Friday, July 18, 2008
The Last Two Posts
For the record, the last two posts were not posted by marsupial. They were posted by me, ashleys.mommy. I have no idea why marsupial's name is stuck at the bottom...I'll have to figure that one out (hopefully).
Concert in the Park
Last night we went to a Classic Rock concert at the Sport's Park amphitheater. I didn't plan to take pictures because we thought maybe it would be lame. Well, we were wrong! There must have been a thousand people there. Derek, Ashley, and I got right into the pit and danced our hearts out for a couple of hours! The band played all these classics and it was thrilling to see so many happy people like this!
Next week's concert is a tribute to Neil Diamond. Derek can't stand him, so maybe we'll skip that one. Derek said that "at least it's not Journey!" There will be more concerts in the following weeks at this park, and we're looking forward to going to as many as we can!
Next week's concert is a tribute to Neil Diamond. Derek can't stand him, so maybe we'll skip that one. Derek said that "at least it's not Journey!" There will be more concerts in the following weeks at this park, and we're looking forward to going to as many as we can!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Summer in Temecula
Let me start off by saying that Temecula is the best place we've ever lived. If I had known how exciting it would be to live here before we moved, I would have saved myself some serious grief. That's ignorance for you! Having lived in So Cal my whole life, I have only driven through Temecula on the way to the Indian Casino's many years ago. If I had only stopped the car once in awhile to see what was around me, I would have appreciated all the life out here that I've missed.
Picking up from my last post on July 4, I'd like to write about everything we've been doing. I'll try not to sound like I'm a poster child for the Temecula Tourisim Board, but it will be hard!
On July 5, we went to a minor league baseball game at the Lake Elsinore Storm baseball stadium. It was an evening game and the weather was warm, but not hot. We used it as a field trip because we're homeschooling Ashley and we thought we could teach her about the sport and other subjects that would apply to it. As it turned out, Ashley really loved it. She not only got an educational experience out of it, but she also had fun watching the mascots jump around and dancing to the music between innings.
The next day, I found out that the hotel we're staying in has a relationship with Gold's Gym. They offer a free membership to anyone who presents a room key. Isn't that cool? So, I went to Target, bought a pair of workout shorts and started working out there almost everyday since then.
Also, as a benefit of staying in this hotel, we get tourist information about what to do, what's going on, etc. I picked up some flyers in the lobby, brought them back to our room and started filling my calendar with all the exciting events to go to. Since we've been walking around Old Town quite a bit since the Fourth of July, we are thrilled with all the events they have to offer.
First, the City of Temecula has Family Activities on Mondays - and it's free! On July 7th they had Family Karaoke Night. We skipped that one because we're not into karaoke. However, we did go to the Family Feud event on July 14. This was so fun! They set up a real stage, just like the one that you see on tv. We played against two other families and we had the time of our lives. Next Monday, July 21, they are having Snack Shack. We're going to learn how to make a couple of healthy snacks and they supply all the ingredients. So, each week we can look forward to doing something different together until the end of August.
Second, we joined a group called Fitness in Temecula. There are two groups that meet Monday - Friday at 6:30 to walk around a park. After you complete a certain number of miles, you get prizes.
Third, every Thursday evening there is a tradition of Jazz concerts in Old Town. All the stores stay open late, there's wine and cheese pairing, outdoor patio restaurants, etc. We went last Thursday and had a great time. The three of us walked all over Old Town and shared a rootbeer float while sitting across the street from the band that was playing. The weather was perfect, so that made the experience even better. We're looking forward to more Thursday nights there this summer!
Fourth, also on Thursday nights, the City of Temecula has a Summer Sunsets Concert Series. We've heard that those are a lot of fun, so we'll have to check it out some time.
Fifth, the City of Temecula has Summer Moonlight Movies in the Park ever Friday evening during July and August. Here's the description: "The movie series will be featured at various park sites within the City. Festivities begin at 6:30 pm with kids crafts and games. Movies begin at dusk. Bring a blanket, low back lawn chairs and a picnic dinner and come on down to the park for a family movie under the stars." We haven't got to that one yet, but we plan to.
Sixth, there's Friday Night at the Museum. This is at the Imagination Workshop at the Temecula Children's museum. Here's a description of it: "Home of Professor Phineas T. Pennypickle, Ph.D., scientist, time traveler and inventor of wacky and wonderful contraptions that amaze, delight and educate children and adults alike. Every surface of wall, ceiling and furniture is occupied by pulleys, gears, cables, notes, blueprents and stuff. There are secret passageways and puzzles, machines and gizmos. Professor Pennypickle and his faithful little friend Beaker have lots of fun activities planned for you every month." I only costs $5.00 per person and that's a bargain. On July 11, they had an Ice Cream Social. We learned how to make our own ice cream in a baggie and enjoy it with lots of toppings. Yum! We also went on a scavenger hunt that took us throughout the museum for two hours! This coming Friday, July 18, they are doing Secrets of the Senses. The description says: " Discover how smell, hearing, tast, sight, and touch can help you perceive the world - this will be an evening of experiments that will engage ALL your senses." We're not going to miss this one! There's a different event at the mueseum each week and they all look like fun.
In between all of this we've discovered a few things on our own.
We accidentally found the Temecula Valley Museum about a week ago. This place is worth revisiting. It has two stories that exhibits the largest collection of local history. In print, it sounds boring. In person, however, it's not. They emphasize experiences for kids "to develop a deeper understanding of local, natural and social history that explores different time periods and a variety of topics. Kids learn about historic preservation, handle museum artifacts, meet historians, geologsts and anthropologists, make take-home crafts, and participate in group activies, period games and historical field trips." They only ask for a $2.00 donation, but it's not required.
Last Saturday, we went to a Farmer's Market in Old Town. As it turns out, they have this every Saturday morning along with free horse-drawn trolley rides.
There were countless farmers selling produce, restaurants that set up tents cooking up all kinds of food from all over the world, lots of opportunities to go junking, face patinting for the kids, etc. Derek and I used this as another opportunity to educate Ashley on a whole variety of subjects. It was a lot of fun and we're going back there this Saturday.
Later that same day, there was a parade in Old Town near the Children's Imagination Museum celebrating New Orleans. There were people all dressed up in costume walking on stilts, circus-like performers, jazz music, and all the things that you might see during Mardi Gras. We took Ashley there and got a few pictures.
On the way back to the car, we found a store that only sells Olive Oil and they have a bar where you can go Olive Oil tasting for free. Have you ever thought that you could go Olive Oil tasting? Out of curiosity, we wandered in there and found some wonderful stuff!
We scheduled another fun activity that evening, but we were too tired to go. Every Saturday night at this place called Longshadow Ranch, they have something called Bonfire Saturday Night. There is wine tasting, BBQ, movies in the barn for the kids, hay rides, and a band. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun, so we're going to have to try to get there soon.
On Monday, I took Ashley to Gold's Gym with me. They have a kids aerobics class for a half hour where they use a parachute, lots of balls, and an obstacle course to give the kids a fun workout. Ashley had so much fun that she didn't want to leave! Like most of the other things we do together, this is free, too!
July 8 was an interesting day. The Wildomar Library was having a magic show with animals for the kids, so we took Ashley out there for a few hours. The only thing was, when we got there, there were a couple hundred people waiting for the magic show to begin and there was no way we could get in. So, we went inside the library and discovered that they have a summer reading program for the kids that rewarded them for every three books they've read. We signed her up and found three books right away and started our list.
This evening, I believe anyway, we're going hiking at the Santa Rosa Plateau. We've never been there before, but everyone I've talked to about it says that it's amazing. There are lots of trails with different elevations, wildlife, and different kinds of scenery, based on the trail you take. There are also some old abandoned adobe homes to explore and the visitors center gives you tons of educational information about what you'll find on your path.
Temecula also offers hot air balloon rides. We missed an event on July 11 called "A Glow in the Park." It was a family night at the park with live music, crafts for kids, hot air balloons glowing at dusk, and a movie. I hope they do this again so we can experience all the hot air balloons lit up against the night sky. Maybe someday this summer we'll be able to go up in a hot air balloon over wine country, too. They take you over wine country and it's supposed to be a spectacular experience.
In between all of these activities, Derek is sucessfully running our online newsstand and Ashley and I are homeschooling. The newsstand sales are doing all right it's making enough to survive. We may not be wealthy, but at least we're having fun! Ashley just finished a whole 1st grade workbook in a month, she is almost done with phase three of her phonics program, she's got her addition and subtraction flashcards basically memorized, we're doing science experiments, studying the geography of the globe and the animals that live on each continent, and the history of the U.S.
As you can see, this summer has a lot to offer. We are in a transitional period this summer, and we're making the most of it. Before moving here, I thought this summer was going to be a mess. As it turns out, we are having a summer that we will look back on with wonderful memories. This whole experience has shown us that life can be good!
Picking up from my last post on July 4, I'd like to write about everything we've been doing. I'll try not to sound like I'm a poster child for the Temecula Tourisim Board, but it will be hard!
On July 5, we went to a minor league baseball game at the Lake Elsinore Storm baseball stadium. It was an evening game and the weather was warm, but not hot. We used it as a field trip because we're homeschooling Ashley and we thought we could teach her about the sport and other subjects that would apply to it. As it turned out, Ashley really loved it. She not only got an educational experience out of it, but she also had fun watching the mascots jump around and dancing to the music between innings.
The next day, I found out that the hotel we're staying in has a relationship with Gold's Gym. They offer a free membership to anyone who presents a room key. Isn't that cool? So, I went to Target, bought a pair of workout shorts and started working out there almost everyday since then.
Also, as a benefit of staying in this hotel, we get tourist information about what to do, what's going on, etc. I picked up some flyers in the lobby, brought them back to our room and started filling my calendar with all the exciting events to go to. Since we've been walking around Old Town quite a bit since the Fourth of July, we are thrilled with all the events they have to offer.
First, the City of Temecula has Family Activities on Mondays - and it's free! On July 7th they had Family Karaoke Night. We skipped that one because we're not into karaoke. However, we did go to the Family Feud event on July 14. This was so fun! They set up a real stage, just like the one that you see on tv. We played against two other families and we had the time of our lives. Next Monday, July 21, they are having Snack Shack. We're going to learn how to make a couple of healthy snacks and they supply all the ingredients. So, each week we can look forward to doing something different together until the end of August.
Second, we joined a group called Fitness in Temecula. There are two groups that meet Monday - Friday at 6:30 to walk around a park. After you complete a certain number of miles, you get prizes.
Third, every Thursday evening there is a tradition of Jazz concerts in Old Town. All the stores stay open late, there's wine and cheese pairing, outdoor patio restaurants, etc. We went last Thursday and had a great time. The three of us walked all over Old Town and shared a rootbeer float while sitting across the street from the band that was playing. The weather was perfect, so that made the experience even better. We're looking forward to more Thursday nights there this summer!
Fourth, also on Thursday nights, the City of Temecula has a Summer Sunsets Concert Series. We've heard that those are a lot of fun, so we'll have to check it out some time.
Fifth, the City of Temecula has Summer Moonlight Movies in the Park ever Friday evening during July and August. Here's the description: "The movie series will be featured at various park sites within the City. Festivities begin at 6:30 pm with kids crafts and games. Movies begin at dusk. Bring a blanket, low back lawn chairs and a picnic dinner and come on down to the park for a family movie under the stars." We haven't got to that one yet, but we plan to.
Sixth, there's Friday Night at the Museum. This is at the Imagination Workshop at the Temecula Children's museum. Here's a description of it: "Home of Professor Phineas T. Pennypickle, Ph.D., scientist, time traveler and inventor of wacky and wonderful contraptions that amaze, delight and educate children and adults alike. Every surface of wall, ceiling and furniture is occupied by pulleys, gears, cables, notes, blueprents and stuff. There are secret passageways and puzzles, machines and gizmos. Professor Pennypickle and his faithful little friend Beaker have lots of fun activities planned for you every month." I only costs $5.00 per person and that's a bargain. On July 11, they had an Ice Cream Social. We learned how to make our own ice cream in a baggie and enjoy it with lots of toppings. Yum! We also went on a scavenger hunt that took us throughout the museum for two hours! This coming Friday, July 18, they are doing Secrets of the Senses. The description says: " Discover how smell, hearing, tast, sight, and touch can help you perceive the world - this will be an evening of experiments that will engage ALL your senses." We're not going to miss this one! There's a different event at the mueseum each week and they all look like fun.
In between all of this we've discovered a few things on our own.
We accidentally found the Temecula Valley Museum about a week ago. This place is worth revisiting. It has two stories that exhibits the largest collection of local history. In print, it sounds boring. In person, however, it's not. They emphasize experiences for kids "to develop a deeper understanding of local, natural and social history that explores different time periods and a variety of topics. Kids learn about historic preservation, handle museum artifacts, meet historians, geologsts and anthropologists, make take-home crafts, and participate in group activies, period games and historical field trips." They only ask for a $2.00 donation, but it's not required.
Last Saturday, we went to a Farmer's Market in Old Town. As it turns out, they have this every Saturday morning along with free horse-drawn trolley rides.
There were countless farmers selling produce, restaurants that set up tents cooking up all kinds of food from all over the world, lots of opportunities to go junking, face patinting for the kids, etc. Derek and I used this as another opportunity to educate Ashley on a whole variety of subjects. It was a lot of fun and we're going back there this Saturday.
Later that same day, there was a parade in Old Town near the Children's Imagination Museum celebrating New Orleans. There were people all dressed up in costume walking on stilts, circus-like performers, jazz music, and all the things that you might see during Mardi Gras. We took Ashley there and got a few pictures.
On the way back to the car, we found a store that only sells Olive Oil and they have a bar where you can go Olive Oil tasting for free. Have you ever thought that you could go Olive Oil tasting? Out of curiosity, we wandered in there and found some wonderful stuff!
We scheduled another fun activity that evening, but we were too tired to go. Every Saturday night at this place called Longshadow Ranch, they have something called Bonfire Saturday Night. There is wine tasting, BBQ, movies in the barn for the kids, hay rides, and a band. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun, so we're going to have to try to get there soon.
On Monday, I took Ashley to Gold's Gym with me. They have a kids aerobics class for a half hour where they use a parachute, lots of balls, and an obstacle course to give the kids a fun workout. Ashley had so much fun that she didn't want to leave! Like most of the other things we do together, this is free, too!
July 8 was an interesting day. The Wildomar Library was having a magic show with animals for the kids, so we took Ashley out there for a few hours. The only thing was, when we got there, there were a couple hundred people waiting for the magic show to begin and there was no way we could get in. So, we went inside the library and discovered that they have a summer reading program for the kids that rewarded them for every three books they've read. We signed her up and found three books right away and started our list.
This evening, I believe anyway, we're going hiking at the Santa Rosa Plateau. We've never been there before, but everyone I've talked to about it says that it's amazing. There are lots of trails with different elevations, wildlife, and different kinds of scenery, based on the trail you take. There are also some old abandoned adobe homes to explore and the visitors center gives you tons of educational information about what you'll find on your path.
Temecula also offers hot air balloon rides. We missed an event on July 11 called "A Glow in the Park." It was a family night at the park with live music, crafts for kids, hot air balloons glowing at dusk, and a movie. I hope they do this again so we can experience all the hot air balloons lit up against the night sky. Maybe someday this summer we'll be able to go up in a hot air balloon over wine country, too. They take you over wine country and it's supposed to be a spectacular experience.
In between all of these activities, Derek is sucessfully running our online newsstand and Ashley and I are homeschooling. The newsstand sales are doing all right it's making enough to survive. We may not be wealthy, but at least we're having fun! Ashley just finished a whole 1st grade workbook in a month, she is almost done with phase three of her phonics program, she's got her addition and subtraction flashcards basically memorized, we're doing science experiments, studying the geography of the globe and the animals that live on each continent, and the history of the U.S.
As you can see, this summer has a lot to offer. We are in a transitional period this summer, and we're making the most of it. Before moving here, I thought this summer was going to be a mess. As it turns out, we are having a summer that we will look back on with wonderful memories. This whole experience has shown us that life can be good!
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Fourth of July 2008 - A View from the Looking Glass
Like every other Fourth of July, there were BBQ's, fireworks, and baseball games. It seemed as though people were having a good time in the hot summer sun. However, even with all the traditional celebrating of our independence from Britain, there was an undercurrent of anxiety.
Right now, the economy is taking a spiraling downturn and it has created a stress in the air that could be felt by anyone. Vacations have been limited or canceled because of the soaring cost of fuel and food. It also didn't help that the Times ran an article titled, "Outlook Darker as Jobs are Lost and Wages Stall." We all know that the country that we were celebrating is in trouble. However, there were still patriotic bumper stickers and flags waving everywhere, demonstrating a hope of the fundamental basics that so many fought and died for, and continue to do so. Currently, we are fighting a debilitating war in Iraq without any idea of how to pay for it - or how to end it. No one has any idea how to cope with the crisis, or turn the economy around. Locks are being changed and homes are being foreclosed on across the country and working families who are lucky enough to meet their mortgage payments are watching their neigborhoods decline. We can build very expensive new football and baseball stadiums around the country, but we can't help the people in New Orleans or help reconstruct the World Trade Center site that was destroyed almost seven years ago.
Our executive branch is out of control as well. For example, George Washington prohibited the torture of captives in wartime, but the executive branch not only condones it, but it actively promotes it. This year, when we vote for a new president, we have the perfect opportunity to bring the truth into the sunlight. We'll have the opportunity to take a realistic look at all the trivia and sort out who will move us forward and actually plug up the drain that we're circling. The executive branch does not have a divine right to waste our resouces and our people's lives for their own personal gain.
Patriotism is great, but when you're waving a flag over a constitution that has been essentially been used as fuel to light a fire to hell, then we need to take a closer look at what's most important here. Who is running this show, anyway? I'll tell you who. It's big money, a paralyzed political process, a neglected infrastructure, a huge divide between the very wealthy and everyone else, and a catastrophic drop in the way the rest of the world views us.
Let the Fourth of July holiday remind us that we need to roll up our sleeves to better position ourselves and set the standard for the 21st century. The U.S. still has enormous economic and military power, but that privledge cannot be wasted indefinately. We all need to take an honest and firm stand with the state of the nation and be creative with ideas for moving forward. As Americans, our lives have gotten out of hand, but we can take it back by being vocal with our opinions and voting with our own best interests in mind.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Getting to know our new neighborhood
Yesterday we went to the Temecula Duck Park. Now, I don't know what was in that lake besides water, but there were some weird looking ducks. I took a picture of a duck that had a poofy coiffe on top of its head and a curly-q tail. We named him the Jose Eber duck.
Then we saw a duck that looked like it was a cross between a penguin and a duck. Very strange. We named this one Pingu. 
There were lots of pretty white ducks and mallards that our dog, Katie, chased all over the place, too. Poor ducks!
Here are some more pictures of the ducks:
And one ticked-off bird!
Today we went to see a magic show at a library in Wildomar. There must have been a couple hundred people there and we couldn't get in. So instead, we signed Ashley up for a summer reading program. She has to read three books a week and she gets a prize each time.
There's not much more going on until Thursday night when mommy has a Daisy Scout meeting.
Then, on Friday, the Daisy Scouts are going to be in a Fourth of July Parade in Corona. Yeah!! We are really looking forward to that. In the afternoon, we're going to a park in Temecula for Fourth of July events and fireworks. As it turns out, Temecula is a favorite vacation spot for the Fourth!
Saturday is going to be fun, too. We're going blueberry picking at 8:00 (or around that time). Then, at 6:15, we're going to Longshadow Ranch for Bonfire Saturday Night. They'll be having live music, BBQ (nominal fee), horse-drawn carriage rides, wine, and kids movies in the barn. Best of all, it's free! They do this every Saturday night, so we're really excited about that.
Another thing they do in Old Town for free is Thursday Night Market Place. Every Thursday night there's family fun, Old Town merchants and area produce growers, artisans, and food vendors. We're planning on going to that, too.
I swear, I have lived in So Cal my whole life and didn't know how much went on here in this city. Living here feels like living on a vacation. There is so much to do! We live about a mile from Old Town and within walking distance of just about anything you can think of! Before we moved here, I was not happy about living in a hotel, even temporarily. But, this place is nice and we're having a blast! I actually feel like we are taking a summer vacation in Wine Country! Isn't that cool?
Monday, June 30, 2008
Catch-Up Post
Today is the last day of June and the mark of the half-way point through the year. So much has happened this year that it feels like several years have already passed! I'm not going to go into a review of the last six months, though, only the past couple of weeks. Whew!
Moving out of Cliffrose: We moved our necessities to the hotel on June 24. It took a couple of car loads, but we finally settled in around midnight. I was stressed about moving from a 4k sq. ft. house to a hotel and, looking back, I shouldn't have have been. Of all days, I was also sick. My throat was on fire, I had a fever, I had all the flu symptoms, etc. Timing is everything!
The next morning, Derek got up early to go pick up the U-Haul while Ashley and I set up our new home. We both decided that we didn't want Ashley dealing with all the stress at the house that day and that she would have a better experience with mommy at the hotel. As it turned out, that was a good decision. The stress at the Cliffrose house was unbelievable. After Derek got there with the U-Haul, the moving helpers that we hired never showed up. At 3:00 Derek found a couple of other guys out in Riverside that could come out at the last minute, but it cost us $100.00 more. If we didn't have such heavy stuff to take downstairs and load into a U-Haul, we probably would not have needed them. However, since we had a washer, dryer, Ashley's bedroom set, and our Cal King mattress, we had no choice unless we left it behind. So, fast-forward to loading the U-Haul. We had a 26 ft. U-Haul and thought it would be too big. Wrong! That thing was packed solid at the end and we even had to leave our split-level coffee table, a bookcase, and a few other little things behind in the garage. Damn! Now it was 7:00 pm and Derek led the caravan to the storage place where we have a 10 X 20 unit. I'm thinking that there's no way it's going to fit. It toook 3 hours to unload the U-Haul and by some miracle it all fit. OMG! Derek wants to get another small storage unit for our inventory because he can't work with the stacks like they are.
The next day, we were wiped out. We surfed the internet to find out interesting things about the area we now live in and scheduled a few things to do with Ashley. It was a pretty low-key day, but we had fun hanging out together.
As it turns out, the hotel we're living in is in the middle of everything. This is a lot different from the Cliffrose house, where we lived in the sticks. Everything is within walking distance or at least a very short drive. When we lived in the Valley, we still didn't live this close to it all. I never thought that this woud be so much fun!
Yesterday, we went to Old Town which is about a mile away from the hotel. OMG! That place is so awesome! We had lunch, went junking, saw a lot of artists with their sidewalk chalk art (they did some amazing stuff!), and showed Ashley the history of cowboys and Indians. When we got back to the hotel, I was on Cloud 9. This area is so exciting and I cannot wait to go back again!
Today, I'm taking Ashley to a duck park. It's beautiful there. There's a decent size lake with grass and trees around it and picnic tables. I'm going to make us a picnic lunch and we're taking the camera. We're going to turn this into an educational experience for her like we did yesterday.
So, there you have it. All the chaos and changes wrapped up in a few paragraphs. (I wish I could have experienced it this simply!) Life is definitely getting better and we are really glad that we have the opportunity to experience where we live now.
Moving out of Cliffrose: We moved our necessities to the hotel on June 24. It took a couple of car loads, but we finally settled in around midnight. I was stressed about moving from a 4k sq. ft. house to a hotel and, looking back, I shouldn't have have been. Of all days, I was also sick. My throat was on fire, I had a fever, I had all the flu symptoms, etc. Timing is everything!
The next morning, Derek got up early to go pick up the U-Haul while Ashley and I set up our new home. We both decided that we didn't want Ashley dealing with all the stress at the house that day and that she would have a better experience with mommy at the hotel. As it turned out, that was a good decision. The stress at the Cliffrose house was unbelievable. After Derek got there with the U-Haul, the moving helpers that we hired never showed up. At 3:00 Derek found a couple of other guys out in Riverside that could come out at the last minute, but it cost us $100.00 more. If we didn't have such heavy stuff to take downstairs and load into a U-Haul, we probably would not have needed them. However, since we had a washer, dryer, Ashley's bedroom set, and our Cal King mattress, we had no choice unless we left it behind. So, fast-forward to loading the U-Haul. We had a 26 ft. U-Haul and thought it would be too big. Wrong! That thing was packed solid at the end and we even had to leave our split-level coffee table, a bookcase, and a few other little things behind in the garage. Damn! Now it was 7:00 pm and Derek led the caravan to the storage place where we have a 10 X 20 unit. I'm thinking that there's no way it's going to fit. It toook 3 hours to unload the U-Haul and by some miracle it all fit. OMG! Derek wants to get another small storage unit for our inventory because he can't work with the stacks like they are.
The next day, we were wiped out. We surfed the internet to find out interesting things about the area we now live in and scheduled a few things to do with Ashley. It was a pretty low-key day, but we had fun hanging out together.
As it turns out, the hotel we're living in is in the middle of everything. This is a lot different from the Cliffrose house, where we lived in the sticks. Everything is within walking distance or at least a very short drive. When we lived in the Valley, we still didn't live this close to it all. I never thought that this woud be so much fun!
Yesterday, we went to Old Town which is about a mile away from the hotel. OMG! That place is so awesome! We had lunch, went junking, saw a lot of artists with their sidewalk chalk art (they did some amazing stuff!), and showed Ashley the history of cowboys and Indians. When we got back to the hotel, I was on Cloud 9. This area is so exciting and I cannot wait to go back again!
Today, I'm taking Ashley to a duck park. It's beautiful there. There's a decent size lake with grass and trees around it and picnic tables. I'm going to make us a picnic lunch and we're taking the camera. We're going to turn this into an educational experience for her like we did yesterday.
So, there you have it. All the chaos and changes wrapped up in a few paragraphs. (I wish I could have experienced it this simply!) Life is definitely getting better and we are really glad that we have the opportunity to experience where we live now.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Gerald Ford
Former President Gerald Ford died a few hours ago. I was fairly young during his presidency -- my most vivid memories of him in office are of him falling down (and, of course, of Chevy Chase impersonating him falling down). However, I can say that he was one of the few Republicans that I did not dislike, and judging by the current crop of Rs, he may be one of the last.
Monday, December 25, 2006
James Brown
I just saw the news that James Brown has died. Just an hour ago, I was sitting in a car (driving, actually), arguing with someone over whether James Brown is a 'living legend' or not. I took the stance that he was, without question, and I think it was the first time that I admitted to this particular person that I thought so highly of James Brown, knowing that it would set me up for a load of crap from this person. (Earlier, he refused to admit that Chuck Berry was a living legend on the grounds that he thought that Berry was dead.)
I just told my wife about the conversation in the car about fifteen minutes ago, she agreed with me about JB, and others, and had her own picks. I just had to tell her that we can cross one off the list.
That sucks.
I just told my wife about the conversation in the car about fifteen minutes ago, she agreed with me about JB, and others, and had her own picks. I just had to tell her that we can cross one off the list.
That sucks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
