Weekend Wind-Down #166

Missy's parents drove down from Pittsburgh last week to hang out with us and help us with some projects. Along with helping us with some issues with our house (bringing our boiler up to code, cutting up a huge branch that fell in our backyard, etc.), they also helped us build a COUNTER for our new business venture, MINI GALLERY. Wanting to use up the left over PEGBOARD we had from Mini Gallery, I drew up a quick sketch of an idea for the counter. Missy's dad, John, took one look at the sketch and said, "Yeah, I can make that"...

The counter was built on our back porch, with the help of a PORTABLE TABLE SAW they brought all the way down from Pennsylvania. As soon as the counter was done, we packed it into the back of Missy's Yaris (THE BEAST) and hauled it out to the gallery...PERFECT!

































FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Mom and Dad coming to visit!
RAOUL - Your dad building the counter was pretty

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - When Mom and Dad left.
RAOUL - Forgetting to ask your dad to help us make the sign.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - The story about how Dad couldn't find the hotel room keys.
RAOUL - NO COMMENT

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - "Five!"
RAOUL - "Crayballs"

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Hashbrowns and waffles.
RAOUL - Dinner at Cali & Titos.

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR THIS SUMMER THUS FAR?
MISSY - Phin & Phebes' Vanilla Cinnamon.
RAOUL - Strawberry. Not sure what brand.

THREE THINGS ON YOUR TO DO LIST FOR THIS WEEK?
MISSY - Clean bedroom, laundry, brush the cat.
RAOUL - See Margaret Cho, punch buttons, pack and send orders.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Kate Bush, Pascal Pinon, Alpine, B52s, Gigi, Mountain Man, Moonrise Kingdom soundtrack.
RAOUL - The Smiths, Fun Boy Three, The Colour Field, Kate Bush, Magazine, Pizzicato Five, Unrest, Sebadoh.

Family Fun Under The Summer Sun

WE'VE MOVED! The post you were looking for can be found at our new blog HERE: RANCHOCOCOA.COM

Happy Birthday, Sisters!

Just wanted to give a little BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUT to my sisters, CYNTHIA and BELINDA...Cynthia's birthday is TODAY, July 29th (though, I ALWAYS think it's on July 28th...dunno why), and Belinda's birthday was on July 10th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SISTERS! Love, your big bro, Raoul...

Happy Fathers Day 2013!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY shout out to my Dad, BENEDICTO DE LA CRUZ! The photo above is of my Dad, circa 1970s, posing with me, my sister Cynthia, and my sister Belinda. My sister Belinda, recently re-created the photo by having my Dad pose with her own kids - Evan, Lillian and Julia. My father is a super RAD DAD to me and my sisters and now he's a super awesome Grandfather to my nephew and nieces. HAPPY FATHERS DAY, DAD! WE LOVE YOU!

Snuggle Bunny Monday

Here is the funniest picture of all three of my pets together! I love this photo for so many reasons - look at Oreo and her pose! It makes me laugh so hard! Nilla is there and Jumbles is behind her, hanging out in his pan. They just all look so cute.

Our pets have been great, for the most part. Back in November our bunny, Jumbles, was diagnosed with a parasite. It is a terrible thing that rabbits can get this, but we caught it early and treated this. So we have been to the vet school so many times since November. I also hesitate to write about this, because the buns are doing really really good, but if you notice he is separated from Oreo in this photo. Poor Jum has been on and off medicine since November. In March he had a minor surgery, and his blood test levels were high for the parasite, so he has been on the treatment ever since. He will finally finish May 31! I am counting down the days!

Oreo was sick about two weeks ago, and now she is back to "herself." Rabbits are such different pets than a cat. So different - and we have learned lots since finding Oreo in 2009. I am happy to report she is doing great and is happy and healthy!

And for our cat Nilla, she is totally good and happy and healthy! Go Pets! this is where I sound like a crazy pet lady, but I love my pets so much. It is like Nacho Libre when he says "the children, they are my heart" about the orphans he cares for. I feel the same way - "the pets, they are my heart."

Happy Mother's Day, Mama Ruth!

Just wanted to wish my Mother a very HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! I swiped the photo above from my sister Cynthia's Facebook page. I wish I could be with the rest of my family, celebrating with them! Also, very HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my other sister, Belinda, mother of my two wonderful nieces and wonderful nephew. I swiped the photo below of her and my niece, Lillian, from her Facebook page. Happy Mothers Day, y'all!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my favorite mom! Here we are having the time of our life at the Tanglewood Farm! We loved it here and had a great day seeing all the lovely and adorable animals at the farm. Here is me and my mama, and a llama and a llama mama! Happy Mothers's Day! I love you!

Weekend Wind-Down #158

Waaaaaaay back in December 2012, Missy, her brother Joe, and I, decided to take a CHRISTMAS DAY walk around their neighborhood and then make our way to the CEMETERY that sits across the ravine behind their house. On our way there, we stopped at the stop sign where they used to stand and wait for the SCHOOL BUS to come pick them up in the morning:





Everywhere, there were reminders that we were indeed in STEELERS COUNTRY:





















Later that evening, we warmed up with MARGARITAS, HOT TODDIES, and SHOTS OF VODKA...











FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - I liked going to the antique and junk shops!
RAOUL - Grass Widow/Gold-Bears show at the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta.

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Having to get the furnace fixed.
RAOUL - Had to endure a couple of really chilly nights until we got our furnace fixed.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Putting on my rain boots and then stepping on a cat toy Nilla put in there!
RAOUL - When I was trying to talk with a mouth full of pills and then you mocked me.

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - "Scone"
RAOUL - Oh, I dunno..."Burlap"

THREE THINGS ON YOUR TO DO LIST FOR THIS WEEK?
MISSY - Return the teapot, pack orders, clean the bunnies.
RAOUL - Punch out one-inch buttons for Gold-Bears, empty the vacuum, catch up on sleep.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Kishi Bashi, Fleet Foxes, Siouxsie & The Banshees
RAOUL - Sugarhill Gang, Grass Widow, Free Kitten, A Flock Of Seagulls, The B-52's, Duran Duran, Marine Girls, Melody Dog, Slumber Party, Gold-Bears, Brown Recluse, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Postcard Records compilation.