this girl

put this on Facebook - which I think is pretty cool:

 " I see you summer. And I promise I'm not going to let classes get in between us like I did last year. I've changed. Take me back. PLEASE."

I'm about half way done with summer school and then my reward is to take a trip to see all my Utah kids.  It's getting me through!

"probably"

Well, she's been accepted as an "on campus" student, been assigned her "tract", registered for classes and applied for a housing contract.  Yet I am still saying that she is "probably" going away to school this fall.  I still can't make myself say this is "for sure" happening.  I guess I am in denial.  I want her to have this experience.  And the excitement on her face is so priceless - Samantha just loves life and new opportunities.  So we are forging ahead.  There is still so much to do and figure out.  Life changes are exhausting!  But yes, very exciting!

in the height of summer

You know summer is in full swing here when the days become thick with fog.  July is by far our coldest month.  But we've still been lucky enough to end June with some beautiful, bright afternoons and evenings.

We had a nice visit from my sister and family who live in Texas.  This is definitely the place to beat the heat! When we went to the Sutro Bath house ruins, before I knew it Luke and his cousin had ventured out to what I've heard is called Seal Rock.  And during the week I got a great picture of my nephew exploring a mountain overlooking the ocean.

So goodbye June - it's been fun!

A Summer Challenge

I'm calling you out Julia Pineda & anyone else who wants to participate!

Julia and I just can't get enough of The Great British Bake-Off.  We don't understand why Netflix and Hulu Plus only have the one season - it is a pretty popular show, and is in it's 7th season!  So we've been searching for it in other places.  PBS wants you to be a subscriber in order to watch it.  YouTube has a few more episodes to watch for free, but not many.  I've noticed YouTube also has episodes of "The Great Irish Bake Off", "The Great Australian Bake-Off", "The Great South African Bake Off", and so forth.  See how popular the concept is?

Whenever we watch an episode it absolutely puts us in the mood to bake - which maybe isn't a good thing!  But it has brought out some stunning results from Julia, especially.  One of the challenges was to make homemade Ciabatta bread.  Julia got Paul Hollywood's recipe (he is an expert in bread making in Europe and one of the judges).  She has nailed it and it is a regular around our house now. 

Luke in fact has gotten into the spirit as well.  He is a really good cook and has recently made us some molten-lava-chocolate cupcakes that were to die for.

I know that Mariah & Ross and Hillary & Andrew have enjoyed the whole first season as well.  So, back to my Summer Challenge idea -  I want us to have a Bake-Off.  Each week the contestants of the show have to do 3 challenges of a certain type of food:  the signature, the technical and the show-stopper.  One week it's all about cakes, another cookies (or "crackers" as they call them in Europe), another week is about bread, etc.  Mariah & Hillary are going to be home a few days in July, so we might just have to make one day "The Great Summer Bake-Off".  They, and anyone who wants to participate, can be contestants, or judges, the audience or the hosts (wisecrackers who say "on your mark, get set, bake!")

I guess it's time to start thinking about recipes!

Lessons from Finding Nemo

We haven't seen Finding Dory yet, but in preparations we recently watched Finding Nemo again.  I found some of the dialogue to be quite profound - especially for me.

First - when the Dad says "You think you can do things Nemo but you just can't!", and then again the same line with Dory's name instead of Nemo - I know that is a page right out of my story as a parent. I have been, and still am, so afraid for my children that sometimes I don't push them or encourage them enough or let them go out and do things.  After all these years I'm still working on that one.

Secondly - I whole heartily agree with the motto of the shark's "AA" meetings:
                                                  "FISH ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOOD".
And I can honestly say, just as Dory did: "I don't think I've ever eaten a fish".  Seafood - not my thing.  

So, I have high expectations for the Finding Dory movie.  But really, if Ellen just mis-pronounces Nemo's name again a couple of times I will crack up, as I always do, and I'll be satisfied.

Thanks Nancy

Shout out to me this morning!  I'm feeling pretty crappy and discouraged about a lot of things right now - that happens to us all I know - nothing major to worry about.  But how do you all get through it?  There are a few things in my bag of tricks I guess, for times like this, and one is to look back on the blog.  Since I try to blog with a positive attitude, about positive things, I feel like it comes back to me later when I need it - like a present I made for myself.  And thanks to everything and everyone that have been subjects of the blog for getting me through.

June walking

There are 9 more days of June but I've already taken so many pictures while walking that I think I should do this post now, before I give myself even more to choose from!  I'm finding the colors - even the subtle ones - amazing.  Like the one in the last post - I love how purple the sky is.  And the wildflowers - the "weeds" along the coast are so pretty.

I also wanted to add a picture of my favorite "selfie".

goodbye/hello

Last Thursday I said goodbye to the 2015/2016 school year and today I say Hello to summer school.  Considering today is the first official day of summer I guess it fits and all is right with the world.  Wish me luck!  (Here is a picture from the beautiful weekend we just had).

Hamilton

Luke and Reggie have a new favorite soundtrack - the music from the Broadway show "Hamilton."
Considering that it recently won 11 Tony awards I don't think it will be in the "affordable" category to go see for quite some time. Until it is,  I-Tunes and Youtube will just have to do.

There's Hamilton on that there bill!

Maybe Gepetto was really a surfer

Well, I think it's time to give up on taking my own pictures or video and borrow from people who have posted on youtube.  So even though this is not my video, it is absolutely what we saw today.

I was so amazed I talked my Mom into coming for a drive with me to do some whale watching.  She was amazed too.

So, though the following pictures are not as impressive as the video, I want to document the day anyway.  And the beautiful blue of the water is post-worthy as well.  It's been a beautiful day in the Bay Area today!

Happy Birthday to Audrey & Hannah's Daddy!

My girl's sure can pick them!  We're so thrilled that Andrew is our family and we wish him the happiest of birthdays!

Oh my gosh, I'm a photographer!

Well, I won't quit my day job, but look at these pictures I took today!

Hope whoever that is doesn't mind!  Well, when National Geographic pays me the big bucks I'll try to find out so I can cut him in. (Ha! Ha!)

But, check out the picture below.  So far it's the closest I've come in my whale hunting, photograph wise.  Do you see that vertical spray of water off to the left?  That explosion on the sea?  That's a whale.  Well, I don't care, I think it's impressive!  But I still hope to catch one coming out of the water some day.  Stay tuned!  

Since he isn't here anymore

I voted for the other Bernie.  Happy election day California!

They deserve each other

Usually that is a negative phrase, but today I say it with the most positive connotation that there ever could be!  We just put Luke on a plane to Utah so that he can hang out with the rest of our family for a week.  His sisters miss him, his brothers-in-law think he's a pretty good kid, and his nieces have had just a glimpse of the fun uncle he can be.  We feel like they deserve to have more Luke in their lives, and Luke deserves to have more time with them.  I know they are going to have a great week!  We already miss him - already miss the unique everything he brings to this house.  This is only the beginning of the here and there, to and fro of the various members of the family.  It's going to be a great summer!

and the winner is?

THE FOG!  Yesterday the sun and fog were battling it out, and by the time we got to the beach the fog had won.   But we stayed and had a great time anyway.

 Though we couldn't see any whales on the water we had fun hunting for sand crabs.

And we made a very special message for our Utah kids:

hanging out with Jade

Today was "chemo #8" for my friend Jade, who started her battle with breast cancer in February.  She has an army of family and friends who love her and support her any and every way they can - through  Facebook-well wishes, cards, flowers, etc.

 If you know Jade, you know that she lives a very active life, full of enthusiasm and energy.  She is often the first one to volunteer to host a party, help run a church or school activity, and help you in any way she can.  Though she does not deserve to go through this trial (no one ever deserves to go through cancer!) she does deserve every drop of love and support that is coming back to her.

 I am lucky to live close enough to have been able to drive and hang out with Jade at her appointment today.  It gave me a closer look of what I've seen in her since February.  She is fighting this cancer with a combination of:

 Honesty:  Jade admits "cancer sucks!"  I've seen her have a few moments of fear and sadness, and of course sickness. (Which is of course from a friend's point of view - I know she has her husband helping her through everything the rest of us can't see.)  She is honest with herself about needing help, and doesn't try to face this all alone.  She accepts the help she needs and says "that's okay" for the help she doesn't need.

Bravery:  From the day she was diagnosed she was ready to fight this - making doctor appointments, getting things going - she wants to face it and get it over with!  And when things throw her for a loop - reactions to medicines, changes in appointment plans - she takes it and still has the attitude of "okay, let's do this."

Humor:  From the beginning Jade said she didn't want to sit around and feel sorry for herself or sad about this.  She wants to laugh her way through it.  She will make jokes, post pictures of herself in different funny wigs, tell the boys "be nice to me, I have cancer!" etc. etc.

So yes, today was my day - my chance to be one of an elite group of women hanging out with Jade at her chemotherapy appointments.  It was fun, it was an honor, and I am very lucky to have her as my friend.