California Trip

Seems like I have a once-a-month post thing going on. I would like to post more but I'm slightly frustrated that my blog is all messed up because I decided to organize my folders on Photobucket. I totally didn't think about the fact that if I moved my pictures around on there, my blog would be affected. So, I have tried to ignore the fact that at some point I'm going to have to tackle that. (If you go to some of my archives, you'll see that the pictures are missing.)

But, I can still try to stay up to date without getting overwhelmed with the back-work that needs to be done. So, here's the latest.

Most of the first half of January was spent planning for our trip to California, and then the second half spent being in California. We left on Thursday afternoon and made it to Riverside to stay at Teddy and Susan's house. Friday morning we headed to Fresno where we met up with the Kricks. We played for a bit at the park and then headed to Ricky's where David gave worship to the Big Bookers.

 I don't know why my kids went into shy mode once we got there. They were all chatty in the car, eager to see Savannah and Heidi and then once they saw them they shut down - at least for my picture request. (Notice Omega and Orion have blank stares - they definitely take after their Dad on that. He hates posing for a picture.)

Heidi, the younger Krick daughter said the cutest thing when we got to Ricky's. She came up to me and said, "Mrs. Hope, Ricky has white tile in his home so I don't think it would be suitable to bring the trucks and cars inside since they may have mud on the tires. I have something I can share with your kids during worship so they don't bring those into the house." Now that is why I like my kids hanging out with these kids. Taking the initiative to be considerate of someone else's home? Yeah. Pretty impressive, I thought.

I wish our visit with the Kricks were longer, but alas, so many people to see and so little time. We headed up to Oakhurst to visit my Mom and step-Dad. They live near Bass Lake so on Sabbath we got to spend some time wandering around the lake.

David showed off his manliness by throwing the largest rocks in the water he could find so that it would make a bigger splash. The kids were definitely impressed.

The kids loved getting their feet all muddy.

On Sunday, Jim took David gold panning while my Mom stitched up Omega's quilt that came apart in some places. Monday came too soon and we had to leave to San Jose.

We met up with my Dad at the Veggie Grill (incredibly delicious!) and then spent some time playing at the park.

My favorite picture of the whole trip

 

Seeing my Dad is always a fun experience. "Grampa" spoiled the kids as expected, giving Orion that huge tractor and Omega got a doll.

After only a few hours together, we headed to Capitola to eat with our friends Yoane and Teresa. Then spent the night at my best friend from high school's house - Tiffany. She graciously gave us her King sized bed to sleep on while she humbly slept on the couch! She's always been such a giving person!

That spot on her shoulder is from my camera lens

Early the next morning I dropped David off at his Eco Farm conference in Monterey and I headed to Napa to see my new nephew. My sister in law went into labor that morning and I spent the afternoon watching a bunch of kids in the waiting room while she delivered the baby!

 This little bundle's name is Judah Dillon Gravestock. Happy Birthday little guy!

We spent a couple days at my sister Joy's house. What a treat that was. She spoiled not just the kids, but me too! I love that my kids finally got to get to know their cousins. Sure wish we lived closer. They'd be best friends! They got along really well. I can't believe how adorable Noah is and how intelligent Seth is. I wish I could be more involved as their auntie.

After giving my brother and his wife a day or two to rest with their new baby, we swung back down to Napa and spent the night at their house and played at the park yet again!

My brother's house included lots of battery operated fun.  He's got more than a handful of flying helicopters that he showed off, a super fast off-road racing truck, and a kid sized car that they all got a turn driving!

 

Omega takes driving pretty seriously, I guess. She's concentrating super hard here...reminds me of me when I first started driving. My first car was a stick shift and I white knuckled the steering wheel all the way from my house to school for the first week or so. 

So that's my brother Joel there. It was great seeing him. Our time together was much too short but at least we got to spend some time together. Then we drove several hours back to Monterey to pick up a good looking farmer.

And again, after a romantic sunset we hit the road together down to Templeton to see one of the sweetest families I've ever met, the Chalkers. They were my host family 13 years ago when I did a summer ministry job. I loved laying out by their pool, doing my devotions in the late morning summer sunshine. They were always eager to hear my experiences when I came home in the evening from going door to door selling Christian literature. 

We stayed the night and had breakfast with the Chalkers and then headed out to Santa Barbara to see one of our "daughters" from SOULS West.

Ahhh the beach.  I SO miss the beach. As John Denver would say, it "fills up my senses"...the sea weed smell, the feel of sand on my feet, sunshine on my face, sea gulls and crashing waves in my ears. Oh, the delight of the beach.

 There were a ton of boats sailing by and I guess they were throwing Gerber daisies into the water because we collected a bunch on the shore. The kids enjoyed planting a little flower garden!

 Despite my mother's generous hair clippy gifts to Omega, we failed to use them and her hair is all in her face as usual. Sorry mom! We HAVE used them since we got home! I think they got packed somewhere inaccessible that day.

Orion is loving his new tractor.
All the sand + new tractor = boy heaven.

Thanks again Dad!


After a couple of hours hanging out at the beach in Santa Barbara, we headed to Riverside again. We were pleasantly surprised to bump into more of our previous students from SOULS West, Emely and Erica.

After another night at Teddy and Susan's house, we began the last leg of our journey home, stopping in Phoenix to spend the night at Jason and Krista's house. Omega and Orion were delighted to spend the morning playing with Amber and Esther.

This picture below on the left is exactly two years ago from the picture on the right. They have all grown so much! I love that my kids can have such quality friends, even if they don't get to see them all that often.

After leaving their house, David and Orion spent a moment together watching airplanes at the airport. I stayed in the truck with a sleeping Omega and doted from a distance on this father son time.

We got home around 6:00 pm, unpacked and were thankful to be safe and sound, sleeping in our own bed that night. It reminded me of the lyrics of one of my favorite hymns, "As home to the traveler, and all he longs to see, so is my Lord, my living Lord, so is my Lord to me."

What stuck out to me the most out of the whole trip is how the Lord provides. Before leaving, I had stressed out a bit on how we were going to afford this 10 day trip. Last year it cost $830.00 and we didn't exactly have that to spend this year. But after receiving Christmas money, realizing that we could use our Chase credit card points on a rental car, being able to spend the night with so many friends instead of paying for a hotel, leaving our vehicle at a friend's house instead of paying for parking, and being fed by our hospitable friends and family, we only really spent $200 of our own money. Talk about the Lord providing! Plus, not only that, we actually MADE money off the trip in terms of value. Everywhere we went people gave us stuff - and not just stuff - stuff we NEEDED! Omega got hand-me-down clothes from Savannah, Orion got clothes from Seth, Joy bought me some new clothes, my mom gave me some brand new tennis-shoes that she didn't want, Joy gave us the Bible story set, Susan gave us two 5 gallon water jugs, a friend of ours sold us her washer and dryer for supercheap (front loading!) along with some cal king sheets and throw pillows and other miscellaneous stuff because she's moving, the kids got new toys/books/stuffed animals etc.

Of the things that we were going to eventually have to buy that people gave us or sold us instead, I estimate that we saved at LEAST $600.

I'd say the trip was worth it, not just in terms of money saved, but there's nothing quite like spending time face to face with people you love. The phone and facebook are great and all, but to get hugs and see smiles and eat food with those you care about is like a treasure given to the heart.