Channel Islands November 2015

Three weeks ago we drove to see Brock.  We went to dinner at Safire in Camarillo (it was very good!) and to see Spectre and there Scott and I were given the senior discount.  We respectfully declined after a good laugh.  

The next day Brock chose to go to the Channel Islands which is a national park and right near the base.  We took a ferry to Anacapa Island.  It was beautiful weather, 70's and sunshine.  We were able to enjoy very closely dolphins and two whales.  The ferry would stop and circle so we were able to watch.  I think the ferry ride took an hour longer than expected but it was so worth it.  

 The first picture was the north end of the island looking towards other islands.  In the bottom left of the picture there were a bunch of sea lions sleeping in the shade of the rocks.  Later, in this same area, there was a group of about 13 kayaks that had been dropped off in the area and were rowing around the island.

 These arches were on the south end of the island.

View from the north end of the island.

Brock was kind enough to pick the island that had a lighthouse on it.

It was a small island and it took a couple of hours to hike around, have lunch and enjoy the views.  The ferry came back, we loaded up and enjoyed the sunset heading back to Ventura.

We didn't feel like doing much after the outing.  There was a Jazz game that night, so we pulled out some chairs from the pool, turned on the satellite radio and listened to the game.  Scott went and got pizza, and we had us a picnic in the parking lot.  I think Scott was glad that Brock was there to protect me so he could go in the room and not have to sit and listen to the game with me.

It was a great weekend.  On the way down and on the way back we visited with Roger and Doris.  Mesquite is a great place to stop very late at night because the rooms at the Virgin River are $28.  You can't beat that for a few hours of sleep.

Maybe one more trip to California next summer and then Brock will be done!?!

Our trip to North Carolina in March was so much fun.  It's hard to believe that Addy has changed so much already.  We read, and we read some more.  We went shopping at the outlets, and we went to Duke Gardens.

He was a very willing reader.

She had her moments, but not very often.

Duke Gardens

Duke Gardens

I decided I needed to hurry and do this post before next week when she comes because this four months has made a lot of difference.  She was just starting to talk while we were there.

The kitchen cabinets were finished.

 The fence was finished, although this picture does not show that.

And now it seems we have come to a screeching halt on the house projects.

Brad came out one weekend and we went to Fantasy Canyon.  I think it was over Easter.  

Then we hit the camp mode.  

Scott's work had a camp at Red Canyon around June 12th.  We tried out our new tent that was still in the box from a year ago.  An 8-man tent is plenty big enough for the two of us. I have missed camping.  I enjoyed the pond while Scott rowed us around in a canoe.  We saw turkey vultures and a crane.  

Helaman's Camp was on June 25-27 and Scott was over that.

Girls' Camp was June 29-July 3 and I was lucky enough to be Stake Camp Director.  I was also very lucky to have an artist for a neighbor.  Wendy painted the ship.   It looked really good and was worth all the work.

  

I was so grateful that no one else from the ward (other than the bishopric) volunteered to come up (every ward was to have one brother there all week, they came in shifts) and so Scott felt obligated to come.  He spent that first morning setting up the ship, I would never have been able to do it without him there.  We put him to work teaching water purification.  

Girls always gotta dance.

We quilt, even at camp.  Four quilts will be donated to the local Women's Shelter.

We did a really great service project while we were there, Days for Girls.  We are very fortunate where we live and what we have available to us.

During the month of June I was trying to finish up the quilt I was working on for the Lindsay Family Reunion.  It will be donated for a raffle.  I had some help with the blocks and some help with the quilting.  I got it off the frames just in time for camp.  

And last but not least, last week Scott was asked to speak at High Uinta Scout Camp so I went along for the ride.  I have never been to scout camp and it is probably good I didn't go while the boys were going. It was Thursday evening and it had been raining Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  There were some families up there with small kids, which surprised me, and they were running around, riding bikes down the dirt road not caring in the least that there were cars around.  One little kid was so cute, he stopped just in front of me on his bike and I looked at his feet.  He had ziploc baggies over his feet inside his shoes.  I'm sure dry shoes never smelled or felt so good when they got home.  There was a scout walking down the road to the amphitheater barefoot.  It appeared to me as if the dads were in charge, but maybe that is an unfair generalization - or maybe not.  A stark contrast to my week spent at girls' camp, especially with it being Heber Valley Camp where the rules are so strict about long pants and always having shoes on.  

This is dad speaking as the boys would head out for the honor trail.  

That is the last few months in a nutshell.  

I have never worked so hard on anything before as camp.  And I really enjoyed it.  It was good to be busy.  And I'm glad that Scott was busy at the same time and still able to help me as much as he did. He never questioned all the things that I was doing - he'd just go with it.

Now if we could just find the time (maybe it's the energy) to work in the yard....

Tales from the Webb

I'm excited that I finally got a blog post done in Tales From The Webb.  Hope it gets faster or I'll be right there with my ancestors before I get a handful of stories done.

Work is going well on the kitchen.  Almost half done.  Taking a break this week to see that cute Addy.  Can't wait to listen to her talk.  Pictures to come.

New Year 2015

We had a great visit to Durham in November.  Brad met me there after he attended a conference in Baltimore.  Thank heavens Alicia took some pictures while we were there because it doesn't appear as if I got the camera out much.  We did go take family pictures for Bryce and Alicia at the Duke Gardens.  We were on Addy time and it had been raining so it was muddy.  We tried to take as many as we could in a short time.  Brad would run around behind me trying to get her to smile.  As you go through the pictures fast, you can see her moving her head following Brad.  Luckily, she is so cute, we were able to get a few for them to choose from.

Alicia took me to a plantation not far from home - the oldest one in North Carolina.  Not large but still has original buildings including original slave quarters.  It was a fun place to visit.

We ate at the Cheesecake Factory but Addy wasn't at her best that evening.  She was hungry, we had to wait, she was just starting to learn to drop her food onto the floor.  They put us in a corner of the restaurant, it was probably a good thing.  Bryce says that was her worst outing.  I love being able to just laugh about it and look forward to taking her again.

Christmas was fun and pretty quiet.  So glad that Brock was able to come for a few weeks.  Brad made it a couple days before Christmas.  We have all become Duke fans by default.

Then it was on to the Burts for the Christmas bowling bash and party afterwards.  The kids are all getting so old and fun to watch them play together, even with those who came a long way to visit.  Mom and Dad should be very proud of their great family.

NEW YEAR - NEW PROJECTS

A monthly embroidery project for a full quilt at the end of the year.  January - DONE.

Needed a house project during the long dark nights of winter.  So we're experimenting with painting cabinets.  Starting on the laundry room.  If we like it, it's on to the whole kitchen.  I have to be done by April because the yard will be calling.  Here's the before --

Got to see Brett as the final missionary grandson returns.  What great young men all of these grandsons are.  (The granddaughters ain't so bad either!)

Could it really have been this many years ago? (May 2001)

It was turned the right way when I loaded it!