Happy Birthday Sis, Spending The Day With Friends

Sunday morning started off with Gina making homemade blueberry muffins. They smelled and tasted wonderful. We then delivered warm muffins to everyone that was home. We stopped by Mom & Pop’s for a few minutes before their son Patrick arrived. Pop’s sure was excited about going four-wheeling with his son. I cannot wait until Sunday to read his blog.

Once we made it back home Gina changed clothes and left with Rod, Deb, Jim, and Ellie to spend the day in Quartzsite. While they were gone I walked down to Mike & Janna’s to drop off a hose and ended up spending the afternoon with them. I think all we talked about was solar power. Around three o’clock Mike and I went to the Bouse Community Park and got water for our trailer. Well being that his Jeep sits lower than my truck it wasn’t flowing very fast.

Mike and I trying to fill my water tank

We tried using my built in water pump but it didn't seem to be doing any better. We finally just let the water gravity drain into our tank while we enjoyed happy hour with everyone.

Our view looking east at sunset

Our view looking west at sunset

Rod & Deb, Mike & Janna stayed and visited for a while so I built a nice fire to keep everyone warm.

Gina, Mike, Janna, Deb and Rod

No one seemed to be hungry so I decided to grill Pork Sausage as an appetizer for everyone. Before long it was dark and everyone decided to call it a day. Gina enjoyed her day with friends in Quartzsite while I enjoyed spending time with Mike talking about solar power. It was just another fantastic day in the desert.

Here's a sunrise for you Sis, Happy Birthday!!!

Gina and I woke up to a beautiful sunrise and since today is my oldest sister's birthday we reminisced about all the good times we have shared and enjoyed with her.  She and I are extremely close being that I am the baby of the family and she's the oldest.  Not only are we close but our two families are extremely close too and have enjoyed a lot of fun together. So here’s to you Sis, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Thanks for being the best sister ever, I Love You.

Me and my sister at the Grand Canyon

Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

Fun In The Desert & Celebrating Ellie's Birthday

We are having a blast here in the desert. Our days have started each morning with me starting a fire. Then Gina and I sit outside watching the sunrise.

Our View out our back window as the sun comes up

Finally around ten o’clock we decided to take a ride on our four-wheeler. We didn’t make it very far before I dropped Gina off on some hill so she could search for more special rocks. I then went riding through the desert by myself. Finally around one o’clock we made it home so Gina could begin cooking chicken & sausage gumbo for Ellie’s birthday meal.

Gina had arranged that happy hour and dinner would be at our place so we could all celebrate Ellie’s birthday together.

Everyone enjoyed some great conversation. We even had two guests. Dave that watches Emmi for Mike & Janna and Frank who is boondocking not far from here.

Jim & Ellie (the birthday girl)

Mike & Pat (aka Mom & Pop's)

Rod & Deb

Glenn & Sylvia

John & Brenda

Mike & Janna

Dave

Frank

Finally, around five o’clock we all ate Gina’s gumbo, Pat’s seven layer salad, Brenda’s cornbread muffin and Sylvia’s southern fried cornbread. It was now time for dessert.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIE!!

(thanks for letting us celebrate it with you)

Deb made red velvet cupcakes and Janna made a frozen margarita pie. However, first we sang Happy Birthday to Ellie while we watched her blowout her candle. Deb’s cupcakes were divine!! Janna’s pie tasted great too. It was getting late so most everyone left to go home. Since Rod & Deb and Mike & Janna stayed I decided to build a fire and we all sat around enjoying some wonderful conversation. Gina and I had a fantastic day spent with friends.


Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

Waking Up In Paradise

We made it to our desert paradise on Wednesday around 1:30. After first stopping at John & Brenda’s to say hi and looking where everyone else was parked we continued on. We didn’t make it far before stopping at Jim & Ellie’s for a quick hello & hug. While we were stopped there Gina & Pop’s walked around a little to see where they wanted to park. Pop’s picked out his spot and Gina decided we would park in the same spot that we were at last year. We just love this view out our back window.

Our view out our back window

After we got parked Rod & Deb stopped to say hello since they were out in town when we arrived. We had not seen them since February 2009. A little while later Mike & Janna walked over. Then Brenda drove down to let us know that Happy Hour and dinner would be at their place. Gina and I sat outside for a little while soaking up the beauty out here in the desert. To say we love it out here doesn’t seem to do it justice, but that’s the only way I know how to say it.

We drove down to John & Brenda’s at four o’clock and met back up with everyone. We have a really nice group of friends here. John & Brenda and Janna & Mike’s blogs have a nice photos from up on the hill showing how we are all spread out.

Down at John & Brenda's for our first get together

All of us here in the desert write blogs and I highly recommend you check them out since we all do different things during the day.

Mike & Pat (aka Mom & Pop's)
Mike & Janna
John & Brenda
Rod & Deb
Jim & Ellie
Glen & Sylvia

After getting our fill of brats and hot dogs we said good night to everyone. We stopped by Mike & Janna’s for a few minutes and then headed toward our house. Almost that is. Some how I got turned around and got just a “little” lost. Of course the next morning Mom & Pop’s along with Jim & Ellie asked me why I was riding around in the desert after dark. They all had a good laugh.


We woke up early Thursday morning to absolutely beautiful weather. After I built a fire outside, Gina and I enjoyed our coffee sitting by the fire waiting for the sun to rise above the mountains. Once the sun was up I cleaned my solar panels while Gina set up all her tables and chairs outside.

I'm up cleaning our solar panels

Parked in our desert paradise

Zoey trying to get used to all these rocks

Angel looking up asking where's the grass?

Next on the agenda was taking a short four-wheeler ride through the desert. We rode about 16 miles and even found cave. We didn’t have a flashlight so we’ll have to go back and take a look around.

This is the cave we found

Looking into the cave

Of course, Gina is looking for that special rock

One of the many views we had during our ride today

There are hundreds of miles of trails like this through the desert

For our first ride we had a great time. Once we arrived back home Gina made a cheese ball for Happy Hour at Jim & Ellie’s. We enjoyed another great get together with everyone. Thanks for the boiled shrimp Sylvia. They tasted great!! A little after five o’clock we walked back and had leftover Taco Soup with Mom & Pop’s for dinner. Gina and I enjoyed another great day in the desert with friends.


Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.