JO ANN on KOAA Channel 5 Colorado Springs News! 5-9-16 - 10 pm - Opposed to Strawberry Fields Land Swap

I said a lot of when I was interviewed, but the sentence that made the news is as follows:

"The (Broadmoor) Hotel does not feel like it's for the people of this city (Colorado Springs) anymore, so that is why I oppose it (The Strawberry Fields Land Swap)." 



 I am concerned that Colorado Springs will become "The Broadmoor's Colorado Springs."

Illustration by "The Talented" Carey Pelto - This Drawing is AMAZING!

Here is the entire City Council Meeting (5-9-16):

 

And here is the complete story on the news 5-9-16 10 pm:

 

And then again at 6 am 5-10-16:

 

Annabelle - Tennis 2016

Annabelle played tennis for a second season with the Colorado Springs School's Kodiaks!

JO ANN's 60th Birthday! May 7, 1956 through May 7, 2016!

I decided to give myself a special birthday party to celebrate my 60th birthday! Some of my closest friend came and so did my brother, Billy.

We also sang Happy Birthday to Rebekah to celebrate her 20th birthday which was only three weeks ago.

• Professional Photos by Mike McCleish of JO ANN's 60th Birthday Party!

Westminster Waltz - 5/1/16 - Did Not Pass (bummer)

Today, Sunday, May 1, 2016, Annabelle took the Westminster Waltz test, but did not pass. I thought the test was really good and am posting the videos and test scores for reference. She'll wait the required 28 days and take the dance again.

 

Joel Looks Good! - May 1, 2016

My son has been on the road with Disney On Ice for almost two years. The second tour ends in two weeks on May 15, 2016. Here he is smiling by the hotel pool at a pool party with other cast members in Lafayette, Lousianna.

(We've been worried about him this week since he was in an accident on Thursday, April 28, 2016.  Pray that no injuries occur later.)

This photo below was taken of Joel at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport last Monday, April 25, 2016, just as the cast arrived on a plane from Georgia. As you can see, traveling is exhausting....as a mom, I can't help but worry...but I'm so glad Joel has a great job and is getting to travel the world!

Remembering Got Shabbat - August 26, 2011

We attended "Got Shabbat" at Temple Israel in Long Beach on 8-26-2011 while we were on vacation there. Wow!

This video playlist is five years old (almost), but the temple still holds Got Shabbat services.

Last night, 4-29-16, in fact, my dad, Dan, and I tuned in via video stream! Last night's video is not archived, but the same songs were sung last night.

Got Shabbat is AMAZING!  I love it.

 

Remembering San Jose February 2016

In February of this year my dad and I drove to San Jose to see Joel in the Disney On Ice Frozen show. (It was the 15th Time I saw the show!) Anyway, on Joel's day off we had dinner with one of my closest friends from college and the Athertion House days, Helen. I've only seen Helen once a few times in the last 20 years. It was so special for her to meet Joel!

Grama and Bella - April 29, 2016

This is a WONDERFUL photo of Grama Farris (my husband Dan's mom who just turned 92) with Dan's sister Penny's grand-daughter, Bella! I have never met Bella, but this photo shows how wonderful the Farris family is! It made me cry..

April 29, 2016 - More Snow! April Showers In Colorado Springs

Wow...April 2016 will be remembered as a very snowy month!

Snow! April 26, 2016

Colorado weather is SO WEIRD! It snowed quite hard this afternoon. After dinner, of course, I skied, but at the same time, Annabelle took a run and in shorts! We dressed in "very opposite" attire!

Annabelle in shorts, JO ANN in ski clothes!

Passover 2016 Was GREAT!

We had a wonderful Passover with the Cohen family and my friend Joanna and her sister Jennifer at the Colorado Schneider family vacation home on Saturday, April 23, 2016.

We used a combination of Haggadas (mainly from the Jewish Federation and a bit from the Maxwell House Haggadah) and the Jewish Federation's Haggadah was so easy to follow. Everyone took part.

It was a dairy and fish seder. Everyone loved the salmon and we even had Gefilte fish that we cooked ourselves that came from New York City (I bought it from The Bagel Deli in Denver)!  We also had the regular gefilte fish from the jar and they tasted great too.

We even had three kinds of matzah (egg, israeli, and handmade Smurah matzah, courtesy of Torah Mates, from Israel.)

Annabelle made two kinds of Matzah Ball soups, one loaded with vegetables and the other just matzah balls and broth. We also had the red horshradish - YUM!  And...Annabelle took the time to pre-peel the hard boiled eggs before the meal.  (Thanks Annabelle!)

We ever ate kosher mashed potatoes and sliced sweet potatoes and Quinoa and tomatoes.  Kosher dill pickles were available to eat, but we forgot to eat them until after the seder....or well...

The Choroset was made by Sabrina. It was so good. And....Sabrina played the piano for us as we sang traditional Passover songs and also played for us while we ate.

Karen brought some amazing dessert and we enjoyed those wonderful Passover desserts with coffee and tea. The macaroons were a hit. Joanna's fresh fruit also was gobbled up.

After the meal, we took a walk and Joanna and I did some scootering! Rebekah left us early to study and Annabelle headed off to the prom.

Joanna and her sister Jennifer stayed for most of the day and of course we enjoyed more dessert and coffee.

Dayenu! And...next year in Jerusalem!

Next year, I want to use the Haggadah from JewBelong.com.  It looks like so much fun!