Saturday, July 28, 2012

Happy Days

We're home... and the internet is ridiculously slow.

Thus, an excuse for the lack of posting. ;-)

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

2012 Trip -- Hollywood & Universal Studios

This is a hurried post. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

At Universal Studios, we went on The Studio Backlot Tour. 


Flash floods and fake rain.


We saw many sets but I liked this picture of the fake buildings the best. ;-) Western Town! It has been used since the early Westerns. Lots of history!


The plane crash from Tom Cruise's War of the Worlds. 


Apparently, this plane used to fly and was destroyed specifically for this movie. There was a lot of fake smoke, sirens and no fake bodies. (Unfortunately.)


At the Animal Actors show, they presented many trained animals, birds and rodents...


Jesse volunteered for this trick, in which the bird took a one dollar bill from his hand and flew back to it's trainer. (Then the bird gave it back.)


Flying in the wind! (Or above the fan, as the case may be.)


This is an exotic fox. He was beautiful. Where he came from, we cannot remember. (But his trainers know, so all is well.)


Each time an animal went past that "Today's Special" sign, they would change it. For instance, the chickens switched it from "fried chicken" to "ham sandwich", which the pig changed back... 


Frankenstein's Monster and Jesse. Apparently, The Creature took quite a liking to my hubby because he was very insistent about this pose. Lol.


In this picture, Mr. Monster was trying to tie me up but I wouldn't let him. Haha. 
In the background, you can see the entrance to the House of Horrors. Jesse took me into it for a second time just to hear me scream. There's something about creepy guys in spooky masks/costumes leaping out of shadowy corners that makes my knees go weak. 
Needless to say, I always empty my bladder beforehand.


The Jurassic Park ride. We got soaked. Especially me!


Hello, Hollywood.


We like helicopters. Also, a shot of L.A.


Can you tell that I took this one while we were moving? :-) I love these flowers. I've seen them growing domestically and along the roads all along the coastline. Finally, I have a picture!


The hallways of our hotel are decorated in old black and white glamour pictures. The women were so feminine and graceful back then. 


Sunday, July 15, 2012

Blue Glasses For the Sun Grow Legs



I have two pairs of sunglasses at home in Saskatchewan. The morning we left on our trip, I was driving and the sun came out. That was when I discovered that I had left both pairs back in the house. Unfortunately, my eyes are such that when the sun is out, I need sunglasses to drive. So, at a gas station in Alberta, I saw a rack with sunglasses on it and found a really cool blue pair that I liked. They were cheaper but were comfortable and they looked good on me. So I purchased them and proceeded to grow rather fond of them.

Today, the roses along the pond in California Adventure beckoned to me and I took a dozen or so shots. Then the brilliant idea came to me: why not have my dear, patient husband take my picture with the roses? In preparation for this operation, I took off my snazzy blue sunglasses and laid them on the backpack, handed my camera to Jesse and posed. Two minutes later, Jesse picks up the backpack... and no sunglasses. They had grown legs and walked away. 

At first I was very upset. Jesse assures me that I didn't say much, but I can assure you that I was fighting tears. It didn't help that we were so tired (it was our third day at Disneyland/California Adventure) and hot (the sun came out today, finally!). I started praying that God would work out and I would get my sunglasses back. I prayed that whoever had my glasses would do the right thing and return them. 

Part of the reason I was upset was because Disneyland/California Adventure is a special place. You just don't worry about certain things, like... theft,for instance. I felt perfectly safe leaving my sunglasses on the backpack (which was laying on the ground, 6 ft behind me). When that person took my sunglasses, they disturbed the spirit of trust and honesty of the place. The other part of me was upset that I had spent over $20 on a pair of sunglasses, only to (through foolishness on my part) lose them and waste that money. 

Fast forward two minutes: a float was coming down the street and we were trying to get somewhere else, so we were making our way down the sidewalk. People were everywhere. Suddenly, I spotted a Nikon lens cap laying on the sidewalk. It almost got stepped on three different times before I got there and picked it up. I didn't know where the Lost and Found was, so I handed it to a security officer and off we went. 

Fast forward several hours: we had just come off of the California Screamin' (a huge roller coaster that is awesome... among other things, you go upside down on it) and I looked down beside my foot and there was an earring. Not just a small earring, but a big, expensive looking earring. Again, I had no idea where the lost and found was located so I took it to a security officer. 

My eyes are beginning to close here so I will get to the point(s) of my tale: (1: my glasses are still running and probably will never come back to me. (2: God answered my prayer in a completely different way than I anticipated. (3: I am completely at peace and over the situation. That's called God's answer. (4: Even if I had not been hyper aware of lost/stolen personal belongings, I think I would have done the right thing and taken those items to security. However, maybe I wouldn't have seen them or perhaps, had been too lazy to do anything if my sunglasses hadn't been stolen. (5: Once again, God's way is always best. Even if we don't understand it. However, if we can come to that place of simple faith, we do catch a little glimpse of his glory. (6: Note to self: don't be lazy. Put your belongings in a safe place. :-) (7: I'm so glad they didn't take the backpack.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Some of My Favorites


I have taken several hundred pictures over the past few days. Yes, I will spare you the burden of looking at them all! Lol. But here are a couple of my favorites that I took on our journey through CA. There are none from San Francisco and Anaheim. Those will have to wait for another post. But I hope you enjoy these!


We saw the sign and Jesse's imagination went wild... so we turned around and followed the signs. We were so glad we experienced this. I've seen pictures of this tree for years and I never thought I'd go see it for real. :-)








I asked Jesse to turn around for this store... there was something so wonderfully magical about that pink and white building. ;-) Btw, we bought three different kinds of toffee and it is the freshest toffee I've ever had. Soooo good!!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Trip 2012 -- Oregon and California


Chet and MaryPat got a new kitten the day we arrived at their house.


They named him Tuck. He is so adorable.


Hot air balloons in the early morning Oregon sky.


Ocean!!



We stopped at the Redwood Forest and walked some of the trails. This here is Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. :-)



These fushcia plants were gorgeous and huge. They were more like little trees than bushes; some were way over 6 ft. in height.






The highlight of the day was definitely meeting my friend Jaclynn and her beloved, Keith. Good friends meet face to face!


2012 Trip -- Washington 3 -- Multnomah Falls & Ice-Cream


Uncle Chet and Aunt MaryPat treated us to ice-cream this afternoon on our way to Multnomah Falls...


While eating ice-cream, I spotted this car. Very cool.


The dog is wearing a life-vest!


My favorite picture of the day. Complete with an American flag. ;-)


When we were at Multnomah Falls, we decided that a picture was necessary. Good memories!


Beautiful!


The very top of the falls.


Lily found it! The falls should be renamed in her honor. :-D


There was so much spray in the air.


Such a beautiful family! My only wish is that I could have included Kylie in this picture. Ah well. Next time!


The rainbows from the spray and glancing water make the rocks even more beautiful.


Ava and Lily pose through a tree. Aren't they adorable? :-)


Chet and MaryPat... 11 years next month.