WHAT TO DO WITH SATURDAY?

Boy, blogging every day means I really have to stretch to have something of value to say.  My "catch-up" posts take a long time to put together.  Alan says just to do a sentence or two like Ashley sometimes does.  I am not only not as clever as Ashley, I don't have funny little subjects to highlight.  So today's is a stretch.  What do you think?

Lake Forest was a beautiful place to raise my children.  The trees unified the area.  The kids had the greenbelt and the creek close by to play in.  We were surrounded by wonderful people.  But sometimes I wish we had moved to this house in San Clemente to raise my family.  There are so many activities close at hand.  I could just imagine all the exploring and creative things children could do being so close to all that nature. Luckily, we have Bailey to enjoy the area as well as some of the kids on this street.

For the last few days, if you want to find Bailey, Morgan and Homar who also lives down the street, just look up--way, way up.  See them at the top of the hill.

What are they doing up there?

What kids do, making a better place to play. 

The way down is the cement water channel.

It is not that easy to remain upright and walk down.

But eventually you are there...

Tiring of playing in the wild, the kids were off to a carnival not too far away where the city of San Clemente was putting on a carnival to celebrate the new sports park they are building on the sight.

Meanwhile, it was about time for me to bring a little beautiful nature to my almost barren gardens.  As usual I buy more than I have daylight left to plant.

At least the most visible front garden got done.

The rest must wait for another day.  In Lake Forest I always waited for Alan to turn into my dad and spend all his spare time making our yard and gardens beautiful.  Alan kept the front yard neat and the bushes trimmed.  Sometimes he planted flowers.  But it just wasn't his passion.  Besides, in Lake Forest the awful eucalytus trees poisoned the soil and kept things from flourishing.  When we moved to SC, I decided I would be more like my dad myself and like my sister Rosemary and spend some time in the gardens.  I don't have as much time as I used to and our gardens often are sparsely planted.  But when the season changes, it is fun to see how beautiful the yard becomes with a little color.

REVA AND HER DOLLS

Reva with our new doll, Olivia, saying good-by.

When we first moved to San Clemente, Alan was immediately assigned to be High Priest Group leader.  One of the best things he did during the short time he served there, before being called to the High Council, was to assign himself to home teach George and Reva Yetton. (She is the only one he retained when we were moved to the Singles Ward.) I almost always  went with him and we soon came to love these people. George worked in the temple and played golf at least once a week. He still earned a little money by working as a janitor at a high school, though he was in his 70's.  He was not in good health and had chronic pain in his legs, but stayed very active and did not complain.  He spent a lot of time helping others. 

Reva spent much of her time making beautiful dolls and their clothes and teaching classes to others on how to do it.  She also was in poor health.  Eventually, she was diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumor in her upper abdomen.  The City of Hope in Pasadena was the only place that would dare do surgery to remove it.  She had a very difficult time recuperating from the surgery, including having a heart attack.  George could not drive, but wanted to see Reva daily at a hospital that was at least an hour away.  He had many friends in and out the church and managed to get someone to take him daily.  We made the drive with him several times ourselves.  She ended being there about 2  months.  Her recovery at home was slow and George waited on her with great affection.  But after she had been home a few months he had a terrible stroke and died.  Reva has been alone now for 4 years with varying degrees of bad health.  She continues to make her dolls when she feels well enough and they have truly filled her small home.  Right now she is not doing too well and for some reason the doctors can't figure out, her vision is poor and she can't do the fine work on the dolls. Alan suggested to her that if she had a doll she wanted to sell he felt he would find a buyer for them among family and friends. The first one that we placed was with Marge.  She had a friend that collected this type of doll and was eager to buy one for herself and later a second.  She also had a couple of friends that bought one each. 

Isn't this doll Marge bought beautiful?

We sold a few at first, but Reva has not been well enough to complete any new ones and has such a hard time giving up her beautiful dolls.  They are like her children. Each one is made with love and care.  She is one  of the most amazing craftsman.  She pours the head and limbs, fires them, sews and stuffs the bodies, paints the faces with intricate care, and sews the tiny clothing with enormous skill.  Each doll is a work of art.

Here are some of the children that literally fill Reva's house.  They all have names and stories.

Today I drove Reva to the doctor because she is not well enough to drive herself.  The tumor has returned a while ago and she lives in fear her only option will be more surgery.  This week she had had to repair her car, an expense that is not in her small budget.  When we arrived home, I purchased one of the dolls she had decided to sell.  She hugged and kissed the doll named  Olivia good-by and told her to be a good girl.  We already purchased a gorgeous baby doll years ago that Alan had asked her to make  Now we have added Olivia also. (I think she also reminds him of Halle as a toddler.) 

Alan fell in love with one like this just after Halle was born.  He asked Reva to make him one because it reminded him of Halle.  It took her a couple of years to get to it.  She is a treasure now.

This is another doll she has decided she will sell.  (They sell for $125.00 for this size.  The time, skill and materials in these dolls are worth much more, I am sure.)

She will also part with these little "stuffies" she calls them for $30 each.

Three other dolls Reva will sell. They are each unique.

We love Reva and try to help her and make her difficult life easier.  Luckily, we are not the only ones who love her. She has many friends in her trailer park and many others she has worked with in this  dollmaking world.  Her children do not live close and she refuses to live with them, even if they would ask her.  The church is set up to fill in the gaps of people just like Reva.  She has been giving herself for lots of years and now people want to help her in return.

WE LOVE THE MARINES!

Warning, warning this blog is more journal than warm, fuzzy family things.  You are in danger of being bored.  I want to remember these young people and their impact on our lives.

We have been called to serve in the San Clemente 5th Ward with a special assignment to work with the single marines stationed at Camp Pendleton and living in the barracks at the northern end of the base.  Alan had been asked to teach the Base Family Home Evening lessons there for almost a year, so he already had some familiarity with it and with some of the young men.  But this is a newly made up calling and we are learning to navigate in new territory.  For a few years there has already been a committee of Young Adults called to be in charge of these Base FHE meetings and to coordinate all the other activities that have to do with the Young Single Marines.  Others from the ward join in for Base FHE, bonfire activities at the beach on base, free service car washes, welcome home dinners, farewell dinners, goody bags for deployed marines and other activities.  This mostly started when a wonderful senior missionary couple was assigned to this part of the base and they were so involved and pro-active a good group got started.  The YS marines meet on Sundays at the SC 5th ward with us in Aliso Viejo.  However, that is about 25 miles from where they live and is not always possible for them to come.  Regular YSA family home evenings held at the bishops home are also hard for them to attend, so Base FHE was started so they could have a weekday spiritual opportunity and  a chance to socialize with other member young adults.  We have varying levels of success and disappointment with this calling. Some weeks almost no marines come or come to church.  Some weeks very few of our committee or others from the ward come to support us and the marines.  Some nights no one has done their assignments and there are no refreshments, songs, games or enthusiasm. Then we have a wonderful evening like last night and are renewed again.  Last night we had four great marines show up--one new, one newly returned from deployment--many YS adults came both from our committee and from the ward in general.  We had extra refreshments and lots of fellowship.  We have had some opportunites to counsel and encourage lately.  Alan has been asked to give a couple of young men blessings to strengthen them in their resolve to live the gospel under the challenging situations they live in.  We love to have them over to dinner and get to know them a little.  Here are a few pictures from last night:

This is Spencer Brown.  He is truly a blessing to us.  He is from Payson, UT and is just turning 19.  He has only been here a couple of months, but attends every single thing having to do with the church that he can get to.  He has even spoken already in Sacrament Meeting and did a wonderful job.  We couldn't figure out why he didn't go on a mission.  He had some time away from the church and signed up to join the Marines.  But before he left he came back into activity strongly and was ordained an Elder before he left home.  He has been a missionary at this base.  He identifies those who are LDS (something we are unable to do unless they or their families contact us) and keeps on them to attend meetings.  He always brings another marine with him to everything.  Another young man told us that "Brown is annoying."  However, that young man has not only started coming regularly because of Spencer but when he went home for Easter he got a new suit so he would not stand out in his jeans, tennis shoes and sweatshirt. 

This is Julie Monroe who is one of the very faithful on our committee.  Her family lived in our ward when she was born and her older sister was one of Lindsey's best friends.  Her dad was Alan's counselor in the Elders Quorum presidency and is the subject of some of Alan's favorite funny stories.  We love quirky Julie and depend on her to liven things up and always be there.

This is Meghan, Natasha and Andrew.  Andrew Best is a marine that just started coming to church this week.  He is from Hurricane, UT and says he always goes to church when he is home and is an elder, but hasn't been so active while he has been in the marines.  He is getting out of the marines in a few months and has decided he needs to be involved again.  He has been deployed at least 4 times, the last two to Iraq.  He wants to go to Afganistan because he loves to be deployed, but that would mean signing up for 4 more years.  He is considering joining the Reserves.

Megan and Natasha are on our committee and very faithful.  Some of the marines are a little more involved because these two girls participate.  Unfortunately, the girls high standards eventually make some of  the young men stay away, because they are uncomfortable with where they tried to take the relationship and got turned down. 

This is Brian Bullock, Emily Leavitt and Mike.  Brian is the priesthood committee chairman and is there most weeks.  He is relatively new and still learning the marines and stuff.  Emily used to be the sister chairman and knows a great deal about the marines.  She was very diligent in her calling and we miss her.  She comes now when she can but her new calling occupies her quite a bit.  She brought Mike from the ward with her because I suggested that we needed more priesthood representation on Wednesday.  I don't know Mike well.  He is waiting to find out next month if he has passed the bar.

These are two of the three sister missionaries in our ward.  They come out about twice a month if they can get someone to drive them.  Sister F.  (hard name, can't remember it) is going home to New Zealand in a week.  She has been a totally awesome missionary.  Since these two were assigned to our ward we have had a baptism almost every week.  The other missionary Sister T (also a difficult polynesian name) is from Sandy, Utah. The marine in camies is Dennis Brown,  The other marine is Brian.  He has been back from deployment less than 24 hours and left just before I was called. 

This is Averie Morgan and Dillon McKuhn.  This is Dillon's first time at Base FHE and I don't know anything about him.  Averie has been coming to Base FHE since she moved in the ward in the fall.  She is very faithful in attending.  Her job on the committee is assigning and directing the Base FHE activities, assignments, etc.  She was sick a while ago and called me early one morning to take her to the hospital.  We got to be even better friends going through that together.  She is the only person that calls me by my first name and I appreciate that.

Here are the trio of sister missionaries.  Sometimes they come to church and things dressed just alike.  Pretty crazy.  I guess they will be down to a normal duo when Sister F leaves.  We will miss her enthusiasm and personality.  The other two had been companions in the MTC, so it is a rematch.

Dennis Brown is from Draper or Sandy or someplace like that.  He is a returned missionary who served in South Africa.  He has some interesting stories to share about his experiences there.  Dennis is a good guy and we like having him at Base FHE.  I don't remember seeing him at church,though.  He has a hard time getting there so attends church on the base called SOI for marines who are temporarily assigned to Pendleton and can't leave for church.

Another picture of Brian.  He likes to hunt, so he and Alan have some things in common.  He works for Union Bank of CA, but is going to go back to school for an MBA or something in the fall.

All so macho. Brian (in front) told me all about his deployment.  He was on a miew (which is out on a ship going to many different places).  He said they did most of their training in Kuwait.  But that was only one of the many places they went.  I could not believe he would be at Base FHE when he was so newly home.

This is Karisa Brinckerhoff.  She is a convert of about 6 weeks.  She is the Sisters transportation to Base FHE.  She is also thrilled with the church and involved in many phases of it. She is not shy and loves to participate in any class she attends.  We love her new testimony.

We know it is a successful night when they all want to visit and visit and socialize and don't need a game to break the ice.  It was a good evening.  We feel we are making headway and helping some that are in need right now.  I really love these young men and of course those that help us as well.

SPRING IN SAN CLEMENTE!

I know all you people in the cold and frozen East and North don't think we have Spring in California. Nine years ago we made a little excursion to San Clemente because we had been tipped off that there were some great new homes for sale. As we drove up Via Del Rio and turned on Vistazo, we saw the most beautiful green and yellow hills with a few houses nestled at the base of them. I have often said it was the yellow hills that made me fall in love with the house we bought and watched be built. Some years these hills don't get green and yellow, but this year they are blooming in full force. 

It is just mustard weed, but for a few weeks it is beautiful.

These are blooming all over and I hardly  remember them.

I am very grateful for the beauty of where we live.  When I stop and look around it is our own version of Spring.  True we have things that bloom year round.  Our grass and many of our trees are green all year.  But as it warms a little, as the sun shines a little longer, and it rains now and then, our beautiful San Clemente becomes even more beautiful.

I love the bouganvilla.  It is everywhere and radiant

Everything is blooming in profusion. These are all just on our street.

I also love the bird of paradise that does so well around here.

Beautiful pots full of flowers spring up everywhere.

Then there is the wildlife we see around here.  Alan spots the deer as we round the freeway from San Juan Capistrano over to San Clemente.  We have seen deer on our hills on our street lately, but not often.  What we do have is a resident road runner.  One morning he was even in our backyard.  I snapped him on the fence.

We see him most at the corner in the first picture. 

But I snapped him yesterday as I pulled out of the driveway.

We also have quail around.  This one hopped up on the fence and watched us swim last weekend.

These critters are a nuisance, since they have been so plentiful around here.  They are cute however, and it feels like you live out in nature with them hopping in front of you daily.

Can you see this hummingbird?  He was too fast for me to get him in detail.  We love these little birds we have buzzing all over the place.

Of course, there are lots of the domesticated wildlife around here.  This is Bailey.  When he sees us in the morning, he refuses to move until we arrive and give him a little attention.

Our morning walks along these beautifully kept walks are sometimes breathtaking as

the morning sun hits the mountains, or causes the clouds to glow "sky-blue pink."

Palm trees and evergreens are always Cali beautiful.

One of the things I love so much about this San Clemente home is the view I have each day.  I keep my blinds open round the clock so I can see this out my window.  This time of year it is the most beautiful.

Can you see the faint line of the ocean on the horizon? Some days San Clemente island shows up, but not often. It usually shows when the Santa Anas blow all the fog and clouds out to sea.

We love all we see from any side of our house.  We love San Clemente at any season.  But, oh we love the green hills for the time we have them.  A little more rain please.