Then we had lunch at our favorite Mexican place up on the hill and then went to Balboa Park. We walked through the botanical building and the art museum.
July 31, 2010
The new Mormon Battalion visitors center
Then we had lunch at our favorite Mexican place up on the hill and then went to Balboa Park. We walked through the botanical building and the art museum.
July 30, 2010
Trip, days 3 through 5
On day 3 we headed on down 101 through the redwood forests. We saw a group of female elk.
We drove off the beaten track over a winding road to a campground called Hendy Woods State Campground. There was a beautiful old growth redwood forest there we walked through.
On day 4 we headed for San Luis Obispo. The Andrus' spread was amazing--up on a hill out in the country but just off the freeway. They have built a huge rambling ranch house. They have a chicken coop and a barn, fenced in grapes and orange trees they can pick from practically year round. (The fence is to keep the deer out.) They served wonderful meals and we had a pleasant visit. We went down to the farmers market and bought some fresh produce. They also drove us to see the beach near their home. They live in a beautiful place. I loved seeing their house with all the photos and artwork and artifacts. We felt like we were staying in a posh bed and breakfast.
After breakfast we took off through horrible traffic for San Juan Capistrano. We had visited there on our honeymoon but couldn't remember much about it. It's a peaceful place with beautiful gardens.
Then we drove to Santee Lakes, our San Diego destination. When we were on our mission we sometimes would come out here to walk about these small manmade lakes and thought it would be fun to come back and camp here some day! We finally made it.
We drove off the beaten track over a winding road to a campground called Hendy Woods State Campground. There was a beautiful old growth redwood forest there we walked through.
On day 4 we headed for San Luis Obispo. The Andrus' spread was amazing--up on a hill out in the country but just off the freeway. They have built a huge rambling ranch house. They have a chicken coop and a barn, fenced in grapes and orange trees they can pick from practically year round. (The fence is to keep the deer out.) They served wonderful meals and we had a pleasant visit. We went down to the farmers market and bought some fresh produce. They also drove us to see the beach near their home. They live in a beautiful place. I loved seeing their house with all the photos and artwork and artifacts. We felt like we were staying in a posh bed and breakfast.
Then we drove to Santee Lakes, our San Diego destination. When we were on our mission we sometimes would come out here to walk about these small manmade lakes and thought it would be fun to come back and camp here some day! We finally made it.
July 28, 2010
Trip to San Diego, Day 1 and 2
Monday, July 26, 2010
We drove to Coos Bay to see a place called Shore Acres State Park. It was a beautiful place. A lumber Baron, Lewis Simpson built a mansion there, which is now gone, but the formal gardens have been restored. There were roses and a beautiful pond.
At the campground, we played Scrabble on the I-pod! It took Eldon a minute to figure out how to use the touch screen.
Tuesday
We drove on down Highway 101, stopping at the Crissy Fields State Park There were pelicans there close to shore. We hiked a ways on the Damnation Creek trail and then camped in the Del Norte Redwood State Park. We walked on a trail circling the campgound. There were signs that it had been logged years ago.
At the campground, we played Scrabble on the I-pod! It took Eldon a minute to figure out how to use the touch screen.
Tuesday
July 25, 2010
Trek aftermath for the ward organist
When I got to church today I was told they'd added an intermediate hymn--"Come, Come Ye Saints." So I quickly ran through it before the meeting.
We had quite an emotional sacrament meeting. First two of the youth, a boy and a girl, told about their experiences at the Trek. They just got home from it yesterday. They described the feelings of uniting as a family, of praying for help to pull the handcart up the hill, about the angel of death who came for some members of the family, and about the Mormon Battalion conscripting all the boys and men leaving the women and girls to pull alone. The young man who told about that said it was really hard for him to leave them knowing how it would be hard for them.
Then the high council speaker, Brother Jennison, who had been one of the Pa's on the trek gave an amazing talk. He cried through most of it. First he told about finding out he had some ancestors who came in the second company to Utah. Which is amazing since he's a convert of only 16 years. Then he told about the physical and spiritual preparation he and his wife went through to prepare for the trip. He told about his family of 4 girls and 4 boys were very special to him and how they immediately bonded and helped each other with pushing and pulling. He told about being taken out by death and how bad he felt about that and how glad he was to be reunited that evening.
These speakers all went on so long the Bishopric signaled to me that they would skip the intermediate hymn, so instead we sang "Come, Come Ye Saints" for the closing song. Our chorister asked the audience to stand while singing it to honor our pioneers. I saw the Bishop start to cry during the song. He was so overcome he couldn't sing. His counselor patted him on the back. I suspect there were several with tears in their eyes. I know I was playing through tears.
I think it was a case of the spirit guiding so that it became a very spiritual meeting. See Moroni 6:9, the last verse of the chapter.
We had quite an emotional sacrament meeting. First two of the youth, a boy and a girl, told about their experiences at the Trek. They just got home from it yesterday. They described the feelings of uniting as a family, of praying for help to pull the handcart up the hill, about the angel of death who came for some members of the family, and about the Mormon Battalion conscripting all the boys and men leaving the women and girls to pull alone. The young man who told about that said it was really hard for him to leave them knowing how it would be hard for them.
Then the high council speaker, Brother Jennison, who had been one of the Pa's on the trek gave an amazing talk. He cried through most of it. First he told about finding out he had some ancestors who came in the second company to Utah. Which is amazing since he's a convert of only 16 years. Then he told about the physical and spiritual preparation he and his wife went through to prepare for the trip. He told about his family of 4 girls and 4 boys were very special to him and how they immediately bonded and helped each other with pushing and pulling. He told about being taken out by death and how bad he felt about that and how glad he was to be reunited that evening.
These speakers all went on so long the Bishopric signaled to me that they would skip the intermediate hymn, so instead we sang "Come, Come Ye Saints" for the closing song. Our chorister asked the audience to stand while singing it to honor our pioneers. I saw the Bishop start to cry during the song. He was so overcome he couldn't sing. His counselor patted him on the back. I suspect there were several with tears in their eyes. I know I was playing through tears.
I think it was a case of the spirit guiding so that it became a very spiritual meeting. See Moroni 6:9, the last verse of the chapter.
July 11, 2010
Rachel's 15th Birthday
Grandma Smith has been helping the girls make their outfits for the Pioneer Trek. They look very cute in them.
July 6, 2010
Beloved Camp Alpine
Since we weren't having a family reunion at Camp Alpine as usual the first week of July, Brenda reserved it and invited several families of friends. We spent the day there, as did Ken and his girls. The magic of Camp Alpine is still alive!
They enjoyed the pond and the zipline even though it was fairly cold.
For Family Home Evening, we sang patriotic songs and then a recently returned missionary named Brad Akerson told us about his mission to the Dominican Republic. He was very engaging. His sound effects were amazing. He came home to a new stepdad and stepmom. His stepdad was there and looked like a proud father while Brad was speaking.
Brenda closed the program with a beautiful song she had written and arranged for Girls Camp based on "I Feel My Savior's Love." It's true, you do feel the Savior's love at camp. I remember years ago when I was a tent mom I got the distinct impression that camp was an island of love.
Refreshments were super dutch oven cobblers and s'mores.
They enjoyed the pond and the zipline even though it was fairly cold.
For Family Home Evening, we sang patriotic songs and then a recently returned missionary named Brad Akerson told us about his mission to the Dominican Republic. He was very engaging. His sound effects were amazing. He came home to a new stepdad and stepmom. His stepdad was there and looked like a proud father while Brad was speaking.
Brenda closed the program with a beautiful song she had written and arranged for Girls Camp based on "I Feel My Savior's Love." It's true, you do feel the Savior's love at camp. I remember years ago when I was a tent mom I got the distinct impression that camp was an island of love.
Refreshments were super dutch oven cobblers and s'mores.
July 2, 2010
My 72nd birthday
It was a wonderful day. My best friend and I spent the day serving in the temple, and then he took me out to dinner. Then we watched a crazy British movie called "Cold Comfort Farm."
Actually my birthday started the night before when Brenda came down with Sam, Sydney and Maia plus a large bouquet of flowers and a red velvet cake! She talked me into opening my present from Eldon and the kids and she and Sam got it set up and taught me how to use it. It's an engraved I-pod! I think it's cool. Thank you for an exciting present.
Actually my birthday started the night before when Brenda came down with Sam, Sydney and Maia plus a large bouquet of flowers and a red velvet cake! She talked me into opening my present from Eldon and the kids and she and Sam got it set up and taught me how to use it. It's an engraved I-pod! I think it's cool. Thank you for an exciting present.
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