March: 36 Hours in San Francisco

Brian was able to get a Friday off in March and we decided to take a quick trip to San Francisco. This city is 5 hours south of us and I had never been there. Brian lived there as a child while his dad was stationed at the Persidio right on the bay. Therefore we invited his parents to come along. It was a whirlwind trip for us. We hired a sitter for the kids and from start to finish we were gone only 36 hours. But we saw enough for 3 days. Our trip down included a stop in a little town called Williams that is right in the central valley and is known for it's olives. They have fantastic restaurant there called Granzella's and we stopped for the yummiest sandwhich ever!

Then we drove into downtown San Francisco and stopped at a beach on the ocean. Next was a trip over to the Golden Gate Bridge where Brian and his dad replicated a picture that was taken 30 years earlier. We had a good chuckle. We also could see downtown and the bay along with a great view of Alcatraz. We then took a little drive over to Sausilito and over to the more remote side of the bay. Then, back over into town we visited Golden Gate Park. The flowers there were beautiful. Then it was a trip down memory lane as we drove around the Persidio and even stopped at their old home and took pictures. The Persidio is now leased out to individuals to live in and is no longer used much for military housing. It is very costly but very beautiful. Then it was a trip over the crookedest street in the U.S. Lombard street. We then met my sister and her husband who happened to be vacationing in San Francisco for dinner that night on Pier 39. We had a wonderful meal, shopped on the Pier and even saw a ton of seals! We stayed in a fancy hotel in the shopping district and boy, I forgot how noisy a busy down town is at night. It was so noisy I couldn't even sleep! The next day we met my Michelle and Andrew and we all went to China town to shop. It was a fantastic trip!

March: Reliving High School Basketball

I have played in a women's basketball league the past two years here in Medford. It is a wonderful league that let's old moms like myself get out and have fun. The league is primarily dominated by high school teams prepping for their next season. But they had 2 "free agent" teams this year that were made up of women like myself. We had a blast. our team was about 20 years older than the rest but we competed well. I was the leading scorer/assist maker on my team. I averaged 18 points a game. My family was able to see me play my worst game of the season when they were in town. My husband also came to the same game. But my in-laws, they saw me at my best and were quite impressed at a different game. So, I still am able to move around on the court. It's still ugly though. And yes, I got rid of those ugly shorts and those white legs finally have a tan on them...still chubby though!

March: Recording Studio Experience

I had the opportunity to be in a play with some ladies from my church. It was a play about the parable of the 10 virgins. I was a "bad" virgin without enough oil. My name was Addie and I was the virgin who was "too busy with the daily necessaties of running my home that I simply made no time for the important things of life".... I think they type-cast. Anyways, we have performed for several different wards around the region and at a recent performance a gal was so impressed with it that she had us go to a recording studio and record the entire play. I have a solo singing part and was shaking terribly. I am not the song-and-dance gal that my dad has always been, nor do I have an amazing voice. I can stay on key but not necessarily project something desirable to listen to. Regardless, it was a very exciting experience. Trying to get 11 women's schedules to match up for a recording was difficult. We ended up with an early morning trip and only had 2 1/2 hours to record the event. This meant one complete run through with no repeats. This was difficult as every single one of us felt like we each could have done our part over again better, especially the singing. It is hard to sing at 8 in the morning. But we did it. Then ended up putting on a performance for a stake in Central point where this gal was able to give a recording to each who attended. It was a very special event.

March: Ethan and Grandpa

Grandpa picks up Ethan a couple times a week to go out to the ranch to do chores with him. I just love seeing how happy my little guy is when his grandpa shows up to pick him up. But if he doesn't get a tractor ride, the sweet little guy quickly becomes the terrible two year old toddler!

March: Bob and Bill and Bud

Last year Roger purchased 2 Holstein cows for 25$ a piece. He had to bottle feed them for 3 months and then he turned them out to the fields to graze on the best grass in the valley and water from the irrigation canal. They mingled with the Black Angus cows that have come and gone and they were truly pets to his grandkids. Grandpa named them Jack and Jill and we thought we would see them for the next 20 years.





Well, Grandpa decided that was so much fun he would like to raise two baby Holstein calves again. He also informed us that one of the next Sunday afternoons he would inform us that the Roast we were eating for supper and had just been praising for it's tenderness and tastiness would be our beloved Jack or Jill. He told us to get used to the idea but that he was getting some more cows and any kid who wanted to go could!







Elizabeth, Sophie, and Ethan all wanted to go to the dairy farm. They absolutely loved the experience! Sophie got right into the swing of things and started feeding calves with the dairy farmer. Grandpa found that they had 3 calves that needed to be taken so he decided to take all three of them. He had created a box for the back of the truck but they still needed to be strung up when transporting on I-5 from Grants Pass to Medford Oregon.



The biggest decision was what to name them. The kids unanimously decided on Bob, Bill and Bud. But truthfully, to this day, only Grandpa knows which cow is Bob, Bill or Bud.










Grandpa returns both morning and night to feed them, with several visitors including his grandkids, preschools, and friends who want to see the calves. They see grandpa arrive at the ranch and they will race up from the field to be feed.









These 3 calves are taking better to the feed and grass better than Jack and Jill. Grandpa thinks it won't be long till he turns them loose for good in the fields.










Until then, I just keep enjoying my roast, hoping Grandpa doesn't tell me that I just ate Jill!!!













Lizzy made up a song that you just have to hear. It goes:
Jack & Jill (Pause)
Bob & Bill (Pause)
Bud (in low tone)

As soon as I figure out how to film and blog it I will have her sing it.








Introducing Bob, Bill, & Bud