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Santa Cruz

Food, Holidays, Home, Santa Cruz, weekend

Easter Joy

Our Easter was so wonderful, and very special to us. Maybe because we started a new tradition, or were so moved by the message at Vintage Faith on Sunday. I can’t stop singing “You are my joy, my joy” by Josh Fox. It’s so true.
  

I was feeling something extra delicious for Easter. . . Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts of ALL time, yet I’ve never made one. So, since we were spending Easter just the two of us, I decided to go all out and make it from scratch. I used Joy the Baker’s Kitchen Sink Carrot Cake recipe {including her cream cheese frosting}, and  somehow followed it perfectly because it was seriously the best carrot cake I’ve ever had — and I made it! I think I just started a new Johannes tradition! We couldn’t stop laughing at the goodness that was going on in our mouths.

Thought these were very Easter-themed and Springy. We missed our families a lot this Easter, but I’m glad we had each other, along with good food, cake, prayer and snuggles to console us. A great Easter in my book.

April 2, 2013 by
Family, Santa Cruz

To do in Santa Cruz: Hummingbird days

 

 

Can you spot the hummingbird??

How about here?

Look – they like to rest, too!

I’ve been wanting to go to the UCSC Arboretum since last summer – so many people talk about it up here. I thought it would be the perfect time to go while my father-in-law was in town and to my surprise when I looked up their events calendar I saw that they were having Hummingbird Days! I love hummingbirds like Robby loves bluebirds. They’re so speedy and cute and zippy! The hummingbird trail was set throughout the Australian garden of the Arboretum – just beautiful! I’ve never been more excited to see a hummingbird in my life, ha. Soon enough the hummingbirds were zooming everywhere, and so loud! It was rather enchanting and peaceful. To sit and enjoy the beautiful day and watch a bunch of hummingbirds flutter around. Such a great day. Sort of made me wish I had studied horticulture in college.

Do you have an arboretum near you?

March 5, 2013 by
Aptos, Family, Santa Cruz

The coolest father-in-law

I am truly so blessed to have such a cool, easy-going, fun father-in-law. He came in for the weekend and we had the BEST time with him. I thought we’d wear him out, but it turned out he wore US out! Ha. He is one of the kindest and loving people I know.

{took him to Panda Inn – Chinese is his favorite}

{lots of basketball, O’Doul’s and chillaxin on the couch. He even watched The Hunger Games with me:)}

 

{Arboretum for Hummingbird Days}

{18 holes of golf late into the night. I was on cloud 9 when the owls starting hooting on hole 16. This man sure can drive a ball – and cart race!}

{a belated birthday celebration over donuts and coffee}

 

{Sunday we took him to our church and he said he felt like he was home again – happy for that!}

March 4, 2013 by
Capitola, Santa Cruz, weekend

Our Valentine’s

For Valentine’s Day we decided to give each other the gift of wheels – new bikes! First, a romantic, greasy lunch at Betty’s Burgers, then on to the Family Cycling Center to browse bikes. I picked out the prettiest, peach-colored Schwinn {it had me at hello}, and Rob a Specialized cross-trail bike. After they tuned ’em up, we spent the rest of the afternoon riding bikes in the beach-house neighborhoods and down to Capitola. I felt like a little kid again. The weather this month has been marvelous. The air smells SO GOOD. I can’t even explain in. Actually, I know what it smells like! Childhood. And I love it. It was a great Valentine’s Day {love you Rob!}.

{can you see the heart in Rob’s arm?}
{“Meet “Nancy” ;-)}
February 18, 2013 by
Friends, Santa Cruz

Log ride fun

The last day with our friends we spent in downtown Santa Cruz. After the trolley to the beach and lunch on the pier, we all went on the log-ride on the Boardwalk. It was hoot.

August 21, 2012 by