES..... OH!!!

for my brother

There are times when you need to be there for your loved ones, and this was one of those times. My brother's wife passed away and I needed to be there for him, so off we went. Matty and I drove all the way up to my cousin Shell's house in Utah (11 hours) in one day... and a few more hours the next day to the beautiful cemetery in northern Utah where most of my family is buried. 

~

The above photo is a rainbow we encountered on the long drive up, during one of the many thunder showers we managed to get caught in. I thought it was a poignant beginning to our trip.

 Some of the many beautiful flowers Shell got ahead of time to take to the cemetery -

as always, she was such a help and comfort to both my brother and I :) 

 A lovely casket arrangement brought by my brother's pastor and his wife - such a thoughtful gesture :)

 My brother Ric (far left) and a few close friends who we so kind to make the drive.

(and my cousin Shell of course, and Matty on the far right)

 Ric and I - I really love this pic :)

 The Ben Lomund Cemetery in north Ogden Utah is so beautiful sitting there below the mountains.

 My maternal grandfather (left), my aunt Lola - my mother's older sister who died as a child (center), and my maternal grandmother are all buried here. Many other ancestors are here as well.

And of course my mother and father are both buried here.

My mother passed away just 4 years ago, and my father back in 1996. I really miss him.

My cousin Shell and I designed their headstone and that means a lot to me :)

It was an exhausting day, but a very, very lovely one as well. Such good people and family.

I want my brother to know how much I love him - xoxo

mo summa

 I bet you didn't know Davy's cat had 2 heads, hehehe :)

 Yum! New place in town called "Bricks". Their food is supa supa good!

 And their sweet potato fries are yummalicious!

 You don't know what it took to get these slippers. Let's just say I'm awesome :)

Can you find Luna? You can always find her on top of our clean laundry!

She likes to make a little nest and go to sleep..... so sad when it's time to fold it :)

 Walker family oxymoron

 So maybe diet Coke isn't the only soda I like have you ever thought of that?!?!

GNOMES! 

Vintage gnome Christmas ornaments from my friend Lauren - thank you!!!