The 12 Days of Service and Beyond

We decided to give 12 days of service as part of our Christmas this year. So this is what we did I gave out allot of cookies, I mean allot of goodies. I baked for a weekend, Fudge, Toffee, truffles and cookies.
 for a bit of service we hide the neighbors gifts from the kids.  We took goodies to one of our Friends mother in law. Put up a tree for someone. Send a cheesecake to a group of hard workers. Helped teach someone how to work the Koncit.
    Since we are not a singing family we spared many of that. Goodies to the office. Brought a few short story books to a few. read a story about Christmas to a child.  Made special cookies for  my Sunday school class.  Had some pictures ordered and delivered to my Dad. It was easy to come up with ideas.
   Most were done out of the house but a few inside. It didn't cost much and I feel filled with the gift of service. I thought about giving the gift Christ gave when he washed the disciples feet. I wanted to put all white socks on the cleaned feet . However I could not find them. That was sad.  Now I have a year to find all white socks no color at all.  Let me know if you have been near you.
    Mean while all this going on and work. We are buying a house. Ernie and I have been in escrow for months. It looks like the house will close on Friday the 13th. Then the real work begins, painting and packing and moving and unpacking. We never planned to move from the hill. Those of you that know that we had been blessed to live on a hill in the middle of San Diego with a million dollar view. And the rent was dirt cheap.
    Our life in the past few years has seen many changes and one them is moving. We have been on the hill for over 16 years so that is alot to move, clean out and dump.  As we look ahead at this new chapter in our lives we know from prayer that it is what Heavenly Fathers wants for us at this moment in time.  Our new home will not have a view. We will have a large yard and garden area.  It is a 3 bedroom house and only 1 bathroom. However there is a place to put the Razorback Hogs at Christmas and its a nice neighborhood. Close to the trolley and shopping and lots of parking and a patio for parties.  The most important thing a place for my Dad . So our live is moving beyond the hill.  We are still going to take care of Sid. We love him.  Ernie 's honey dew list has grown to never shrink.  I will post pictures they come.

The Holiday Season

This year as the  Holidays arrive we are going to try something different. For the 12 days of Christmas we are going to give 12 days of service.  Ernie and I have started on the 13th and will end this on Christmas Eve.  I will let  you know how it went without giving away to much of what we did.
 Examples of things we have thought would work;  bringing goodies to someone and helping an elderly sister put  up her tree, maybe pay the toll for the next person or for a dinner out. We might help with someone one Christmas lights or babysit so that the parents have a free moment. Hide the gifts for a friend. Say an extra prayer for someone on need.  Its a creative process. I hope that you might join us if not this year maybe next year. More to come

The Lights were out, however we were home

This is what happened Sept. 8, 2011 at about 3:33PM San Diego had a blackout. The county was blacked out well into the night. The power source from AZ was knocked out. So I left the office about 4:15PM and couldn't get passed the airport about 1.5 miles away. So I thought why waste gas, I turned the car around and went back to Pt Loma.
         I am really grateful for the friends I have there that took such good care of me. I waited around sipped lemonade and rested. Then about 7:26PM I got on the road again and made it home in record time.
       I have to say that it was nice to enjoy the stars and the peace an quiet. Ernie and I had a portal radio and that gave us all the information that we needed. We were able to plug in an old push button phone that gave us a land line. I remember Ryan saying Mom who is ever going to use one of those again? The answer me. We couldn't reach Ryan on his cell for many hours. With plenty of water and food, not to mention a hand held can opener and camping gear we had a nice dinner. The candle light was nice and I was even able to get a shower.
      The lights came back on and so did the noise. I could hear the trash trunks this morning and the buzz from the radio towers across from our house. Simple times and a reminder that all this modern stuff  is not always what it is cracked up to be. I am grateful that we took all precaution's to be prepared and we didn't suffer at all.

Campos Family Reunion 2011

It's been 11 years since we had the last reunion. So much time and so many now missed.
Ernie and I started out the day driving to Santa Barbara, we took the 5 north to the 126 west. On the way we saw the beginnings of the Citrus Festival and the hot air balloons, so we took a few moments for pictures.
Then off to Tuckers Grove Park.
As we arrived and watched our family slowly stroll in, first Richard and his wife.
Then Ray and Jeanie, along came Lisa, Monica and Aunt Honey. Then Maya. The twins Donna and Darlene and Pammie and Kim. Bobby and Barbie right behind. Then Angie and Christine and kids. Uncle Jeddy and Beverly rolled in with Connie. Then Tina. We enjoyed a nice meal together and visited with everyone we could. Lisa learned that there are more Taylor's in our family. Rudy Castillo called me Dale, what a complement. The committee had in in the wrong branch of our family tree, but that was soon grafted back in the Cruz branch. So my name tag read Heather Beck (Charles's Daughter)and Ernie's read (Ernie Beck Charlie's favorite son in law).
Just before we left the park we gave a quilt to Uncle Jeddy. Maybe I need to say why.
After the tamale reunion last December the girl cousins over breakfast thought it would be fun to put together quilts for our Elders and so I called Pammie and we planned just what we thought would work. The idea was that each one of us would make a quilt block that would be a memory to that Uncle or Aunt.
After many phone calls and emails all the squares arrived to Pammie and she put together these quilts of love. Uncle Jeddy had to leave so we gave him his at the park. We we got to Angie's house we gave Aunt Honey hers. And I took my Dad's. We would of liked to present them all together, however this worked.
We hung out and shared stories all after noon.
As the sun was beginning to set Ernie and I left and went back down to Ventura where we were staying. And ended our evening with our friend Ricki and Chuck. Had a nice dinner with them.
We can hardly wait to get together again. As we love our family and know that the stories that we gain at these reunions is our families history.
It is always good to renew friendships and family and to see the love we have been blessed with.

It's Hotter then July on July 1st

Today is the first of July and in true Heather fashion I am planning for Christmas and trips into the new year.
Yes I know there are lots of things going on before. This weekend is the last of the fair and Ernie and I will be checking out Bizz singing, Stacy dancing and Mark putting people under hypnosis. Not to mention Ernie needs to eat yet another Pinks Hot dog.
We are also thinking about buying a house, so looking around at what is available in our price range and the neighborhoods we would like to live. Yes we will miss our home on the hill. We have been there for the past 16 years. Also we would like to stay in the same ward.
There are few things that re important to us. Enough room for the Almost Christmas Eve party every year and for those instant Wii parties and a back patio. It almost sounds like we don't live inside at all.
It has been a quiet month, however summer is not over yet. This weekend it going to Hot or San Diego. So maybe I 'll just relax, get real not a chance of that. Ryan is getting ready to go to Phoenix for a few weeks. Ernie and I are going to Santa Barbara for the family reunion. There will be breakfast with Ricki and maybe Chuck.
So thankful that we can stay at the Marina in Ventura.
Hope to be able to catch some time with Leah. It was a blessing to hear from her after many many years. We are looking forward to what the next few months bring. Ryan is going to Ireland for a life long dream trip. Can't wait to see the pictures of that. Ernie and I have cruise planned in October-November. I almost forgot the girls wild weekend of laughing, shopping and food is happening in early Aug. Many things going on, well back to planning the actitives for next year....

All about the Arts

Its summer time in San Diego and I am ready for it. The fair is getting ready to start and I am not working, however I do plan to hang out there a few times.
Below is a fund riser that Ryan is working on and the time is short. Please take the time to watch the video and if you can donate $10.00 or more. He is really doing his best to bring dance and arts back into the schools. Since so many schools have had their budgets cut. Ryan and his business partner Kevin are doing these films in hopes that they can bring the arts into schools on film and not have to pay dancers to perform every time. So if you can help out or know someone who can please share his link with them.


http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiegogo.com%2FFund-Ryan-Becks-Latest-Film&h=0c78d
Fund Ryan Beck's Latest Film -- IndieGoGo
www.indiegogo.com
Fund Ryan Beck's Latest Film -- IndieGoGo
www.indiegogo.com
Fund Ryan Beck's Latest Film -- IndieGoGo
www.indiegogo.com

Service, Snow , Friendship and Food.

I just returned from Provo, Utah. Many people asked me why I was going to Provo.
I guess because I am not a person that skis or snowboards. As a gift to me this year I asked Ernie to fly me to Women's Conference. I have spend a few times attending this amazing conference and this year was no different. Women gather from all around the world to be refilled with the spirit. About 23thousand woman attended this year. The first day was about 39 degrees as I got out of the car and stat red walking toward the Marriott Center I was finally cold. Since freezing is 32 degrees.
I went back to car for a jacket, however by the first break this wasn't needed. It warmed up to about 70.
I was interviewed on my way to hear John and Kim Bytheway. The topic was keeping the Covenants we have made. Such good stuff. After that talk came another good talk. So much to do and listen too. I meet some really amazing women. That evening I had a wonderful dinner with Charly and Chelcie.
It really fills my soul to attend the conference and see some of my past students at the same time. Heather Kuepper and family joined me at the Red Iguana on Wednesday, if you have never eaten here and find yourself in Salt Lake City it is a must. There is always a line. Yes it is true no matter what the weather, that is because the food is out of this world.
Friday came and out the door I went back to the conference to hear Julie B. Beck speak. no relation. And then I found the best way to hear the speakers and give service, It's called the Learning and service room I think. You go to a room with comfortable seats (not always avavible at the conference) and make something for service. On Friday I stiched up backpacks for title one schools in Utah. While working listening to Mary Ellen Edmonds and others. The night before many women stayed on campus and meet for the "Errands of Angels Project and through out the day did about 55 thousand hours of service.
Over 34 thousand school kits and health kits alone. As a group it is true there is nothing as women we can't do. To see the numbers of things that are made and put together while we are there in just 2 days, brings tears to my eyes even now.
I did run into alot of snow while driving back to Ryan Hunts house, he was so wonderful to allow he to take over a room in his house. Thanks Ryan, Brandy and Morgan.
I tell you snow in April, now living in San Diego, CA snow is not something I see in April almost May. Frannie asked me to look out the window Saturday as it was my plan to go north and visit with her and the kids. She had a bout 5-6 inches of snow. She found great humor in the fact that it was snowing.
Off I went see them, a wonderful meal made by the Chef of Costco. Did I say Frannie is going to school full time raisng 2 teenage boys and working two jobs. I was delighted that the chef Costco could take time out for me.
The kids have grown and have wonderful children of their own. I wanted to surpise the Kaufusi family and so Frannie and I did a little wedding crashing, Fun fun fun.
I wish I could of stayed longer off to the airport I went and got home about 10:00 Saturday night.
Sunday morning I caught the train to LA to see Aunt Honey and meet up with Ernie. He spend the weekend with Aunt Honey and watching Dante perform. We had a wonderful lunch with Dawn Naeata her mother and son, also Elbe and Dante. The weekend was full. However I can trully say that my heart and cup have been refilled with the love and spirit that I was able to gain in this past few days. I only hope everyone has the chance to be filled like this often. What will happen in May? Women spiritually edified at conference | Universe.byu.edu
universe.byu.edu