Travel and Family

Our family has been Disneyland annual passholders every year since about 1994. We generally buy the least expensive passes which, unfortunatley, include a lot of blackout days -- especially during the summer. I don't mind; The days that are blacked-out on our passes are the more popular days when the parks are more crowded anyway. So, I know Disneyland and the California Adventure parks REALLY well. Some of my favorite things in the two parks are: Soarin' Over California, Toy Story Mania and Buzz Lightyear (we're a very competitive family), the Mission Tortilla mini-factory & samples (we're a very hungry family too). and the teacups. If I'm with the grandkids, I like whatever they like and just enjoy being with them. If I'm with the little kids, I love to go on It's a Small World, the Carousel, the Storybook boat ride and anything else in Fantasy Land. I used to love the Electric Light Parade -- especially that synthesized soundtrack. It makes me happy...

So, you've heard of an Ironman Triathlon right? A real Ironman event consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a full out 26.2 mile marathon. Well, I did complete a triathlon on Saturday morning -- but instead of an Ironman , this one was a Tinman . And, well, I feel pretty darn proud of myself and had a surprisingly really fun time doing it! The Riverside Tinman http://riversidetinman.com is a free triathlon sponsored by the Riverside Stake (Mormon term for a group of wards or congregations). The event, held at Riverside Community College ( RCC ) consists of a 150 meter swim, a 5K or 3 mile stroller friendly (of course) run\walk and a 10 mile street & mountain bike finish. My total time hasn't been posted yet but I think it was around 88 minutes for all three events. I completely stunk at the first event -- the swim. But, hey, the only swim lesson I ever got was when my dad threw me in the deep end of the Douglas, Arizona public pool when I was 5 or 6. I...

Last Saturday after a grueling early morning practice run for the Fontana Half-Marathon with April, I was ready for an evening off my feet. Instead of just sitting home though, I talked John into doing something I've been wanting to do for years -- going to the Shakespeare Festival at the Redlands Bowl. http://www.redlandsshakespearefestival.com/?page_id=722 That night, the production was "The Merchant of Venice" -- a nice easy to grasp comedy. And, one of my co-workers, Michael Pierce, happened to be playing the part of the Prince of Morocco . Because of this, there have been emails at work about the festival as well as posters in the break room to remind me of this easy-to-miss event. Michael Pierce as the Prince of Morocco T he acting was great and the staging was phenomenal. I'm no drama critic, so I may not even describe this correctly but it was done in the style of Commedia dell'arte -- you know, the old tragedy and comedy masks -- kind of like that. ...

This picture pretty much sums it all up....creepy Easter Bunny (best sport ever, Son-in-Law Wes Aleman), cute kids in their Easter finery, babies screaming (Asher who won't even look at bunny-man, Claire who is covertly kicking him/it), and the bigger kids just loving the wacky fun! The bunny suit actually belongs to our adopted fun Jewish friends the Yish Family. Three of the cute kids above are theirs -- this was their first Easter celebration and they helped make this one of our best Easters ever. We had each of our four children over, The Yish Family, along with Scott and Karen Broberg (I love my in-laws), a couple of single sisters that I serve with in the Relief Society presidency, one of which has no family to speak of -- other than distant cousins and another who is from Peru and lives with her grown son who had to work on Easter. I think I've figured out that sharing our fun, feast and family love just makes it all even better. I'm a firm believer that the more the...

Last week, some of my great Chino Hills friends, Nancy Sorenson, Valerie Gallagher, Monika Tolman, and Lauri-ann Hart and I, spent the day living like "ladies who lunch" and went to the Pasadena Showcase House http://www.pasadenashowcase.org/mcontent.php?mid=25 . They really are "ladies who lunch"; I had to take the day off work to join them. Lauri-ann, Monika, Nancy and me -- Valerie took the photo. To get to the house, you park at the Rose Bowl and go by shuttle to the actual house. There was such a crazy route to get to the house, I could never find it on my own or drive to it again. I really can't even tell you where we were -- its called the Pasadena Showcase House, but the book said the house was in Flintridge -- either way, great house, great neighborhood. Anyway, the rooms in the house -- well, really, mansion -- are amazing. The entire ex terior as well as every room on the inside has been redone by some of the top designers in Southern California. Some...

Okay, I'm cheating here. My last post was about Flat Cami and her boat ride adventure. This blog is just more of a part two of that one -- on the other purpose for our San Diego boat ride adventure. As I mentioned earlier, I started a new job in January with North American Medical Management. Our company manages many independent IPAs. One of the IPA's my company manages, PrimeCare of Hemet, sponsored a "get to know the doctors" Sunset Dinner Cruise (a three hour cruise) out of San Diego. And, yes, I can't deny it, this is one of the reasons I love my job. Of course, being invited, John and I were more than happy to come along and get to know some of the doctors and, at the same time, help entertain some of the other guests to do the same. John and me just getting ready to board for the evening . Me, Dr. Sudha Madabhushi and one of the Hemet Employees. John, me, Dr. Tin Tun of Hemet and Dr. Anthony Flores and his wife. Dr. Tun is originally from Burma (now Myanmar...

John and I took Flat Cami down to San Diego with us and made sure we photographed her in front of a few San Diego landmarks. Cami is my cousin Connie's daughter. Her class (2nd grade I'm quite sure) read the book "Flat Stanley"and made flat versions of themselves to vacation around the globe. To read more about what this is all about, visit http://flatterworld.com/ . Cami just checking out the Star of India . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_India_(ship ) Hey Cami, I hear this ship might be haunted, what do you think? http://gothere.com/sandiego/Ghosts/Star_of_India/index.htm Cami may or may not believe in ghosts but I don't think she like climbing up too high on the masts. Captain Cami, "Hoist those sails mateys!" Cami just pondering the possibilities of a cruise in the Pacific -- maybe down to Mexico, up to Alaska, or East to Hawaii or the Orient. Cami in front of the USS Midway Flat Cami just relaxing at the front of the boat -- enjoying the...

A few months ago, our ward Relief Society, gathered items to prepare and donate survivor kits for victims of sexual assault to the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center. Debora Monroe Heaps, one of our members, is one of the managers of the center. http://www.rarcc.org Without saying too much, I would just say that after we made that donations, someone close to many us, became a victim of such an attack, which brought this issue far too close to our hearts. So, to help prevent anything like this from ever, ever happening again, we organized a Relief Society meeting during which Debbie Heaps gave some great tips for protecting ourselves. We learned and practiced moves and stratigies for escape. Look at Donna Hall's Face -- I wouldn't mess with her! Each of the sisters took a good upward kick -- Above, Judy Strickland, Barbara Schultz, Carol Crouch and Donna Hall. Look at those strong stances....you don't want to mess with these Relief Society Sisters. Barbara Schultz taking ...