{A Very Good Week}

"It's more fun to arrive at a conclusion than to justify it."  ~  Malcom Forbes

 

 

 

The first week of August I had one of those really good weeks.  You know the ones - where you do something really good each day and feel like you have accomplished alot.  I wish all of my weeks were like this.  Because they are not, I will record this week to remind me that it does happen once in awhile!

 

On Monday Cindy and I, with a little help from Katie, painted Jenny's house.  It was alot of fun and a labor of love.  We love you Jenny!!  I didn't expect to get emotional but later that night I went back to put on a few finishing touches and realized that the Moore's last tie to our ward, to us, would soon be gone and I cried like a baby.  But I am so happy to report that the house sold very fast and they are now free to move on!!  If your new house needs paint Jenny I think we could fly out!!

 

Tuesday Cindy, Katie and I headed to the Temple.  First time seeing the new movie.  It was great to be there with my friend and my daughter.  Good to be at the Temple.

 

 

On Wednesday I had an all day manager's meeting in prep for the coming school year.  Even though I was not excited to sit in meetings all day I truly have the best job in the world getting summers and holidays off!  Cannot complain.  It was also fun seeing all my co-workers from the district - A total hen party for sure!

 

Thursday Dorothy and I got our Visiting Teaching done!  Wow so early!  We have such great ladies to visit teach and Dorothy was feeling much better after all of her back pain and injury.

 

On Friday I went to lunch with Rache'l, Bonni and Sue at the Cafe' De Coco - Oohhh La La!  It was such a fun cafe that Rache'l has been wanting to go to for awhile.  It was painted and decorated so cute and we had a good lunch with lots of catching up.

 

The weekend was cleaning and church and then we were off to California...again! 



{Pink Tutu}

"It's amazing how grandparents seem so young, once you become one".

 

 

 

She is the cutest thing in her little pink tutu!

 

Brittany and Jaxon were gone one week and we got to take care of Eleanor. 

Kurke and I (and Trent, Taylor, Katie and Kevin) were in heaven - It was such a joy!

We had a great week playing and laughing and having fun with this little thing.  She kept us all busy.

 

She loves water and she loves her cute little pool.  I love the way she would sit on the edge of it, half in and half out as she explored the water with her measuring cups and toys. 

 

Ellie would get out of the pool and come climb up on my chair with me and sit right on me all wet.  Ha ha

 

 

 

So in love with this little one!

 



{Yosemite Is On Fire! Last Day Of Our Trip}

 After camping in Yosemite National Park Teddy Roosevelt said, "It was like lying in a great solemn cathedral, far vaster and more beautiful than any built by the hand of man."

Oh my goodness we spent the night in Fresno and left early in the morning for a days drive through Yosemite on our way home.  We hadn't even gotten to the park yet when WHOA the smoke!!  There was a fire burning somewhere and the road we were on was engulfed in smoke, very very thick.

It was somewhat better once we got to the park but still hazy in the valley.   Now it has been almost a month since we have been there and they are still battling the fires there.  So sad, but I guess that is how nature works.  We still had a wonderful day.

This trip while many things - Kurke's 50th birthday, seeing the sites, was also, for me, very much, a childhood memory tour.  Yosemite is huge on that list.  I spent much of my childhood in Yosemite.   It was my families camping place growing up.  My parents loved it there and we would camp multiple times each summer with other families - hiking, playing in the rivers, and enjoying the beauty of the valley.  I even remember when they did the fire falls during the summer.  Man, those were the days!!  It is my favorite National Park and always will be for these reasons and more.  Even in smoke, it is stunning!

This was the "Quick, jump out of the car and stand by the sign photo!".

 I spy two waterfalls!  Even though smoky - Half dome and the valley are still gorgeous!

Have you ever sung Christmas songs in the summer, in a National Park?  We did - Ha!!

El Capitan

Over the hill and off to home....

{Hearst Castle}

"La Cuesta Encantada"

Or

"The Enchanted Hill"

Gorgeous!  Both these photo's I got off the internet and even though we were there on a sunny day like below I love the photo above of the Estate with the fog all around.

We haven't been to Hearst Castle since our honeymoon.  It was neat then and it is neat now.  The history is fascinating both of William Randolph Hearst and of his estate.  I paid way more attention this time.  Ha Ha

Years ago they would take you up and through 1 of 4 tours.   Now you still choose a tour, but afterwards they now let your roam around the grounds as long as you want.  It made for some great photos!

Perched on the top of a hill with acres and acres all around this is the view back down the hill and to the ocean.  It is stunning!  

Loving Kurke's panoramic camera.  

This is the Neptune pool - Pretty unforgetable and beautiful and very Gatsby.

And this is the indoor Roman pool.  

 Details...

 The front door.  Holla!

{Big Sur- The Greatest Meeting Of Land And Sea}

Often called The Most Romantic Highway in the U.S. Big Sur is located along Scenic Highway 1 approximately 150 miles south of San Francisco and 300 miles north of Los Angeles. Historically, the name Big Sur, was derived from that unexplored and unmapped wilderness area which lays along the coast south of Monterey. It was simply called El Sur Grande, The Big South. Today, Big Sur refers to that 90-mile stretch of rugged and awesomely beautiful coastline between Carmel to the north and San Simeon (Hearst Castle) to the south. Highway One winds along its length and is flanked on one side by the majestic Santa Lucia Mountains and on the other by the rocky Pacific Coast.

FOR.THE.LOVE......Seriously I thought it would be so great to stop and get some pictures with the bridge.  Photobombers!!!  When I looked at these later I could not stop laughing! Holy Cow these guys are so funny!

 Pfeiffer Big Sur hiking among the redwoods.

 Point Lobos Elephant Seals