Grateful for food storage

I am so very grateful for food storage. Now I am not talking about 50 pounds of wheat, beans etc I am talking about storing everyday items that your family already enjoys! Anytime I am at the store I stock up on some of our favorite things. With us all being a little sick and not feeling up for a trip to the store (besides its the end of the month and we are really tight right now) I just walked to our garage opened our pantry and this great feeling came over me as I "grocery" shopped in our own storage with my grocery bag! Brandon's Irish Spring Soap, V-8 splash juice, TLC granola bars, sleepytime herbal tea, animal crackers, Uncle Ben's wild rice, even my favorite dark chocolate oatmeal cookies. Its just such a wonderful feeling to save, plan for a rainy day and have some of things you enjoy on hand. They say if you are prepared you shall not fear and sure enough we have what we need. Since moving from our house in Utah to this apartment in California we have not had our big freezer (its not allowed here) however there is plenty in our pantry and I am indeed grateful!

Time to Decorate

One of our holiday traditions is to start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Here are just a few pictures of our tree, lights, and stockings. We love having a tree in the window which meant taking the leaves out of our table to make it smaller. We were quite cozy squeezing in together to make it work. Though one is unable to see the decorations on the tree clearly from these photos, we got several comments about how nice our tree looked and what a delight it was for all those who passed by our window including all the apartment office staff who saw it everyday. It so nice when you can spread holiday cheer!

Thanksgiving

My Dad's (pampie) strict diet such an inspiration!

Noah all ready for the big feast!

He loves the drumstick refers to it as a dinosaur bone.

Jordan, Brandon, Jackie, Grandmama, Aidan, Noah and Sean

The boys in the van stopping to see Grandma Andy

Feeling lucky & blessed

* These pictures were taken earlier in November at La Jolla Cove when were having a heat wave here in San Diego.

Every now and then when I wake up I expect to be in my house in Utah and then I remember oh yea I moved back home to sunny San Diego. I have openly admitted on too many occasions how much I miss my house there, we created such a lovely home and apartment life is just not the same HOWEVER I have felt so blessed and so lucky to be surrounded by family and friends again and the weather oh the weather has been heavenly. I really took it for granted when I lived here before. I would hear of snow, blizzards etc and it wouldn't mean anything to me but now that I have actually experienced the bitter cold and gorgeous snow for 4 years I know and fully understand what they are talking about. Though Noah keeps asking when its going to snow here in San Diego and how much he misses it I can not help but feel grateful for the warmth and opportunity to be outside more. In fact we went to Legoland just 2 days ago and I know we could not have done anything remotely similar in Utah at this time of year. I am just very grateful for the San Diego sun , the beautiful flowers that cheer me up year round -- I find myself staring and admiring plants like I had never done before--and the warmth of familiar faces. I received this email from KSL news in Salt Lake this morning and though I feel bad for my Utah friends I feel very happy to be right here in San Diego.


National Weather Service issuing a blizzard warning for much of the state. A strong cold front is expected to arrive in Northern Utah by 2-4pm, in the Wasatch Front between 3p-6p, and then through the rest of the state. Expect the wind gusts to blow between 30 and 50mph as the front arrives. Bitter cold air should move in quickly, with temperatures in the teens tonight. Single digits possible tomorrow morning. More snow is possible along the Wasatch Front tomorrow morning as well. Highs tomorrow could stay below 20. Lows Thanksgiving could drop below zero if skies clear. It is highly recommended that you do not attempt to drive in this storm. If it is necessary please give yourself extra time and take extra precautions while on the road.

Be safe out there!Your KSL.com Team

With Thanksgiving tomorrow I really hope people shopped early! I am about to make pies myself it might be a cool 65 here but I will just throw on a sweater and dare not complain!

Manners Luncheon

My sweet Noah

Daddy and Noah

The name cards were adorable however it was actually Nov 17th rather than the 18th


Noah's class

The place mat Noah made

Mommy and Noah

Noah has such a great kindergarten teacher. Over the past couple of weeks they were learning about table setting, table manners and the importance of these social functions. They put all their skills to good use today at the "Manners Luncheon". It was wonderful and such a great idea especially right before Thanksgiving Break. They had a delicious traditional Thanksgiving feast together as a class and were able to invite their parents to show off their good manners and enjoy each others company. The luncheon was very well put together and such a nice time.

Sebastian's Blessing

Big Brother Alexander

Grandma Andy
The boys playing in the backyard

Aunt Jackie giving Sebastian his "chupete"

Uncle Brandon with Alexander & Sebastian

Brandon and Brett shooting the breeze


The proud mama Rabeka cooking up a storm for her guests

Grandpa Don with Baby Sebastian

Aunt Jackie with the baby

The yummy food chicken tortilla soup, quesedillas, pita chips, hummus and desserts.

Aunt Jackie so happy holding her new nephew

Uncle Brandon and Alexander

Cousin Cody, Jordan, Aidan & Noah

Today was Sebastian's blessing! Its so nice to get the whole family together to celebrate a new baby joining the family. Brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, in laws, neighbors and friends coming together to offer congratulations, smiles, and hugs. Sebastian is so adorable. We are all very excited to be a part of his life. Thanks Cj and Rabeka for throwing such a nice open house and sharing your son with us.

Heat Wave In November

"We are having a heat wave a tropical heat wave...."( love that song!)

We really are having a heat wave my goodness has it been hot, hot, hot. As the temperatures were reaching 100 and the a/c has been full blast, in November mind you, we thought well its time to hit the beach to our surprise it was hot there too! It really confuses you to know its November, to have just finished celebrating Halloween, to see yellow and orange leaves falling off of trees and then send your kindergartner to school in a tank top! They even gave them otter pops (popsicles) at school. Its odd and wonderful all at the same time. The highlight of our afternoon yesterday was watching sea lions body surf at La Jolla Cove. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. People and sea life playing together in the heat in November. Its simply gorgeous outside and considering we just recently moved from Utah which is much much colder I will not complain one bit. Maybe next year but not this time that is for sure! Below is the article in this mornings Union Tribune about the heat.



"It was the hottest November day in San Diego history
Originally published November 4, 2010 at 7:39 a.m., updated November 4, 2010 at 3:59 p.m.


This has been the hottest November day in San Diego since temperature record keeping began in 1872, back when Ulysses S. Grant was president and the White House had yet to get electricity.

The temperature hit 100 degrees at Lindbergh Field -- 28 degrees higher than normal and 3 degrees above the previous record high for Nov. 4th, which has recorded in 1976.
Lindbergh last hit 100 degrees on Sept. 25, 1989.

The airport wasn't the only hot spot. The temp hit 101 in National City, which tied with Riverside for the hottest spot in the country.

The extraordinary heat was the result of a meteorological chain reaction.
"There was a high pressure ridge almost directly over Southern California, which brought warm weather," said Phil Gonsalves, a forecaster at the National Weather Service. "At the same time, winds were blowing offshore. Those winds compressed as they flowed downhill to the sea, making them hotter. That's why it was warmer at the coast than it was inland.
"The winds also were dry, and dry air warms up faster than moist air."
In fact, the relative humidity at Lindbergh fell to just 9 percent.

This week's heat wave will begin to moderate Friday. Temperatures will only reach the upper 70s and low 80s near the coast. Seasonal weather should return this weekend, and there's a small chance that light rain will fall on Saturday and Sunday.

Snap shot of today's high temperatures:

Cardiff: 101
National City: 101
Carlsbad: 99
Miramar MCAS: 99
Cabrillo National Monument: 98
La Mesa: 98
Oceanside Airport: 97
Santee: 96
San Marcos: 96
Escondido: 94
Borrego Springs: 90
Julian: 72
Source: NWS

Thursday's heat records:

Alpine hit 92, breaking the previous high for Nov. 4th of 90, set in 1976. Vista hit 96, breaking the previous high of 95, set in 1962.
Hottest November Days in San Diego History:
Nov. 4, 2010: 100
Nov. 4, 1976: 97
Nov. 1, 1966: 97
Nov. 9: 1956: 96
Nov. 3, 1921: 93
Nov. 3, 2010: 93


Wednesday's records ... The temperature hit 93 at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, tying the record high for November 3rd. That record was set in 1921. It was 94 in Chula Vista, a degree higher than the previous record for the date, which also was set in 1921. (Wikipedia says that, in 1921, "The first vocal weather forecast is made by station 9XM, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. They had been broadcasting Morse code weather bulletins since 1917.")
Vista also hit 94, besting the high of 93, set on Nov. 3, 1976. It was 96 in El Cajon, breaking the previous high for the date by two degrees (record set in 1997.) Alpine was 95, tying the record, set in 1976. And it was 93 in Borrego, tying the record set in 1997."