Grand Mission

                       
Naomi wanted to wear her poufy dress and “ball shoes”.  Why not?

                    
Logan stepped in front, trying to show me whatever that coil is, and, although it’s an odd picture, I kind of like it.  Henry seems a bit uncertain of the whole thing.

Gotta get a picture in there of Logan too, just because.  The mess in the background looks like it was particularly bad that day.

                
Yep, we’ve been here before too.  It’s just such an easy trip up the road and a beautiful, historic place.

                            
I think this is the first time we’ve sat through the entire intro video.  Well, some of us sat through it anyways.

                         
Having covered the history of the place a few times, this is more what I’m here for.

                           
The kids, meanwhile, found their own preferred entertainment.

                 
Happy mommy.

                         
Happy kids.

Even the fish seem happy!

      
Moving through Serra Chapel.
                           The Great Stone Church briefly became a construction site.

And, with that, we’re off again.

Grand New Adventure!

 

The kids are patiently waiting . . .

            
I knew that the Ocean Institute in Dana Point is only open to the public on weekends but that they hosted field trips through the week.  Their website is not particularly informative, so I had gotten the impression that it might be better geared for kids at least a few years older than ours.  Then Logan and I went to a meal-packing event at our church and a woman spent at least thirty minutes telling us how great this place was, so with Henry and Janet in tow, we decided to check out something new!

This looks promising!

               
First up: an underwater robot that the kids get to steer.  Yep, that’ll do the trick; they’re hooked!

       
Tanks of rays and sharks and lots and lots of hands-on exhibits make this a great place for inquisitive, energetic minds.

                 
A touch tank, of course.

Characteristically, this might have been the biggest hit with the kids out of everything there.  You know, give them a toy, they play with the box; give them an ocean, they play with the kiddie pool.

                        
This touch table was spectacular.  They had bones, feathers, shells, pelts, an alligator’s head, the blade/snout of a saw shark, baleen, egg casings and a bunch of other things I can’t remember.

                  
Craft station?  Yep, check that box.


And, of course, lots more fish and ocean animal viewing.

                         
I call that a win!  

               
We didn’t even get to get on the tall ship.  Oh well!  It’ll give us something new to do next time.

Grand House Visit

Well, I’ve been more behind than this on the blog, but I think the last time it really got this bad was right after Naomi was born.  Good excuse then, not so much now.  Next round!
 Yep, we’ve been here before too, although not as many times as Legoland.  Thought Henry and Janet would enjoy it.

                   
I ran off with the kids and the camera so that the other adults could look through the house at a more leisurely place.  It might have been a mistake leaving alone with the camera; it was a gorgeous day in an extremely photogenic location.

                
Of course, the kids did their best to simultaneously distract me from the camera and give me even more photo-fodder.  They started by putting on a nice little show, including eisa dance(!), at the amphitheater.  
  We weren’t the only ones who thought it was lovely that day.  There were a couple of artists setting up easels in the central courtyard, capturing various aspects of nature and architecture with their paints.

 
After some time stretching their legs and dancing in the sunshine, the kids were more prepared to move indoors again. 

                            
A school group came through and Naomi paused, for only a moment, to listen to a portion of their lecture.  Doesn’t she look devout?

Drink it in.  Breathe deep and stare at that water.  Oh yes.

                       
Patriotic versions of the above.

               
Or if ocean view aren’t really doing it for you today, try this.  I’m feeling good now.  You?

                 
Yep, we’re all feeling good.  Henry and Jake were there too, I promise; they were just on a different schedule than the kids and I, and Janet preferred to keep pace with the kids.

We all met up at the end for lunch on the pier.