The Hall is Decked!

Yes, my friends, it is official! The Rocco household is officially open for Christmas! The finishing touch was various collages of cards on the stairwell walls. It really dresses things up and is an excellent excuse to save those Christmas cards that you just feel awful throwing away because they're so beautiful! Here's a picture of Pixie inspecting MeLissa's handiwork and a few pictures of the overall look as well as some closeups of the collages. There's also a picture of the pantry in the kitchen all decked out in the lower right-hand corner.

Speaking of Christmas cards, we received our first today from Lisa and Rob! It was a bit of a surprise since we thought we were very early in sending out our cards today, but Lisa told MeLissa that she'd actually received a card as well. My, my but people are prompt this year!

Well, we should say, perhaps, that some people are prompt. One of vendors providing supplies for our party is not. It is highly unlikely, from the looks of it, that they will deliver these goods until well after the party which is disturbing, but MeLissa figures it is just a good excuse to have another party next year...or maybe even a smaller party this year, but that might be a bit crazy so let's shoot for next year, okay?!?

We're really looking forward to the rest of this week. MeLissa's birthday is on Thursday, the party is on Saturday and as an added bonus, MeLissa's little brother is coming on Saturday to enjoy the festivities! We're thrilled about that and are hopeful that we can at least show him a couple nifty things in the Bay Area before he heads back to San Diego and then onto Colorado for his next adventure as a Naval Recruiter. If you're in the Pueblo, Colorado, area and you're thinking about joining the armed services, look Christopher Allen up! He'll get you in and will treat you right!

Turkey Weekend Triumphs!

We have been extraordinarily productive this four day weekend! Truthfully, this is not out of the ordinary. We have a rule in the Rocco household - the tree and the Christmas decorating has to be complete prior to MeLissa's birthday (that would be December 1 for those of you not *in the know*). To accomplish such a task, it pretty much requires the sacrifice of most of the Thanksgiving weekend - we don't mess around when it comes to Christmas, friends...and besides, we have a party in a week! The house has to be decked out for such a joyous occasion! We are happy to report, thought, that no elves were seriously harmed during the decorating process despite a flurry of pine boughs, ornaments and candles.

The first thing on any list when preparing for Santa is, of course, to hang those stockings with care. This year, we are using our knitted stockings which we received as a wedding present from MeLissa's friend Marlys last year. We really think they're special since she made them just for us! And, of course, we've hung a couple for Pixie and Banshee, too. We found a lovely garland with pinecones and faux apples to grace our mantle and added some white Christmas lights to add that extra touch of class as it twinkles through the silver and gold stocking holders and the various crystal pieces that we've used as accents. The mirror in the background really brings everything to life. Finally, we cleaned up the fireplace and put our candleabra (another cool wedding present) in there to make things bright and cheery without making it too hot!

Once the stockings were hung, our focus shifted to the Christmas tree. Decorating the tree is MeLissa's favorite activity every Christmas (though she could do without the shaping ritual that goes on before the decorating!). She has a lot of ornaments and so it becomes, at some point, a challenge to find an empty branch on our small tree, but we always manage somehow. Many of the ornaments are those which MeLissa's parents gave her as gifts while she grew up. It was MeLissa's mom's goal to have a boxful of ornaments to give each of her children when they grew up and moved away so that they could enjoy a fully decorated tree and enjoy some family memories at the same time! In addition to the many heirloom ornaments, MeLissa has quite a collection of Snoopy ornaments (which shouldn't surprise any of her friends and family members given her obsession over the world's greatest beagle!) and a nice sprinkling of S'mores ornaments. She's also interested in developing a collection of ice cube ornaments which she began last year with our "First Christmas" ornament - this lovely bride and groom!

Tomorrow, we'll be busy again - trying to finish up the last decorating touches in the entry way and we're also going to try to decorate a gingerbread house which we'd like to have available for our party guests to nibble on! Once we've finished decorating, we'll jump into making our Christmas gifts for the year. We can't give you any hints about those (well, maybe we could, but then we'd have to lock you in a windowless room until Christmas!), but we promise they'll be useful and utterly fabulous!

Turkey Day is Almost Here!

That means four days off, lots of turkey and, if you're brave (which we're not) after-Thanksgiving sales.

We're staying at home this year to avoid inconvieniencing anyone with MeLissa's food "issues." Since she is allergic to some major ingredients in stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and yep, horror of horrors, pie, it was bound to be a frustrating experience going to Thanksgiving at someone else's house (and, perhaps, even insulting for our host and hostess!), though, we really did appreciate the invitation we received from our friends Lisa and Rob.

Never fear, though, as is the case every Thanksgiving, we have a pretty nice meal planned including turkey, cauliflower "mashed potatoes," and even a pumpkin pie of sorts. We're looking forward to it!

We hope all of you will have a fabulous Thanksgiving! We're very thankful that you're part of our lives and for so many other things as well.

Before we go, we want to direct you to the post title above which, if clicked, takes you to an amusing performance by the one individual who isn't so thrilled that Thanksgiving is coming. If you need a Turkey Day chuckle (or would that be gobble?), this should do the trick!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Mark and MeLissa

Public Health Here He Comes!!!

We have exciting news folks!!! Mark's public health paper that we've been telling you so much about is in its final stages. Mark finished his first draft on Thursday night and MeLissa began reworking the draft on Friday during her lunch hour. MeLissa, for those of you who are unaware, is quite the wiz when it comes to writing and grammar -- so much so that she was asked by professors at her high school to come help grade English compositions after she graduated for several years (it was an *awesome* way to make a little spending money for Christmas break!).

MeLissa spent a good portion of Saturday and Sunday "grading" Mark's paper and providing suggestions for its improvement including a pretty substantial effort on the introductin and conclusion sections. We're sure that between the two of us, Mark will pass Public Health with flying colors, but keep him in your thoughts as he wades through all the comments and suggestions over the next few days. The paper is due on November 18!

In other news, MeLissa has made great strides toward completing the EVIL Dutchman's puzzle block. She is fully convinced still that triangles are E-V-I-L, but she also thinks they can be beat into submission after her recent successes. She'll post a picture of the finished block when she manages to finish it. Her final quilting class is coming up this Thursday. She plans to register for next quarter's class as well so that she can eventually claim her "Quilting Goddess" status.

And, one final note - a public service announcement, if you'll indulge us - please be sure to receive regular eye exams to prevent potential blindess from glaucoma. Check with your vision specialist to see how often you should be screened based upon your family and personal health histories. We want you to be able to see and enjoy all the world has to offer for many years to come!

Clean Air and a Breath of Fresh Air to Boot!

We're very excited about the air we're breathing today here at the Rocco house! We just had our ducts cleaned and a new electrostatic filter put in and we're pretty excited about that! This has been one of the "to do's" on our house list for quite some time! Next up - finish putting up the blinds in the living room.

In MeLissa news, she just registered yesterday for a combination Event/Wedding Planner certification course...so her dream of breaking into the business is on its way! The program she chose offers a thorough curriculum and as well as an externship where she is assigned an event in her area which she is responsible for planning from start to finish. During this process, she will have a team of support individuals backing her up with guidance and years of experience. She plans to finish the study course in early 2006 and will coordinate her assigned event at that time. Once her first "official" event is successfully planned and put to bed, MeLissa will receive her dual certificate and will have the opportunity to either join the company she received training from as an independent contractor or to go out on her own.

Either way, once she finishes, she will begin preparing and planning to obtain her credential as a Certified Special Events Professional. This is the premier designation for event planning professionals which provides assurance that a special events professional possesses the level of skill necessary to provide quality services to his/her client. It is very similar in function to the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation MeLissa already possesses which assures her clients and employers that she possesses the necessary skills to successfully perform accounting tasks. This certification is similar to the CPA certification in that continuing education and experience requirements must me met to retain the certification over the long term. MeLissa believes that attaining this designation will set her apart from other event planners and increase her chances for success much as her CPA has helped her be successful in the realm of accounting, which as was mentioned in the past post, MeLissa will continue to pursue until such time that her event planning venture has grown to such a level that she can afford to "retire" and pursue event and wedding planning full-time. She's very excited about her new venture and so there will be frequent updates on her progress!

As for Mark, he's still working away on his Public Health paper. He's been very productive over the past couple of weeks and plans on having his first draft ready for MeLissa to proof read for gramar and syntax by the end of the weekend!

More Quilting, Chiropractic and Planning...

MeLissa actually finished this block quite a while ago, but didn't post the picture. We figure some of you might enjoy seeing her first "real" block (i.e., it's going to go into a quilt!). It is, of course, Christmas-themed...MeLissa's favorite season. It is called a nine-patch block...can't possibly imagine why. ;) MeLissa's currently working on a Dutchman's Puzzle block which is giving her a lot of grief. She will win in the end, but she may have to be tricky!

In other MeLissa news, she's making plans for Christmas gifts, Christmas cards, our Christmas party and she's also spent a little time working on her future event planning business. She foresees venturing out into the world in early to mid-2006 as a supplemental income opportunity. When Mark's finished with school, she may pursue her "dream job" full-time! She plans to provide services for intimate events including birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, holiday parties, dinner parties, etc. She will possibly do do a few large events, if the opportunity arises, but she prefers the flexibility and extra opportunities for service that comes with planning smaller events. If you'd like to help her with her newest "venture," please ask any individuals you know who might be or already use an event planner for parties at their homes or elsewhere to contact her so that she can survey them about their needs. And, of course, if anyone wants any help on a social event they're planning let MeLissa know - she's looking for opportunities to boost her portfolio!

As for Mark, he's busily writing a paper for his Public Health class. His subject is glaucoma and he'll be discussing the public health threat it poses and what should be done to mediate these risks. His current quarter ends on December 16. He and MeLissa will travel to Colorado at some time during the holidays to visit with MeLissa's family and and to see all their friends in Colorado Springs and Denver!

Our kitties are also doing well -they're happy and healthy and are enjoying their new sleeping arrangements. Banshee is now an outdoor kitty with supervised indoor visits. She seems much happier and we don't have to worry about what little liquid "present" we're going to find next. She pretty much stays on our deck, but from time to time, she enjoys hopping up on the roof so that she can feel like she's on top of the world.

Pixie enjoys Banshee being outside because she gets to be the Princess again. She's become much more loving and "clingy" which we don't mind. She typically sleeps at the foot of our bed now because on the first night when Banshee wasn't inside and Pixie was lonely, we left our door open so that she wouldn't feel abandoned and she hopped up on the bed and didn't bother Mark nearly as much as he thought she would...especially since, for the most part, she stays in MeLissa's foot space!

The King and Queen of Halloween

We had so much fun last night at Alise (pictured with Heidi) and Brian's (pictured below Mark and MeLissa on the left) Halloween bash! You might remember that MeLissa met them while travelling to Las Vegas back in July. Their Halloween party is the highlight of Halloween for many - and for good reason!

Their house and backyard were decked out with spooky things to send shivers up your spine. They had tons of food and lots of libations that everyone enjoyed immensely! It was a great turn out with almost everyone in a well-thought out costume. We went as the Prom King and Queen which was really fun - any chance to wear a crown and carry around a dozen roses should be taken advantage of! :) For those of you wondering *where* MeLissa got that dress (she received a lot of inquiries on Saturday night), it was her Junior Prom dress and, incidentally, the evening gown she wore in the teen pageant she was in (yes, she subjected herself to such torture - once!)

With so many people in attendance, finding new friends was easy. Although we enjoyed many people's company, we really hit it off with Michelle and Jennifer pictured above (2nd photo from the top on right). Jennifer is a professional freelance photographer specializing in food, people and travel. Be sure to give her a call the next time you need a memory captured.

During the evening, there were two costume contests - one for the children and one for the adults. Everyone enjoyed seeing the children in their costumes and, of course, they all won a prize, but Willy Wonka (3rd photo from the top on the left) stole the show and took top honors.

In the adult contest which was judged by the children, Best costume went to these two lovely vampiresses pictured with Brian and the "guy with the pig nose (4th photo from top on the left)." "The Baby" (pictured below with his wife, the Bag Lady - left) and "The Universe" (4th photo from the top on the right) costume wearers took honors for the funniest and most original costumes, respectively. We heard that we were actually in the running for best costume, too...so we feel very honored about that.

After the costume contests, we all conversed and nibbled some more and then headed home with the knowledge that next year's party is only a year away!

Quilting, Church and Chiropractic

We've been a little busy these past couple of weeks. After returning from our adventure on the Ronald Reagan, Mark began his next quarter at school. It should be an interesting, but less challenging one than the last (according to Mark).

MeLissa has been occupied with her quilting class. She finished her very first block during class last week. It was a practice block and she is quite pleased with the results. She plans to make it into a pillow when the opportunity presents itself. Since then she has begun her first "real" block to be used in her sampler quilt project. We bought fabric for it a couple of weekends ago. MeLissa decided to take Mark's suggestion and picked out a bunch of cute Christmasy fabrics to make her first project extra special (because she adores Christmas as you all know!). This week she will finish her 9-patch identical to the "practice" quilt block (but Christmasy, of course!). She'll be moving onto making a Honey Bee block next...which, to be honest, looks a bit daunting, but she's sure she'll do just fine!

Mark's been keeping busy with school and weekend seminars. This coming weekend he will start his Diplomat program. This is an add-on certification (we know how much Mark likes to add those letters behind his name!) so that he can do chiropractic neurology. His decision to pursue this degree is a direct result of MeLissa's health issues last month where a blood vessel spasmed in her brain (she's fine now, but it was a bit scary in the beginning!). Her chiropractic neurologist has performed wonders and Mark wants to be able to help his patients just as much. We know he'll be awesome!

In other news, we're beginning the planning phase of a Christmas party we're throwing on December 3. It will be a fun night with food and good friends. Our biggest challenge right now is figuring out how many people we can invite before it become standing-room only! MeLissa has started making the invitations and the lucky attendees should be receiving them in early November. We'll provide updates as the plans progress....

Ahoy Mateys!

We weren't home from Canada long before we were again rushing out the door to catch a plane! This time, we were staying a little closer to home with a trip to San Diego, California, to participate in Family Day aboard the USS Ronald Reagan - the air craft carrier that MeLissa's brother Christopher currently serves on.

We arrived in San Diego Friday evening and were greeted by Uncle Max and Christopher who had come to pick us up. We all settled in to wait for our guest, Sterling, who would also be participating in the festivities. After waiting for quite some time, we decided to head back to the hotel since we knew that Sterling would be flying stand-by and might have missed the earlier flight. Once Sterling had joined us, we sat down for a lovely dinner and a lively conversation. And, then, it was off to bed!

On Saturday, we all woke up very early to ensure that we'd be on the base by 5:30 a.m. We made it on board and ventured to Chris's office so he could get some coffee to stay awake since he had just recently been switched from overnight security detail to his former missile systems position. While there, we checked out one of his RAM missile launchers and amused ourselves by conversing with the other sailors and their families.

Once everybody had checked in and Chris had reported that all personnel were present and accounted for, we ventured into other areas of the ship to see what we could see. We spent a good deal of the day wandering from one end of the ship to the other seeing all there was to see. We were amazed at the small amount of space the sailors had to sleep in...imagine a bookcase with a mattress on each shelf - that's pretty much how it looked! We also enjoyed seeing the Ronald Reagan room which had a history of his life laid out in pictures and video.

Our favorite moments of the day were seeing dolphins playing behind the ship, and then, thanks to Christopher being one of the few priviledged individuals who had access to the RAM missile launch area of the ship, being able to be outside when the ship was coming back into port. We were one of the few who were able to do this because the launch area had a spot that was concealed from arial views of the ship which was important because an effort to take a picture of the carrier with its crew manning the rails was in process so the rest of the family members on board had to go into the hangar bay.

When we returned to shore, with the help of some powerful tug boats, we all piled into cars and headed out. Uncle Max decided to call it a weekend and head home once we arrived. The rest of us took some time to rest (and pack in Sterling's case) and then went out for a quick dinner at Brian's Pub in downtown San Diego. It was a great dinner and we were able to eat and enjoy each other's company just in time to rush Sterling to the airport so he wouldn't miss his flight! Since we'd all been up since the crack of dawn, we all headed to bed after dropping him off!

Our last day in San Diego was primarily spent visiting MeLissa's friend Tammy from high school whose husband, Matt, is also assigned to the Ronald Reagan. We all enjoyed visiting with Tammy and Matt and watching the antics of their children Mason and Malea! Then, we rushed off to the airport and returned home so that poor Chris could get some much needed sleep!

Oh Canada!

This past week was fraught with adventures for us! And, they were the best kind because not only did we get to do fun things, we got to do them all with family! We kicked off our adventures on Friday afternoon with lunch at Mimi's Cafe (www.mimiscafe.com) with our friends Matthew and Beth who are on their way to a new adventure in New York. We’re thrilled that they’ll be able to enjoy each other’s company more (now that they won’t each be commuting an hour one way!), but we’re definitely sad to see them go because *we* won’t be able to enjoy their company as easily! Nevertheless we wish them well in their new venture and look forward to visiting New York!

After lunch on Friday, we returned home and packed for our flight the next day. We would be traveling to Detroit where we would stay one night and then venture over the border into Canada for a visit with Mark’s grandmother. When we arrived in Detroit, we made our way to the car rental agency where we got more than we bargained for! Since they were out of mid-sized vehicles, they upgraded us to a Chrysler 300 – a very nice luxury sedan with leather seats, satellite radio and such a smooth ride that when we returned home and drove our car for the first time in several days, MeLissa was wondering if there was something wrong with one of the tires since the ride was so bumpy!

Once we had our vehicle, we headed toward Mark’s Aunt Connie’s house where we would be staying the night. While there, we met Uncle Dickie and Dominick. We all headed out for a late dinner and then returned to the house where we enjoyed discussing a variety of topics with Aunt Connie. It was a great start to our vacation! The next morning, we enjoyed a yummy breakfast and then said our good-byes and headed up the road to Canada where we would visit with Uncle Timmy and Grammy!

Once we finally made it across the border into Windsor, Ontario,(we experienced some delays due to our confusion over road signs and such), we visited the visistor’s bureau to see what there was to do while we waited for Uncle Timmy and Grammy to arrive. When they did arrive, it was fun to see how surprised and excited Grammy was to see us since she hadn’t known we were coming to visit.

We all piled into our respective vehicles and headed to Kingsville, Ontario, where Grammy lives. We all chatted for a little once we arrived and then Mark and Uncle Timmy took a trip to visit the docks while Grammy and MeLissa relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company. It had been a few months since we'd been able to have a nice chat so we had a lot of things to talk about!

Later that day, we were able to see Aunt Inie and Aunt Faye. They were thrilled to see how tall and handsome Mark had grown to be. They hadn’t seen him for such a long time! And, they were also happy to meet MeLissa since they had only been able to see her in the wedding picture that they had received in their Christmas card! We all took a little jaunt out to grab some dinner at a restaurant in town and then, Mark, MeLissa, Aunt Inie and Aunt Faye traveled to Aunt Inie’s house where we could share our wedding video.

When we arrived at her house, Aunt Inie called Cory & Mary Ellen and Jodie & David (Mark’s cousins) to see if they could come for a visit with us. Everyone came over including Katie and Crissy, Jodie and David’s daughters. They were all very happy to see the wedding video…some were even close to tears! We enjoyed each others company for a good while and then we all returned home for a good night’s rest.

The next day, we traveled back to Windsor to visit the chiropractor and Devonshire mall for a bit of shopping. MeLissa was surprised and excited to learn that Northern Reflections, the retail store she had worked in during college, was still in existence (she had thought they had closed their doors years ago!). She learned that the store had pulled back its operations and was only found in Canada and a couple of US locations. She made good use of her find and walked out with a couple of new outfits to enhance her wardrobe. We also made a quick stop by Hooters to grab a hat for Uncle Max who we knew would appreciate it. While we were there, we paused to allow Mark the opportunity to pose with the Hooter's Hum-V which they had given away recently.

That night, after a trip to the grocery store, MeLissa made Grammy and Uncle Timmy dinner with help from Mark, of course! Everyone was delighted with the culinary offerings and enjoyed the opportunity to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Following dinner (and clean-up, of course), Mark, Uncle Tim and MeLissa watched “Be Cool” and then headed off to bed.

Tuesday would be our last full day in Ontario and we made good use of it visiting with family members. Aunt Inie and Aunt Faye were accompanied by Aunt Ann and her daughter, Mark’s cousin, Robbie. It was fun hearing stories they told about growing up and raising their families. Watching for squirrels was also amusing! We headed to King’s Landing for lunch, for which we were joined by another Aunt Ann – you can never have too many! After lunch, we said good bye to Aunt Ann and Robbie and hello to Mary Ellen who joined us for more story telling!

When it was time for everyone to head out, Mark, Uncle Timmy, Aunt Faye and MeLissa all piled into the car and headed to Jack Miner’s to see the geese and other birds that live and visit there. Jack Miner was the pioneered the tagging of waterfowl so that their migration could be tracked in 1909.

After having a good gander (ha ha!) at the geese, ducks and peafowl, we ventured to Leamington, home of the Heinz factory where Aunt Faye lives. After visiting for a while at her house, we returned to Grammy's where we decided to take a little walk. On our way, we caught site of this beautiful Blue Jay.

The next day, we packed up and headed back to Detroit to fly home. We were sad to leave Canada and all of our sweet relatives behind! We'll be visiting again soon we hope. Once we arrived in Detroit, we had a little extra time so we took the opportunity to eat lunch and to explore a few areas of Detroit in our vehicle. Then it was off to the airport and back to California for a couple of days....until we headed off for our next adventure.

Happy Birthday, Mark!!!!

Spread the news, Mark's last year as a "twenty-something" is at hand!!!

Our celebration began by watching an old episode of the Dukes of Hazzard which always makes Mark crack up. Once we were able to drag him away from the TV set, MeLissa and Rick took him to dinner at Ohana Grill for some Hawaiian food! Once Mark's tummy was happy, we returned home so he could open his presents and cards.

Mark's gifts, though not glamorous, were exactly what he was wishing for - some new jean shorts and some new pens, highlighters and notebooks for school. MeLissa picked up two cards (she couldn't choose between the two!) for him as well which he really liked. We've attached the funny card here for your enjoyment.

After slaving away at his board review class on Saturday, Mark returned home to find the products of MeLissa's attempts to make "allergy-free" cinnamon rolls and brownies as well as vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce so that Mark could have a yummy hot fudge birthday sundae! Everything turned out pretty well...all things considered. There's room for improvement in the cinnamon rolls (though Mark thinks they're great as-is) so she'll probably be trying those again soon! All in all, Mark was pleased with his birthday weekend, but MeLissa hopes that this year's celebration will pale in comparison to what she is dreaming up for next year!

Men in Kilts

This Saturday, MeLissa took a little trip to Scotland. Well, okay, she actually just went to the Scottish Games in Pleasanton, California, with Rob and Lisa. Mark, unfortunately was unable to join in on the fun due to his Chiropractic Board exam review course. Rick, a friend that is current staying with us went instead.

This event showcased Scottish games such as the caber toss (it's hard to describe, but it involves throwing a rather large pole - go check the website above for pictures) and the hammer toss. It was pretty amazing seeing how easy some of the athletes made the various tasks look like child's play.

In addition to the games, there was celtic dancing and music performances (a couple of which MeLissa shared with her Papa via cell phone), border collie competitions and many artisans with crafty things to buy. MeLissa especially liked the woven wheat decorations that she saw - so much so that she brought a couple pieces home!

As the day wound down, we all gathered in the grandstands to see the closing ceremonies. It was an awesome sight with several pipe bands joining together to play several well-known songs. It was quite a treat for the ears! If you're in the Bay Area during Labor Day weekend in the future and you enjoy all things Celtic, we suggest you check out this festival!

Wicked Fun!

This past week brought another bit of excitement to our world. We ventured to San Francisco to see a live performance of the musical Wicked. This musical tells the story of the witches of Oz and how they became who they were before Dorothy dropped in.

We highly recommend that you see this show if you have the opportunity! Though we haven't yet read it, we believe you should also check out the book upon which the musical is based because it really is a compelling story. If you'd like a taste of what the musical has to offer, please visit the show's website by clicking on the message title link above. There is a trailer on the home page that really give you a good glimpse of what goes on.

In our particular show, we enjoyed Carol Kane (go search for her, you'll recognize her we imagine) as Madame Morrible and David Garrison (you know him as Steve from "Married with Children"!) as the Wonderful Wizard. Katie Adams played Glinda the Good and Eden Espinosa was Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West). These two ladies did a fabulous job, too.

We hope you'll have a chance to enjoy this awesome show!

1 Year and Counting!

It's been a whole year - can you believe it?!? Neither can we...time flew by! We celebrated our first anniversary by taking a mini vacation to Half Moon Bay, Monterey and Carmel. We began our adventure by staying overnight in a charming little bed and breakfast - the Pacific Victorian Bed and Breakfast to be exact! This little hideaway is fit for a king or should we say The King. Our host, Jeff, was a talented Elvis impersonator after all!

Before settling in at the inn, we enjoyed a yummy meal at the Ono Grill, a Hawaiian restaurant we had discovered on a previous visit to Half Moon Bay. We completed our meal later that night with some yummy strawberry ice cream. This is actually significant because MeLissa hadn't been able to have one of her favorite foods (ice cream, that is!) since before the wedding due to dietary restrictions her doctor placed on her!

The next morning, after being serenaded by Elvis at breakfast, we headed down the coast to Monterey. We made a very relaxed journey and took several stops along the way...

First, we paused at this scenic spot (photo - right) to take advantage of a photo opportunity. Then, we stopped at some tide pools where we beheld some cute crabs and some pretty neat waves crashing into the rocks. Then it was on to Capitola where we stopped to wander around and where we enjoyed some yummy food at El Torro Bravo. Once we had our fill, we headed out for our next stop - Monterey!

We had a bit of a scare when we arrived in Monterey. There was a large gathering that resulted in most of the hotels having no vacancy. Luckily, we finally found a room at the Monterey Bay Inn that had a lovely view of Monterey's harbor. We checked in to our room and then went out to enjoy the town. We found some nifty thing and enjoyed dinner at Louie Linguine's. After dinner, we returned to our hotel for some R&R facilitated by a trip to the upper deck hot tub where we enjoyed each other's company and a view of Monterey at night.

Sunday was our first anniversary! We began our day with breakfast where Mark demonstrated his talent as a comic artist. We bought an Encyclopedia of Lighthouses to commemorate our first anniversary since we used lighthouses as our wedding reception theme. After acquiring this special item, we jumped in the car and headed for Carmel. We took some time to enjoy the beautiful beach there and even caught a glimpse at some squirrels who also were enjoying the beach. After strolling the beach, we stopped for lunch at a deli and then visited a unique art store called Sand Art Designs. The artists behind this business create dimorphic glass jewelry in addition to sand art pictures. Mark's anniversary gift to MeLissa was a heart pendant in lavender and magenta.

Once we were finished exploring the art store, we took a drive along the coast. This drive cemented our desire to return to Carmel for a longer visit when we have another opportunity. Once we had sufficiently explored the town in our car, we began the trek home.

We made a quick stop at the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey to see what it had to offer. Once we were satisfied, we headed home via Highway One. On the way home, we caught a glimpse of a charming lighthouse that we plan to visit in the future. As always, when we arrived home, Pixie and Banshee were there to meet us! We gave them a little attention and then headed to bed so that we would be well rested for school and, in MeLissa's case, a first day at her new job.