Parks, Parks and More Parks.

This past week, Dan had training for some software he uses at work. It was 5 days of intensive training all day. So I didn't really see much of him. I decided that I would try to occupy Bennett by going to the park a bunch and having some playdates, etc. I found this new park out by Cheryl's house called Gates Canyon Park and the play area is called Brandon's Village. Turns out that it was built as a playground to be accessible to handicap children and is even wheelchair accessible to park of it. This playground is simply awesome. We were there for 3 hours and had a hard time getting Bennett to leave. This park was so impressive. The playground equipment is amazing...so many things for them to do from rock climbing walls to slides to swings to sand play etc. I have to say that with a 2 year old I am now getting really familiar with every park in my area. They are a God send when you really need to get the kids out of the house!

Brandon's Village at Gate's Canyon Park

Bennett and Riley running up and down the play equipment ramps.

Video of Bennett playing on the rings...or trying to figure out how to hold on to them using me as a stepping stool. Notice the look of determination on his face while he is trying to hold on to the rings. :o)

Ardis' Birthday

Ardis had a birthday last Sunday and she said the only thing she wanted was a picnic in the park. So we went over to a local park near Dan and I with all the kids and let the kids run amuck for 3 hours. They had a blast. I didn't happen to get a picture of her on her special day, so pictures of the kids will have to do for now. Happy Birthday Ardis...you are 39 right?? :o)

The three Musketeers - Bennett, Sam and Max. Bennett always finds a doggie wherever he goes...this is Rosie.

Sam is now 5 years old!

Our nephew Sam just turned 5 on the 18th. Amanda and Joe had a party for him with a pinata, a bouncy house, and lots of food! I made the birthday cake being as that I now have lots of "Car" cake experience. :o) He had a Hot Wheels theme for the party so we did a Hot Wheels Car Cake. It was pretty hilarious watching a bunch of 2-5 year olds try to whack away at a pinata. That thing was stubborn and didn't want to budge! I don't think we really needed to blindfold the kids...they had trouble hitting it as it was. :o) There were lots of goodies inside when it finally got opened though. Have to have a pinata at a California birthday party. Here's to Sam and being 5...may it be the best year of his life...so far! :o) Happy Birthday Sam.

Sam blowing out the candles on his birthday cake.

Bennett taking a his first ever whack at a pinata. :o)

Bennett and his blue face after eating tons of blue frosting on the last piece of birthday cake.

Hot Wheels Car Birthday Cake.

Video of Bennett courtesy of Cheryl. Bennett thinks he is just so sneaky as he sneaks the last piece of birthday cake off of the table while he thinks that no one is looking! :o)

Jay Leno and The British Auto Meet

Last Sunday we went to a British Auto Meet at Woodley Park. Dan and his Dad have long had a love of MGs and Dan's first car was a 1974 1/2 MGB Roadster. About 10 years ago they purchased a 1969 MGC GT at an auction. Last Sunday they showed off their MGC GT to a bunch of other British Car Enthusiasts at a British Auto Meet and all of us tagged along. The cars that were there were amazing. Just so happened that Jay Leno had his Bentley there on display too and he also walked around admiring other's cars as well. He let Bennett and Sam play in his Bentley and we caught it on video. He really is a very nice guy. Sam had a whole conversation with him as to where the horn was etc. The video had a slight problem for a few seconds in the middle, so if you watch it, just hang in there for a few seconds and it will clear up.

Video of Jay Leno and Sam and Bennett. Just press the play button to start the video.

Bennett and Sam trying out the horn in the Bentley with Jay Leno looking on.

Jay and Sam talking about the finer points of the car. :o)

Jay lifting Bennett out of the car...in a few seconds he is probably gonna figure out just how much Bennett weighs! He is a hefty little guy. :o)

Bennett and Sam just cruisin' along.

Jay Leno and his Bentley.

Bennett standing in front of Triumph TR3 just like the one that Grammy Pat and Grandpa Russ had when they first got married. Bennett and Sam in front of another Triumph. Bennett and Sam sitting in the back of the Lewis 1969 MGC GT.

The Lewis MGC GT is the one on the left.

Bennett and the Helicopter

Don't know why, but I just loved this picture. I just love the look on his face - dirt smudge and all. Usually Bennett has a car in each hand no matter where we go, but today he was fascinated with how this pull string helicopter worked. Just figuring everything out!

Cheryl's new doggie - Bennett's new best friend!

Cheryl adopted a new rescue doggie last week. She is a one year old female and no one is really sure what breed or breeds she is made up of! She is a mutt for sure. Cheryl is still trying to find a good name for her, but Riley seems to be sticking so far. At least she answers to it pretty well. For now, we could just call her Bennett's BFF (texting language for Best Friend Forever :o) Bennett was in HEAVEN today with her. Of course, he was learning the finer points of training said pooch in the fine arts of fetch, sit, walk on a leash, and run away from me when I am trying to spray you with a water spray bottle. :o) (Poor Riley got chased around my mom's yard for about 30 minutes by Bennett who was spraying her with water and running away giggling.) He is a boy...what can I say! It was great though because they both ran each other for 3 hours straight and just didn't seem to want to stop. They exercised each other! The doggie is pretty good with Bennett. Bennett just loved her. Boys need dogs...I am convinced of that. But not convinced enough to get my own of course! For now we will live vicariously through everyone else's doggies! :o)

Riley (her name for today!)

Bennett throwing the ball for Riley....who is fetching the ball though? We weren't sure. :o)

Bennett learning or errr "teaching" the art of leash walking a doggie.

Bennett and his new BFF Riley. :o)

Trip to Santa Barbara

My mom, Cheryl, Bennett, and I headed north on the 101 for a fun weekend in Santa Barbara last weekend while Dan and the boys had their monthly LAN party at our house. This time around we decided to stay overnight at the Hotel Oceana which was right on the beach and within walking distance to most everything. The first day we took Bennett to the Zoo that overlooks the ocean and he LOVED it there. It was one giant running maze and it seemed as though he was NEVER going to get tired. We got lots of exercise chasing him that weekend. He is just a bundle of energy. We also took him to this cool public park playground called the Kid's Zone and he spent about 2 hours there running constantly. We had a hard time getting him to leave. He got on the big kid's swing all by himself for the first time and he liked it so much that we had a hard time getting him to stop swinging! This playground was unbelievably cool with treehouse-like mazes and swings and slides and tire swings and bridges, etc. Bennett thought that hotel rooms were pretty fun, since this is really the only one that he can remember being in. I'm sure that the people in the room upstairs were happy when he went to bed though! The one thing I realized on this trip is that travelling with a 2 year old can be a challenge. :o) You eat meals ALOT faster than you used to, you chase them till you think you will drop from exhaustion, and you have tons more paraphelnalia than you would ever take for yourself. Poor Mom and Cheryl only got one small part of the trunk to put their luggage in due to strollers and balls and DVD players and coolers and not to mention clothes...and this was only for one weekend! It was worth it though. :o)

The next day we walked out on the pier and then we took a ride on the trolley that run up and down State Street because Bennett REALLY wanted to. He said it was a choo choo train. Believe it or not, this 25 cent ride may have been the highlight of the whole trip for him! We rode it to the end of the line and back. We ate a late breakfast at the last remaining Sambo's restaurant in California before heading home. It was so beautiful and Santa Barbara is one of my favorite places to visit. I had a hard time leaving. :o) We had a great time.

Bennett and I in front of a fountain at the Hotel Oceana.

Bennett riding a Safari Bus at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

Grammy and Bennett at the Zoo.

Bennett riding the "Big Kid" Swing.

Cheryl and Bennett on the trolley.

Bennett found a local doggie named Chopper and was playing fetch the ball with him. Press the play button to view the video.