Day 30: Da Moose Da Moose

Alan and Marivic (brother and sister-in-law) are visiting from California. The other day they drove to Bountiful Peak and happened upon this moose. While telling Mike and I the story (and it's a funny one), Marivic tried unsuccessfully to show us pictures of the moose on her laptop. Later that night, I received this notification from facebook along with the following photo:


Marivic Cuyos Marsden added a photo of you.

At least I'm drinking water and not soda pop!!!

US Open

So, I actually didn't go to the US Open... Mike, Jeff and Jeremy went with my brothers Archie and Alan. I just enjoyed three days sightseeing in San Francisco. This picture was taken on Saturday morning (June 16), the guys last day at the open. They are in the parking lot of the Embassy Suites at Burlingame. My room is on the third floor overlooking the bay.... *insert smiley face*

This is Thursday morning (June 14) as we are leaving the Embassy Suites in Sacramento. The guys left in one car and headed for the Giants game as Marivic and I left in the other car for Burlingame.

After checking into our hotel rooms, Marivic and I took a scenic drive through a forrest of redwoods to arrive at this beach. It wasn't like the beach at the beach house... there was no pier, or shops, or hamburger stands, and hardly any people around; I would never have dared to swim or boogy board in that water, the waves were rough... it was very natural and undeveloped land... it was beautiful!

After our afternoon at the beach we drove back to San Francisco via the Pacific Coast Highway. Again... not like our sea level version of the PCH at the beach house... we were driving atop cliffs.

We met the guys at Hard Rock Cafe on Pier 39. We also got to meet Tara's boyfriend Andrew.

When we went back to the car we noticed Mason Street so we stopped for a picture of Jeremy.

On Friday I went sightseeing with Marivic and Tara. We crossed the bridge to Sausalito. Has anyone been there before?  It is a beautiful little bayside town... and I had the best ice-cream cone ever there!!

I loved the hillside town overlooking the bay. All along the main road were little shops and cafes. I love narrow, winding streets... except of course when I am driving through them.

Friday night we met up with the guys for dinner. They had plenty of great stories to share about their first day at the open. Jeff and Jeremy were pretty happy about their actually meeting and visiting with their favorite... Phil Mickelson.

I did enjoy a couple of hours in my hotel room resting from sightseeing. My room overlooked San Francisco Bay, so I pulled back the curtains and opened the sliding glass door and let the breeze in and listened to the water. It really couldn't have been much better than that... I'm not kiddin'. 

Nevada/California Road Trip

Last weekend Michael and I traveled to Reno to attend a memorial service for my cousins son. We decided to extend our trip and visit Alan and Marivic who live just across the Sierra Nevadas in Rocklin, CA. We left home Friday morning and returned Monday night, so it was very quick, but we were able to see many of our extended family at the memorial service and also spend some quality time with Alan and Marivic.

On Saturday morning we took a drive from Reno to Virginia City. This is a last peek at the city as we climb to the top.

When you watch Bonanza, and the Cartwright's talk about Virginia City as if it is just a couple of miles down the road... it ain't so. I've been to the Ponderosa (previously) and you have to travel down one mountain, cross the valley, and then climb another mountain before you get to Virginia City. It's worth the trip... in a car!!

Later in the day when we were with Alan and Marivic, we got off the main road and drove along Donner Lake and then drove to the Donner Summit. It is a beautiful area surrounded by amazing views.

We spent two nights at the Embassy Suites in Sacramento, which is across the street from Old Sacramento .

We had a corner suite on the 7th floor. This is the view from our living room window, it's the Tower Bridge and the Sacramento River.

From the bedroom window you can see Old Sacramento.

Tara and AJ joined us for breakfast, and then Mike and I and Alan and Marivic headed for the Monterey Peninsula.

I love the natural, undeveloped land along the coast of Monterey.

I love t'ocean (and I love Mikee too of course)!!!

The Lone Cypress tree on 17 mile Drive. It is the symbol of Pebble Beach.

A walk-about at Pebble Beach.

Mike's reaction to seeing and being at this famous place.

Standing in front of the 18th hole.

It is a beautiful piece of earth.

I'm just happy standing at the beach.

The circumstances that brought us on this weekend trip were very sad. But seeing and being with family, and enjoying the beauties of the earth, are a very real reminder of our loving and merciful Father in Heaven's plan.

BYU Women's Conference 2011

I just returned from two wonderful days at BYU Women's Conference. The theme this year came from Alma 37:6-7, "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass". I attended opening and closing sessions on both days, and several concurrent sessions each day. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the presenters I listened too:

"The only person I need to be better than... is the person I was yesterday."

"A virtual (too much technology) woman, or a virtuous woman?"

"What comes next for willing hands to do?"

"No one owes me anything, I owe everything to the Lord."

"Charity is living as Christ lived."

"Our families need to feel the spirit when they enter our homes."

"A soft answer turneth away wrath."

"Let us seek the guidance of Heavenly Father, in how we can accomplish His work, in His way."

"Appropriate self love equips us to love others."

"Lifting others, lifts us."

This year several of us attended Women's Conference together. My sister Lilian and sister-in-law Marivic attended for their first time. I was also excited to meet Marivic's sisters Marle and Maries for the very first time, and Marivic's mama (I met 18 years ago) also came. Of course my Mother and Margie (BYUWC veterans) were there as well, but I was most excited that my daughter Caitlin came to Women's Conference with me, it was so wonderful for both of us to share that experience together... we're planning on it being a new tradition.



FYI: starting tomorrow I'm doing a 30 day blog challenge... I know, crazy huh!?!

Family Friday: Featuring My Sister (by marriage) Marivic

This week on Family Friday I'm featuring another of my sibling "in-laws"; Marivic. While serving a mission in the Philippines, my brother Alan met his future wife, he recognized right away that there was something special about this young woman. While Alan was still on his mission, Marivic was called to serve a mission in another Philippine mission. After Marivic's mission was completed, Alan went back to the Philippines to court her. A few months later Marivic arrived in the United States and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 26, 1985.

I love this picture of Marivic as a child, it is the inspiration of the title of her blog Little Grumpy Angel. Marivic's blog attracted a lot of attention and she made a lot of new friends in the blogging world, recently Marivic started a new blog titled Thankful For The Ride which she shares with the extended family. She is a wonderful writer and so enjoyable to read, she was featured in Mormon Women last month in an article written by herself. It is well worth reading. I've learned a lot of interesting things that I didn't know about Marivic as I have read her blog, and I've seen a few pictures that have "surprised" me too (such as the one below).
Marivic (front and center) and co-workers. Is this what is commonly known in the workplace as casual Friday?

Although for most of the nearly twenty-five years that I have known Marivic she has lived outside of Utah, I always feel comfortable when I am with her. I have stayed in her home on several occasions and we have shared many vacations together. Nearly three years ago Mike and I spent several days in Southern California with Marivic and Alan. The four of us spent a day at Disneyland and a few days at the beach. One day the four of us just sat on the beach talking for hours without moving from our spot. One of the things I love about Marivic is that she is always uplifting to be around. She is a positive influence and I always feel good when I am with her. Marivic has met with opposition and heartbreak in her life; she has faced these experiences with dignity and grace. She is a great example to me.

Things you may or may not know about Marivic: She is a very talented writer and photographer. She is popular in the blog world. She's always fun to be with. She doesn't like water, but in an attempt to be a good sport she went on a ride at a water park and had to be rescued by a lifeguard. Marivic always looks good, she knows clothes and how to wear them. I always feel welcome and comfortable in her home. She collects Madame Alexander dolls. When she arrived in the US she lived in our home for several weeks until her wedding day. She has been a United States citizen for many years. She keeps herself aprised of all the current issues. She has good taste in decorating her home. She's a good wife and Mother. Marivic works as a Revenue Manager for a large hotel chain, in other words; she is very important. To the family she is known as VicVic. She is the Ate (big sister) in her family, and treats me as the Ate (respected position) in my family. She graduated from college in the Philippines. She is very smart. She's a good sport. She is an artist. She likes chocolate. She likes to read good books. She is funny. We are all grateful and blessed to have Marivic in our family, and we love her.

Marivic's family: Alan, Marivic, Tara, and AJ