Two guys, a girl and a zoo

Ashley NY was in town this weekend for a very quick trip. I was lucky enough to make it into her itinerary and spend some time with her.

Saturday morning we picked up Kebs as I've wanted to take him to the zoo forever! He quickly took to Ashley. He LOVED the zoo. I think the monkey's were his favorite. Unfortunately this zoo did not have any elephants. However, it did have a "train" (that tried to steal my camera but that's another scary and stressful story)!

Kebs was in charge of the mappage situation.

We came across a scary crocodile!
Okay, it wasn't so scary.
It just didn't have any personality!

We came across some funny looking marsupials...

And here we are in front of the flamingos...really, they're there!

Grandma turns 80!

Grandma turned 80 a few weeks ago. The night of her birthday, we celebrated "Alice in Wonderland: An Evening of Enchantment and Whimsy". Everybody who was able to be there, including family and friends, was there. She had asked for performances. She got performances. They were really entertaining too!

Here is one of the signs that Mom and Rausse made:

Here's Grandma with her cake.

Here are the BINGO cards that Mom Turner made.
The front had glitter and items such as buttons,
along with side stiching.

The back had a summary of the attendees and information regarding the festivities. These were used as party favors.

AND because this is MY blog,
here is a picture of Grandma and I at her party.

And me, Amanda and Loren.

For tons more photos, visit my Flickr site here and
click "Slideshow" towards the upper right hand corner:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnryan1978/sets/72157607422734181/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

Birthday Festivities

My 30th birthday has been fantastic! The day of my birthday, J2, L2 and Rausse went to Mikuni's for a celebration with Nemo! It was really fun AND tasty! Here are some snaps from the evening (if the slideshow has not started, click the "x" in the upper right hand corner of the box below):

The family party came the following Saturday. It was an International Cruise sensation, involving a variety of foods from all parts of the world. Everything was REALLY good.

Here are some pictures from the occasion-

Aunt Penny

Aunt Pam

Aunt Susie

PH
(Isn't he adorable when he's not working for his sister!)

Kebs!

Grandpa and my feisty Grandmother!
She was teasing Gramps with that cane
and cracking up while doing so!

September 11

It's been seven years since this tragic event occurred. It still makes me sick to my stomach at the thought of it all. I think we all know someone effected by this. Let us all stop for a moment and thank our men and women fighting for our freedoms.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

For tributes and more of images such as these, please visit http://www.jontzen.com/tribute.htm.

Thirty years of...ME!

Well, it's here! The day I turn 30. I can't say I'm excited about turning 30. It means I'm done with my twenties. While there are a few things that I would have liked to have accomplished by now, I must recognize everything I HAVE accomplished thus far. Please bear with me as I praise myself because if I don't recognize these things, you might find me in tears lying in the fetal position on the floor!

• I FINALLY received my degree.
• I own my own home(s).
• My State career has flourished into something I've come to really appreciate. Virtually 8 1/2 years with the same Department!
• I've had people enter my life who have each influenced and helped me grow into the person I am today.
• I've seen 90210 come and go...and COME BACK AGAIN!!!!! Ack!

It's been thirty years of ME! Here's to a bajillion more!

Tessa, the TSX

As you know, Fatiqua has been looking for a new home for quite awhile now. She's been sitting in the garage for the past few months as I have been driving Ava, my Avalon. While Ava was asked to sit on the sidelines until her front brakes were replaced, I got to drive Fatiqua for a few days. While driving her, the SRS light came on. Fortunately, a few months back, I had received a notice in the mail from Acura regarding the warranty extension on parts potentially affected by this issue. I took Fatiqua out to Lasher in EG last Tuesday. The good news is that thhey found the part to be covered under warranty. The bad news was they couldn't get it until Thursday. Additionally, Faitqua had been deemed unsafe to drive. Not gonna lie, for a minute there I was in panick mode. He continued to ask if it would be okay that I drive a loaner care until the part came in. HELLO!!!!! Where do I sign?!?!?!?! He first came out with with an RDX-

...and I was good. I then asked if he had a TL in the back I could drive. I've only been drooling over that stupid car since it was introduced back in 2004! Unfortunately he did not have a TL but he had a 2009 TSX. I told him it's no TL but close enough!

Meet Tessa, the TSX...

...Only 1800 miles on it...

I had it from Tuesday to Thursday.

Here's what the inside looked like, except it was all black interior.

Bluetooth built into the car, DVD navigation, and everything else you could think of.

It was fun to drive for the few days that I had it. Would I want to buy one??? I think I'll wait for my TL, but it was fun nonetheless! Was it hard to go back to Ava? OF COURSE!

I'll leave you with an image of a TL...

Camping at Collins Lake

A few weeks back, a few of us went camping up at Collins Lake. We had a really great time. I probably won't go back there again only because I think it's geared more towards those with trailers and boats and it's all dirt. I'm used to coastal camping where there's less dirt and rock and more green. Nevertheless, Loren, Leanna, J-Mo, and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!



Needless to say, we had A LOT of stuff. J-Mo sat in the back and was buried with camping gear...




Here's our little campsite -




Our boat...


Here's Lexie moving our "boat" from one side of the campground to the other, closer to one side of the lake -


As you can see, we had kabobs and kaginas one night for dinner. YUMM!!





The next day, we decided to go to the part of the lake that wasn't so populated...and just plain closer to our campsite. From our campsite, we walked the "boat" down to the lake. Then we crossed the lake to the dock. Here's Leanna in her River Rat...





Here's our "boat" in our docking station. We're thinking that we were probably not supposed to be near the dock since the gate to the dock where one can walk in was locked. Good thing we didn't waste our time walking! We floated to the dock and kicked it there for a few hours. I'm sure we must have looked like dorks sitting in our raft in a docking station.







Whatever! We had loads of fun, entertaining ourselves with books and dives and swimming! Don't worry, those crazy Twilight reader still managed to have their books with them on the raft and at the dock! SHEESH! Harry Potter will beat up your vampires anyday!

Dawson's Creek had nothin' on us! "I don't want to wait, for our lives to be over..."

Here's where we didn't want to have to float back to shore so we walked the raft to the gate thinking we could open it from within. WRONG! We had to raft ourselves around the gate. Again, probably looked like dorks but we had a great time doing so!

Nothing like having our cars IN our campsite! Here are two vampires reading their Twilight or New Beginnings or whater the heck it is.





Here is J-Mo and I eating our $2 ice cream! That was definitely the best thing they've got going there! If only Baskin Robbins could reconsider offering two very large scoops as "single scoops" for $2...

NY in October

I'm going to New York in October over Halloween! I'm going to see Ashley...

...and I'm VERY excited!

Project Paiute

It was the end of May that the transaction was complete. I purchased Paiute #10 and the project began. The siding had to be replaced, with the entire duplex getting an exterior facelift. The interior has been repainted as well, the ceiling scraped of its cottage cheese ceilings of 1978, the kitchen receiving a new look through the addition of knobs and a fresh coat of paint, outlets replaced throughout the house, the installation of a new ceiling fan in the dining room and the floors cleaned. It's been quite a ride but it's done and complete! Here are some before and after pictures throughout the house.

Thank you everyone who assisted in this endeavor!

For additional pictures, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnryan1978/sets/72157605679047529/