Another crazy weekend

Ronnie, Brenda, and the kids came out for another weekend visit - two in the past four weeks. This time we skipped the crowds at DL, and headed to the faraway locale of Buena Park.

We started out the day checking out Camp Snoopy - bus rides, truck driving, and bounce houses.

The rest of the day we checked out a bunch of roller coasters (Brenda and I were the only ones BRAVE ENOUGH for Montezuma's Revenge), rode water rides, had slurpees, ate BBQ, talked to the guy in the jail, and watched a quick concert in the square.

Since eight hours+ of walking wasn't enough yesterday, today we went on a hike with the Cub Scouts at Oak Canyon. We walked up and down trails, scooted past poison oak, and maneuvered under a tree that had fallen over one spot on the trail. Lots of lizards out sunning themselves, with no snakes or mountain lions in sight. Since I interrupted them with two days of being outdoors in fresh air, I made sure to be home in plenty of time for the boys to play video games before dark.

Bloomin' Flowers

Feb and March Happenings

Well you know us - busy busy busy. In February, we had our Cub Scout Pack Blue & Gold at the bowling alley. We reviewed the rules with everyone, bought lots of pizza and drinks, and turned loose on six lanes for two hours. A blast was had by all.

The Troop and siblings were invited as well.

Camporee for the Scouts is in April, so we have had a couple campouts and meetings practicing skills like knots, lashings, compass orienteering, campsite setup, and cooking. The food has been pretty good, and we are still alive, so that's a good thing.

Last weekend Ronnie and Brenda and gang came out for a visit for the weekend. They took in the sights of Disneyland and Huntington Beach, and we spent an evening playing a round of miniature golf with the kids. It has been too long since we all got to just hang out, visit, and enjoy each other.

Kevin and Austin lost their golf balls on the fourth hole, but they had a good time anyways just rolling around on the course.

Andre is getting so big - here we are hanging out with the Playstation.

The big discussion on the last night of dinner was writing on someone's face when they are dog-tired and don't even know it. Guess what happened at six am before they drove back home to AZ?

It Never Rains in Sunny Southern California..

...but when it rains, man it pours.

We have had some wild, rainy weather this winter. Noooo, it's not an El Nino, they say, but who are they kidding? Lots of weeks with 1-2 storms a week, and several rained out weekends.

Makes for some great weather pictures, and the flowers sure love the rain too.

Some other things that have happened the last few months include a Pinewood Derby, a day hike while on the lookout for cougars, a day brushing up on Camporee skills, cleaning up a park, strep throat, cooking practice, algebra tutoring sessions, a bowling outing and a Vegas outing.

Kevin, Matthew, and I have campouts scheduled this month and next month, some concerts to attend, and family get togethers planned, so stay tuned for more pictures.

..And the Rest of the Year

The months of October and November meant marching season in full swing - plenty of practices and all day tournaments for Kevin (yeah, and me). The weekend before Thanksgiving signals the Savanna Tournament, which meant lots of extra hours of planning, coordinating, and a gabillion minutes used on my cell phone plan.

RJ was in charge of the BBQ Row, serving up hundreds of pancakes, cheeseburgers, and carne asada tacos. The day ended with a fantastic performance by the UCLA Bruin marching band - a show that wowed the crowds of spectators and volunteers alike.

The first weekend of December was the SCSBOA Championships in San Diego. A busload of us band parents and friends tagged along, gabbing and playing 50/50 on the bus. The group ended up taking first place for their division - a great way to end a winning season.

Sam got a job at WalMart back in September, and spent the last 3+ months working plenty of hours selling phones, TVs, and assorted other electronic items. He's getting great experience working with the public and learning the responsibility of the working world. Driving lessons are also continuing, but our two schedules don't always allow for much time.

Christmas came with the usual note to Santa asking once again for their trivia scavenger hunt. I wonder if these things quizzes would sell...

The week after Christmas found us back at the float barn decorating this cockatiel/rooster/parrot/toucan thingamabobby bird for the Jack in the Box float.

Matt, Kevin and I went for the first time to the Rose Parade and sold programs to the crowds. A portion of each program was given to the boys for their scout accounts - helping pay for summer camp and other activities. Having never been, it was a fun and wild experience for all of us. We got to see some kids who were marching in two different bands, and also ran into distant family who were spectators. What are those odds?!??

We walked for what seemed like forever, sold a bunch of programs, and also waved to two other friends who were participating in the BSA entry in the parade... all before noon. Came home to sleep through the Rose Bowl game. What a way to wrap up the year and kick off the new decade!