Whee!!

My friend and colleague Jenny, who takes gorgeous photos (go see here) took this pic:


P.S. I asked her to take some photos that I could use for my little website I'm setting up. Plus I've never seen myself do any yoga, y'know.

More CA

If you are ever in the LA area, you must...you MUST...visit the Getty Museum!! I think it could be one of my favorite places, and I've barely been inside a gallery! I've mostly been outside...but look at the outside: on a hill, Pacific Ocean to the west, LA spread out below you, amazing gardens and landscaping, amazing architecture. You only pay to park, then you take a cute little tram up the hill and voila! My only regret is that we had very limited time there. We shall return.

CA part 2

DISNEYLAND!!! OK, I was the one who lobbied most for Disneyland, because I love amusement parks and Disney is supposed to be the Holy Grail, right? Well, it's not exactly the Holy Grail, but it was very fun despite being hella crowded. The weird thing is that it's quite quaint. There are attractions that I'm sure have been there since the place opened in 1955! The Enchanted Tiki Room for example. And "It's A Small World?" That is seriously 1955...although they may have gotten rid of some of their more offensive ethnic stereotypes. But you can look up as you're floating through and see the warehouse-y ceiling, which is just kinda weird for a park that charges you an arm and a leg to get in. But it definitely feels like the same warehouse Mr. Disney himself approved when he first opened the joint.

Who would have thought I would find Disneyland sweet (in the old-fashioned-Pollyanna-sweet kinda sense, not in the "suh-weet!" sense)? And it doesn't really have that many "big" rides. I should probably write about the "big" ride experience later as I don't have time now. As well as how impressed I was with the way they run things there.

Apparently, though, I was having too much fun to take pictures, because I didn't get many:

The cool riverboat, which we HAD to make Noelle ride. Cuz she loves riverboats a real lot.
On Pirates of the Caribbean, which was probably one of my favorites.
Impressionistic shot on the Monorail. M4 looks slightly crazed.

Big news!

M3 found out she will be learning the saxophone for school band, which is what she had wanted to play. They had to do some musical testing first, then they were recommended a few instruments. THEN they had to choose their top three. I guess there were ten kids who wanted to play for only five saxophone spots, so she is very excited! Look out, Lisa Simpson!

Star Wars Yoga: The Video

Star Wars Yoga: The Video

Oh Matthew Latkiewicz, you are a kindred spirit! Also, how dorky is it that I ALREADY have "star wars" in my label list?

CA part I

We had such a fabulous time in Cali! In a few parts, I'll post the highlights:

Highlight #1: seeing cousin V, Uncle Nick, and Aunt Lauren of course!
#2: We met up with Mark's cousin and his family at Paradise Cove beach in Malibu. The water was FUH-REEZING!!! The kids played until they turned blue and shook uncontrollably. I preferred my cold temperatures for the beer I was drinking.
#3: Seaweed!
#4: La Brea Tar Pits, where we found a Grinnell eagle (who knew?! um, not me) in the Page Museum.
Poor mammoth. It was supposed to be the mom, of course. How very Disney.

I don't know why...

...I love this photo so much. I just do! M3, cousin V, and M4 in Cali.