A Walk on the Wild Side

To celebrate our three year stay in Calgary, Jim decided to get a small tattoo of a maple leaf. He started out thinking he would have it put on the back of his calf, but then he decided that it might be prudent to have this tattoo in a less conspicuous place..... like say his shoulder.  Our neighbor Marianna McNeil designed the initial drawing for the tattoo.

Jim had a consultation with the tattoo artist, and an appointment was set to get the tattoo. Yesterday was the day. The outline of the final rendition of the design is put through a thermal fax machine and a stencil comes out that is applied to the arm.

Now it's time to get down to business and apply the outline and shading in black ink. Jim cranked up his iTunes and settled in for about an hour and a half of tattooing.

Next the color is applied, red, green, blue, gray, and white.

The final product. Jim's small tattoo is slightly larger than he had thought it would be.

A lovely bandage was applied and he was sent home with instructions about how to care for his new tattoo!

Viva Las Vegas!

After attending Reese's birthday party, I flew to Las Vegas to meet Jim and our good friends Wayne and Dayna. We were in Las Vegas over the Canadian long weekend "Family Day." We stayed at a beautiful hotel called, Vdara. It has no casino and is smoke free. It's right on the strip across from the Bellagio.  I highly recommend staying there because it's nice to be able to get away from all the bells and whistles of the casinos. 

Wayne and Dayna have a son, Braden, who is a performer in the beautiful Cirque du Soleil show, "O," We have been talking about flying down to Vegas to see him perform for some time now, and I'm so pleased that we did. What an amazing show! We were mesmerized for ninety minutes, and then we were honored to meet Braden back stage after the show. What a talented and gracious young man! It was wonderful to meet you, Braden! Come see us in Houston!

A huge canoe sculpture in front of the Vdara.

Views of the Rio from our room on the 49th floor! 

View of the Bellagio fountains and the Flamingo Hotel.

View of the Paris Hotel and Eiffel Tower.

Jim at the beautiful Badlands golf course where we played really baaaad golf! Or at least I did!

On the strip with Elvis and a show girl.

Friends, Dayna, Braden and Wayne after the show.

Yours truly, Braden and Jim after the show.

Reese's First Birthday

I don't know where the time goes. It seems like just yesterday that we were in Houston for the birth of Reese, our oldest grand daughter! And now she is one year old! I flew down to Houston for Reese's first birthday on February 6. She had a princess party with her cousins, great grandma, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Our little princess took it all in stride and left her crown and tutu on for most of the party. Cousins Olivia and Aubrey napped most of the party while Evan got into the party mood eating plums while the rest of us ate cake. Reese mostly played with her beautiful little cake that Cindy had baked and decorated. She wasn't really sure what to do with it. I told her, "Give it to grandma! She'll show you what to do!" 

Happy First Birthday, Darling Reese!

Trying her crown for size.

I'm not sure I like all this birthday paraphernalia!

Getting ready for the party.

In full birthday regalia.

Cindy, Pam and Reese.

Birthday Girl, Reese.

Cousin Evy trying out Reese's big girl chair.

Crown and tutu.

Casey feeding Evy her plums.

Cindy, Reese and Ryan.

Getting ready for birthday cake!

I think I kind of like this pink thing, whatever it is.......

Evy and Casey.

Lisa and Olivia...or Aubrey..

Reese's first trike.

Giving cousin Evy a push.

These two are gonna have fun together.

Rex and Olivia....or Aubrey...

Left over birthday balloons.

Evy at home.

Even though Evy was sick, she still kept on smiling!

Evy gets her beautiful smile from momma, Casey.