Thursday, November 29, 2007

Getting Ready for Christmas

I know I should give the "Official" Thanksgiving post with a thorough description of everything, but I think it will suffice to say that it was the usual outstanding food with lots of family. We ate outside, by the pool, taking advantage of the still warm weather surrounded by the Caress Family members. The next day we went over to spend some time with Ryan's sister, Melissa who lives in Utah. We don't get a lot of time together so we always look for opportunities. The girls went swimming with her thanks to a splurge in heating the pool for the holiday by the Caress parents. Here are all four with Melissa and Jake, Ryan's cousin. He is a sweetheart and we got to spend some extra time with him and his brother Luke on Saturday night. (The smaller pictures are from Melissa's collection.)

We are attempting to get out all of our holiday stuff. (At least the stuff that will not break. That means the stuff I really like stays in the boxes for one to two more years until I know the little ones can be trusted with my good dept. 56 stuff.) So here is what we have so far: this is our bright red and green section. Complete with our dancing Santa and Rudolph. We keep all of our stuffed animals in boxes so they only come out at Christmas time so they are special. The tall Santa is an advent calendar. We have four. We also have four of the ones where you get to eat a piece of chocolate each day in December to countdown. This way each girl gets to eat her chocolate and put something on something each day. This is the most fun they have each year. It is the fun of the countdown that adds to that climatic moment.

WARNING IF YOU LOVE FAKE TREES, STOP READING NOW!!!!: We will not be putting up our tree for another week because we always get a real tree. I love real trees and cannot bear the fake-although I know it is an investment and it is convenient and a dozen other reasons. I have to have the smell of a real tree for me to feel like it is Christmas. And candles don't do it for me. I get horrible headaches from an allergy I have to artificial scents and perfumes. My side of the family is also close friends with Oliver Holt and his family that are the Christmas tree providers for most of the San Fernando Valley's businesses and homes (along with personal deliveries to the rich and famous.) I worked for him and my sister still does. He has brainwashed me over the years to love the real tree and resist the fake. I cannot have the fake without feeling a little sense of betrayal towards Oliver. Ryan and I have had the battle. He likes the fake. He bought the fake. I was nauseated every time I walked by it and complained constantly. After three years, we donated it to charity and we now only get real ones. (I rarely win any battle with Ryan, so I have to gloat a little.) Now this is not to say that I do not like all your trees. I think they are nice and sometimes even really pretty. I just have to have the smell of a real tree in my house. Enough of my pontificating: to each his own. (But yes, Oliver, we know that nothing beats a real tree.)

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Preparing for Thanksgiving

After seeing Lizzie's fall leaves, Madison just had to try. So Mad, McK, and I did these the night before Thanksgiving for the dessert buffet.
Once we got into our groove, I think they turned out pretty well. The girls are already planning for Christmas cookies.

The girls got new shoes on Monday. Of course they had to be the same style and color. I swear they were babies just the other day. In these shoes, with their backpacks and sweaters tied around their waist, I think they look like mature little school girls. Nothing makes a girl happier than new shoes.

For Tiny Tots on Tuesday, the girls had a little musical performance. They sang some songs and then each child said what they were thankful for. Maya said: "I am thankful for my family and rainbows." Lately she has drawing a lot of pictures of rainbows and various family members. Monterey said: "Jesus." Who would have thought that she was our religious fanatic. Afterwards, they had a Thanksgiving Feast with most of the fixings (fried chicken substituted for the turkey which was a good call.) All the moms brought stuff and we got to eat also. Here is Maya with her good friends Kail and Kate. The boy sitting next to Monterey is Ethan, Maya's on-again-off-again boyfriend.

Top Ten Things We Are Thankful For

1: Each Other & Our children: We are unable to express in words the love we have for each other and our children. As husband and wife, we have learned the subtleties of communication, the importance of being united, and the ups and downs of marriage and parenting. We have learned the value of forgiveness and having the same priorities. Being a mother and father has redefined us like no other experience. We value every opportunity to spend together with each other and with our children. We try to express our love openly and often with our girls. We are blessed beyond our wildest dreams to have these four girls, and view them as our privilege to parent and to guide to adulthood.
2: The Gospel of Jesus Christ: Our beliefs give us our foundation that affect everything we do, our concept of who we are and who we will become. The church allows us to develop and grow to our potential. Without it, everything else that we are thankful for becomes meaningless for us. We are grateful for our Savior, for living prophets, and for the temple which allows us to be together forever. There are many other important components to our beliefs: scriptures, prayers, doctrine, the list could go on and on. But these three pictures summarize the most important to us.

3: Our Parents: Both sets of parents are converts and have always been valiant in their testimonies. We do not doubt that they try their hardest to follow the prophets. They gave us life and many opportunities. Their examples and love have been the greatest influence on our lives.

4: This Beautiful Earth: We love seeing all things in this natural world. Of all things mankind can create, none of them are as beautiful as the untouched, natural world. The more we learn about it, the more amazing it is how everything has its place and how everything works together to keep a balance.

5: Our Extended Families: brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews. We love you all and value our connections with you. As everyone gets older and relationships change, it is fun to see the emphasis change to the children.

6: Our Lives & Good Health: We are happy to be alive and happy to be alive at this time with all the progress. Our children are healthy, rarely do they get sick. No asthma or allergies. No learning or behavior disabilities. No debilitating diseases. There is much to be thankful for.

7: Our Home, Food, Transportation, etc. Although some things breakdown, we are grateful that we live in such a beautiful home and a great neighborhood. Our cars, though not impressive, get us where we need to go. We have more than enough food. Do we wish we had more stuff? Of course. We sometimes covet everything in the Pottery Barn catalog. Do we wish we had a nicer car? Sure. Do we crave Claim Jumper and Chili's? You bet. But we are more fortunate than 90% of the people in this world.

8: The opportunity for education. This is very important for us. Ryan graduated from CSU Northridge and is currently pursuing his MBA at University of Redlands. Lisa graduate with both her Bachelor and Masters Degree at BYU. We hope that our children understand what an important, priceless opportunity education can be. We hope they understand that getting their Bachelor Degree is a minimum.

9: The opportunity Ryan and Lisa had to serve missions in Taiwan. This has been such a blessing to us and has not only given us incredible experiences, a second language, and a love for all things Chinese; but also something that truly bonds us together: we know on a very intimate level what the other has experienced.

10: Our Country and the people who have fought for our freedom. Honoring our family members on this Veteran's Day: Robert Caress, Jim Cone, Bud Cone (WW II) and Tom Caress, Frank McCabe who served in the military.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

7th week & One Sick Child

On Friday night, Ryan and I went out to Dream Dinners for date night. So far we are not that impressed, but we decided to give it one more chance. We had fun assembling the dinners so we will see.

McKayla has been sick the last four days: bad sore throat, headaches, fever, runny nose. Sounds like a cold. So I treated it like a cold. Unfortunately, it kept getting worse. So after steady digression, I finally took her to the doctor in lieu of her game (her team one 7-0 against a team that has not won at all.) It turned out she has strep throat. Luckily, she should be back to normal once the antibiotics take affect. In the meantime, she is catching up with her friends over the phone, her sleep, and her homework (since she missed three days of school.) So far, no one else shows any sign of symptoms so I think we caught it before it spread.

Mom and McKayla missed the two soccer games. Here is the second hand report:

Madison's team lost. (I'm getting really tired of writing that.) Madison had one assist so that was good. The team only lost by one so that is good (the score was 2-3.) Maya's team lost (I know there are no losers, but when Maya says it, we believe her.) She did not score at all (her first scoreless game) and Grandpa Tom and Grandma Diane were there (for their first time) so she really wanted to do well. Whether it was pressure or an off game or the other team was just superior, they just really had a bad day. Ryan said she took it okay, which I was shocked about because she is always so emotionally involved. When I got home, I asked her how her game went and the flood gates opened. She was bawling as she told me all that went wrong. I just held her while she spilled her guts. Her final beef: she could not decide where we would eat. By the time she was finished, my shirt was covered in tears and snot. At least she felt better.

Ryan and I spent the rest of the day running around running errands: new brakes on the van (Merry Christmas to Ryan & Lisa), filling the prescription, buying the exact snacks Monterey wants to bring for nursery tomorrow (since it will be her last time-as of Jan. she is a sunbeam). We had to say no to the cupcakes and fresh mango-too messy, but she does get the Pirate's Booty. We went swimming and caught up with two friends we hadn't seen for a while. And started the laundry.

We tried the new Chipotle near our house for dinner. We had mixed feelings. There was not really anything for kids. Ryan liked it and is looking forward to heading back ASAP. I thought it was almost all rice, a few beans and an embarrassing small amount of meat. The flavor of my burrito was way too spicy (but not in a good way.) Ryan says the people working there are new and just need to get in the groove. So I will give them one more chance. Madison was unimpressed, but is willing to them another chance also. The rest say no more chances, if we try it again, they will opt for Top Ramen. (I cannot honestly say I that I will change my mind because I like the "peasant Mexican food," nothing hoity-toity. It started in Denver-strike one-it needs to start in a "border"-ing state. It was started by a gringo-strike two-there are plenty of incredible Mexican cooks who have recipes handed down from their abuelas.) The flour tortillas were very good - fresh and thin, the guacamole was tasty and well-flavored. Was your experience different? Let me know what I should order.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Tagged: Welcome to the Blogging World

OK so it was inevitable that if blogged long enough that I would be the recipient of a phenomenon known as being tagged.

Here are the rules:
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning. B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asks them to read your blog.

These will come as no surprise to my husband, mother, or siblings. However, I have been quite personal here so no holding anything against me for years to come. Here goes:

1. I am a major control freak. I will do anything for any one, but I like to be an independent agent. I like to be in charge or just left on my own. I like to work at my own pace - usually doing most of my work in the very early morning or after everyone else goes to bed. For example, if the RS president calls and wants 500 hundred cookies made for a party, fine no problem. If she calls and wants me to come over and do it with a group, no way. Even though it would probably be easier and more fun, I just cannot do it.

2. I love my TV shows. Here is the list currently on the DVR record entire series option: The Amazing Race 12, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Meet the Press, Bionic Woman, Cane, Heroes, Dancing With the Stars, Survivor: China, Kid Nation, The Biggest Loser, Nigella Feasts, Paula's Home Cooking, Barefoot Contessa, Law & Order, Ugly Betty, Saturday Night Live, The Office, 30 Rock, 60 Minutes, Inside the Actors Studio. I record new shows only. I have to record and then fast-forward through the commercials, even if I can watch it live: this means I can watch shows almost twice as fast. I am sometimes up to two weeks behind. I love Seinfeld reruns and Jeopardy.

3. I feel very, very guilty when I do something wrong and I love confessing. Now this does not mean that I walk around feeling bad about myself and I'm not talking about unnecessary, unrighteous guilt. I'm talking about when I really know that I have messed up or hurt someones feelings. The worst thing for me is when I have disappointed someone. The confessing thing I cannot do as much as I want. I love to make a list of every little thing that I do wrong and go and read it to my priesthood leader to just "get it off my chest." It is great. I did this on my mission: I scheduled an interview with my Mission President. I made a list of everything: sleeping in 15 minutes, lingering in a store just to hear a favorite song I liked, feelings of dislike for my companion, etc. So I went in and told him I was confessing. I was reading my list and then he said: "Is that it?" I said "What more did you want?" He asked "So there is nothing sexual? And I was like "NO, I cannot believe you would think that of me!" then he explained that I was never to do that to any Priesthood leader again because confessing means serious sin and that I almost gave him a heart attack because he thought he was going to have to send me home. So I don't do that anymore . . . but I would like to.

4. I am passionate about my daughters being well-rounded. I want them to know how to do a little bit of everything. Reading, all sports, cooking, running their own business, travel, history, opera, rock 'n roll, Broadway musicals, chess, art, classic movies, everything. It drives me crazy when people say something like a museum is boring - they just don't understand it. I have taught them they cannot say any food is gross or disgusting because someone out there might like it and it is rude to say that about something that someone likes. They can develop all the personal taste in the world - as long as they understand why other people like something. I have been teaching them about opera for about two years now. McK, Mad and I went to one (Mozart's The Magic Flute) and one night at dinner, all four girls were singing their favorite aria from it at the dinner table. Ryan gave me one of those looks. I asked him "In a million years, did you ever think you would be sitting at your dinner table with four girls singing opera?" He said "Never."

5. I really do not love being a stay at home mom. I love my children. I love spending scads of time with them. But, I really love teaching too and I cannot wait until I can get back into the classroom. I am doing my duty out of obedience and need. There are plenty of fun times. But sometimes I feel like my brain cells are being sucked dry. I do not feel fulfillment from a clean house or a nutritious meal that everyone enjoys. I do those things because they need to get done and that is my job right now. Now there are those of you who love it and I say more power to you. And there are those of you that think I am a horrible person/wife/mother because I do not love it (mostly people I am related to.) But I still do it and I do my best. When the youngest is in school full time, I plan on being back in the classroom full time. (Besides, how else are we going to pay for all those weddings?)

6. I have no uterus. Some may know this already. After McKayla was born, I develop Uterine Cysts. By the time I got pregnant with Madison, there were three of them the size of marbles. They made me go for an early ultrasound because they thought it might be twins, because my uterus was so large for only 8 weeks. That is where they found them. The doctor told me it would not be a problem, but they would eventually need to come out and I could possibly lose my uterus. By the time I got pregnant with Maya they were the size of golf balls. After that pregnancy they were the size of tennis balls and at my six month post-pregnancy exam the doctor said they are becoming a problem and would need to come out. She said they could not take too much more and that they would probably impede the size of a baby. She told me that if we wanted another baby, we should have it right away or come back and talk about removing the cysts and uterus in six more months. I went home, told Ryan we needed to have another baby right then and there. He obliged. We got pregnant that night. (Maya was six months on the dot plus nine months equals fifteen months apart - almost to the day.) Monterey was born at 6 lbs 9 oz; more than a pound smaller than any of her sisters. At that postpartum, they told me I needed to finish breast feeding (which I did for a year) and then they would see. By that time my cysts had merged and I had one that was the size of an orange and one that was the size of a grapefruit. I was in excruciating pain from ovulation until I would start my period. So the uterus and fallopian tubes came out (no more periods-yeah!) and I kept my ovaries (no hormone supplements-yeah!) but the surgery was pretty brutal. I needed three pints of blood-they did not anticipate any transfusions. I won't get too graphic, but the cysts were attached to a lot of stuff and needed to be scraped and sawed quite a bit. I bounced back from everything ( two vaginal births and two c-sections) so quickly, that it floored me how long I was in pain and could not function, lift, or laugh-much harder with little ones. (A big thank you to those who brought dinners and helped with my children-I was so needy.) So I still have some lingering affects and some pains here and there. And I just love when those "well-meaning-women" start pestering me about having more children. I am extremely grateful I was able to have four. I am far more sympathetic to others recovery from surgery (I wasn't before - I was shopping at Target four days after my c-section.) I know not to judge other's child bearing situations (I never did that anyway because I have close friends and family who have struggled and I have seen their heartbreak) but I do not question why people stop after one or two.

So now you know (some of) my secrets. Here are those I am tagging: Holly, Audry, Kodi, Maggie, Tara, and Jennifer. The rest of you will be picked up when those six tag.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

6th Week . . . SCORE!!!!!!!!!

The big news is that Madison scored a goal! (This is not her actual picture, but a symbolic representation since I was at Maya's game with the camera.) Madison was playing forward on offense and had the ball passed to her. She was completely open, took her shot and it went in the net. Ryan called immediately and could not believe it. Now we owe her The Cheesecake Factory (that would be a very costly reward in other families, but this will be our first venture there as a soccer reward for scoring, since we presented it as the formal bribe for scoring a goal over three years ago.) Her team went on to lose 1-3. When we met up at McKayla's game, Madison ran up to me and excitedly said: "Mom, we lost three to one, but the one was me!" Yeah Madison!!!!

Here is Maya scoring for her team. Noticed the well placed hand on the other team member. Maya scored three goals. One in an all-out breakaway, one with a great assist from her teammate, and one with a little help placing it in front of the net with her hands and then kicking it in. Their team won, of course, along with the Dragonflies shown in green. She took a few elbows and gave her fair share back. She fell twice, but got up like a little trooper. At one point all but one player was crying on the field, but for all different reasons: Maya because she was upset that she touched the ball with her hands (see above, though no one called her on it or got after her), another player because Maya scored, still another because her dad had not shown up yet, and another because she wanted to watch her sister play who was playing at the same time, and another because the sun was too bright.
McKayla's team tied 3-3. They were playing the number one, undefeated team so we were very happy for the tie. McKayla played goalie one quarter, they scored one on her but it was pretty indefensible, so nobody even groaned at her. They were very evenly matched and never gave up. Afterwards, we had her team pizza party at Goodstuff.

When we got home Ryan decided to change out all the light bulbs in our high ceilings and the air vents. He went to borrow a very high ladder for this. So while he was gone, the girls and I cleaned out some stuff to give him access and vacuumed and dusted the areas so everything would be ready for him. While cleaning stuff out, I found this little doctor's apron that we had gotten last Christmas. I think that I had put it away since the girls had so many new toys and I was going to bring it out latter when they grew bored with the other stuff, and then forgotten about it. Both big girls loved it as they proceeded to give us all physicals for the rest of the evening. It was very interesting to see what their concept of a doctor's visit consists of: lots of stuff in the mouth and shots.

So getting back to the vents and light bulbs. Ryan had some issues the last time he changed the air filter in our bedroom. By issues, I mean he fell off the ladder, broke it, put a hole in the wall (shown her for your viewing enjoyment) the size of a big red rubber ball, and hurt his leg really bad (blood and bruised, but not broken.) So, I really did not want him doing this again. So, he recruited me to hold the ladder steady. Who in their right mind put a vent with an air filter in the highest part of the highest ceiling??? Anyway, we got through it with only a small slice taken out of his finger and a few blood drips on the ladder and floor. I still don't think the vent is up there that tight so I put stuff under it so when it falls it will not kill anyone.

Here are the girls at the Franks doing the pirate thing. Jen sent me half the pictures so combined we could blog all of them. Thank you Jen for watching my girls. Thank you Ammon (or as Maya calls him "Salmon") for teaching my daughters that there is more to life than barbies, dancing, fashion, and make-up. Well, on second thought, fashion does come into play even in pirating.

Yo Ho.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

My Mom's Close Call

My mom came to visit on 10/19, stayed for Halloween, soccer games, and the primary program and then left on 11/3. While she was here her house almost burned down. This is the view from her backyard. The fence is her property. The green is where sprinklers and a hose was watering down the land. The barren behind that is where the fire was. You can kind of see the black charred remains on the horizon.

So here is what happened. The fires started while she was here and even though we heard Santa Clarita, we kind of know in what area it burns every year, so we were not worried. Even when they mentioned Whites Canyon and Plum Canyon (which are the two roads we used to drive to get from our house in Valencia to her house) we figured that it was probably another neighborhood. My mom was even getting emails from people she had served a mission with, who were concerned, wondering if she was okay. We chuckled and thought they were sweet but really didn't know the area, otherwise they would not be concerned. So my mom returned to her home on Saturday night thinking all was well. Since it was dark, she did not see a lot of the evidence of the fire. But she did see all the soot, get all the messages (which abruptly stopped when the phone lines went dead), and saw the hose lying in the back yard which had been running. In the morning, she saw how close the fire had come. She talked to neighbors who explained that they had been evacuated for two days while the fire burned. She discovered that many people had called offering her room in their homes during that time. Her home teacher was particularly diligent. She discovered that he had come and used the hose to water down in back of her yard, as well as watering dry elements in her yard.

So her house was saved. Her crawl space is flooded from the run-off from the hose, sprinklers and fire hoses; but that is drying out thanks to a special fan. She has decided now she will make copies of ALL her family history pictures and send a copy to each of her children. What a scare.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

FYI

This Friday night is free Family Night at the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert. I just want to make sure everyone knows. We are going to try to go around six. All my kids love it. I usually buy the membership for me and the little ones, so my older ones get excited when they get a chance to go. And it is the only time that Ryan gets to go with us. So click on the link and get the details and directions.

McKayla played Volleyball again. But this time with opposite results. They lost three games straight to Indio Middle School. This is her serving.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

5th Week . . . Are we only half-way through?

We all went to Maya's game today and her team, as well as the other team won. But since she only scored one goal (the only one for the team) and the other team scored a bunch (thanks to a certain ringer named Taylor with an obnoxious soccer dad named Eric) Maya KNOWS that her team lost. It was a little unfair though because our coach and his daughter were gone because his grandmother died so it threw Maya off a little AND Taylor actually had a sense of strategy along with talent, speed, and a competitive spirit. I think we need to check out her Gallup characteristics before the girls have a match-up again.

McKayla's game was exciting again. They won with a 5-1 score. She played goalie two quarters (no one scored) and defensive. Her team did a great job. It is like watching a professional sporting event.

Madison's game was an epic of tragic proportions. They lost 0-5. Ouch. The sad thing was that they started off strong and it was scoreless for most of the game. Towards the end, the other team kind of figured out their weakness and then it was boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. So by the end they looked like they had been emotionally beaten as well. Poor Madison. Poor Tikibirds.

My sister Karen came to watch the girls play and take my mom back home. She lives in Lancaster and comes whenever she gets a chance. The girls adore every moment with her. She came up with a personal cheer for each of the girls during their game. At different times she would get up and lead the non-playing sisters in the cheer. After the three games, in 94 degree heat, we went swimming. That is beyond-a-doubt her favorite pastime. She played with my girls and taught them the torpedo rocket and did train rides throughout the pool. We also had time to make some specific Disney Cruise plans. She left with my mom at around 4:00. Since my mom did ALL our dishes while she was here and helped watched the kids MANY hours for me, I am feeling like what I really need is a nanny. Yes, that is what I need indeed.

In an effort to wean my daughters off the Disney Channel, I try to DVR as many old or classic or just plain good movies as possible. However, I have now created Jane Austin addicts. We are watching Sense and Sensibility for the second night in a row. We went to Becoming Jane at the Cinemas Palme D'Or. They had a Pride and Prejudice addiction that got really bad. Rooms are messy, laundry is piling up, homework is not done, and they are on the lookout for their own Mr. Darcy, Edward Ferrars, Colonel Brandon, and Tom Lefroy. I don't dare show them Emma (although I think they would like it best) or I fear they will stop eating, drinking, and sleeping. Maybe I should just go back to Hannah Montana. At least they were willing to sort and fold clothes while watching that.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Ramona & Pomegranates

Since my mom is still here, we went to go visit her step-mom for her birthday on November 1st. She lives in Loma Linda, in a beautiful home where she is cared for by sweet and loving people. (She is a Seventh-Day-Adventist so it was important for her to live there.) She turned 85 years old.

Since both my real Grandmothers have passed away (one when I was a baby and the other one about ten years ago) and neither one of them was even close to being "into" the grandmother thing, Ramona was the closest thing we had to a real grandmother. She always welcomed us and provided us with a treat. She was never overly emotional or physically affectionate, but always kind.

My grandparents had a pomegranate tree that was large and prolific. Every year on Halloween, my grandfather "Poppy" would strip the tree of all the pomegranates and pass them out to trick-or-treaters. Neighborhood kids loved them and would come back several times that night. They were of a generation that never wasted anything. So Ramona was determined to use every pomegranate. She would juice them and make jelly and sauces. We would eat them outside (they stain badly) on the patio. She would serve vanilla ice cream with the most delicious bright red sweet/tart sauce. I loved it, and still do. She would get sick of them because she refused to ever waste them. So when we were there last night, I went into the kitchen and saw her caregivers preparing dinner and what did I see? The fruit for the evening was pomegranate seeds!

By the way, her real name is not Ramona. My grandfather loved the story/play Ramona and asked if he could call her that. She agreed. We just grew up with it. I did not find out until a couple years ago that her real name was Nettie. I was calling up to visit her and when I asked for "Ramona" they said there was no one by that name. I knew she lived there. I asked for her by her full name and they recognized the last name and said "you mean Nettie." So I called my mom and told her what happened and she said that it was true. The only people that call her Ramona were my grandfather and his children and grandchildren. I don't even know if she likes it, since she introduces herself to everyone else as Nettie. Can you imagine if your husband really was into a character in literature and wanted to call you by that name?

Afterwards, we went to Bob's Big Boy for burgers. We can't drive through Calimesa at dinner time and resist that red relish.