Meeting Great Grandma aka "GG"

In August my grandmother celebrated her 90th birthday in sunny Anaheim California.  We wanted to surprise her with our visits so only our Auntie Char knew we were coming.  My folks surprised her on her birthday and we surprised her two days later.  I hadn't seen my grandmother in around 10 years and of course she hadn't met Maci so this was an extra special visit.  The day we arrived, Grandma took us to her favorite Mexican restaurant that was a couple blocks away.  There we had the most delicious and CHEAP dinner ever!  Never had we tasted better Mexican.  It was fantastic! 

 

The next day my parents took us around the "city." They had both grown up near L.A. and want to show us everything.  We went to the Santa Monica Pier, which was so not what we expected.  Talk about a HUGE amusement park on the ocean!  It was too packed so we just drove down it and back.  They showed us where they lived and what church they got married in and the CBS station that my other grandpa worked.  We went to the LA temple where these first 3 pics were taken.  We ate at a Kosher Deli that my parents visited regularly when they were dating/newly weds.  We saw their first home and the apt that my dad stayed in during college.  We went down to Long Beach and saw the Queen Mary (David's favorite part) and a battleship.  Then spent 2 hours getting home because of traffic.  Each day was super busy and Maci only took cat naps, but was still a trooper.  She was attached to the binky most of the trip, that was the only downfall.

 

 

When we got to grandma's she mentioned to my dad that she thought she had a box of toys in her garage.  Dad went to look but he only found a box of Dominoes which she learned quickly to play.

Saturday was the birthday party over at Auntie Char's house.  Grandma was pretty tired by the time we were taking pictures but that didn't stop her from having the biggest smiles.

This is Cookie's bed.  Maci took it upon herself to share his bed.  Maci and Cookie became fast friends the moment they met.

This was our one stop at the Beach.  Maci still doesn't like the ocean :(  The only time she was happy was here when David was making a sand castle and if she was being held.  We were able to do some Tide Pooling, that is where you look for sea life on rocks/reafs when the tide is low.  We found lots of crabs and a few Anemones and a dead lobster.

This was Maci's favorite part of Grandma's house: the doggie door.  She would climb in and out of that all the time.  Even Cookie would follow sometimes.

Here, we were sadly saying goodbye. The end of our trip was near.  Pic below is with Auntie Char.

Overall it was a wonderful, fun packed trip.  We didn't have to be in the driver's seat so kudos to my dad! We were able to see my grandma and Maci finally got to meet her California family. I was able to see some family history which I have never had the opportunity before.  And the best part of the trip you ask? (mostly for Maci)  Every night at 9:00 we were able to see the fireworks from Disneyland.  We would grab the chairs from the pool side and sit on the sidewalk and watch.  Maci just LOVED it.  We all can't wait to go back to California.  We miss it already!

Fair time

  Back in the beginning of August, we were able to sneak over to the Richland County Fair in Sidney with the fam.  We didn't spend much time there but Maci loved every moment of it.

 

 She had to drive every tractor there was on display.

 She loved looking at all the animals and was even brave enough to pet a few of them.

 

 These were two rides that she got to go on.  It was hard to decide which one she enjoyed more.

 

She wasn't a happy camper when we decided to leave.  It broke her heart :(  Can't wait for next year!

Vegas

  Oopps, I forgot to add our Las Vegas trip on here.  At the end of April, David's boss took the staff to Vegas for a few days to attend a dental conference.  Since we are good friends with the dentist and his wife, Maci and I got to tag along.  

 Maci in the airplane with the trusty binky.  She just loves flying, definite blessing!

 We were lucky enough to stay in the Bellagio Hotel (yes, the same famous water show from the movie Ocean's 11).  Can I just say the one word that describes it for me?  Elegant.  When we walk into the hotel, check in counters are to the left and to our slight right is a restaurant that has live piano music playing.  Then if you look harder, there is a pathway to the left that leads into the casino.  I couldn't believe you could hardly tell it was there.

 

 On our way to the room and just past the hotel lobby, you find this AMAZING room full of flowers.  Rows and rows of fresh, colorful, beautiful flowers.  This bee, ya, totally made from flowers.  It was Maci's favorite thing to see on the entire trip.  We couldn't pass the room and not go in to see the bees or a we would have a very sad girl. 

 This is what the room looked like lit up at night.  If I remember right, the flowers would be put in/planted and would bloom within a day or two and then taken out a couple days later.  Probably just so the look of  "freshly bloomed flowers" were always seen.  I mean, this is the Bellagio... and Vegas for that fact.  Money doesn't mean a thing.

This place was in our hotel.  Jean Philippe Patisserie is a gormet chocolate store and serves fabulous food.  This chocolate fountain is the largest in the world!  Crazy.

 The dental conference started on Thursday and we got there Tuesday afternoon so we had all day Wednesday to sight see and do whatever.  Ryan and Krystin had been to Vegas a few times and wanted to show us another hotel called the Venetian.  Can I just say WOW!  This is my favorite place in this town city.  Inside the ceiling is painted like a sky and the lighting is low so it looks to be almost like sunset.  This live statue, well, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a picture with him.  Maci's looking at him probably thinking "I'm suppose to smile next to this white thing?"  Then there was a 15 minute show with these singers.  They performed a few numbers, one of which was a famous Italian one but of course can't remember the name.  Maci enjoyed watching them perform and they encouraged picture taking afterward.  

 Inside the hotel you will find a river where you can enjoy a Gondola ride.  Maci was too young but Ryan and Krystin were able to ride one.  If we ever go back to Vegas, I would love to stay here. 

Some other highlights of the trip; one night David and I went out to eat with the ladies at a Smith & Wolensky's where our one plate of prime rib was $45.00.  It actually could have fed 3 of us and then we all split the side dishes.  The food was decent.  The atmosphere could have been better, but we chose to be outside to enjoy the air, that was a plus.  One night we ate at a P F Changs which is one of my all time favorite restaurants.  The Dr took the staff to the Cheesecake Factory which was inside Caesars Palace.  I LOVED walking through there.  That hotel by far was the most fun.  Loved dinner.  Fantastic food.  There was an aquarium right next to us so Maci enjoyed looking at the fish.  One day Krystin, Maci and I met David and went to M&M World.  Maci had started loving M&Ms in the past couple months and was very happy to be in a store filled with all that.  We sat down to watch a 3D movie, which she didn't like.  I think it was too loud for her.  Bought her a yellow m&m plush toy (which she refers to as "m&m guy") and a bag of M&ms (duh, of course) that had all 22 colors.  All in all, it was a great little get away, maybe more so for me than David.  We saw a lot of the strip and was grateful that we had a child with us while walking so that the people handing out the filth wouldn't bother us.  Maci of course was a trooper traveler.  She even let me rock her to sleep while we were in the Venetian and took good naps, for the most part.  Saturday, our last day there, we finally got to visit the pool area.  It was very beautiful but way too busy to actually swim.  We all look back on this Vegas trip and smile.  Thanks Ryan for letting us come!!!