Friday night dinner and games night

Tonight we had My folk, Amy's Folks, and two 13 year-old kids from China over for dinner. Slow roasted BBQ ribs, steamed vegetables, and baked potatoes - followed by home made strawberry ice cream. We learned we could serve 6 people comfortably and 2 more if we could get more folding chairs. We also were a little saddened to learn that these two young men didn't know what texting, Wii or bowling are. We taught what we could tonight.

Healer of the Month Award Celebrating

 

I got an award at work today. I'm healer of the month for July. Amy asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate and I chose what any good married man would want - a hike and a photo shoot. So we took the tripod and went up to the hills above Port Costa. Amy and I practiced gazing off into the distance. Then we went a little further and watched the moon rise above Martinez. Great Celebration for an unexpected award.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Tonight Amy and I went to the 2nd Wednesday night class: Provident Living. An aspiring pastry chef brought these really good cupcakes that she made from scratch. Amy had1/2 of one. I had 2 1/2.

I misplaced my camera on Sunday so there are no pictures for Monday and Tuesday. Monday we went and saw our friends Robin and Jerry get their patriarchal blessings. Tuesday we hung out as a couple at the apartment.

One of my Heroes

We were at the in-laws when my brother-in-law stopped by. He's on rotations this weekend, but still managed to stop by and say hi.

The start to Amy's avocado farm

 Amy has decided she wants to become an avocado farmer. Some day we will have a field but for now we have a glass in kitchen.

The Grandeur of Boats

Living near the Delta, and crossing the Delta every day for work, I see a lot of boats every week. Tonight, Amy and I walked (4 miles) the Benicia Bridge and during our walk I saw this beautiful girl. I have a bad habit of creating adventurous stories in my head when I see these boats. I'm sure their jobs are rather normal, but I imagine wondrous experiences in the life of the sailors on these boats.

After the walk, we were driving home when I got pulled over. I had a headlight out on the truck (it happened Monday night). I managed to talk myself out of the fix-it ticket thus keeping my record clean of 100% no tickets.   

We get to Teach!!!!

Starting this month, every first Wednesday of the month, Amy and I get to teach a class for the YSA ward. We are teaching "Teachings of our modern day Prophets. I'm so excited. Amy is so-so excited. I had this class when I was living in Beaverton and have wanted to teach it ever since. Now we get to. I'm so excited! For those wanting to follow along - it's Institute Manual 333

It's been hot today

When we left Crescent City, it was about 70. When we got home last night - our apartment was about 89. Today wasn't much better. So tonight Amy and I took turns standing in front of our fan.

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day. Amy and I had a very enjoyable day today. Sleeping in, for the last day. A final walk on the beach. Really great BBQ ribs with Paul, Melanie and Steve. Then a drive home. All in all, a nice end to our vacation.

a lazy boat day

We woke up at 8:30, went to 9 AM church (!), and then stumbled back to bed and to sleep. At about 6:30, Amy's sister invites us to Crescent City's Deck Party. We went, but were disappointed. It was people standing around drinking $4 beers. So, instead of standing around watching people get drunk, we went for a walk at the park. We sat down at a bench and played Carcassonne on the iTouch and enjoyed each others company. Sitting in the bay a little ways off was this beautiful boat. It was so pretty.

This is not a star fish, according to the nice ranger

 Amy and I went on a 3 mile "hike" today. We walked along the beach which involved navigating boulders and rocks. It was a beautiful hike. After being gone for about 3 hours, Amy's sister called us. Next on the agenda was a night hike to "Hidden Beach." After over coming my fears of climbing through a kelp forest on our first hike, I got to go on a 2.5 mile hike in the dark with very little light. We arrived at a secluded beach where we had a bonfire and set off beautiful fireworks over the ocean while sitting around a bonfire. It was a great experience. We got back at 3 AM Sunday morning.

I went to Crescent City and all I got was crabs

 We have walked every day since we got here. Partly because there is only so much Anime I can handle at one sitting, but more because I love the beach and I can't think of anything I'd rather do but walk along it. Crescent City has a lot of rocky coast line which leads to a lot of little tidal pools. Amy took the top picture. I took the bottom picture. There were a bunch of crabs out - and by out I mean scouried under rocks and crevices.

vacation beach sunset

Woke up at noon, missed a fire drill at work, watched 12 episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, and was actively entertained on facebook. Amy, Melanie and I went on walk at about 8:30 and snapped his shot.

on the road again

We were supposed to go to a wedding in September, but it got postponed, so Amy and I scrounged up some $$, got a few days off, and tonight drove out of town.

raining in june?

This didn't quite turn out the way I intended. I was trying to catch my reflection in the puddle. Instead it just looks like pee running down my leg.

With Grandpa at the SNF

Grandpa was moved from he hospital to a skilled nursing facility today. On Friday the surgeons put three pins in his hip. Today the hospital had him up walking with a walker before they sent him to he SNF. He'll be there for a week or two depending on how he progresses. Amy and I wen to see him tonight and he talked our ears off, which is a sign he is feeling better.

Churro bought by dad

Amy and I went down to Fremont today to help my dad clean out his garage. He said thank you by taking us out to BBQ prior to the game and bought us churros at the game. The game sucked. San Jose Giants had 5 errors! good grief. At least he churro tasted great.

A night of too much fun

Amy and I needed a big distraction tonight. Amy's grandfather fell yesterday and broke his hip. Today he had surgery. He's 89. So to distract us, we went to a party. At the party, we ended up playing Scrabble. I forgot to take a picture, so here is a picture of our other games.

Flowers for algenon

A patient graduated from therapy today. He was so happy, he went out to Home Depot and bought his flower (an Orchid?) for his therapist.

Now if only I had 100 friends

Amy and I went shopping at Costco tonight. I saw this and got really excited. But then I figured out that I don't know enough people to eat that much pig.

I bet someone got shot

Finally, after three attempts, I finally was able to get a pic of this over pass that has "Richmond" decorated on the side. Unfortunately, that success came because we all had to stop and let the rescue workers by.

Sutan and Cream Cheese Ragoon

For FHE tonight we opted out of cooking at our place because it was 102 degrees already. So instead we went to a Thai resteraunt that we like. For appetizers we had chicken sutan (my favorite now that I can't have fried calamari) and we had cream cheese filled ragoon (sp?) (which will be in my top 5 for favorite appetizers for me). It was a very yummy evening.

Aarrgg Matey

I didn't take a picture today, so you get a picture from yesterday. Amy and I went to the pirate festival after balloon festival. She always wants me to dress up for things (faninme, Pirate fest, Halloween, etc). So when I find something I'd be willing to wear - in public- I take a picture. I'd be willing to wear what this guy is wearing.

The world from the inside out

 At 4:15 this morning, Amy, my Dad, and I drove out to the Sonoma Hot Air Balloon classic. It was my first time at a Hot Air Balloon event. This was my favorite shot. But the fan favorites from facebook are posted below. After we returned from the festival, and and I took a nap and then went to Pirate Festival in Vallejo. It was a fun, but packed Saturday.

On the bathroom walls

Amy and I went to a party in Napa tonight at this really old house in Napa. The bathroom was wallpapered with an old Sears Roebuck catalog.

We deliver

Tonight on our way home from visiting a friend in Napa, we dropped by the Sister Missionaries place and left them some strawberry pie.

poser with big ears

Amy and I had dinner with some friends tonight. After dinner I took pictures of the cats and the snake. This was by far my favorite though. It's no secret that I'm not a big fan of cats, but I do have a soft place in my heart for cats that will pose for a camera.

library fountain

This is a fountain that is in front of the Vallejo Library. Amy had to go and return some books and pay a fine. I had a rough time getting out of Richmond today, so I got home just in time for us to go together. From there we went to the gas station where I put 13.26 gallons in my 14 gallon tank. Evidently I misunderstood the amount I had left in my tank.

Working in Richmond

For the first time in my life, today I worked in Richmond CA. It was pleasant. No one shot at me or called me names or shot at me, or broke into my truck, or shot at me. It was a very pleasant day. Then I came home to a wonderful wife who took me for a walk along the Napa River where we saw ducks, geese and purple droplets on the ground. It was probably from a paint roller, but I instantly decided it was from a purple person who had gotten wounded by a one eyed one horned monster - but had escaped. It is so nice being married to a woman that gets the reference and then helps you create a story around your random thought.

The Bulletin Board

Amy and I took it upon ourselves to redecorate the bulletin board at church.

At the temple with Amy

last night I came home and fell to sleep  - at 6pm. I woke up on Saturday 14 hours later. Amy and I went to the temple and did inicatories and sealings. Then we went to a BBQ and a real theater to see a real movie. All were great events, but this was the only one I took pictures at.

rants and radishes

Radishes from the Farmers Market today. I wanted tonight to rant about this boy in a man's body that has been causing problems in our lives. I wanted to rant about how the person needs to man up. If you want me to do something - come at me. Don't try to get my wife to do your work for you. Don't use her as your errand boy. If you have something to say to me - come to me.
There was much more to this rant, but then when I got to the market, Amy had this 5 year-old boy with her. He melted my heart as he talked about playing with Legos, and playing sorry, and then playing at the playground. As we wondered the market, he got so excited about peaches, plums and cabbage. And as he talked, the little boy in a man's body causing problems in my marriage - one happy little boy replaced the thoughts of a boy that needs to man up.

from the walk with the wife

Amy and I went on a three mile walk tonight at Benicia State Park. It was nice to stroll and talk.

a good start

At the urging of my doctor and the support of Amy, I went to the gym at our complex. I rode the bike for 20 minutes, sweat, got my heart rate up, went 3.75 miles and burned 108 calories. Came back to the apartment and had chocolate ice cream with blended raspberries (free rage raspberries from the Farmer's Market). 

german pancakes

For maybe the third time in my marriage I was allowed in the kitchen to make dinner. I made German Pancakes

Peek -A- Boo

Tonight Amy and I went to the Seminary Graduation for the Napa Stake. After the graduation, the ward I'm exec Sec for provided ice cream and other sugary treats. I operated a slide show presentation of pictures from the ward. Afterwards I wondered around taking pictures. This particular Lass didn't want her picture taken so she played peek-a-boo with the camera. 

eating at the BBQ baby shower

It did rain. All 5 hours of the move. The truck and trailer were loaded 4 times and it poured on everything. It was the worse move I've participated in. So, afterwards, Amy and I rewarded ourselves by going to my first baby shower. It was very nice, and the best part was I got to sit next to a fire pit and just enjoy the flames and the company (which included these two friends).

Someone else's moving day

Today was day 1 (of I don't know how many) of the Great Dave and Deborah Move of 2011. It's supposed to rain tomorrow during our move. We tried to get some done tonight.

A berry lovely snack

My afternoon snack today was provided by the growers of strawberries.

because when we are there - we are family

Amy and I used the last of the money set aside for Fanime and went to the Olive Garden we got engaged at to try solid food.

snapshot from my butt

I have Hemorrhoids!!!

Colonoscopy Prep

After tonight I've decided two things:
1. Next time I have a colonoscopy prep, we are buying a cushy toilet seat. My cheeks were so sore after the the 6 hours I spent pooing tonight. Sitting for that long on the toilet just hurts. I had the laptop set-up in the bathroom with it on our netflix account and managed to watch like 4 movies tonight.
2. Any guy that asks a girl to let him have anal sex should have to go through a colonoscopy prep, or two. No man will ask after that.

Fanime - Day 3

This was probably my favorite day of Fanime. After everything else (we went to church in Fremont and saw my friend's new baby, hung out with Dad, went with Dad to buy Japanese language CDs for Amy, went to more of Anime and to a "masquerade"), we went to the game hall and played card games for three hours. Random strangers came up and played the games with us. It was really nice. In addition to that, I got more hugs from more random people this past weekend than I have my whole entire life. Men and women alike wondered around wearing shirts that said "Free Hugs" and I didn't pass up one opportunity. Nor did I with the "high 5" people or the "handshake" people. It was a rather entertaining weekend.

(more than one)