California Part 2

One afternoon we visited Darrell's grandma Nellie at the care center.

Tyler played the piano for her.



Even though Tyler is "helping" Nellie, she really doesn't need help getting around.  She is pretty fast, using her legs to get her around. (Emily, Megan, Nellie and Tyler)



Megan, Emily, Darrell, Nellie, Debbie and Emily



Carol, Emily and Tyler



We went to the cemetery one day to "visit" Darrell's dad. The kids helped put new flowers in the vase.



Tyler, Emily and Megan



Later that day we took the Aqua Link water taxi from Los Alamitos to downtown Long Beach.  It was so much fun.

Megan, Emily, Tyler



Megan getting her balance



Tyler and Megan



Tyler and Emily



Long Beach



The Queen Mary



Seagulls



The quaint little harbor shops (and boats) downtown Long Beach



Emily, Darrell, Megan, Tyler, Debbie



Little merry-go-round



Big Carousel

Tyler



Emily and Megan



Yummy ice cream



On the way back to Alamitos Bay, we sat at the front of the boat.  Captain Jerry was SO nice to answer the kids' questions.  Here Megan is talking his leg off.



Emily, Darrell, Megan and Tyler



Carol and Brenda's view behind us. =)



Emily, Carol and Megan



I'm not sure what the official word for these guys are (parasailors?), but it was pretty cool to watch.






Megan, Tyler and Emily ready for church



Megan, Tyler and Emily having fun in the sprinklers.



One night we went to watch Matt and Steve play softball.  We watched the semi-final game and had to leave before the finals, but their team won both games and took home the championship!

Tyler, Darrell, Emily, Megan, Carol and Brenda



The kids thought it was fun to use the TV trays as "offices."

Tyler



Megan



Enjoying a bedtime story with Grandma (Tyler, Megan, Carol and Emily)



I'm so grateful for the time we had to visit Carol.  We had such a wonderful time.  It's nice to be to the point where we don't have to worry about scheduling our day around naptime, so we are able to go and do lots of fun things.  I'm glad the kids get a chance to know their California relatives.  Family is what it's all about!

California Part 1

In August we visited Darrell's mom and had a wonderful time.

Hanging out in the front yard enjoying the beautiful (cooler, at least to us) weather.

Emily



Tyler swiping Grandma's drink.  (Poor Grandma didn't get any of her water, thanks to three little thieves.)



Megan and Grandma (again swiping the water bottle)



Megan playing ball with Grandma and Emily playing with Darrell.



We headed to the beach one day and had a blast.  The kids (and the "kid of honor"--Darrell) didn't want to leave.  We had so much fun.

Emily (When I asked Emily how the water was she said, "It's cold and it tastes like potato chips!"  Yeah, I guess salt water could be described like that.)



Tyler



Emily and Megan



Emily sitting in the hole that started out small and got bigger and wetter as the day went on.



Filling up the hole







Megan with the really big and wet hole that led back to the water.



Tyler



Darrell and the kids



The back of Megan's head was plastered with mud when they stopped long enough for lunch.



Lunch on the beach



Having so much fun



Another day we went to a nearby nature park where Matt works as a volunteer.

Darrell, Matt, Brenda, Carol, Tyler, Megan and Emily



The kids loved running ahead to the next sign to see what we would see next.

Tyler, Emily and Megan



Us



Tyler with huge elk horns at the visitor center.



Darrell and Debbie with a lovely fur

Darrell and Emily



Tyler, Emily and Megan at the Black Bear Diner.

Of course we had to visit "the puppies" at Brenda's house and give them the treats we brought for them.