San Diego Vacation September 2012

We took a quick get away to San Diego for some much needed time away from phones and people.

Seaport Village

LaJolla Cove Shores

Len doing some relaxing. He has really been so busy with his church responsibilities that he really needed to get away and just chill out. Even still he got lot's of calls.  

60 Years and Still In Love

June 8th mom and dad celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary! Way to go you two love birds! Amazing!

You would have to travel to world over to find two people who love each other so much. They have had quite the adventures in their lives! I don't think there is a road, trail, or cave in all of southern Utah that they have not been on or to. They love to ride, no matter where the road takes them. Mom always is ready for an adventure. Dad needs a little prodding but once on the adventure he is a bundle of fun! As long as it doesn't cost money! It is a joy for me to be able to go along on some of their great adventures. I am happy we came back to Southern Utah to be close to them and learn from them. Here's to another 60 years or so....

Kolob Mountain Picnic

Mom loves to go to the mountains. She has a connection with them that brings her peace and happiness! What a beautiful woman she is, no wonder they have stayed married for 60 years!

Mom loves the mountains!

Dad is and always has been quite the romantic. He is always tells mom, and us, that he loves her. She is the apple in his eye, the cream on his cake, the sugar in his drink! Dad has always loved mom with a pure and unconditional love, through thick and thin. Mom is blessed to be loved so much!

Dad is always trying to sneak a kiss!

California Trip 2012

Our annual trip to California was wonderful this year. In retrospect we tried to plan too much and relax too little. We decided to go north of San Diego this year to the Santa Barbara area. We have always wanted to explore that area and we weren't too disappointed. The weather was near perfect for our whole trip. We rented bikes one morning and rode the Ventura Bike Trail that goes along the coast. We saw some really neat landscape, got to breath the ocean air, and even stopped and got an ice cream cone along the way, did I mention heaven?!

Kodak moment in the flowers

One day we spent in the european inspired town of Solvang. Cory had gone there last year and it sounded so fun that we made the hour long detour to go see it. Wow we were amazed. We loved every part of this quaint little place of heaven in California. The shops, the many bakeries (and yes we tried our best to go in all of them and taste a little treat). The buildings all were european in design so it was really fun. We ate at the Greenhouse Cafe which was fun and really yummy. Perfect warm/cool day. Love, love, loved it!

Solvang - Danish heritiage city

We spent one day with Cory and he was a great tour guide. Cory is stationed in Long Beach with the Coast Guard so it was fun to spend a day with him. He took us to the Korean Freedom Bell site. It was really something and I will post more pictures soon. It was a fun day and we met up with Kristen in the afternoon.

Me and my boy

We took one day and sailed to the Channel Islands (more pictures to follow), on the way we met up with a school of dolphin. Did I mention heaven? I have always wanted to see dolphin in the wild. One more check off my bucket list. Next is a whale, I looked and looked but no whale in sight.

Dolphins at sea

I sometimes I wish birthdays didn't come around each year. They are reminders that you I am getting older...yet they are also reminders of how many people love and care about you! I received so much love this year! Thanks to everyone for making my day so very special... I love you!

Flowers from my BFF Ann! Thanks Sista!

A Quickie!

We have decided in our old age that we need to get away more often. So we try to plan a little quick get-a-way once a month (inless we are traveling somewhere more extensive. This year so far we have been to Zion over night, to To Boulder City Nevada, and to Nebraska. It is always and adventure (at least we try to make it that way). We took a trip to Nebraska to see Pete's family this month and had such a great visit with them. The little boys are growing up so fast it is almost hard to believe. The highlight of our trip there was in Jackson's mind (the Railroad Museum!). The little boys loved climbing on, ringing the bell of, and sitting in the seat of real trains that have been retired. We also went to the Omaha Childrens Museum for some hands on fun. Our adventures in February took us back to Nevada and Boulder City. We have come to really like going there. So much to do and see. It is a haven of Geocaches also but we didn't do much of that because we were so busy going in Antique stores this time. Len and I have so much fun doing things together. It is great that we have so many of the same interests and ideas. For the month of April we are undecided of where we will do a "Quickie" so you will just have to wait for the post. We are thinkin Mesquite for some great geocaching fun or maybe Kanab for some hiking. Keep watching for the post. It will be my 57th birthday in April, and to tell the truth I don't feel a day over 27. Life is really good to the two of us, we are both healthy, happy, and in love. What a great life. I am looking forward to a visit in April with my BFF and sister Ann. Easter right aroud the corner, blossoms on the trees, flowers in the beds,  fresh garden dirt waiting for me to plant, and little tiny apricots on my tree...I love Spring!

Nebraska Fun

A day at the Omaha Children's Museum is a must for each visit to see the grandkids. What fun we always have, I am not sure if grandpa has more fun than the boys. Jordan took a real shine to grandpa this time, it was really fun to watch them have fun together. Jordan especially like the ball arena.

Jack loved the construction zone for kids, so many things to do so little time. He bounced from one thing to the next and had a ball trying out everything he could find.

Kite flying was the best in Pete's back yard and at the park. We really got the kite's up high and Jack loved holding them and making them dance in the air. It was great weather and a great time. We took a picnic of Chicken salad sandwiches, chips, and drinks. What a great day!

A trip would not be complete without  little geocaching with grandma and grandpa. We found a few treasures along the way and one was the beautiful spring flowers just popping up. It was the only color around so was worthy of blogging about.

The final triumph, finding a cache with the boys. Fun times, thanks Pete for hosting us and making so many memories for us to bring home. We had a great visit with the kids and are so thankful for families.

Well pretty much this was the scene at the end of each day while we were in Nebraska visiting Pete and his family. All tuckered out from tons of fun and eating!

Retired at last!

Well dad finally did it! As of March 9, 2012 dad officially retired to enjoy the good life. Dad has worked his whole life. There were times in his life when he could barely crawl to work because his feet hurt so badly. In his early years he worked at the State hospital in Provo Utah. He worked in the kitchen sometimes standing in cold water ( dad hates to be cold ). He stood on cold, hard cement floors until his feet hurt so badly he could barely walk. He would go home from work nearly crawling in the house. It affected him for the rest of his life. In many jobs dad has had to stand on hard concrete floors, at Cliftons market his arches fell and he had to have special shoe inserts made of hard plastic put in his shoes, then at Shamo's he would walk all day long on hard ground our cement floors. When you think about it dad has stood most of his life, no wonder he loves to nap so much. Then in his later life he has stood on hard floors down at Ace hardware store. He has cheated death on many occasions in his life, to name a few...while at Shamo's dad was crushed between and truck bed and a fork lift, breaking many bones and causing him to be laid up for weeks. Survived a horrible roll over with the lumber truck loaded on it's way back from Salt Lake City. The truck flipped and slid down the interstate on its top with dad in the cab, being crushed inside the cab as it slide to a stop. The first on the scene said, "Nobody survived this, dad hollered out... "I did get me out of here." He laid there for 3 hours with the cold diesel fuel dripping on him with his head crushed to the asphalt of the interstate. He survived once again. Another survival was this past summer while working on his new shop. He was on a 14 foot ladder putting up a piece of plywood on the peak of his shop. The wood slipped knocking him off the ladder onto the concrete slab below (hitting his head on the patio), then the piece of wood coming down on top of him hitting him in the head and literally scalping him (he had to have over 60 stitches). The xrays showed not brain damage or concusion but dad has never really recovered from the damage to his back. He still went on to work after only a week off. The work has finally taken at toll on dad and he made the huge decision to retire!!! At last! Dad will be 80 this August. Dad wants to work in his shop, go on walks, tinker around and nap when he gets tired. I am happy that he will be able to enjoy some quality time during the later years of his life. Dad, thanks for all the hard work you have done to provide for us. You are quite a guy. I don't know what Ace will do without "Bernie"...because - You are Ace! Everyone knows it and will miss you. Enjoy your time dad, live some life. We love you!

79 years young!