Celebrating Mom and Gunnar's birthdays and Laguna Fun

A few months ago, the Bunco gals decided to purchase tickets to Pageant of the Masters. In all my years of living near Laguna, I'd never been so I was thrilled with the opportunity. I volunteered to drive a van load down and we spent the evening eating yummy La Sirena Grill, walking along the board walk, browsing the Wyland Gallery, picking up some cordials from the Chocolateir, and indulging in some gelato before arriving at the Pageant. I loved admiring the art and the show itself was incredibly inspiring! The theme ran along the lines of Laguna's rich, artistic history. I wish I'd been able to take notes! One quote from a long gone poet was something along the lines of, "Laguna stirs and soothes the soul. It beckons us come and leaves us invigorated..." something like that. And how true that is- even today! They mentioned Home Federal Savings and Loans which is the company that brought my parents here in 1970! Back then, Orange County was just a dot on the map, almost unheard of! Orange orchards and cows filled the landscape- much different than it is today. I loved sitting under the stars, feeling the cool salty air on my skin which hadn't felt chilly in months, and it was so good to be with my fellow village chiefs! These girls are all so beautiful- inside and out!!

The next day, we had a fun family party at Jon's park to celebrate my mom's and Gunnar's birthdays! I was not feeling well- the dang nursery is going to make sure I'm sick for the next 6 months, I'm sure. But it's always nice to be together as a family. The kids had so much fun running around and playing. Gunnar and Jack hit it off and were so cute together. Cami brought her special enchiladas for dinner and a cake and Josi brought a cake for Gunnar too! Nothing beats family time! The sunset was gorgeous and my kids were so good even on a late drive home. We make a great team!

The, NEXT day, Saturday, it was back down to Laguna one more time for a special Mommy/Daughter Laguna Beach day! When we were growing up, my mom would take us to the Bead Shop and let us create our own piece of jewelry. In my earliest memories, I could barely see over the square tables filled with colorful beads. Now that I'm the mother to small children, it amazes me that she provided this opportunity for us to explore our creative sides in such a unique way in such a beautiful setting! I used to pride myself on my beaded creations! She would also never resist the temptation to spoil us with a special treat from the Chocolatier. And even when I was in High School, if I was not feeling well or having a bad day, she would pick me up and take me down to Laguna for a hot chocolate. We hadn't had a "Laguna" day with our mom in way too long and we were all really looking forward to it. 

I'd mentioned to Josi how I lamented the fact that I didn't give Jack as much one one one attention as he was needing or deserving. So she generously offered to have Matt watch Jack while we were in Laguna so I could spend that time with him in the car- and then we enjoyed a trip to the store where he was able to pick out a toy car. He loved playing with his boy cousins and it made me feel so good to hear Matt praise Jack for all the ways he was a good boy. Jack, I am so proud of you! You are a remarkable little boy!

My Mom, Cami, Josi, and I stopped at La Sirena Grill for lunch and ate it outside in the sculpture garden across the street. It was a beautiful, quiet setting and we had fun chatting. We walked over to the Chocolatier for a treat and then up to the Bead Shop! Oh man, my mind flooded with memories the moment we walked inside! I can't even express how much the process of choosing beads and creating earrings stirred my soul and made me happy! A book a recently read spoke about our carnal selves vs our divine beings and how, when we strive to satisfy the carnal desires (eating, drinking, and being merry) we are only ever temporarily filled and often left feeling even more empty than we were originally. But when we tend to our eternal purposes or commune with our infinite selves- ex: watching a brilliant sunset and feeling supreme fulfillment, or serving others; we are happy because we are in tune with our heavenly beings. This is how I felt spending the day with my mom and sisters, making jewelry, sitting next to the ocean, and celebrating my mom's birthday.

Nothing compares to a day in Laguna. I love that I live so close to be able to enjoy this beautiful place any time. And I love that my family is so close that I can enjoy them any time, too!

As I sat and listened to the history of Laguna Beach during Pageant of the Masters, something struck me. My mom was born just months after WW2 ended. As I pondered on the bravery of Muzzie and Papa to get married and decide to have a baby during war time- as my grandpa served as an officer in the war; the courage blows my mind. My mom was born in Edmonton, Alberta Canada while my grandpa was serving in the air force. She was a Canadian citizen until High School when she declared herself a US citizen before she traveled to Brazil to pick up her brother from his mission. During the time when my mom was born, they would administer medication to completely knock out the mother during child birth. Muzzie stayed in the hospital for 10 days. When the war ended and they were allowed to leave Canada a few months later, they moved to St. Charles and lived in the Hotel Baker: my mom, Muzzie, Papa, and my Uncle Ronny. They stayed there until their home in Little Woods on the Fox River was ready for them. What a magical Christmas that must have been. No more war. A beautiful new baby girl. Living in an enchanting hotel with a sparkling Christmas tree, white snow covering the ground- I'm sure life seemed like it could not get any better. Yes, it's true, the world became a better place the day my Mom entered into it!

My mom was an adorable baby

The journal entry written by my Grandfather the day WW2 ended