Go Aztecs!

Elena's school is run by SDSU and every year the kids are invited to go on the field before a game.  This is our first year participating.  An Aztec game isn't the same as watching Illinois or Arizona State but we had a nice time.

 There was a bit of walking and waiting but Elena didn't mind while on Daddy's shoulders.

 Checking out the players on the field warming up.

 A few of the kids in Elena's school.  How big is Elena you ask?  Well, she's among the tallest in the photo and she is 3.5 standing with 4-5 year old kids.  Notice the players in the background?  The are touching one knee to the field, taking a step to touch the other knee to the field.  What a warm up!

 Fascinated with the warm up.

Elena and Carl were distracted by the touchdown and fireworks!

To the Farm!

Today we visited a family run farm in Jamul.

 Emma's family invited us along on their farm tour and we had a blast!

 First encounter of horse scat!

 Learning how to let a horse smell you...gently put a fist out and let them come to you.

 Checking out the piggies!

 Milking a goat.  Let me tell you, it's much more difficult than one would think.

 Feeding the chickens and ducks.  Carl and Elena loved it!

When we were done with lunch, we fed our scraps to the hogs.  Yum!!

JDRF w/ Allen Trammel, Padres Game

 Today we went to a JDRF event Pop organizes nearly every year for new families impacted by type 1 diabetes...a Padres game.  Every year it is a little different and this year everyone was able to go in during batting practice to meet Alan Trammell.

 Elena was shy but you can just see her peeking around Carl's backside.

 Alan, Pop, Jim

 Game time!

 Enjoying the game with Lorraine and Pop

 and our signature style...reach and snap a family photo :)

Elena had a great time...she even had some ice cream!

San Francisco Aug 24-27

On the afternoon of August 24th, we arrived in San Francisco for a Stiehl Family vacation.  Kerri and Jason (& kids) met us at the rental.  Yes, we rented a house for the long weekend.  It was a 4 bedroom 2 bath home within walking distance to the beach.  Carl found a great family oriented spot.  The house was fabulous for the kids.

 Our first stop was Muir Woods...the redwoods.  This was by far my favorite part of the trip.  I just love being surrounded by the redwoods, the smell, the air....I could get used to living closer to these magnificent trees.

 Henry, Maggie and Elena learning about the forest.

 Who doesn't need a good run after a long day of traveling?  

Elena and Maggie were fast friends.  All the cousins loved being together.

 What a cutie!!

 As big as they seem to us, the Steihl boys are dwarfs compared to the redwood trees!

 Our attempt at a photo was timed too closely to dinner.  I took several pics and the kids tried to pull it together but everyone was hungry.

Jason, Kerri, Henry, Maggie and James in a redwood tree!

 Lucky shot...I think there was a group behind the camera entertaining Elena.  Sometimes it does take a village!

 Imagine, Elena could stand in this tree...it wasn't even that big!!

 The next day the Stiehls invaded the beach.

 Everyone had a nice time in the sand.  Maggie even made Elena a cupcake.  Elena's response was that it was only sand....such a funny girl!

 We ate out a few times.  Aren't they cute?

 A stop to see Yoda at Lucas Film Studios.  It was more of a drive by, jump out snap pics and zoom away.  Nonetheless, still awesome!

 The Golden Gate Bridge looking back at San Francisco.

 We stopped on our way to Sausalito/Tiburon for an impromptu picture.  Here are Pop and Lorraine with their grandkids, missing Corin.

I took nearly 600 photos in the three and half days we were in San Francisco.  It was a great time had by all and reminds me of how far we live from each other.  I wish we all lived closer as our visits are not frequent enough.

Elephant Seals and Onward

Today is December 9th.  It has been way too long since my last post.  The fall was a busy time for us...but I'm back and hope you enjoy the updates.  I'll be keeping the posts dated with the activity date so when looking back at the blog we have continuity throughout the blog.

 One last snapshot of Morro Rock....and then we were off to Piedras Blancas to view the Elephant Seals!

 This morning we stopped to visit the Elephant Seals.  Amazing creatures.  To see much better photos and read up on the seals, please check out Friends of the Elephant Seals: http://www.elephantseal.org/

 Somebody was a wee bit cranky :)

 "They're stinky!"

Now, onward toward Big Sur for the second leg of the drive to San Francisco.  The roads are windy, unpopulated and aside from the man-made road structures absolutely beautiful!  Our trip was covered in coastal fog but still breathtaking...and maybe a little nauseating.

Morro Bay, California

Well, it's been a busy week--birthday party Saturday night and Tuesday night.  Now Thursday morning our car is loaded up and ready for a road trip.  We're driving up to San Francisco to visit with family.

 Central California coast is beautiful.  It is full of rolling hills which are golden during the summer and fall.  We saw a lot of free range, happy, non-stinky cattle.  Above is a picture as we were driving.

 Elena is a good traveler.  It doesn't always feel like we travel a lot, however talking with other parents in Elena's school they tend to travel once a year at most.  I guess that puts us in the "travel frequently" category.  I'm sure glad she travels well!

 On the way up to San Francisco, we split our trip into 2 days stopping over in Morro Bay.  These photos are from the beach near the Morro Bay rock.  The rock is an island, remnants of volcanic activity long ago.

Ahhhh!  Elena taking a deep breath, enjoying the ocean breeze and freedom to stretch.

 Loving sand between her toes...

 ...and running on the beach.

 She also had fun running in and out of the surf.  The water was much colder than in San Diego but it did not phase her, she was soaked.

 

 Ah, so much room to run and loving it!