29 Again

Yeah I wish. I didn't stop counting in my 20s but now I understand why people say "29 again." I don't like being 36. I don't like how it sounds or how it feels. I just don't.

But I am 36 now. There is nothing I can do about it except make it the best year it can be.

I did have a wonderful birthday weekend though. Friends treated me to lunch, a massage, dinner and a movie. Family sent me cards and goodies. And my mom was able to be here for a day.


She flew in just for the weekend to attend funeral services for her Aunt Millie. It's sad that her loved one passed away but I was grateful to celebrate my birthday with my mom here with us.

We loved having her here. The kids especially loved having her here. And Buddy especially, especially loved having her here.


Mom and Carley made my birthday cake together.


Walt smeared chocolate on Carley's forehead. She thought it was coming for her mouth and was taken by surprise.


In case some of you don't know, Carley is a self-proclaimed chocoholic. She thinks it's a real affliction. I guess it is to some.


Great balls of fire!! Notice Carley is not breathing because of all the smoke in her face. There aren't even 36 candles there!


I blew out each and every one on my first try. And then I realized I never made a wish.


Usually I get a feeling as to gifts Walt has gotten me. For years I knew ahead of time what I was getting from him whether it was Christmas or my birthday. But he's gotten better at surprising me. I thought this was going to be a Wii game with accessories but it wasn't. I was surprised.


It was a teeny, tiny netbook!


My laptop is too big and heavy to lug around campus with my big and heavy textbooks. But not this netbook. It's lighter than any of the textbooks I have this semester. I'm really excited to have it.

I had a great birthday. Thanks to everyone who helped make me feel special. I really needed it.

And there you have it. I'm 36.

Field Trip

The fourth grade took a field trip to the California State Railroad Museum on Friday. I was lucky enough to have the time to tag along as a parent volunteer. I learn more from field trip tours than from attending the museum on my own.

For example, 10 miles of track is the most ever laid in a single day back in 1869. That record still stands today.


Here I learned that Chinese were the main employees building the railroad here in the West. They were healthier than other workers because of the food they ate, which wasn't what was provided by the railroad company.

The murals were beautiful and very realistic.


Here the docent was telling us about where the railroad from the east met the railroad from the west. There were two gold, one silver and one mixed gold and silver stakes placed during the ceremony.


One of the gold spikes is kept in the Railroad Museum.


It was pretty neat and pretty solid. Gold!


There were quite a few old engines in the museum. Most were really big!


Some engines were really pretty.


There were also toy trains. The kids loved to look at everything but not for long. It was still fun and fascinating.


I love that he still enjoys me being around him at school or school functions. He just chooses to sit next to his friends on the bus. But I get it.

Wheels On The Van Go Round And Round

The trip home from Gemma's house always seems sooooooo long unless we do something fun along the way.

This time we drove up through Solvang, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles before hitting boring old I-5. We made a few stops along the way.


Solvang is a quaint town with Danish charm.


It's only 45 minutes from Carpinteria so we weren't too far into the trip but it's always fun to stop there.


And do what besides look at cute buildings?


Buy Danishes.


BIG Danishes!


We also took a bathroom break at Madonna Inn off of Highway 101.


I've never been before.


It's quite gaudy.

Josh was so excited about the bathroom having a waterfall urinal and that it was best bathroom he's seen. Carley and I were excited to check out the women's room but it wasn't nearly as exciting.


Josh got out some energy by tree climbing, as usual. I'm sure he wanted to get higher but I wouldn't let him. Poor boy with the mean mom.


On Highway 46 we stopped at the James Dean memorial just down the road from where he died in a car accident. Back in the day, and I mean my teenage years, I used to think that James Dean was fascinating.


In fact, when I was 15 and 16 I had James Dean and Marilyn Monroe everything. When I was 15 I was able to go to the memorial. It's the only other time I've been.

Then, to me, it was so sad. Now I just think "really? still?" I wanted to stop for nostalgia. 20 years later.

I love road trips with time to stop and check out new, old, interesting things.

On Holiday

Walt took off the week between Christmas and New Year.


And since we were all out of school and home, we took an impromptu trip to Carpinteria to visit Walt's mom and sister.


Whenever in Carpinteria, one must go to the beach.


The beach is very different during the winter.


The tide was low and the beach was pretty empty.


Except not as empty at the tide pools.


Emma, Walt's sister, came with us.


No matter the season or the weather, my kids love going to the beach.


At Gemma's house, a box was hours of entertainment.


And hours more of fighting.


New Year's Eve was mellow and we tried stay up until midnight.


All of us made it except Carley but shortly after midnight we followed her lead.


On New Year's Day, we went to Rincon Beach where dogs are allowed.


The kids spent the entire time playing in a beach structure that was also there during our summer trip.


Smokey is allowed off the leash because we know he stays close and comes at command.


Buddy is not allowed that privilege.

Funny story about that shot... Buddy was spazzing out because of nearby dogs. He was running back and forth the length of his leash while I was walking along a tide pool area. The water was so still there that Buddy didn't notice the pool of water and ran right off the edge of the sand into water as deep as he is tall. He was surprised and was more careful where he ran after that.



We stayed long enough to catch a beautiful sunset, the first of 2010.


As usual, it was a wonderful trip down south.