Road Trip 2008 Day Two

Mom and Dad at their 40th anniversary dinner.

Sara and Katie

Brandon

Judy

The kid's table.

Road Trip 2008

We are currently in the midst of our trip to Montana. Here are some photos --

We got an early start. My alarm went off at 5:00. Abigail walked in minutes later.

Aidan in one of his trademark "moods."

The Virgin River Gorge on I-15 in Arizona. We stopped to take photos of the spectacular scenery.

A photo of Tab holding the camera.

The new In-N-Out in Washington City, Utah was a little crowded. It was worth the wait.

We ate our hamburgers in the car.

Here's a photo of a truck-driver walking his very large rottweiler at a rest stop in southern Utah.

We made it to Pocatello, Idaho at about 9:30 Mountain Time. It was a long day in the car. We kept the children occupied so they didn't whine too much. Tab pulled out her lap-top and played Mah Jong for part of the trip. I marvelled at the GPS capability on my iPhone.

Tomorrow we are driving the rest of the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house. It's their 40th anniversary. They must be getting old.

Post Script:

Today is the one year anniversary of Cast Iron Skillet. My posting has slowed down a little from the frenetic pace at the beginning. I'm a little busier at work now so I can't just post willy-nilly. Thank you for reading.

Road Trip 2008

I haven't had a vacation since this time last year. I need a break. I have the next two weeks off. I thought it appropriate to pack the wife and kids in the Jeep and head up to Montana. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning and will drive 800 miles to Pocatello, Idaho. I can't tell you how much I have been anticipating the trip.

I'll post photos as we go. Stay tuned.

That's Not Ironic At All

Let's say you've just posted a photo of your young son wearing only his diaper and your wife's much-too-large-for-him cowboy boots. It's a funny, cute photo that you've saved with the title, "Nearly Naked Cowboy."

And then you get a comment on the post. Comments are a fun way to interact with your readers. I love comments.

But this is someone you don't know. This person has posted a comment under a name like, "Live Nude Ladies" (not the real name).

I'm a curious sort. I think for a moment that this is possibly somebody I know. A name like "Live Nude Ladies" is kind of funny. If they have a blog titled "Live Nude Ladies" that is nothing about live nude ladies -- that's funny. I mean, my blog isn't really about cast iron skillets.

I love funny. I love ironic.

So being a diligent blogger, I follow the trail to the blog "Live Nude Ladies." Much to my surprise, it's a blog of nude ladies. Nude ladies hiding things.

That's not really very funny. At least it's not ironic in any way.

I write a family blog. So I deleted the comment. I don't usually delete comments (I think this was the first time).

The moral of the story is: don't use the words "naked" and "cowboy" in titles of photos of your kid lest someone trolling blogs for references to porn leaves a link leading back to a pornography site.

No Caption Needed

Sometimes I Wonder

Every Monday, Aidan stays home with me. Our day begins when we take Mommy to work and then Abigail to school. Then we come home and watch a little Sprout while Daddy reads the morning papers. Aidan usually uses this time to pull all of the toys out of the toy box and scatter them across the family room floor.

I know I'm supposed to love my children unconditionally. But when I hear "No" for the eighteenth time...

"Get down from the couch."

"No."

"Don't swing the bat in the house."

"No."

"Leave the cat alone."

"No."

You get the picture.

...

We ride in the car and he asks to have the window down. He gets angry and throws his cup. And then cries for his "cuppy." When he doesn't get his way he starts to scream.

I want to punch him in the face. Sometimes.

...

And then tonight after the twelfth tantrum of the day, he snuggles up to me on the couch. I start to think he's a sweetheart.

...

But then it's time for bed. He says he doesn't want his blankets on. And then he asks for his blankets. He says he wants the door open. And then he wants it closed. And then he wants it open part of the way. He wants the light on. He wants the light off.

So I leave the door open with the light on.

I hear him playing in his crib. His imagination bringing his stuffed monkey and lion to life. He talks and talks until finally... I hear nothing.

I look in the bedroom and he's asleep, lying sideways in the crib, his blankets pushed to one side. He looks so innocent and peaceful.

The iPhone

When I first heard about them I wanted one very badly.

I know, I know. I'm a victim of marketing hype.

I decided to wait a while. I coveted the iPhone but by waiting a while I could feel less like a shallow materialist. So I waited.

The first generation iPhone came and went (that thing was really expensive). And then the 3G iPhone came out. Better, faster, cheaper (what's not to love).

But I still waited.

And then one day Tab tells me she wants a new phone to replace her old Razor. We go to the store and buy her a Blackberry. I almost got one but I wasn't eligible for an upgrade yet. So I waited. I can't believe I almost settled for a Blackberry.

I went back a few weeks later. Still not eligible. So I waited some more.

My eligibility date came and went. I continued to wait, proud that I had such strong self-control. And then I folded like a cheap suit.

Now I have to figure the thing out. It does connect with my wireless network at home which is pretty cool.

It's a Little Late...

...but here is proof we actually got rain the other day. I was so happy.

The Big Day

I just returned from casting my ballot. Abigail had been expressing an interest in the election so I decided to take her to the polling place with me. Abigail said she wanted Barack Obama but then she isn't old enough to vote. I think she enjoyed herself.

In the last two elections I felt like my choice was between suicide by shotgun or train. This time around I feel much better about my choice.

Much better.



PS. Sonic Youth flossing ROCK!!!

Conservatives Don't Make Great Art

How many of the great artists were by nature conservative? I mean by disposition and not necessarily politics.

I can't think of any.

Most of the great artists were guys (or gals) living on the margins of society. They ran off to Tahiti, sliced off an ear, drank to much, consorted with drug addicts and prostitutes and generally raised hell.

In other words, not the kind of people you would trust to do your taxes (conservatives make great accountants).

To be a great artist you have to push boundaries. You have to be willing to take risks. You have to be willing to face the scorn of society. Conservative people are usually not willing to do this.

I'll never be a great artist.

What the Floss Did You Say?

I was listening to NPR tonight when they had a story about an upcoming Supreme Court case about the "F" word (FCC vs. Fox). I have to admit that I have been fascinated with the "F" word for some time now.

The "F" word has been around for a long time but didn't really enter into the lexicon in a big way until World War II. It's a word that can be used in every part of speech. It's a noun, a verb, an adjective, and an interjection. NPR couldn't say the word so they substituted "floss" for the nasty word.

I haven't been able to think about anything else since then.

"Go floss yourself ,you mother-flosser."

"Dude, you're flossed."

"Floss you!"

"Get the floss out."

"Floss the world." (for the punk dental hygienists)

And...

..."Want to floss?" (I prefer waxed)

I will never be able to hear "floss" again without snickering. Thanks NPR.

Huh...What!!!

If you really want to wake up a passed-out drunk, tugging on his armpit hairs isn't enough.

You've got to dig your knuckles into his sternum. That'll do the trick.

Just remember to pin his arms down first.

What Have I Done?

It's Judy's fault.

She told me to check out her Facebook.

So I did.

And I saw lots of people I used to know.

So I signed up.

And now I check my e-mail every few minutes.

Someone else might leave a comment or add me as a friend.

Facebook is so cool.

I love you guys.

"That's a Bad Word"

Abigail's homework assignment was to pick three words that rhyme with "truck" and write a sentence for each word.

Her first word was "luck".

She then tried "book" but that's only an approximate rhyme.

Her next word rhymed with "truck".

I asked her to repeat what she said.

She did.

"Sweetheart, that's a bad word. We don't use that word." I can be a very good father sometimes.

I had a feeling this might happen when I saw the assignment.

Soup Time

Now that Autumn is here and temperatures have dropped into the upper 90s, I decided it was time to make Navy Bean Soup. It turned out pretty well. I used 2 pounds of Navy Beans but I think one would have been better. Now I have enough soup to feed an entire ship full of hungry sailors.

Navy Bean Soup

1 pound navy beans (soaked)

1 pound ham (chopped)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrots

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

6 to 8 cups water

After the beans have soaked, combine all the ingredients in a large pot and simmer until the beans are tender. Enjoy.

That was easy.

Sunday Photos

I was playing around this morning with the macro setting on my camera.

Sexy?

Tab was looking for a Halloween costume the other day. She had a hard time finding a costume that wasn't prefaced by the description "Sexy". There were costumes for Sexy Nurse, Sexy Maid, Sexy Cop, Sexy Doctor, and Sexy Hooker. Tab's already got Sexy Schoolteacher covered.

We started thinking about other "Sexy" costumes for the ladies. How about a Sexy School Lunch Lady, or a Sexy Taxi Driver, or a Sexy Stenographer. Perhaps a Sexy Administrative Assistant or a Sexy X-ray Technician. Or a Sexy CEO. I think Sexy Mortician would be a perfect Halloween costume for a daring young lady looking for a good time on October 31.

I'm just going to dress up in my usual costume on Halloween. I don't have any specific plans but I'm sure I'll be going to a lot of parties.

I won't be bringing beer.

Shouldn't You Be in Bed?

It's about 12:30 in the morning. I had to run down to work to drop off some papers. On my way home, I stopped at my local 24 hour Walmart to see if there was a new issue of "Woodenboat" magazine.

I didn't find "Woodenboat" but I did find some people shopping with their infant and two toddlers.

Let me give you a moment for that to sink in.

...

...

Can you believe I went to Walmart?

Crazy!

Chuck's Belly

It used to be a little bigger.

And it had more stuff inside.

It's Never a Good Time...

... to get detained by the police. You're either very thirsty or you have to pee really badly. Sometimes it's both.

I Love This Country

In the circles I run in, you hear a lot about how "We need to take this country back for God" and "This country was founded on Judeo-Christian values." I'm not sure what "Judeo-Christian values" are but I'm pretty sure they don't include animal sacrifices, polygamy, and stoning.

Evangelical Christians have had unprecedented access to political power for the past 30 years. Jimmy Carter, for all of his Southern liberalism, was a "born again" Christian. The religious right rallied to thrust Ronald Reagan into the White House. Evangelicals turned the Democrats out of Congress in the 90's and helped George W. serve eight years in office. Evangelical pastors have had the ear of the president and Congress for a while now.

To what end?

The past thirty years have seen a continued erosion of "Judeo-Christian values" in this country. Divorce, drug use, pornography, teen pregnancy, gay rights, abortion.... The list goes on.

All of this political power has netted Christians in this country nothing.

Vote for whomever or whatever you think is best in November but don't think it's going to stem the tide. It's time Christians started leading by example and not by legislation.

Pants

Yep, it's that time of the year again. Time to dust off those blue jeans and put away the shorts.

Well, I won't be putting away the shorts but I will be wearing pants every now and again.

When I was in Junior High I had one pair of blue jeans. They were Levi 501's. Mom washed them on the weekend and I started wearing them on Monday. I'd run around all day in them and wear them again the next day. They would get progressively softer as they got dirtier through the week. By Friday, they were kind of gross. When they wore out I got a new pair.

I used to dream about having more than one pair of blue jeans to wear.

I'm a little particular about the jeans I wear. I don't like them too loose or too tight. I don't like them too long or too short. I like to have a pocket for my cell phone. I like to wash them often.

I got my 2008-2009 pair today.

I may buy only one pair a year but I don't wear them everyday and I don't wear them out like I did in Junior High.

It Must be Autumn...

... cause I've got ropey clumps of phlegm dripping down the back of my throat. There's nothing like hacking up a mouthful of phlegm in the middle of the night.

It's beautiful.

The leaves are changing. The Santa Anas have arrived to make every firefighter think that there might be enough overtime for a great Christmas this year. The air has that cool crispness. The A/C stays off and I start to think about firing up the furnace. I get to wear long trousers. And a sweatshirt. And rain, sweet rain, the gift from above, is just around the corner.

Here in So-Cal we have two seasons: Summer, and Not Summer. We are finally coming into Not Summer, my favorite time of the year.

Except for the phlegm.

Forty Years Ago...

I remember when "Forty years ago" was a long time ago. That was when Grandpa was in the South Pacific during WW2 or they brought electricity to rural America.

Now "Forty years ago" is just a couple of years before I was born.

Soon "Forty years ago" will be personal memories.

Dang!

His First Splint

Aidan sprained his wrist last Friday playing at McDonald's. Two hours at Kaiser, a healthy dose of radiation, and a little fiberglass and Ace wrap makes it all better. We took the splint off last night (he needed a bath) and haven't put it back on.

Watching him jump off the rocks at the Canyon Crest Starbucks today, I was thinking this won't be the last splint.

She's Been Waiting for the Day

Tab has wanted a place where she could go and work on her art away from the hustle and bustle of her needy husband and children. She had hoped to use part of the garage, but the garage is the repository of all the junk acquired over 12 years of marriage so there wasn't much room left for creativity.

And then I told Tab about an article in the New York Times about hip-young couples buying prefab modernist sheds to put in their backyards. They use these sheds/studios/retreats/playhouses/get-aways to store stuff, create art, retreat, play, or get-away. What a cool idea.

This mention along with an idea long-simmering in her mind caused a flurry activity now known as the "Great Backyard Structure Search" (the GBSS). About two weeks later, Tuff-Shed built a not so modernist 10 foot by 12 foot shed in our backyard.

She really likes it. Now I just have to fulfill my promise to get electricity to the studio.

Complex Economic Problems Explained Simply

You might have read detailed breakdowns of the economic issues facing this country. It's all a bit too complicated for my non-mathematical mind to take in.

I can however tell you the root of this crisis:

It all started when I got my first credit card 16 years ago in college.

Way to go Wells Fargo!

How Did This Happen?

I've tried to be a progressive parent committed to the non-violent resolution of conflict. I don't watch gratuitously violent movies, play bloody video games or allow my children to watch violent cartoons.

And yet I have a two-year-old son who runs around the house yelling "Pam, pam, pam."

The only toy gun he has is a Buzz Lightyear laser pistol and he doesn't even play with it. But every "L" shaped object in the house becomes a gun.

"Pam, pam, pam." He chases the poor old cats and shoots them.

"Pam, pam, pam." He intrudes upon my quiet time in the bathroom and shoots me.

"Pam, pam, pam." He shoots his big sister.

"Don't even think about it mister." He even tries to shoot his mother.

Do we have a proto-serial killer in our midst? Is he going to grow up to be a drive-by shootin' gangster? Is he going to be a flat brimmed baseball cap wearin', saggy shorts saggin', jacked up pick-up truck drivin', wife beater sportin', MMA fightin' knucklehead when he gets older?

I hope not.

Mmmm!.. Donuts

Donuts are an American institution. What is more American than little round blobs of dough dropped into hot grease and fried until they're fluffy on the inside and golden brown on the outside.

You might think that I eat donuts all the time. I don't. They're a rare treat.

I took Tabitha and the kids for donuts this morning. Abigail got a glazed raised, Aidan picked out a rainbow sprinkle, Tabitha got an apple fritter, and I got a glazed old fashioned and a crumb (yes, that's two for those of you keeping track).

Donuts are pure sugary bliss. Sure, I can feel my heart struggling as if it's pumping blood uphill. I'll make up for it by eating something healthy sometime.

Look What I Did Today

Mission Viejo looks a little different from 800 feet.

In the lower left of the photo you can see the world's largest parking structure. In the center is Disneyland.

We were looking for a floater off the coast of Laguna Beach.

A view from inside the cockpit. "Cockpit" is such a funny word.

Cheesy Pick-up Lines From a Two-Year-Old?

Tabitha was in the bedroom this morning when Aidan asked her, "So, what's your name?"

Sometimes It's Just a Photo

And sometimes it's a metaphor.

Mates of State - My Only Offer

I Like a Good Bath Towel

There's nothing like a good soft towel after a long luxurious shower.

But this post isn't really about that. It's more about a few observations from the past few days.

1. Bad girls hang around with bad boys. Or vice versa.
2. You can drive the 75 miles from work to wife's work in traffic in less than an hour if you exceed the speed limit.
3. Fast food is fast but it's not food.
4. Hostess Chocolate Donette Gems might taste sorta good but they aren't very satisfying.
5. Sometimes it's not your fault.
6. Usually it is.
7. Good friends help out in times of crisis if they know there's a crisis.
8. Nobody buys print encyclopedias anymore.
9. The lady sitting at the table outside Starbucks in barefeet and mumbling to herself might be a drug addicted parolee or she might be an angel but you'll never know unless you ask.
10. Sometimes I crave cheese as I'm falling asleep. I don't think it's because my body needs cheese.
11. Summertime blows.
12. I've got great kids but sometimes they really get on my nerves.
13. Most magazines are just trying to get you to buy stuff. And yet I still read them.
14. A Jeep doesn't replace a Mini.
15. Comedians aren't funny if you're not in the mood.
16. Carlos Mencia is not funny. Period. Full stop (for the Brits).
17. Sometimes I'm not very motivated to go to church. It usually happens only once a week.
18. Super Sugar Crisp taste good but you can feel your body shutting down after you eat them.
19. Lance Armstrong should stay retired.
20. You can't unshred an important document.
21. People lie. Sometimes.
22. Some people lie all the time. (This is not a logic puzzle).
23. I want to go to the Minnesota State Fair and eat a corn dog.
24. Liberals suck and Conservatives blow.
25. Moderates are wishy-washy.
26. The book of Revelation is not about a super-computer in Belgium called the Beast.
27. Electricity is the future of transportation.
28. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

And finally...

29. Sleep doesn't satisfy like it used to but I still do it.

That's Reassuring

We found out the other day that GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin's seventeen-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.

These things happen.

A little beer, a little boredom and nature takes its course.

And then we find out she is going to marry the father of the baby (I hear the rack of a shotgun slide).

What a relief. I thought for sure she would have to give up the baby for adoption. I'm sure everything will be okay now that two teenagers are going to raise the child.

You Eat That?

When I was a youngster you could have not gotten me to eat an artichoke for any amount of money. They looked disgusting and smelled worse.



But then, when I was in Europe, I had a pasta dish made with artichoke hearts. It had artichoke hearts, garlic, rotini, olive oil and bacon.



Bacon makes everything better.



It was pretty good.



I didn't become an artichoke eater overnight but I did stop my personal campaign to remove them from the list of edibles.



Several months ago, Tab and I were at the Ojai Valley Inn. We ate at one of the restaurants at the resort. There was an artichoke appetizer listed on the menu.



I don't remember exactly how it was prepared but it had something to do with an artichoke, garlic, olive oil, and fire.



It was good - darn good.



And it doesn't give you stinky pee like my other favorite veggie.

Inflation Hits Home

There's been a lot of talk recently about rising prices. Gas prices are nearly double what they were a few years ago. Food costs more, electricity costs more, clothing costs more. The dollar seems to be in a freefall against the world's major currencies.

But none of that hurt very much.

Sure my gasoline bill went through the roof. But I'm also driving much farther to work.

This hurt:

The cost of 7 ounces of Kerrygold Dubliner cheese from Ireland went from $4.99 to $5.99 at Target.

Abigail's Dance Show

Abigail had her sort of annual dance show. This year it was a TV theme. Abigail danced an "I Dream of Jeanie" dance with her class.

She's the third from the right.

Striking a pose.

Now she wants to give gymnastics a try.

Election 2008

The political race is heating up.

The black dude picked an old-timey liberal as his running mate. He's talking about change and "eight is enough."

The old white dude picked a chick as his running mate. A chick from Alaska where there are about 300 registered voters. He's talking about...?

I'm not really sure what the old white dude is talking about. The press doesn't seem to report much about him.

Anyway, the choice seems clear.

I'm voting for...

Happy Birthday Tabitha

Happy Birthday Baby.

An American Ritual

Every Sunday evening in parking lots across our country a ritual unfolds.

A car drives in and parks next to another. A man climbs out of his car and opens the passenger door. Children climb out.

Hugs are exchanged.

A woman climbs out of the other car and opens her passenger doors. The children take a one last look at their dad and climb into mom's car.

In the best cases a few pleasantries are exchanged. Sometimes the parents can't manage even that.

They drive away only to repeat the ritual in two weeks.

July 4th in August

We had our annual 4th of July family reunion last weekend at Uncle Hank's. Lots of family I haven't seen in a while (or ever). Mom took the train down from Montana to visit with us and to attend the party. She only stayed with us for 3 short days. But we had fun.

I took her to In-N-Out for lunch.

Tabitha and Aidan watching the fun in the pool.

I was probably ten years old before I jumped off this diving board. Abigail jumped, swam to the side and did it again. Over and over.

Two very handsome men sitting by the pool.

That kid is hard to pin down.

Weenie Wipers and Hair Pluckers

It's not all glamour for a CSI. Sometimes you have to investigate a rape. And then you get to be a weenie wiper and hair plucker.

Tomorrow is a Big Day

I know Obama and McCain are going to be at Saddleback. I wasn't talking about that.

Tomorrow is the opening day of the 2008-2009 English Premier League.

Can ManUtd repeat as champions? Can Chelsea get back on track under Scolari? Will this be the year for Liverpool to win domestically? Will the young Arsenal players fulfill their potential from last year? Will Newcastle finally prove they are a "big" club by winning something?

Will Verizon FIOS stop advertising "The Manchester United Red Devils host the Newcastle Magpies" or "The Arsenal Gunners take on the Fulham Cottagers at Craven Cottage"?

Seriously, these are not American teams like the Packers, Devil Rays, or Dodgers.

These are football clubs with histories stretching back over a hundred years. They have roots buried deep in their communities.

Anyway, I'll finally have something to watch on TV again.

You Never Know Who You Might Meet

My in-laws just returned from a trip to England. They had dinner one night at Cambridge University (my father-in-law, Andy, was presenting a paper). As they're walking back to their car, they see a dude in a wheelchair waiting to get into a van. There's a big computer screen on the wheelchair.

As they get closer, they realize they recognize him.

He's some famous guy named Stephen Hawking.

I guess he's a theoretical physicist or something. I hear he wrote a book or two.

And no, they did not bring me back a football jersey. I wanted an Aston Villa one this time.

Sunday Was A Busy Day...

...salt mining.

Popeye's

I went to Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits today for lunch. Have you ever had an experience like this?

You go into a restaurant and no one looks like you.

It's a weird feeling.

Did I make a wrong turn? Am I supposed to eat here? Is everyone looking at me?

I was very self conscious.

I was the skinniest person in the restaurant.

There's This Cheese...

It's from Italy. You might have heard of it.

It's called Parmigiano Reggiano.

It's good. Real good. It's not quite "Jesus" good but probably "Mother Teresa" or "Gandhi" good. That's pretty good.

Real Parmigiano is made near Parma by real Italian dairyman with mustaches and big rubber boots. They mold the cheese into big wheels and stamp "Parmigiano Reggiano" around the outer edge. And then they stuff them into caves or barns or somewhere cool and dry and and age them for at least 18 months.

It develops a thin rind around the edges to protect the salty, tangy, grainy goodness inside.

You may have had Parmesan cheese before. You probably opened a plastic bottle with a well known American brand name emblazoned across the front and shook it on your spaghetti. It was okay. It's cheese after all. But it's not the real deal.

Do yourself a favor. Go to your local grocer and buy a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano (look for the stamp on the rind). The last wedge I bought was priced at 15 bucks a pound. It's not cheap but the best things in life aren't free. And it lasts forever - a little goes a long way.

I grate it fine with the rind on edge. It grates a little rind into the cheese but you'll never notice and you won't waste any cheese. It is so good. Or break off a chunk and let it melt in your mouth (don't bother trying to cut it).

You won't be sorry.

Happy Birthday Mama

It seems like yesterday when you were learning to drive - that sure entertained us kids. And then you started back to college, shaming us with your awesome grades.

Thanks for being you Mom.

And have a great trip down on the train. We can't wait to see you.

The Other Shoe Drops

We knew it was probably going to happen. It's just so final when it does.

Tabitha received a notice of suspension from the DMV today. She will not be able to drive starting on Tuesday.

It's going to be a challenge to do all the things we need to. We are going to have to rely on the kindness of friends and family.

She Loved That Car

About two and a half years ago we decided to buy a Mini Cooper. We went down to our local Mini dealer and test drove a coupe and a convertible. After cruising around with the top down and Abigail in the back seat we decided to buy a Cooper S Convertible.

We picked out the color and features we wanted and then waited. And waited. Every day for two months I got on the Mini website and tracked the progress of our car.

In the meantime we got a new addition to our family - Aidan.

We started to wonder if we made the right decision. The Mini is pretty small for two car seats. But we made it work.

After two months of waiting, our car was finally delivered. It was a chili red Cooper S convertible with the sport package.

It was awesome.

We loved that car.

But our love was not to last.

A few weeks ago our baby was taken from us. It doesn't make sense to spend $24,000 to repair a $24,000 car.

We went car shopping today. We have a rule in our family - we don't buy boring cars anymore.

We like red cars.

The Happiest Place on Earth (Day 3)

On Saturday, we planned to get up at the crack of dawn to take advantage of the early entry they offer to the park for hotel guests.

Yeah, right.

We had our breakfast with the characters at Storytellers Cafe again and then went to Toon Town.

Aidan, don't hit the pole.

That's the cutest pumpkin face I've ever seen.


The ever popular Goofy.

We had lunch at the Wine Country Trattoria in California Adventure. It was a nice change from the usual burger, fries and coke. This was the best lasagna I've eaten. Ever. Or maybe it was the glass of pinot noir I washed it down with.

Somebody looks tired.

Abigail wanted to go on the Grizzly River Run. After waiting in line for 25 minutes we had to go to the restroom. Fortunately the nice man and his son in line behind us let us back in.

Grizzly River Run is a good choice on a hot day.

The kids enjoying Bug's Land.