Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Little Things....

That make me smile today -

 Last week we went to the zoo for the first time in YEARS. When the boys were little we went often because we usually had annual passes & every time we went they wanted a picture with this gorilla. It was fun to do it again, but the boys are much bigger now.
 Recently we all went to the temple to do baptisms. It's so fun to go as a family... as I was walking up to the temple I looked behind me & this is what I saw (them all holding hands). Of course they all struck a pose for the camera. You can tell the only girl with us does not belong to me - she's the only normal one of the group! Ha.
 Found this picture when I was going through old pictures... it's actually not too old (maybe a year?). It just makes me smile every time I see it.... these boys dressed up like this all by themselves & took a picture. Really? Hope you get a kick out of it too.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

24 Hours

 I always thought we were a pretty busy family, especially David.  He works 50+ hours a week at his job, then was the YM President, Varsity Scout Leader, and on the board for San Diego Varsity Scouts.  How could it ever get any busier than that?  The answer is to be released from those callings and positions and get called as Bishop.  Not that I'm complaining, but his 2-3 days of extra responsibilities has turned into 4-6.  Add a teenager who's about to get his license, a house full of hungry teens 24/7, and a wife/mother who is a teensy bit hormonal, and it becomes an extra tense setting. 

We celebrated our 24th anniversary last month, and decided we had to get away to do something - anything!  With Jason home from college, this was the perfect weekend - so Eric wouldn't feel like he'd been ditched.  With some help from a few friends, I got an internet skill or two and booked a room in the beautiful city of San Diego for one whole night!  (With girls' camp and a few extra days off here and there, it didn't work out that we could really take any more time away.)  It didn't matter where we went, just that we went.  We really didn't want to spend a lot of time driving, and this was the perfect solution. 
This is the view from our hotel room at the Marriott Gaslamp.  Too bad there wasn't a Padre game going on! 
This is another view from the room.  Later on there was a firework show that I watched from the window. 
 
David being so nice just waiting for me to take pictures and get ready to go out.  Of course, we had to have a slurpee to take with us :) 
 
First things first, David took a much needed nap.  He hasn't gotten much sleep in the last couple weeks and was exhausted!  That was part of my gift to him.  I downloaded the next book for the book club and was excited to get started on it.  We walked all around The Gaslamp District, had a great dinner at Fred's Mexican Food (yeah, Fred???) went up to the rooftop bar, worked out in the gym (I do count one whole lap on the treadmill working out), and just chatting and remembering why we like each other. 
 
The next day we went to the Convention Center to the Home Show, and walked around Gaslamp some more.  There's a bridge downtown that his company helped build.  He was We were very interested in the architecture and craftsmanship of it.


 
Then we were off to Santee Lakes.  Hey, there's another bridge that David actually did help build.  I had to get a picture since it seemed to be a theme.  Photographer I am not! But it was pretty too.
 
We paddle boated and ate dippin dots.
 
Also, checked out the campground and picnic areas.  Although it's a really nice campground, it's not for tent camping.  But we did find a nice place for a spring ward picnic!
 
We did end off the night by going to the temple and doing sealings.  Pretty coincidental that Patriarch Bramwell was the sealer, because he married us!   
 
It was a much needed getaway "weekend" (is it sad that 24 hours is counted as a weekend?) and the next one is already scheduled on my phone. I can't wait!!!
 
I remember why I said "I do".