Kolob on Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day this year, I felt we had more than fulfilled our Valentine Quota with our Cruise. We also went to dinner to Red Lobster with two other couples on Thursday night.

Valentine's Day - check.

So I was surprised to see this on Friday after work.

Saturday we decided to take a little scenic trip.

It also happened to be National Park admission free day.

I packed some chips, store bought cookies, napkins, waters, cans of pop and we stopped at Port of Subs for sandwiches (because I hate making sandwiches). But then we had a coupon for Buy a Combo and get a sandwich free, so more chips and another soda. They also had yummy looking cookies. More cookies!



We got to the designated Picnic spot to find one picnic table occupied by someone so we ate in the car. 

We did find more picnic tables as we started out on the trail, of course.



This is what the trail looked like. 



I like taking pictures of Fred.

This picture is the rocky and steepest part of the trail. As I was slightly huffing and puffing through this part of the trail, I was actually marveling that I was only slightly huffing and puffing but going full steam ahead. A year ago that would not have been the case. I was so thankful that I had lost weight and could make my way up the trail and not be miserable on this little hike. 

Fred always comes prepared. Binoculars, maps....I can always count on him to take care of me. I think this time though I had the back pack, but carried my own junk.

This is the "baby" mountain. It reminded me way back to high school when I ate lunch with my boyfriend. He always brought an orange and there are those little sections at the top and I called them babies and he would always let me eat them. I know you really don't care about that, but I was reminiscing about all kinds of memories during the grandeur of the day.

It is amazing how the mountain formations change as you move along the pathway and roads. We took tons of pictures, but I selected the ones that I liked the best.

This was an interesting way to make a bridge. It's not a great picture, but it was basically a raised dirt path, with open sections.

The weather was perfect. I would say it was about 70 degrees and no wind. An especially warm week for February.

I'm sure our family is not much different than most others, but we try to read these informative markers. The ones at Kolob were pretty vibrant in color and not too long. I liked that. I did tell Fred that we needed to take lots of pictures. My feeling is if we have been there and seen it, then we don't need to go again. Especially because you can't go here in the winter because of the snow so it's not like it will look different in another season. It's not like in the Northwest where you have another season to see the changes. I 'd like to get a map and mark off the places we see as we go.  



 

For some reason (I think it was the coming down after a big event let down) I have been feeling blue, discouraged, depressed and "previous life" homesick. I have been doing a lot of that comparing my life to others which is a horrible thing to do. It really is the expectations I had that have not been met that I am dwelling on again. Like this outing for example. I was all excited to move to Southern Utah to become that outdoor enthusiast. Go bike riding, "hiking", and do all the things that people who live in Southern Utah do. So we go on this little "hike" and I'm like - "I think I'd rather be home watching a movie or going out to dinner or shopping". Not that I didn't enjoy our day, but it wasn't like Wow that was the best thing I have ever done and I can hardly wait to do it again. I think a lot of that was due to my melancholy state of being. Maybe I'm just not meant to be anything but who I am. Why am I always looking to be something else? What's with that? It's always that Greener somewhere or something else mentality.

 

Anyway - I just need to do some self therapy this morning. It's getting those thoughts out of my head and out in the universe and then I can let them go. Hmmm I feel better already!

Our Cruise

We left our house Monday morning about 6:45 AM and picked up Judy and Shan Hubsmith. They are in our ward. Judy is my VT partner and Shan is our HT. Judy is also a travel agent and is the one who got us hooked up for this trip. Plus we enjoy hanging out with Shan and Judy. They are a good match for us so it was a win win set up. We stopped in Vegas for breakfast.

Our port was in San Pedro California. I've never been there before and it is a beautiful area. Getting aboard was a little hectic as there was an extra cruise ship "berthed" there. Fred and Shan dropped us off and then had to go about a mile away to park and then take a shuttle back to our cruise ship. We didn't take any pictures until our drill. Lovely huh? Just sayin now, we didn't take as many pictures as we should have.

Our cabin was small, but the bed was big and very comfy. Next time we will definitely get a cabin with a balcony. No problem with getting sea sick. Being ferry passengers for 34 years we were perfectly fine for the deep seas......

 Our first morning we got off at Catalina Island. 

 Here is Shan and Judy. They were great hosts and very patient to take us places where they had already been. 

 We rented a golf cart to drive around the island. In the background is our cruise ship.

 A few pictures of the ship.

 Here we are.

 Here they are.

 Fred's idea. Shan cooperates.

 Another view at the same place.

 Another view of the bay at a different place on the island,

 Here is our ride. Shan did the driving. Guys in front, girls in the back.

 This is the Catalina Island Museum. Originally it was a casino and big dance hall.

 We took a self guided tour below and learned about Marilyn Monroe who lived on Catalina before she became Marilyn Monroe while she was married to her first husband. Learned about the Chicago Cubs. Lots of baseball history took place here which who would have known that. Very interesting Hollywood history here too. It was a big deal of a place back in the day, but by today's standards no one would be bothered. Too many other exciting places to go to nowadays. We enjoyed it though.

This is the restaurant in the background where we ate. It was a "pub". Good sandwich and fries.

 These three pictures are coming back from Ensenada. We didn't take pictures while in Ensenada. I would not choose to go back to any port like this. After walking about 1/2 block among the street shops, I wanted to leave. The shop and street people hound you and get in your face to buy their stuff. The poor little kids and mom's pretty much beg you to buy. It was so sad. I did want to at least say we had been in Mexico. Now I can say I have been. Never want to go again. I told Judy on any future cruises I only want to go to completely civilized and modern places. I can't handle poor and sad places like this again. I can't take it. I did buy all the grand kids a little something and something for our kids from Catalina and Ensenada, That was the goal. 

 Our last night we ate at one of the speciality restaurants. We ordered the sampler desserts. It was a photo moment.

 We met up with Shan and Judy after dinner. Played some Scrabble (we did poorly) until the show started. It was an Elton John tribute. 

Shame on us for not taking more pictures. I'm not sure why that was hard to do, The first night we went to see a comedian. He was good. The second night we were too late to see the Princess Singers/Dancers. Third night was a magician comedian - really good. This picture was to see an entertainer who sang Elton John music who thought he was "all that". You know the type. Flirting it up with the cute girls on the front row.  After this show, Fred and I went to the Princess Singers/Dancers that did a Disco Tribute. I LOVED IT and Fred enjoyed it too. It was the perfect last night on the cruise. Bling, music, costumes, dancing.
 

It was a long drive home - mostly for Fred. We stopped like four times. I guess we are getting old. 

We learned from this cruise the things we will do the next time.

Guess what? It's NOT ABOUT THE FOOD!

Under construction

Stay tuned - giving my blog a facelift.

Stepping it up

Last week in Relief Society the lesson was about Putting the Lord first.

Every topic mentioned, Fred and I suck at.

We don't have FHE.

We don't study the scriptures together.

We only pray at dinner time together.

We have gone to the temple here I think four times since we moved here.

How terrible is that?

Our friends in Bremerton would beat us.

We are LAZY when it comes to spiritual habits.

So now you can see why it totally depressed me.

For this lesson, the teacher passed out a handout with three questions.

 

1. What two things did you do this last week to put the Lord first?

I had to dig deep because at first I thought "I got nothing."

a. Made my VT appointments.

b. Read the introduction to the Ezra Taft Benson book as suggested.

(Yeah me)

 

2. What two things will you do this week to put the Lord first?

a. Read next weeks Sunday lessons.

b. Go to the Temple.

 

3. What will you give up or what will change when you put the Lord first?

a. I will watch less TV.

 

So this last week I was pretty depressed having basically been called to repentance AGAIN for the same sins of omission that I struggle with all the time. I find that I live more fully and faithfully when I serve in callings because they inspire me to live better. Since we have lived here I feel like a nobody so I am acting like a nobody. Feeling pretty much sorry for myself that for the rest of my life I will be insignificant and unused in our ward. It is about my pride. Having been needed and utilized all my days in our ward it is really hard to be invisible here. I find great comfort and reassurance in all the callings I have served in over the years. It's like I know that God is aware of me and it is His way of saying I am of value. "Here I need you in this calling."

 

So this last week was a bad one for me in every way. The first week since March that I felt I was eating out of control which was especially scary because I don't want to go back there. I wasn't sleeping well after I felt like I was getting back to sleeping better. Beginning to really feel depressed about Shannon & Brian and Scott & Jess moving so far away. Big amount of emptiness and what is my purpose now in life. I have nothing to do with my time. Back to that whole what to do with my life now with no kids. The house is empty and what do couples do when there are no children anymore.

 

So getting to the point of this post. This handout was very timely because Question number two actually challenged me. It was easy to read the Sunday lessons because I have so much time at work to read. Getting to the temple was the bigger challenge because we talk ourselves out of it so easily because I am just too tired ALL OF THE TIME. Fred and I talked about it and we said no matter what we would go on Saturday.

 

WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE!

I was sleepy during the session, but I did make it.

Fred and I set some basic goals because of this lesson. Thank you Hilary Ferguson for your lesson. You did good.