Happy Birthday Grams!

June 27th -- my Grandma's Birthday.

She's gone now, but there are still many hysterical memories within my head.

Not everyone can have a grandma as "cool" as she was.

Driving very fast along the roads to Old Tucson going fast in the dips as we all laughed hysterically......especially after she told us "not to tell our mother".



The time we went miniature golfing and no matter how hard she tried, her ball always flew 200 yards over the double humps and we kept having to go get her a new one!



The time we had a "ladies only" week visit to Seattle. She showed us around the town and we had such a fabulous time dining on seafood, taking boat tours, a trip to the top of the Space Needle, and so many laughs just hanging around her apartment.



I wish that I could have seen her more or spent more time with her the last few years -- but living in Texas didn't make that possible.

Love you Grandma (aka the Owl Lady) and Happy Birthday! You have shown me by your example how I want to be when I get to be a grandmother!

Hey.....it's not much, but it's therapeutic

This past week we made an exciting purchase.

We finally got a swimming pool. All the doctors have been telling me that I need to get out in the sun and it will help get rid of this crap called psoriasis.

Now first of all they say that psoriasis is hereditary. I don't know who in the heck gave me this skin crap, but when I find out.......*#&@*%&. I can't tell you how nice it would be to look down at nice soft hands, instead of worrying about them cracking and bleeding. It would be nice to walk around without all the cuts on the bottom of my feet that make walking difficult.

So, yesterday I managed a whole 40 minutes out laying by the pool! In fact, since Monday is a holiday (July 4th) and Pizza Zone is closed -- Paul and I have made the decision to really take a whole day off and do nothing but CHILL! So we're having a pool party! We're going to lay by the pool, read books, BBQ steaks and just enjoy a full day of doing nothing.

And by the way.......it's a private pool party -- we're not inviting company.

So are you ready to see the new pool?



Told ya.....it's not much -- BUT it's easy to take care of and it's therapeutic!

Good for the mouth and bad for the body

This was my lunch yesterday:



This was part of my dinner last night:



And then I have the nerve to ask why I'm a chubba wubba.



Oh well, sometimes you just gotta eat these guilty pleasures.......life is too short!

Mom's are there.......

....... for guidance, love, a soft heart, a sympathetic ear, and to be a friend.

....... to be the heartbeat of the family and the glue that keeps the family together.

....... to give the biggest sacrifices so that their kids have everything they need.

....... to always be the first one you run to when you've been hurt, need advice, have great news to share, or need to borrow money.

....... to referee the fights, stay up late waiting for you to come home, or being your chauffer when you needed those rides.

....... to be an example to you when it's time to raise your own children.

....... to have fun with, laugh with, and even shed a few tears with.

Happy Birthday Mom........you have been all these things to me and more!

Wordless Wednesday....A very welcome visitor

Without our Dads.....where would we be?

Happy Father's Day to a man who has earned the title of FATHER. I really wish I had written the words to the poem below, because the words that are written are exactly what I want to say:

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn't see,
Or that I hadn't heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.

Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we'd grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It's written on my heart.

Without you, Dad, I wouldn't be
The woman I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.

I've grown up with your values,
And I'm very glad I did;
So here's to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid.

By Joanna Fuchs
http://www.poemsource.com

Thank you dad -- you did an amazing job!

Expanding my Horizons

I've had lots of careers throughout my life.

Some I've really loved -- and some I've only tolerated.

Now my current career is being a small business owner.

BUT there are other opportunities that are knocking at my door and I think I'm ready to venture off onto a new trail.

I have been nominated by one of the schools in our local school district to serve on their advisory committee for the next two years. This committee meets once a month and is made up of teachers, administrators, and business owners in the community to develop curriculum for the students of the district. I am excited about the possible opportunity to serve on this committee and love it that they would consider our small business to represent our community on this committee.

I have also recently submitted an application to be a part of YELP's Small Business Advisory Board. YELP is an online company which allows members to post reviews of small businesses. Online reviews are a BIG part of gaining and retaining customers in our small business. I really feel I have a lot to offer and hope that I get a chance to be a part of this group. It would involve a trip to San Francisco to meet with all the "big wigs" and have monthly conference calls with the other members to discuss ways to improve the online rating company.

But the BIG grandaddy of them all is the International Pizza Expo held in Las Vegas every year. I really think that Paul and I are extremely creative in the marketing of our business. In this day and age it's important to be different and not do the same thing that every one else is doing. We were lucky enough to be featured in an article in PMQ Magazine and now I'm ready for the big time. The Pizza Expo holds seminars on topics interesting to other pizza operators around the world. My hope is that I get to host one of these seminars and share some of the innovative and creative marketing ideas that we have come up with.

So as you can see -- I am trying to branch my career out into more of an involved member of our community, be it the Pizza Community or our city community. I feel like I have lots to offer and hope for the opportunity to grow my wings and branch out.

I'll keep you posted!