MAY 2013

THE FAIRY PARTY:  I have worked on this hillside for months and this is what I pictured:  fairies flitting up and down the hillside.  Elaina is the head fairy in green and blue.

FAIRIES COMES DOWN THE HILLSIDE

DECORATING CUPCAKES:  Everyone got to decorate cupcakes for Elaina's Birthday party.  She loves planning parties even when her birthday is months away.

HOUSE ON A HILL TOP:  I cut away this hillside for months.  Just in time, to have a place to put this playhouse that our neighbor gave us.  The only problem is when the kids play up here, they get really dirty!

CAMPING AT SAN ONOFRE:  Yes we camped at one of the Surfing USA, Beach Boy locations.  The view of the ocean was great, but the sound of the freeway was not.  How did I live next to a freeway all those years in LA?

SECLUDED BEACH:  It is a 10 minute walk to the beach from the camp ground.  It was surprisingly remote, I went jogging and only saw 4 people.  It was beautiful and different.  Seth had fun having daddy toss him into the air with the blue sky background.

IRVINE SPECTRUM FERRIS WHEEL:  Aubrey knows how to pose for a picture.  When I lived in Orange county this was one of my favorite places to study.

TEMECULA
GRAPE VINEYARDS:  It isn't how far away you are, it is how far away you feel.  I feel like I am in Europe when I go here.  We had to go somewhere on Memorial day, even though we just finished camping.

SETH SLEEPS IN SACRAMENT MEETING:  Yes Seth falls asleep in church every Sunday.  This week was exceptional, because he used a Hymn book for a pillow.

LEGO LAND AQUARIUM:  We got to go with the Parkinsons on a field trip for Harper and Elaina's pre-school.  It was our first visit to Lego Land.

RACHEL HOFFMAN'S BABY SHOWER:  It was nice to see Rachel after such a long time.  It is exciting to know they are having a baby.

APRIL 2013

CONFERENCE AT THE THOMPSONS:

Elaina gets so excitted about visiting the Thompsons for conference.  She and Juliana get along great.  Juliana also has the most dress ups of anyone.

THE GARDEN SHOW:  Elaina is a fun companion to take on the garden tour.  This year I made it to all 7 houses.  This house had a great natural oak forest and lake.

PROGRESS ON MY HILLSIDE:  You have to take pictures of where you have been to appreciate where you arrive at.  It has been a lot of work moving 40 buckets of dirt to fill in the dirt behind the 3rd rock wall.  When I look at it I forget sometimes how long it took to get to where it is.

PACIFIC BEACH:  It was a fun day at Pacific Beach, a place I use to come to all the time when I went to the Pacific Beach Ward.

WEIGHT LOSS:  I've lost about 30 pounds now and it is great being in better shape and eating lots of vegetables and fruit.  I ate no more than one carb a day.  No sweets for 2 months and no more than 3 meat or dairy products a week.

MY NEPHEW JARED ON A MISSION:  It is amazing the little boy we use to chase around the living room is going on a mission.  The more amazing thing is Jared and his cousin Shawn are going to the same mission in Eugene Oregon.

FAMILY REUNION:  The family came together for Jared's mission Farewell at Marilee's house in La Canada.

ARIZONA TRIP 2013

THE MESA ARIZONA EASTER PAGEANT:  It is a fabulous performance, with the efficient movement of a cast of 500 volunteers.

STOP AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS:  A friend of mine made it a goal not to eat at franchise restaurants.  I can see the wisdom in her goal.  You certainly can experience local culture better at  non-franchise restaurants.  This place had excellent BBQ sauce.

MONTEZUMA'S  CASTLE:  I thought you had to go to Colorado and Mesa Verde to see Cliff houses or cliff villages, but you can find them in Arizona too.

SEDONA AND THE CHURCH OF THE HOLLY CROSS:  An attempted family picture

MELISSA AND LAINY:  Melissa came with us and we were lucky to have her help as a photographer.  Though it is nearly impossible to get everyone looking at the camera at the same time.

SEDONA'S CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS:

THE YOUNG EASTER MODELS:    too bad they got there late for the easter egg hunt.

SETH IN THE BOUNCE HOUSE

AUBREY IN HER NEW EASTER DRESS:  By Fulton Ranch where they have many artificial lakes in Chandler, AZ.

THE CARTERS AND THE MENDES'S:  It was a lot of fun visiting them.

March 2013

SALT CREEK BEACH:  I just found another favorite beach.  This one is in Dana Point right below the Ritz Carlton.  It is wide, flat, and secluded.

THE MONTAGE AT MONARCH BAY:   I have a hobby of visiting fancy hotels.  This one was beautiful with a golf corse, fancy gardens, fancy fountains, and lounges.

THE MONTAGE FOUNTAIN

SEAPORT VILLAGE MERRY GO ROUND:  We have been here before, but it is always fun to come back for a visit.

FALLBROOK PARK AND ELECTRICITY:    I have been in charge of play group this past year.  We meet every Tuesday between 10 and 12 at the Fallbrook Community Center.  Seth had fun getting his hair to stand on end.

EASTER EGG HUNT:  Grand Pa came and joined us for an easter egg hunt in our back yard.  Seth seems to have been successful.

FEBRUARY 2013

JANENE VISITS:  My old room mate Janene and her husband visited from Austin Texas.  Janene had just lost 60 pounds and convinced me that I should try Medifast.  I decided February would be my last month of Nursing and I started dieting in March.

ELAINA THE WATER NYMPH:  Elaina loves making imaginary objects out of anything even sand and water.

HELENA COMES FOR A VISIT:  Helena our neighbor, and Elaina both have fun dressing up in our back yard.  I am about to plant a lot of Geraniums this month.  I moved 20 buckets of dirt that day on our hillside getting ready to plant them.

THE BEACH IN WINTER TIME:  I like going to the beach best in the winter.  The sky is clear and its uncrowded and occasionally we get warm day.  Aubrey seems to like it too.

JANUARY 2013

WILD CAT PRINTS:  Our trampoline has hosted many a wild animal.  Rabbits (I wish I could have scene that), coyotes, raccoons and this wild cat.  I thought it might have been a cougar, but a neighbor said they had scene a bob cat.

AUBREY LOVES THE TRAMPOLINE: Aubrey started walking in December and now she  is working on conquering the trampoline.

OCEANSIDE AT SUNSET:  We celebrated my birthday here.

RESTAURANT WEEK AT 333:  We celebrated my Birthday at the 333 restaurant, it is always a treat to have a truly excellent meal.

BLOWING OUT THE CANDLES:  at aunt Kelly's house on my Birthday.

OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO AND THE MORMON BATTALION:  We like to go every year a relive the 1840'S.  Elaina and Seth are enjoying the cannon. 

UTAH TRIP 2012

THE VENETIAN:

We  stayed in Vegas for 2 nights and this gave us time to see the Venetian and Ceasr's Palace.

GONDOLA RIDES:  I think I like them better in Vegas than in Venice.  In Venice they don't entertain you or sing to you.  They just drive the boat.  The ride might be shorter in Vegas, but all of the Gondoliers are paid performers, that usually have stage experience.  To get that in Venice you would have to hire the Gondolier, and the singer, and the acordian player.

THE SINKING OF ATLANTIS:  Elaina was scared of this performance with fire and an arguement between two siblings over control  of Atlantis.  The performance came on again after we ate at the Cheesecake Factory.  Elaina got so scared that she hugged the stranger in front of her, in fear.  I took her into one of the stores so she wouldn't be afraid, but she got board with that, and eventually wanted to see the rest of the performance.

MISSION INN, RIVERSIDE CA:  We had to stop and see it on the way home.  It is a tradition and it is much less crouded after Christmas.

THE MIRAGE:  On the way up to Utah we stayed at the Mirage and I finally got to see the Volcano erupt.  Elaina was afraid of that too.  The funny thing is Elaina and Seth fell asleep, but Aubrey kept on going past 10:00 pm.

SNOW ANGELS IN OGDEN:  Elaina and Seth truly enjoyed the snow in Utah.  They got cold and wet, but they didn't care.

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE:  All around city hall there are little playhouses filled with Christmas decor and some even have miniature train sets.

HOTEL BEN LOMEND:  The view from the hotel looking out on Christmas Village.

ATTACKING UNCLE PAUL:  Luckily he is a good sport and likes rough housing.

CITY CREEK CENTER:  They rebuilt the old Cross Roads Mall.  When I was on my mission it was the best shopping mall within 350 miles.  Times have changed and it needed to be updated. 

TEMPLE SQUARE:  My mission revisited.  We went there twice on our visit once by ourselves, and the 2nd time with my DC friend Jonathan and his wife and 2 children.

THE 2nd CARTER CHRISTMAS:  Seth is so excited to get his Thomas the tank engine book, equipped with map and miniature trains.