California Adventures

We've had a great two weeks.  The murder mystery dinner was lots of fun.  Moonbeam Rainbow and the birdwatcher were not involved in the murder, but weren't very good sleuths, either!  Neither one of us guessed right, but we had fun trying.  There were over 50 people there, and they all seemed to have a great time. 

Here are some of the people who attended, with their costumes.  What a night!

Yesterday, we spent our "P" day at the ocean again.  Wow, this mission is really hard :)  We drove down to Santa Cruz, and stopped at "The Mystery Spot" on the way.  This is a very strange place.  The setting is among a forest of redwoods, and very beautiful.  This spot is what they call a gravity center, where there seem to be strange forces at work.  Most of the effect is because they show you a slanted house that they claim slid down the mountain after it was built:

They go through a series of experiments that make balls roll and water flow uphill, and it seems highly unlikely, but there still is something strange about the place.  Dad and I both experienced a feeling of pressure and lightheadedness that is unexplained.  We weren't the only ones, some of the younger people felt it also.  Whatever it was, it was fun.  We'll take whoever comes to visit us there (hint, hint).

We then drove up Highway 1, stopping to watch wind surfers (amazing), and pelicans diving for their food.  That was enthralling, and as I had the binoculars trained on a bird, up popped a whale!  Holy cow!  It was something.  There were a group of them out there, and we watched for an hour as they flipped their tails and spouted.  Listening to the crashing waves and seeing the beauty of nature was just what we needed after a busy week of meetings and visits.  This week will be equally busy, and we are enjoying it.  We got invited to dinner at 2 members homes this coming couple of weeks, and we always enjoy that.  Plus we try to take the elders and/or sisters out to dinner once a month, and will get a chance to do that next week.  They are so much fun to work with.  Add in the MSA activities, (movie night this Friday) and we don't feel like we are working at all!  But we hope what we are doing is helping.  It sure helps us!

We are looking forward to Conference this next weekend, and hope a member family will take pity on us and invite us to watch in their home, as we don't have TV or enough internet data to watch in our apartment.  We realize how much we take for granted living in SLC, where access to Conference is so easy, and watching it with family is so fun!  Hope you all enjoy it, even though we won't get to look for our favorite choir member this time.  We will miss seeing you, Amy, but know you did the right thing by taking time off.  You are so very busy and stressed.  You all have so much on your plates, and we are so proud of you for all you do.  We hope the grandkids are all healthy, especially JJ.  That crappy child! :)  Cailee's meds for her asthma weren't working, so they changed them and she is doing better.  We got a great, newsy email from Aubrey last week that filled us in on them.  We so appreciate any and all communication with our family. 

Forgot to mention that we stopped at a fish market on the way home at Half Moon Bay and had the best clam chowder we'd ever eaten.  It sure was a stinky place, but great fish.  Here are some of what they had on offer:

 

                                                              Live lobsters, dead fish!

So that's our life.  We are trying to enjoy every minute, and time is flying.  Our mission is one third over!  Wow!  After the holidays, it will be half over.  We can't believe it.

The Birthday month is almost here, and we will try to get the cards out on time to all our October celebrants.  Forgive us if we don't make it quite on time.  We try....  We're so grateful to those of you who will be at Bruce's baptism.  It sure is hard not to jump on a plane and fly over for it, but we feel like we need to concentrate on our purpose here and let you all and the Lord take care of the family.  We know you do a great job.

Kiss each other for us, and enjoy your busy lives.  We love and miss you all.  Tracy, post a picture of your sweater.  One of the cute sister missionaries is learning how to knit, and told me about someone who could teach me, left handedness and all.  I might take her up on it.

Bye for now.  Keep on blogging!



 

Leave from the choir

I made the decision to take a leave of absence from the choir.  It was a hard decision, but absolutely necessary.  I am pretty overwhelmed, and just knowing I don't have to fulfill my responsibilities there until the new year has already left me feeling a little lighter.  I know I can handle it all eventually, just not right at this moment.  Anyway,  life goes on!!!

Love, Amy

Happy Days

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments!  It's great to hear from (almost) everyone hehe!  Mother guilt really works!  Love hearing how everyone is doing.  We're so glad the grandkids are adjusting to their school situations this year, and learning and growing.  We are so proud of all of them.  They are the greatest! 

We spent a wonderful weekend with Amy.  We are so glad she got to come, and she did an amazing job at the fireside.  She "held court" for almost 2 hours after her presentation while people came up to her to thank her for her words, for her bravery in putting it all out there, for talking about things most people won't, and for her understanding.  So many of them wanted to tell her of their struggles, and she listened with such love and patience.  It was a wonderful night.

Sunday was great, too.  We went to church where many more people talked to her and thanked her.  We were invited to dinner at the Relief Society President's home, and had a wonderful meal.  They had invited some friends over who had once lived in their ward, and now live in SLC.  And guess what?  Amy knows them!  The lady used to sing in the choir, and her husband is the choir assistant to the president!  How cool is that?  We then visited the Calls, who I have mentioned before, the ones with the "Italian Villa", and they talked about troubles they have had with their children.  They went into details they had never mentioned to us, and felt comfortable talking about it because of Amy's presentation.  It was an awesome day!  Then we had to say goodbye!  It went by way too fast.

Here's proof she was here!

We can't wait to see more of our family out here in the future.

We went down to Carmel last week with another senior couple and had a great day.  The weather was perfect, and it's always great to be at the ocean.  We could spend every day down there!  But I guess that's not what we are supposed to be doing. 

We are keeping busy, and enjoying our association with the single adults.  They are so fun to be around.  We are having a murder mystery dinner tonight.  Dad's character is a bird watcher named Madden Prescott.  We found him a camo shirt and cargo pants at the Goodwill, and he is bring some binoculars.  I am a hippy named Moonbeam Rainbow, and I own a store called the Greenery, where I sell eco-friendly products.  I have a hippy costume consisting of a tie-died scarf, headband and peace necklace, and will be giving out coupons for 50% off dehydrated water!  (Just pour contents into a one gallon jug, add water and stir!)  We will have pictures next week!

So along with the work of knocking on doors at night, we also have lots of fun!  We feel like we have helped put a spark into the single adult program, and are so happy to see it growing. 

We are so grateful for your love and support, and hope things continue to go well for you.  You are the wind beneath our wings!

Lets see if I can find a picture from last week's ocean visit.

The lone cypress

I think I have shown that one before, can't remember.  We went along the same drive this time as last time we were down there.  But it is a beautiful spot.  The couple we took with us have been here for a month longer than us and hadn't been anywhere fun, so it was good to take them with us.

 

I'm supposed to be studying...

Greetings to my long lost family! I really should be reading a very long chapter on computer networking right now, but here I am.

I check this blog at least twice a day, hoping there is a new comment or post. But, alas, there is nothing. Does anybody else do that? So I thought I would start a new conversation so that we can get caught up on all the latest news and so I will have a valid reason to stop reading this dumb book for a few minutes.

I will go first, in chronological order, or something like that:

First on the list is Shawn. He is still working in the ER, but his excitement has waned a bit. It can be extremely stressful most of the time and they don't pay their nurses nearly enough to do the things that they have do every day. He isn't going to quit (because we all know that isn't something that Shawn does....like...ever) but he has thought about it. He is still working for that research company too, usually about once a week. In fact, they asked him if he wanted to come back, but Shawn told them they would have to give him a very large raise before he would consider it. Who knows? Maybe once he gets his one year of "hospital experience" he might be able to go somewhere that pays better. We'll see.

I'm next! I have to say I am doing well, considering how much stress I feel right now. School is much more difficult than I thought it would be, but I'm keeping up. I do a lot of reading and searching the internet just to wrap my head around some of the concepts of computing. I came home yesterday almost in tears. I poured my heart out to Shawn and he brought me back to reality. He told me that school is just difficult and that I might have to work a little harder than some people, but what I'm doing is not out of my reach. It was great advice. So I keep on keepin on.

Next up is Alex. He is doing so much better lately! I'm beyond relieved. His meds are working and even though he still has his bad moments, he is doing great at handling school and band and everything else that stresses him out. We enrolled him in a part time online school so he is only at the high school for a few classes. It seems to be working out so far. He likes the flexibility and gets to work on his classes whenever HE wants to. He also auditioned for the CCM band again, so hopefully he will get to do that for another year.

Nate is crazy busy! I wish I could slow that kid down a little bit and I also wish I had half of his energy. He is swimming again, playing in the high school jazz band, plus the symphonic band, plus he auditioned for CCM too. That's all in addition to being in high school and doing church and family stuff. I hope he doesn't burn out! Did I tell you he wanted to learn to play the cello too? Ya. Right. I nixed that idea when he realized we don't have enough room in the van to transport his huge bari sax plus a cello back and forth to school. I also reminded him that there are only 24 hours in a day.

Seth is adjusting really well to junior high. So far there have been only a few incidents of hot shot 9th graders being rude to him. He seems to be just going with the flow. I'm so happy! I was worried (I guess I am still a little worried) about him going into junior high. It's just such an awkward time don't you think? Hopefully he is doing everything he needs to do at school because I never see him come home with homework. Hmmmmm....I better check that out.

Abby likes being in first grade. She told me this morning she loves recess and P.E. the best. She has a great teacher, which helps tremendously. She also comes home with more homework than all of the boys combined. What's up with that? It was the same way for the boys too when they were in first grade. Luckily she feels very important and grown up because the idea of homework to her is linked to feeling like she isn't just a baby. I'll take what I can get!

Ok. Your turn!

P.S. Mom, are you feeling any better?

Nothing new

Hi family,

August has been a long month!  Between moving to a new apartment and being sick with what we assume has been food poisoning, it seems like missionary work has been put on the back burner.  But it's a new month, and we're hoping a fresh start!

The move has been good.  We don't miss the "party pool" atmosphere.  Our new place has been a lot quieter.  We do get some traffic noise, but you can get used to that.  Plus we are on the top floor, and that makes it quieter as well.  One of our neighbors likes to cook with garlic, so we get those aromas, but it is all part of apartment living, I guess.  It will sure make us appreciate our home when we return.

Dealing with this illness has been a challenge.  I haven't said much to anyone at home, but I haven't been able to kick the effects of whatever it is I ate.  We had gone out twice to eat at restaurants, and ate one night at a member's home, so we can't pin down the cause, but it has been lingering for about 10 days.  I keep putting Dad off (he wants to take me to an Insta-care) and saying, "Let's give it another couple of days", but I know if it doesn't improve substantially within the next few days, I'll lose that battle.  The problem is that my insurance isn't valid here, from what I gathered when I called them last week.  I have to literally be at death's door before they will cover me here.  So if I can avoid doctors for another few weeks, until open season, I can then change insurance providers.  I think I can do it!  I really do feel better every day!  Keep me in your prayers!

Since we haven't been out much the last couple weeks, we have no stories or pictures.  Boring, huh?  But we have a Labor Day BBQ with the mid singles this afternoon that we are going to try attending, so I will snap some pictures there and share.  It'll be my first outing in a week; wish me luck!

Hope everyone is doing well with all their new adventures.  Amy with her teaching, Meg being a student again, Erin and Dave suffering through their loss.  We have thought of everyone often, and you are all in our prayers.  We hope all the kids are excited about a new school year, and are looking forward to lots of fun activities.  So many of you are starting at a new school.  We're excited for you!  We know you will do your best. 

We get to see Amy in a couple of weeks, and are very excited about that.  We hope we will see all of you at some point during our stay here.  We hear the winters are pretty nice!  Come and see!

That's it for now.  Hope to see some comments on our "family blog" this time around!  Hint, hint!

Love you all