Hello Everyone!! Mona.. Had to chuckle over the slipping with the snippers... He would like to snip more than the leaves..LOL!! I didn't wait for him to help, so i pulled those large trees out from the corner and still have them in the center of my deck. They are so pretty and so tall. I think they are about 10 feet tall. I'm worried about them fitting into the house when i bring them in. So.. i might have to prune just to get them in. "VW's needs new roof..." ;-) Bonnie Fox is a beautiful cutting. This is a huge cutting and i love how it has branched out. I still need to pot up... The pool is closed.. I am happy about that. YES!!! I do the maintance as well as take care of the hottub. We really do enjoy the pool during the summer, but it is nice when it is closed for the winter. One less thing to worry about!! I was also the caretaker for the palms as well. I used to put up Christmas lights and wrap them around the trunks for the holidays.. I gave that up. To much work.. : ) Now it is my son's duties to help cut dead fronds from the Palms in the spring. I don't climb those ladders anymore. The small palm.. ok. But the 16 footers..NO! LOL.. I like the count down of the days to spring.. Maybe if i have another glass it will be even less days to count!! : ) Hi ANdrew... I was busy cutting and bagging leaves. Labor of love alright!!! I am tired of this ritual, but it will be a nice time to relax and focus on other things ;-) Sounds like you have been busy as well. Watch your back!! LOL... Making liquor out of blooms? Ewwww!!! i would worry about that!! Maybe next year!! LOL.. Gifts for the family!!! : ) Hi Mike!! I left my inflos on my trees too! I wish i had a little helper to collect leaves!! SO nice to let her help you and im sure she enjoys being just near you!! : ) It is such a sad time to cut the leaves, but i know it will be soon before they are out again and we are all talking about how they are opening for the season.. OHhh how time is flying by... Nice to hear from you as always!! Hi Peg, SO nice to have lunch today!! Always fun to see you!!! I went and sprayed all of mt trees with Bayer 3 in 1 to help get rid of any unwanted critters. I will start the "march of the Plumeria" next week.. sigh. Hi Emily.. That is a Ponytail Palm and it is a huge tree! Good eye!! It is almost to large to bring inside too! I had to give away my other Ponytail Palm because it grew so big and tall. I guess it will find its way inside somehow. Someone else noticed on the C & S forum and said it was the biggest on they had seen in a container.. LOL!! Hope you are well and i cant wait to see some pics from your trees . It is a sad time of the year, but we have to do it!! Im surprised that you have seen a change there already.. i would think you would have a few more months than us. Thanks again!! Hi James!! Than you so much!! I do think of the time with the family and the new Grandson!! That makes me happy.. i also love to mess with other things this winter, so i will keep busy. I will still look in on the trees, and also keep others plants growing. Cactus, and some other little trees. As far as 5 years.. i will have to do a full cut down of the VW's and start new. The big trees now will probably be cut back this spring and i will let the big trunks go. There isnt space for these huge bases here. Sad... We do get snow sometimes and frost. The city will shut down when it snows here. It is rather funny! Kind of like when it rains in CA. People dont know what to do and how to drive.. LMAO!!! Hope you are doing well.. i have more pics to share with you. I need to send an email and catch up. thanks for the kind words.. Hi Bill!! I would keep the leaves on too if i could. But having as many as i do, i cant. I have to cut and send them to the backroom for the winter. It is the best way for me and i dont worry about them. They do great with my method. You do have a great wife!! : ) SHe is a good sport and im sure she loves the looks of the tropical room! Always nice to hear from you too! Thanks for everything!! Hi Dave.. You are so right. We can go on with our lives.. YEA!! had to laugh at the way you described the seedpods on the DR's. They do look funny!! Good news is that they dont take as long to open as Plumeria. Mine have slowed down since the cool air had set in, but some have opened. I would say about 2 months they will open. It may take longer since it is the fall.. Hopefully, they willl continue to grow. If you want some seeds, let me know. Take care, Dave!! HI K... i agree with you. I am ready to see the new emmerging claws getting ready for the new season too! Makes it all the better.. I have seedpods on Leela, Wizard, Psycho and "hopefull VV" . They are huge right now, so im wondering if they will open this winter.. or spring? Hmmm..Time will tell.. i still have Miami Rose, Divine, Kimi Moragne, Noid white blooming.. so sad to think about cutting off inflos.. so i dont.!!! Did she receive a new bag? ;-) LOL.. You are a good hubby!! Have a great night everyone!! Laura

How sweet it is. I really enjoyed Buddy's reaction to the "Easter Bunny." I'll bet that bunny felt like a rock star with the wee ones. Heh. That picture is a definite keeper. I also loved the sweet, sleepy look on Makayla's face. Looks like she had enough excitement for one night. I hope she made a killing on the Easter Egg Hunt. Beautiful kids, beautiful pictures AB. Sol

Jessica, that is NOT "Bulldog". That would be "Pitbull". And I earned that through years of being a complete and total b*tch, so I wear the designation proudly. I AM "The Pitbull". When I'm not busy being "Empress of the Universe". As for the devilled eggs, you ever see what happens when you let a kid under 5 touch a devilled egg? It's not pretty, and so the "egg pictures" were redacted. LOL It sure is hard to believe that my little sweetheart is three, isn't it? Thankfully, she'll still sit on my lap with her arms around my neck and sing "I love you, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck". She's gonna stop that soon, isn't she? Sigh. Bud doesn't like kisses, he cries. San, if you are out there, Makayla sends special "tisses" for you. Annie

melly, you live in a Barbie Dream House? LOL I'm telling Makayla that, she'll be so jealous. You are right about the sprinkles tasting good, Amanda was eating them right out of the box. The kids really liked the different colored ones in the little boxes and they were eating them like candy. I still have some left, though, Makayla is going to have a "sleep over" with me in the next couple of weeks and we're going to put some on waffles. Thanks again for the treat, it made our cookie baking so much fun. I'll have to tell Makayla and Bud they can put them in hot chocolate too! Annie