The latest...

So, we're slackers. Haven't blogged in forever. Blew off the family newsletter (not on purpose, however). But, that doesn't mean nothing's happening. Although, if you ask Sam, nothing is. We never do anything or go anywhere.

So, homeschooling is the biggest part of what we do at the moment. Or at least what Meg and I do. She still has a hard time focusing so I spend a lot of time at the kitchen table with her reminding her to "stop watching the cat and do your math", or "quit doodling and finish your English". I get really bored sitting there watching her, but if I start reading or something, then I'm not noticing what she's doing...or not doing. If I clean house, she complains that I'm distracting her. We have fun with the field trips and other activities, but the actual schoolwork is tough. One of our field trips was to the local NBC affiliate station KSBW. It was a great tour, they were all so nice and we got to sit in on the live noon Newscast. Afterwards the anchors answered all the kids crazy questions and let us take a picture on the set.



We've had a few visitors. Andy and Amber came with their kids one weekend when Andy had a wedding to shoot in Carmel. He took Sam off to help/watch him and Amber and I took the kids to the aquarium. At least that's how I remember it....it's been long enough that I couldn't be sure about that, lol. I DO remember waiting for like an HOUR for a pizza in a place that was almost completely empty. I think everyone else had already given up and left. It's always nice to have those guys come visit, Evy and Preston are a blast, and Sam says "baby therapy" is better than drugs. Even if the "babies" are toddlers.

Last spring we made Linus Project blankets for the Disney "Give A Day, Get A Day" promotion and got our "free" tickets to Disneyland. So we went the last weekend in September to Disneyland and Ca Adventure. I say "free" because once we spent $150 on gas, $250 on a hotel, $250 on CA Adventure tickets, $150 on food, it wasn't very "free". We ran into Sam Waite and his girlfriend Indiana in Disneyland...kind of random. CA Adventure was kind of a disappointment, because half the park is closed, but I have to say the California Screamin rollercoaster was AWESOME. I coulda ridden that a dozen times. Only managed twice, though. Disneyland was crazy-crowded and hot, but we managed to get to most of the stuff we really wanted to do. We tried to take it easy a bit that day, but it was a long day. We were there from opening until midnight. The light/water shows at both parks were amazing, totally worth the not-so-free tickets. All in all, it was a nice weekend away from home, which gave Sam a bit of a break. We splurged on a nice hotel, and took it easy. It was DANG hot, (106 in Disneyland, ugh, and 113 the day we drove home), so we headed over to the coast and came home via Santa Barbara. I never saw so many people on Hwy 1 at one time before. Crazy. But, it turned out to be a lovely drive anyway.

The next weekend, my crazy/lovely niece Melissa came from Colorado with her family, so my sister Kate and her family drove up from Lancaster to hang out too. We had a GREAT time, attempting tidepooling when it wasn't a very low tide, hung out in the redwoods, had a beach BBQ. Then, she ran in the San Jose 1/2 marathon. Sam and Meg and I had a blast racing to see how many times we could be there when she ran past. I think we made five. Took a GPS, two maps and some luck, but it was fun. She ran her best time ever and then didn't even seem tired when it was over. She piggy backed her 6 year old about 8 miles to the parking lot. I totally enjoyed getting to know her husband and kids better, and hope they come back soon. It was even more fun with Kate and her family here, too. That's a party we need to repeat regularly.


Sam and Melissa's Keely. They were pretty good friends almost from the start. No surprise there.


Melissa with Keely also. She has two other kids, but they are too fast for this slow photographer. Sam got some good shots, I'm sure.


My sister Kathryne and her baby Zachery. Who spends most of his time smiling this huge.


Here she comes. Still not sure how someone who looks so much like my brother can be so cute. :0)


And there she goes....at Mile 13, sprinting for the finish. Time: 1 hr 42 mins.

General Conference was awesome as usual. I missed part of it that weekend with everyone here, but I'm on my second time through, listening again.

The next week I spent the week playing for the Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel) Choral workshop in Carmel. It's my fourth year, I think. I enjoy it, it's like having 20 grandmas, they are all so sweet, and so many of them come every year. So, it's like a reunion every time. They spend the week learning some choral pieces, then have a concert on Friday. This year was a little shaky (in more ways than one, lol), we had 16 altos, 3 men, and 4 sopranos (the youngest was about 75, the oldest 89). But, it's always fun. I always worry when I say goodbye that someone won't be back next year.

During the Road Scholar week, Sam and I had our 15th anniversary. Since I had a rehearsal that night, we didn't do too much. But we did find a lovely outdoor Mexican bistro in Carmel Valley with live music. We went to dinner, then he came with me to give the poor mens section a boost.

So, all that in the last six weeks or so. But nothing ever happens around here and we never go anywhere. :0)