California 2025

Visited a really cute shopping and dining area in San Juan Capistrano. I had to take pictures of the beautiful food. 

Trying out Abby's bike. This is right before I almost ran into Kristen's car. These tricycles don't turn on a dime. 

Obligatory trip to Donut Wheel. Yes, I had cash.

Kris got pluots from her neighbor, and I helped her make jam. 

My yummy Mexican food

It wouldn't be summer vacation without going to California. I'm fortunate that Kristen and Doug welcome me into their serene purple guest room every summer. I really don't love celebrating Pioneer Day in Utah. It just seems like a repeat of the 4th of July. There is nothing quaint about it, like I remember from my youth, so I love to be in California for the 24th. I arrived in San Francisco just in time for Kristen to pick me up after her temple shift and for us to make it to their ward party in a park. It was a potluck dessert and hang out in the park. It was a lovely evening and we had fun just sitting and visiting with her ward members. Some members had recently traveled and it was fun to talk about our summer adventures. 

We drove down to Sarah and Cameron's house on Friday morning, stopping at Derek and Rachel's house first. Derek was out of town at a Comic Con, but we got to visit with Rachel, Raine, Charlie, and Milo for about an hour. That was nice. We had seen them recently, when we all came into town to see Jenny and celebrate the 4th of July, but it was still fun to stop by their house. 

Happy Gilmore 2 came out on Netflix, so we watched Happy Gilmore in preparation for watching the new version of the Adam Sandler golf comedy. Saturday we had a slow, late start, which I love. We went on a walk around Sarah and Cam's neighborhood. We also went to dinner at a great Mexican restaurant. Sarah and Cam always find the best restaurants. We went to the mall to see the next Tesla model that Cam wants to buy. He wanted to know if the back seat feels roomy or not, so Kris and I got in the back seat and gave an assessment, based on his current car and Sarah's car. We watched Happy Gilmore 2 and really enjoyed it. It was just a goofy fun movie. We were prepared for horrible, since a 50-something guy acting goofy could be dismal. We were pleasantly surprised. 

Sunday we went to a Mediterranean restaurant, Pinafini, that was the MOST beautiful and serene restaurant that I can recall ever being in. The decor was all white with potted olive trees. We sat in the back room, which had a lot of open windows, allowing the ocean breeze to enter the room. I honestly couldn't get over the beauty of the place. Leaving the restaurant, we had a view of the sun setting over the beach through the front windows. I mean...come on! Unbelievable. Loved the food, too. Cam took me to a surprise that he had for me. He had recently driven past a sign that said "Killer Dana" in Dana Point. He wanted to take me there so I could get a picture. LOVED it. He's so funny and thoughtful. 

We drove back to the Bay Area on Monday, via Harris Ranch for tri-tip sandwiches. I'd been there with Maria before, but all I remember was a takeout window with sandwiches in styrofoam boxes. When we ended up in a sit-down restaurant with $22 sandwiches, I was confused. We asked, and the takeout is at the gas station down the street. We loved the atmosphere of the family restaurant. Kris and I shared a sandwich. It was great, and a step above the takeout sandwich. 

Tuesday I went to Maria's for a couple of hours. She only lives 30 minutes from Kristen's house. We chatted, went on a walk, and went to McDonald's because I'm obsessed with the miniature McDonald's happy meal toys. I got a mini tray with happy meal box and bottle of milk on it. I really love the mini soda fountain. I went on eBay and bought one for me and for Doug. We both love our soda. Doug is putting a wall in the garage to separate the cars from his workshop. Kris is his helper on the projects. Thursday is Kristen's day at the temple, so I went with her. I walked around the grounds, including the terrace. The view of San Francisco was fantastic. It was a clear day. I love that temple. I did an endowment session, the did initiatories. That night we went to dinner with Kim Cassetti, our dear friend from Pleasanton. It's always fun to catch up with Kim. She's just a lovely person. She gave us the cutest Pleasanton mugs. I put mine in my office. It's a huge upgrade from the ugly black pen holder I'd been using without even thinking about it. LOL. 

Kris and Doug took me to the airport on Friday. They went from there to grab dinner at Half Moon Bay. Mel picked me up at the Provo airport at 11 pm and took me home. It was a great trip and the round trip ticket only cost $90. I was limited to a backpack, but I did it. In fact, I didn't even wear one pair of pants and one of the shirts that I brought. 

Office before

Office after

While I was in California, Allie and Tomo jumped on a plane and came to Utah. Sad I missed their visit.

We went to a sandwich place that had high reviews. It was ok, but the company was top-notch

Family Time and Joy at Church

This week has been exceptional. I went into work and got a lot of things done, alleviating the anxiety I've been feeling. I went to lunch with my good friend Annie Oswald. We haven't seen each other in a long time because of our summer travel schedules. Friday I went walking with my friend Danelle. We hadn't walked in weeks and it was great to catch up. 

Sunday we had dinner at Kamiko and Bekki's new house. Friday we went again and had dinner there. I fixed dinner both times. Their house is so beautiful. When we sit in their sectional in the family room, surrounded by windows with a view of the trees outside, I feel like we are in a cabin. It's so wonderful. We've had great times there. Friday was a celebration of Bekki's birthday on the 9th and Kamiko's birthday on the 12th. We had Indian food and chocolate chip pound cake with ice cream. Kamiko had been going through is save box and we had so much fun reading some of his assignments from 3rd grade. Oh my gosh...we laughed so hard at a story he wrote about our family getting sucked into the TV and back in time to pioneer days. According to his story, we met pa, ma, Mary, Laura, and baby Carrie. He was referencing "Little House on the Prairie," a show that I watched as a kid and still enjoy. Evidently, my kids watched it a lot too. 

Saturday morning I picked up Mel and we hiked to Timpanogos Cave. OH MY GOSH. That hike is hard. I hadn't done it in at least a year. Mel was so patient and slowed down so we could stay together and talk. She encouraged me and I made it. I plan to go again next week with my neighbor, Rachel. She goes up there a lot. It's steep, with a lot of switchbacks. I was so proud of us getting to the top. Mel is a sweetie to go with me. Her co-worker, who is a Jehovah's Witness, was there with his wife, in their church clothes, proselyting. I was happy to meet him and tell him how much Mel likes working there. On the way home, Mel mentioned how much she loved the Trumps and my friend Amy Christensen from our old ward. Those friends always treated my kids like people, not just like Dana's kids. They still love my kids. 

After hiking, I took a nap, then went to a baby shower for Emily Dana, one of the presidency members in SFLSA. Kourtney Glenn, Abby Richardson, and Ethan Lloyd, all presidency and board members, were there. We had a great time. Since I was in West Jordan, I went to Allison and James' house to visit with them. I had some stuff from Kristen to deliver to Allison. It was a fun short visit. It was a wonderful day of family and friends. 

During general conference, I took notes by writing an impression of something I could do based on each talk. I focus on one or two post it notes with my impression each week. The note for this week said to "Find Joy at Church." Hmmm. What was that going to look like? I decided that I would have a good day at church. Well, a new sister in the ward, Jessica Carter, spoke and she is pure joy. I quickly figured out that she is divorced. She has 4 kids, ranging from 12 - 3 years old. Her talk was soooo good. I'll try my best to summarize it. Jessica told about a video that has gone viral. In the video, a woman is going to free jump. In the jump, she is attached to an expert, and they jump and release a parachute. Before the jump, the expert asks her what she's feeling. She likened that to the Lord wanting to know what we are feeling. Pray and let Him know. When they jump, she is attached to him. He has experience and will get her to the ground safely. In fact, before they jump. she says that she is scared and he says that she won't go anywhere without him being there with her. That is so much like our Savior. He is with us. Jessica said she can't imagine cutting the parachute strings, or breaking covenants and separating herself from her Savior. The guide got the woman down to the ground safely. 

What a great analogy. I introduced myself after church and she said people had told her she should meet me. I look forward to getting to know her. Joy at church. Starlyn and I went to mom's to play 5 Crowns this afternoon after my nice nap. I also went on a walk as the sun was setting and weather was cooling off. What a week. Here's to another week!

Jenny and I are going to Disneyland soon. I think I"ll wear this shirt. 

Can we just appreciate how cute Tomo is!?

New-to-me-car

In early July, my trusty 2005 Subaru Forester started smoking. It also wasn't steering well. I took it to the mechanic and the problem was that power steering fluid was leaking onto the exhaust system, causing smoke. Additionally, the rack and pinion were going out. Repairs would cost way more than what the car was worth. My cute little Forester was basically on life support. I did routine oil changes and minor repairs, but it wasn't worth it to spend much money on it. 

I always said I hoped it lasted long enough to be 20 years old and it did. It even survived being sideswiped by a bus. 

On July 5 I headed out to look for a new car. I wasn't comfortable buying an expensive car that required a loan. I also hadn't had enough time to save up for a car. I prayed as I drove north. I also asked mom and my sisters to pray for me. I felt a lot of confidence as I drove to Layton to start my search. I wanted a Subaru CrossTrek. Then I test drove an Impreza and I really liked it. It's a cute little buzz around town car with great gas mileage. So, I decided I wanted a Subaru Impreza for around $10,000 with under 100,000 miles. I knew it was a needle in a haystack, but I felt confident I could find it. 

I walked into dealerships with confidence, telling the salesmen what I was looking for. We didn't quite find what I wanted, and I walked out, noting what they had in case I needed to come back. I stopped at Subaru dealerships and used car lots in SLC, Sandy, and American Fork. After striking out, I had a feeling I'd find what I was looking for at Brent Brown Toyota (now Orem Toyota). Years ago, I did follow up mail for many of the salesmen there, including their top seller, Bob Sanders. I had bought my Forester from Bob in 2017. I had called on Friday to see if Bob was still working there. A salesman called and left a message to reach out to him if I needed help. 

So, I went to Orem Toyota and asked for him. He was busy with a customer, so someone else started helping me look. Once he was available, I told him that I had worked with Bob. He told me that Bob had retired a few months back. Bob's son works there in the finance office and I got to meet him. I told the salesman that I wanted the Bob Sanders discount. We looked through their database, but didn't find anything. He suggested we go walk on the lot because sometimes cars are on the lot that aren't in the database yet. We walked and I saw it - a dark grey Subaru Impreza. He said that it was probably in my price range. He looked it up and it was, indeed, a great price. It wasn't in the database because they were going to send it to auction. It had a branded title because it had been stolen and not recovered within 30 days. 

It seems to be in great shape. I felt calm all day and I felt calm buying the car. I feel that my prayers and the prayers of mom and my sisters were answered. It's a bit nerve wracking to buy a used car, but I did my best by praying and listening to my gut. I'm happy with it. I still miss my Forester sometimes. I miss the storage spaces it had. I miss the sunglasses storage space. I miss the pen holder in the visor. It's ok, though, I'm enjoying the more powerful air conditioning in my new car. I'm also enjoying the great gas mileage and how sporty my little car is. 

August is a Month of Anxiety

There's a thing called the "Sunday Scaries." Basically, it's the feeling of overwhelm one feels on a Sunday, knowing the work week starts the next day. I've decided that August is a month-long Sunday Scary, and I don't like it. 

I had my carpets cleaned this morning, then went to lunch with Annie Oswald. After that, I went into work. I marked my calendar for a bunch of things, printed out a bunch of papers and tickets, and worked on the recipe packet for SFL 110. That DANG packet took me so long to edit. I had to re-do a lab planning sheet and get it pasted into the recipe packet. The document I had to work with is cute, but very difficult to copy and paste. Oh my goodness. It was a nightmare! On top of that, I have people asking for updated videos, edits to instructions, etc. I just want to hide in a hole and not do anything. Every time I check something off my to-do list, 3 things are added. 

I took dinner to Kamiko and Bekki's house last night. Mel came, too. We had a yummy chicken with potatoes and carrots. I also made biscuits. We had a great time. Their backyard is especially wonderful. It's big, has trees, and is decorated with cute lights. It was so relaxing. We're doing dinner again next Sunday for their birthdays. They closed on their house right before they went to Denmark for a conference, and moved the day after they got back. I came home to a quiet house. I've cleaned and done a lot of laundry, and it's time to put things back together. I sure loved having them in my house. We played Yahtzee a lot, watched shows, and had a good time. I took Jerry for a walk most mornings. He got to the point where he would grab his own leash when he heard me open the coat closet door and get my walking hat. He was sometimes a turd, and would pull me. Other times, he was dreamy. I always took him, though, because he loved walks and I would have felt terrible going on a walk and not taking him with me. Now he has a huge yard, so he can play and get fresh air all day. 

The bright side is that I have this new Pleasanton mug for my desk. I've replaced a very generic pencil holder with this mug that Kim Cassetti gave me. I love it so much. Why didn't I find a cute mug sooner?

This is what I used before. UGLY

Colorado Wedding

In the car and ready to go

Kristen, Jenny, mom, Connor, Summer, Karen, me, and Debbie

Cuties leaving the temple

Connor Crockett married Summer Thomas on July 18 in the Denver Temple. I picked up mom and made sure she got to the airport and to and from the wedding. Debbie and Jenny were on our flight, and we met up with Kristen at the Denver Airport. From the airport, we went to the hotel that I was able to arrange through work (in a rental car that I got - also through work). From the hotel, we went to Karen's house for a casual dinner with family and friends. A lot of Crocketts were there and a lot of Connor and Summer's friends. It was really fun. 

Mom struggled with all of the details and moving parts. She had also struggled with Andrew's wedding week. It's all understandable. It's a lot! She did indicate that she didn't know what was going on...that she was just following along. She also indicated that it was her last trip that involved air travel. I don't blame her. She'll be 87, and air travel is a lot. Debbie purchased her ticket and I got her through security, to the gate, and got her snack. I think it's a combination of her age and dad having taken care of a lot of details for both of them. 

The sealing was at 11:30, which is about perfect. We didn't have to get going too early. Our hotel included breakfast, so we enjoyed the breakfast buffet before heading to the temple. Jenny and I shared a bed, Debbie and Kristen shared a bed, and mom took the couch. She didn't even want it pulled out. She just wanted to curl up and sleep on top of the couch. She was so cute. 

After pictures at the temple, we dropped mom at the hotel so she could take a nap. She wasn't hungry. Us girls went to Shake Shack to get lunch. We were told that the wedding reception had snacks and it was suggested we grab food. When we got to the reception, we found that mom was the smart one. The snacks were mini tacos, burgers, egg rolls, etc. It could have been a meal. We were all hungry, though, so Shake Shack was a good choice. We had a good time at the reception. We got there about an hour in and stayed until it ended. 

After the reception, we went to the hotel to rest, then we were invited to Karen's house for leftovers from the reception. They heated up sliders, tacos, etc. We had some treats leftover from the previous night's family dinner. It was, again, a lot of Crocketts and some Hunters. We really had a good time. All of the Crocketts are so warm and welcoming. 

I must admit that I was a bit off. I'm not very patient when it comes to being a caretaker and sometimes I just have to shut off. It's a good thing I have sisters to step in. 

I'm Sewing (3 dresses in 3 days)

The fabric I bought in Barcelona reminds me of Liberty of London florals, but it was a fraction of the price at the outdoor market. It's a really nice cotton.

My fall version.

The first version. I loved the vintage fabric I found, but I had to cut corners (because of the 36-inch width instead of 45-inch width) and make things a bit shorter, and it just didn't work. 

I got home from study abroad and took a class at Dave's Bernina to learn how to use my new machine. Wow, there are a ton of features that I won't remember. Dang. Good thing I can repeat the class as many times as I want to. I bought a few accessories and started sewing. I wanted to make a dress out of the floral fabric I bought in Barcelona, but I wanted it to be just right. I found a pattern and bought $4/yard fabric at Making Space, a craft resale shop. I found a former student who's much shorter and smaller than I am. I made the dress according to my measurements and it was way too small. So, I bought more fabric at Making Space and made the dress again, with alterations. It was almost just right! I made a couple more tweaks and made the dress out of my Barcelona fabric. I love it. I love knowing that I have sewing skills and that I can make alterations confidently. I wore it to church when Jenny and Scott spoke. I've worn it to my home ward, too. I can't wait to wear the other one in the fall. 

It was so fun. I've also done a few small projects. I bought a couple of lavender sachets at Monet Gardens with the intent to cut them open and use the lavender in homemade sachets from my Barcelona fabric. I was able to make 7 of those. I've already delivered them to the sisters I minister to, and they seemed grateful. I plan to give Kim Cassetti one for her birthday. Kim Blight will also get one. I look forward to more projects.

A friend from college (Reed Hyer) was in town and wanted help selecting fabric to make a quilt. We went to a quilt shop and got a start, but he didn't quite find what he was looking for. It did inspire me to perhaps make my own Halloween quilt. I think that would be sooooo fun. 

We shall see!

Big Family Changes

 Me and Jerry on a walk

I was convinced I was still blonde until I saw this picture

James, Emily, Morgan, Andrew, Marie, and Christian

We were asked to dress in a certain color scheme for Andrew's wedding. Thankfully, my Venice dress was the perfect color and weight for a summer wedding. I also wore it to Connor's wedding. 

The ball is a melon. We often call Mel "Melon"

The kids were so funny. They lined up and practiced doing flips off of the diving board. Kamiko and Mel got in on the action. Cute Mac figured it out after some coaching from one of Jame's and Hailey's girls. 

Jen and Scott came home from their 3 year mission to Angola on Saturday, June 28. That was the beginning of a very busy family week. 

Saturday, Jenny and Scott got home

Sunday, Jenny and Scott spoke in church

Monday, family dinner for Andrew Sykes and Morgan before their wedding

Tuesday, temple sealing for Andrew and Morgan

Friday, 4th of July family pool party at Jen's

I was mom's handler. It was a crazy week, to say the least. I picked up mom to be at the airport Saturday afternoon around 2:00. We waited quite a bit for them to get off the plane and through customs. Marie, Eli and kids were at the airport. So were James, Allison, and kids. Kristen, Doug, and Debbie were also there. They look great. It was fun to have 4 sisters together. Karen came to town in time for the Monday dinner and Tuesday sealing. After the airport, mom and I went to walk through Kamiko and Bekki's house, then back to Mapleton. Kamiko and Bekki are finally under contract on a home in Orem. Poor Bekki never wanted to live in Orem. She also didn't want a 2-story house. BUT they found a home that checked off all the boxes - lots of land, privacy, natural light, space for Jerry, office for work, etc. Their realtor, Jen, worked on all the contracts during Jay and Aysa's wedding. Jen is great. I'm excited for them to get into their place. It's about 4,000 sq. ft. on 1/2 acre. It has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, including a basement apartment with kitchen. They don't plan to rent it out, but it will be nice to have for guests. They can really grow into the house. They felt prompted to sell their home in Vineyard in April. They found a number of houses that interested them, but something always went wrong...until this one. In the meantime, they've been in my basement. It's been great. They watched my house while I was in Europe. I walked Jerry most mornings. Most mornings he was good. 

Jen and Scott's ward met later in the morning, thankfully. I didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to take mom. We got up there in time to get a seat with family. They gave great talks. We really weren't aware of any plan, so we figured we'd just grab lunch at a restaurant on our way home. Jen and Scott had sandwiches and sides at their home after their talks, so we went there. We got a great picture of family. Kamiko came to hear them speak. Scott spoke of people having experiences with visions. He said that many Africans speak the language of visions. One pastor really wanted to find truth. He dedicated himself to fasting and prayer in his backyard. One night, he had a vision where 2 white men and 1 black man gave him a blue book. Later, that pastor found himself at a meeting where a branch was being organized. He met Scott, who was busy making callings, etc. So, Scott asked the elders to visit with the man. It was a trio that day (2 white elders and 1 black elder). The man knew what they were teaching was true. Allie watched Jen and Scott speak virtually. That's one good thing that came from Covid. We can share church with our loved ones who are far away. 

Monday and Tuesday were a marathon. Thank goodness the dinner wasn't until 6:00 pm. When I got home from Europe and started asking, I found out that nobody had room for me and mom for Monday night. I got an airbnb for me and mom for Monday night because I was NOT going to drive 1.5 hours to and from Ogden Monday and again on Tuesday. We got to our place in the late afternoon and went to the grocery store to buy some food. We bought stuff to make sandwiches and bought yogurt and fruit. Mom walked the store looking for a pastry. We got back to the hotel, changed clothes, and headed to the dinner. I texted Kristen, Karen, and Debbie and told them that I needed them to take care of mom at the dinner. It was a nice dinner and a fun program to celebrate the newlyweds. Each of Andrew's siblings gave Morgan something to allow her to survive living with Rod and vice versa. Her siblings gave Rod a survival kit. It was really fun. We got back to our room, which had cooled off a bit, thanks to a wall air conditioner unit, and went to bed. I had turned down the A/C a bit. Mom got downright cold during the night. Oops. I was on a sofa bed in the living room/kitchen area. It was a really cute little place. It was a place to sleep and shower, and it was close to the temple and Jen's house. Perfect. 

Tuesday at 1:00 was the sealing. Scott's parents are divorced, and have been so for years. Before the sealing started, his dad came and sat right next to his mom. WHAT? So weird. Scott came over and quietly spoke to his mom. He said "hey, mom, Marie is on her way here and wants to sit next to you. Come with me." So tactful. It was great. The sealer talked about a talk given by President Nelson at Sister Holland's funeral. The basic sentiment was that the day of your sealing is the most important day of your life because it starts a new family. It was sweet. We went to Jenny and Scott's house to relax and gather until the reception that night at the Ogden Botanical Garden. Mom and I stayed long enough to see Starlyn and Lee come. It was a beautiful night and it was really fun to gather with friends and family. 

Friday was the 4th of July and we all gathered in Ogden AGAIN for some pool fun. By this time, Jen was worn out and SICK. She hardly got out of bed. Hunter had come into town. Kamiko, Bekki, Mel and I went up there. Kristen and Doug, Allison and James and kids came. All of Jen's kids and their kids were there. We enjoyed bakery cake to celebrate Jen's 60th birthday. We also catered in Javier's Mexican food. It was a fun day. I took mom up and back. We didn't stay too late because we wanted to get back home before things got too crazy with fireworks. 

Overall, it was a great week. It was a lot of driving.