Hiking In Our Own Backyard

Yesterday Jim and I (and Riley) went hiking in the Orcutt Hills. It was nice to "get away" by driving less than a mile to the trailhead:) It was pleasant and cool and the sunset lit up the horizon! Jim was able to capture the sun's rays against the rugged terrain. And I was able to capture Jim!

I miss you Mom!

Rose Manookian Bouza
July 21, 1926-May 3, 1986

"IT IS SAD TO DO THINGS FOR THE LAST TIME"
Richard L. Evans

There was a wistful note in the voice that said it: "It is sad to do things for the last time." Certainly it is sad to do good and pleasant things for the last time. It is sad to part from beloved people for the last time, to part from useful tasks we have become accustomed to, to look for the last time upon the face of a friend, to leave behind beautiful and lovely scenes, to leave behind any cherished part of life. It is sad to see the present move into the past. But here and now, this is how life is lived. It moves one way; it moves forever forward; it will not wait; there is none of it that we can hold to, none that we can rerun. We must move as time moves-from the present to the future. But we pause a moment for searching, for reflection, for appraisal, a moment for seeing ourselves and our surroundings. In his long, lengthening days, Winston Churchill was asked if he would like to live his life over, to which he replied "Happy, vivid and full of interest as it has been, I do not seek to tread again the toilsome and dangerous path. Not even an opportunity of making a different set of mistakes and experiencing a different series of adventures and successes would lure me..." He seemed not so sure that he might do so well the second time as he did the first time through, nor could any of us be certain. We sometimes think we would, but we do not always do better, not even when we know better. In any case, we may well be grateful we have arrived as well as we have, and grateful for hope and faith and assurance for the future-assurance of an eternal plan and purpose that we can count on. No hour returns, no day, no year. But we have reason to be grateful that truth and intelligence, that memory and people are perpetuated in our Father's plan and purpose. "I desire no future, " said George Eliot, "that will break the ties of the past." Thank God for this assurance: that families and friends, that life and loved ones are everlasting; that we need not look for the last time on that which matters most. And as we look both ways at once, gratefully we recall this grateful utterance: "There is a Future, O thank God!"

"The Spoken Word," from Temple Square
December 26, 1965

A New Baby in Tornado Alley!

On May 29, 2008 our new grandson, Jake Brian, was born! Off I flew(for two weeks) to Nebraska to help out(mostly) with Jake's big sisters, Megan(15 months) and Karaline(3 years). The girls are so fun! Karaline addressed Jake as "little buddy," and everywhere we went Megan waved to everyone with her signature "parade wave." So cute! It was a treat to help out!
We were very busy...we went to Build-a Bear, Chuck E. Cheese and the zoo. We read lots of books, danced, had tea parties, baked cupcakes and animal cookies and watched a movie or two. Of course we also spent time cuddling and kissing sweet little Jake:) He's a little cutie! I sure miss everyone!!! XOXOXOXOXO Love you all! P.S. Summer and Brian are phenomenal parents!

One night, at 2:30 a.m., I was awakened by my son-in-law, Brian. He tapped on my door and said "Sue, the tornado siren is on. Please get Karaline and come down to the basement." Needless to say, I jumped out of bed, went and grabbed Karaline and headed down to the basement! Having NO experience with tornadoes(only earthquakes!), I had no idea how long we would be in the basement and I needed to use the restroom which was up two flights of stairs! So, I took a chance and ran up there, wondering if the roof would fly off! Yikes! I made it back down safely:) The girls just thought it was great that we were all down in the basement(also the playroom) together! We listened to the radio and after about a half hour we were given the A-OK to return to bed...whew!

About three days later, in the evening, I noticed that the sky was spectacular looking-one section was bright orange and "on fire!' There were lightening bolts all over. In the other direction the clouds were very low and dark and it was WINDY and rainy! I called Summer and Brian to come and look. We noticed many people outside and some were taking pictures of the sky. To me it felt very foreboding considering that the evening before the tornado there had been TORRENTIAL rain! Uh oh...
Sure enough, at 7:30 p.m. the tornado siren went on! We grabbed the kids, pillows and blankets and hunkered down in the basement, again. This time Brian brought the t.v. with us so we were able to be better informed. Sadly, we learned that four boy scouts were killed at a camp that was about a half hour from us. Finally, after about two hours we were able to return upstairs:) Thankfully no tornadoes had touched down near us!
According to the locals, it was unusual to have so much tornado activity...Lucky us:) I'm just so grateful that we were not harmed!

Jesse and Lois are married!!!

On April 26, Jesse and Lois were married for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a beautiful ceremony and a very happy event!!! Our family was privileged to meet Lois' parents and grandparents and other relatives. This was the first time her parents had been to the U.S. and Lois hadn't seen them in nearly four years, so it was a happy reunion! It was wonderful to have all of our sweet children and grandchildren together with us! Jesse and Lois are a BEAUTIFUL couple and so in love:) CONGRATULATIONS! It's very gratifying, as parents, to have all of our children married to such kind, intelligent, outstanding people:) We feel so blessed!!!
By the way, Lois' aunt was very generous in putting on a luncheon reception down in L.A. for the newlyweds. Due to time limitations there was no reception in Orcutt. They honeymooned(a short stint) in Santa Barbara and then returned to HAWAII( The honeymoon capital!) on Monday!

I am going to add pictures in a few days when the photographer has them ready for us...we had a "sneak peek" and they are FABULOUS! I am not computer savvy enough, and too tired, to attempt to retrieve them right now from her blog:)

Fabulous at 50!!!

Woo hoo...Jim is 50!!! To celebrate, eight of us went out for Japanese food, and Jim ate sushi to his heart's content:) We even had our own little private room and sat on the floor(sort of) Japanese style. It was a lot of fun!!! At the end of the meal, Jim was brought a cute little dessert "on the house"and of course I passed out cookie favors to our guests in honor of his birthday:) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JIM!

I know this is late(his bday was April 19th), but I'm trying to do some catching up!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

I made some cookies for St. Patrick's day and it was a lot of fun! Next year I'm just going to make the leprechauns, my favorites! Here's a traditional Irish blessing for you all today...May the leprechauns be near you, to spread luck along your way. And may all the Irish angels, smile upon you St. Patrick's Day. :)

Tag...I'm it!

Rules:

A. Post the rules.
B. Answer the questions about yourself.
C. After posting, tag 5 people by going to their blog and
leaving a comment.

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

Hmmm...I can't even remember what I was doing 10 days ago!? Let's see...I had all my children at home, so I was busy taking care of them and going to their various events/activities(many times also volunteering) relating to school, sports and church.

2. 5 things on my "to do" list today...

Watch Zeke
Pay bills
Put clothes away
Buy dog food
Buy "101 Dalmations" dvd:)

3. What snacks I enjoy...

A bowl of cereal
A bagel
A banana
Peanut butter
Crackers

4. What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire?

I would pay off all of my kid's debts(educational and business) and
our own, buy them each a house and a car and set up a trust fund
for each of the grandchildren. We would build a new home for us
(with a spacious gourmet kitchen) with land
(for more pets and for the grandkids to explore) up near/in Big Sur
(Jim would LOVE that!) and of course, send Jim(me too?) on his dream trip
to Nepal to climb Mt. Everest(with Sherpas, not me!)...I would go to Armenia, Spain
and Mexico to discover more about my roots. I might go to culinary school:)
I would donate(in a BIG way) to ovarian/breast cancer research and Operation Smile!

5. 3 bad habits...

PROCRASTINATOR!
Interrupt and talk too much instead of listening!
Not nearly patient enough!

6. 5 places I've lived..

(in order)

Whittier, CA
San Diego, CA
Provo, UT
Seal Beach, CA
West Los Angeles, CA

7. 5 jobs I've had...

Carl's Jr. waitress(?)
Kitchen Aide at Grandview Sanitarium
Dispatcher at Liberty Mutual Ins.
Billing clerk at the Evening Outlook
Noon-aide at Dunlap Elem.

8. 5 things people don't know about me...

I did the Solvang Century(100 mi. bike ride)
I(we) sponsor a little girl in the Philippines
I would LOVE to start a cookie business
I wish I'd had more children
I was voted "Most Fun" in high school..HAHA

Now I pick 5 people to tag and I tag..

They're all taken! My kids; Sarah & Johnny, Summer & Brian and Jesse & Lois, have all been tagged and basically those are the only blogs I keep up with...Jim was tagged too. Hmmm...I know, I'll tag Maxine! I watch her blog also:)