Oceanside- Two- 2014

The second week at the beach had family coming!  I had wanted some alone time with David and our youngest son Tanner and his wife Brooke and their 3 kiddos.  Brooke loves the sun and is always threatening to move to the beach.  She says she'll come back to occasionally visit Tanner and the kids and us.

Not gonna happen!  So I thought we'd better take her on a beach trip.  It was full of:

SUN BEACH SAND UMBRELLAS SUNSCREEN 

CEREAL AND SANDWICHES AND TRIPS TO RUBY'S DINER FOR FINE DINING (HA!) BEST MILK SHAKES EVER AND POTATO NACHOS.

LOTS OF WALKS ALONG THE BEACH.  THE KIDS DID GREAT!

BABY RYKER GOT AN AWARD FOR EXTENDED USE OF LUNGS AT A HIGH PITCH SCREAM.   GRANDMA ME IS OFFICIALLY DEAF IN BOTH EARS.

ANNEE BUG HAD just a titch of TEENAGE/HORMONAL/ON TOP OF ASPERGER little dramas BUT ALL AND ALL- SHE DID GREAT.  GRANDMA AND GRANDPA LOVED THEIR TIME WITH HER. WE LOVE ANNEE BUG.  ANNEE DID TOTALLY AWESOME AT BOOGIE BOARDING AND PLAYED IN THE OCEAN FOR HOURS. SHE ALSO SPENT HOURS WATCHING TEEN FASHION YOUTUBES.  HOURS.  AND WESTERN SHOWS WITH DAVID ON NETFLIX.

EVERYONE LOVED BEACH TIME AND POOL TIME.  PEYTON, AGE 3, IS TRULY PART FISH.  HE COULD SWIM FOR HOURS.  RYKER LOVED THE POOL AS WELL. WE  LOVE THESE TWO LITTLE BOYS!

BROOKE AND TANNER COULD BE TREASURE HUNTERS.  ON ONE WALK ON THE BEACH THEY ACTUALLY FOUND 2 DIFFERENT WALLETS.  BROOKE WAS ABLE TO RUN ONE KID DOWN TO RETURN HIS...AND WITH INFO IN THE OTHER WALLET, TRACK DOWN THE OTHER OWNER.  

WE LOVE OUR FAMILY AND KIDDOS AND WAS GLAD TO MAKE NEW MEMORIES AT THE BEACH.  THE LAST DAY, DAVID AND EVERYONE BUT ME WENT TO SEA WORLD FOR THE DAY.  I MISSED OUT SINCE I WAS MEETING UP WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL GHOULIES.  DAVID'S NOT REALLY A SEA WORLD KIND OF GUY SO HE DEFINITELY SAID I OWE HIM ONE.  BUT REALLY?  HOW COULD ONE NOT HAVE FUN AT SEA WORLD?  SEA WORLD IS MAGICAL!

LOVE THAT MY HUSBAND IS SUCH A GOOD SPORT.
LOVE TIME WITH TANNER AND BROOKE AND KIDDOS.
LOVE THIS TIME TOGETHER!

Oceanside- Week One

Our annuals BFF trip to Oceanside was wonderful.  Here is our earlier itinerary email:

Dear Seagulls,

Wanted to get everyone thinking about what begins one month from TODAY!!!!    Wahoo!

Valene and Cathy with a C and Marilyn will be piloted off in Valene's  car, which is a Pilot.  The next day Kathy with a K and Brendalyn will fly off with a real pilot.  V and C and M will take off about noonish on Friday- and stay in a beautiful home in St. George that we heard was vacant.  After we hunt Easter eggs the next morning on the golf course (tradition)- we will head off to San Diego. (note: we stayed overnight in Kathy with a K's home there and one funny Kathy story was when they first bought the home, she hid Easter eggs on the golf course....  so busted!)   K with a K and B with a B will land about 2:10.  We will be there (approx. a 6 1/2 hour drive but let's say 7 so we can stop in Vegas and win some dough) in record time.

The biggest question is this?  Pedi's here or there?  Does one take off their shirt or learn to say no?  (last year we went to a Viet Namese foot massage place.  All these chairs were in one dim lit room and we were having a heavenly massage on our feet and legs.... then we're getting arms and necks and they wanted to do backs and said, "Take off your shirt"- and I said, "No, I don't think so"  and Brendalyn hears me down the row and thinks, "I could have said no????)

then does everyone like being on the Internet....the Discovery channel Viet Namese style?  (I like to tease the friendies that they probably ended up in a vaboomba video.)
 
So excited for this trip.  Huggers- Marilyn



Cathy and Valene and I headed off but we didn't plan on getting too far.  We made it about 20 minutes away when we stopped at this FABULOUS new restaurant in American Fork called the Wild Zucchini.  (Thanks, Brandi for the heads up!)
It was so over the top, I'm still dreaming about it. Try the Piadina- which is a handmade flatbread with- get this-angel hair pasta and rosemary chicken, veggies and a funky aioli.  Amazing flavors!  

We meandered to St. George- dropped off our stuff at funny Kathy's with a K's second home- and decided a movie was in order.  We saw "The Giver."  It is from a book I read ages ago- liked the movie better than the book.  Had great girl talk....
all that day and all the way to California!  When we are together, let's say, well, we eat well.  Much to my horror, on the way we stopped to get gas (at a Costco) and ended up eating there!  Heaven forbid!  I was outvoted.  Don't get me going on the hotdog...

We made it to Oceanside with a car loaded to the gills.  So loaded that Brendalyn and Kathy with a K had to take the train from the San Diego airport to meet us.  We loved our condo at North Coast Village.  We've gone several years there....and love the sidewalk along the beach that takes us to the pier (with Ruby's Diner at the end)- and the Tin Fish with wonderful fish tacos....and the street market that comes on Thursdays with all sorts of ethnic food booths and live music...and did I mention it was hot?  Hotter than it has ever been in Cali when we've been there.

A joke was "where was Marilyn's head when she packed?"  Honestly, who knows since I packed three sweaters straight from the dry cleaners, only half of my jammies and no beach t-shirts or shorts!!!  What?

Besides beach time and eating, eating and more eating (Valene made us gourmet food for many meals)- we solved most of the world's problems, saw another movie "Hundred Steps" (perfect for us foodies)- played lots of games of Farkel, walked and walked, rented bikes and went on a long trail ride.  Well, actually, everyone else went on a long ride....I only went 8 miles or so.  There has to be a slug in every group.  I'm there to make other people feel better about themselves!  We read and read and exchanged books and watched the whole BBC Masterpiece Theater's first season of "The Paradise."  Then we hung out at the pool.  Did I mention it was hot?  Our day in San Diego ended with Cathy and Brendalyn flying home after we had one last fabulous lunch at Extrordinary Desserts.

Did I mention I love these friends?  They make me laugh.  They make me think.  Feel so blessed to have wonderful people in my life.

But don't get me going about the hotdog....

Good-bye for Now

Yeah!  I finished my first picture in my new art class last week.  It makes me happy since it is a reflection of my beach LOVE!  (Cheerwine is the predecessor to Dr. Pepper.  I had it when I went to Myrtle Beach with the Charm girls.)

I'm actually heading off for a September of my dreams.

BFF's Valene and Cathy and I are headed to California via  St. George.  Tomorrow we will pick up Brendalyn and Funny Kathy who are flying in.  Our yearly week at the beach!  It will be filled with adventures. Oceanside here we come.

When the friends scatter, Tanner and Brooke and kiddos and David are flying in.  How wonderful to be able to make some memories together in the sun.  I get homesick easily so it will be perfect to get a dose of David and my kids.

Right in the middle, because when they leave, The Charm Girl's come! (high school funny friends.)  We will have 3 days at the beach and then wherever Fay (in charge this year) wants us to go, we will follow.  

I will be gone about 3 weeks so I won't be blogging.  Instead I will be laughing and eating and memory making and tanning and biking and splashing and eating and taking pictures.  And eating.  Laughing.

You get the picture!

The Best of Summer

Tuesday was Bucket at BFF Cathy's home.  In addition to a fabulous lunch, we shared our favorite summer stories.  It is so fun to catch up with each other.

In addition, last month we were talking about our Bucket group being together for 8 years!  Wow!  How time flies.  People wondered about all the things we have done together.  Well, HELLO?  This blog is my journal so I was able to re-create many of our events. (Might I mention right here- the benefits of journaling.  If you don't write it down, chances are you will forget it.  Gone forever!)  

 Here are some of the things we have done-

-had a planning tea party
- writing journals and Sacred Plates
- Provo and printing presses exhibit
- Red Butte Gardens
- learning how to correctly plant planters
 - faith promoting story from ancestors (Granite “rocks”)
- personality test and guest author
- identifying wildflowers in Albion Basin
- Cert training (emergency first response)
- Happy fall-a-days
- a member of the Tabernacle choir spoke-
- made I am Thankful for You cards
- favorite Christmas memories
- celebration of you (us) with love letters from husbands
- handmade valentines to share
-pioneer artist Minerva Teichert
- garden tips plus garden hangers
- High Tea/ Mad Hatter
- share your love story
- Grandmothering
- author James Ferrell (!!!)
-  picnic indoors
- bring a treasure that you wouldn’t want to lose
- Rauclette
 -nostalgic resin grapes
-Marilyn's book of poetry
- cookie exchange
- journal entries
- a personal trainer came (Josh) and talked about healthy eating/exercise
- tied a quilt for humanitarian center and shared an act of service rendered
-a singing group came- Accentuate the Positive
- These are a Few of Our favorite things
- Witchie Halloween
-homemade pillowcases
- how to properly cut out snowflakes/tell snow story
-breakfast then field trip to artist/author Ben Behunin’s studio
- the 5 Love Languages book
- children books
- invite mothers/Mother's Day tea party
-toured historic Sorenson Home in Draper (Erica's ancestor)  and nostalgic lunch
-favorite Book of Mormon story
-historic Granite Cemetery and Elaine Young’s home
-toured historic Salt Lake
- made t-shirt dresses for Africa- 
- Stars gazing
- favorite hymn
- Valentine crafts
- temple then feast
-Sheron’s cottage
 - Feng Shui
- goodbye Karlin
- 4th of July celebration
- August is WARM
-date ideas with husbands
- Gratitude 8x 10's- wrote on tablecloth activity
- Jazz vs. Kings (Jimmer!)
- St. Paddy’s day
- when were you “lucky.”
- presentation by Diana on her Lioness book and we shared book ideas
- favorite things (Pavlova and pom pom stems)
 -celebrated our  Unbirthday
-  a celebration of apples
-  Let the Mountain shout
- lunch at the Town club (la-de-da!)
- 7 days in a week- someday is not one of them.  Make a bucket list for 6 months.
 - favorite flower
- Gail's cabin with husbands
- about breakfast (guest Becky Low)
- the best of summer.

Whew!  Wonderful memories with great women!


Cathy made this quick and easy dessert- lemonade dessert. She sprinkles crushed graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of a dish, mixes softened 4 cups of vanilla ice cream with 6 oz. of frozen pink lemonade concentrate, spoons over crackers and sprinkles more crackers on top- then freezes.  (you could do this in a graham cracker pie shell-easy peesy.)   Perfect for a light summer dessert!

Loving Life

 My littlest kidlet turned one last week!  We celebrated with a party for both families (Brooke's and ours) at our home.  It was a cookie monster theme  We had dinner (ham and cheese sliders, salads and chips), then swimming and present opening and Ryker devouring his own little cake.  I love the little thank you's Brooke made  (and cake) and the cookie bar was great!

 I'm watching the little boys while I journal this.  Ryker started walking at almost 11 months.  I mentioned how well he was walking to Peyton and Peyton said, "I taught him how."  Love these little boys.

 ~this past weekend was the perfect weekend!
On Friday, I got Brandi to myself for 5 whole hours!  We drove up to Midway and Swiss Days.  Found a few little treasures but mostly it was a joy just to talk and talk.  Her life is so busy that we seldom get "alone" time.  

Look how cute the jewelry was displayed. Colored bottles are perfect for storing your bracelets.  And a frame with screw hooks in them for necklaces.

 ~  I came home that night in time for date night with David and the Olsens.  It was BFF Cathy's birthday....and we went to dinner in Provo Canyon at the Sundance Resort. (Robert Redford's place)  The dinner was fabulous and gourmet although you need a second mortgage to pay for it.  Afterwards we hiked up to the amphitheater where we saw songwriters/singers from Nashville's Blue Bird Cafe perform and tell about how the song came to be.   Apparently in Nashville, this cafe is where the songwriters all perform in the round and is a hotspot.  All summer long Sundance has different songwriters come.  The ones we saw wrote songs for Martina McBride, Kelly Pickler, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson and also for the t.v. show Nashville.  Marv Green wrote  "Amazed (By You) (now you won't be able to get it out of your mind.  Sorry.)  for Lonestar which won song of the year and a grammy for him.  A concert under the stars.  A perfect night!  A perfect date!

~  Saturday I accomplished lots of things on my "to-do" list which is always so satisfying.    I made these cute "going back to school" favors for all my Young Women.  (and I got them all delivered last night!  That's big!)

 ~canned peaches from their tree for Brooke and Tanner.  This is really an act of love since I don't love canning.  But I will can for them.  Made quarts and lots of peach jam.

~I was also subbing for the Gospel doctrine class on Sunday so I got my lesson put together.  I LOVE teaching the scriptures and I love, love, love the Old Testament.  My lesson was on Job- which is a great lesson for discussion.  We talked about trials and suffering and also how to be a better friend when others are suffering.

President Spencer W. Kimball: "Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we were to close the doors upon such sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering and self-mastery. The sufferings of our Savior were part of his education." 

We talked about being a better listener and more empathetic when our friends are going through trials.  Friend Betty shared this thought after the lesson:

~ Sunday was awesome.  Always my filling station. I love the Lord.

~Sunday afternoon David and I and Brandi and Doug went up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Alta- where Ben and Susie live- for dinner.  The condos they manage overlook Snowbird Ski resort...and Oktoberfest is going on and it was crazy busy.  But not us.  Ben grilled some yummy chicken and we had a lovely lunch.  Loved being with part of my kiddos.  I made friend Sophia's fresh peach pie for dessert. (recipe on cooking blog.)

Swan Valley

Two weeks ago (after Montana, after my folks in Washington)- I got to go with my visiting teaching friends to Lynda's cabin (ha!) in Swan Valley, Idaho- near Idaho Falls.  It is the most beautiful valley and her home sits on the river.  Beautiful beyond beautiful.  We've done this once before and I've yearned to go again.

Lynda R., Elsa Gray, Jonna Stanworth, Cari Larsen (not in below picture) and me!

On the way to Idaho, we stopped and went to the open house of the remodeled Ogden Temple.  Now the Ogden Temple really matters to me.  It was the first temple I went through....and it changed my life.  I remember the feeling inside the temple and I thought I would never lose it.  I felt like I could never do anything wrong again.  So filled with the Spirit.   Immediately walking out of the doors of the temple that first time, it was like a cloud of the world settled over me.  I realized then that the temple is one of respite from the hardness of the world.  I love to go- to worship, to renew my covenants with Heavenly Father, to feel peace and love, to learn.

The new temple is beautiful but I realize that it is not my previous temple.  Look at different it is!!!!!

But the feeling inside is the same.  Heaven!

On the "way"- it is tradition to stop at Maddox's in Brigham City for lunch.

then off to

Lynda's "cabin"

   We celebrated Lynda's birthday with a marzipan cake.

 We continued eating and laughing and eating and played Moose Farkel (the Jackson Hole version) and watched Temple Grandin on t.v.  (amazing movie about a girl with autism !!!)

I made this salad for the first time and it is a total winner.  BFF Cathy is making it today for Bucket and I can't wait to eat it again.  It is a Chili Lime Avocado and Corn salad.  Recipe on the cooking blog.  You will want to make this!!!!!

For breakfast one morning, Lynda made German pancakes with fresh fruit.  Yum!

and if that wasn't enough yummy, we headed to Jackson Hole mainly in order to eat this cake Cari told us about.  A Lemon Raspberry wonderful with Buttercream frosting.  That's my next project to dissect.

 We spent the day at Jackson, lazily shopping and having a great time.

Love these ladies.We played "questions" the whole time and laughed our heads off.  My favorite one was everyone telling their "wedding" story.  Oh my gosh, we were all so young and clueless.  Lynda tells about her and Gary getting married in the Idaho Falls temple, then going to Carson City, Nevada to work at a Casino.  (ha!  talk about the world coming at you!)  He dropped her off at her new waitressing job while he went to find a place to live.  Immediately she was given an ugly dress uniform and a hairnet (those were the days!)  She plodded through the day.  Meanwhile, Gary realized that without a bank account, he couldn't cash the wedding checks and he didn't have any money to get a room.  He had to go back to the casino and page Lynda and ask her if she had enough tips to get a room yet.  She said, "I looked at him asking for my tips and thinking 'what have I married?' and he looked at me in my jazzy uniform and hairnet and the same thought crossed his mind!  What have we done?  Funny!

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed." - Chamfort