DJ gets the birthday present he always wanted....from his sister

DJ had his 15th birthday a few days ago and was presented with this cane made from a bull's penis. DJ has been wanting this for a long time and Riley has been saving up for a long time to get it for him. DJ doesn't need a cane, but you know DJ really likes a good conversation piece.

Trip in Cherokee Six to Show Low AZ

Last weekend was Holden's weekend and I needed to see my Mom. She had just had a seizure and needed some family around.

I called my Flight Instructor and friend Robert to see if he and his girfriend Kristen would like to fly to Arizona. He said yes.

I called my Uncle Roy to see if he wanted to, too, and he did.

Robert arranged for a 1967 Cherokee 6 and picked up my uncle in Oxnard and then picked up Holden and me in Fullerton and we were off! The flight took four hours due to a headwind but I got to fly the plane the whole time. The Cherokee 6 is just like the plane I trained on, except more powerful.

We went up on Friday and came back on Sunday, stopping at Big Bear Airport to stretch our legs and use the restrooms.

Huntington Beach in the Navion

More than six months ago I reserved a campsite at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, California just so we would have a weeekend like this. The campsites are close together, but for $68 per night you get beachfront property. You sit outside your RV and watch the runners and bicyclists go by or you step off your "property" and on to the sand to walk to the water. The boys were in the water for hours at a time. The lifeguard was there most of the time and when he wasn't, I took a chair down to the water to watch the boys. Riley didn't arrive until a day later and wasn't interested in swimming in the cold ocean. I did though. I spent about 20 minutes body surfing before I was pooped out. I need to be in better shape if I am going to Boogie Board all day like the kids.

Being on the West Coast, we got to watch the sun set each night over the water. Holden found a tree and each tree must be climbed when you are 8.

The boys were in the water a lot, but when they weren't they were playing in the sand.

Star Testing Reports

The STAR Testing Reports came in for DJ, Riley and Holden. Go ahead and click them.So far so good!

Illinois Trip 2012

 

We were lucky enough to meet my sister Karrie’s son, Dash, on our trip to Illinois this time. He is almost one year old, I think, and has a great personality. I held him a lot and he had no problem with that. I don’t remember him ever crying even in the middle of the night. Perfect baby.

DJ is looking more like a man every day. You don’t notice how much DJ has changed until you see the reaction of relatives. Here he is shooting at the local range. He even has the shooter’s grimace down pat.

Holden got in on the shooting action. This was his first time at a range. DJ guided him well.

More pictures and a video montage to come…

Camping Update

We are camping on the King River in the Navion. More pictures and videos to come later. This is Riley grabbing the one Pepsi each kid is allowed each weekend day.

Mom's Visit

Mom came down from Arizona for a short visit. We were able to get our requisite Chinese foot massage and trip to the casino. She was able to do some shopping, visit her other grandkids, get her nails done, lunch with the girls, get an MRI, and spend lots of time with my kids. On one night, her friend Cindy, Mom and I polished off a magnum of red wine while going through pictures from the seventies and eighties. Then we went to dinner and more wine. Aided by the wine, we laughed a lot and had a great time overall.