18 years!!!

Today marks our 18th wedding anniversary! We met in 1989 in Philadelphia and married about 22 months later on December 22, 1990 in Fresno, California. We had a grand wedding - which my grandmother and mother completely planned and executed. Maria's family did not come from Iceland for the gala event, but very much there in spirit.
We spent our 10th wedding anniversary in Iceland; as we were stationed there from Jan 2000 through Oct 2002. We were seriously planning on renewing our vows in Iceland so her entire family could witness the event, but it just didn't happen - a regret we now have.
Today we were going to celebrate by going to the Olive Garden then a "fun and exciting" trip to CostCo., but we decided we didn't want to drive the 25 miles on-way after we've worked all day. So we'll go this weekend. I will make the CostCo trip on Wednesday (very early am - like 1st customer stuff....) to get our tri-tip for the Christmas meal.

So, here we are waiting for Tom and my Mom to come back from SubWay with our dinner - YES - we're having SubWay on our anniversary night. We'll probably watch a bit of TV, me on RV-dreams chat, then off to finish celebrating......!!!!

Return from the sunny California Coast

We had a great time this past weekend. I left Wednesday with my Mom and dog in the MH with me at 10:00 am, we got there just after noon and got everything set up. Maria and the boys (and 3 of their friends) arrived about 7:00 pm and the boys got the tents up. The boys only stayed there for the night. The next day my brother Mike, Susie, Sunny, Ashley and Dusty all showed up at Pismo and got things set-up for them. They came over to the base and we had a great Thanksgiving dinner with all the traditional food - it was very good and enough to feed all of us for the next 2 days. I didn't realize how much food we had.

So everything we went well over the weekend and noone was injured at that crazy Pismo Dunes - that was a relief.

We got home yesterday around 1:00 pm. The motorhome is parked at the base RV Park as I still need to get it cleaned and get the food out. Maria and I are "planning" on going on a weekend trip this next weekend to an RV park that is about 25 miles from us on a river. We're not sure whether we'll do this, but I'm hoping we do.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Safe travels to all.

MH is out of storage!!

Yes good news....we have taken the MH out of storage. I know I've said this before, but we're very glad that we have our MH parked on the base RV storage lot. It makes easier when we need to clean, prepare for departure, return from a trip, etc. We take it from the storage lot (very secure with a pin-pad lock/gate), then we just drive about 1 block to the base RV Park and we have instant FHUs. BTW, they have 20, 30 and 50 amp hookups with water, sewer and cable...all for 22.00/night. The campground doesn't have the "IT FACTOR"; as Howard on RV-Dreams describes campgrounds, but it works.

OK, so our plans: My Mom and I will leave Wednesday morning around 0800 and we'll drive to San Luis Obispo California Army National Guard base. The base has an RV park (no "IT FACTOR" there either - but could have very easily) where will be staying until Saturday. The best thing this base offers is security, cheap rental at 16.00/night and it's only 10 minutes from Morro Bay. If you want to read about this park see

Maria and the boys will be leaving the house around 1500 and get there right about dark, so I'll have to prepare dinner for them (yes easy stuff....sandwiches); maybe my Mom will make them and I'll just look busy.

So we'll be spending the Thanksgiving weekend with my brothers that will be staying at Pismo Beach which is about 12 miles south of SLO. Although we're not in the same campground we'll still get together throughout the day for lunch/dinner, good times and all that family stuff.

Anyway, should be a fun week.

For all those on road - safe travels.

Cruzin' along...

Well we're certainly cruzin' through this month. Today is 15 November, just another 45 days and 2008 will be over--Unbelievable! We're looking forward to an RV trip Thanksgiving weekend; a little more on that later. I'm in school right along with Joey and Tom and Maria is hard at work with her childcare.

OK - Thanksgiving weekend plans: I will leave on Wednesday, 26 November around 0700 from the base and drive to SLO and park the MH and get it all ready. I hope to arrive around 0930 and get everyhing all set up by noon. Maria and the boys will be leaving from the house around 1500 and arrive around 1700 at the latest. So I'll get sandwiches ready for dinner when she calls me when she's 30 minutes out.

We will be staying at the SLO Army National Guard Base while my brothers will be staying at Pismo State Beach. It's about a 12 mile ride between the two places that we'll make everyday. It will be just a relaxing weekend with no specific plans except to enjoy time off from WORK and spend quality time with our family. Of course we'll go into Morro Bay and check out that quaint little town and go by the beach for a stroll a few times. I really enjoy Morro Beach - beautiful sunsets and very peaceful place to hangout.

We'll be coming home on Sunday around noon and of course getting ready for the next week.

I've been reading blogs and enjoying your travels. Yes there will come a time when Maria and I are on that open highway of freedom.

Safe journeys to all.

Update...again...

Well, it's been 5 weeks since I've updated. I know how long it's been because as I read other blogs I can see I'm the last one on others' "updated last" list of blogs. Of course, I just can't be last.....

So let's see, a new college semester started on Monday. I'm taking HR: Compensation and Benefits and Accounting (Financial). I guess we'll see how this semester plays out. This is my last HR Core class I will be taking. The classes I have left are: Accoutning (Managerial), Business Ethics, Business Law, Micro & Macro Economics, Business Finance, and of course, last but not least....Alegbra and Statistics! After all that...I will have my "capstone" class. Then I'm done. So looks like I'm schedule to graduate with my B.S. Business Administration with a dual major in Management and Human Resources Management in December 2009.

Maria is still very busy with her daycare, she has 9 kids enrolled. Not all at the same time, after different times. She has 8 at one time from 3:00 - 5:30, earlier its about 5 or 6 at one time. Then of course, she's busy with house stuff, our boys and well, who knows what else. I just know at the end of the day, she's pretty tired.

Our sons: well.....they're in school.

We're planning a trip to Kings Canyon NP 7 - 11 November. I will work hard on my classes to make sure I'm done with everything for the weekend so I can just sit back and relax. Cross your fingers that pans out for us.

For Thanksgiving we are planning a trip to Morro Bay / San Luis Obispo. We will be spending the weekend with my 2 brothers, their families and my Mom. First Thanksgiving we've camped, I'm sure we'll have a great time.

Well, that sums it up for now.

For all the RVers out there....safe travels. Hope to chat soon with you all.

Update....

I know everyone, it's been a while since I've posted. Mainly because I have been very busy taking care of work issues and also taking two intense classes this semester. I'm taking Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology, both require LOTS of reading and writinng. And remember, these are both upper level, so the expectation of writing and research is much more than writing down some thoughts.

Maria has still be trudging along with her daycare. She has 8 full-time kids and I still, even after her doing this for 15 years, don't know how she does it. It certainly is no where near my cup of tea. But she's always smilin' and loves what she does....so she keeps trudgin'.

Joey and Tom. Well, they are back in school and seem to be very well. I tell them both they need to make their education a priority, but remember, they're 17 and 16, so we all know they "know everything", so Dad is just a screaming ninny.

Joey graduates June 2009 then will go into the USMC. He should leave for Basic Training sometime in June 2009. He's back into his streneous exercise/diet program, so he's on that kick and that's almost impossible to get him to listen to reason about being so fanatical about that....again, remember he's 17.

Well, the 2009 RV-Dreams Rally....Maria and I have decided we WILL attend the Rally if it's West of the mighty Mississippi and if we can swing the time period. Remember, Joey is going into USMC Basic and there is no way will Maria and I miss taking him to do that very emotional wave good-bye. Believe me, I'm fine with just saying Bye and give him a hug and say...."about time you grow up!" But oh no...Maria won't let me get away with that. And of course, there is no way will I miss his graduation from Basic.

I remember when I went into the Navy. I was dropped off at the hotel in Fresno to stay the night because we leaving at 0300 the next morning. I said goodbye to my grandparents, mom and aunts/uncles and off I went. BUT (there's always a but), I forgot my running shoes, so my Mom and Aunt brought them to the hotel and of course, had to go through the goodbye all over again. After that didn't see anyone for the next 4 months. I was fine and I made it....but believe me it is different when it's your kid. No way will I miss that time.

OK, I know you're thinking...hey Steve...don't write a novel once a month. I know...my standard statement...I'll get better.

Safe travels!

Fun, fun and more fun.....

Well, the day started off with a bang. The alarm clock went off at 0645 that was intended to wake Maria up so she could get up and get going to start the preps for her "End of Summer Party" with her daycare children and parents.

Now, as you all know this type of thing isn't my cup of tea. But I knew it was the right thing to do to support Maria. So I waited until everything was set up (LOL!) then I went over. Again, she went all out with a 75 foot blow-up dragon obstacle couse and a 35 foot high blow up water slide (you know the blow up "bounce house" things). She held it at the park at the end of our block and we were there with noone else around. So that was nice. ALL of her kids showed up and most parents, but as usual some parents dropped their kids off for FIVE hours and then picked them up!

OK, I'm going on my soapbox. This was an event for the kids and parents, NOT a "daycare day". Some of these parents treated this like a "birthday party" event, and I just don't understand that. I could rattle on, but won't.

Maria had a great time with the kids, and at the conclusion of this fun-filled time were TWO pinatas, the kids (and Maria) had a good time. I guess that's all that counts.

And yes, our boys (Joey and Tom) helped her set-up and tear-down, although Joey wasn't too thrilled, but he knew it wasn't an option. (I know all you parents out there know what I'm talking about....).

OK, so now time for Steve! So after all that way too much excitement, I went home got ready to meet some of my Sailors at the Grizzlies Game in Fresno. They are the minor-league baseball team for Fresno. The played the Sacramento River Cats, and unfortunately, Fresno lost....bummer.

But here's the best part. My Mom is the HR Director for Karsyn Construction in Fresno and Karsyn has a season luxury box suite! So each game Karsyn gets 10 tickets and 5 VIP parking passes and the owner, Joe, gave me tickets for the game. So I asked all my Sailors and 8 of them went with me. We had a great time. That was the first time most of them had even been in a luxury suite, so they really enjoyed it. I will get tickets again next year and we'll go again.

So this Saturday was a fun-filled day. But certainly not as fun as if we were in our RV either on the ocean or the Sequoias. Speaking of that, we're scheduling a trip for 3-5 October to the Sequoias.

As always, safe travels to all.