Our Newest Addition

Not a baby, but we DID welcome a cute little kitchen to our family! Sidney LOVES "cooking" for everyone!

Whale of a Day

One boring Monday morning I decided it would be so much fun to take the whole family whale watching. I made reservations and kept our journey a surprise to EVERYONE until  we got there. I gave hints in the car as we drove to the launching spot. The kids asked what city we were going to and I told them it started with an "N". No one got it. They asked for a second clue and I told them, "nautical."  Kennidy guessed Newport as we got into the beach city, but no one had a clue what we were going to do (half of them didn't even know what nautical meant.  :) 

Once we parked and walked to the dock, I told them we were going whale watching!! Remberto told me this would be the first time Linda and Steven had ever been on a boat. Here are some pics from our journey...

Before boarding

Off we go

"Who is whale watching?" Sidney says, "I do!"

Not a shark, but a shot I caught as a large Blue Whale was rolling over

Our boat was 65 feet long...this Blue Whale was approx. 85 feet long according to the crew

Sea Lions catching some rays

This guy swam right up to our boat as we returned to the dock

After a fun couple of hours at sea, we all enjoyed an awesome dinner at Newport Landing Restaurant

Land of Lincoln

Kennidy, Sidney and I went to visit family in Illinois last week. Boy is it a gorgeous state! I am not sure I have seen so much GREEN in one place! More beautiful and much more slower paced than California!!  We all had so much fun! We didn't let the heat and humidity (95+ degrees everyday with over 50% humidity...making the heat index rise to 106) keep us homebound. 

 

Shot of the Vegas strip on our connecting flight

On our flight into St. Louis

My parent's newly built home...and our lovely accomodations

View of the back of the house

View of the lake from the driveway of their home

Got corn?

Caught Kennidy smiling at  me in the side mirror of the car

Sidney up close and personal with the locals

Hangin' out

Sidney just met and kissed Radar

Best friends

We enjoyed playing board and card games during the week.

Kennidy and Mom during a game of Phase 10

 I strategize

While we played cards, Sidney did magic tricks!

Sidney and Kennidy lounge on the patio swing

Dinner at the Beach House

My sister, Dayna, and Kennidy at dinner

Me and Dayna at dinner

Mom and Dayna

After dinner....best picture of our trip (in my opinion)

Grandma reads to Sidney

Nightlife on the back patio

Crazy wind and rain storm our last night

Look at those clouds!

Grandpa and Sidney blowing in the wind

Sidney was running in the wind

Morning after the storm

Boarding the plane back home (with her new Pillow Pet)

We all had a wonderful time together and cherish memories made!! It was quite a comely trip (inside joke).