We started out the month saying "Adios" to Emily as she headed out for 3 months mission work in Costa Rica.  She will be teaching English at a school and living with a host family.  It is pretty awesome to see her making her own choices now.  She graduated at the semester and decided to make the most of her time before graduation by working on her Spanish while she helps others learn English.

And just a couple days before we headed out for California for Gabe's birthday, we had a huge wind storm.  It broke a top out of a tree in the front yard, hanging up on a telephone line.  The next morning, when it was light out, they came out and cut it down.  Then it was up to John to clear up the mess so the grass would not get ruined while we were gone.  I can't believe how huge that treetop was!  It looks like we will have quite a few fires from it.

 We had a fun time with the birthday boy.  It was a Spy/Detective party. 

We got to see how strong the boys are getting.  They showed off their stuff by breaking a board with their fist.

 I thought this was the coolest climbing structure ever!  It is in a mall.

 Gabe loves reading and Daniele loves him to read to him.

 We were able to help Daniel skip school one day and had a fun time at the park.  Too bad that Gabe had to stay at school, but we all went together another day.

 Not only can Gabe break a board with his fist, he also is learning to play the violin.

It was only a quick trip to visit this time, we will be back again at the end of March for Daniel's birthday and stay longer for their spring break.

 All the way home, I was thinking about this great Indian food restaurant that is in Weed, where we try to get to on the first day's drive home.  We were starving when we arrived, but to my dismay, it had burned down!  So we tried looking in the downtown area, but there was nothing there that looked good, so we headed back to our #2 choice of Mexican, which isn't very good there, but it also had burned!  We ended up at Taco Bell.  So bummed!!!

 Shasta Mountain from Weed when we arrived.

 The view of the hills at sunrise the next morning.

We arrived home on Valentine's Day.  Josiah brought me a Valentine he made me at school.  

 Awwwhhhh!  That Mountain!!!

Well, not every day is that great of a view.  Some days, it looks like this.

 Another version of the sunrises I see from here.

This has been such a snowy month/year. It is still snowing by the end of the month. 

At the end of the month, Bonnie asked me to ride with her to the beach where she had spread Gary's ashes.  We had a nice day shooting along the way.

Bonnie said that the beach used to be up there with that grass!  There have been a few storms this winter and really took away a load of sand!

 There was a dead dolphin on the beach!

These little birds were cracking me up!  they would run out with the waves and find food, then race back in as the waves came back in.  They were so fast and all in unison.

 I don't think I have ever seen hail at the beach before.

That freezing cold water sure did have a tropical color to it.

 That orchid plant has bloomed for over 2 months!