The Chronicles of Jill

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

San Diego Trip 2012, part 1

We were lucky enough to take a vacation last month! Steve and Henny left in the truck to drive to San Diego (picking up Papa Mike in San Francisco on the way), and Jill and I flew down to join them four days later. We had a GREAT time. Papa Mike flew home from San Diego after a week, while the rest of us took our time driving home up Highway 101. Aside from a few less than desirable hotel options (101 is limiting, even more so with a pet) and the time I watched the restaurant staff removing the cheese from my salad with their FINGERS, it was a wonderful trip. We now know we can handle long road trips with ease, and it was very relaxing and enjoyable, not to mention beautiful. It was a little sad to arrive home, but we are glad to be back all the same.

Because we didn't want to have Memorial Day crowds ruin our park experiences, we headed out to Legoland the day after Jill and I arrived. It was...a bit of a letdown, but fun nevertheless. After Disney World, I suppose most things will be a letdown. The only thing I didn't get a photo of and wish I would have was the roller coaster in Dinoland. Jill LOVED it. It was her first roller coaster and we rode it twice. If we hadn't had to leave to get dinner, she would have ridden it all night. It was the only coaster there that she could ride. Our little shorty is still only 39 inches tall. Grow little legs, grow! Forty inches will open up new worlds!

Ready to get her driver's license

steering can be a little tricky

creation she made while we waited in line for the world's lamest ride

Legoland Fire Department

flying

pirate ship ride--it swung and spun and Jill LOVED it

this guy rode too many times and told us he was getting sick

our favorites

Jill loves R2-D2

but not as much as she loves Princess Leia

little Boba Fett

Force push

jousting

We were fortunate enough to rent a house just a block and a half from the beach and had a lovely time. We had only one day of sunshine, and we made the most of it. The other days were cool and overcast, but amazingly, the only rain we saw was on the day we drove back home. We were very lucky.

The BEACH!!!

these two could play all day long at the beach

family portrait before we walked to the beach

coloring Captain America at dinner

outside the restaurant

The day after the beach we went to Sea World. Right inside the entrance is the Sesame Street area, which had 3 rides that were perfect for Jill. Then we just enjoyed a leisurely pace the rest of the day. We saw the Shamu show, and also a show with two performing sea lions, Clyde and Seamore. Those two were adorable!

Elmo ride at Sea World

Oscar ride at Sea World

rescuer

Megalodon teeth...we had to research him later and Jill is unsatisfied with the "unknown reason for extinction." She says she will find out when she becomes a paleontologist.

these egrets were stealing the fish people bought to feed the sea lions

ready to watch the Shamu show

Little Baer and Green Sea Turtle

touch pools

my 2 favorite penguins

Sunday, May 6, 2012

April

April was a ton of fun!

She made an Easter necklace

She has been taking a cooking class this past month, and has had a lot of fun there. These were taken on the first day.

making ice cream at her Kiddie Chefs class

Delicious!

We had these clothes sitting the closet for over a month because we hadn't had nice enough weather to wear them. So one morning I told her we'd have a fashion show and she went all in. The stuffed animals and dolls on her bed are the audience, and she even had music playing. So darling!

future model

posing

getting silly

taking it seriously

classic Jill--this captures her perfectly

We took a trip to Fire Station 21, I believe it was, to see Steve on the 2nd day of a 48 hour shift.

visiting Daddy at work

Another day, another school session...

we read 2 stories and made a Venn Diagram

We got our seeds started and our garden boxes ready!


Organizing the seeds

filling the cups with dirt

proud gardening helper

with the board she created that was later used to build the garden box

board in progress

It had been almost a year, so it was high time for a concert!

Caspar Babypants!

pretty sweaty by the end of a crowded show in a SMALL space

Henny had an unfortunate accident while Jill and I were throwing the ball for her at the park. Jill was a champ and sat at the vet for 1.5 hours with NOTHING to entertain her while we waited for Henny to be seen. We eventually had to leave her there so I could get Jill fed and in bed, and we had a friend bring her home later since Steve was at work. Diagnosis: shattered 4th toe. Treatment: splint for 4-6 weeks. It's been really hard on her, but she's handling it pretty well. She's REALLY missing her daily runs!