Day tripping can be fun!

On Thursday November 20th, we decided it was time to take a trip to Julian for their famous apple pies. We had a fun time - and some unexpected adventures too!

We drove out of San Diego via the I-8 and our first stop along the way was in the little town/village called Descanso. There's not much in Descanso - we needed and bathroom break and found the necessary facilies inside a roadside restaurant. Next door we found a fascinating Antique store/Craft store. My sisters love shopping at little places like this. We found and purchased aprons for Thanksgiving Day cooking, fascinating Fire-Ware Lusterware Bowls and dessert bowls, and a few other treasures. The lusterware reminded us of plates and bowls that belonged to my Grandma Martha Baker Monroe. I remember seeing them at her home as I was growing up and the late 1950's and throughout the 1960's.

We drove the remaining distance to Julian, and enjoyed walking around and visiting different shops and stores. We found a great place to have different types of fresh baked apple pies! YUM YUM! After a few hours, we headed for home through Ramona and Poway. We all decided that the route home was more beautiful that the route we took through Descanso, but we definitely were glad we found the Antique store in Descanso.

After a lunch at El Torito!

MY SISTERS ARE IN TOWN!

It's so much fun when my two sisters come to town. Our family consists of four boys (all of us live in San Diego County) and two sisters who live in Washington state and Montana.

When they come to town, we love to get together and do many fun things - but mostly we love to get together and eat!

The day after they arrived, "the boys" all went to lunch with our sisters and our wonderful mother.

During the next two weeks there will be two very special family events: A wedding and reception for my niece Melanie Monroe and her intended Daniel Burk (they are being married at the beautiful San Diego Temple), and then my nephew Ryan Gray is being sealed to his beautiful bride Staci at the same temple.

I'm hoping all my children will be able to visit with my sisters, and then mom and I will be hosting Thanksgiving Dinner for Karen and her daughter Jenni Russell, Jan and her husband Bob, and their son Zane Gray from Idaho.

My youngest son is part of a rock band!

I'm very proud of my youngest son, Jason. He has worked hard to develop his musical talents. Besides singing, he has taught himself to play Bass Guitar. He also helps write music and lyrics for the songs his band plays. Their name is: Hooligan J and they are pretty good!

I've seen them perform a couple of times now and they sing some nice mellow rock music with a bit of Christian inspiration in the lyrics.

I'm taking my two sisters to see Jason and his band play Friday November 21st in Hemet. If you're interested, check out their my space page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=302429408

Halloween with my grandchildren!

I delivered t-shirts from Great Grandma Monroe to Bruin, Capri and Hudson!

Julia as Tinkerbell


Lauren (Fairy) with her loving parents

Trey, Trent, Lauren, Julia, Capri, Bruin, and Hudson

they look pretty good at the end of the night!

I had lots of fun joining Janell and Joanna's family for their Halloween celebration. We went to a Halloween Carnival at the church. The kids loved the games and prizes, everyone enjoyed the Chili cookoff and the Cup Cake Walk. Then we helped the children go "trunk or treating" around the parking lot - where over 50 cars with candy awaited them. What a fun evening!