Sunday, July 8, 2012

This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest, a quest for fun. I'm gonna have fun and you're gonna have fun.

Has it been this long?  Well, maybe it has.  I think that sometimes you start falling behind in something enough  that it sounds like a lot more fun to take a nap than to write on the blog (and you feel less tired after the former).  So, what have we been up to since January, you ask? Well, there is much that has happened in the Greenhalgh house.  In February, I got a new job within Fidelity and I flew out to Texas for a week leaving Grace home alone with her big mean dad. Also, in case you were worried you were missing out on hilarious  photos, we decided to not take pictures during this timeframe either.  To catch you up to real time in a jiffy, however, how about we skip up to Brady's birthday and our California vacation? 

Brady's Birthday - June 16th


Sherie brought this culinary delight.  It even had little swedish fish inside....Brady ate them all because "it was his birthday".  People get away with a lot on their birthday.

Proof that swimming in urine *CAN* be fun!!



"The Distraction"

it worked

"The Grill Master"

"The Shade Haters"

Our California Vacation - June 21st - June 28th

In case you were wondering, road trips are the best.  That is why, if we can, Brady and I would prefer to road trip instead of flying any day.  Grace likes road trips, too.  Well, that's what we kept telling her when she would cry every time we put her back in the car seat after stopping for a short leg stretch.  If it hadn't been for the Chemical Spill that happened at the border of CA and NV, I think we would've been right on time, but we got to do a little detour which made the trip a little different and fun.  We had the pleasure of staying with Mary and Jared.  They were very hospitable, they even borrowed a mattress from the neighbor so Brady wouldn't have to sleep on the floor.  (Don't worry, the mattress was clean.....*was*).

We stayed our first night in a hotel..  Mom was in town and she was staying at Mary and Jared's already.  Grace kept herself entertained for hours climbing off and on the suitcase.

Grace and Noah

Noah realizing that the silliness with girls never ends

And at check out--Grace holding the bill in her hand (I thought she  was going to pay, but instead she just took a bite of the paper).  Still entertained by climbing in the suitcase.
  
Grace + Dad = fun!

This was before Brady realized we were going on a hike
The view from Point Dume.  Jared and Mary didn't want the nudies posing on the cliff in the background of their picture....
...but I did!
Great views

After walking back down this section, we still had that entire beach to walk across


Luckily, when you're a baby and you get tired during a hike, you can just fall asleep

Apparently the effort of being carried was exhausting

And I don't know why Brady was tired

The next day we went to a fun little breakfast place where I had the BEST pumpkin pancakes of all time and Brady had delicious bacon waffles.
Grace scolding Dad for not sharing

Grace realizing that her scolding came too late...the waffles were gone....

....but the Diet Cokes was NOT!




The next day...




Grace thought this monkey saw her, too


he didn't

Brady explaining how a monkey smacked another monkey and then chased it  to the window and smacked the  glass, scaring the crap out of the people who were peacefully watching monkeys


GIRAFFES!!!



Cage that had a hiding animal in it.  It's like the animals don't  WANT to be seen!

stopping for a snack






For dinner on the way home we stopped at Langer's Deli.  It really was the best pastrami I have ever had. And Grace got a free stuffed animal so she was suuuper happy!

 That night we went to Santa Monica Pier....

Yeah...this sexy guy?  He's all mine.
The next day....
We went to The Getty.  If you don't know what The Getty is, then I just don't know what to say....
...but I can tell Grace is pretty disappointed in you for not knowing.


Ready to learn

The view from The Getty

Lunch at The Getty.  Rice Krispy treats for everyone!

And naps

Does this facial expression look familiar to you?  It should.
After the Getty, we went to the Venice Canals.

I was pretty surprised at how narrow the sidewalks are.  Well, I guess I  WAS surprised until I found out how much it cost to have a house there.  Then it made sense.




Venice Beach.  I really wanted a picture with the guy working out in his underwear in the background, but Mary is just a prude.

Who wouldn't love looking at canals all afternoon?...

...especially when they are named after me!...

...and have ducks in them!
Taking family pictures with the Greenhalgh's...

At least one picture with Brady's goofy face

One picture where he's tired of taking pictures

and one where Grace is tired of taking pictures.  
Apparently, I am the only trooper who can just smile the entire time.

The whole gang
The next day...
you're not bored yet, right?  The next morning Mary and Jared sent us on a food tour of the Farmer's Market in downtown L.A.  If you think you've been to a Farmer's market--you're wrong.  This is THE farmer's market.  It was a really fun experience, we learned a lot about the area and we got to have a private tour because we were the only ones at that time (another tour was schedule right after us, with a group of 20!)
Probably the best donut I've ever eaten.  

I learned lots of Spanish sitting by this restaurant.

The irony of this was too much
No irony here.  Just a guy enjoying some noodles.

The Little Door.  Apparently this restaurant is so popular, it doesn't even need a sign to tell people where it is.    
That afternoon we went to the beach.  It should be said, that Grace LOVES the beach and now I wish we had a beach in our backyard.  Or, I guess a sandbox would work, too.












It was so much fun being at the beach.  We even got to see Christian Bale.  Yes--Batman.  In case you were wondering, he doesn't talk like that in real life.  He actually has a pleasant accent.  "It's a great day to be a beach baby!" he said as he walked by, smiling at the little Grace and Noah.  Brady almost passed out from excitement.  Thanks, Christian Bale!

I'm glad you stuck it out through the end because now you get to know that Doreen is having a baby girl.  FINALLY!

Also--Thanks for everything, Mary and Jared!  We look forward to all future stays in California!!!






3 comments:

Julie Sainsbury said...

That is so fun!!! I loved the picture of the watermelon shark!!! so cool! It looks like you had a ton of fun in cali. We love you guys!

Crystal said...

Hooray for Doreen! I love it when you blog, Carol; you always makes me laugh. It looks like you had an awesome vacation.

Krissy said...

Carol...you are the funniest blogger I know. And I know A LOT of bloggers. Thanks for the cute pictures and your witty commentary.