Disney Guest Services

Disney Guest Services

We were the recipients of Disney's awesome guest services recently.

Two Sundays ago, we were at Disneyland celebrating DD3's birthday. As we were walking into Frontierland, DH noticed that DD4 was missing a show. I was carrying her and did not notice it at all. DH handed her over to me among the wooden pergolas in Pixie Hollow and she still had both her shoes then. We traced back our steps but could not find the shoe anywhere.

When we exited Disneyland, we decided to stop by guest services in case the shoe was turned in. Unfortunately, it was not. I filled up a claim form and was told to call within the week to see if the shoe had turned up.

Guess what turned up in our mailbox the following Tuesday? Yep! DD4's other shoe came in mail straight from Disney Guest Services. Now, wouldn't you call that ah-mazing?

Yosemite

Yosemite

This was a trip we took way back in May. The kids were still in school but our co-op classes had already ended. DH had not started work yet. It was a spur-of-the-moment trip.

We left on a Thursday morning, early morning at 1 am! I think we reached the Fresno area at around 6 am. We stopped to refuel: gasoline for the car and Denny's breakfast for the humans.

After about 2 more hours of drive time, we entered the park and went straight to the Mariposa Grove of Sequioa trees. I was excited to do some early morning hiking with the family. It was not going to be any hardcore hiking. We had little kids and a baby but I really wanted to trek into the grove and see the giant trees. Some hikers were equipped with their Gregory Baltoro 65 backpacks. I had my Ergo baby carrier with Baby inside. Unfortunately, the trails were covered in ice. Sigh. We mostly stayed in the paved areas and just had pictures taken. I consoled myself by telling myself that this will give us reason to go back.

From there, we proceeded to Wawona and visited the Pioneer History Center. Then, we headed to the tunnel that leads you to this gorgeous and famous view. We had a picnic lunch here. By this time, we were all getting tired, particularly DH. We still went to see Bridalveil Falls but only I dared to walk up as close to the foot of the falls as I could without getting soaked. We will definitely have to come back here next time armed with ponchos so we can get real close.

So that was our day in Yosemite. Next time, we will definitely have to make this a multi-day trip instead of cramming everything into one day.

Another Roadtrip!

Another Roadtrip!

We went for another road trip up north this weekend. It was a much shorter trip - just the weekend. There was no accidents or major mishaps. Thank goodness. We had a roadside assistance plan with AAA at any rate so we were covered. I was praying hard for DH because he was driving on just several hours of sleep. I thank the Lord that He protected us and kept us safe throughout the weekend.

We went up to Carmel to attend a dear friend's wedding. As our usual routine, we left the house very early in the morning. I think we left at around 2 am this time. The whole crew except Daddy was asleep. We only had 1 stop to feed Baby. We arrived at Carmel at around 8 am. We went to Denny's for breakfast before heading to my SIL's hotel room to change into our wedding attire. From there, we went to the church.

It was a beautiful (and chilly) day. The couple had requested that all the guests wear white and khakis. It was beautiful to look at the sea of white in church. the bride was gorgeous. I loved her dress! It was simple yet super elegant and classy. Loved it!

We could not stay for the reception, unfortunately.

We made our way to Turlock to stay with friends, the same friends we stayed with during our last roadtrip to Yosemite. I love that the kids are building relationships with each other. It's certainly nice to rekindle old friendships too.

The kids swam and swam and swam. They just had a blast with each other. This trip may have been short but it was certainly filled with laughter and food and stories. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing them again.

The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

During our pre-memorial weekend mini-vacay, we spent a day on the streets of San Francisco. From Turlock, we went straight to San Francisco. DH had a whole day planned out but we really did not get to do much because we had a late start. DD1 was also not feeling too well. She had a stomach ache when she woke up that morning. She could not eat at all. When we were headed to the Presidio, we had to pull over because she was going to throw up. My poor baby. She felt a little better after that but she still wasn't it tiptop shape.

We decided not to walk and explore the Presidio. We just headed into the streets of San Francisco and ride the cable cars. I've been to San Francisco several times but this was my first time to ride the cable cars. We had fun going up and down the hilly streets. I had a blast looking at all the homes we passed. I'm sure these were all million dollar homes. They all looked fabulous. I love that they seemed to have different characters. Most of the time, I often see pre-manufactured homes in the suburbs. This was such a feast to the eye to see all the colors and styles.

The kids and I sat on the benches and DH stood on the side. It reminded me of back home, where men would ride "sabit" on jeepneys.

After our roundtrip ride, we had dinner then walked around Pier 39. By this time, DD1 was wiped out and she rode the stroller while I had the baby worn on my Ergo. The kids enjoyed the sea lions of course. DD3 was thrilled when she made sounds that the sea lions seemed to respond. She joyfully announced that she could talk "sea lion!" LOL!

We did not get to do all that we wanted to do in San Francisco that day. But it was all good. We still got to spend time as a family. DD1 may have not been feeling well but she was a trooper. I love that we were able to go places as a family. I'm sure that we will lovingly look back at this time and recall the memories we made together.

Pre-Memorial Day Weekend

Pre-Memorial Day Weekend

Last Sunday, we were able to go visit the final resting place of DH's uncle in Vacaville. He served and retired from the Navy. Our visit there was the last leg of our Northern California trip. It was timely too since it was a week from Memorial Day.

We visited his widow and stayed there a while. There was some miscommunication as she thought we were going to stay overnight so she cooked a lot of food. We were there at noon and stayed until dinner before we headed for home. We had sinigang for lunch. It was a little different from the sinigang we are used to because she used fresh calamansi and lemons from her garden to sour the broth. It was quite a filling lunch! Though we weren't quite hungry for dinner yet, we were yet served with mechado. You bet we left her house with our stomachs quite full. If that were not enough to make me run for lipozene reviews, she had also made a huge batch of arroz caldo. She was going to serve it for breakfast. Since we were not staying for breakfast, she made us bring it home. OMG! It was a huge batch. I teased her that we were a big family with 5 kids but the food she cooked could've fed a battalion. I did appreciate all her cooking. I felt the love there. Thank you Tita J!! Till we visit you again.

Spring Break

Spring Break

We had our spring break last week and guess where we spent it?

At Disneyland!!

I honestly was not looking forward to the trip.

DH had already planned to go the last week of March, after his graduation from the fellowship program. It was a trip for the kids. During the 13 months that DH was in fellowship, we had not taken the kids anywhere. This trip to Disneyland was DH's treat for his kids. We were going to stay for 3 days and booked at a nearby hotel. Staying at a hotel was part of the fun.

Unfortunately, DH had to fly to Manila for the funeral of his uncle. He promised the kids that we would go when he arrived. And that was exactly what happened. We went the day after he flew in from the Philippines.

I was hesitant to even push through. I knew DH was tired and probably recovering from jet lag. I knew I was tired with a newborn. But to Disneyland we went.

We stayed at the Tropicana Inn which was right across Disneyland. We just walked and crossed the street and we were there! That was cool. What a troop we were. A family of 7 does not travel lightly. We had our double stroller with baby's car seat because she's still too small for just the stroller. In the bottom basket of the stroller were all our jackets, a mat, the Ergo baby carrier and bottles of water. I had the diaper bag and the camera bag. DH had a laptop backpack that held all our snacks and food. There was no way frugal me would spend for all our meals at Disneyland!

I'd love to share photos but I'm really just too lazy to edit and post right now. Maybe some other time. Hopefully.

I won't lie and say that I had the best time. At the end of the 3 days, I was just ready to go home. But it was nice to see the kids enjoy. It was nice to get away from the house. It was nice to be spending time as a family again. It felt good to be all together, enjoying one another's company.

Spring Break = Family Time

Spring Break = Family Time

We took off a week from school last week for a spring break at Oceanside. I mentioned in an earlier post that my aunt and uncle came to visit from Milwaukee. What I forgot to mention was that we also saw my cousin and his family who were visiting from New Jersey. They were in the area during Holy Week. It was such a coincidence that they stayed with cousins who went to the same parish where the kids presented their Stations of the Cross. They came to the presentation and we got to visit for a little bit. It was so nice to reconnect with family. The last time I saw my cousin was in 2002. DH and I had just moved into our new house. We only had DS then. My mom and dad have been able to go to their home in New Jersey several times already. We have not. They're asking us to come visit them some time soon. Ummm...airfares for 6 people is no small expense. It's something that's got to be planned well and saved up for. If we do decide to visit them, we'll be able to visit some friends in New York too plus another cousin who lives in Philadelphia. I really find it fascinating how in the East coast, you could live in one state and be working at another state. Ex., you could live in NJ and have city of philadelphia jobs or my cousin who works in NYC but lives in NJ. Fascinating... to me at least.
Anyway, I hope we do get to visit them one day. Maybe once the kids are older and we're studying US history, we can make a field trip of it. There are so many historical places over there. Going there will really make our history lessons come alive more.

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor

31 January 2010

Our last morning on this beautiful island of Oahu. Our flight back to the mainland was not until after noon so we had the whole morning to spend at Pearl Harbor. Well, we thought that 1 morning would be enough. It turned out that you would need to spend the whole day there if you wanted to tour everything. We were only able to go to 2 spots - the USS Arizona memorial & the USS Bowfin.

The USS Bowfin is an actual submarine. We were able to tour inside and it is amazing how the crew could live in such cramped conditions for months on end. Defintely not a place for the claustrophobic. This particular submarine was actually one of the lucky ones because there were 52 submarines that were lost at sea during WWII. Imagine that! 52!! There were actually markers for each of these lost submarines with the names of everyone on board. They are now on eternal patrol at sea. Sigh...so sad the loss of lives.

The USS Arizona memorial, on the other hand, sits atop the actual battleship that was sunk during the war. They were not able to dredge it out of the water anymore. Oil continue to seep out of it, even after almost 60 years since the attack. Imagine that!

We would've wanted to explore more of the museum. The battleship Missouri was docked there too and open for tours but we just did not have time anymore. We hurriedly went back to our hotel and checked out and continued on to return our rental car.

All in all, our Hawaii trip was awesome! I enjoyed spending time with DH and I think it is safe to say that he enjoyed spending time with me too. The whole trip was relatively stress-free although I do wish that we had stayed longer so that we could've taken our time more instead of zipping through our activities. There were a few harried moments but none that made me pull my hair out and maybe get a prescription for hair loss (procerin). It was a very special time and I feel truly blessed to have been able to do this with him. Hawaii was beautiful. It actually felt a little like home (Philippines). The people were friendly and hospitable. Even the food seemed familiar. Spam, rice & eggs at McDonalds...that's kinda like a taste of home. :)

So that was our vacation. I wonder when and where the next one will be...I hope it does not take another 10 years before we get to do this again.

My evening with TV's Lost

My evening with TV's Lost

The highlight of my Saturday in Oahu was that I was able to catch the season premiere of Lost which they showed right on Waikiki beach. I am a fan of the show so can you imagine my excitement when I learned that they were going to have a viewing of the season premiere right where we were?! And that some of the cast were going to be there?! Oh, you bet I was there. I'm usually shy about showing too much excitement over celebrities. Usually, I try to play it cool and not act so starstruck... not this time... ;)

When we arrived from our sightseeing, some of the cast members had arrived already. I was still able to catch a number of them though. I would've been able to get better photos had I been on the other side of the road. The cast was there signing autographs and posing for pics with the fans. Of course, the crowd on that side was at least 6 people deep already by the time I arrived. I had to content myself with having a front row place on the other side of the road. LOL! I still got to see the stars so that was fine.

The cast members looked as they do on the show. They're cleaned up of course but they looked casual and easygoing. Do you think they had taken on their characters for the evening? Just wondering...
Let's see...who did I see? There was Hurley, Desmond, Sayid (he would be a good endorser for hair loss shampoo with his gorgeous thick locks of hair), Richard, Sun, Locke, Kate, Jack & Sawyer.

The first hour of the season premiere was shown on a giant screen which was set up right on the beach. I did not care if I was going to get a stiff neck looking up the screen, I was going to stay and see that episode. I was not disappointed one bit!

After the screening, we were asked to fill out a survey about the episode and were given t-shirts as thank-you's. Not too shabby at all!

Sightseeing Around Oahu

Sightseeing Around Oahu

Sorry this next installment of our Hawaii trip took a while. I feel like I'm still playing catch up with all the household chores and kids' schoolwork.

Anyway...

This is Saturday, 30 January 2010.

Started the day off buying some malasadas at Leonard's Bakery. Clouds filled the sky and we wondered if we should push through with our plan to snorkel at Hanauma Bay. We decided to go anyway despite the rain that was steadily coming down now. There were not a lot of people at the bay but there were still some snorkelers there. The waters looked calm enough so we decided to snorkel. It was beautiful. This was DH's favorite outing yet.

The corals were beautiful. There were a lot of sea life too! We did not even have to go very far from shore before seeing all these colorful sea creatures. It was definitely cool! After a little over an hour of this, we went back to shore. Guess who decides to show up after we had gotten ourselves dried and dressed? Why, the sun, of course! It would have been more fun to lay out in the sun but there were other sights to visit and so little time left. Good thing that my face creams had SPF in it because the I forgot to take along sunblock.

The rest of the day was spent sightseeing and some shopping. We went to Punchbowl and Pali lookout and did some souvenir and "pasalubong" shopping at the swap meet at Aloha Stadium. The day was again packed with activities but I was just really glad to be out and about with just myself and DH. We would not have been able to go to all these places if we had the kids along with us. We would probably have gone and done only half of what we were able to do if we were traveling as a whole family. It was such a welcome change: not hearing any whining or complaining. I hope it does not take another 10 years before we are able to go out on an extended vacation again.

Nature Trip on Oahu

Nature Trip on Oahu

29 January 2010

Exactly 10 years ago, we vowed to each other that we would love and serve each other in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for as long as we both shall live.

This trip to Hawaii was a beautiful way to celebrate and remember the reasons we love each other and trace how we've grown as individuals and as a couple through the past decade.

We started our day with hikes. Yes, that is with an "s". We went on 2 hikes. Obviously, both were relatively easy hikes or I would not have survived! LOL!

First, we hiked up to Diamond Head Crater. I had read on one of the hike guides to climb this in the morning while the sun is still behind the cliffs. I'm glad we heeded to this recommendation. The hike itself was manageable. Once up the hill, you get treated to a sweeping view of Waikiki's shoreline.

When we had hiked down, we still had time and energy for another hike so we went up to Manoa Falls. This was a totally different environment. Diamond Head was a hike up a mountain so it was rocky and dry. Hiking up to Manoa Falls, on the other hand was a trek through a tropical forest. I had read in some reviews that parts of the TV show, Lost, were filmed here. I enjoyed this hike much better. It was muddier and messier because of the clay soil but the setting was beautiful. Greenery everywhere. Sounds of birds and critters. Water trickling. The waterfalls itself was not anything to be wowed about. But I would still highly recommend this hike as I really enjoyed the trek.

After the hike down, we went to downtown Honolulu to go to church in thanksgiving for the 10 years we've been blessed together. We had lunch at Ali I Grill and bought some snacks and water at a nearby store. We walked around a bit before heading back to the hotel to get dressed.

A van picked us up to take us parasailing!! Yup! This was absolutely F.U.N!! It was one of those things I had always wanted to try and I'm so glad we did it. It was not scary at all! It was gorgeous to be up there in the air.

We arrived back in the hotel in time to shower and get dressed for the luau. We went to Germaine's Luau. It was a fun time. Our bus escort was funny and lively. The food at the luau was fine. Nothing spectacular. The pork that was cooked in the imu (underground oven) was tasty!! They had a small ceremony where they showed how they unearthed the cooked pork that had been in the imu since 5 in the morning. That was definitely the highlight of the meal. There were also performances - hula dancers, fire-eating men - that depicted the dances and traditions of the Polynesians, etc. Unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy much of it as it started to rain. At first, the water came in drizzles but it soon developed into a downpour. They provided us with ponchos to keep us dry. I don't know if they cut the show short or if that was really the end of it. Anyway, we did not get to walk around the beach/island as we headed back into our buses and started our way back home.

Our day was definitely packed with a lot of activities but all the time, I was thinking how blessed I am to have someone like DH in my life. We were busy but not stressed. Time was flying because we were enjoying each other's company so much.

Yes, we are truly blessed. Thank you, Lord.

This was Friday.

Back from Paradise

Back from Paradise

Yes, we are back from our trip to Hawaii. It was heavenly! The 4 days we spent in Oahu was not nearly enough for the stuff we wanted to do. For those planning to vacation there, allow at least 6 days to really enjoy the island and all that it has to offer. Even though it felt really short, we still were able to do a LOT!! I don't think I can tell everything in one blog post so I'll blog about each day of our stay.

This is Thursday, Jan. 28.

We arrived at Honolulu a little before 1 pm. Got our rental car and drove to Holiday Inn in Waikiki. It was a nice hotel. It was one of the less expensive hotels, I think. It wasn't right by the beach. However, the beach was just a short walk so it was fine. Funny thing though is that on the day before we left, the hotel changed ownership so this isn't Holiday Inn anymore but Ramada Hotel. Anyway, I would definitely recommend the place. It's nothing fancy but we figured that all we really needed was a decent place to stay. We did not go to Hawaii to stay in our hotel, right?

After checking in and settling in, we walked to a nearby Thai restaurant, Singha Thai for a late late lunch/early dinner meal. Their grilled steak salad is awesome!!! It was the highlight of our meal. The entrees we ordered were good too but the salad was just way beyond my expectations!

After the sumptuous meal, we crossed the street and walked to the beach. We caught the sunset, and as it turned out, the only sunset I got to capture on camera. They weren't the best sunset pictures. I was hoping to catch more dramatic skies but we were having too much fun on succeeding nights that we didn't have the chance to lay around on the beach like we did on our first night.

After the sun had set, we continued to walk along Waikiki beach and enjoyed each other's company. We explored the beach and the streets of Waikiki. It was a beautiful way to end our day.

And that was Thursday.

Hawaii: Here We Come

Hawaii: Here We Come

DH and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary at the end of the month. 10 years! Wow, right? To mark the occasion, we will be spending 4 days in the beautiful island of Hawaii - without the kids! Whoa! Yup, this will be the first time we'll be away from the kids that long. I'm a little worried about it but honestly more excited about going to Hawaii. It's going to be a beautiful time with just my husband and myself.

I have 2 friends who grew up in Hawaii and I've been asking them tips on what sights to see, what clothes to wear. Her main advice was to take it slow. She says that people in Hawaii are really mellow and are not in a rush. Bring clothes that are comfortable and easy-going. Trade in the Christian Louboutins for simple flipflops.

I'm really excited to be going. It will be our first time to go there. I think it will be a good time for the two of us to reconnect and strengthen the marriage to last tens and tens and tens and tens of years more! ;)

With This Ring...

With This Ring...

We went to the wedding of DH's cousin last Saturday in the Bay area. It was beautiful. They bride was beautiful of course. What I really liked was the reception. The church ceremony was at noon. They had a lunch reception with their immediate families soon after. At 5:30 pm, there was the party for everyone invited. The party was held in their new house. And I enjoyed how intimate and warm and cozy the whole event felt. I felt like it was a real celebration of this couple.
As we entered the house, the living room was transformed into the buffet area. Their flat screen TV showed their video montage. This was playing all night so you could come in and watch it at your own convenience. The dining area was the dessert area. At the same table was the guest book. Instead of the usual thing you see at weddings, they had bought this art book ( I forgot to look at the title and artist) and asked people to find a page that they liked or one that reminded them of the couple and write a message for them in there. It was the first time I had seen this and thought it was really unique!
At the garage was the party scene. They had the bar there and the younger folks were partying. The backyard was illuminated by strings of blue and white lights. There was a small firepit where people could congregate to warm themselves. They had the father-daughter dance followed by a romantic first dance by the couple. The bouquet and garter toss were done there too.
Anyway, I really really enjoyed the reception. If I were yet to get married, it would be a reception I would love to have for myself.
The wedding also brought DH's relatives together for a mini-reunion. His uncle and cousin flew in from Miami to attend the event. There were 3 families (ours included) that drove from So.Cal. And another family from around the Bay area was there too. It was an awesome weekend filled with laughter and giggles. It was simply hilarious to have all the cousins swapping stories, etc. And all the kids running around, getting to know their 2nd cousins, it was truly family mayhem ( the good kind of course!)
The only sort of damper for the weekend was seeing DH's uncle just hobble in pain. From what DH learned of the meds his uncle had been taking, he must've been in a lot of pain because those were heavy-duty pain meds he was taking. I'm still not clear on what was causing the pain but I could clearly see that it was kind of hard for him to move around, expecially by the end of Saturday. The festivities of the day must have worn him out.
We drove back home yesterday and arrived late at night here. I've declared it a school holiday for me and my girls. Yeah! But DS still had to go to school though. At least, I'm getting to kick back and relax today. I think I'm keeping it a light school week. It is a pretty special week for me after all. ;)

It's A Go!!!

It's A Go!!!

Woohoo! Our mini-vacation to Bryce Canyon is a definite go! God is sooo good indeed.

I spoke with friends yesterday and they suggested that in case DH could not come with us that the girls and I ride with 1 family and DS and my bro ride with another family. I was so relieved to have this option because it took away the pressure from me to drive. We continued to pray that DH will still be able to take the trip with us.

I asked DH last night and he said that there was still no one to swap shifts with. This morning, he called and said that he will be able to come with us but he has to work tomorrow. This means that we can only leave after he comes home from work at about 8 pm. I'm a little worried that the fatigue could take its toll on him. Knowing him though, he'll insist on driving no matter what.

I'm really looking forward to this trip. It is going to be a nice get-away and bonding time with brothers and sisters in Christ. I've done my food shopping this morning, although there really isn't that much food to bring. It's just a weekend trip after all. We still want to minimize our expenses so instead of eating out, we'll be cooking inside our suites. It's fully furnished anyway with all the basic needs of a kitchen - pots & pans, plates, utensils, plus fridge and oven.

We're planning to have a picnic lunch at Bryce Canyon so I bought ham/bacon and croissants for sandwiches. Water and juices are all set. I'm charging my camera's batteries now to be sure that I'll be able to take loads of pics. Woohoo!

Pls. pray for a safe trip for us - and that this would really be a nice refreshing trip for the family.

To Bryce Canyon We Go

To Bryce Canyon We Go

As a last hurrah for summer, our men's and women's group in our community will be going on a weekend trip to Bryce Canyon in Utah on the 3rd weekend of August.

I am personally thrilled because it will be my first time to go there. It will also be the first time for us as a group to go anywhere on vacation. Our group leader has a timeshare and they've booked us a unit. We'll split the cost of the 2nd unit among 3 families.

It's going to be a challenge for all 4 families to travel together. We all have different ways of doing things. DH and one other dad are more the "go-go-no-stopping" types while the other one prefers to make stops because his kids get antsy riding for too long. I was just telling them the other day that we better still be friends after this trip! LOL! It could be quite easy to get on each other's nerves now, wouldn't it? I bet that it's going to be a real test for our Christian virtues. Hahaha.

If we do survive this trip with our friendships intactm we could do it again and make it an annual thing. One of the other moms has even suggested going to Yellowstone. I think that would require renting an RV (preferably rv extended warranty) but it could be something we could do when the kids are a little older. Some other suggestions were to go to Sequioa and Yosemite.

First, we have to survive this trip then we'll take about next year.

You know I'll be here to post pictures after the trip so watch out for that!

Fishing at Redondo Beach

Fishing at Redondo Beach

Are you tired of my posts re our staycation yet? I'm almost done so just hold on, ok? LOL!

On our last full day, we went to Redondo Beach. There was really nothing planned.

Uncle L was so pleased to see that there was an area open for fishing. I had forgotten that he is an avid fisherman. From what I recall, he goes ice-fishing regularly during the cold winter months in Wisconsin.

Anyway, only DS showed interest in this activity so the rest of us decided to walk along the boardwalk. It was nice with quaint little shops. There was an old-fashioned arcade too. The only thing I did not appreciate was the lack of clean toilets. Sure, it's a public place and one cannot be picky but still... I felt the toilets were just a notch above port-a-potties because there was a sink and bathroom faucets with which to wash your hands. The smell though and the general cleanliness ( or lack thereof) was almost just the same. I shudder just thinking about it, honestly.

When we got back to our fishing duo, they had not caught anything. However, DS eagerly announced that they *almost* caught a fish. It had gotten away as they were reeling in their line. DS seemed to enjoy it even with the failed catch. I think that if they had maybe stayed longer, they could probably have caught something. At least it was a good experience for DS.

Goofing around at Griffith

Goofing around at Griffith

As I mentioned in my previous post, we took my aunt and uncle to Griffith Observatory while they were here. It was the first time we'd been there since it was renovated. I think it re-opened a year or two ago. Anyway, I like how they redid the whole place. It seems more open now. It seemed darker before. I like the addition of the lower level too. The kids had fun learning about the planets in that area.

It was also the place where my dad decided to goof off. Here he is with Albert Einstein. I wonder what they're discussing. LOL! Such a conversation piece, that statue! There were a lot of people having their picture taken too. I think that statue has seen all sorts of poses taken!

Then on the main level, my uncle was the one showing off his humorous side. This is his impression of Samson - after his hair was shorn off by Delilah and subsequently weakened by the loss. It isn't too obvious in this picture because of the angle but my uncle needs some serious hgh supplement if that would ever help him grow back his hair. Yes, he is follically-challenged.

As you can see, there was no lack of laughter for our family that day.

Blogging from Dolphins Cove

Blogging from Dolphins Cove

We're here on our last day at Dolphin's Cove in Anaheim. Despite the exotic name, it isn't as exotic and fun as it sounds.

My aunt and uncle, who have a Wyndham resorts time share, are not impressed either. In fact, they are disappointed. I suppose it isn't what they are used to.

Personally, I am not impressed. It looks like an apartment complex converted into a "resort". I'm not really disappointed though because I was not expecting much. We're housed in a 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit. There's a kitchenette, a living area and a small dining area. Compared to the resort we went to last year in Sedona, AZ, this is way below standard.

The place does have a pool and a clubhouse that houses the rec area. I haven't been there myself but DH says that it looks like they have the standard fare of video game consoles (Wii, xbox 360, Playstation) and some table games like pingpong.

Tomorrow, we check out and we go back home. Even if this stay does not pan out to be as grand as our Sedona vacation last year, I am still thankful for the time we've spent as family. And I'm thankful for my aunt and uncle who are nice enough to invite us to spend a few days with them.

Staycation

Staycation

My aunt and uncle are arriving tomorrow for their annual summer vacation. They will be vacationing in Anaheim. They are the same ones who "sponsored" our Sedona vacation last year.

I feel like we're the hosts this time except that they're paying for the resort stay. (They use their time share.) Anyway, it will be more of a "staycation" for us since Anaheim is just about 30 minutes away from where we live. The kids are just excited to be staying at a resort. The place is less than a mile away from Disneyland but I don't think they are planning on going to the park. I really believe that they decided to vacation in Anaheim to be able to vacation with our kids.

We haven't made definite plans as to where we will take them. One of our possible stops is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels at downtown LA. I haven't actually been there myself so it would be nice to visit too. Then we'll be heading to Yang Chow, a restaurant highly recommended by good friends. I've asked a good friend to recommend dishes to order and oh my, her list is making my mouth water. Yes, it's a long list of really yummy food. diet pills will surely be in order to counteract the overeating I am sure I will be doing. Anyway, food ingested during vacation does not count, do they?

We'll be away for several days. Then, they will stay one night in our house before they fly back to Milwaukee. It's going to be a fun stay for sure.