Showing posts with label California outings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California outings. Show all posts

8.17.2012

See Ya Cisco!

I say "See ya" because there is a chance we'll be back.   Though Landon's internship wasn't what he had in mind, he would still like to work for Cisco after graduation.  There is a strong possibility he will get a job offer so we are being optimistic and hope Cisco will be one of a few companies he'll get to choose from, fingers crossed.  We are so grateful for the Cisco internship opportunity and had a great time exploring California as a family of three.  The internship extended Landon's MBA program a little but has turned out to be a good thing, better resume for fall recruiting season, more time to find his dream job, and now he gets to go to Africa with a consulting team for Exon Mobile this fall.  We were glad it was a paid internship but didn't leave with the savings we had hoped for, monthly rent of $2100 for a tiny one bedroom apartment stinks.  It's just one of those things you do to live in Silicon Valley.  (If we become permanent residents of California we'll be able to find something more reasonable I'm sure.) 
Landon got to go indoor Skydiving for his closing social (he was the photographer) and I took Capri in to meet his co-workers on his last day (you can see Capri and I had a lot of fun with the self portraits while waiting for Landon to wrap things up.)  One of Landon's co-workers, Ramprasad, gave Capri the most beautiful Sari from India,  I can't wait until it fits her!  Capri is truly a global baby with clothes from all over - Europe, China, India, and I'm sure Landon will find something from Africa.  Cisco, it was a pleasure, thank you for the fun summer.

8.11.2012

I want to be a Jackson


If you know the Jacksons, you probably say the same thing.   The Jacksons are the most thoughtful, kind, and service oriented people I know, and as you can see, absolutely beautiful.  This last week Ryan and Kelsey stayed with us and we loved it, we need to live by them one day.  I want our children to play together and spend summers like Ryan and Landon did growing up.

Landon and Ryan are second cousins and first played together at age eight when the Jackson's stopped in Utah on a RV trip.  They asked if Landon wanted to join them and the rest is history.  Ryan and Landon have spent every summer from age eight until their missions together.  Basketball camps, scout camps, swimming in the Arizona heat, and playing video games all summer long.  JC and Lynn treated Landon like he was one of their own and welcomed me just the same loving way.  When Landon and I first moved to Arizona to begin school at Thunderbird I was searching for a job.  Lynn told me I could come help her organize and clean out her already spotless house and few times a week.  I was overpaid to come shadow one of the women I want to be like,  I called it my "internship with Lynn."   We talked while we worked and I got to watch Lynn interact with her children, neighbors, and even the repairman.  I think she talked with each one of her children on the phone at least once everyday I was with her and the man that came to fix the blinds left with lunch and a generous tip.  I could go on and on about the thoughtful kindness I've watched JC and Lynn render and their children that follow their lead.  Landon and I tell each other that we want to be like the Jackson's on a regular basis.    

Ryan and Kelsey are taking advantage of the break Ryan has from medical school and we were lucky enough to fit into one of their many vacations.  Since Landon had to work during the day, Ryan and Kelsey went off exploring in San Francisco and then hung out at our place at night.  We ate yummy dinners, too many desserts, and loved staying up late talking.  Ryan and Kelsey were the hardest working guests I've ever had, ha ha!  I would turn around and there they were doing the dishes or taking care of Capri.  Landon and I went on an evening run and came back to hot dinner that Ryan and Kelsey made while we were running.....I know right?!   The Jacksons are sneaky- filling up your car with gas or buying you ice cream when you're not looking.  Ryan and Kelsey left us with the sweetest thank you gift and the movie Tangled for Capri, as if they hadn't already done enough.  Yes, we love them so much.  In fact, before Ryan got married, Landon told me that if he died, he would want me to marry Ryan Jackson.  I didn't even know Ryan when he first told me that, but now I can see why.  Ryan and Kelsey are some of the most selfless people I know!  Sure love you guys, thanks for the fun week!








8.06.2012

Sunday Concert in the Park




Last Sunday we got together with the Hoopers one last time before they went on vacation and we moved.  Andrea made us delicious crepes.  I thought we would never finish the giant stack she put on the table, but they disappeared with only one or two remaining!   We went to San Jose University for a concert in the park, what a great Sunday activity.  This week was a patriotic theme and I loved it, I also loved the free ice cream!  We will miss the Hoopers but we'll try to meet up with them over the holidays when we both visiting our families in Utah. Who knows, we might end up back here in January if Landon gets a job with Cisco.  Thanks for showing us around Hoopers, you have been fabulous friends!




Monday I got to watch Capri Hooper for a few hours while Andrea took Hayden to Great America to ride the "big kid" rides.  I got a few last pictures of the Capri's playing together.  They seem so far apart in age now but will actually be in the same school year!  Can't wait to watch them grow up.



7.30.2012

Pitchers come to Cali!

Landon’s family visited over the weekend and it was too short! Sharman, Linda, Adam, Monica, and Cambrie all stayed with us. We were out and about most of the time so it didn't even feel crowded. Adam’s girls are in New Jersey visiting Corie’s family so he came alone, and Court & Kelli let Cambrie come along for her first trip away from home!   Cambrie is so good with Capri, I hope we end up living close so we can have her babysit soon.  It felt like a mini vacation for me since Capri was getting so much attention and love from Grandma, Aunt Moke, and Cambrie.  Friday we headed straight to Carmel to spend some time on the beach and do the 17 mile drive. Don’t mind our wind blown hair.  Saturday was a San Francisco day. Landon and I made Sharman come on our 16 mile run with us while everyone else got a head start in the city.  We ran on the Los Gatos Creek trail and It wasn’t too difficult, but it did seem like it took forever to finish since we had to stop for Capri a few times. Usually Capri does pretty good on our runs, but she was needy this time.  We love running with “Coach,”  it’s a great therapy session and we solve so many problems while running and talking.   We met the rest of the family at Giradelli Square and had an Italian dinner on the wharf.  It was colder than we hoped for (always is!) so I bought Capri the cute owl hat.  I'm sure she was fine, but I liked the excuse to buy it.  After church on Sunday we enjoyed our apartment amenities, relaxed for a bit, and then went to Stockton to visit Chris and Geniel.  Geniel is just like Linda and it's fun to see the sisters together.  We ate delicious breakfast food for dinner and played botchy ball at the park. Busy and great weekend.  We were sad to see Landon's family go so soon, but it won't be long before we see them in Utah for Dave Earnhardt's wedding and before we head back to Arizona for Landon's  last and final Trimester at Thunderbird, yippee!


























7.15.2012

Monterey Bay and Carmel

We had another wonderful weekend.  We only have five Saturdays left until Landon's internship in California is over so we are trying to take advantage of as much as we can, even when the weather is not sunny beach weather. It never is in northern California, but some days are better than others.  We drove to Monterey Bay Saturday morning and began our 13 mile run at Lover's Point.  We both felt great after our run and it really wasn't too hard!  The physical body amazes me.  It's crazy to think four months ago my body was housing a little baby and now I'm running further than I've ever run before.  I feel so blessed to be healthy and have a healthy family.  The views on our run were beautiful.  Landon says the beaches here are a tease and he's never been a fan of overcast, but I thought it was perfect for our run.  I do like listening to music while we run, we usually leave one headphone out so we can hear Capri if she cries.  Landon told me I listen to wimpy music so I listened to a rap station on Pandora half way through the run and loved it ha ha!  I don't even know what any of the songs were saying, I just liked the beat. After our run we changed our clothes in the car (so no, we didn't shower in these pictures!) and met up with the Hoopers and Samuelson's to eat at a yummy Mexican Restaurant.  Our booth overlooked the water and we watched a sea lion hang out on the rocks. The Hooper's have been awesome about showing us around and wanted to take us to their  favorite beach in Carmel.  It was the prettiest beach we've seen in the area.  We played around, tossed a football, kicked a soccer ball, and too a walk to Pebble Beach to look for golf balls.   I found my dream house along the way, I think I was drooling. Gorgeous Right?   We loved the beach town of Carmel.  It was fun to see the shops and look at the artwork.  I found myself a candy store and I also loved the Sea Side Children's Boutique, but sorry Capri, I don't think we will ever buy you a swimming suit for sixty dollars while you are still in grade school.  We walked around enough to work up an appetite and went to a pizza place for dinner.  On the way, we got pulled over for running a stop sign, darn it.  It was dark and a little rainy and neither of us could see it; no sympathy from the officer though.  Landon already got his first ticket in California for being on his phone in the car  just a few days after we got here.  We innocently (I guess it was more ignorantly) didn't know that there was a law about cell phones here.  Oh well.  Tickets stink, you just have to pay up and try not to think about it.  At least we didn't let it ruin our fun weekend!  


Don't we look fabulous in our running attire?  I decided to document it anyway :)





 Landon and Craig Sporting their favorite college teams.  At least Craig actually has ties to his school.
 My Dream house.  Looks good on us right?










 Landon just had to throw a football on Pebble Beach Golf Coarse.