Ormond Beach/Port Hueneme Beach

Princess Sparkley wanted to collect sea shells so this beach trip on August 25th was strictly a sea shell gathering event, not a playing in the water event.  So, we brought Grandma and Grandpa along.

It was a clear enough day that we could make out Anacapa Island (didn't show up well in the pictures though).  We saw a swarm/heard/gaggle/group of pelicans and some other interesting sea birds.  There weren't a lot of sea shells, mainly halves of mussel shells.  But just as we were heading back toward the pier and toward the car, I spotted a sand dollar!  We also saw the Goodyear Blimp.


Afterwards we went to Toppers Pizza on the Channel Islands Harbor for lunch where we got to use the new touchscreen Coca Cola machine* and see some New Orleans Saints football players at the salad bar and soda line.


*Grandpa was *daring* and tried Coke mixed with Diet Coke (his favorite).  Grandma was a little more brave and had 95% Coke with 5% Coke with Lime.  The kids and I tried: Peach Sprite, Raspberry Sprite, Vanilla Sprite (my favorite), Grape Fanta, Lime Fanta, Orange Fanta, and Vanilla Rootbeer.  

Random California Excitement Recorded on the Cell Phone Camera

These are the random pictures that end up on my cell phone camera because whatever we were doing wasn't worthy (such as Disneyland or the beach) of bringing the real camera along for the trip. 

• Eating marshmallows on sticks covered in sprinkles at the Rocky Mountain Candy Factory store at the outlet mall.

• The kids got "face" painted at a church picnic in the park.  Buddy was adamantly against it until Princess Sparkley persuaded him with the dolphin.  Now, almost one week later he's only agreed to two baths and both of those have taken place with his dolphin arm up and out of the water.  It's looking pretty sad... and dirty.  I'm on the hunt for some sort of dolphin temporary tattoo.

• There's a tunnel that goes under the road down the street from my parents.  I loved yelling "echo" in it when we went on walks when I was little, so I showed it to my kids and let them yell "echo."

• Little Guy and Princess Sparkley (who almost got stuck) got to ride in a truck shopping cart at Vons.  They beeped their horns nonstop driving me crazy.

• Buddy worked hard pulling dead flowers and dusting at Grandma's to earn the last few dollars he needed to be able to afford a Lego Star Wars ship.

• I went mattress shopping 2,600+ miles away from where the mattress is needed.  Little Guy enjoyed testing them out.

• And Little Guy has become a fair weather friend to my dad's giant chocolate lab who he's nicknamed Mr. Fenway.  Everyone else just calls him Fenway.

Leo Carillo State Beach

Saturday the 20th my brother's family invited us to go to the beach with them.  I had an enjoyable time parallel parking along Pacific Coast Highway.  As soon as we got to the beach we spotted a seal swimming parallel to the shore.  That was pretty cool.  I don't think I've ever seen that type of wildlife at the beach (except up on the northern coast of California on rocks near Monterey Bay, etc.).

Buddy and cousin M (2 days younger than Buddy) stuck together throwing rocks in the water, etc.  PS stuck to herself for awhile finding small pebbles.  Little Guy stayed up on the dry sand for a long time, at one point I caught him having light saber battles by himself.  Then everyone joined in trying to catch sand crabs.  At one point cousin Amanda was wearing seaweed as a scarf.  She and cousin B found what the internet tells me are brittle stars, sort of skinny, more bendable starfish. 

Pool Fun

A friend invited us over to use her pool while we're in town so we invited my sisters family along for the fun.  We had a ton of fun.  Thanks Laura!

Random Pics from Cali

Showering at Home Depot.

Giant stuffed Super Snoopy at Kmart.

Little Guy was our only kid (and probably the only grandkid) who hadn't had a bath in the laundry room sink until this trip.  And that's not blood on his knees... I'm not sure what it was, but it washed right off.

Disneyland

On Monday, August 15th we took the kids to Disneyland.  Last time we went was June 2005 just before Princess Sparkley turned 3 (and cost money).  Buddy was 14 months old.  He napped in the stroller a lot.  PS was scared of Cinderella and her giant mice. 

The Sword in the Stone

The Dumbo Ride

The Casey Jr. Circus Train

We started with some of the classic Disneyland rides that wouldn't be big rollercoasters: Mr.
Toad's Wild Ride, Pinocchio, Snow White, etc.  Our kids were scared of them.  It turns out they
are fine on scary roller coasters, but they don't like the thematic scary story rides.  The Matterhorn was shut down.  We missed Peter Pan and the Alice in Wonderland rides due to crazy long lines.

 The Teacups

It's A Small World

Quote from B at the end of the ride: 

"Yeah, that song never gets old" (said with heavy sarcasm).

Assorted pictures.

 Toontown Rollercoaster

PS meets Tinkerbell.  Her line was about an hour shorter than Rapunzel's line (which was 90 minutes).

Jedi Training Academy
I was hoping my kids would be brave and volunteer for the Jedi Training Academy.  They didn't.  But Darth Maul came over (bottom right picture) and tapped his double sided light sabre at the blue line Little Guy was supposed to be behind and gave him menacing looks.  Little Guy stood his ground.  He's a big fan of both Darth Maul and Darth Vader.  Another little kid a few feet away went running as soon as the stage came up and he saw Darth Vader.  Not Little Guy.

Autotopia

PS and B went in one car and B drove.  Buddy, Little Guy and
I squished in another car.  I was in charge of gas, Buddy steered.

Star Tours
We were lucky that Little Guy was just tall enough to ride Star Tours, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Star Tours was especially exciting since he's a big Star Wars fan.  Extra exciting, when they select a random audience member to be the "rebel spy" on our ship and put their picture up on the screen, they picked Little Guy.  I don't think he saw it or realized what we were trying to explain to him, but PS and Buddy thought it was pretty cool.

Random assortment of pictures.  Little Guy did great walking everywhere and getting carried here and there when he'd inform us "I like when people carry me."  We got stuck on the Storybook Land Canal Boats during the fireworks, but our person stopped us in a spot that made it so we could still see the fireworks.

Buzz Lightyear pictures go here, when I find them.

They LOVED Splash Mountain.

 

After the fireworks ended, we had to wait for everything to be reopened again, and then we jumped on the King Arthur Carousel.  Little Guy's mouth open face is a new development on this trip.  He makes it when he's super excited/happy/surprised but a little embarrassed that you are noticing.  At least that's how it seems.  I think partially because he's been surrounded by people who know him (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) but that are relatively new to him.

In front of the castle at night (but you can't tell) and next to the Walt Disney/Mickey Mouse statue.
Tired and heading to Main Street for souvenirs and then home

 Poor Little Guy.  We left Disneyland to check out the souvenirs on Downtown Disney.  B sat down with sleepy Little Guy and he fell asleep like this standing up.  Poor kid.  We left the park between 11:30 and 12 having arrived a little after 9AM.  We ate breakfast at home, then snacked on applesauce, crackers, teddy grahams and fruit leathers at the park.  Bought Mickey Mouse shaped pretzels for lunch and churros for dinner.  We stopped at In N Out on the way home and B and I had double doubles while the two older kids ate french fries.  Little Guy slept.  Not a super healthy day, but we survived and the food we did buy cost $30+.

Souvenirs
Princess Sparkley: a Disneyland snow globe for her collection,
a Minnie Mouse charm
and the next day at the Disney Outlset store, a Tangled shirt

Buddy:  a Disneyland bus (he's saving the rest of his money for Lego stuff)

Little Guy: a t-shirt with Darth Vader fighting Huey, Duey and Louie and a Sleeping Beauty sword

The Beach

We headed to the beach in Oxnard on Saturday, August 13th.  After the beach we headed to the Channel Islands National Park visitor's center and the kids completed the Junior Ranger program there.  Little Guy also pushed the emergency button on the elevator.  That was fun.  But the camera was in the car so no pictures, sorry.

B jumped right in.

From the camera phone, pictures at the Channel Islands NP visitor's center:

B's childhood home circa 1984-2006*

The new owners have landscaped the yard differently and added palm trees.

*His parents sold the house in 2006.  B moved out in 1997 
for a mission followed by college and then getting married.

August 12: Leaving the Cabin

Last quad ride before leaving the cabin.

The fuzzy animal two up on the left is a stuff yellow-bellied marmot.  Top right is Grandma's bird collection.  Notice the Angry Bird that Uncle R bought for her.

August 11: The Pizza Factory

We had to go to Cedar City the day after Princess Sparkley's birthday so we celebrated her birthday again with the entire family at The Pizza Factory.  I LOVE their breadsticks on sticks.

When we went up for bed, we found the kids on the loft looking like this:

August 11: Getting Water

While the new cabin is a huge improvement from the old cabin, the running water requires that my brother's car, hauling a trailer with a giant water tank on it fills up with water from a natural spring to fill up a enormous water tank in the basement of the cabin.  My dad, B and I took our turn filling up the water with my niece Amanda.  We hit a rock.  And documented it.

Video and pictures coming.  I hope.

August 11: Aspen Mirror Lake

On the way back to the cabin after hiking to Cascade Falls, we stopped at Aspen Mirror Lake to see how pretty it was.

August 11: Cascade Falls

In the morning we took a hike to Cascade Falls.

Zion NP

Towards Grandma's cabin near that grassy part of the mountain in the center.

Princess Sparkley's new pet chipmunk Buddy got her for her birthday.

Indian Paintbrush

Bridge crossing arm.

Teeny waterfall