March 2016 & Daddy and Momma's Trip

Ready to see more spring photos and pictures of Daddy and Momma's visit out here, plus a lot more adventures and every day boring stuff?! Then happy scrolling!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Some of the lovely ladies and doggies I hike with on Wednesdays at Woods Humane Society. The dog I was walking kept looking at the little dog on the left like he was considering eating him, so I walked ahead![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="406"] A few months back I had received a bag of walnuts from one of the people I clean house for. I finally borrowed a cracker from Pat and had fun one afternoon.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="351"] Free walnuts - yay![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Quiche on the menu this evening! Made with GF Pillsbury crust[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="505"] I hoped these beautiful, cheerful daffodils would still be blooming when Momma came, but a few hot days and their glory faded quite a bit.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="364"] One of the dogs at a cleaning job. She gets so excited and runs around in circles, down the hall, jumps onto the couch, barrels over her sister, then does it all over again! Has me in stitches sometimes![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Had Austin and Sarah Beth over for a movie and popcorn. Wait, I think we forgot the popcorn! 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' was quite entertaining.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="429"] Fish taco here I come! Topped with pico and avocado/cilantro/lime dressing and everything![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="487"] Kristy and Jesse of southerninlaw.com were doing a puzzle and it looked like so much fun, that I wanted to do one! So I got out the only one we own, Matthew's, and tried to put it together. He didn't want to help me, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be, and we really don't have the space for a puzzle right now! So this is about as far as I got before it went back into the box :([/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="370"] Hello homemade granola bars! I have been trying out a few recipes and finally landed on one that is super adaptable and simple. For myself, I don't use the brown sugar. Also I add nuts, seeds, and/or dried fruit. I have to increase the coconut oil and honey/molasses by a tablespoon or two to cover the increased dry ingredients.[/caption]

http://www.fivehearthome.com/2015/01/22/oats-honey-granola-bars/

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Haha! So have you ever tried microwaving a whole egg yolk? In case you were wondering, this is what happens! It comes alive and leaps out of the bowl.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="385"] This magazine photo is from Glen and Annie's backyard. The white arbor, pink flowering trees, and green hills drew me back there one afternoon.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="483"] This was a huge pile of dishes but well worth the many meals prepped all at once![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] I stumbled across these on the path going into Mom and Dad's one evening. The setting sun gave them a particularly stunning touch.[/caption]



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Matthew's favorite spot to take evening pictures at work![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Matthew snuck this picture one evening after Bible study while he was waiting for me to finish chatting. I'm so thankful for this amazing lady and the time she makes for me and everyone. In her I have seen a spirited but deep, quiet spirit that is a good example to me.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="342"] On family day at GYA, one of the staff members that was assisting at the photo booth with us, was daydreaming about nachos. When I saw this display at Smart and Final the next week, I had to take a picture and send it to Matthew to show her![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This was the Tuesday night before Matthew left for a conference in Palm Springs through Saturday eve. For some reason this picture is really special to me. We had just spent a hard few days in our relationship and enjoyed a really nice evening together getting things straightened out.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] So now some of my pictures while Matthew was gone, then some of his. Here I am at Jerry and Polly's for the evening. Uncle Jerry grilled some tritips for me. They also had Coral, Bodie, and Aubrey for the evening. Here Bodie and Pops are making a monster truck from a wood kit.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Thursday I tagged along with Mom down to SLO. We hiked Cerro San Luis with Lauren and the dogs, and met Addie and Cassi near the bottom. This is looking toward Bishop's Peak.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] We did a few errands in SLO then came home. The wildflowers on the grade have been stunning. Notice the yellow and orange.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="489"] Matthew kept sending me pictures of the amazing food he was eating, so I sent him a picture of my dinner. And though it is just a humble baked potato, this picture makes it look pretty amazing, and it was! :)[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Yes, you guessed it! The beginning of Matthew's pictures![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="507"] Like I said, pictures of food...[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="401"] Here are Matthew's fellow nerds that went to the conference with him! They are teachers at Grizzly and that is saying a lot about them. These guys and the other teachers and staff are pretty neat folks.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] It is too pretty to minimize, dear scrollers. Would you agree?[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Took Daddy and Momma to Pine Mountain for Daddy to get his walk in. When Momma and I finished, we rest under the trees while waiting for him. Momma loves the big oaks![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="417"] Triple chocolate cake anyone? Drowned in chocolate glaze... There was a Pauls' family bday party Saturday evening.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="471"] Good to be with Cousin Rebekah again! She gave me a really neat book of Wildflowers and made notes about the ones we have in CA.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Daddy and Momma came by after dinner to visit with Grandpa and Grandma Pauls. Sadly Uncle Phil wasn't up to coming out that evening and Glen, Kris, and the boys couldn't make it as well as Nelson, Cherisa, and Hailey.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Mom and Dad with Rebekah trying to photobomb![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="464"] Grandpa and Daddy[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="371"] Austin and Aunt Pam were the only ones I hadn't photoed yet, so Rebekah grabbed them for me! This was the one half way serious one out of a bunch of silly ones, btw... Can you imagine that?[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="513"] Got to spend a quiet, refreshing hour at our beach spot one Sunday afternoon. So good to have him home safe and sound![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="388"] A patch of Pat's garden![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Matthew played this several times with the guys, and liked it so much, he bought it. It is a cooperative game. Very complicated, but interesting and fun! Can't wait to play it with more than two players.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="475"] David, Becca, the girls, and Newfie came to visit for the weekend! I got to pet sit Newfie! Cute little bundle of mischievousness![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="376"] On Saturday we walked the Bob Jones trail in Avila. When I saw this on the side of the trail, I had a good laugh. I guess California is so green now, you can put out the fires with a water bottle?! Not quite, but very thankful for the amount of rain we have gotten.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="435"] The mustard flowers are so tall this year, you could get lost in them or make a maze like corn stalks![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="587"] Nelson and Hailey came over for dessert. Hailey kept Sierra busy and stretching her reading skills![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="361"] You know on those days when you want nothing more than to crash into a heap for a drooly snooze but you know you really need to exercise? I thought maybe if I put on my superman shirt it would motivate me.... Enough to get out the door I guess, and that is the hardest part, right? A few miles and hills later I felt much more energetic! Crazy but wonderful how our bodies work.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="383"] This twisted, gnarly oak had so much character, I had to take a picture.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="452"] I think these are foxtails or some such thing. I really like the purple tint in them.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Enjoyed a lovely walk and talk with Momma this afternoon on the Jim Green trail.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="357"] Matthew and Jess after the trident run at GYA. It was a relay for each platoon, but staff members were selected to run the GYA flag which is MUCH larger and heavier than the platoon tridents! But it sounded like a lot of fun. It has been fun at run club getting to know "Miss Holly" as the cadets call her. Since they call all the staff by Mr. Mrs. or Ms. and the last name, the girls have dubbed me "Miss Margaret" even though they are told that they can just call me Margaret. I like it :)[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="339"] After our 8 mile training run, one of the cadre were longing for a plate of cupcakes with lots of frosting. So I had to take this picture for her![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="289"] Poppy in Cambria. The last Saturday Daddy and Momma were here, we went for a drive. First we stopped at a little farm where they do honey tasting. You get to choose 4 out of 20 honeys to taste. Matthew and I got the eucalyptus. After wandering around there for awhile, we headed on out 46 to Santa Rosa Creek Road. Aunt Laura and Poppa and Granny will remember that ride! It was beautiful this spring with lots of wildflowers, green hills and blue skies. We went for a bluff walk in Cambria, then had 'linner' at Main Street Grill. When we got home, Momma, Matthew, and I played Bonza on Momma's iPad for awhile, then Rummikub. Daddy joined us for a few games, until he won, then it was time to go! Haha! JK[/caption]





[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="406"] So Curt had gotten donuts from a local shop one Sunday morning when Daddy and Momma were in for breakfast. Momma liked them so much that Daddy bought her some more on their last day here. She generously saved one and 1/2 an apple fritter for Matthew. After she ate them for breakfast, we went for a walk around the neighborhood to wear it off![/caption]

And that puts us into April!