Grannyspot

Charlie comes home!

2011-08-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Charlie came home from the hospital this afternoon, to the great excitement of his brother and sister (both of whom are busily trying to "protect" him from the ministrations of the other sibling!)...

Charlie Is Born!

2011-08-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

FINALLY today Charlie decides he wants to meet us! How exciting! I was at the beach when Erin called - having procured a fire ring for Messiah's Family Beach Party - but fortunately there was someone else there to hold the ring, and I zipped home and onto the freeway... In spite of her doctor's (and the specialist's) predicitons that the baby would be "about 7 1/2 lbs." he weighed in at 9 lbs. 1 oz (20 1/2 inches long) - and was born with only five pushes! We were all surprised at how chubby he is for a newborn! (When I stopped by to see the kids Alex told me, "Mommy has gone to get Charlie, and she's never coming back here again!" I think she'll have some adjustment!

August Birthdays

2011-08-15T07:25:00.000-07:00

We gathered at Teresa's to celebrate August Birthdays (Trey, Marshall, and Coco - the OTHER August birthday has not yet had his Birth Day!)

Last Day Festivities!

2011-08-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

The day began with a breakfast ride/hay ride to a place they call "The Jail" where we feasted... Back for the rodeo - Coco was in the "egg-spoon" event, where she had to trot her horse balancing an egg on a spoon which she carried in her mouth. Then she participated in the "barrel races"... (I didn't participate, and she reprimanded me - "you can't win if you don't enter!" - but I'm a beginner, and the adult rodeo didn't have divisions - and I wasn't going to go up against the advanced - nor did I think I could herd cattle, which was one of the events!)
After lunch the wranglers helped us put our brand on the wall. Coco's design looked terrific!
We concluded the evening with a steak fry - and a birthday celebration for Coco! - as well as an awards event and slide show of the week's activities. It has certainly been a fun-filled week!

Lost Valley Tradition!

2011-08-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

One Lost Valley tradition is that each guest family design a brand to be put into the wall of the dining room in remembrance of their visit... Coco has spent all week thinking about our brand, and here is her sketch. Somehow we went from hearts, which had predominated her thinking, to a star (easier to draw?) which she filled with "S's" and "W's" for the names of our horses (Smokey and Woodrow). Saturday the cowboys will put our brand on the dining room wall...

Yet another tradition is the staff melodrama in the barn... Coco, in her newfound independence, was off sitting with the kids and we all boo-ed and hissed and cheered our way through a delightful melodrama, followed by an ice cream social.

The day say lots of riding for me... I went out both in the morning and in the afternoon, finally relaxing and enjoying the ride rather than white-knuckling my saddle horn! I did have a minor altercation with a tree branch when we were bush whacking our way down the side of a mountain, but other than that all was fine! Coco spent the afternoon tubing and at a kids pool party. (She took my camera, but was having too much fun to take any pictures!) Altogether a satisfactory day!

Coco's Grand Adventure!

2011-08-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Today was the day of the "all day ride" - after a scavenger hunt (which included such items as horse poop!) the kids saddled up to ride to a swimming hole, have a picnic, swim, and ride back... Coco packed her backpack with water shoes, horse treats - and, incidentally, her own lunch, and off they went! The water hole was great good fun (cold, but kids don't care!) but then suddenly the skies clouded over and the thunder and lightning began! They quickly packed up and rode home - arriving quite drenched, but full of the adventure!

Family Ride: Day Three at Lost Valley Ranch

2011-08-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Coco and I went on the "Family RIde" - I wanted to take pictures of the scenery and of Coco, but I was holding on with both hands as we went up and down the sides of the mountain, through streams, over rocks, etc... Coco's horse did fall once - went down on his front knees - and Coco amazingly kept her saddle! (Had that been my horse I would probably have gone flying over his neck and landed on the ground breaking something!) The "kid supervisor" took the ride pictures for me... The evening consisted of "western entertainment" - lots of music, poetry reciting, story telling, etc. Old fashioned fun!

Lost Valley Ranch II

2011-08-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attempted my first ride... as we made our way to the corral I quipped anxiously to Coco, "You'd better pray for me!" so she stopped right there on the trail, folded her hands, and said, "Dear God, please don't let my granny fall off her horse! Good-bye!" and we continued on our way. It must have worked, because I didn't fall off!

After the ride, we had a picnic lunch - and Coco greatly enjoyed throwing a big hunk of wood for one of the resident dogs to fetch from the stream (enjoyed, that is, until he got her all muddy!)... Our afternoon outing (tubing) was cancelled because of thundershowers, but last night we had a square dance. Even Coco agreed it was quite fun - but wouldn't participate because you had to dance with BOYS! (She and her new friend Alana looked on in disgust at the prospect!)

Lost Valley Ranch

2011-08-01T10:01:00.001-07:00

Coco and I arrived at Lost Valley Ranch in the afternoon, and our first order of business (after checking out the porch swing in front of our cabin) was to get fitted for her saddle. It's a beautiful ranch west of Denver in the Rockies (at 8,000 feet we're a little winded even just walking to our cabin!)... There are 23 families here - 14 "repeats" (some on the third generation) and 9 new. I can see why - they have really organized things to make it "first class"! Coco was a bit overwhelmed at first, even wanting me to go on the children's ride with her ("But I don't even know how to ride!" I protested. "Shouldn't I take a lesson first?!" but she assured me that she could teach me!) They have a full time children's program here, and each group (Coco is in the 6 - 7 year old group, which has five children in it) has a full time "child supervisor" and wrangler who are very good at working with thekids.. They have been very good at weaning her away from me (although today I had to promise to be in the corral when she returns from her ride, but I think she'll soon let go of that requirement)... We did have a bit of trauma last night when she discovered a spider in thebedroom, but fortunately I had some bug spray and we made an bug free perimeter around her bed with insect repellant and she was happy! It's a beautiful ranch, with a nice pool, tennis courts, a playground, lots of green spaces, several corrals, and five dogs, all of which she wants to adopt! (She thinks they could live with me, and when I protest no room, no yard, no desire, they belong to the ranch, she has an answer for everything!)

Jack celebrates his fifth birthday!

2011-07-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Jack celebrated his birthday with a baseball theme (of course!) at The Coop. He had a ball! Charlie (as much of him as we can see at this point!) was also in attendance! Note how TALL Taylor is getting - she won't be eleven until the end of September, but she's already catching up to her mother (who isn't short!)...

Prague

2011-06-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful city is Prague! We left Passau and drove by bus through the deep Bavarian (German) anbd Bohemian (Czech) forests for about 2 1/2 hours, and into the city... Our hotel was right off the Old Town Square, which provided wonderful opportunities for "hanging out" and people-watching: the square is surrounded by outdoor cafes where you can have a beer (cheaper than water!) or a coffee or ice cream or a meal and just enjoy the weather and the "happenings" - one afternoon we saw open air markets, street theater, musicians and musical groups, a photo shoot of about 20 Chinese brides in full bridal regalia, and, of course, tourists/tourist-groups/locals... The Old Town Hall at one edge of the square has a medieval version of the Small World Clock Tower at Disneyland: every hour two small windows over the clock open and the twelve apostles make their way past! And, because we're so far north, we have many hours of daylight in which to stroll and otherwise enjoy our people-watching: it gets dark about 10 p.m. and light again about 4:30!

And now, it's time to say good-bye! It's been a great trip!

Passau

2011-06-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

We were on the sundeck early this morning to watch the ship complete the last of its 11 locks, and as the water rose to the requisite level and we were about to sail out of the lock, the Captain suggested that those of us "over the height of 3' 4"" might want to get on our knees... they lowered the bridge and we sailed under the bridge, clearing it by - well, 3' 4"! Fun to experience!

What an unexpected delight it was to get to know Passau! We had a wonderful guide who wove fascinating stories into his commentary, including a possible solution to church stewardship challenges: Germany has a "church tax" opf 8% of one's tax - payable directly to the government and then refunneled to the churches as government support for the churches. (Interestingly, it was a law passed by HItler as a means of getting people to LEAVE the church - something which is happening today as people don't want to pay the tax!) Wonder what kind of "administrative cut" the government takes from that 8% for services rendered?!!

Photos here of a "plague door" in a building - whereby people could pass food into a plague-ridden home - and opne of a mailperson, delivering mail along the cobblestone streets of the town. During our town wanderings, the church bells (8 of them) peeled loudly and long (10 minutes at a time) at intervals... quite impressive, as the sound seemed to engulf the whole city! We arrived at the church in time to see three newly ordained priests emerge from the cathedral (proud families in tow!), and then entered to hear an organ concert on an organ with almost 1,800 pipes! Very impressive! (I took a picture of the pulpit in that church - imagine how intimidating to have to preach from that pulpit! Yikes!)

One of the buildings here contains a date: 1(4)99... Our guide explained that for a brief period of time they had no numeral for "4" but the reasoning was as follows: If the Roman numeral "5" (V) is the top half of "10" (X) then the number for four should be the top half of eight (never mind that they were no longer working in Roman numerals!)... thus the way the date is inscribed on the building - 1, top half of 8, 99! Interesting... (I hope it shows up in the photograph!) It was quite a lovely day!)

Linz, Gmunden and Steyr

2011-06-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

We spent a lovely day meandering through the hills at the base of the Alps and visiting a cople of small medieval villages in the Lake Country. A lovely open-air market and lots of yummy breads and cheeses for the tasting!

Wachau Valley and Melk Photos

2011-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

After the frustration of not being able to get online the past couple of days, FINALLY I get internet connection (at the Imperial Hotel in PRague)... Here are a few pictures that go with my last post...

The Cruise, Day Seven: Wachau Valley and Melk

2011-06-24T06:31:00.000-07:00

We arrived in the medieval town of Durnstein (a walled "city" of 600 souls with a main street three blocks long) early in the morning, and after breakfast walked out to explore the town before our scheduled train trip to the winery... Ray decided to use the time to climb the hill (very steep) behind the city to see the ruins of the castle in which Richard III had been imprisoned. (When he returned, hot and sweaty, he said the spectacular views of the valley in all directions made the climb worth it, and he truly hoped that RIchard hadn't been imprisoned in the "cage" he saw carved into the side of the rock at the castle: an enclosure measuring about 10 x 12 feet, with about a 4 foot square opening covered with an iron gate!)

It was "Corpus Cristi Day" and all of Austria comes out to celebrate - schools and shops are closed, and there are costumes and street processions. Durnstein was no exception, and the cobblestoned main street had been covered with grass clippings and rose petals and either side of the street lined with tree branches for the big procession. People were emerging from their homes, dressed in traditional costumes, and church bells pealed as people headed for Mass. I fell into conversation with a woman and asked her why Corpus Cristi was such a big holiday in Austria. She was somewhat startled by the question and started to explain to me that "Corpus Cristi" meant "the Body of Christ," which I assured her I knew. "But why the big holiday?" "Well, because we have a lot of Catholics here. Don't you have Catholics in America?" "Well, yes, but we don't celebrate Corpus Cristi..." "Then I suppose I should ask you - why do YOU NOT celebrate Corpus Cristi?!" Well said!

Mass lasted too long for us to see the procession, as our train was leaving and we had to go to the scheduled winery tour and wine-tasting... (Some very tasty wines, hand-cultivated-and-picked from the steep terraced slopes of the valley!) Back at the ship we had a nice barbequed lunch and then spent a restful afternoon cruising north along the Danube (lots more castles!), enjoying the sunshine and the scenery. It was so peaceful and pleasant you could almost feel and residual stress just fall off!

We arrived at Melk in the late afternoon, the site of a 1,000 year old Benedictine Abbey, still in active use with 3 monks, and headed up the hill to visit. (I was so naive I thought it would be a REAL functioning Abbey, and perhaps it is - where we didn't get an opportunity to see! What we DID have was a huge tourist-as-consumer experience, which was a real disappointment to me! Two redeeming things: the library, full of very ancient manuscripts, including one by the Venerable Bede; and, the unexpected summer thunderstorm which caught us unawares and far away from ship or bus! However, the ship takes its job of guest-care-taking very seriously, and before we knew it, a cab arrived bearing umbrellas for all of us drenched souls! It turned the late afternoon into quite a (wet!) adventure! Back to the ship for an "Epicurean Pairing" - a five course meal with wine pairings from the local area. Fun! (But much more than I normally drink! They don't let your glasses get empty!)

The blog won't post pictures for some reason, so those will have to come later! Tomorrow is our last day in Austria, and we'll be going into the Lake District and exploring some small towns at the base of the Alps. Should be fun!

The Cruise, Day Six: Vienna

2011-06-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

We have been steeped in Hapsburgs! Spent a long time at the Imperial Palace - which covers ten blocks (Maria Theresa needed a lot of room for those 16 kids!) and now houses government offices, museums, symphony and opera venues, a Piltzner (?) horse training arena, the national library (pictured here - it was amazing and I could have spent hours there!) as well as apartments for the well-connected! Vienna is a beautiful city, and I only wish I had time to explore it more in depth... The evening ends with more music (of course!) and tomorrow we will be once again cruising up the Danube...

The Cruise, Dav Five: The Unexpected!

2011-06-22T04:53:00.000-07:00

We started the day leisurely, cruising north on the river, sitting on the sun deck, enjoying the weather, the view - and our books! - when we were summoned to the Lounge for an "important announcement." It seems that two ships - a barge and a cargo ship - had collided somewhere between where we were and Vienna, which is where we were heading - and one of them had sunk, closing the river. We were basically stranded, so the captain pulled into port at Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, a city not on our itinerary, and they hastily arranged for a walking tour of the city for us. Soon we were like a bunch of baby ducklings waddling along behind our tour guide, having been imprinted with the #2 placard she waved above her head... Batislava is quite small and old, and was an interesting (and an unexpected) opportunity!... Seems that all their statuary, their heroes, are writers and intellectuals because, as our guide told us, historically they have always been the conquered people - the ones submitting, not the oppressors, and so they have no kings or generals! THey have become a free republic simply by surviving, and they are very proud of that fact!

Then - quickly - we learned that a portion of the river had been dredged to allow us through, but the window of time was very short, so we hastened on-board and started north again. Our "activities director" (or whatever she is called) pulled out all the stops, had a bus come to meet us along the way so that those of us who had concert tickets could make the concert at the Imperial Palace in Vienna, and then the ship carried on without us, telling us they would meet us after the concert (and in fact, they did, although we arrived at the dock about ten minutes ahead of the ship!)... The concert was "Vienna Lite" but it was fun - full of cheerful music and good humor.

We have begun to pass castles along the way, and I took this picture of castle ruines for Alex, although she may be disappointed that it's not pink!

Today: Vienna! From what I've seen (from the bus window after the concert) it's a beautiful city! WIsh I could spend more time here exploring... it feels like a city I'd like to come back to and "be in" much as we did Paris last year.

Interesting ship-fact: we are 130 passengers (refrred to as "guests") and 51 crew. No wonder we feel so spoiled!

The Cruise, Day Four: More Budapest

2011-06-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Goodness.
I am going to begin with the end - we ended our time in Budapest with a 6 p.m. sailing-out-of-the-city - and a "Captain's Welcome Dinner" that began with cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres and continued through EIGHT elegant courses and lasted about four hours. It was quite a feast, including things like scallops served on a bed of spinach, pallet-cleansing sorbet, veal... and, of course, ending with an assortment of cheeses which were tempting but I was way too full to enjoy! Hopefully they'll have them on their breakfast buffet this morning!
We spent the morning wandering around Castle Hill in the city and taking in the view from FIsherman's Bastion, before heading for the Jewish section where where we spent a most fascinating afternoon. From Matthias Church (not SAINT Matthias - the church is named for the king, who was a renaissance man who did many good things for the city - but a SAINT he definitely WAS NOT we were told! I show here the music racks, stored in a corner, which I found delightful!) to the large Jewish temple (the largest in the world if you use cubic feet instead of square feet, our guide said)... The Hungarian Jews were such an integral part of Hungarian society in the 19th century that, although Jewish architects designed many of Budapest's finest buildings (including the Roman Catholic cathedral and the Parliament Building) they commissioned a gentile architect to build their synagogue. He, knowing nothing of synagogues, went to Spain, figuring he'd learn about JEwery at its hight prior to the expulsion of the Jews from Spain... and fell under the influence of Moorish architecture and came back and designed and built a very Mosquelike synagogue - with many Christian features (never used) including kneelers and pulpits! Pictured here: their Holocaust Memorial: what looks like a weeping willow (whose leaves bear the names of those lost in the Holocaust) is also an upside down mennorah).
The city-banks of the Danube have yielded to the green of trees alongside as we sail toward Vienna. We'll arrive tonight in time for a concert at the Imperial Opera House. Should be fun!

The Cruise, Day Three: Budapest

2011-06-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

To bed late - but up early, because we had a new city to explore! Two contrasting encounters with people/local culture: one, a toothless old man kept plucking at me, trying to get us to follow him so he could show us something (all communicated with gestures - no English involved on his part, and certainly no Hungarian on ours!). He wanted us to see the beautiful glass ceiling in a building (pictured here) housing numerous small shops. Then, of course, he rubbed his fingers together for a tip, and said, "for coffee..." (cost of photo: 2 euros!) Later, walking along the streets, we passed an ice cream shop with an amazing window display of - ice cream (pictured here)! Naturally Ray and I began reminiscing about the times when we were kids and would go into Kaiserslautern and eat (forbidden) German ice cream, and of course I had to taste the czech version (very similar to my memory!)... The woman at the counter handed me a small scoop - and then took the cone back and added a second scoop and gave it back to me - and wouldn't allow me to pay her for it. (Taste of ice cream and nostalgia: free) Now we're aboard the ship, having had our first "pampered meal" - which included an appetizer of pumpkin/smoked trout/caviar salad, among other things - and are about to give Ray his "crying towel" - the culmination (?!) of our pre-trip trash-talking! More Budapest tomorrow...

Danube Cruise, Day Two: Traveling

2011-06-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

It was a relatively easy (but long!) trip: after 11 1/2 hours to Germany, our two-hour lay-over in Munich, where we met Ray and Chris, turned into four, but we were finally able to board our plane and head for Budapest! We didn't arrive at our hotel until after midnight, but the view from our window made it worthwhile! Here we see Castle Hill and the Chain Bridge. Now to sleep - tomorrow to explore!

Danube Cruise, Day One: The Waiting

2011-06-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

My suitcases are packed; there are clean linens on my bed; the refrigerator is cleaned and the trash taken out; kindle and camera are fully charged. Now comes the hardest part of any trip: the waiting. Waiting for Deb to arrive. Waiting for time to go to the airport. Waiting for security. Waiting until we land...
I'm excited!
And I've discovered a terrific new ap for my phone: it translates in 57 different languages, text-to-speech, and, since I have no clue how to pronounce either Czech or Hungarian, it promises to be very helpful in locating such important venues as bathrooms!

Lemonade Stand

2011-03-18T22:24:00.001-07:00

It was a perfect afternoon for a Lemonade Stand, so Jack and Alex made lemonade (five cents) - and decided that for an extra penny you could have food coloring added to make your drink extra special! Jack was a bit shy with the customers, but Alex was quite the entrepreneur - and they both loved ladeling the drink into cups and then mixing in the food coloring when requested!

ER in Nashville

2011-03-15T05:36:00.001-07:00

The Laffitte family is in Nashville, and Jack decided (?!) to make things interesting by precipitating a 2:30 a.m. trip to the ER when he developed croup and couldn't breathe. Here he is, enjoying a popsicle after they got his fever down and gave him steroids and a breathing treatment... Nothing like keeping life interesting and contributing to a memorable vacation! We're glad he's doing better, and hope he'll be well enough for everyone to fly home today!

An afternoon with the kids...

2011-03-11T22:59:00.001-08:00

I had a "play date" with Alex and Jack this afternoon, and we had great good fun! All grandparents should be lucky enough to live close to their grandchildren! What a joy!

All About the Princesses!

2011-02-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

For Alex, a day at Disneyland was all about the princesses (and shopping and food, of course!)... we didn't go on one ride, but we met lots of royalty, heard lots of stories, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

A Sleep-Over

2011-02-05T16:16:00.000-08:00

Alex and Jack wanted to have a sleep-over (and I use the term loosely!) at my house night. We had all sorts of ideas for today: Disneyland, kayaking, etc. - but they were having so much fun climbing on the furniture and exploring the nooks and crannies of a "different" house that the appeal of NOT getting dressed was too great. We "hung out" at home and had great good fun! (And I averted a potential disaster: "Look, Jack!" Alex said, gazing up at my loft. "We can play walk-the-plank!" "Oh, no you don't" I responded. "That's too dangerous!" "But I want to! Wendy did, and she had fun!" "Yes, but she had Peter Pan to take care of her, and you don't!" Sigh. Creative, yes, but with NO sense of consequences!

Peter Pan Pajamas at last!

2011-02-01T22:57:00.001-08:00

Still unable to find Peter Pan fabric for Jack, I finally made a plain pair of pajamas, downloaded some Peter Pan images onto a transfer, and then ironed them onto the pajamas. Jack was thrilled! He insisted I take a picture of the BACK of his pajama top, as well as the front!) Alex, of course, had to have yet another Princess nightie. The "Pajama Factory" is now closed, however - I've put away sewing machine and table, at least for a while!

Cinderella Nightie

2011-01-25T22:26:00.001-08:00

Alex's "princess passion" continues - wherever did it come from?!!! So... to give her pink princess nightie a break (since she insists on wearing it every night, which means it gets washed every day!) I found some Cinderella flannel and made her a Cinderella nightie... Now she can "switch off" her princesses! Okay, so it's blue instead of pink, but she's happy!

A Sewing Lesson

2011-01-17T22:02:00.001-08:00

Taylor received a "sock monkey kit" for Christmas, and so I took my sewing machine to her house and we had a sewing lesson while we put the monkey together. It was a high interest experience, and Coco had to get some (of Trey's!) socks, too, and make one for herself! Great good fun!

Uncle Andy comes to visit!

2011-01-15T06:30:00.001-08:00

A quick visit with Andy - and Jack and Alex insist that he watch Peter Pan with them!

Playtime at the Laffitte's!

2011-01-10T23:00:00.001-08:00

For Jack, it's all about Peter Pan and Captain Hook - or knights and castles. For Alex, it's princesses! Peter Pan works for her as well because of Tinker Bell, but on any given day she'd rather be Belle or Sleeping Beauty!

Post-Christmas Visit

2010-12-29T21:13:00.001-08:00

A quick after-Christmas trip north to see Mom and Ray and Chris.

Merry Christmas (again!)

2010-12-25T22:41:00.001-08:00

Advent is over! Christmas has arrived! Santa has come, the feasts prepared and consumed, the presents opened... Jack got his beloved knights; Trey comics with his wig (or draws) while Taylor leans against her heated massaging reading-pillow and works on her ipad; Coco actually wears clothes in the house for this occasion - and Alex now has three more princess outfits to wear (here she is Belle)! A successful and fun day! Merry Christmas!

Christmas is Coming! Christmas is Coming!

2010-12-22T22:46:00.001-08:00

The excitement is building! Alex has practiced filling-and-emptying her stocking with all her princess figures, and Jack seriously works the Advent Calendar (eating the chocolate, of course!)and counted the packages under the tree... Here Alex models her "princess nightie" - her first experience of nightgown (her comment: "But - where are the pants?")

Cookie Decorating!

2010-12-07T22:49:00.001-08:00

'Tis the season for...decorating cookies! Alex ate as much (more?) frosting as she put on the cookies, of course, and the kitchen was as sprinkled as the cookies, but a good time was had by all! (And we can't forget our Christmas glasses!)

Christmas Party at Wilshire

2010-12-05T22:38:00.000-08:00

We went to the annual Christmas Party at the Wilshire Country Club, and it was "Kid Heaven" - face painting, balloon sculptures, puppet shows, magic tricks, carolers, and, of course, a visit with Santa! Top it all off with a chocolate fountain for dessert ("I want to dip it myself!") and what more could one ask for? A great time was had by all!

Happy Thanksgiving (and anticipatory Christmas!)

2010-11-26T06:49:00.001-08:00

While we waited for the turkey to cook, Alex and Jack were the "dry run" on a couple of crafts we will be having at our Advent Family Workshop at church on Sunday. They painted wooden Christmas trees (and glued on "ornaments" once the paint dried) and made reindeer-pots with their handprints for antlers... Great good fun for all!

The Violinist!

2010-11-22T21:10:00.001-08:00

Trey has taken up the violin. Here he is, practicing for the Winter Concert at school: Jingle Bells and the Dreidle Song!

Princess Alex

2010-11-22T21:05:00.001-08:00

And everywhere that Alex goes, Alex goes, Alex goes; and everywhere that Alex goes, she's sure to dress as a princess! ("everywhere" = school - every day if she could get away with it! - the park, the zoo, the Car Museum...)

Halloween Fun!

2010-11-01T06:01:00.001-07:00

Great excitement! Halloween has FINALLY come! Alex and Jack each have gone back and forth between two constumes - Alex was a princess (isn't that inevitable?!)yesterday for a party, and today she is Michael Jackson; Jack was a knight yesterday - and today he is a dinosaur! Going door-to-door was fun - but it is perhaps more exciting to ANSWER the door and see all the other kids-in-costume and be the one who gets to give out the candy!

Hoorah for October!

2010-10-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful time of year! October brings Halloween decorations AND (this year) rain! Alex and Jack have new rain boots and we had to take an after-dinner walk to practice puddle jumping (into, not over!)...

Disneyland!

2010-10-01T22:16:00.001-07:00

It was Alex's first trip to Disneyland, and Jack introduced her to all his favorite things! After each new ride/experience, Alex responded, "Again! I want to do that again!" so I guess she had a good time! The day began with a bit of the unusual - thundershowers! - which lasted just long enough to warrent the purchase of Mickey Mouse umbrellas - and ended with the usual ride down Main Street in the horse-drawn streetcar... Here the kids pat the horse's stomach a fond "good-bye" before we leave... A fun (and hot and humid and exhausting!) day...

A Night at the Dodger Game

2010-09-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Off to the Dodger game - great seats in the front row, right behind home plate, but Alex, frankly, would rather read the origran - or eat! What a waste (ask Jack!) that SHE was the recipient of a ball instead of her game-obsessed older brother!

Taylor is Ten!

2010-09-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

Today Taylor is ten! Double Digits! What did she want for her birthday? A tree! So I obliged - with a dwarf orange tree (with a few small gifts hanging from the branches!)... After dinner - a birthday request that everyone jump in the pool with their clothes on before dessert! Quite a celebration!

Another Day in Paradise

2010-09-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

It was another day in paradise - interrupted only by Alex's need for a nap! King's Pond is a big hit - the pond itself for Alex, and the "accessories" for Jack, who loves the flippers! The "touching pond" was great good fun, too - guess which one is fearless, and will touch anything?!!!

Happy Birthday to Erin!

2010-09-09T00:25:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Erin's birthday with a beach barbeque with Andy and Aubrey and the girls! Hard to believe MY "baby" is thirty-five!

Hawaiian Vacation!

2010-09-07T23:11:00.000-07:00

Quite a mix of leisure and activity: Alex doesn't know the meaning of "still" so her awake times keep us busy! Fortunately she still takes long naps! We've just come from a delightful evening of wine-and-appetizers at the Beach Tree while the kids listened/danced to music and played in the sand... Tomorrow we celebrate Erin's birthday (thirty-five!) with Andy and Aubrey at one of their favorite (remote) beaches! Should be fun!

Coco has a Sleep-Over!

2010-08-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Coco has a sleep-over! Naturally we had to cook (we made banana muffins)... and play the gramaphone... and even swim a little! 'Twas great good fun!

Trey and Jack come to visit!

2010-08-12T16:20:00.001-07:00

Erin brought Trey and Jack to see my new house, and we had lots of fun at the beach - and kayaking in the Harbor!

Taylor with her cousins

2010-08-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

These pictures are out of order, but Taylor spent a fun afternoon with her cousins, Jack and Alex, before we left on vacation. Here they are, enjoying their time together (and, in the last picture, exploring my new neighborhood!)...

Off to San Jose!

2010-08-02T01:09:00.000-07:00

Back from the jungle to the (very) relative civilization of our hotel at Tortuguero, we relax in the pool and enjoy virgin pina coladas (well, for some of us they were virgin!)... Saturday we left for San Jose - note the Tortuguero International Airport! - stopping at a coffee plantation and butterfly garden enroute. Taylor ensconced herself in the comfort of the Intercontinental Hotel with her "Madlibs" and then proclaimed - "You know - as nice as this hotel is, it could be in any city. I think I prefer Tortuguero - it's unique!" That comment made me feel the trip was a success!

Jungle Boat Ride

2010-07-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

We were up late last night turtle-watching, and then both of us read until about 11:30, so it was a rude awakening this morning at dawn when the Howler Monkeys began - well, howling! - to (re)claim their territory! After breakfast we once again got on boats for a jungle boat ride - like Disneyland, only real! - where we viewed lots of other jungle life... The caimen pictures are from the river in front of our lodge. (This afternoon there is a kayaking option, but Taylor and I have decided that a) given the caimens and b) the rowdy boys in one family on the trip, we will opt out and go to the pool instead!) My zoom lens doesn't focus very well, but these pictures will give you some idea of what we saw...

Deeper into the jungle

2010-07-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Thursday was a long travel day as we made our way (leisurely) by bus and by boat to Tortuguero National Park, seeing lots of interesting things (including these remains of a rhinocerous beetle) along the way. We toured at a Pineapple Plantation - fascinating - and again at a Flower Farm, and stopped at a banana plantation enroute to our boat. This area gets 300+ inches of rainfall a year, but even without the rainfall our clothes are soaked (from persperation!) and nothing dries... Our lodge at Tortuguero is very primitive, and we're slathered in Off and sun screen (I actually ran out of sunscreen and had to pay $17 for a small bottle of what must be gold standard sunblock to see us through the rest of the trip!). After dinner, we all dressed in black - long pants, long sleeves - and made our way by boat to the turtle nesting area. There, we hiked through the jungle in the dark (the only light was from flashes of lightening and the occasional peek of moonlight when the clouds parted) to the turtle laying area... Taylor was right up fropnt, following closely behind the guide and picking her way expertly between the trees and along the path... She didn't want to miss a thing! Apparently last night the amount of light was making the turtles nervous because two aborted their laying chambers and bolted (as much as a turtle can bolt!) for the sea. However, we were finally successful in seeing a turtle lay her eggs - over a hundred!... Fascinating - and an almost sacred time! There were no pictures allowed, but the experience was amazing!

Zip Lines and River Trips!

2010-07-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

The entire staff of Playa Hermose lined up on the driveway to bid us farewell as our tour bus pulled out on our way to the Avenal Volcano. After crossing the lake, we took the tram up to...well, I don't know "up to" what, but high, and into the clouds! Then we were all outfitted with the appropriate equipment and given the appropriate instruction (take off and landing positions; what to do "in case" as in, in case you get stuck before you get to the landing platform!) and prepared to zip line down! One by one we descended, platform to platform, ultimately going along 9,000 feet of line descending 4,100 feet... The kids (and some of the adults) found it great good fun. I kept asking myself, "What the hell are you doing?" - but, once "in" there was no way out but via the line, so down I went. It wasn't that I found it frightening - I was just so busy trying to remember the instructions that I couldn't relax and enjoy the ride! Still, I can say I was proud to have done it! Today we spent on the river. We've seen Jesus Christ lizards (the inspiration for Jurassic Park), iguanas, poison dart frogs, crocodiles, lots of birds, an armadillo and a sloth, and tons of howler monkeys, some of whom protested our invasion of their territory by pooping and peeing on us in our boats! It's been a fun day! Tomorrow we're of to Tortuguero...

Volcano Mud Baths

2010-07-26T15:15:00.001-07:00

Taylor's new best friend is caladryle - our tour guide arranged for the bus to stop at a pharmacie so we could find some anti-itch relief for her multiple bites (she has rearranged her estimate of bug-bites-acquired to over 1,000 by the end of the trip, and we have started calling her a "mosquito magnet"!) She now sports pink polka-dotted skin as she tries to combat her itching!) This morning we all experienced what is known as "Costa RIcan Car Massage" as we traveled on dirt roads to the base of the volcano known as "Rincon de la Viella" where we divided into three groups - for tubing, waterfall swimming, or mud baths. Taylor decided tubing was too rigorous, waterfall swimming too cold - and a mud spa treatment sounded perfect (although they cautioned that it takes ten years off you, so children should be cautious lest they disappear!)... Then the more agile mounted horses to ride to the mud baths, and we indulged in a morning of sauna, mud baths, and hot springs! Time even to ride an ox on our way back to the hotel (Taylor is here pictured with another new friend, Morgan).

Snorkeling Trip

2010-07-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

After a room service breakfast (of course!) we headed for the beach where we caught the boat for our snorkeling trip. (One good thing abouit being on the water, Taylor says, is that the mosquitoes don't fly that far! Taylor has counted her bug bites and done the math, and at the current rate (and the bugs seem to like her more than they like me!) she figures she will end the week with 504 bites!) We s[ent a delightful few hours sailing and swimming and snorkeling. We explored an open cave which filled with water with each wave, saw mating sea turtles (they have to stay together 24 hours), dolphins, puffer fish, oysters, clams, spider star fish, urchins... It was quite an excursion! That water is warm and refreshing! We're of now to the "Welcome Dinner" and about to begin the official tour! (Although Taylor has announced that she'd be happy just to stay here at the resort for the rest of the week!)
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Costa Rica: The Jungle and Rain Forest Adventure Begins!

2010-07-24T15:48:00.001-07:00

The move completed (FINALLY, about 4:30!) Taylor and I had a couple of hours to relax before heading to the airport for our grand Costa Rican Adventure! Although she made scrupulous lists and schedules of what we were going to do (including allowing for half an hour of sleep on our red-eye!) she was asleep before the plane ever took off about 11:215 - and stayed asleep through the landing in Miami! After a layover we were indeed on our way to Costa Rica! When Tauck picked us up at the airport, we discovered another grandmother and granddaughter who were also arriving for our tour, and Taylor and Mia spent a happy afternoon playing together!
We enjoyed a "welcome drink" on our patio, and then had lunch (have subsisted on a junk food diet the day before!). THe dining room of Playa Hermosa opens onto the beach - and a chicken yard! (Breakfast or dinner, we wondered?) There was other wildlife as well, including this iguana who joined us at the pool...
Tomorrow we are going to take a sailing and snorkeling trip, and then our tour starts officially at 6 p.m. with the "Welcome Dinner."

"Transition Week"

2010-07-08T20:34:00.001-07:00

This week is "Transition Week" for Alex as she starts Pre-School. Parent and Child spend an hour a day together getting introduced to preschool, and helping the child get comfortable with teachers, structure, facility. Alex is finding the playground great good fun - but the group stuff? The "sit on the floor and listen" part of school? Her response: "Not me! I'm done! I'm going home!" (That was the first day. She IS getting better!)

Summer Fun for the Laffitte Family!

2010-06-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Time for swim lessons and just "hanging out" leisurely!

A Hawaiian Vacation for the Estrada Family

2010-06-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

Andy and Aubrey and the girls went to a remote valley in Hawaii where the surfing was great - and they even made friends with a wild (not-so-wild) donkey!

Grandparents' Day

2010-05-27T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today was Grandparents' Day at Curtis! Coco, the Accessory Queen, displays the shoes which give just the right "touch" to her school uniform... Can you find Coco and Taylor in their class performances? (Trey was obscured by a curtain from where I was sitting, so you don't have a Trey-Challenge!) And, of course, even as Coco displays her accessories, Taylor and Trey point out their schoolwork... A good time was had by all!

Alex is Two!

2010-05-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

Alex is two! So much activity! So many choices! Should she play with her bucket, or play baseball? Why not both at once?! Oops! We need a book break! And now we'll have cake - why wait for the cutting when fingers work just as well?!

Jack and Granny's Grand Adventure!

2010-05-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

Jack and Granny went on a grand adventure: we took the train from Union Station to Anaheim, stayed in the Disneyland Hotel overnight, and spent time both Thursday and Friday at Disneyland. Highlights of the trip: Anaheim Station is at Angel Stadium (had there been a game, I doubt that we would have been able to go any further! Jack was so excited to be at the ballpark!); the Disneyland Hotel is right next to the ESPN Sports Bar (where we had to stop to watch baseball on the big screen tv outside as we passed, and have dinner there Thursday night to OD on baseball from tv's EVERYWHERE in the restaurant - which somewhat made up for the fact that there was no baseball on the tv in our room!); ducks AND ducklings in assorted ponds at Disneyland; the opportunity to walk on lots of walls; the waterfalls around our hotel room; a "private audience" with Pluto and Chip (or Dale?) at the hotel; and - big discovery! - Fanta Orange drink! We also told and retold the story of Pinnochio multiple times as we got used to the big openmouthed whale at the entrance of Storybook Land! A good time was had by all - and Jack was a very tired little boy when we got home!

Medieval Times

2010-03-20T21:42:00.001-07:00

We spent a delightful afternoon at Medieval Times (and Jack has developed a passion for sword fighting)! It's quite a spectacle!

Beach Barbeque and a little surfing!

2010-03-04T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hawaii (cont.)

2010-03-02T23:40:00.000-08:00

Another day in paradise... another trip to the pool... and we connect with Riley and Emma!

Hawaii March 2010 - The Begtinning

2010-03-01T23:09:00.000-08:00

Jack keep himself busy on the airplane making monster faces... And the first day we settle into life-in-Hawaii as though we've never been gone! The kids remember and delve into all their favorite activities, from kiddie-pool to feeding the fish!

Big Boy Hair Cut

2010-02-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

Jack loses his curls to a "big boy hair cut" - or perhaps gets the "big boy hair cut" because he was losing his curls! It looks adorable - although in this picture he doesn't look too sure about it!

GG comes to visit!

2010-02-21T22:28:00.000-08:00

GG comes to visit! Coco shows off her art work, and Jack shows off his cooking skills!

"Hanging Out"

2010-02-18T23:23:00.000-08:00

Jack paints, while Alex reads to her baby...

The Third Grade "Possibilities" Show

2010-02-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

Taylor and her friends were "Gummy Bears" and sang and danced in the Third Grade Possibilities Show. Mostly my camera wasn't fast enough to catch their moves - the pictures were a bit blurry... These were the best I could do!

Erin with Bill Clinton at the Madison Square Garden Haitian Fundraiser

2010-01-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

Babysitting

2010-01-23T15:34:00.001-08:00

Ron was in New York on business, and Erin had to be in New York for a special Haiti Fund-Raiser with some of her clients and Bill Clinton (very exciting and fun for her!), and I did the over-night kid duty for a couple of nights. Here are some pictures of a very-independent "I-do-it-myself!" Alex, whether it be putting on shoes or pushing her own bike - and a much more compliant Jack! We had a great time!

Rainy Day Fun!

2010-01-19T23:08:00.000-08:00

Alex and Jack and I had a cozy evening listening to the rain and reading books!

2010-01-11T06:45:00.000-08:00

Alex sports ponytails!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T22:14:00.000-08:00

As you can imagine, there was much Christmas excitement when the Fourticq and Laffitte cousins got together this afternoon! Here are a few scenes, including one of Coco modeling the remains of her (and everyone else's?) surprise ball!...

Christmas Cookies

2009-12-19T21:16:00.001-08:00

Jack wanted to make Christmas cookies - and since the Laffitte kitchen is still in remodel-mode, he needed to do it at my house. He had quite an agenda: making cookies, buying Christmas presents for his mommy and daddy (and, as it turns out, sister and cousins as well), having his special hot cocoa ritual; going to Chuckee Cheese, visiting the aquarium... We managed it all but Chuckee Cheese - we were just too busy!

Family Christmas Party at the Fourticq's

2009-12-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

Today was the Family Christmas Party at the Fourticq's. The kids were adorable, all dressed up in their holiday finery! (That is - I'm assuming Trey was adorable - I never did find him! When I asked I was told "he's running around somewhere with his friends" and "Oh, he's upstairs wreaking havoc - last I knew he and six other boys were jumping on all the beds!" and "I think he's out in the room where the dogs are locked up!") Such excitement! Alex was NOT happy with Santa this time around, so Santa compromised (I think he has had experience with such things!) and let the family sit in his chair, and he stood behind. Great way for a No-Tears visit - and picture!

Santa comes to Wilshire!

2009-12-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

Santa made a visit to Wilshire, so Erin invited me along... It was a great Family Christmas Party, with puppet shows and magic, carolers, face-painting, balloons, tree lighting - and of course (Alex's favorite): food! She still has the attention span of a gnat, but the child is intrepid - no temerity there! She participates in everything (even if for only ten seconds at a time) while Jack is much more "the observer." Great good fun was had by all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

After church this morning I quickly changed clothes, loaded my pies into the car, and headed for Teresa's where we spent a delightful afternoon playing games (Skip-Bo and Apples to Apples) before eating our Annual Turkey Feast! Trey and Coco made the centerpieces pictured here (a bit over-exposed) - Trey the black cat, Coco the pink. Such talent!

A Visit to the Aquarium with Alex

2009-11-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

I took Alex to the Aquarium... The fish got little attention, the birds a bit more, the play equipment a bit more than that - but the hit of the day was lunch, where she consumed huge quantities of pizza and orange slices! We had great good fun, with or without the fish!

Hawaii II

2009-11-16T07:27:00.001-08:00

Can't resist a few more photos!

Hawaii!

2009-11-16T00:31:00.001-08:00

We've just returned from a week in Hawaii - combining a visit with Andy and Aubrey and the girls with a relaxing vacation in "paradise"...

More Halloween

2009-11-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

Aubrey just sent me this picture of Emma and Riley, with their Hawaii cousin Maya, all dressed up for Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T05:07:00.001-08:00

The excitement kept building! Both kids had learned the ditty "Trick or Treat/Smell my feet/Give me something/Good to eat!" and couldn't wait to go door to door with their treat bags! (Alex, however, was less excited about WEARING a costume: she'd rather HOLD Elmo than BE Elmo!) I think, however, that Jack ultimately had as much fun (or more!) passing out the treats at his own door than he did getting them! And Alex (obviously!) REALLY enjoyed eating them! (She kept handing us candy and saying, "Open it, please!" long after we had said, "Enough!")

Messiah Event-Filled Weekend Part I

2009-10-25T21:22:00.001-07:00

A lucky twenty of us began our "Messiah Event-Filled Weekend" with a boat cruise of Newport Harbor - an auction purchase. It was a perfect day for the cruise, the food and drink were wonderful, and the company delightful!

Messiah Event-Filled Weekend Part II

2009-10-25T21:16:00.001-07:00

Following the boat trip, many of us "gilded the lily" by heading to a Supper Club Halloween Party. Ah, the witches! And Joyce makes a great "couch potato" (although in spite of appearances, she really cooked up a great meal and an elaborately decorated and atmospheric Halloween House for our event! Need I say - great good fun was had by all!

Messiah Event-Filled Weekend Part III

2009-10-25T21:08:00.001-07:00

The "Messiah-Event-Filled Weekend" ended with Oktoberfest - a smashing success, replete with 14 piece band, Bob Streutker's home-brew,German sausages, red cabbage, and potato salad. Wonderful event! The beer-and-band even fueled some dancing! Great good fun was had by all!

Riley

2009-10-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

Just received this darling picture of "Swimmer Riley" and couldn't resist sharing!

Halloween Sleep-Over

2009-10-24T05:33:00.001-07:00

Jack had a "Halloween Sleep-Over" and we went to Disneyland (yes, that jack o'lantern IS Mickey Mouse in pumpkin form!) where even his favorite goats in the petting zoo sported Halloween bandanas around their necks. Home to put jack o'lantern faces on cookies... A fun (if exhausting!) day was had by all!

Coco loves horses!

2009-10-24T05:25:00.001-07:00

Here is Coco, at her horseback riding lesson. Riding is her current passion, and she LOVES horses!

A Belated Birthday Celebration for Taylor

2009-10-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

Taylor had no school today, and we have been trying to find a date for a "Nail Spa Day" and lunch for a belated birthday celebration. We began with a sleep-over with Jack and Alex - who delighted in their older cousin's attentions! - and the next morning Taylor and I started off on our own adventure.

Busy Bee Alex

2009-10-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

While Jack was at his "Sports Camp," Alex busied herself in the back yard! (The black eye is from an altercation with the corner of a table, into which she walked.) What great good fun! She couldn't decide what to do next!

Soccer and Dollies

2009-10-09T07:03:00.001-07:00

I took Jack to his mini-Sports Camp yesterday. Here he is, being "goalie," while little sister Alex is happy to take the clothes off her new dolly! (Why do little kids always like to take the clothes off dolls, I wonder?!)

Sleep-Over with Jack

2009-09-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

Jack had a sleep-over at Granny's. He wanted soooo badly to stay awake for the traditional Hot Chocolate in Great-Great-Grandma's Chocolate set ("very delicate!") -but, as he said, "my eyes keep closing by theirselves! I don't want them to, but they do!" - so we had to have our hot chocolate ritual in the morning instead of before bed, before we headed to the Aquarium... Alex got in on the "before" and "after" part of our adventure - here she is(banged up a little from the "header" she took down the back stairs!) hugging her dolly - and enjoying her ice cream!

Golf

2009-09-22T21:59:00.001-07:00

Jack likes to "break tees" - and Alex watches (when she's not trying to play herself!)...

Coco is Five!

2009-09-22T21:53:00.001-07:00

Coco and I went on an "Birthday Expedition" to lunch and the American Girl store on a VERY HOT DAY! We really needed this ice cream break!

Alex at her baptism

2009-08-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

A "before" and "after" picture of Alex at her baptism. "Let's get comfortable!" she says, getting out of that white dress in case she wants to get dirty!

Jack enjoys the "Huntington Kindergardens"

2009-08-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon Jack asked me to take him to the "Huntington Kindergardens" where he had a great time collecting sticks and leaves and rocks, chasing ducks, spotting fish, and, of course, getting wet!

Bell Hanging

2009-08-23T05:51:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning at 6 a.m. (!) Messiah had the Blessing and Raising of our new (125 year old - to match the age of the church) bell! Exciting!