Julian Apple Orchards
As newbies to San Diego, it took us a few weeks to realize that it was apple season! Without the weather changing or an apple tree in our backyard like we’re used to, it didn’t cross our minds until the end of September that we should figure out where apples grow here. 😜 Luckily, we were able to take a Saturday trip to the town of Julian, which is a popular place for apple orchards about 1.5 hours inland from our home.
The weather and wildlife was really different there. We were not very prepared for it to be so cold! The town was packed with visitors, but we found a less-traveled orchard where we could explore and almost feel alone. We enjoyed trying apples and pears there. Actually, the pears were much more tasty to us, so that’s all we ended up taking home this year. We were so glad to carry on this autumn family tradition.
We had to take turns with the stick. Tanner’s turn!
Dallin’s turn!
Jeremy was not a fan of the apples. Too bitter!
I brought a jacket and scarf.
But it was in the 40’s and I was coooold.
Thank goodness this cookie monster blanket was in the trunk!
We all loved the pears!!
This pear had a funny face, so Jeremy copied it.
The boys thought this tree looks like drawings of the one Adam and Eve at from (the tree of knowledge of good and evil).
Still picking away. We ate a LOT of pears in the orchard. They were super sweet and had a perfect texture!
After an hour or so of exploring the orchard, we headed into town to enjoy the little sights. We drank apple cider at a candy shop and bought apple pies from two different pie shops.
While we were standing in line for dinner, we noticed a car trying to park on the edge of the road. The driver pulled his car a little too far off the road, and his vehicle gently slipped into a steep ditch. The car’s nose was in the ditch, the bed of the car was laying on the concrete road, and the rear wheels were in the air. The guy got out to figure out what happened, and his wife came out of a store with their baby, her jaw dropped. It looked like the couple was going to fight, but three guys came over to see how they could help.
They got a good look at the car and could see that more people were needed, so the guys started recruiting people from the sidewalks. Jeremy rushed out of our line, out of the restaurant and scurried across the street to join the little crusade.
In a matter of seconds, there were 15 stripling men at the car, all working together to help this young couple get out of the ditch. Everyone around me watched through our restaurant windows. Within a few minutes, and a lot of heavy work, the rescue team figured out a way lift the car back up onto the street. All the guys gave each other high fives, and we all cheered inside the restaurant. It was a really cool moment to see the goodness in so many people. The only bummer is that I didn’t get any pictures!
The food at Julian Beer Co. was so yummy! The boys got delicious pizza slices and Jeremy and I had pork and brisket sandwiches with salad and amazing baked beans. It was the perfect ending to a really great day!!
Later that weekend, Tanner and I had some bonding time together. We watched a movie in my bed and fell asleep side by side. He was so excited to have me all to himself.
Goofy kid!
Marimar Air Show
On Sept 29, we met up with my dear friend Taryn Stickrath to see the famous Navy air show at a place in San Diego called Marimar. It was AWESOME!! Taryn taught us all her know-how from coming here as a kid, and it was a whole new experience for Jeremy, myself and the boys. The air shows had me completely blown away, literally and figuratively!
Tanner and Dallin enjoyed watching the first couple of shows, but then got antsy after an hour. We bought them popcorn and ice cream to help get them through another hour of awesome jet fly-bys and air tricks. We got to see the finale flight of the Navy Blue Angels. So amazing!!! Dallin got tired and wasn’t as impressed with it all. After he watched some of the shows, he layed down and went to his own little world, which gave us all a good laugh.
The Blue Angels did some tricks that were super low to the ground. They even came straight above our heads! It felt like we could reach out and touch them.
The best part of the day was being with Taryn!! We were best buds when I lived in Huntington Beach and taught at Fairmont. Being with her again helped me gain some important perspective. When we moved to Minnesota in 2013, I was heartbroken to say goodbye to Taryn. We were able to keep in touch, but it was not the same as seeing each other regularly like we used to. But now here I am in a new chapter of life, living just 2.5 hours from her!! This was a great reminder to me that not only do close friendships keep on living when you move far away, you just never know when you’ll live near those great friends again. This helped make the sting of leaving Minnesota a little less painful. And it made me so excited for future outings with Taryn!!!
Vegan Sushi
Speaking of friends that might show up when you least expect, our friend Cole from Minnesota was in San Diego for a gaming conference. We were able to meet up with him for a fun dinner in Mission Beach. Cole said he likes sushi, and there just happened to be a highly rated sushi place within walking distance from his airbnb. The unique catch was that this place was all vegan! Tanner was not interested in any of the food. But the food was actually amazing!! So much yummy flavor!
The two boys took a few bites of the food and then begged for pizza. We actually saw a pizza place across the street that also had great ratings, so we just took them there afterword. It was super yummy pizza and by the end of our restaurant tour, everyone was fed and very happy.
We had a lot of fun visiting with Cole, reminscing when he would hang out at our house and babysit the boys with his sister Cici, and all the good times our two families had together. While we waited for the pizza, Cole made a tiny paper airplane for the boys that flew like a jet! We also played fun table games and laughed a lot. Good times.
Dallin’s peace signs crack me up!
Just Hanging Out
We had a few days where things were slower paced in life, and it was so nice. Home cooked meals, making comics for Grandpa Z’s birthday gift, reading books with the boys, and resting. The life!!
I volunteered some music lessons in Tanner and Dallin’s classes for the first time this year. It was a big hit and I’ve been invited back several times since then!
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
As October arrived, we decided to use our zoo passes to visit the Wild Animal Safari Park, which is an additional zoo owned by the San Diego Zoo, located about 45 minutes from our home. Jeremy and I have been there a few times, and Tanner went as a toddler, but this was our first time going as a family of four.
We were able to bring our neighborhood friend with us, and the three boys had a blast together. They really enjoyed the petting zoo and tram ride. Who knew that brushing goats could be so fun! Standing in line for the tram ride was understandably “boring” for them, but they loved seeing the animals once we were on the tram. They thought the cheetah run was “boring”, too. I admit, we didn’t have a very good view of the cheetah run. Next time, we’ll know how to beat the crowds.
Before we left the park, the boys got ice cream treats at one of the shops (it was a beautifully hot day). Our little friend was determined to spend his own money on a treat for Dallin and Tanner. Watching him figure out how to dibby up his money so that all three of them could have something to eat was one of the sweetest things I’ve seen a kid do.
We all lasted 3 hours and only saw half of the park. Looking forward to going again soon!
More Hanging Out
We were able to get another few days of calm time. It included some bonding time between Dallin and I with a movie and cuddles, nature hike with the boys and Jeremy where they found a huge spider, and a fun Bible study lesson about the armor of God.
Scripps Aquarium
October is Kids Free month for nearly every museum and attraction in San Diego. I tried to take advantage of this on the boys’ early-out days with school. During one of those days, we went to the Scripps Aquarium in La Jolla. We had a great time! It was much smaller than other aquariums we’ve been to, with just two main exhibit halls, but they had lots of neat creature to observe and we learned a lot about local sea life. There were two different outdoor balconies with hands-on activities. The view looked over the beach and ocean. It was such a beautiful day!
Biking Adventures
Jeremy has been riding his bike everywhere in San Diego, including his daily commute to work. It takes him 20 minutes from our house to his office, which is the same time or faster than if he drove a car. He loves the daily workout he gets despite the steep uphill paths he has to take both ways.
One of the first things Jeremy noticed with biking in a big city is the challenges with garbage day. Nearly everyone puts their garbage cans in the bike lane, which makes it impossible for Jeremy to make it through the busier streets in town.
Unlike what most people think, a biker can’t simply go around the trash cans. There is only 6 inches of space on either side of the lane. There isn’t room to swerve out left into the street because there are cars and busses in those lanes, driving right alongside Jeremy. There isn’t room to swerve to the right to go around the cans becuase there are parked cars in the way. The problems get even worse at night because the cans are very difficult to see, and they don’t move easily when Jeremy bumps into them.
Jeremy has done a lot of research to figure out why people put their trash cans in the bike lane. Turns out that putting trash cans–and any other item like a parked car, bike or stroller–in the bike lane is illegal! But most people don’t know this and the rule is not being enforced. Jeremy created a twitter account to bring more awareness to the problem, #DontTrashTheBikeLane. He posts pictures of what he encounters each week. Many other bikers are facing this same challenge.
Publishing Party
Dallin’s class had a party where each student shared what they have published in their writer’s workshop. His story was all about the day we arrived in Sacramento this past August. He got to display his book on the screen and read it to everyone through a microphone. He did a great job and was so proud of his work. I was proud, too!!
(Front cover)
My Day at My Grandma and Grandpa’s Hawse
By: Dallin
(Title page)
I floo to Sacrmento. It was a tow hawer flite. Down we went! Weee! We landid.
An ober gi let us rent his car. We went to my Granma’s & Granpa’s Haewes. It was 104 dgres outside.
I came into ther Hawaes. Ther dog came out.
I went to ther pool areu with Granma. At ther Hawaes.
I went in the pool. I playd basckitball. It was fun!
(Back cover)
We made faces while we ate a treat at the party.
Newport Beach Temple
We took a day trip to Huntington Beach to visit family and friends. In the morning, Uncle Matt babysat the boys while Jeremy and I went to the temple. It was a much needed time to focus on eternity and to feel Heavenly Father’s love for us. We are really grateful for Matt taking the boys, especially because it was a challenging time with Johanna recovering from a car accident.
Pumpkin Patch at Tanaka Farms
After the temple, we took the boys with us to the pumpkin patch in Irvine. We met up with our good friends the Hansens that we knew from MN. They moved away a couple years ago to TX, and then their path brought them to Orange County just a few months before we moved to San Diego! I was so excited to have a chance to reunite with them.
It’s neat to think that just within a matter of weeks, Jeremy and I were able to be meet up with Taryn, Cole and the Hansens–all friends where life has moved us away from each other at some point. These chances to visit with familiar faces brought me a lot of comfort, which was especially needed at this time when I felt lonely and lost trying to find my place in our new chapter of life. I learned again that God is always aware of us and provides tender mercies when we need them, like allowing us to cross paths with close friends in unexpected ways.
When the Hansens met up with us in the pumpkin patch, Tanner and Dallin were trying to get some huge pumpkins into a wheelbarrow without grown-ups helping them (Jeremy said they had to lift them alone if they wanted to take them home). The three boys worked together to get the pumpkins in the barrow, which was actually really hard because the barrow kept tipping over! They finally got them all in, and the three kids were attached at the hip for the rest of the day. It was fun watching them run everywhere and point at things and play tag and giggle together like our time in Austin together.
We realized that we had gotten really used to autumn weather in Minnesota because it felt really wierd to be at the pumpkin patch on a HOT day. We decided to get Frozen Yogurt together because we were burning up in the fields. It did not feel like the middle of October, but we really liked this change!
Evening with Johanna
That evening, we helped take care of Johanna. She had been feeling pretty awful from her car accident with whiplash, migranes, etc. At this point she was on a lot of narcotics and not really able to do more than vedge on the couch. So we did our best to make her and Matt’s life a little more cheerful, especially since Matt babysat while we went to the temple.
We brought Johanna a Cinderella pumpkin from the patch and set her up with my heating pad so she could rest. Jeremy brought food to the house for dinner, the boys and I did a detailed cleaning of the bathroom, I did dishes and took care of all the flowers she had been recieving from family and friends and Matt answered phone calls. The boys giggled at cat and dog videos with Johanna and we all visited for a short bit before going home. We are glad that Johanna was feeling better soon!
