and all the rest...

the rest of OCTOBER that is...

Seriously... can I get my act together or what!?!?

So because life has been sooo busy, I have not had a minute to sit down and update the blog. Now that we have a friend staying with us for a while, in our office, I am trying to get things organized so as I won't have to spend much time in here... and that means updating the blog!

So here it is in pictures... the rest of the trip to San Diego...

Remember... to get a better view, click on the picture to see it enlarged!!

Time with Uncle Bob!
(very short, but so nice to see him)


Uncle Bob hooked us up with a Seal boat ride!






time at the beach... Coronado...

can we please move here?!


he hates the sand...












then... the kids got soaked, and full of sand!

she laughed...



him... not so much!





and now to recap the rest of October (sans Halloween festivities... that is to come in the next blog!)





Gabby and her best friend Tori in matching outfits!




sharing is caring



grrr... this is how Mason helped me cook dinner
please click on this to enlarge... just so you can get
the volume of what exactly he did that day!




Gabby had a sleep over with her neighbor friend Angelina... they had a blast!




deep in thought...




resting on the floor




We did a food drive with our church, and were able to fill up 4 boxes of food for those less fortunate for Thanksgiving. We wanted the kids to be as involved as possible (mainly for Gabby to understand giving, and helping)... here are the kids getting the donations ready! They did and assembly line with daddy!



the hand off...


the pass...



"it's in the box!!"

Well folks, that is it for now... I hope you enjoyed this. If I don't get back to this soon... Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!... oh and tomorrow GO GRIZ!!!

Livin in the Wild Side...

So... the day after Sea World, we headed out to the San Diego Zoo with my awesome sister Melanie.

We all concurred that this was the "liveliest" we had ever seen the place!

We started our journey with the reptile area...


1) we saw a snake yawn... how bizarre it was
2)... see picture below

EWWW now that's gross
please click on it to enlarge...
(do turtles really poop like THAT?)

3)... again, see picture below


buddy... it's just not happening today...
she was saved by the overhanging rock


4) off to the orangutans...
they are always a lively bunch
see pictures below...


he was posing for everyone to take a picture with him...
Gabby of course was NOT camera ready LOL


Mason is mad because he can't touch the orangutan

still #4) While viewing the orangutans we witnessed a most incredible situation...
The mother orangutan was quite upset with her unruly child... she was simply trying to groom him for a presentable appearance for us fellow onlookers, but he had escaped her and ran up the tree. Before we knew it, she was ripping him out of the tree (when I say ripping, I am using that term loosely) as she basically pulled him down out of a tree from about 10 feet up. Upon him landing on the ground, she then smacked him upside the head and threw him up against the viewing window... she my friends was enforcing a lot of physical discipline... but she felt she had to do what she had to do...
We stayed and watched the charade for a good 15 minutes... the child all the while never letting up, and his mother all the while relentless to make him mind and listen!! I must admit I rather enjoyed watching this mother struggle with her son, as I can relate on so many levels as to how she felt...
awwww mother nature at her finest!


5) onto the apes
MY FAVORITE!!

they had all just been fed... so were all snoozing in various positions...
here's momma and her babies ... loving cuddle time.
The silver back would only show us his rear while we were there... in fact at one point he got up... we thought... "what is he going to do!?!?"... but all he did was switch hips, lay back down, still back and rear facing us... THANKS DUDE!!


6) Elephants get excited for treats!

the elephants noticed their care giver in the pen area... they hurried over to see what the fuss was all about... only to be given some yum yums...



7) the rhinos...

too bad they didn't spew any bodily fluids at us...
but it was nice to see them out in the area for once
(I haven't seen them in over 6 years at the zoo.. always off exhibit!)


8) THE BEST OF THE BEST...
the Giraffes

man... he's all up in her business
(moments later after this picture was taken, the female proceeded to urinate all over the mouth and head of the male giraffe... he immediately lifted his head in utter confusion and licked wildly at the air... did he enjoy it? I don't know... but it was quite a site to see... our exact words were... EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW that is NASTY)



"when giraffes pee on each other... I think it's great... daddy... not so much!"


soooo tired from walking... they both needed shoulder rides



all of us waiting in line for the panda exhibit


Mason decides to figure out where we will go after the panda exhibit...


9) Momma Panda

shhhh be very quiet... they don't like loud noises...
we even got to see the baby Panda lounging in the tree above... sound asleep.
Let's all say it together.... AWWWWWWWW





we love riding on polar bears.... such a great method of travel!


loungin in the polar bear cave...

10) ZEBRA

Seriously... I had to take a picture...
notice the "5th leg"
If you thought the Clydesdale in the Sea World post was inappropriate or obscene,
take a look here at this fellow... He was LITERALLY swinging it...
and my daughter, yes MY daughter loudly yelled... "THAT ZEBRA HAS A HUGE BLACK PENIS MAMA"
A moment I am oh so proud of ;)





in a punk mood, watching the Hippo


Auntie Melanie and Gabby watching the hippo


the hippo... he's a nice fellow eh?

11) HIPPOS ARE NASTY
So notice all of the happy smiles and the clear water the hippo is swimming in...
after these pictures were taken, this lovely hippo put his a$$ up against the window in such a way, and CRAPPED his brains out... it was an "old faithful" experience of @#$# spewing in the air and the water surrounding him... and quickly turning the water to a nasty green murky color... I swear that hippo was smiling afterwards at all of us as we fled...
NEVER have I seen an exhibit clear so fast... it was utterly disgusting.


Well... that's all for the lively adventure we experienced at the ever famous San Diego Zoo... I hope you enjoyed my rather descriptive posting on our excursion!
Stay tuned for the final chapter of our trip... a boat ride and beach fun...

I hope you all had a lovely Halloween... we had a great one... our friends the Sparks were here for a visit and it was a fun time... shout out to the Sparks... thanks for such a fun visit!!! Can't wait to see you again... Gabby sure misses her Emma!!!

Until next time...
peace and blessings to all...


ps... wow when I post again, we will have selected the new leader of our nation... WOW!!!

Splish Splash

We were takin a bath....

Or so Gabriella wished...

Our visit to Sea World was filled with many awesome adventures... we touched some star fish, and Gabby and I reached wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy down into the water to "pet" the sting rays. Thankfully enough... it was a wee bit chilly in San Diego this fine day... making it just unbearable enough for us to sit in the splash zone... much to my daughter's dismay. I for one am NOT a fan of water, of any sort, or getting it on me... I get too cold. Well, let me rephrase that, clarify it if you will... I LOVE hot water... HOT TUBS... and that is it. I love to get my bum scalding hot red from the burning water... but cringe at the thought of anything colder than "hot as blazes water" touching my body.

I think... in fact I know I just got WAY off track there... and probably shared a little too much information... and perhaps gave mental images to people that they probably would rather not think about!!!! Sorry... I get carried away at times...

Ok... back to that Sea World excursion. We saw many wonderful sea creatures and had a blast the entire day. Mason got a lot out of it this time, as the past 2 times, he could have cared less. As now he is really into animals... and "shishies" (fishies) are one of the few he knows the animal noise for!!! So needless to say... he was a ball to have around that day... and of course the ever eloquent Gabriella was there to once again, take in all of the majesty Sea World has to offer... not to mention the spectacular spooky Halloween decorations and props they had.. she really got a kick out of that!

So here are the pictures from our fun day! Enjoy!!!

one word: HUGE



just another day... just another argument



Waiting for the Clyde and Seamore Spooktacular Show!



click on this to enlarge...
he was a master rapper, she was a pretty princess...

and they decided to give us a show...
they spoofed the 5 scariest shows they have ever seen...


#1... Baywatch... she was attacked by a shark!


#2 He was Luke's father... Starwars



#3 Scream... and here she was scratching her... bumm



#4 Scooby Doo!! They are searching for a white ghost...

oh... here it is...



#5... and the best... THRILLER!!!




as you can see... Mason thoroughly enjoyed the show!

"those are really big teeth mom"




the polar bear cave is really cold....the walls are made of ice



did you hear that ferocious growl???



"hey this is pretty cool!"




taking in the beauty ...



and this is the beauty she captured...




just taking a break.... sunbathing in that warm socal October sun




oh yes we did.... we dressed alike!



trying to catch that tricky water!!



playing in the tunnel... (while Mason napped in daddy's arms)




seriously... it's still the same dolphin show it was when I first moved to SD almost 10 years ago!!



ya... so I guess he's pretty unique and cool... so we were told... so ya, we touched him... we are cool like that...



"dude, I like totally just caught some killer.... waves?"
(ok... who gets it!?)


you really gotta reeeeeaaaaaaaaaaach to touch them.... (sting rays)
DON'T FALL IN!!



Mason dude... kickin back, relaxin, waitin for the grand finale of shows to begin...
SHAMU



and WOW there he was!!





and directly quoted from the "Pets Rule" show...
THE END

(next up... our crazy, exhilarating zoon adventure!)