IT'S TRUE!  Nothing quite beats the California sun - unless it is Colorado mountains + sun, or maybe Iowa sun + cornfields + Sayre, Jonathan, and Kate, or Illinois sun + the Ellsworths backyard + Grant, Spencer, Blythe, Kim, and Chris, or Provo sun + Temples + Max - ok, I'm done 😎

 We have had such a great time these last few days visiting with Francie and Ray, looking at old photographs, scrapbooks, and letters.  Thursday, Mike, and Ruthie and Ken arrived so we could take Francie to lunch for her birthday.  They have a little Mexican restaurant they love, and the owner, Frank, treats them like royalty.  

 After lunch, I took Francie shopping for something new to wear to Church and then we went back to the house for birthday cake.  Matt and Jenny came over, as well as, Matt's 13-year-old son Max, who played "happy birthday" for us on his trombone.  He is so cute and was excited to perform for us.
  
 

We left Modesto Friday afternoon and it just took us a couple of hours to get to Marysville.  Sad to say I have a research paper due for school next week so yesterday I stayed busy trying to catch up from the days I didn't get much done.  I did take a break though and Dad and I ran a couple of errands.  We stopped at my Mom's favorite Walgreens to pick up a couple of things and then headed to Yuba City with a stop at Staples and the Yuba City Mall.  I wanted to get a little something for Allyanna (Cortland's 5-year old).  We left the Mall and decided we needed lunch, so we stopped at In-n-out for a hamburger and elixir, and then went to Kohls and found a couple of really cute things for Allyanna.  This is a photo I took of her last year - I was in Mike and Barbi's room ironing, and she came in wearing JiChan's reading glasses and earplugs 😁.  Hopefully, we will get to see her tonight.  

 Yesterday, as we walked out of In-n-out, life showed up right in front of me.  A man was going through the trash looking for food.  He found a couple of soda cups that were not empty and was drinking from them.  It was so sad, but what is really sad is that there are probably many in the same situation as he.  Dad gave him some money but unfortunately that is just a quick fix for a long-term problem. 

Last night Mike and Barbi went to their Halloween chili cook-off.  Mike spent half of the day making chili (which was delicious) and corn bread.  Of course, Barbi made their costumes and they were fabulous - 

 We went to Church this morning and tomorrow we are going to the cemetary, to the Temple on Tuesday and on our way home Wednesday morning.

Thanks so much to Sammi and Paul who have taken such good care of Sendai.  Sammi has taken her for good walks, on another trip to Scheels (which she loved), and brought Milo down for a play date.  Thank you Sammi and Paul for being so good to her.  

FAMILY ADVENTURES THIS WEEK ~

Kim and Spencer made banana bread 🍌

  

 

Ben looked so handsome in his new Church clothes today 😍

Sayre donned a Frankenstein mask to eat his pizza today 😀

 

Ok, Grant, you are turning my blog into something a little risque -  but just look at those muscles 😇

 Chris ran a 5-mile marathon in Houston this week 🏃 Way To Go Chris!

We haven't seen much of Emma lately because she is so busy with her work, but she did stop by the evening before we left and I was able to pawn off on her some of the food we had left in the refrigerator.  Thanks Emma!!! 

 Blythe is Student of the Quarter!

The Modesto Temple is really taking shape.  Mike said it takes just as long to complete the inside as it does the outside of Temples.  They are hoping it will be completed within a year.

SUNDAY SELFIES ~

FUN VIDEOS FROM THIS WEEK ~

Sayre in their Primary Program, and practicing his flying techniques.

I am so grateful that we could be in California this week.  Being her makes me think a lot about my Mom and Dad and remembering what a great example they were for me and for many others.  I hope as a family we can always be close, learn to forgive, cheer each other on, and rely on our Savior's atonement to be together always.