San Diego in the Back Yard

They repaved the street in front of our house. It's been interesting to watch cause they rip up the street like a cheese slicer. This yellow machine goes right over the top and a whole layer is gone. The dust was horrible for a couple weeks but now that they're done we can barely hear the cars going by! They used some kind of different blacktop/tar stuff and oh my word, it really cuts down the noise under your tires. It's so quiet now! For 12 years we've had traffic noise, but not anymore! It's so nice!

 

 

 

Beth had a doctor's appointment last week and had to go to the lab for a blood draw. This was our regular family doctor so she was used to the lab. And wouldn't you know it, the day after the appointment the issue she was having, stopped. It was gone. Of course! But we're keeping an eye on it just to be sure. :)

 

 

 

We have a palm tree. Did I ever tell you that? Random, I know! There just hasn't been a lot to write about. :) Chuck got it for me for Mother's Day one year. It was only about 2 feet high when he bought it and we weren't sure it would even grow. The guy at the nursery assured him it would... and it has! I love having a little part of San Diego in my back yard.

 

It Produces Such Emotion

Last weekend I went down to the beach to take part in a Moonlight Beach Adventure put on by our city. We are the kind of family that sits in front of the TV most evenings but since our vacation, I've been trying to get out more. Even if it's just sitting in the backyard, I want to live like I'm on vacation all the time.

At home we're busy all day, then we eat dinner in front of the TV (we only have a small breakfast nook and we all don't fit around it very comfortably) and we don't move again for the rest of the night.

When we're on vacation though, we visit people, we go to the beach, we see places we don't normally go to... I know we can't do that every night of the week when we're home, but I'm just trying to change my mindset to get out and enjoy this great city and our surroundings.

So... :)

About 7:00 one night I drove down to the beach. It's about 5 minutes from our house. Yea, you'd think I'd be there more often. There weren't too many people when I got there but it sure filled up fast! There was a diver that went down about 25 feet and collected sea life for us to look at and they put them in small pools they had on the shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were docents at each pool to talk to us about the sea life. They believe this Flounder was blind because of it's blue eyes. Also, did you know that when they swim on their sides, one eye moves so both eyes are on top? I thought that was so interesting!

 

 

 

Then as the sun began to set, I planted myself at the water's edge and snapped picture after picture. There's just something about capturing God's creation through a camera lens that produces such emotion in me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I could do anything with my life, I'd be a Landscape Photographer. Sometimes I just crave the outdoors, the various landscapes, the colors.  I don't think I could ever take black and white photos because for me, it's all about the contrast in the colors.

 

 

It was almost 9:00 when I turned and headed back to my car. A spectacular night, spent outdoors doing what I absolutely love to do.

 

 

We Surprised Her Again and She Really IS a Ninja!

On the spur of the moment last week we stopped in at Little Caesars to see Beth at work. She was really busy! These stacks are wrapped in plastic and there are 50 boxes in each stack.

Here she is putting the glue on top of the box.

 

 

 

Then she sticks the coupons on...

 

 

 

 

And folds the top back to reveal the next one.

 

 

Once she gets all the coupons on, she then folds each box.

Behind her are the stacks that she's done in previous weeks.

 

After we got home, I received this text from her job coach:

"Beth did SIX stacks tonight. Wahoo!! I am so PROUD of her. She is AMAZING!"

 

I know I've been posting about her at work a lot lately, but she's doing such a fantastic job!

We're so proud of her!

Sideways Quarters

Beth spent just about all of her money on our vacation last month and then didn't get a paycheck because she was gone... so we had to get out the change jar!

We poured out a bunch of change and separated it all. I showed her how to count and stack the coins so they would match each roll: groups of 4 quarters, 10 dimes, etc.

At first she tried to roll the pennies but couldn't get her fingers all the way in the tube. So we did quarters instead. Much better. :)

The hardest part was trying to get the quarters flat once they were in the tube. You know how they'll slip and end up on their edge, then she couldn't figure out how to get it flat again with her finger still in the tube... but she kept trying!

She stuffed them, folded over the tops and then we took them to the bank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This girl loves her cash! One time when she was little, my mom had taken her and her sisters to the mall. My mom gave them each a nickel or dime or something to throw into the fountain. Both Diana and Sharaya threw theirs in right away but Beth looked at hers and stuck it in her pocket! :)

 

Resigned to the Fact That It Really Is Over

Remember the hydrangea bush I posted about a while ago? Some of you asked to see a picture of it in full bloom so here it is! I think next year I need to prune it more because the flowers are too heavy for the branches. I have been cutting them and bringing inside to fill my vases. I love fresh flowers!

 

 

 

Beth is still doing okay after her fall down the stairs. No bumps or bruises, thank goodness.

Here she is jumping waves at La Jolla, California.

 

 

 

Gosh we had such a great time in San Diego. I don't know if you're like me, but once we get home, I tend to constantly think about the trip, go over and over the pictures and just try to remember every moment! After a few weeks, I finally resign to the fact that it really IS over and it's time to get back to daily life. We just really like to travel. :)

 

 

Allison enjoying the shade.

And a bag of Cheez-its.

 

 

 

 

My dad eating a cupcake with 7 of his 11 great-grandkids.

 

 

 

 

This is Beth after she got out of the pool at the condo. Silly goose!

 

The Long Walk

We usually buy Beth's bus pass on-line but because we were on vacation last month we completely forgot until it was too late. So we had to go get it in person.

I knew the building was at the park and ride, but I didn't know where at the park and ride. We drove around one whole lot but didn't find one open parking space. So we headed down a different lot. A very large lot.

We found a spot to park and after walking quite a ways I found a small coffee shop and the gentleman pointed me in the direction of the Rideshare store. I didn't realize there was a parking lot right next to it!

 

 

Oh well. We bought her pass and began the long walk back to the car.

 

Across the Bus Only entrance

 

 

 

 

Past one large lot and into our lot

 

 

 

 

Then all the way down to our car. (We were at the far end of this row.)

 

 

 

 

But she got her bus pass! One happy camper!