Gold Nuggets Days

We got to indulge our inner Geek today.

With costumes & everything. (Well, for the kids anyway).


We drove up to "Paradise" for the Gold Nugget Days.

We watched the Donkey Derby & spent the day wandering about the museum & the 'tent city' & just enjoying the beautiful day.

They had many hands on areas where the kids could get a taste of life in the 1850's in a mining town.

We had a nice chat with the undertaker, washed some clothes on the scrub board, panned for 'gems' & had a jolly good time all the way around.

And we ended the day with ice cream.

Jealous? :)

Cute boys & a donkey friend.

Smile!

One well protected bark hut...

My daughter & the world's cutest boy baby ;)

Is this gold?

Trying on the coffin for size...

Washing day!

Pretty girl.

Panning for 'gold'.

I am particularly fond of the 'angle' of this shot... ;)

Look what I found Mom!

Taking a nap after a long day.

Our partners in crime 'The Ziggy's'

Blessings.

Belle of the Ball

My daughter.

Isn't she lovely?

Tonight is her first formal dance.

It is a Father/Daughter "Purity Ball" at a local church.

She has been counting the days.

We made a big deal out of it. A friend & I found her dress at fancy thrift store (it was $7.50!!!!!!!) & it fits her beautifully. I only needed to shorten the straps a touch.

We personalized it by 'pinking' it up for her. We made a sash with a big fluffy flower & made a matching clip for her hair. We found the perfect shoes (her first ever 'high' heels). And made a shawl out of gorgeous hot pink tulle strewn with crystals.

Her daddy even said "yes" to clip on earrings & made a special trip to the mall to find some for her.

I loaned her my mothers vintage rhinestone necklace & we curled her hair & did an "up do".

Her daddy wore his best suit & he has a surprise for her once they get there (stay tuned)...

She was so happy. Just glowing.

I took lots of pictures.

And now I have to share them.

This one here:

made me burst into tears & praise Jesus because she is so beautiful.

I can barely stand it.

So while I cry, you look at the pretty pictures.

Hair...

Shoes...

The whole shebang...

Isn't she lovely? Sigh.

A good shot of the "do"...

With her daddy

Thank you Jesus, for my beautiful amazing girl.


Blessings.

1st Turkey

A country boy can survive.

Blessings.

Banks

Banks are stupid.

Inherently. Corporately. Stupid.

They do not practice nor promote good business practices.

If banks had to live by & succeed off of their business practices they would go bankrupt.

But banks are repeatedly 'rescued' by our federal government. So they have no incentive to practice business in a manner that would sustain their existence.

Banks make their huge profits off people. Families. Hopes & dreams. And by cheating people.

 Read your history. Look into old books & headlines. Banks haven't had to make sense or sound decisions for at least a hundred years.

They ruin lives with poor business practices & the government bails them out & backs them up.

No I'm not anti-capitalist. I'm anti-cheat. I'm anti-running up fees just because they can. I'm anti-foreclosure in a ridiculously bad market where empty house just sit & rot because they can.

I know good people work for banks. I know some local banks are still run as a business & not as a mega monster money sucking corporation but very few.

And at those huge money sucking corporations NO ONE takes responsibility. It is never their choice or their responsibility or their decision.

Funny how that works huh?

Yes I am mad. Yes I am frustrated. Yes I hate banks. And no that isn't going to change anytime soon.

If I had any money I would bury it in a coffee can under the back porch.

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.



Blessings.

20 years ago...

Almost 20 years ago I took my oldest son to the San Francisco Zoo and snapped this picture

One of my all time faves.

Last Friday went to the Zoo again & I took these pictures...

These make me happy :)

Blessings.