California Part 1

After Matt's wedding, we stayed in California for another week to spend time with Russell's family.  We haven't played with them in California in over 3 years, so it was long over-due!!

On Monday, I went with Maria to her Boot Camp, where we built up muscles that we didn't even know we HAD!  Then we went home to shower, grabbed the kids and husbands, and we hit up Cafe Rio, one of our favorite restaurants from Utah, which now has some stores in California.  If we keep our fingers crossed maybe Seattle will get one some day!  That evening Russell's college roommate, Scott Green, came over with his family and we swam in the pool, ate dinner, and roasted s'mores.

Tuesday we took the kids to see the movie Madagascar 3.  Then they swam in the pool yet again, and after dinner we went to Down Town Disney to see the shops, trade some pins, and watch the fireworks.

 Outside of the Lego Store, all of these are made from Legos.

On Wednesday, Russell and I, and Brett and Maria, left all of the children with Mom and we went to Los Angeles.  Our first stop was Portos Bakery, a Cuban bakery that was delightful!

 The variety was overwhelming, and everything was delicious.  My favorite were these cream cheese pastries with a sweet flaky crust, that only cost 70 cents.  Loved them!

 Russell and I also ordered these (above), and Brett and Maria are showing off their picks below.

Our next stop was the Getty Art Musem.

 I love this bed!  Probably because it's shaped like an over-sized sofa, definitely a must-have!!

 Another fun bed.  We didn't take many pictures there, but the entire museum was fascinating. I think I liked the Neoclassical and the Baroque period best, though it's hard to pin it down since everything was amazing.

This is one of my favorite paintings, by a Flemish painter in the 1600's:

The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark

Another favorite of mine. It's hard to tell in this picture, but the painting is larger than Russell laying down, and yet the detail is remarkable.

 Russell in front of a Van Gogh painting.

After the Getty, we drove to Olvera street, an area reminiscent of Tijauna.  We ate some Mexican at a little restaurant there, then headed over to China Town.

Then we headed home to relieve Mom and Michelle from babysitting duty.  It was a perfect day.

California Trip Part 2

On Thursday we went to the beach!

 Our family LOVES the ocean!!  We can play there for hours.  I even like swimming in the ocean, which is significant since I don't like swimming (or even wading) in lakes, swimming pools, or rivers.  And my children can dig and swim and splash and catch crabs and find shells for days without growing tired of it.

 After swimming all afternoon, we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over a bonfire.

 Clara and Kaia playing "ring around the rosies"