tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71581802972552158832024-03-13T05:56:33.656-07:00Another Boring Lifestory BlogThe Boring Adventures of Brooke and RickyRickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-91386785904633269522023-12-19T21:24:00.000-08:002023-12-19T21:24:30.774-08:00It's Hot<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Note: I wrote this post not just near labor day of this year, no no, this post is from near labor day a year prior to that. So enjoy this 1.5 year old post that Brooke only now got around to editing!</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ba1d0d44-7fff-1447-0190-a4fc820f6809"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It has been a long time since I have posted here. Frankly, life just escapes me sometimes. I’ve signed myself up for a lot of differing activities, which I don’t want to bore you with at this time. However, I will tell you a bit about what I am doing this very second. I am at the public library because it is well over 90 degrees outside. My little house, which we moved into just a year ago, has no AC, and it is a furnace. So instead I am here. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On one side, I don’t really have a way to play video games or other distractions here, so that is good. It gives me some time to actually write. You may or may not know it, but I’m working on my </span><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/317497514-maleki" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">first novel</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (depending on when you read this it may be free to read on Wattpad). So I probably should be writing that instead. I’ve found the best way for me to get writing down is by postponing or procrastinating something else. So I am being productive while I procrastinate! It is a win-win.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The library is mostly quiet, although I just heard a man lightly swearing from a table over. He must be losing a game or a bet of some kind. Actually, perhaps it is Sonic The Hedgehog based on the sounds I have heard. The cool air is refreshing but the plastic backed chair is not so relaxing. Still, better than being hot. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On the way to the library, Brooke told me, that “San Diegains need to just admit that San Diego isn’t perfect year round and that sometimes the weather is awful.” Given the current weather, I guess she has a point. It is hot. Maybe we do need to just “admit it and get air conditioning.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I will get Monday off, Labor day off. While I always mean to post these things soon after I write them, I generally don’t. So maybe it will be Christmas time before you read this (Note from Ricky in the present, I was really on the nose here). Maybe that will be the next time I read it as well. And I will say to myself, “Oh, it wasn’t really that hot was it.” To which I say to my future self, “yes, it was really that hot.” In any case, I will have to try to figure out how to stay cool, as staying home isn’t really an option. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Wherever you are, I hope you are staying cool, unless it really is Christmas when I get around to releasing this, in which case, stay warm. Or maybe if you are in the southern hemisphere where summer is winter and winter is summer, then… Ok, I have digressed. But then again, I think this whole post is a digression. The rambling of a hot person in a cold library trying to write and not entirely succeeding. At the very least though, I can say I did this. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-78296259313639216132023-07-16T00:43:00.002-07:002023-07-16T00:43:16.343-07:00My trip to Woodland a long time ago<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have an archive of posts I intended to post but I guess didn’t. Here is one of them, a very short summary of my trip to Woodland CA. During my time at EY I would sometimes do inventory counts, so I would show up to a warehouse, watch people count things and count along with them. During this time I traveled all over the bay area and saw a bunch of towns in CA. Anyways, here is the original post. Maybe I will start publishing content on here again at some point, but not promises. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-97359efd-7fff-d6a7-2b96-cba61f6aca53"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So I had to make a trip to Woodland, California for work. Sometimes I go to the strangest little towns. Well, I guess this one might just be a suburb of Sacramento or something. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I also passed through an interesting in little town that had like a vacation town/small town feel, like a cute little main street. I didn’t capture a picture, for what I hope are obvious reasons. Also, during the drive, I saw a beautiful sunset. There were some foothills in the distance, and some grasslands, and a picturesque multicolor sunset.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I also had to pay a toll (</span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/24NotzPFdIlYo1XjBLcuYC?si=nEiMUuvVSIy5yQfYZCke-w" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">hear the story on the podcast</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And like every time I go to a hotel, I watch a little television - this time Food Network. I had a relaxing morning the next day, I didn’t have to go to work until 10, so I enjoyed breakfast and took my time getting ready. I finished my work really quick, then made the trek home almost without incident. As I got close to home but still on the freeway, I narrowly avoided an accident. Someone merged into my lane without checking their blind spot. I avoided them by moving into the other lane. It was close, but I fortunately avoided an accident.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-82737772903751251542023-04-16T12:29:00.004-07:002023-04-16T12:29:39.716-07:00Another Podcast?<p>Well, as you probably know, Brooke and I haven't been keeping up with this blog. I'm not sure that will change anytime soon, but in the meantime, I do have another project that might interest you, yes, another podcast. It is just a bit of meandering and nonsense not too dissimilar from what this blog was like.</p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="280px" src="https://embed.acast.com/63cc3e8b36308100109086aa?feed=true" width="100%"></iframe>RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-82513018421048550152021-01-05T20:13:00.001-08:002021-01-05T20:14:29.163-08:00Our License Plate Saga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the Archive</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It looks like I have some posts I wrote a while ago that I didn't publish. Well here they are now:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has taken us awhile to get new California license plates on our car. Read further to find out why. Hint: it involves 3 trips to the DMV, 2 smog tests, a trip to the hardware store, and a trip to the body shop. Hopefully you can learn something from our experience. </div>
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When we first moved here in September, we didn't know there would be a fee for not getting California plates within a certain amount of days. We didn't even look into it much when we got here because Ricky was busy with his new job, and I was busy trying to get a job. In November, we finally looked into getting our car registered here. We found out that there was going to be a $66 fee for not doing this within 20 days of taking up residency here. We made an appointment at the DMV for a date at the end of December, because that was the soonest available appointment date. </div>
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In order to get our car registered here, we would have to have a smog test done. So Ricky went and had that completed mid-December. We went to the appointment at the DMV the day we got back from Christmas vacation in Utah. There was a long line out the door, and a lady was talking to people in the line one by one to see what each of us needed. Turns out, the computers were down that day, so they couldn't help us with what we needed done. So we scheduled another appointment for another day (which Ricky had to request work off for). </div>
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When we went back to the DMV, there was thankfully no line out the door. However, there was literally nowhere to park, so I dropped Ricky off and was driving around looking for a place to park for like 15 minutes. In that time, Ricky had gotten most of the things taken care of at the desk. I finally came in and just signed a few things. The lady informed us that our smog test was done incorrectly and we would have to have it done again. Apparently, the people that did our smog test saw our Utah plates and did a smog test under their out-of-state requirements, and not California requirements. She said everything else was good, so we could just pay and have our plates mailed to us when our smog test was taken care of. However, they did not accept credit, only debit, cash or check, so we literally couldn't pay during that trip. We didn't know they wouldn't accept credit! The lady was really nice though, and got everything else in order for us. She said to just come back to her desk once we got the new smog test done. </div>
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Ricky went back to the place we had our smog test done and let them know what happened. They did another smog test for us, one that met California's standards this time. Then he went back to the DMV and finally got our California plates!</div>
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However, when we went to switch out our old plates for our new ones, we realized the screws holding in our back license plate were were stripped. So we went to Harbor Freight and bought vice grips. Ricky used those to try to turn the screw, but ended up breaking off the head of the screw! I then asked on a Facebook page and found someone in the ward who had screw extractors and a drill we could borrow. We tried those, but our screws would still not budge. </div>
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So I ended up calling a nearby Auto Body Shop to see if they could help.
It was an unusual request, but they said we could bring the car in. It
was a struggle even for the worker there, and took a little while, but
he was able to get our screws off. He used a blow torch to heat up the
screws, and that's what did the trick. </div>
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Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-28454278828827311372021-01-01T18:02:00.006-08:002021-01-01T18:02:51.447-08:00Unexpected Places<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes you find yourself in an unexpected place or situation. Like I didn’t intend to go to the birthday party of a six year old today, but here I am. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a6a9eea-7fff-ab22-4b9d-5c042da740bb"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps it is the times we are in. With Covid, I don’t go much of anywhere nowadays. The office (while the bank I work at is online only, the employees are not) and home are the only places I really go. But sometimes I think we need a little variety in life, sometimes we need a little bit of surprise.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we don’t physically go places, it is harder to find yourself in an unexpected place. It is a little hard to get lost in your own living room. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I stopped by to drop off a package, I thought it was just that, to drop off a late Christmas gift. But then I started chatting and pretty soon a party was around me, just like that. I think it is in moments like that we can break from the monotony of daily life and to something out of the normal. Let’s hope we can get back to normalcy too, as I think everyone has missed a birthday or two.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps that's why I haven’t been writing too much for the blog. What is there to say? I went to work and I came home? Sure, that is a bit of an oversimplification. And I do have lots of items to mention here. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brooke and I are loving our stay in San Diego. So much so, I think we are going to start looking at buying our own house in the area. It may be quite a process (with real estate prices so high right now). But we will see where the journey takes us. I think I am looking to stay more or less in the same area I am now. One of the perks of working at a bank is access to cheap financing. So with that aspect of the home buying process simplified, I can work on getting a good deal. This is all a topic for my other </span><a href="https://www.thefruglife.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://anchor.fm/thefruglife" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">podcast</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> though.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well stay safe, wherever you are. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And oh, Happy Birthday Alice.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-28416616671616084032020-07-11T01:07:00.002-07:002020-07-11T01:07:42.263-07:00Parks and Rec<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Prior to Brooke and I getting married, Brooke had like never seen a
TV show. OK, maybe I am exaggerating slightly. We did watch a few
when we were dating. But prior to that, her favorite TV show was
Arthur from PBS… Which must have been from like when she was 7 or
something.
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<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">So
after getting married, we first watched The Office as I personally
had just finished Parks and Rec recently (Well, I guess the whole
world had finished it recently in a manner of speaking). Anyways,
after The Office and a few other shows, we have finally started Parks
and Rec. Now, with the benefit of a few years of hindsight, I am able
to see how formative the show was for me in a number of ways. For
example, April Ludgate's favorite band is Neutral Milk Hotel and her
favorite singer is the lead vocalist of the band, Jeff Mangum. I
started listening to the band when I heard this and I still enjoy
them to this day. Brooke and I recently finished the season 6 Grand
Finale which had the Decemberists in it, which I now enjoy as well.
</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><br />
</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">As
I reflect on some of my political leanings, I can see a resemblance
between me and Ron Swanson. At the same time, I do relate to Leslie's
character. Ron is often more of a caricature of libertarian ideals
than a realistic libertarian. At least in my mind. I don't hate the
government; it is a very necessary part of our lives. I do think he
has a point often. The government's meddling in our daily lives is
expensive and unnecessary. But this isn't my political blog. You can
read that <a href="https://mindsalivation.blogspot.com/"><font color="#1155cc"><u>here</u></font></a>.
</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><br />
</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">No,
this is just the personal blog, which I think Brooke and I have been
neglecting a bit lately. Just a few months ago we were traveling the
world. That’s a part of it. But another part of it is a new
project I am working on. I am working on a new book. This one isn’t
about bitcoin or money or anything like that. No, this book is about
me, and some of the journey’s I have been on in life. This book is
about some of the people I have met and my experiences interacting
with them. I’m still in the writing phase of the book, so it will
be quite a while before I publish it. But you will hear from us again
soon, in one way or another.</p><br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-79570437557169226802020-03-25T11:38:00.000-07:002020-03-25T12:31:24.380-07:00The Coronavirus Pandemic<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #b2b2b2;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">Things
have escalated pretty quickly with the news of this coronavirus,
COVID-19. Last Thursday, the 19th, Ricky and I went to Walmart to get
a few more necessities. It was so crowded! It was impossible to stay
6 feet away from anyone! The aisles that actually had stuff in them
always had 4-5 shoppers, so you can’t just wait until the aisle is
empty to social distance because people are everywhere. Walmart was
really stocked with water! It had so much water of all brands all
over the place! But we thought we should get a few more rolls of
toilet paper, and the toilet paper aisle was turned into an Easter
aisle! It was like the toilet paper aisle never existed! So, no
toilet paper for us. Gratefully, we have a bidet. Here are some
pictures of the empty aisles. It was scary how empty many of the
aisles were! There were like three choices of cereal, only canned
corn, and absolutely no bread, which is what we came for. Luckily, we
found some English muffins and cinnamon raisin bread in the bakery
section. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<div style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: #b2b2b2;"><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">On
Thursday night when we were in Walmart, I got a text that I would not
actually be going into work the next day. The preschool I worked at
closed, effective immediately. We also heard the news that the whole
state of California was to now shelter in place, or stay at home. So,
I am now furloughed and Ricky is working at home for the most part.
It’s been an adjustment and I feel like I’m just starting to get
used to it. We’ve been going on daily walks, which allows us to
stretch our legs a little and get some fresh air. We love walking in
the canyon that is right by our neighborhood.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b2b2b2;"><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: transparent;">Also,
Ricky has been busy cracking open our macadamia nuts from our tree
and roasting them. They are DELICIOUS!!! I tried to capture it and
it's hard to see, but the birds were moving in and chirping like
crazy! All types of birds were interested by the nuts - there were
finches, pigeons, and even a hummingbird flying around, watching
Ricky, and waiting. It was so funny!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b2b2b2;"><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">How
are you guys doing during this strange time? </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
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Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-85706642279693285392019-12-31T12:19:00.002-08:002019-12-31T13:14:43.963-08:00The Bountiful Summer<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081YFZGLQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B081YFZGLQ&linkCode=as2&tag=rickyh3400c-20&linkId=16b55b50bd7696e14e652bb010c158be" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B081YFZGLQ&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=rickyh3400c-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rickyh3400c-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B081YFZGLQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</div>
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Recently, my mother wrote a book about my great uncle and my
grandfather. I wanted to share some of my experiences living with my
Great Uncle Dean. As well as share a link to my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081YFZGLQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B081YFZGLQ&linkCode=as2&tag=rickyh3400c-20&linkId=a4f61a8776e7ab4c8a84956699e0760b">Mother’s book</a>.</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
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I wanted to reflect on the summer of 2017 for a little bit. It was a
fantastic time for Brooke and me. After I graduated from BYU, we were
actually kicked out of our student housing in Provo. My job in San
Jose was starting in September, so Brooke and I needed to figure out
what we were going to do for 3 months. My great uncle Dean lived in
Bountiful, so we got in touch with him and his daughter Becky to see
if we could stay with Dean. They were delighted to have us stay.
Brooke had recently worked in a mini-retirement home of sorts and
helped older people who couldn’t live by themselves. It was a match
made in heaven.</div>
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<br /></div>
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At
this time, I was preparing for the CPA exam. I set my computer up in
the basement, and there I studied continually for essentially the
whole 3 month period. I only took breaks during the day to make lunch
and dinner for the three of us or sometimes to go to the grocery
store.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Uncle
Dean often had trouble moving around. He really liked to go to the
grocery store, but often a trip would take more than an hour. I was
prepared for this. In the car I would read the CPA exam textbooks,
and in the store I would bring flashcards with me. Any free minute I
had was filled with flashcards. Our favorite store was a place we
called Market Square (I think it is labeled the NPS store; I don’t
know where our name for it came from). There we would buy all sorts
of expired or nearly expired food for bargain prices. I really
haven’t seen too many stores like it. I don’t know if you can
sell expired goods like that in California, where I am from. We also
would get lots of produce for super cheap. For example, the Costco
salad mixes could be bought for a dollar or less at Market Square (I
think it's like 4 times that much at Costco). You would just need to
use the food up pretty quick. It was a great chance for me to try out
some new ingredients in the kitchen. It was a fun time. On the nights
I didn’t cook, we went out to dinner. I think Uncle Dean also
really liked to go out to eat. He had lots of restaurants he liked.
Some of them his daughter Becky, was understandably not a fan of. So
I felt especially good when we were able to go somewhere he wasn’t
able to go to normally (Like Chuck-A-Rama).
</div>
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Somehow,
even though Uncle Dean was barely able to walk on his own (with a
walker, granted), he was able to live on his own with an association
of help from different people. For example, the neighbor Chris would
help with the yard work. Uncle Dean’s cousin Eldean would help
clean the house. Eldean was quite a character. She was an avid Trump
supporter, and would just gobble up propaganda from PragerU and other
extreme right wing sources. Sometimes I would try to tell her these
crazy conspiracies were simply not true, but she wouldn’t have it.
Even Uncle Dean, a lifelong republican, didn’t like Donald Trump.
In fact, Uncle Dean was such a republican, I recall once a driver was
driving a little fast/recklessly down the street and Uncle Dean said,
“must be a democrat.”
</div>
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There
were also nurses that would come from Midas Creek. They would help
Uncle Dean put on his compression socks in the morning. It was quite
an ordeal. His diabetes caused his legs to swell up quite a bit. They
would only come 3 times a week or so, so the other times, Brooke
would help.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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And
of course there was Becky. Becky would come at least once a day,
often twice or more. Every night she would help put Uncle Dean to
bed. Putting Uncle Dean to bed was also a bit of a task. To end the
day, his compression socks had to be removed. I think it was a little
easier removing them versus putting them on, but not that much. Uncle
Dean’s nighttime pills also made him sleepy, so it was important
that he not spend too much time in his chair getting ready.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Once
or twice, Brooke and I helped put Uncle Dean to bed. On one of those
nights, Uncle Dean slid out of his chair and was on the floor. We had
to hoist him up somehow and get him into bed. Uncle Dean was a few
inches taller than me, and quite a few pounds heavier, so this was
quite a task. Becky, Brooke, and I struggled a bit. On one of the
occasions, we had to get John to help, Becky’s husband. John easily
picked Uncle Dean up and put him into his bed. The other time, Nick
and his girlfriend came and the 5 of us all worked together to get
him into bed.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Prior
to our arrival, Becky would bring food to Uncle Dean everyday as
well. Becky was also often the voice of reason. Sometimes Uncle Dean
would want to buy all sorts of crazy stuff. For example, he wanted to
buy medical scrubs as pants. I think I may have discouraged him a
little, but when we got back, Becky told us he had way too many pants
already. So we helped bring them back for a refund.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ultimately,
our time in Bountiful was one of the most fun periods of our married
life. I passed three sections of my CPA exam with scores in the mid
to high 90s. We bonded with my Great Uncle and Becky and her family.</div>
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<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-55329183188612404682019-12-10T16:57:00.000-08:002019-12-10T17:18:09.579-08:00Moving and a Mini-RetirementRicky and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Utah, and wish you a happy holiday season!<br />
<br />
We have been so behind on our blog posts for some reason. I guess there has been a lot going on lately! For those of you who don't know, we quit our jobs and went on a pretty big vacation/mini-retirement (<a href="https://anotherboringlifestoryblog.blogspot.com/2019/08/our-big-announcement.html" target="_blank">Here's</a> the announcement video we made to share the news with people). We had both been working really hard at under-staffed jobs and were just really burnt out. I loved my job at the beginning, but it was just time to move on. I was definitely taking work home with me. And Ricky was working like 70-hour work weeks! Work was literally taking over our lives. So, we needed a vacation. Plus, we wanted to move to San Diego! So we did!<br />
<br />
We moved to San Diego shortly after quitting our jobs, we got a little settled, and then headed off on a long vacation. We went to Miami, boarded a cruise ship for our first time, traveled with Norwegian Cruise Line to Key West, Florida and to Nassau, Bahamas. We were supposed to have two more ports but Hurricane Dorian caused our port in Freeport to be cancelled, and the port at Norwegian's private island Great Stirrup Cay was also cancelled. That cancellation was due to the inability to be tendered to the island from the ship because of the wind (Norwegian, you need a dock on your island!). That was REALLY disappointing! We even arrived at the island and saw it and noticed how fun and awesome it would be, and then they announced it was too windy to tender people to the island. We were so sad! But the "at sea days" were actually pretty fun! They had all sorts of activities going on all throughout the day. And yummy food! We loved the food! It was our favorite part! Being on a ship in the ocean and not seeing any land around you is a bit scary, but we were never toooo far out in the ocean (compared to some other cruises where you're at sea for days). It was a good first cruise experience, and we definitely want to go on another cruise again sometime! It is a great way to travel and actually more affordable than I ever thought before I actually looked into it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, after the cruise, we flew over to Orlando to experience Disneyworld and Universal Studios Florida. Those were fun! We did a day at Epcot, a day in Animal Kingdom, and a day in Universal Studios. That was definitely enough for us for one trip, but we do want to come back and do the rest of Disneyworld one day!<br />
<br />
After Florida, was a stop at my family's home in Utah for a little rest and family time. We also went with my family to Park City! It was so cold, but so fun! After 80-90 degree humid Florida weather, snow in Park City was a bit of a shock to our bodies. Ricky actually was sick with a cold for awhile (which I think he caught in Disneyworld), but luckily we could get a lot of rest in Utah.<br />
<br />
From Utah, we flew back to San Diego for just a night, and then walked across the border using the bridge to the Tijuana airport early the next morning. We went with Ricky's friend Fernando and Fernando's brother. We could not have done this trip without them because we literally understood like less than 5% of what anyone said to us. Fernando translated EVERYTHING for us, and Fernando's brother rented a car and drove us all over which was awesome! But traffic was an actual nightmare!!! Traffic in Mexico City is the worst traffic any of us had ever been in!!! It was horrible! Other than that, it was a good trip and fun to see the sights. We saw the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, went to Six Flags Mexico with our Six Flags passes, went to the museum of anthropology, and did a canal ride in Xochimilco. It was fun, but we were all so excited to come back to the states. Our Airbnb didn't really have hot water, so we were excited for hot showers again. Plus, we were sick of the traffic.<br />
<br />
Mexico City was the last leg of our big trip, and then we rested awhile and did some work and renovations on our house in San Diego. We haven't quite started new jobs yet, so we drove to Utah for Thanksgiving. Since Ricky was sick during our last time in Utah, we packed this Utah trip full! We caught up with so many friends and family! It was awesome! And it snowed a lot, so that was fun! It was a wonderful trip, but too short. We had to work our travel days around the weather, since we were driving.<br />
<br />
We are getting our house festive for the holidays and just wanted to say hi to our followers on here (I did not expect to write this much! wow). We wish you happy holidays! What are your holiday traditions? How was your Thanksgiving? We absolutely love to hear from you!<br />
<br />
If you're interested, here are a few links!<br />
<br />
Here is the link to our Youtube channel, where Ricky is slowly getting up our travel vlogs:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA0Q5lakuMY-Md-lXWZjjjA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA0Q5lakuMY-Md-lXWZjjjA</a><br />
<br />
Here is the link we use to send easy, custom postcards to our loved ones (if you use this referral link, you get a free 3 dollars, which is enough for your first postcard!):<br />
<a href="https://www.mypostcard.com/en/invite/ANOTHERBORINGYOUTUBECHANNELXCRG" target="_blank">https://www.mypostcard.com/en/invite/ANOTHERBORINGYOUTUBECHANNELXCRG</a><br />
<br />
Here is a referral link that you can use to get some free money to use on Airbnb (I think it's like 40 free dollars towards a stay and 15 free dollars towards an Airbnb experience!):<br />
<a href="https://www.airbnb.com/c/brookeh10857?currency=USD" target="_blank">https://www.airbnb.com/c/brookeh10857?currency=USD</a><br />
<br />
And here is a link to Rakuten, which we always use when buying things online (especially this time of year) that gives out cash back for all the things you buy (on Amazon or other online retailers). It's a referral link, and you get 10 free dollars if you sign up using it!<br />
<a href="https://www.rakuten.com/r/PANDAL593?eeid=28187" target="_blank">https://www.rakuten.com/r/PANDAL593?eeid=28187</a><br />
(They literally send you a check in the mail - it is awesome!!!)<br />
<br />
That reminded me of one more link to share. You guys know about Ricky's podcast, right!? He talks about frugal living. It is legit!<br />
<a href="http://anchor.fm/thefruglife" target="_blank">anchor.fm/thefruglife</a> <br />
<br />
Love you all! Happy Holidays!Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-8215981825992638812019-11-13T12:18:00.001-08:002019-11-13T12:37:47.445-08:00Mexico city has been an adventure<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mexico City has been an adventure. I'm
writing this on my phone in the back of the rental car. Yesterday we
went to the pyramids, which was a spectacular sight. I will include a
related video once I make it.
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There were vendors selling all sorts of
souvenirs. Someone even tried to sell me an obsidian dagger. I don't
think airport security would have liked that. We also saw some
ocarinas for sale, mostly 5 hole pendants which I'm not a huge fan
of. Those are mostly just a toy.
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Driving back from the pyramids was a
nightmare. It took over 3 hours. Google maps said it would take 1
hour and 20 minutes. The last 2 miles took 2 hours. There were police
and road closures everywhere. It was the worst traffic I've ever been
in. And I have lived in the Bay Area and driven in Los Angeles quite
a bit, etc. Mexico City takes the cake.
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On the way to the pyramids, we were
stopped by the Mexican police. They wanted 6,000 pesos for some
nonsense laws they made up on the spot. Brooke and I didn't have any
pesos, so my friend and his brother paid 2,000 pesos of the fine and
we got out ok. Still, it was pretty upsetting. We had to find a bank
to get more pesos.</div>
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The place we are staying also lacks
some of the comforts of the states. The hot water may or may not
work. So far, I have taken one cold shower and one lukewarm shower.
</div>
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The windows in the building have no
screens, so you could just open up the window and jump or fall out if
you were so inclined. The apartment is on the 4th floor and there is
no elevator, which is the highest I've been without one. Some of the
stairways are quite tight and require me to duck. It certainly is an
interesting place.
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<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-85665591064723188962019-10-15T19:52:00.002-07:002019-11-13T12:38:39.152-08:00Twin falls<br />
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It looks like my posts are a little backlogged. Here is a post about our vacation this summer.</div>
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On our way to vacation in Idaho, we
stayed in a hotel in Twin Falls. It is a very interesting town, lots
of shopping, then banks, cars, small businesses, and stuff. I don't
know what people do for work outside of retail.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We went to a McAlister’s at about 8
pm, an hour before close. They were out of almost everything! I got a
salad with spinach instead of lettuce. It had Bleu cheese and a
shallot sherry dressing. It was pretty good. Pretty French haha. I
had a reuben as well. The employee gave us some cookies to make up
for all the missing items.
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We went into the small town of Shoshone
which was so small and quaint, I loved it. We looked through an
antiques store. Brooke and I finished and sat on a bench by Ace
Hardware. Suddenly, a cat appeared. I told Brooke and she was
startled, the cat was already under the bench when she noticed.
Brooke being startled startled the cat too. It wanted me to pet it,
so I did. Its slightly mangled fur indicated it was a street cat. It
was quite sweet though. Like a big Maple, just a lot more quiet
(Maple was the name of our <a href="https://anotherboringlifestoryblog.blogspot.com/2016/08/our-last-day-on-ranch.html"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><u>cat
friend on the ranch</u></span></a>). It went into the Ace Hardware. I
followed. Inside the store, the cat kept looking back at me,
expectantly. Eventually it proceeded through a side door where there
was water and cat food.</div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-d80b0b28-7fff-162f-889f-52866c5b6111"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 832px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="832" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/USUDnjqN8wlReTtbYDQmz5eHBAhMUBQCs5i7oA-1_H2AauFAELPOOpeX1--_Ia5bFa5BRqgtVJoEltBiF-BcvI1MHVP9xSdyyVTcbQt1YyiBe73ALRSYLZu-6ajmUf--kKC3PIdO" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span></div>
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Brooke and I walked across the street
to the gas station to wash our hands. The gas station was super cute.
It had little booths to sit, and a milkshake machine thing!
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-378c8011-7fff-38f9-6e67-4fefea1f4a30"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 832px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="832" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/tggS82K3df0EqdY-w7W9dm2OktLaMYA9rA2-58wJeV21gY_JGiuho1xPhQkSqUBrPzcvqnSDAnCJWW2ndF9fZHWdzOCnKSggzUS_QPp5F-Zau-GFi8I4_7D3V3gDw-KKtf0lzZHK" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span></div>
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</div>
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We also explored a little more, seeing
a Mexican shop run out of an old school bus. I took a picture. The
lady who owned it saw me, so I said hi.
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-cf310c7f-7fff-516a-8228-105c3b5f203c"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 468px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="468" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/7-JGjjSztFt2YUnxdtBWf-acIz9iaJ4evLVM559dO_maWNeXtiWSotiE_TFDNwILqnR8ylrWkUNsepub0e1CPUMmidJYQrPwoLI4C1fyo33JaOiMVVUOuyXUYrqW8pzgkhBOZhgW" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We continued down and saw some active
shops, but many were closed. We saw an apartment above a store for
sale, imagine living in a town like that. Across the street, we saw a
creepy mansion. Look at these pictures and see how big it is. It is
kind of wild.
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-78957e31-7fff-70ec-822a-b783dfde6080"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 468px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="468" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/qfrtc9zq6I6cXvNKlSV7p0Md1ICuURF2fZKxDsLffI4iyAyhQRANreaYkYn13whGrOLclrTXTXU-jaVFGBTSL5F8e5vZw0atgxUvTcVusWkAoA4LjuutVq834cCSJSPawJv8Y4ZI" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-7c2f59e1-7fff-a326-72e7-1a257ab85c56"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 468px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="468" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/k4G16iaPdm1ewj18Elm1rpimYhqSL9-50xcDNGq-0HL5GzzYNUCWKsWqLW6Ya1SvBid-9oUWIUdj-LF4YwMFVuZlSWIs4fCeJM2UKPWYbXp22gncH0MKQYU01a4_oVGZYLE7RV_T" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-4ac7b694-7fff-ba98-d2c3-8be19468aa08"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 468px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="468" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/07_8rDNDzA4jDhrk2ImCxuQ-3UWioJU4j2QwcJ_QZNN-vyWeCBBfC1MdJcGVgdz1UHzn_0VJ-PxGK2dbMw5t7qObh-2h6ZEnBGVuOhHzdJtWd3lMHdaGkPVIg4CAE1-zcpnTtiVL" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span>RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-4520966953488140812019-09-17T10:00:00.000-07:002019-11-13T12:42:01.750-08:00YosemiteAt the end of July, my mom, sister, and brother were in our neck of the woods. My sister had a friend's wedding in Oakland/reception in Sonora to attend. My mom drove Brittany and her friends here for the wedding (and for some sightseeing). Brian flew in just for the weekend. We all stayed in Sonora at a cute little hotel there. The day after the big wedding day, Brittany and her friends went to a fun little lake in Sonora for the day, while Brian, my mom, Ricky, and I went to Yosemite for the day. I had heard from a lot of people that Yosemite was awesome, but I didn't know what it would be like or what to expect. I was happy with what we fit into our one full day there. We saw many of the waterfalls. They were so pretty! We first saw Bridal Veil Falls. It was pretty and not much of a hike to get to it. Then we hiked lower Yosemite Falls. It was so nice to sit at the bottom and feel a little mist from it! Lastly, we hiked Vernal Falls. Vernal Falls was definitely the big hike of the day for us. It was so uphill and so hot! Then, we made it partway and saw this little view of the falls still so far away. It was kind of a disappointment after all that. But we could luckily fill up our water there and then continue onward. I'm so glad we did. We walked right up by the waterfall with the mist from the falls just soaking us! It really cooled us down and gave us the energy to keep going! Then, we got to the very top of the waterfall! It was so amazing to have made it to the top of it! We relaxed and ate some snacks before heading back down. It was a full and amazing Yosemite day! Here are a few pictures: <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SIM3vNDSq_c/XXkhX-kmD4I/AAAAAAAAHHk/dgfPGP0buPEB180K0vRmtbIT1yRpnYkUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_7203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SIM3vNDSq_c/XXkhX-kmD4I/AAAAAAAAHHk/dgfPGP0buPEB180K0vRmtbIT1yRpnYkUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7203.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right when we arrived in Yosemite, Ricky spotted a bear! We pulled over to see it. It was enjoying a snack from this tree.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UWMlfcmEFKY/XXkhX9xQ2ZI/AAAAAAAAHHg/lti4dkO23UMw3Dmh0seOTx1GnI3h75ykgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_7215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UWMlfcmEFKY/XXkhX9xQ2ZI/AAAAAAAAHHg/lti4dkO23UMw3Dmh0seOTx1GnI3h75ykgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7215.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9fb4wGwQ78A/XXkkUrkAmOI/AAAAAAAAHH0/rH9x4yiSilET5Rxjf-6_v0OOk8mCzktzACKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_4288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9fb4wGwQ78A/XXkkUrkAmOI/AAAAAAAAHH0/rH9x4yiSilET5Rxjf-6_v0OOk8mCzktzACKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_4288.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">so pretty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwUBqR70Lmo/XXklFMooN5I/AAAAAAAAHII/JI_EXLp2PtIfbJC02RhyWCQKal6z0dLwQCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_0939.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwUBqR70Lmo/XXklFMooN5I/AAAAAAAAHII/JI_EXLp2PtIfbJC02RhyWCQKal6z0dLwQCKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_0939.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way up Vernal Falls - you can see how soaked we got!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lAjZOHAjLlc/XXkm0HfR2RI/AAAAAAAAHIY/FIg8RBoTbQk0HS7ryd6FNXpLmzcdh1uVQCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_4303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lAjZOHAjLlc/XXkm0HfR2RI/AAAAAAAAHIY/FIg8RBoTbQk0HS7ryd6FNXpLmzcdh1uVQCKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_4303.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A happy squirrel relaxing at the top of Vernal Falls</td></tr>
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<br />Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-50802901975150392412019-09-10T21:01:00.001-07:002019-09-11T09:01:49.824-07:00Berkeley and Oakland<span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh
wow, I think we are a little behind on our posts. Well, we just went
to Oakland recently, but I realized I didn’t even post about our
last Oakland trip! Ooopsy. This most recent trip was quite short, we
just went to the temple. Due to working a lot and getting free food
often at work, my pants have not fit me very well. So I decided to
get a new pair. Brooke ordered me some off Amazon, but they were not
quite the right size. Additionally, the fabric was quite thin, not
what I would expect from $50 plants. Fortunately, I think returning
them will be easy since Brooke used Amazon wardrobe. I had to hide
the tags though when I wore them in the temple, which was probably a
little humorous to watch. After going to the temple, we went to the
smallest taco bell I have ever been to. It had 3 or 4 little 4-person
tables. It had a sign “15 minutes only,” as in “you can’t
linger here.” I finally tried a quesarito, which I was a little
disappointed by. The mini chicken quesadilla is pretty good though.
And of course the beefy fritos burrito with 440 calories for 1 dollar
is the best value. I think this is turning into a </span></span><a href="https://www.thefruglife.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>fruglife
post </u></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">though!
Anyways, the last trip to Oakland was very different, as you will
read!</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
we went to the Hotel Claremont in Berkeley where my friend works. It
was a gorgeous hotel and he showed us around. We watched a guy saber
a champagne bottle in the hallway. We chatted and reminisced about
old times.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
don't often give 10/10 for a dish, but I found a 10/10 dish here. The
Chicken Bao Buns are amazing. The chicken was perfectly crispy, the
bun soft and amazing, the kimchi added punch and the cucumber added a
fresh element to the dish. A perfectly crafted and executed dish.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
visiting Berkeley, we went a few miles to Oakland to visit the
temple. Brooke needed to use the restroom, so we walked into the
visitor center. I sat on a bench while I waited for her. While there,
a senior missionary approached me and asked if I was there for the
performance. I said I wasn’t, and he replied “you should be”
and handed me a program. I asked when it started and he said 7 pm, in
just 10 minutes. I told Brooke what had happened, so we decided to
stay and listen. I’m glad we did. The artist was a piano duo called
happy dog duo. They played 4-hand piano pieces. They were quite
skilled. It has been a while since I went to a musical performance.
At times the music was so soothly, I felt like drifting away into
sleep. They played a piece called “fairy garden”. In my mind, I
really did travel to a green and lush garden, with happy gnomes and
fairies. Other music was thought provoking and deep. During the
music, I realized that I had been stressing about some aspects of
life and the music made me feel almost weightless at times. It was a
very nice performance. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "roboto", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Apparently
there are lots of performances at the temple visitor center. Brooke
and I wish we knew about them earlier. </span></span>
</div>
<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-42163680127563641962019-08-19T22:54:00.001-07:002019-11-13T12:42:50.677-08:00Our big announcement<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DovB95YPimo" width="480"></iframe>RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-45653046067666707512019-07-27T16:15:00.002-07:002019-07-27T16:15:31.849-07:00June San Diego Trip<br />
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So in June I took a trip to San Diego to see my sisters’ high
school graduation.</div>
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The
drive was pretty long, but not uneventful. In Gilroy, I saw some
smoke in the distance, and as I got closer, I saw two cars pulled to
the side of the little two lane highway. As I got closer still, I saw
a fire, probably 30 yards in diameter or so, and then in the middle
of it, I saw a white pickup truck engulfed in flames. It was a crazy
sight. As soon as I saw this, I heard sirens behind me, so I pulled
over to the dirt on the side of the highway. After the police passed
me, I started to drive again, but stopped as the officer made a 3
point turn in front of me. As soon as the path was clear, I took off
and got out of there. A small line of cars started forming on the
other side of the highway. I didn’t capture any pictures of the
event (hopefully for obvious reasons), but it was quite a sight.
After I got on I-5, the drive was pretty normal, not much happened.</div>
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When
I got home, I was pleased to see the family cat Sia. She had run away
from home some time ago and I was glad to see her safe at the house.</div>
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The
Monday after I got there was not very eventful, it seems most people
have work on a Monday in the middle of the day. I wasn’t an
exception either, as I did a few tasks on my work laptop. I still
managed to meet up with some of my friends in the afternoon and got
some Mexican food. Mexican food in San Diego is the best (Well ok,
sure my times actually in Mexico were a little better haha). Anyways,
I also got to play Overcooked 2, which was a total blast haha! I
would highly recommend it. The premise is simple, you and a small
team have to cook food in this game. It takes intense levels of
coordination, otherwise everyone is just running all over the place.
We started to really get the hang of it. Before long it was 1 am
haha.
</div>
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Tuesday
was the day of the actual graduation. There was a nice breeze and the
ceremony was nice. We went out to a ramen place after. I had sushi
as it was still summer and I wanted something cool.</div>
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Then
my brother and I spent 3 hours washing, waxing and cleaning my car.
It looks great now. I think this is the first time I have waxed my
car.</div>
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Well,
shortly after I got there, it was time to go home. The ride home was
pretty uneventful except for my stop to get gas in LA. I had to go to
3 gas stations to use a bathroom. And then I hit 20-30 minutes of
traffic just to get back on the freeway. So that part was a
nightmare. I don’t know how anyone lives in LA! haha, just kidding.
Lots of people say that about California in general.</div>
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<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-79392168104203905222019-07-07T19:03:00.001-07:002019-07-07T19:03:42.254-07:00A day in FresnoBefore the Oakland temple was dedicated, Ricky and I made a trip to Fresno to go to the temple there. The drive there is unique and pretty, but also pretty long. We drove past fields of crops in Gilroy (tons of garlic - it smelled so strong!), stands of fresh produce, and then through the mountains and past a beautiful lake. I think the drive was about 2 hours 20 minutes. <br />
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<br />
Finally, we made it to the temple. It was the smallest temple either of us had ever been in! It was tiny! Everything was on one floor! It was beautiful though, and the grounds were really pretty. <br />
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After the temple, we went to Dog House Grill to eat. It was very popular, and for good reason! Ricky got the tri-tip sandwich, which was alright. I got the pork rib meal, which was amazing! We both loved the ribs, and there was a generous portion of them! The meal came with a salad and garlic bread. We were both stuffed!<br />
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We ended the day going to Woodward Park to play some disc golf. The park is huge, and it took us awhile to actually find the disc golf course. It was a huge course, definitely too advanced for me, but still fun. <br />
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<br />Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-9040898124752097302019-06-15T21:44:00.000-07:002019-06-16T15:32:40.631-07:00Oakland Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago, we went to Oakland to attend the Oakland temple open house. The temple has had some work done on it and will be rededicated soon, so it was open to the public for tours for a period of time. We hadn't been to Oakland in quite a while and had never really explored Oakland by ourselves before. I think we were both surprised by what a fun and cute place it is! It was super humid and very green, so it reminded me of the east coast a little, just with how green it was! It seemed so much greener than San Jose! San Jose is so dry like 11 months of the year. Even with all the rain this year, it's only been green and pretty for like a couple weeks in January or February. Anyways, we drove to Merritt College where we could park, then we got shuttled to the temple in a school bus. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the school bus</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way to the temple</td></tr>
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The tour started in the stake center next to the temple, which is huge! It had a big auditorium where we sat and watched mormon ads while they took group by group out to head to the chapel where the tour would start with a video and an introduction from a tour guide.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just watching the mormon ads in the mini conference center</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stake center was just so huge, it had this courtyard and two stories</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Then, we followed our tour guide over to the temple. He showed us through each room and talked about what the various rooms are for. Afterwards, we admired the view and walked over to the visitor center. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the temple is amazing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flowers outside the visitor center were so pretty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-695xHxZ3S8g/XQXC4bur9bI/AAAAAAAADfg/szZpH3YWrSsZ4VV6NPCecDYs0EpMma5-wCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_4095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-695xHxZ3S8g/XQXC4bur9bI/AAAAAAAADfg/szZpH3YWrSsZ4VV6NPCecDYs0EpMma5-wCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_4095.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Christus in the visitor center</td></tr>
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Here is a video of what renovations were done to the temple: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd0x3PP0zNM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3zDaZ_ZA_vK6iz8lq9ssPqw0ZliQoP0_U-prIAIeTjEPvCumVrkNHYoHg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd0x3PP0zNM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3zDaZ_ZA_vK6iz8lq9ssPqw0ZliQoP0_U-prIAIeTjEPvCumVrkNHYoHg</a> <br />
<br />
After the open house, we went to get food at this cute Mexican place. It was a really cute atmosphere, but Ricky thought the tacos were a little overpriced for their size. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving home in the rain</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Overall, we decided that Oakland is a cool place and we think it would be really fun to live there!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A few unrelated updates and links for you: <br />
<br />
-Ricky has started a podcast! I am so impressed with him and how legit it sounds. It is really fun to listen to, so give it a listen here: <a href="http://anchor.fm/thefruglife" target="_blank">anchor.fm/thefruglife</a><br />
<br />
-We love using mypostcard to send postcards to family and friends. Ricky came up with a link you can use to get $3 free, so you can send your first postcard free! Here's the link: <a href="https://www.mypostcard.com/en/invite/ANOTHERBORINGYOUTUBECHANNELXCRG" target="_blank">https://www.mypostcard.com/en/invite/ANOTHERBORINGYOUTUBECHANNELXCRG</a><br />
<br />
-Lastly, you might remember that we mentioned in a previous post (awhile ago) that we had some exciting news coming up. That news will finally be announced in September!!! (No, I'm not pregnant)</div>
<br />Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-7109108806061652802019-05-12T10:00:00.000-07:002019-06-15T21:45:14.388-07:00My 26th BirthdayMy birthday weekend started on Friday when I got out of work. I had a staff development day at work so I got out of work earlier than normal! I got home and got a birthday package from my family - a scooter! This is just what I wanted for riding to work! I wanted to take it out right away and give it a go. We rode over to the Habit Burger Grill to get my free birthday burger!<br />
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The next day we went to San Francisco. We went on a small hike and explored some nice views of the Golden Gate Bridge. We also got pizza!<br />
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<br />
Sunday was Easter, but we didn't do too much to celebrate, besides church.<br />
<br />
Monday was my actual birthday! I rode my scooter to work, which was very enjoyable and much better than walking. After work, Ricky and I went to Denny's for my free birthday meal. It's a fun little birthday tradition although Denny's isn't really the best. Overall, it was a pretty good birthday, and a fun birthday weekend!Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-12594522302579448172019-05-06T19:41:00.001-07:002019-06-15T21:47:02.226-07:00San Francisco <br />
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Brooke and I took our first day trip to San Francisco with just the
two of us.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the way, I wanted to stop at vista
point in San Mateo. Well, we missed the exit, but apparently there
is a second vista point on the other side of the freeway one exit
down! I’m not sure what we missed, I guess we will have to go
again. We had a nice little pepperoni sandwich I prepared, but it was
super windy!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This time, we went to the Presidio,
and walked about 2 miles to the golden gate bridge.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img height="480" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L7pSFr7B_x8a87emxvEbu_F57riNvxb92CZRbO2vb4L8mxc9AhEZty4stz_BYtgFqSD5NhFaO62qYUAS6RbGmLtvSbxmRe8iNo2O7jNhs0Jz_O9BksZG2Mwk4mX2kiEEwZIzOeq9QoA2Bdd8ftFpEqxQlpZxBfSQOdWGD4A-Hph6TnPdVGWYO05vjUYsVK5gorbxJFgP-ikYnO3Gt68uDYULSBRO8qknUhS_m7XUqfBmJcNYiJ-vsP1ySDd10lBqD_5wLRY43dH6jckd3k6RYO9gjkXUyythi3ZRRw97HJsG9QO8JfjHyVomaF2DXk_gNlhgUsgqYgBHeqIF5vXYeezb0gX_fxIFeErubl-Hl59Wmmuy9Lx-scXbHGzkGO3Uj4AxwS4rMpcz6qR9OiiVTTJpCHFXEAPI2yrpc1pbvbnAV08aYElNNBAxFvViUdbKkoDpdY6DuMnD10T7u7CixjrTfCbbssZaYc6aoZa0dE8IT_jm7tuXNnd80fa__Cvk4NhMfSiYAcjtewO7MtPskfLm0lwJmjXiIC2qFpg1fbvO581gYMTnhwsatkQGc0qsSNw8u525MJQfRasPJAmI3jaUq6Drbn2qU7OvSepe7o2H7ZZNWZp_lzgvpuGQnrkjVkZXUtbnihCpIOU8081keNP-OJc7bE8=w980-h735-no" width="640" /></div>
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<img height="478" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SPSiv6ozxzReLNJfyABxsdpTuELZfEc6hpvFKC_Z-tuYQVmbd33IIoXnSXYpVVpTfXsE0ffJGuHC1j7J1UriRhXGFLH73kXqAEZvQbxmJqhsAXDYxasgwFvVv4untnD8K3gmV6mvTaQObMl0jEV7W2PcJ4zlKHeiHIPQ-2CbYJuQIrlinl8ByJNN1aDQQbytQp5SxRMtdBLcpn-DDxt3v8ZAvGfH1wv5m9K5sp7WsRx8G-R4CAoL_vf1b_CoL-Boe2BNqyaW0EmiwKL_gyPjtDz4PYJfm_rkFG8hQIEXl-RZhL271yDgs1CdoGYyr2Matzd9hhZWL0qtLaJNQUUDFRoOqHctZhg8kUfrGmNF3m4yxPnG3GR02J64twfn0mg237RMZCp3WrM2cvVKtB4dUFI5K8XSpTpp9Eiepv97aR3q8rqiegFNokRzIPhhVjglE0vzX9kGmmSUQaAeAozmUsGSSnmnHW7W5fgSlh5Ufw74UjnF8MwPHUGO3dO48e-RpLXBvdM1lzkFtlTEW5QbNrDyxuiQTjtIHStAkRP-1GY0Ow7t4GoiW4x6b48wq9E7AqVJObOc1pcFWScLbhOejyNSaTAjqfws_3Oi3kAE5yt3L3IYpNItegtasCKMu5kwU5Tnlq7Hbt9_Wu4LkCvLJy1pdeAgIAU=w1175-h881-no" width="640" /></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This was a pretty nice San Francisco
experience for a few reasons. I think due to the season, there were fewer people, and thus we could actually find parking. Also, it was
really windy.
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After our hike, we went to Del Popolo,
which was recommended to me by one of my co-workers (from Italy, mind
you). <br />
<img height="480" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pTvW2zdF-g8Li87h6SOH91qt0bsQ54GqQdYCi00CU2NJC3sbWju62ukk04xU00YMY44L8mikiNMc4zGEgirYhE4oV7aIxMAXGyr98oGNGvbxTD48CWbgTOoHfRm6yJa6sxQLWnPOur4MQUSwNzlBJUkn_1J9H12BHkCbHqwcPQUFclvw3LPkaIrvrZOSGzww8PNdsTauC2BcRsNcK1jUMnrSjEW4QIpPuaZmAYXOSR1HxShSIQgqzXRrzSpAvyinK9_bLqBnm6XfEbyh2z-OytbC68cd_9zbRu1FGJz8fq_rfy-1AjeFWkpasd-DRrR6h2s69JSydZliCem0SnUL7TYpv4UaWlxPXXgzosYK6V7rWe6etOr_lYh0Ous23k4aHxmMr7hMn6Hdo7R-l_STquKFV8tjKGM_f5Z_D7tgcKfCrdPYga-EL4nBLy2Hr3MQwAD9QMBpcUtG_uUl00dEfcKjkC9EnzDe56fzpayJ6oNqPaWH4gyDsDkqR3oTyLNb5AYXp5N4dDp2w1Q8ythtY_CqIwGRqQNmGN1UjZpBqiKCzXBEW_WMxHPS9OV2ijtqEl_yLrCBeRmv9TLD4Ode-M-gP6BvQQpB9JO7uePJ1ZtsUglIK7yphxVLblaDQpvr2M6ddTYA4pzjBnKQNQMCZkqlq21w9Us=w978-h733-no" width="640" /><br />
We somehow managed to park directly in
front of the restaurant, just on the other side of the street! It
also was after 6 pm, so we didn’t even have to pay for parking! I
went in to put our name down, and they said maybe an hour. I was
actually expecting 2 for a Saturday night. We walked around maybe 10
minutes before they texted us that they were ready! We didn’t even
have enough time to find a restroom, which for some reason is harder
than you might expect in SF (really though, there is a serious
shortage of restrooms in the city). I thought the food there was
pretty good, but I was expecting something exceptional. The service
was exceptionally fast. Like we ordered, took turns using the
restroom, and then waited less than 5 minutes and the pizza was at
our table. The first pizza we got was a little burned. Now, it was
Neapolitan style, so there should be some blackening on the crust,
but the blackening on the first piece resulted in just a little too
much burnt taste coming through the pizza. I didn’t love our
topping choice either, salami picante. I’m not an Italian expert,
so I don’t really know what to expect.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyways, we got the second pizza which
was a margherita, which had a perfect crust - soft, and a little crisp
on the outside. We got this pizza a few minutes after the first. The server told
us they remade it as the first one wasn’t perfect. Which, I think
is a polite way of saying, they burnt the heck out of it! The bites
of basil, mozzarella, sauce and crust were delicious! But, there was
only like 3 leafs of basil on the pizza, and thus only like 3 of
those great bites! The sauce on both pizzas was a little acidic, and
I thought it could use just a little pinch of sugar. I think that has
to do with my American palate though. The bill was about $50
after the tip for two pizzas, which about perfectly filled up my wife
and I (I got about a slice and a half of her pizza). So I don’t
think it's a recommendation from me. The service was excellent, but
we also had the most awkward seat, a bar seat facing a wall kind of
in the corner.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyways, in short, maybe traditional
isn’t always best. I’m glad for the experience, but pizza with
more cheese, slightly less acidic sauce, and a better distribution of
toppings just seems more appealing to me.
</div>
<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-58030103181205942152019-04-28T19:34:00.004-07:002019-04-28T21:31:38.499-07:00Every day is an adventure<br />
Every day is an adventure.
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My roommate Adam
taught me that. In fact, in many ways, Adam is the inspiration for
this very blog (check him out <a href="http://acasualadventure.weebly.com/">here</a>. I haven't spoken to him in a few
years, maybe this will help reconnect us).</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have been working
crazy hours lately, but that doesn't mean I don't have adventure.
Every day can have a little adventure in it.</div>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lately I have been
commuting to San Mateo. It is a brutal drive sometimes, as I live in
the south bay, sometimes taking over an hour and a half one way. I
often take the 280 there, and the commute, while long, does have some
great views. You would think everything in the bay area would be
totally filled with businesses and homes, but on the 280, there are
sections with trees as far as the eye can see.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-5bc63b58-7fff-115e-6e26-7730efeef858"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="468" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/M-OFxA3_q3ZazUnjbLfBGyYCbbPhZU66Z9GrhQfSLL7f3qiNIt4hCbJAYOMrwpe0t3FfPA1Hm6dTQ83Y6aNDecyOemW403LaNPouXyVVVhoXD9i8XH--cl0HRVKifiuclzZtcifU" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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There is a field with cows, rolling hills, and a gorgeous pond.
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</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-0d14c7d5-7fff-31fc-5b67-c45791feb1f7"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="468" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/LHS454s8oR5h97kWo1Py7qzY_oBWz8d8XhpE3RHD5tGnssZ7o2F-YzBWyYDbAejN4RK9KOKKzynzDarVvf6plweNOQRcD4TSZ-W5IidCYmu959JF3NdU5Vc-7DL4hia-_tZHmIbc" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></span></div>
<br />
As I look at the trees and the nature, the thought comes to my mind -
What would it be like to live in a cabin in the woods? To live in
nature, to walk among the trees, listening to the quiet forest
chatter. To spend some time away from my busy job and enjoy the
outdoors, perhaps even writing my own modern day Walden Pond.
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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Perhaps someday.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the meantime, I
think I will have to enjoy the outdoors where I can find it. Even
just on my walk to the light rail the other day, I noticed the
outdoors.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-650ce558-7fff-73f4-6b12-be7455f37aaa"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="800" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/6OeoyqnQCrIGOZW9zRqtwlwpUbwm1ZeUCicdgTzJtHKvgrSAtDAlxr1IVhvz7ikuHNBNkoe4fP0Cg1rpHoKF-iRST9acsiv45R0wxmImnX5CcP3jsUNUcPtcvX3Q7M33KI2lB6-8" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="600" /></span></span>
</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So maybe I don’t really need to live in a cabin in the woods, I can
enjoy the outdoors anywhere. Every day can be an adventure, you just
have to make it one.</div>
</div>
<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-38052193620173801702019-04-19T20:47:00.002-07:002019-04-19T20:51:55.984-07:00Brooke's Utah TripI planned another April Utah trip this year! It's always <a href="https://anotherboringlifestoryblog.blogspot.com/2018/04/spring-break.html" target="_blank">April</a> when I am so in need of a vacation. Although it was a super short trip, it was a great one! I arrived late Thursday night. On Friday, my mom and I started out the weekend with pedicures! (This is becoming a tradition.) Then, we headed over to my grandparents' house for lunch and to visit and see my cousins' newly built house! After that, we got pampered some more by going to get massages! It was so great. Then, my mom, dad, and I went to visit my other grandparents, and they took us out to dinner at Sizzlers. It was a wonderful day and I felt spoiled!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uRVEprq2zbc/XLqKE251DMI/AAAAAAAABtE/ZmUg5K16jgc3a1cl8sAePRKCStakt3mYwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uRVEprq2zbc/XLqKE251DMI/AAAAAAAABtE/ZmUg5K16jgc3a1cl8sAePRKCStakt3mYwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0692.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting pampered</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-348OpHKc2hg/XLqKGd_NauI/AAAAAAAABtI/mGXhfkkWmjMkERqusRLa3lG1Gs9B5zQcwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-348OpHKc2hg/XLqKGd_NauI/AAAAAAAABtI/mGXhfkkWmjMkERqusRLa3lG1Gs9B5zQcwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My early birthday present from my grandparents!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The next day started out with a trip to the temple. I realized this was my first time back to the Draper temple since getting married there! Lots of wedding day memories came flooding back. My dad was working in the temple when we went and we hoped to run into him. We did, and he was surprised!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Br4EQurXpA/XLqKcB7kphI/AAAAAAAABuE/j7ibAxqHwUIVrxF8wuHWuttq4OfQunlxwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Br4EQurXpA/XLqKcB7kphI/AAAAAAAABuE/j7ibAxqHwUIVrxF8wuHWuttq4OfQunlxwCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_3909.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the beautiful Draper Temple</td></tr>
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After the temple, we headed to Provo to see the rest of the gang. We met at Magleby's for a delicious lunch. Afterwards, we went to Lisa and Travis' apartment to see their fluffy new addition! Then, I got a tour of Brittany's dorm.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XgCePpKvs6g/XLqKNgyOykI/AAAAAAAABtY/fKkuqvCy7qIZx9zckcEtk5pIUl0vhC-KgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XgCePpKvs6g/XLqKNgyOykI/AAAAAAAABtY/fKkuqvCy7qIZx9zckcEtk5pIUl0vhC-KgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0704.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Winston</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Gz2AmSU1Rs/XLqKNZBwPKI/AAAAAAAABtU/CxMiqw71fTsHVBBbsvwzIXdAOz4SLBzlQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Gz2AmSU1Rs/XLqKNZBwPKI/AAAAAAAABtU/CxMiqw71fTsHVBBbsvwzIXdAOz4SLBzlQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0712.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was so good to see Lisa!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7brBBXwVt-U/XLqKcmQCgiI/AAAAAAAABuI/qaKI1Zk1awUmkcrBwpK6nscSiN5qFltYQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7brBBXwVt-U/XLqKcmQCgiI/AAAAAAAABuI/qaKI1Zk1awUmkcrBwpK6nscSiN5qFltYQCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_3924.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brittany's cute dorm </td></tr>
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<br />
We then did some shopping at the Tanger Outlets, and that pretty much concludes
my trip. I flew home early the next morning to be back in time for
church. It was a such a perfect, relaxing and lovely weekend, and just exactly what I needed!Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-53986167926142304262019-02-22T20:25:00.000-08:002019-02-22T20:25:00.100-08:00The Commute Life<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have a new client now in San Mateo. This is about an hour and 20
min drive from my home in south San Jose. While the drive can be
quite long, it isn’t always uneventful. Earlier this week there was
SNOW in the mountains in San Jose! I saw the peaks of the local
mountains covered in snow. There was a clear line too where the snow
didn’t form. It was really something. Later this week, I saw a huge
rainbow on my way to work. It has been quite rainy. I didn’t get a
picture of it, but one of my co-workers did.
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Also this week I saw a 4 car pile up on
the freeway- yikes!
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I take the 280 to work and it is quite
a scenic drive. There are mountains and forests and lots of space
without homes. It is a little crazy to me, there is such a need for
housing, but there is an entire area with just trees and another with pasture with cows. Driving on the 101 is a totally different experience, its all one big city from San Francisco to San Jose.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyways, the last two weeks have been
the pledge drive on my local public radio station and it has been
driving me crazy! I think it ended Thursday, so I may be in the clear
now.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just wanted to quickly share an
everyday adventure. With my crazy work schedule I don't have much writing time now days. Regardless, Brooke and I may have exciting news in the near future, so
stay tuned!</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />RickyHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00849342579904241835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-18806634592471310702019-01-01T14:46:00.000-08:002019-01-01T14:46:32.691-08:00Utah ChristmasRicky and I had another Utah Christmas this year! It was a full and very enjoyable vacation with family and friends!<br />
<br />
The first night there, we went to Luminaria in the gardens at Thanksgiving Point. It was neat, and they had the best hot chocolate and stroopwaffles!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky warming his nose</td></tr>
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The next night, we went to see the lights at Temple Square. We also had to try out the Light the World vending machines! They were pretty cool! We stayed in a hotel downtown that night, and went to Music and the Spoken Word in the morning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas window displays</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hbaSCefk42g/XCvXpvLJbEI/AAAAAAAABlg/7FabCjz0oS8LzGo9bLb7KDrXl9NWJ--jgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hbaSCefk42g/XCvXpvLJbEI/AAAAAAAABlg/7FabCjz0oS8LzGo9bLb7KDrXl9NWJ--jgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3931.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Giving Machines</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky and I after Music and the Spoken Word</td></tr>
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<br />
On Christmas Eve, we went to my Grandma and Grandpa's for our traditional dinner, gift exchange, nativity, and talent show. It was so good to see everyone!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky played We Three Kings on the ocarina for the talent show</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zjnlteZr9n4/XCvZgBGiETI/AAAAAAAABmM/lAunBG6Fw-QYg_DmQZ83GDlslMuKLAlxQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zjnlteZr9n4/XCvZgBGiETI/AAAAAAAABmM/lAunBG6Fw-QYg_DmQZ83GDlslMuKLAlxQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0478.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My grandparents got us Willow Tree nativity pieces!</td></tr>
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On Christmas Eve, we all worked together to make lots of sack lunches to donate to the Road Home. On Christmas morning, we made the sandwiches to go in the lunches, and then took them to the Road Home. It was a good Christmas service experience!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OfGL480RW7M/XCvaT-PeIGI/AAAAAAAABmk/n6jhL5MLU7UzxGSVhbii0fEbxq1f8FewQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OfGL480RW7M/XCvaT-PeIGI/AAAAAAAABmk/n6jhL5MLU7UzxGSVhbii0fEbxq1f8FewQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organizing the sack lunches</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1pbm6iVL54/XCvaVGftQ1I/AAAAAAAABmo/Es-URFf-_xMaUxCZAuJpppNDY097yAB3gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1pbm6iVL54/XCvaVGftQ1I/AAAAAAAABmo/Es-URFf-_xMaUxCZAuJpppNDY097yAB3gCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0510.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian got me a coloring book and Ricky a knife sharpener</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wVq9jNKkpFQ/XCvakQBNJBI/AAAAAAAABmw/K5QjbAhJ2NQBKql5NYN7nud8YoZ0jlgSgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wVq9jNKkpFQ/XCvakQBNJBI/AAAAAAAABmw/K5QjbAhJ2NQBKql5NYN7nud8YoZ0jlgSgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3750.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got him a Charlie Brown Christmas tree - it matches his shirt!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h9fBxvuirn4/XCvauxWEcsI/AAAAAAAABm4/Ex6PJ5j91mIVfIHiEjBw7Uu69QD53VHggCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h9fBxvuirn4/XCvauxWEcsI/AAAAAAAABm4/Ex6PJ5j91mIVfIHiEjBw7Uu69QD53VHggCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brittany got us candy and an Angry Mama and we got her notebooks and glow-in-the-dark stars to enjoy at college</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5XoNZJ0ACng/XCveAZpCi3I/AAAAAAAABnU/6KyCXraK5eIOkgvwWDdtTx2kOyWi85xkQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5XoNZJ0ACng/XCveAZpCi3I/AAAAAAAABnU/6KyCXraK5eIOkgvwWDdtTx2kOyWi85xkQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got my mom just what she asked for - a Swiffer duster and nail polish (and we got my dad candy)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kfxbe8hiZ5A/XCveA-ospvI/AAAAAAAABnY/EKwNNRE4OWYaFMFrEm4XRH2CZM6tITKOQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kfxbe8hiZ5A/XCveA-ospvI/AAAAAAAABnY/EKwNNRE4OWYaFMFrEm4XRH2CZM6tITKOQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0530.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She got me the dress I fell in love with when we went shopping at the Gilroy Outlets in October</td></tr>
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We didn't get any pictures of the day after Christmas, but it was a great day! We went and visited Uncle Dean and went out to lunch with him. We went to Kokonut Island Grill, one of our favorites in Bountiful. Later that day, we went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse with Reid and Larissa and Bennion and Brittney. It was fun seeing them!<br />
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The next day, we went to visit my Grandma and Grandpa at their new place! It was so nice there, and had anything you could want - cookies and candy by the front desk, games and puzzles you could rent out, a schedule of activities you could go to, even a hair salon. Downstairs was a place you could go eat pretty much any time of the day, and my grandpa took us to lunch there. We enjoyed it! We got salads, a delicious tomato soup, and then I got a burger and fries, and Ricky got one of the specials of the day, Cashew Shrimp. And after that, we got dessert! Also, Ricky was impressed that there was a soda machine you could access anytime of the day or night! We were sure impressed, and loved visiting with my grandparents!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious fries and fry sauce</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A snowy view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dA8pc_LrXjg/XCvgDKOdYDI/AAAAAAAABn0/v08Wd7ZmJA8eXGuRzZWk21Bb_Rmo1rH9QCLcBGAs/s1600/20181227_155050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dA8pc_LrXjg/XCvgDKOdYDI/AAAAAAAABn0/v08Wd7ZmJA8eXGuRzZWk21Bb_Rmo1rH9QCLcBGAs/s320/20181227_155050.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the sign that my grandpa got from the white elephant gift exchange at Christmas!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KPPuux7s9-g/XCvgDq_-kiI/AAAAAAAABn4/igup3akeifgdsJzdzz9liS37s754VaYdQCLcBGAs/s1600/20181227_155054%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KPPuux7s9-g/XCvgDq_-kiI/AAAAAAAABn4/igup3akeifgdsJzdzz9liS37s754VaYdQCLcBGAs/s320/20181227_155054%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My grandparents - we can't wait to visit again!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky got a cute picture of us hugging bye</td></tr>
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So Ricky and I got to our gate to fly home, but our flight had been overbooked and they needed volunteers to take a different flight a few hours later. We were in no rush, so we decided to volunteer. We ended up getting food vouchers and gift cards for volunteering! So after that, we had some time to spare and looked for somewhere to eat in the airport to use our food vouchers! It was a fun and tasty little adventure to end our trip!<br />
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<br />Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-6270444548825350102018-12-02T20:13:00.002-08:002018-12-02T20:13:50.418-08:00A San Diego ThanksgivingFor Thanksgiving this year, we decided to drive to San Diego to spend it with Ricky's family. Ricky has made this drive once on his own, but I hadn't ever made the drive from San Jose to San Diego. Ricky said it was about 7 hours without traffic. That seemed long and I didn't know if it would be worth it for such a short trip. But airfare was pricey and we couldn't get any extra time off work, so we drove. We left on Wednesday right after work, and drove back on Sunday.<br />
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We left right at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, and traffic was pretty bad in one spot on the 101. We got to San Diego around 11:00 pm. I like road trips that are about 3 to 4 hours, so the end of that drive was a little miserable for me. I was actually exhausted after work, so Ricky did most of that drive. <br />
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Anyways, on Thanksgiving, we started the day by going to Balboa Park. It was so nice, and reminded me a little of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Some of it was closed for the holiday, but it was fun just walking around and I feel like we still got to see a lot!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S9UQgh2-6sI/XASd74W85xI/AAAAAAAABhE/n1SpDSefwqw26yjeM-zQ-M-sKvONAKQ4gCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S9UQgh2-6sI/XASd74W85xI/AAAAAAAABhE/n1SpDSefwqw26yjeM-zQ-M-sKvONAKQ4gCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_3599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a look at the Japanese Tea Garden - so pretty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is outside the Prado Restaurant, where their neighbor works</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We wanted to go inside the Botanical Building, but sadly, it was closed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was actually double-closed, because it was Thursday <i>and</i> a holiday!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky and his brothers had to recreate the statues lol</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see Ricky running away in the background after helping Jake onto Alex!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved this tree!</td></tr>
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We actually didn't get pictures of Thanksgiving dinner that night, but that was fun! It was at Aunt Heather's house, and it was delicious! We played some Super Smash Brothers and Family Feud after dinner.<br />
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On Friday, we went to lunch with Ricky's friends Fernando and Brian. Fernando chose Chick-Fil-A since there's not one too close to him. I honestly thought Chick-Fil-A was only a Utah thing, so we enjoyed eating there. It was actually totally outdoors! You walk up to the window and order, then sit in the outdoor seating and get your food from the counter when your name is called. It did also have a drive-thru. We then went to Brian's house and hung out. We played some Toontown Rewritten, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and we watched a show. Brian's parents ordered us pizza, which was delicious! That was a fun day!<br />
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On Saturday, Alex gave Ricky a badly needed haircut! Then we took the family pictures for the Christmas cards outside in the front yard. Later, we went to Old Town San Diego and went to the Mormon Battalion museum. That tour was sooo good (and it was free), and I highly recommend it for anyone visiting San Diego!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky getting a haircut!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mormon Battallion Historic Site</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the Mormon Battallion</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panning for gold after the tour</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the end of the tour, they took a nice picture of us to keep</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Lastly, here are some photos of Teddy and the new addition to the family, the cat Sia. Also, a photo of the traffic we were in driving back on Sunday. It was bumper to bumper on the 5. It took us just under TWELVE HOURS to get back home! We left at 9:15 am, and arrived home at 9:05 pm. That was literally the worst drive ever! Traffic was so bad!!!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bumper to Bumper traffic for hours - absolutely miserable!</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1747241155"></span><span id="goog_1747241156"></span><br />Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7158180297255215883.post-77198560786287729892018-10-29T20:30:00.000-07:002018-10-29T20:30:03.724-07:00Mom's Visit, Part 2: San FranciscoOn Saturday, we headed to San Francisco. We went to Golden Gate Park again, which is probably our favorite thing to do there. We started off with the Harmon Tower, which is a must-do in Golden Gate Park, and absolutely free! Then we walked by the Lily Pond, where Ricky found some blackberries. We then went to the Conservatory of Flowers, and walked around the exterior, which was beautiful. We didn't want to pay to go inside though. We decided to pay to go into the Botanical Garden, which was the same price, but sounded like it had more to do. It was pretty fun. There are so many small parts inside of it, such as a Redwood Trail, Garden of Fragrance, and Ancient Plant Garden, to name a few. Our favorite part was probably the Garden of Fragrance. But I also enjoyed the Ancient Plant Garden. It was a little confusing at times because there were so many paths, but not enough signs. So at one point, we thought we should be in the California Garden, but we were really in the Succulent Garden. Anyways, Golden Gate park is huge and we still haven't seen it all! See <a href="http://anotherboringlifestoryblog.blogspot.com/2017/11/family-vacation-part-1-san-francisco.html" target="_blank">last year's San Francisco trip</a> for more San Francisco adventures.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harmon Tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky and I found the same spot we stood in last year for a picture. Last year, you could see the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, but it was too foggy this time. P.S. I'm wearing the same shirt and Ricky's wearing the same jacket as last year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom at the Conservatory of Flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were plenty of flowers outside the building!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky in the succulent garden (I think)</td></tr>
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We ended with dinner at Cliff House! My mom had the salmon with lentils, I had the pork chop with broccolini, and Ricky had the braised lamb with shiitake mushrooms. Ricky's favorite part was the shiitake mushrooms, and my favorite part was the cornbread with sausage that came on the side for me. It was a crumble and it was SO good! The view was also beautiful!<br />
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<br />Brooke Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08022928163609376233noreply@blogger.com0