Home is where the Sun Shines

I got to take my trip to San Diego! I had so much fun. It felt like I was going home. I kept super busy and felt like I finally got some closure on having to move. We left the week of the terrible fires. I felt like I never really got to say good-bye to everyone and was so tired and stressed out and pregnant that I didn't get to go around see my old favorite haunts. Being such a sappy and sentimental person - that was all pretty important to me. So on my trip this time....I went to Seaport Village, walked along the Bay, went to the Coronado library (I know I'm weird, a library on a vacation? I had always wanted to go there, though and never got the chance. It has a FABulous children's section. I miss the libraries of San Diego. They are really stellar. They just don't make them like that here. )

My good friend Isa organized a dinner for me with a bunch of my friends. Thanks a million Isa!!! It was fun to see them - especially since many of them are graduating from UCSD and moving on to Portland, Northern CA, maybe Boston, etc.... I was a highjlight of my trip! I also went to my old stroller strides class, Del Mar, Torrey Pines Beach, La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Library, Point Loma lighthouse, bayside trail, Pint Loma lighthouse, walk around my old neighorhood, the temple, Pacific Beach, an Asian market - and of course I had rehearsals and the choir concert. I'm amazed I squeezed all this into 4 1/2 days. I didn't get to do Legoland or Sea World or Shelter Island or hike Torrey Pines but I still had fun. I had a great time with Leslie - thanks for putting me up - and putting up with me!!! We made tomato soup cake and sour cream enchiladas and ate lots of junk food and stayed up late talking! It was fun! Unfortunately - I had to come home. I did miss Cadet and hubby, but other than that I really miss San Diego. Some things I miss the most are:

1. The people

2. Fish tacos - the edible kind- they are nasty out here in UT

3. Papaya Salad from Thai cafe on Coronado

4. the ocean

5. The Sunshine - being able to walk outside every day with great views!

6. The Temple

7. My old neighborhood - perfect for walking

8. My piano students

9. The choir - I miss making music

10. the nursing lounge at church - it is social hour every hour in there!!!!

Well - enough reminsiscing for now! San Diego I love ya' and I miss ya'! Hopefully before too long it will start to feel like home here, too.

Rabbits, Dinosaurs, Hikes, and the Earth

So, after my trip to San Diego, I came home lamenting living here. I have been determined not to sit and mope about it though. So....I tried to go out and find some fun things to do around here. It proved somewhat challenging because the weather was not cooperating. It has been pretty chilly and rainy. But, I did find a few things to do with the kids to save my sanity! We went to the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park for the first time in Ogden. It was a lot of fun. It had just a bunch of dinosaurs and fossils and a great playground for the kids. We also found a flat "hiking" - more like a walking trail to go down. We went to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden and they had a giant inflatable earth set up. Every day this month they are giving a passport to you and you get to go and learn about a different country every day, complete with facts, slides, pictures, and a treat. We learned about France on our day, and got a greatEiffel Tower Stamp for our passport.

So there are some pictures from the Dino Park and the Earth.

And finally....at the Dinosaur Park we saw some rabbits. Cade was very excited about seeing them. He asked me to take a picture and then asked me..."Mom...what are they doing? Mom mom - tell me what they are doing!" Of course - he would ask me this. Here is the picture of that.

The Carrot Seed

One of my favorite books as a kid was The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss. My mom used to sing it to me as she read it. If you aren't familiar with it - its the story of a little boy who plants a carrot seed and everyone says it won't come up - but in the end it does. Here is a link if you want to listen to the story and music - its free. They also have lots of other classic kids stories on here, too. I love Little Black Sambo, too. Another throw back to my childhood. So here's the link: http://www.kiddierecords.com/2005/index.htm

Well....my carrot seeds didn't work. Sad. Oh well...but I was greeted with other success in my garden.

I actually grew something from my garden. I'm quite surprised, and VERY happy about this. I am such a pessimist. I didn't think anything would come up....but it did. So far we have harvested 9 very tasty heads of Romaine lettuce and 11 Radishes. We still have 2 more heads of lettuce and I think that our beets are ready now. Yippee. I think I like having a garden, if you couldn't tell.