winter in SoCal

so it's been in the 80's for the last week. all of the windows are thrown wide open. the kids are barefoot outside and in shorts. life is peaceful and good at the moment.

i hear so many stories of harsh weather, unfathomable cold (-58*F??? how do people survive?), and flooding and the likes. i tell you, i'm perfectly content to keep my weather, thank you very much. i'm thinking of having the garden tilled so i can start my garden. my roses are in bloom. i have a vase of wildflowers on my table. i have a tan. life is good.

the only (very minor) down side is that my cast stinks. it always stinks these days. i'm very ready to be able to shower without a plastic bag on my arm. some day...

15 weeks down, 5 more to go.

I'll get to it eventually...

it's not easy keeping up with all that i'd like to keep up with. for instance, i really wanted to take Christmas pictures of the kids. i did that this week, after Epiphany...well, at least it's done! the laundry needs to be folded, i need to do some more school with the kids, i should tidy the house before my parents arrive. or, none of the above. it's 80 out right now. we're having my favorite january weather of all. bright, clear blue skies, sunny and delightfully warm. it's time to trim my (blooming) roses and turn over the garden. time to enjoy the windows being wide open and the warm breeze ruffling the papers on my desk. time to relax and be thankful for the many blessings in my life.

this past week, i also saw my surgeon for a checkup. after 14 weeks, he finally said the words i wondered if i would ever hear...you're healing. the second surgery and my good behavior (who knew doing nothing would be so hard?) have done the trick and i am finally on the road to recovery. i have another 6 weeks in the cast, then hopefully i will be allowed a removable splint. i get dreamy when i think of being able to take a shower sans bag over cast, or swimming or simply the opportunity to soak in the hottub. life is good, just different from normal!

Think of it as elevator music.

So while you wait for me to get around to updating you on the progress being made in the bathroom, please allow me to bore you to tears with some more pictures. We went to Disneyland last Tuesday, which explains the following pictures:

First, the Sword in the Stone. Although, as Jay kindly pointed out, it's more like the Sword in the Anvil. But, whatever. This is right in front of King Arthur's Carousel, which the kids also enjoy. And since we'd just had a lovely ride on the carousel, we had to stop by the sword, to see if it was any easier to pull than the other 59 million times they've tried.

All four try:

Then the lady gets bored and wanders off, leaving the three boys to try.

We lose another kid and another, until we're left with this:

I have about 14 other pictures of Mighty Man trying his darnedest to get that sucker out, but I'll spare you the gore. Let's just say he has a particular talent for making faces. He always has. Maybe I'll pull up some old pictures for your entertainment...

More than likely, I'll forget that I ever promised to dig up old pictures of Mighty Man as a wee babe. In the mean while, I'd also like to beat you into submission with more flower pictures. All of these were taken at Disneyland, and none of them have been processed. They're sooc. Hey, I have 4 kids. Knock yourself out if you want to play with them in PhotoShop and kick up the saturation etc. Otherwise, just enjoy them, ok?

Future photographer

Now that we're back home, safe and sound, and the mountains of laundry are clean (although not yet folded and put away), I have a moment to reflect on our trip to Oregon. Our drive north on I-5 was absolutely beautiful. Along the way, we passed Mount Shasta. Now, before you get all up in arms about these photos, let me preface it by saying...none of them were taken by me. I was driving!

So here is Mount Shasta, in all its snow covered glory. It is a magnificent mountain, covered in glaciers and usually shrouded by a stray cloud or two. Sometimes, it is completely obscured by the cloud cover, but not the day we drove up.

Here's Mount Shasta from a slightly different angle...a really artistic shot, if you ask me. You have the standing water from recent rain storms in the foreground and a snippet of the rumble strips in the lower right corner.

And one last shot. Really, you'd never know these were taken out the truck window while speeding down the freeway...by our four year old, would you? I think we have a budding photographer in our midst. :o)

Home at last!

Monday, 23 April 2007
25 days and 7,800 miles (well, really only 7,799 but it’s my blog and I can take literary license if I want to). What a trip! I have more pictures to post, but the hour is late, and I’ll leave it to another day.

In the meantime, I’ll share some final reflections. One thing this trip has given me is a greater appreciation of home. We traveled through 18 states, all 4 time zones, crossed nearly all major waterways in the United States, crossed the Continental Divide twice, explored and experienced firsthand the major climate zones in the US…all in all, we’ve definitely seen a lot in the last 4 weeks.

But when it comes right down to it, there’s no place like home. I know we are so blessed to live where we do, and I’m thankful that we have the means to remain here. Oh, I think I could go on and on about the beauty of the place we call home, but I think it is mostly because it is just that…the place we call home. Thanks for joining me on our adventure, and taking the time to read and enjoy! Until next time!