Why do I live in Utah?

**Updated, these are now my pictures, not stolen ones from the internet!**

Whenever I saw pictures of sunny California while I was young, my dad always told me, "You can't live there...it's going to fall into the ocean someday." And then there is always the news from California...earthquakes, fires, mudslides, etc. While watching the news, you see the $6.5 million houses on the cliffs of the ocean destroyed. You think to yourself, "Why would these insane people live there?"

And then...you visit California. There is something about this place that always has made me want to live here. I remember my first trip driving to California with my high school show choir. We sang at Disneyland, Sea World and the Wild Animal Park. I distinctly remember the bus ride in. I remember seeing those bright purple/blue flowers covering the hillside. (Still to this day I try to plant those flowers in my garden...as hard as I try, they never look quite the same.) The flowers are one of my favorite things here! Rick and I have taken the kids here many times, and I always marvel at the citrus trees in every one's yards. "Honey, could you go pick some oranges so that I can juice them this morning?"

I think this particular trip that I am on is the one that has finally convinced me that I have chosen the wrong place to live. I was telling Rick last night (at dinner next to the ocean with waves crashing up on the windows of the restaurant) that I think the reason I have finally come to that conclusion is because of our horrible Utah winter. Man, it has been the worst (see the previous post).

I have been doing a little work here in San Diego and checking my email once in a while. Andrew's lacrosse coaches emailed us yesterday with the latest news from home: "The weather is turning worse and it looks like rain/snow/hail/sleet or something on the way. Let's cancel practice today." And the other coach, just minutes later: "Due to this strange white stuff that is coming down, we are NOT going to have practice today."

I am sitting here on Mission Beach just watching the waves come in and out & getting a little sun-burned (and not complaining). Andrew & Janessa have been boogie boarding the entire trip, for 4-5 hours each day! Harrison & Nathan have been making sand castles and running from the waves. We have all gone on amazing bike rides along the beach and bay. We are staying right by the beach, you just walk on a little pathway past about three houses that are filled with birds of paradise flowers (see picture above) and beautiful flowered trees.

We have invited a couple of families from our ward over for a hot dog roast out on the beach tonight...that should be fun. We are going to have a big fire and roast hot dogs & marshmallows...you can't get much healthier than that.

Why do I live in Utah? It is question I think that I will always ask myself whenever I look at the pictures from this trip (which I will have to post when I get home because I forgot the cord). This is a truly magical place. I even told my dad yesterday that I wanted to move here. I told him even if I fall into the ocean, it sure would be worth it! I guess that is what all of these people living on the edge of the cliffs think too.


All our best from sunny San Diego!