Venice

So we live in California now. Of course we would hit the beach up first chance we got. 

Here was our first chance. My Sugar had a friend from Jamaica who happened to be in town. He hasn't seen her since he left Jamaica 15 years ago. It was a sweet reunion and I'm so proud of my return missionary. 

As I sat and chatted with her on the beach about life, parenting, the church, I was so impressed with her. The struggles she endures just to raise her kids (works full time - sends all her kids to school without being there as they leave or when they return home, missing recitals, practices, and what not because she can't miss work). She has to take 2 taxis just to get to church. It costs her money to go to church each Sunday, and many other members of the church, which is why so many are inactive. She does it all with such a positive attitude. She made me feel like such a spoiled brat, and I truly am. 

She is genuinely a good person and she is so thankful for my Sugar and his companion for stopping to talk to her on the street so many years ago. When my Sugar left her house he knew for sure that he would never see her again. She was quiet and didn't seem to have much interest, but he was happily wrong.

He is so proud of her and her continued growth in the gospel. 

It was so nice to meet her and her sweet daughter! Plus any reason to go to the beach is a good one.

Afton and her daughter were so cute together. She is going into 6th grade, won a contest for having the best patois on the island, and the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet. My girls had so much fun with her.

They all seemed to have issues with sand going in places they would rather it didn't.

After we left the beach, we went to get some yummy pizza, (because I'm spoiled and wanted it).  

Abbot's Pizza Company ~ delicious

Then right across the street was an ice cream shop that had the most amazing smells radiating from it.

 I mean the air smelled a lot like how I would imagine Heaven smelling. 

And the ice cream, DID NOT SUCK!

~ Salt &  Straw ~

 

Dear Venice,

         You did not disappoint, but I doubt we will return. The traffic was insane and very much, not appreciated. Camp Pendelton is much closer, so really the only thing you have going for you is Salt & Straw. 

That ice cream was amazing. 

Thanks for a fun time with dear friends.

                    Sincerely, 

                       Jenn 

Big Bear

The goal was adventure. 

The drive was shorter than to the beach. 

The food was yummy. 

The request (demand) for a boat was heard, and met. 

The scenery was spectacular. 

The ducks were entertaining. 

The Daddy was the brave one. 

The water was freezing.

The boy and girl did a great job driving. 

The bub fell asleep while we cruised the lake. 

Did I already say the water was freezing? 

Another fun adventure was had. 

Home

I'm writing this post for a few reasons, some I will always cherish, and some I'd like to forget.

My husband and his siblings speak of their Grandma's house back on Channing in Palo Alto with such fond memories and love. I hope that one day my babies will speak of our home on Oreana the same.

1. Our first home that we ever bought, not rented ~ All of our kids learned to ride their bikes out front, learned to swim in our "giant tub" out back, and learned about their Heavenly Father, His son, Jesus Christ, love, family, and patience inside. The sale of our home is complete and it's a bittersweet feeling for me.

Our front yard was magical in the spring.

2. Our next adventure will mean lots of houses that we will make each one our home. Jack loves this new house and hopes to take it with us when we move again. "I've seen them move those buildings on big trucks before, so they could move our house right?"

3. The last actual night of sleep we had in our home was not a great one. It was interrupted at 3:30 am by my sweet Afton telling me, "The house is all wet." I told her, "You're just having a bad dream. It's raining outside and that's why you think it's wet. You're hearing the rain drop outside. It's okay baby. I'll walk you back to bed and tuck you in." As I did, she was in fact right. The house was wet, again. It was in fact raining inside our house, from the same dumb, tiny piece that broke again, except in the kids bathroom this time. Water shooting from the toilet, soaked through the carpet in the hall, their bedrooms, our new master flooring, down the stairs, through the walls, through the ceilings, and soaking all of our boxed up belongings in the living room downstairs and guest bedroom, as well. And let me add, the fans were on in both rooms, so it was as if 2 giant sprinklers were on in our downstairs. Our home had been destroyed, again, and I sobbed uncontrollably this time, fearing the sale of our home was ruined, fearing we couldn't financially afford two house payments, fearing the amount of time/work/patience that it will take to repair this amount of damage, that had easily doubled the amount of our flood back in October 2014. This memory I can easily do without. We slept across the street at our sweet neighbor, Carolina's house for the next two nights. So thankful for her kindness & love, but honestly, it was not how I had expected to spend my last few nights in Las Vegas.

4. We heard this song by Blue October (who knew they could make a come back) on our way to find a house to rent in Yucca Valley. As my Sugar drove, I teared up, hiding it behind my sunglasses and looking out the window at the countless Joshua Trees. The words made me feel a lot of things, some good and bad. But mostly good.

"Home"

I'll smile if I want to 

I'm not afraid, gonna flaunt it too

What a glow when you're living true

Yeah

I'm living for the right now

I had a few friends show me how

I take a deep breath and blow it out

Let it go

But listen I,

I can't wait to see what's around the corner

I can't wait to soar

Baby, I lie awake and I watch you sleeping

thinking its the little things that make a home

Like dancing in the kitchen in the pale moonlight

Only care in the world is that our kids are all right

Daddy loves momma and momma loves him

Tomorrow we get to do it over again

So smile at me baby, take my breath away

With the good Lord willing, I'll be happy to say

That daddy loves momma and momma loves him

Tomorrow we get to do it over again

I feel like I'm gonna win

And I'm as proud as I've ever been

Cause I'm surrounded with some good friends

Yeah, good friends, good friends

I'm forever like a tattoo, yeah

I got to stay sticky cause I gotta be the glue for

My girl, my friends, my home, family, I do it all

Truly I can't wait to see what's around the corner

I can't wait to soar

But baby, I lie awake and I watch you sleeping

thinking its the little things that make a home

Yeah

Cause we'll be dancing in the kitchen in the pale moonlight

Only care in the world is that our kids are all right

Daddy loves momma and momma loves him

Tomorrow we get to do it over again

We found

Our home

Something we can build for years

The young

And old

I'll be there to wipe your tears

We all get to see

Who we grow up to be

And anchor when in doubt

An ocean when in drought

We aim for it all

We lift of these walls

To make this house our home."

5. Our family theme for this school year, and military lifestyle, will be...

 We are only in this home for a year. We need to make most of our time here. Soon he will begin the paperwork to determine where we will be relocated next. But my goal, our family goal will remain the same no matter where we are placed. We will make all of our new houses our home, one move at a time.