"home-mome!"

For those of you not familiar with this word, "Home-mome," it's a Gigi word, pronounced the way it appears, both "o's" the long 'o' sound!! Gigi (almost 21 months) is talking so much these days and it is fun to listen to her (although sometimes hard to figure out what she is saying!). Often she mixes up the sounds of letters in words and the order of the syllables of words, or she just makes up her own words. So, the weekend of Jan. 24th, Nick and I took the "Home-mome", otherwise known to the rest of us as our motorhome, out to Quartzsite, Arizona. Every time Gigi asked mommy where Yaya and Papa were over the weekend, she repeated Nicole saying, "home-mome!"
Here's Nick with the dogs outside our "home-mome" in our "open-space campspot." No one was anywhere near us-talk about privacy.

Over the years we have heard a lot about Quartzsite, but never made it out there before now. I'm not a desert lover so it never thrilled me, but I decided why not check it out. Afterall, it isn't the summer so it can't be too hot! We've heard "millions" of RV's go to Quartzsite from January through March every year.

Talk about a lot of RV's--they are everywhere, and I do mean everywhere, as far as one can see. Most are just parked anywhere, off the highway, in the desert, by themselves or with other RV's in circles, similar to the old west days of wagon camps! Much of the area surrounding Quartzsite is BLM land and rving-camping is free or maybe $5.00/nite!

You may be asking what's the big deal? Well, there are also hundreds of different "swap meets" and "street fair" type vendors selling any and everything you could possibly want, from kitchen gadgets, to arts and crafts, rocks and gems, jewelry, clothes, hats, food, and more. It's also a great place to people watch. We saw rigs from all over the United States.

Every couple of weeks there are specialized "shows" and while we were there it was the Big RV SHOW, selling everything imaginable for RV's. We spent several hours walking around the RV Show the first afternoon and the next morning we walked around one of the many "swap meets." The weather was perfect, warm and sunny in the 70's with a light breeze, but quite cold at night. One man told Nick you probably couldn't see all the vendors in 2 weeks time! It really is a happening place, a place we want to return to, if only to check out all the "great deals we have to have" and people watch!!

On Sunday we left Quartzsite and drove to Yuma to stay a night at the Yuma Lakes RV Resort (one of the 6 belonging to the membership we have with Colorado River Adventures-our home base being the KQ Ranch in Julian).


Nice, HUGE RV Resort with about 800 hook-up sites, pool and spa, clubhouse with activities and meals, a small miniature golf and fishing in the lakes!!
One thing Arizona has is beautiful sunsets!!

Pavone Family December 2008

December was busy for us--when isn't it?!?


The weekend before Christmas my mom came down from Simi Valley on the train for a few days. We went to Seaport Village for a nice seafood dinner and to watch the Parade of Lights on the San Diego Bay. It was a chilly San Diego night, but crystal clear!

Nick and I are pictured to the left with my mom, Hope, in the middle, in front of the beautiful red Christmas tree made of 100's of poinsettia flowers stacked in the shape of a tree!

The Pavone Family girls are pictured on the top right: R to L, Hope, Karen, Angelina, Nicole and Gigi.
Here's our Charger Cheerleader with pom poms!! Gigi loves the Chargers, as do we!! They had a great comeback season, but sadly, lost to the Steelers last weekend.

Christmas day, to the right, Alex and David "toast" their new baseball "beer steins"; Alex with his SD Padres, and David with his LA Dodgers. In the hot summer months they can freeze them and then enjoy their favorite, Mountain Dew!!!!



Here's Gigi and Angelina ("Tia" to Gigi) sitting in their new jammies!

Nicole, David and Gigi talking on "skype" to David's brother's family and cousins, with Gigi's baby Elmo close by.


Gigi loves her new pink pony that she can easily ride by herself and even makes pony sounds and plays music!!

Friday after New Year's Nick and David made my family's "Lefsa" (similar to potato tortillas rolled up with melted butter on them). Messy, very messy to make but oh so yummy!!!!

Gigi had her first taste of Lefsa and loved it!! Her great grandfather, my dad, would be proud!!