2010 Rose Parade Floats

Having lived in Southern California my entire life, the Rose Parade is something that was watched (over AND over) every New Year's Day while I was growing up. When I was in Jr. High my Dad took my brother and I to see the floats a few days after the parade. When I was in High School my Mom took my brother, a friend and I to spend the nights on the street and see the parade in person.

This year I thought it would be fun to go to Pasadena and see the floats up close once again (no, I didn't spend the night on the streets). So I gathered up a couple friends and some family and we headed out...things sure have changed since I was in Jr. High! (Please don't take this as a complaint, it's merely a show of how things change). I remember parking down the street, walking a couple blocks to a grass field and seeing the floats up close with just a couple people. This year, we parked at the Rose Bowl, waited in line for 1.5 hours to get on a shuttle, rode for about 15 minutes to the streets the floats were parked on then viewed the floats with THOUSANDS of people.


All in all, we had a great day filled with some fun memories AND got to see the bulldogs ride down their ski slope (which is probably my favorite float EVER). The following are some of my favorite pictures from the day. You can click on them to make them bigger and if you want to see more, click on the link under the last picture.

I love all of the tiny details on some floats

Early morning birds

How a lion gets a curly mane

My Dad's favorite

I like this guy's tongue

My favorite, after the bulldogs

Bulldogs!!!

My ADORABLE 3 month old niecel

More pictures available here  

I hope your 2010 is going great so far!

The Last Weekend of Summer

The last weekend of summer, AKA Labor Day, arrived just over a week ago. I celebrated it in a way that my family has for a little over 20 years; a trip to my Grandma's house in Pismo Beach. If you remember my last blog I talked about how my Grandma passed away this year on July 20th. This was the first Holiday weekend we have been up there that she hasn't and to say it was difficult would be an understatement. Luckily, we brought my best friend Sue and her daughter Izabella with us and they really helped "lighten the load".

It was the first time either of them had been to the area so we decided to start off the Saturday of our trip with one of our favorite places to have lunch, The Apple Farm in San Louis Obispo. If you have never been to The Apple Farm it's an adorable shabby sheik hotel and restaurant nestled a little of Highway 101. The Apple Farm also features an old millhouse that is a replica of one from the turn of the century. When my brother and I were younger you could watch them make apple juice and ice cream here. Unfortunately when we visited this weekend the mill was broken and so was the ice cream maker. None the less we still had a great time sampling (and buying) the apple juice they make. It's 100% apple with no added sugar or preservatives and probably the best apple juice ever. Here's a couple shots from our visit:

Where would you like to go?

Stopping to smell the flowers

Sue and Izabella waiting for lunch

Izabella and Nanny Sue

The Old Millhouse


Behind the millhouse there is a quiet little waterfall and the perfect place for a photo opportunity

Sue and Izabella

Izabella and Me

Watching the waterfall

Sunday we took Izabella to the beach for the first time. What a trip that was!! The water in Pismo is MUCH colder than it is down here in Orange County and felt like ice water. However, she LOVED it and we had a good time running in and out of the waves and playing in the sand. Those pictures are on Sue's camera but hopefully I will have them soon to post in another blog :).

After the beach we headed back to the house to give Izabella a nice warm bath. There is a rather large bath tub at my Grandma's that I have many fond memories of soaking in for hours at a time as a child. Naturally when Izabella saw it she was impressed with it's size and turned to me and in her almost 3 sweet and innocent voice said, "Auntie, you take a baff wiff me?" What was I supposed to do? Say no? What kind of Best Auntie Ever would I be? So, I (kind or reluctantly) said yes and bathing suit and all climbed into the bath tub with her and we had a great time playing, washing and laughing.

Armpits! Armpits! Armpits!

I hope all of you out there had a fun "last weekend of summer" and an all around GREAT summer!

A Day at the Zoo

Today, while Sue was at school, my Mom (Nanny Sue) and I took Izabella to the Santa Ana Zoo. If you aren't familiar with this zoo, it's a little one that houses mainly monkeys and birds. The elephant was available to ride but Izabella didn't want to, "Him too big Auntie". Here's a racap of our fun.

This bird was so bright, and so orange. His wings were beautiful when he spread them.


The Emu was sleeping. Who knew them slept with their legs stretched out behind them?



Izabella gave him "thumps up"



This guy was swinging ALL over the place. She thought he wasn't the funniest thing since Elmo.



Then, we were off to see the elephant. We waited...



And waited...



And waited...



FINALLY it was time to see the elephant!



Then we went to play on the slides. While we were playing Nanny Sue decided to put Izabella's sunglasses on...silly Nanny Sue!




While we were by a bird exhibit there was a really intricate sculpture carved out of wood.





Sometimes I like taking pictures of flowers more than anything else.