Christopher, Bonnie, Laura, James, Jennifer, Piper
(Nose to nose from left to right!)
A fiftieth wedding anniversary is a big deal. Especially in this day and age. Oh, we had grandiose ideas of how we would celebrate it. A trip to Europe, Wales, England, and maybe even Austria that has been on our bucket list for a long time. But time creeps up on us and I need two knee replacements this coming year. I tried for May 3 but needed to reschedule due to high b/p issues. So now it is being pushed back until September due to a busy summer schedule (not the b/p, it is under control now).
Me, Gloria, Debbie, Jim
Simply Gorgeous!
I love to write when we come here, as everyone else is hiking around. Awesome benches. Here's what I wrote this time:
At Muir Woods being alone for a few minutes is a bit of heaven. No human voices are heard just a few chirping birds. The babbling of the creek and dancing sunlight is the symphony of the forest. Not a soul is in sight. I see and feel the redwood canopy ablaze with the morning sun at the very top of the towering trees, yet it is cool and refreshing here on the floor of the forest. I love this place. To quote Elder Holland it is “a veritable palace of perfect peace”.
This is the most beautiful of all the forests I have ever seen. The majesty of trees; so ancient it makes me wonder how many have had the blessing of gazing upon them over time. It definitely leaves a heart print with me every single time. I will never tire of it as long as I live. Of all of nature’s beauty I believe that trees are my favorite. Man cannot duplicate the greens in nature. There are too many shades, all dappled with light here. I think it is Our Creator’s eye candy. I know it is mine. The craziness of the world is not allowed here. Only the essence of the earth prevails. BJM 6/13/2018
Our "Usie" in Muir Woods
After Muir Woods we made a quick pit stop at Muir Beach Overlook as Jim had brought hot chocolate to warm us up since we got there very early in the morning. We went to The Palace of the Legion of Honor next, to see some cool art in San Francisco. I enjoy taking photos of some of the paintings I like, whenever we go. I thought this was cool! Did I get the name of it or the artist? Nah...I forgot. Oops! Worse yet, this is only half of the painting. Honestly!
After the Museum we went up to Inspiration Point
in the Presidio. There is a wonderful panoramic
view of The City and Alcatraz and the bay.
After a great picnic orchestrated by Dad for all of us
(Laura, his Mom and cousin, Debbie)
Jim took his daily power nap!
No matter where we are this is his routine!
Good thing he didn't roll over...it's a long
way down from that ledge. Sheesh!
He used to keep a list of all the places he had gone
running or biking around the world...now there should be
a pretty long list of where he's taken his naps!
running or biking around the world...now there should be
a pretty long list of where he's taken his naps!
On our way home we swung by The Palace of Fine Arts because we love it and Debbie had never seen it. From our lunch spot at Inspiration Point, it is easily seen with its white dome, as you gaze down upon our favorite city. What a beautiful place. It is an old, well maintained relic, from the World's Fair in San Francisco in the early 1900s It is a stunning site! The fortunate people who live across the street in this house get this straight-on view every day and night! Amazing!
We also took Laura to church with us to surprise people she has known all of her life. That was fun and they were delighted to see her and she them.
On Monday when Jim was working at the Temple, Laura and I had a total girls' day. We enjoyed shopping and a pedicure at the recently designed new spa where I now go each month. It was heavenly! Every day we had with her was just perfection.
On Monday when Jim was working at the Temple, Laura and I had a total girls' day. We enjoyed shopping and a pedicure at the recently designed new spa where I now go each month. It was heavenly! Every day we had with her was just perfection.
We canceled everything else and just hung out with her and watched movies and relaxed and it was so amazing.The three of us went to Room With A Past. Jim bought us a great statue there for our garden. I love it and had been looking at it for months until it came down to half price. Sold!
We haven't found his permanent home yet.
But we will. Painting him white is also up
for debate at this point.
We pretty much kept Laura all to ourselves most of the time. We talked non-stop! We could have had a constant stream of company but we just didn't. We relished and wanted our precious time alone with her.
We cooked and she spent a whole day with her Dad out in the shop making a very cool cutting board from a chunk of cherry wood she brought all the way from Virginia in a second suitcase. She had been drying it out for five years from a cheery tree they had to cut down at one of their homes in Rhode Island. It turned out amazingly well and her Dad was in hog heaven. We saw one similar to it at the Ferry Building in San Francisco costing over $100.00!
We cooked and she spent a whole day with her Dad out in the shop making a very cool cutting board from a chunk of cherry wood she brought all the way from Virginia in a second suitcase. She had been drying it out for five years from a cheery tree they had to cut down at one of their homes in Rhode Island. It turned out amazingly well and her Dad was in hog heaven. We saw one similar to it at the Ferry Building in San Francisco costing over $100.00!
It is sealed and as smooth as glass!
Laura loves it for sentimental reasons.
It is beautiful and will remind her of her day with
her Dad & living in Rhode Island!
her Dad & living in Rhode Island!
I am pretty sure neither Jim nor I thought even once about not being in Europe! It never even crossed our minds.
On June 14th Laura and I watched the movie "I Can Only Imagine". We started it quite late and her Daddy was at his EQ Presidency meeting late and exhausted when he did get home. The movie was so touching and we both loved it. It was her second time to see it and she raved about it so I rented it on Amazon Prime.
https://youtu.be/N_lrrq_opng Here's the song from this true story.
I have since ordered it for our permanent movie collection. At about midnight, Jim had already gone to bed and Laura and I were looking at something on my computer when we heard footsteps on the porch stairs right outside my window. At first I thought it was Jim and then I kind of panicked when I realized he was not outside. Laura went to check things out and guess who it was? Our daughter, Jen, our son Christopher, and our oldest granddaughter, Piper came walking in! The four of them had been plotting this all along. I have to say Jim and I were completely surprised!
Jen had driven for 16 hours that day all the way from Portland where she had picked up Piper from College at year's end. Then after driving many hours she detoured to the a/p to get her brother and then came out here to our house. That was just so touching to us. We know what kind of sacrifices, both financial and physical that was for all of them. Chris took an 11:00 pm flight out of Salt Lake after a full day of work. It was the first time in 12 years they had all been home at the same time. What a cherished moment.
After a good night's sleep, we all got up and went not to Rome or Cardiff, but rather to Sonoma, CA. Our very first stop as we got near the town was a cherry stand! Sonoma has some pretty delicious cherries and we love them so we stopped.
We bought some great things including a bowl I had been wanting for awhile and some flavored Figone's special balsamic vinegars. We bought a fig flavored one and Laura gave us a chocolate raspberry bottle. These are simply delicious on salads with a little olive oil and even on vanilla ice cream for a really special treat. Try it!
I am in love with this large bowl and
The gates at Bartholomew Park & Event Center
are open 10-4 daily. We almost always have
the whole place to ourselves!
Glamping with a Grampa Picnic...The Best!
We are such creatures of habit when we find
something we love we just repeat and repeat.
OCD, you say? Nope!
It just never gets old and a new tradition
is born immediately!
These two...pure love for each other!
Happy Mama with our girls!
Fun times!
Dad must have taken this one!
Three Wonderful Women!
Sister Love
Fine Dining at Scott's ~ Calamari & wild rice!
On June 14th Laura and I watched the movie "I Can Only Imagine". We started it quite late and her Daddy was at his EQ Presidency meeting late and exhausted when he did get home. The movie was so touching and we both loved it. It was her second time to see it and she raved about it so I rented it on Amazon Prime.
https://youtu.be/N_lrrq_opng Here's the song from this true story.
I have since ordered it for our permanent movie collection. At about midnight, Jim had already gone to bed and Laura and I were looking at something on my computer when we heard footsteps on the porch stairs right outside my window. At first I thought it was Jim and then I kind of panicked when I realized he was not outside. Laura went to check things out and guess who it was? Our daughter, Jen, our son Christopher, and our oldest granddaughter, Piper came walking in! The four of them had been plotting this all along. I have to say Jim and I were completely surprised!
Jen had driven for 16 hours that day all the way from Portland where she had picked up Piper from College at year's end. Then after driving many hours she detoured to the a/p to get her brother and then came out here to our house. That was just so touching to us. We know what kind of sacrifices, both financial and physical that was for all of them. Chris took an 11:00 pm flight out of Salt Lake after a full day of work. It was the first time in 12 years they had all been home at the same time. What a cherished moment.
After a good night's sleep, we all got up and went not to Rome or Cardiff, but rather to Sonoma, CA. Our very first stop as we got near the town was a cherry stand! Sonoma has some pretty delicious cherries and we love them so we stopped.
There is no place we would have rather been then right there with them on our special day. Not Orvieto, Paris or Austria not anywhere. We went to Sonoma and walked around the town square, enjoyed the lush green park and the fancy shops and did a little shopping. It was so relaxing!
I am in love with this large bowl and
Jen bought us a smaller one like it too.
They also gave us this for our Christmas
tree to always remember this amazing time
together on our 50th.
They also gave us this for our Christmas
tree to always remember this amazing time
together on our 50th.
I love the blue and green from the sky and trees
reflected on the water here! Peacefulness at its finest.
After the stroll around this gorgeous town square and
we had Chris take the fun photo
of all of us at the top of the page here.
we had Chris take the fun photo
of all of us at the top of the page here.
We then went to Bartholomew's Park for one of our
favorite things, a picnic in this private vineyard.
favorite things, a picnic in this private vineyard.
Bartholomew Vineyards
The gates at Bartholomew Park & Event Center
are open 10-4 daily. We almost always have
the whole place to ourselves!
Glamping with a Grampa Picnic...The Best!
We are such creatures of habit when we find
something we love we just repeat and repeat.
OCD, you say? Nope!
It just never gets old and a new tradition
is born immediately!
These two...pure love for each other!
Happy Mama with our girls!
Fun times!
(Jim's cheek is inflamed from a skin cancer treatment.
Now all is well after ten days off the medication)
Dad must have taken this one!
That evening we went to Scott's Seafood Restaurant
in Walnut Creek. It is one of our all time favorite places
for special occasions and it's nearby.
Jim's mom came with us and it was her treat.
What a generous thing to do with a crowd that large.
There were 7 of us altogether.
Three Wonderful Women!
Sister Love
Fine Dining at Scott's ~ Calamari & wild rice!
The next day Jen and Piper had to leave us and go to LA to see Harry Potter's World at Universal Studios. They stayed overnight and then headed home on Sunday. They are both huge fans, so we were glad they could have that mother daughter time together.
On Saturday Jim and I and his Mom, Laura and Chris all took a ferry from Vallejo to San Francisco's Ferry Building for the Farmer's Market and tour of the Ferry Building shops and gourmet food spots.
On Saturday Jim and I and his Mom, Laura and Chris all took a ferry from Vallejo to San Francisco's Ferry Building for the Farmer's Market and tour of the Ferry Building shops and gourmet food spots.
The ride was our first one on that ferry and a lot of fun.
The ferry is a large catamaran.
It was a nice way to glide smoothly over the waves.
It reminded me of a huge version of first class
seating on a 747. Not fancy though
It was a nice way to glide smoothly over the waves.
It reminded me of a huge version of first class
seating on a 747. Not fancy though
but clean, spacious and comfortable.
By the time we got to the Ferry Building it was crowded but still fun to be in that iconic building enjoying a Saturday together on such a beautiful day. Loved taking photos on the ferry from vantage points you can't get any other way.
We all spent a lot of our unscheduled time looking through boxes of old photos when at home. We sent the kids home with a bunch of photos to scan. Then we'll all share them digitally. We have many more boxes to do but at least we have gotten started as a family group getting this done.
We all spent a lot of our unscheduled time looking through boxes of old photos when at home. We sent the kids home with a bunch of photos to scan. Then we'll all share them digitally. We have many more boxes to do but at least we have gotten started as a family group getting this done.
Sunday morning our fancy carriage turned back into a pumpkin as we dropped off Chris and Laura at the airport!
We have missed them all so much this past week. No trip, or large party could have possibly been better than this amazing time with our kids and Piper! Unless, of course, all their spouses and our other nine grandkids had been with us too. There is just nothing on this earth better than being with your family. We're all in about that! Thanks for joining us on this magnificent journey. It was truly the best! Here's to many more times just like this!
We have missed them all so much this past week. No trip, or large party could have possibly been better than this amazing time with our kids and Piper! Unless, of course, all their spouses and our other nine grandkids had been with us too. There is just nothing on this earth better than being with your family. We're all in about that! Thanks for joining us on this magnificent journey. It was truly the best! Here's to many more times just like this!
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