Spring Break Part 3

We planned a little too much on our last day. We were going to spend the morning at Venice Beach, check out the surfers and the skaters, then head on over to Malibu and see the tide pools (and more surfers). We got to the beach and no one even cared about the surfers. They didn't care about the skaters. All they wanted to do was play in the water. When it was time to go get some lunch and head over to Malibu, no one wanted to leave!

I'm not sure if they ever built anything but Sam and Luke dilligently collected and packed sand into this bucket.

Luke liked this little lady bug who came to visit him for a few minutes.

I could not pass up taking this shot of Charlie. There were several industrial garage doors on the beach with numbers. I didn't see any of the other kids ages, though.

This is pretty much what Jack did the whole time.

I did not have bribe Charlie for this smile.

Charlie mostly spent his time collecting rocks from the waves. He also made a friend named Zeus. He had black skin (Charlie's words.)

We also:

went to dinner with Eric and Jos one night

went to Knott's Berry Farm one day (and got Pink's hot dogs)

went swimming in Laura's swimming pool (it was very important to the boys that we did this, but it was freezing!)

drove the Sunset strip from Hollywood to Brentwood (going through Beverly Hills and Bel Air)

played tons of Wii (the only gaming system we don't have.)

and I guess that was about it

I already want to go back!

Also - While we were packing, getting ready to go on the trip Charlie said: THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!
When I told him we were going home the next day he cried.

Every morning Luke woke up he said: I wan doe beach (I want to go to the beach.)

On our way back home he said: I doen wan doe home, I wan doe Wara's beach. (I don't want to go home, I want to go to Laura's beach).

Sammy won the award for most willing to take photos and smile.

And Jack had a million questions for Laura about her video games. I'm telling you, he would never stop playing if I would let him.

Spring Break Part 2

Going to Pasadena.

I have been wanting to see the Gamble House since I saw its famous front door in a magazine (maybe 15 years ago or something.) And Dan's been going to Pasadena lately for business so he'd seen its very cool City Hall. While we waited for our tour to begin at the Gamble House we checked out the City Hall.

Charlie was heavily bribed in these photos. The boys mostly spent their time there trying to catch a squirrel. Luckily, we only saw 2 other people there, so I don't think they were too annoying.




When we got to the Gamble House we had to wait a little longer. I told the boys to go look in the clover to see if they could find a 4 leaf clover. Then Dan sweetened the deal saying that he'd pay $1 for every 4 leaf clover. After 30 minutes of searching (and several fraudulent 4 leaf clovers) we were about to head into the house for the tour when Charlie found one! Not a great photo, but he did get a dollar.


The front door looked much prettier from the inside, but I couldn't take photos inside. The tour was over an hour and it was so great! I'd do it again (maybe without kids next time).

Waiting before the tour again. I don't think we should have sat on this bench, but oh well. Not exactly sure what Charlie and Luke are doing here. There was also a little fish pond right next to this that the boys really liked.

Spring Break

I have been dying to take the kids to the beach. Last year we did get to go to the Oregon coast, but before that we hadn't been since Sam was a baby! So we headed on down to L.A. and stayed with Dan's sister Laura (what a lovely sister, to let us all crash at her place).


First thing: Go to the beach and play a little rugby (as well as get completely soaked jumping the waves).

Luke was scared of the waves, but he loved the sand.

Next day: We went to Griffith Conservatory. It was very cool. You should go there. Jack had said he wanted to see the Hollywood sign and Dan figured we could see it from there (which was true) but when we pointed it out, Jack pretended he never wanted to see it in the first place. Don't you love Charlie refusing to be in the photo? Typical.

You can see forever up there. It was a bit hazy, but we could still see really far away.

Next stop: Tommy's burgers. It was my request, but it wasn't as good as I remembered. That chili is kind of like slop. I'm not even really sure what's in it. Sam was the only one brave enough to try a real chili burger. Everyone else just had everything plain. (Dan and I had chili dog and burger).

We discovered Randy's donuts somewhere close to the beginning of the trip and went there daily. The donuts are cheap, great tasting, and how could you pass up a shop with a huge donut on top of it? Apparently it's famous and in tons of movies (including the new Iron Man).