Body Worlds, and Springville Trip - Part 2

Sorry it takes me so long to post anything. I've been trying to catch up on the chores I left behind when we were out of town. For example, you'll all be glad to hear that yesterday we switched our famously bad phone service to a different carrier (from ViaTalk to Vonage), so I'm hoping we'll be able to make more than 60 seconds of phone calls without things being dropped (It starts in about a week, but the number stays the same). Also, we had to spend an hour Monday night watching Deal or No Deal as we searched (in vain) for ourselves. Those lame cameramen seem to think that people want to look at Howie or the models or something. You could see us a couple of times, but we definitely didn't pick the right seats for achieving fame.

Also, last night Ryan and I went to the California Science Center down at USC and saw the Body Worlds exhibit (no, we didn't take the kids!) We'd been meaning to go all summer, but only now (one week before it leaves) did we make time for it. It was amazing. It was like the first time I dissected something in school, where you suddenly realize how everything fits together and how fragile everything inside us really is. It was strangely spiritual, too, although not in the way I expected. Alot of people speak of the complexity of the universe or of the human body as a testimony to them of the existence of a Creator. This is true, but for me it was more the experience of looking at all these organs and systems in their frozen state, then glancing over and looking at my husband as he commented on what he was thinking. Him, as a mind, a personality, a soul, versus the physical equipment of our bodies. It was a contrast that made me really see that there is more to us than our mortal existence.

Anyway, it was really cool.

In addition, our trip to Utah did not end with us going swimming! We hung out with the family, went shopping, and ate really fattening food (mom's front-loading washer somehow shrunk all my clothes, darn it!) Here's Kelli making beautiful but deadly Oreo Bon-Bons.Ryan flew in for the weekend, and Saturday afternoon we went on a great trip to the Del Mar/Gold Blossom properties. We had a picnic, rode in the back of the truck (while waiting for Vern to return the Rhino), then went exploring all over the land Ryan and I had considered buying. It's awesome land, and we had a ton of fun hiking and riding on it, but if we have any aspirations towards buying a house in LA, however unlikely that possibility may be, it would be stupid to go into debt at this point.

Kyle, Kelli, Ryan, Chuck, Elise, & Mom/Grandma (not pictured: Me, Grammy Cloe, & Connor)

(Stolen photo courtesy of Kelli's blog)

Kevin was able to come see us on Sunday, and again Wednesday afternoon before we left. Here's a video of Elise showing off her new talent for him.

Big thanks to everyone for making us feel so welcome!

Springville Trip - Part 1

Travelling with little kids is not one of my favorite activities, so I'm always grateful when my mom is willing to come take us up to Utah in her R.V. It makes going anywhere so much easier. Two weeks ago, we went up for our "quarterly" visit, and it was really great.

Connor was asleep in the RV with his eyes open. It was creepy.

Wednesday Kelli invited us to go with her and some of her family to the Payson pool. This place is amazing. Even Elise loved it (after she realized I wasn't going to leave her there). I had planned to shell out the money to take the kids to Seven Peaks for their kiddie pool, but this was twice as good for half the price. Thanks Kelli!

We did keep up on the Olympics while we were in Utah. Connor has decided to be the 2020 gold medalist in women's gymnastics. He seems quite secure in his masculinity:

Elise Rides a Bike, Part 2

After waiting and whining for about a month, we finally decided to spend the $150 and get a bike trailer for the kids. We figured, "What's the point in having bikes for Ryan and myself if we can't take the kids with us on rides?" So, we put the thing together, got them tiny little helmets, drove to the park, and strapped them in:Don't they look like they're having fun? They screamed virtually the entire ride. Elise didn't like her helmet, and Connor said we were "Taking a long time". So much for our idyllic plans. At least the kids had fun afterwards at the park:I don't know if I mentioned it, but the entire catalyst for this bike phase we've been going through was that Ryan attended a couple of "Midnight Ridazz" rides here in LA. It's a bunch of goofy people (several hundred) who get together once a month and ride en masse on various routes through the city in the dark. Here's a picture of Ryan's first one, the "Beach Ride" (they all have themes, I guess):

Can you spot Ryan? He was actually talking to me on the phone at that moment, telling me how much fun he was having. After this first ride, he was inspired to realize that what his wife wanted for her anniversary was her own bicycle. Hey, and why not get one for himself, too? (The bike that night was a loaner.) Now, in fairness, the bike he got me cost about $400, and was a great present. The bike he got himself was free, and much less fancy.

We'll have to give the bike trailer another try sometime. Maybe if Elise gets a better-fitting helmet, and we give them snacks or something . . . In the meantime, here is a video of Elise learning to eat.

Hayward Trip

Last Friday afternoon, as soon as Ryan was home from work, we loaded up the van and took the drive north to visit Ryan's family in Hayward. I was pretty impressed with the kids' behavior en route. I didn't even need to bust out the Gameboy for Connor (they certainly weren't good the whole time, but nothing terribly unruly happened.)

Connor is just now getting big enough to play with some of Ryan's old toys, so it was really funny to watch Ryan recreate his childhood. They climbed on the hill, played Transformers & Hot Wheels, read some of Ryan's old books, and Connor even got to go with Ryan's dad to the wrecking yard and drive a forklift (I guess this was a big thing when Ryan was little.)

Actually, Granddad had been looking forward to this doughnut-forklift outing for some time - he had been telling Connor about it for several weeks on the phone. Ryan, Granddad, and Connor prefaced their adventure Saturday morning with a stop at the World's Fair doughnut shop, where Connor got to pick "any doughnut he wanted".

Most of the weekend was a really nice visit. The weather was great, Connor spent alot of time helping Bomi water her garden (and himself), we all played Wii Fit, and had a great dinner out Saturday night.

My apologies for the lack of balanced photo coverage. I always seem to forget to take pictures on trips until it's too late (Ryan took these). Here are some otherwise unpublished photos from our last trip, though:

Baby Elise with Bomi

Aunt Helena (or Hyena, as Connor says it.)

Poor Auggie Doggie. He was Ryan's second dog, and is now lying on that big doorstep in the sky. We'll miss you, Auggie!