Oh, San Diego ... We really just need to move there. Seriously! We love it so much. Maybe if we lived there we could control our eating better and not go bonkers for food like we're never going to see it again. We ate way too much on our home leave! How could we not? Everything was divine.
Hodad's in Ocean Beach is the BOMB when it comes to burgers and fries.
Bleu Cheese Burger perfection, followed by a Baked Bear ice cream sandwich. So bad! But so GOOD.
Here's something a little different that Matthew and I did this summer - He took the GED! We knew when we moved to India that he would be taking the GED in California over the summer, so when we visited just before flying out to Delhi, we got a California ID for Matthew using Grandma and Grandpa's address. Easy peasy. He wanted to finish all four parts before he left to visit friends in Connecticut (in the middle of our San Diego visit), so I got online and scheduled it all out for him. He took the first test the day after we arrived from Tokyo. I knew we would be up super early with the time difference, so I scheduled it first thing in the morning. And I had him do the English test first since I knew it would be a breeze for him. And it was! The awesome thing is that it is all computerized now. So cool. The results are almost immediate! He finished the test, we walked out to the car, and he got the email saying his score was available. He passed! Of course. :)
Since we were taking off for San Diego the next day, I had to schedule the remaining three tests there. This was tricky since schools were now out for summer, and testing days were severely limited. But I worked it out. Matthew took the next two tests -- history and science -- back to back at this adult school super close to the border. I told him if he didn't pass, we would make a break for Mexico. Hahaha. The picture above is from this school, and the picture to the right is the lovely area outside where I waited for Matthew. He came out after the history test, and felt very unsure about it. The results didn't come right away like the last one, and I wasn't sure what to do. Should he wait, or go ahead with the next test? If he didn't pass, he might not take the next one ... But if he DID pass, it would give him confidence for the next one. We finally decided he should just go in and get started on science. Almost immediately after he went in, his results for history were posted. Ha! And he passed. Of course he passed! He also passed science, and we were so happy. (although a small part of me was looking forward to those tacos in mexico)
Math was the following night at a different location. These adult education schools were really nice! Cute courtyard, right? I loved the little room I waited in. And it was a real eye opener for Matthew to see older adults taking the same tests. And struggling to pass!
So, math was the tough one for Matthew. He studied and took the practice test online, and was on the fence when it came to passing. I was glad we were taking it early in the summer, so that he could retest after his Connecticut visit if he needed to. I think retesting only cost something like $20. It was a real possibility that he wouldn't pass, but then he could very well do enough to pass. We didn't know! We were both nervous, and I was proud of him for going at all. :) When Matthew came out after finishing the math exam, he was VERY unsure. I can't remember what he said, but it was something like "I know I got at least ten questions right." Hahaha! Funny, but not funny.
The results for this one took much longer to be posted than the other ones. We had a good 30 minutes in the car to work ourselves into a frenzy about it. What if I didn't pass? How can I do better? I might need to get a tutor! But then the tutor probably couldn't help!
I just about started hyperventilated, so I told Matthew we had to calm down until the score came, and face the results at that point. He did tell me that there was one questions that had a graph, and he had no idea what the answer was. He made a guess, and clicked the button to continue. But it wouldn't let him move on! The computer told him that he didn't scroll down to see all of the answers. Isn't that weird? How could the computer know that he didn't scroll down? It's a good thing though, because he changed his answer, and when he googled it in the car he saw that he got it right. And THAT, my friends, was most likely the miracle Matthew needed to pass the test. Because his results came in, and
he passed by one point. ONE POINT. That was the question that the computer gods made sure he answered correctly. WOO HOO!!! We were over the moon. So, so, so very happy to have that behind him. Now he could enjoy the rest of the summer. Hallelujah.
On our next beautiful day in San Diego, Lauren flew back to Boston to get back to work,
and we headed over to La Jolla Cove to explore some tide pools and visit the sea lions.
Collin had planned on swimming, but the tide came in early and was smashing the
waves on the rocks. The lifeguards pulled everyone out of the water, thank goodness.
Mike was obsessed with the waves, and wanted us to see them all!
Hey, look! Sea Lions lying around everywhere! People were really funny about it.
Is that all we did that day? Those are all of the pictures I have for that day ...
The following morning, I drove Matthew and Michael over to the airport (loving that the airport was so close) to fly to Connecticut to visit with their friends for a couple of weeks. Only Mike, Collin and I remained in San Diego. Weird!
Mike and I were beyond thrilled to be able to go to the temple together when we were in San Diego. The last time we went together was before we moved to London in November of 2014! I went once in London in 2015 with my parents (it's kind of a haul on the subway, a train and a taxi). So we were excited to finally go together again. Going to the temple, as members of our church, isn't the same as our usual church services every Sunday. It's different, and very special to us. Some people might say that 'secret' things go on in Mormon temples. But actually it is not secret, but absolutely sacred.
For my Connecticut friends - there is a temple opening in Hartford very soon, and you can actually go on a tour of the inside before it opens. Go for me! And for you, of course. haha. Anyway, it's a nice time before a temple opens for non-members to see the beautiful interior before the temple is dedicated. I wish I could go!
CLICK HERE to reserve a tour. :)
Anyway, back to San Diego ... I had been to this temple on Girls Weekend, and I was excited for Mike to go with me. It is one of the most beautiful temples in all the world. We had such a nice morning together! What a gorgeous day!!
Mike's vacation time sadly ended, and the work calls returned in full force. We wanted to go to the beach one last time before leaving San Diego, so Mike brought work (and his hat) with him. I loved watching this group of teenaged boys working so seriously hard for a very long time in the sand. How cool is that? We left before they finished, but I think they were prepping for a huge sandcastle.
We had driven north to Oceanside that day for the big waves, so we took a walk on the pier and stopped at Ruby's Diner for some shakes. They weren't as good as we remembered them in Newport Beach. :(
Since the waves were a little too crazy, we drove back down to
San Diego to go to Mission Beach. I want this octopus in my backyard. :)
We stopped one last time at this amazing taco shop we found. BEST TACOS we have ever had!
And I'm not even exaggerating. Right there in La Jolla. Cheap and yummy. So yummy that
I didn't think to take a picture until I had eaten all of my food! Man, they were good.
Now for the really crazy part - Mike had to FLY BACK TO INDIA. How ridiculous! That was not in the plan at all, but thankfully it came at the perfect time in our home leave. There was a major transition happening in Chennai, India; and there was no way Mike could get out of being there to help. What an ordeal to fly all that way again, but at least he gets to fly business class so that he can lie down and sleep.
What a scheduling puzzle this summer home leave was. We had so many moving parts - everyone going different places at different times. At first I had imagined us hanging out at my parents' house for six weeks, being bored out of our minds, but we ended up doing lots more than that. I don't think I usually share our summer calendar, but this year I am. Lots going on!
And I am proud to say that we did not pay for any of our flights. It took some major coordination,
but I was able to work it out so they we used frequent flyer miles for all of the flights. Incredible!
Collin and I spent the week at my parents' house. We did some shopping, swimming and eating. :)
Mike flew back to Los Angeles just in time to drive directly from the airport to his
parents' surprise 50th wedding anniversary party that his sister threw for them. That was fun!
Thanks again to Mom & Dad and Bob & Penelope.
Thanks again to Mom & Dad and Bob & Penelope.
