 1 Thanksgiving Day tradition - pictures of the family at Ted Olson trail. |
 2 This is very difficult with a good camera and sport mode. Nearly impossible with my cheap GoPhone camera. |
 3 I love these crazies! |
 4 All 4 in one shot! |
 5 Such loons! |
 6 This is a smile - can you tell? :) |
 7 On the ferry - on our way to CALIFORNIA day after Thanksgiving - for second Thanskgiving with mom and Richard and Doug, Mary and Isabella, and Jesus and Helena. Wow! |
 8 Waiting at the airport for 2.5 hours - you either get there pretty early, or cut it close. We decided to get there early. |
 9 Somehow Sam had all these rocks in his pack. I had no idea. They made it through security ok! I am amazed! |
 10 At LAX. Ben was skipping Gangnam-style very fast with his rolling pack, nearly taking people out. |
 11 Waiting for Richard in da big black truck! |
 12 First morning - reading time with Gramma! |
 13 I sneaked out for a jog somehow before traveling up for Isabella's christening. Here is a stable on the route - I love the smells of the cows and horses mixed with the pepper trees and eucalyptus. |
 14 The reception after Isabella's christening. The food was delicious (Cafe Verde in Pasadena). |
 15 I brought dominoes and cubes for the boys to play with, along with their cousin Claire. That kept them busy for several hours while I got to know family I haven't met before or haven't seen in a long time. |
 16 My mom's sister, Auntie - she is such fun! And Jessie and Annie (hidden) with Claire (hiding). |
 17 There we are! |
 18 Starting to get gooooofy! |
 19 Mom with Esperanza (Cari's sister) and Uncle Pete. They are so sweet! |
 20 Me and Mama Cari! (Mary's mom) |
 21 My brother and I - he is so handsome!!! |
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 23 Trying to get EVERYONE in! This is just before I started doing something a little silly...I might possibly have roped Doug and Mom into doing some PSY moves... |
 24 Building dominoes at Gramma and Richard's! |
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 26 This is a house for Mini Mommy! |
 27 Wrestling with mommy! I had both those boys trapped for a good long time! |
 28 At Casper's State Park - a friendly BOA! Whew! |
 29 Ben is not thrilled to be hiking in mountain lion country! I wasn't, either, but gathered all kinds of information first and decided it was ok. |
 30 We want to plant this lemonade berry tree. |
 31 We have missed seeing all these cacti! |
 32 Now we're not on a nature trail, but on a separate hike - not a long one - but more remote, and where a mountain lion was spotted 6 weeks ago. |
 33 After looking around in 360 degrees, I took about 12 seconds to admire the cactus fruit. Then on we go - making noise and looking all around! Hard to see those critters - they blend in with the dry grasses. |
 34 So we decided to hike Gangnam-style - that is truly scary especially when LOUD! I don't think ANYTHING would want to come see us, not even curious humans! It was pretty funny. |
 35 I love how Ben walks like this - he is SO funny! Through the airport, market, anywhere. He just marches around so confidently, like PSY. |
 36 On a bizarro expedition right across the street from mom and Richard's community. Sam immediately wanted to hike up this 100' elevation hill, at probably 30% grade. |
 37 Rolling rocks down...seeing how far they can go with how little effort from us. Bowling, sort-of. |
 38 Hoping I don't wipe out! |
 39 We collected shells and a piece of wood. We also got a rock from Casper's. All that comes home in my duffel bag. |
 40 Gramma likes this picture :) |
 41 Blurry - sorry - but out on a bike ride while Gramma gets her walk in. Turns out there was a helo chase and police on the ground trying to catch someone in the nearby creek bed. Very L.A. :) |
 42 This is how to scare a mountain lion! |
 43 Messing around with Mommy! |
 44 This is how Ben likes to watch TV. We indulge in lots of relaxation while at Gramma and Richard's - we all love it there! |
 45 He makes me a little nervous when the fire is on. But truthfully, Ben is far more apt to fall when he's sitting. He slides right out of the big truck, out of his chair...it's so funny because he doesn't get hurt! He just disappears under the table or onto the sidewalk. Sometimes, after a moment of reflection, he decides he's either hurt a little or mad, then starts yelling/crying. |
 46 Ben says "I'm watching a DVD about mountain lions." The soap dish was the DVD. |
 47 One of the landing capsules at the CA Science Center - we are on our way to see ENDEAVOR! |
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 50 The bottom of the capsule - the wear pattern is off-center intentionally - it gave the capsule some lift upon reentry. |
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 53 We did two simulator rides! This was a solar coaster! |
 54 The solar coaster ride! |
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 56 This is in the Endeavor simulator now |
 57 Fixing the Hubble telescope. |
 58 It is really huge!!! |
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 65 HUGE engines. Ben was fascinated by these. |
 66 Little thrusters at the front are all that's needed to help steer when out in space. |
 67 Ben - good gracious! |
 68 See the thrusters? |
 69 Where USC plays football, and host of two Olympics! |
 70 Where the torch goes at the top. |
 71 Watching Hubble 3D IMAX! |
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 73 Pull on this rope to lift the truck! It's all about leverage :) |
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 75 Out on a trail run - the hills around San Juan Capistrano have well developed horse trails - very wide and well marked. |
 76 Up a steep hill first! |
 77 So nice to run and see horses! |
 78 But then I saw this. Looked like a large cat vs dog? |
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 80 So I picked up some of these to carry. I looked like a loon probably, but felt safer. |
 81 The next series gives you an idea of the views, and the trails. I went about 4 miles - and that is just a fraction of those that are available! |
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 84 Beautiful roses along part of the path. This is by the country club section, next to the golf course. |
 85 Still running with these, but I'm out of the sticks and into the country club area. Now I'm thinking they'd be great decoration. Wonder what Richard will think :) |
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 89 Last night in CA - at Doheny State Beach. The boys built a huge hole with Gramma! |
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 92 Ben loves to drink on planes. Which means he also needs to visit the restroom. In a 2 hour flight, he had to go twice. He loves his beverages, though. The second trip was really imperative...just after landing we had to fight our way to the bathroom and back with the aisle filled. urgh! Yes I could limit his beverages, but going to the bathroom gives us all something to do. |
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 94 Spying on Sam who was sitting behind me this time. |
 95 Cute Benji sat with me. |
 96 Sam is reading about the Marquis de Lafayette. |
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 98 Then I got a better look at the rest of his area...can you believe this???? He is writing in his journal now, recording thoughts on the trip. |
 99 Waiting to board the plane at Long Beach. |
 100 Oh no - he's chugging! He doesn't like to throw away juice. But I know it can't go through security. |
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 102 Crazies! |
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 104 Getting our stuff in WA - look at Sam's pack!!! |
 105 HUGE pack! Full of rocks, dominoes, cubes... |
 106 More Gangnam marching :) A great trip with two really fun guys! Poor Dave had to stay home and work, work, work. |
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