Roommate Reunion!

It's been about 4 years since I've seen my college roommate, Laura. I'm so grateful that she traveled all the way out to California to spend a long weekend with us!

She and her daughter Eva arrived on Friday afternoon, our first day of summer vacation. We spent Friday evening and all day Saturday around the house--swimming, chatting, and relaxing. Saturday afternoon Laura and I relaxed by the pool while the girls swam and Brian grilled pork chops for dinner, served us margaritas, and adjusted our chairs and umbrella for shade. Laura said, "Brian, I couldn't get better service at a 4-star resort!"

Katie and Eva hit it off right away, before we even made it home from the airport. They really enjoyed each other throughout the weekend, playing Harry Potter, swimming, doing sand art, making pom-poms, and being sweet little girls.

Sunday we decided to escape the heat wave and take everyone to the coast. It was 104 degrees in Bakersfield and only 70 degrees at Avila Beach. Unfortunately, we didn't realize how cold that would feel with the coastal breeze. We loaded up the car with beach chairs, an umbrella, Heidi, and a cooler full of food, ready to spend an entire day at the beach...and we didn't even last 3 hours! Avila Beach is a cute little town with shops and restaurants that we piddled around in before calling it a day. Although it was chilly, and the water was freezing, the coast is always beautiful and lovely, and worth a visit.

On Monday we took the girls to Rush Air Sports, an indoor trampoline and obstacle course facility. They had so much fun trying all the different obstacles. That Eva is a little monkey! She did a great job with the climbing wall and the obstacle course, inspiring Katie to keep trying. Sarah burned some energy on the trampolines, perfecting her double back-handspring-back tuck.

After Rush, we headed to the mall for Eva to get her ears pierced. She was so brave and they look beautiful! I'm glad we were able to support her as she experienced that rite of passage.

Laura and Eva left Tuesday morning for a long day of travel back home. It was such a perfect visit, a little bit of adventure and a little relaxation. Katie made a new friend in Eva and Laura and I picked up right where we left off, like it was yesterday. Spending a weekend like that with a friend who knows me inside and out (and still loves me!) is just what I needed. Now I'm re-energized and encouraged to continue seeking friendships and developing relationships here in my new community. Laura's visit was such a blessing to me and my family! I hope it was a special time for her and Eva too!

Worst Camping Trip Ever! (Almost)

We bought a tent a couple of weeks ago and wanted to try it out for a night of camping in beautiful Sequoia National Park. Our plan was to drive up on Friday as soon as school was out, find a first-come, first-serve spot in the foothills and camp for the night, then go hiking and exploring a little bit on Saturday before driving home around lunch time. A cool front came through on Friday and I was worried it might be too cold, so Brian called the visitor center at the foothills and asked about the forecast. The low Friday night was forecasted around 47 degrees, which we agreed would be perfect camping weather, so we decided to go for it. We made sure the girls packed long sleeves and long pants and grabbed their coats as we headed out the door.

It took about 3 hours to get to the first campground, which was full. So we drove on to the second and the last spots were being taken as we were driving in. So, we drove on to the next option, which was the Lodgepole Campground at 6720' elevation (NOT the foothills). The temp kept dropping as we drove up the mountain. It was about 40 when we pulled into the campground at 6PM, and it continued to drop throughout the night. The campground was in a great location though, right next to a little river that made a great backdrop for our campsite.

We pitched the tent and grilled some hotdogs, and then we put on ALL of our clothes and climbed in the tent to warm up. It didn't work. We FROZE! The temp dropped to below 30 degrees and even though we had 3 layers of clothing on, we still shivered through the night. That was the major problem. The minor problem, which also contributed to lack of sleep, was that there were no electrical outlets so we had no way to blow up our air mattresses. I used to be able to sleep on the hard ground about 30 years ago, but not anymore! We were so exhausted and sore by the time the sun came up.

At about 6AM, we all crawled into the car and turned up the heater. We sat there for about an hour and a half warming ourselves. Finally, we felt good enough to go back outside and start breakfast. Even though the weather was too cold for comfort, the scenery was beautiful. We did the short hike through the woods to the General Sherman tree, which was quite impressive (to everyone except Sarah who said, "It's not that big...I've seen bigger.") After that, it was time to pack up and get on the road so we could get home in time for Sarah to go to a birthday party.

It certainly was not what we expected, and we learned what not to do next time: Don't come unprepared for very cold weather. Don't count on electricity. Don't wait until school is out to leave the house.  And although it had the potential to be the worst camping trip ever, the scenery was so beautiful, it made up for the awful night. Besides, I don't know if any trip will beat the one Brian and I took in Tennessee when it rained on us all night and then in the morning our car wouldn't start. We had to get a tow truck to pull us out and had to call a friend to drive out to the campground to come get us! That was the worst camping trip ever!

Apricot Strawberry White Chocolate Muffins

I have been loving my basket of organic, locally-grown fruits and veggies that I get each week through Abundant Harvest Organics. Last Saturday, my share included about 15 apriums (a cross between a plum and apricot, similar to a pluot, but more apricot than plum). I also bought a large box of California strawberries from a fruit stand on the south side of town, which I planned to use to make my Ma's Strawberry Jam. But even after making the jam, I had about 6 cups of strawberries leftover and still didn't know what to do with those apriums.  I came across a recipe for Apricot Pecan Muffins and decided to embellish it a little. I ended up with a batch of de-li-cious muffins that the whole family loved. Here's the new and improved recipe:

Apricot Strawberry White Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp oat bran
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup milk
• 4 apricots (or apriums) peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup strawberries, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 4 oz. white chocolate bar, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli) 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, wheat bran, baking powder, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside.
3. In a large measuring cup, whisk the eggs until frothy and light yellow. Beat in the butter, then the milk, until well blended. Pour this mixture into the well in the center of the flour mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Do not overmix the batter or the muffins will be tough. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the apricots, strawberries, white chocolate chunks, and pecans.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups 3/4 full. Bake the muffins until they are peaked and golden brown, about 20 minutes. The muffins are done when a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 3 minutes before removing them. 
5. Makes 18 muffins

He is Risen!

After spending a few days in Palm Springs with my family, my mom came back to Bakersfield with us. It was our first time to have an overnight visitor to our house since we've moved, and it was really fun to show Nana around our new town.

After a delicious country breakfast at 24th Street Cafe in downtown Bakersfield, we spent a morning at the Kern County Museum, which was quite interesting. It has a large outdoor area with about 50 old buildings that have been moved from their original location, showing how people lived in Kern County in the 1800s. The girls loved looking at the pioneer town. It also has exhibits on the impact of WWII on Kern, the history of oil drilling in Kern, and the Bakersfield sound. Leaving the museum, I thought, "who knew Bakersfield was so interesting?!"

On Friday, Mom agreed to keep the kids overnight while Brian and I escaped to Paso Robles for our yearly planning and prayer time. It was so great! Paso is only about a 2 hour drive from here. We went straight to Justin Vineyards for lunch and a wine tasting and it was delicious! Their wines are outstanding! We spent the rest of our time talking, planning, setting goals for the year, praying, and more eating. It was just what we needed to come together and make sure we are one in heart and mind. We appreciate Nana so much! I think she and the girls had a great time at home too, dying eggs and going to see Zootopia. 

Easter was a fun family day, starting with our traditional search for the hidden Easter baskets. Sarah was a little tired and not into playing the search game (too babyish), so she laid on the couch until I told her where her basket was hidden. She also informed me that this is going to be her last year to get an Easter basket. I wonder if she'll feel the same way next March...

 We attended an outdoor Easter service at the Bakersfield Amphitheater. It was very sunny, and a little warmer than I expected (I should have worn my Easter sundress instead of jeans!) but the service was great. Twenty-eight people were baptized in the lake after the service!

 

After church, we came home and fixed an Easter dinner: grilled salmon, sautéed chard, citrus salad, and pear frangipane tart for dessert. It was delicious and so nice to have Leigh and Mom with us for our Easter celebration. Then the girls had an egg hunt in the yard, which was quite amusing. Sarah is traditionally not very good at finding things, unless it involves candy. Then she has an eagle eye! The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool, watching the girls swim. It was a beautiful, blessed weekend.

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay."
Matthew 28:5-6

He is risen indeed!

Like Streams of Water in the Desert

For the last several years, my mom, sisters and I have spent a long weekend together each Spring as a Mother/Daughter retreat. This year, my mom and sisters invited Sarah and Katie to join us. We decided to meet in Palm Springs for a few days during Spring Break. 

The day before we left, Sarah got a text from her friend Brooke (from Cypress) who was visiting Los Angeles over her Spring Break. Since the drive to Palm Springs skirts the east side of LA, we were able to meet up with Brooke and her mom in Burbank on our way down. Sarah and Brooke immediately reverted into their silly, crazy ways, and it was fun to watch! I'm so glad it worked out for them to see each other on such short notice. What a blessing for Sarah!!

We left Burbank on an emotional high at about 4:15 and were immediately stopped in LA traffic. It took 90 minutes to go 17 miles! Talk about a mood buster! The girls did great in the car, reading, playing on their phones/itouches, and napping. We arrived in Palm Springs at about 8:00 and got settled in our cute Airbnb. The rest of the crew didn't arrive until about 11PM so the girls went to sleep and I settled down to read and wait.

The next morning, we went to the Palm Springs farmer's market, which was lovely. We came home with oranges and lemons, strawberries, a variety of veggies for roasting, several different delicious cheeses, and my girls each had a juice. A complete success! We spent the rest of the day cooking, eating, relaxing in the hot tub, and planning our remaining days. Very relaxing. 

Our second day we drove to Joshua Tree National Park for some hiking. It was a vast, dry, thirsty land. I felt like we were driving through the middle of nowhere just to get to the trail head! 

We did the Skull Rock Trail, which was 1.7 miles. Sunny, yes. Hot, yes. Dry, yes. Beautiful, Absolutely. It was so interesting to me. I have never really considered the beauty of the desert before, but I really enjoyed it. 

When we got back to the house, we were all tired from being in the sun. I took a little nap and then we relaxed in the hot tub for the rest of the afternoon.

The next day we went to the Living Desert Zoo, which is very impressive. My favorite exhibits were the road runner, the screech owl, the baby warthogs, and the giraffes. There were volunteers throughout the zoo that were full of interesting information to share. 

After the zoo, we found a great little Mexican restaurant (with VERY strong margaritas) for lunch. 

Our last activity was the Aerial Tramway, which took us 2 1/2 miles up the cliffs of Chino Canyon and provided breathtaking views of the dessert. 

It was quite chilly at the top, elevation 8500 ft., so we didn't stay long. By the time we got back to our house, that margarita had done me in, and I was not worth much for the rest of the evening, although I did manage to beat Sarah to the punch and win our game of Clue. We had family game time each evening with Yahtzee and/or Clue (both new games for my girls, but classic Estes family games), and that was one of my favorite parts of our trip.

As I reflect on our trip to Palm Springs, I am drawn to this verse from Isaiah 32:

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.
2 Each one will be like a shelter from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

For me, spending time with my mom and sisters was like streams of water in the desert. These first few months in Bakersfield have been difficult. I have missed my community and my family. But I feel refreshed after spending that time with Mom, Ash, and Leigh. Especially since Mom came back to Bakersfield with us for the rest of the week, and Leigh came up over the weekend for Easter festivities. I feel like I've had a drink of fresh, cool water that will hopefully carry me until we go home to Houston in June. And I thank God for renewing my soul at just the right time. 

The Sweetness of a Friend

"Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel." Proverbs 27:9 (ESV)

Well, I can't attest to oil making my heart glad, but I certainly experienced the sweetness of my friendship with Aimee last weekend as we talked, encouraged, counseled and prayed together while exploring God's beautiful creation in Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands National Park. I feel like we just tried to soak in each other's presence for 2 1/2 days. It wasn't enough, but it was wonderful.

I picked her up from the Burbank airport on Friday afternoon and we tried to high-tail it out of LA and get to the coast ASAP.  Unfortunately, I kept missing my turns and having to reroute our path, so it took longer than it needed to. But, once we finally saw the ocean, we pulled off the highway and scaled down a small but quite steep hill, jumped over some railroad tracks, and ta-da---ocean!! Ahhhh (big sigh). Aimee had never been to CA and she never tired of looking at the view of mountains on one side and ocean on the other.

Aimee found a great seafood restaurant for dinner that looked out over Ventura Harbor. The view was beautiful and food was amazing, but the conversation was the best part. Aimee is a fantastic listener and she is slow to speak, usually asking questions that make me consider my situation in a different way and almost always giving advice that is more along the lines of sharing wisdom than telling me what I should do. Just one reason why I love her.

After dinner, we headed to the hotel and went to bed early, since Aimee had a long day of travel and her body was still on CST.

Saturday we spent exploring Santa Barbara. We walked and walked and walked some more! Our day included a delightful coffee shop, a farmer's market with beautiful and delicious treats, shopping for cold medicine, walking down Stern's Wharf, a wine tasting and olive oil tasting at Santa Barbara Winery, piddling around a few cute shops, some pretty delicious ice cream, and a scenic drive up to the Old Mission and then back down to the beach where we relaxed our feet waiting for the sun to set. After another great meal at a Mexican place Aimee picked out, we headed back to the hotel and called it a night.

Sunday was Channel Islands day. A boat took us out to Santa Cruz island. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get there, and along the way, we spotted some California Grey Whales, dolphins, and a seal! The whales were truly amazing, but I love that we got to see a seal swimming freely in the ocean. I've never seen that before!

We spent about 4-5 hours on Santa Cruz Island. We did a guided hike that was very informative and then we hiked a little more on our own. The scenery was awesome, and the weather was perfect. We were so blessed to experience it. We brought a picnic lunch of some fruit and bread from the Farmer's Market and some cheese we bought at a little cheese shop in Santa Barbara. It was so delicious, we forgot to eat the Butterfingers bar I brought for dessert!!

When we returned to the mainland, we were both pretty exhausted. We decided to do an easy dinner of leftover bread and fruit, along with some wine and cheese and chocolate we picked up at Trader Joe's. We relaxed by the fire pit at the hotel and ate dinner while we shared more stories and struggles and encouragement and wisdom.

Aimee's flight left early on Monday morning so after a 2-hour drive to the airport, it was a quick goodbye.

The sweetness of a friend...that is the best way I can describe my weekend. I'm so thankful, for all of it.