On the first leg of the journey - CLE to Houston. The boys had window seats.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 16th Mother flies to CLE from BWI |
July 17th finalize packing |
July 18th arrive San Jose 11:10am lunch with Leons Sarah & Chris |
July 19th Redwoods, Santa Cruz Sarah & Chris |
July 20th drive to Simi with Sarah, meet up with Jenny McGreevys |
July 21st BBQ & pool with Sweitzers Sweitzers |
|
| July 22nd party at Chagis McGreevys |
July 23rd Santa Monica, dinner with Hedges Clan (kids stay with McGreevys) Marilyn Hedges |
July 24th driving tour of Venice, Santa Monica Marilyn Hedges |
July 25th dinner with Sharon Walsh McGreevys |
July 26th Sarah flies back to San Jose Del Taco night McGreevys |
July 27th drive to UCSB, see Jenny & David Jenny & David |
July 28th Botanical Gardens Goleta Beach Jenny & David |
| July 29th back to San Jose dinner with Leons Sarah & Chris |
July 30th Placerville - Aunt Marge (kids stay with Sarah) Sarah & Chris |
July 31st San Francisco (Academy of Science, Golden Gate) Sarah & Chris |
August 1st fly home 8:40am |
August 2nd Mother flies back to BWI |
On the first leg of the journey - CLE to Houston. The boys had window seats.
Alan liked this view of the clouds.
Next segment - Houston to San Jose.
Sarah met us at the airport and took us to lunch at Applebee's
where we met up with Chris and his parents, Oscar and Gladys.
After lunch, we enjoyed visiting with the Leons at their house in Milpitas.
The ladies, outside of Oscar and Gladys's home.
Rex.
This is the school at which Sarah teaches: Cesar Chavez Elementary.
Typical street near Sarah and Chris's apartment. This is Santa Clara Ave.
Front of their apartment building on 12th St.
Their entrance is off the patio in back. They have access to avocado and lemon trees.
Living room.
Spacious kitchen.
The kitchen is home to Jasmine, a guinea pig.
And Abu.
Jasmine seems to like exploring in her exercise ball.
Chris and Jasmine.
Sarah made 'ice cream' with her juicer by running frozen bananas and berries through it without
separating the juice. Quite tasty and no added sugar!
Sarah behind the wheel of her car as we head out Thursday for some sight-seeing.
She took us to see Coast Redwoods and the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz.
Friday we rented a car and Sarah drove us down the coast to the McGreevys in Simi Valley.
Daniel was waiting with a welcome sign.
Molly had picked up take-and-bake pizzas and a salad from Costco - perfect choice!
Jenny beat us here. We'd driven the 101 past UCSB, but didn't have space in the car to pick her up.
As it turns out, she had an easier trip since the train doesn't get stuck in rush hour traffic like we did.
Jenny spent the weekend hanging out with us while David did the same with his family who, coincidentally,
were in town at the same time.
Daniel, Roger, and Alan worked off a little pizza with a hike to Elephant Rock.
The boys, including Emily's boyfriend, Adam, Seth, and another friend, Chris, enjoyed some gaming camaraderie.
Chris told Alan his Zelda 3DS is a collectible, and he was rather envious.
John narrated his pictures of their 2-week adventure to Ireland.
The whole McGreevy family had participated, and they
returned less than a week before we arrived in town.
Each one has a 3DS.
Sarah had been promising herself some Coffee Bean coffee
(There isn't a close one in San Jose), so we
stopped in before heading to the Sweitzers on Saturday.
We returned to the McGreevys house Sunday afternoon, and then partied at the
Chagis home that evening.
Molly and Daniel took us to Sycamore Park Monday morning.
This park is right next door, but the closest entrance path is
very steep, so Molly drove the van around for some of
us while the kids hiked over.
The kids tried out the swings briefly.
Roger and Daniel can scale this climbing wall very quickly.
The unique part of this park is the rock grouping, part of which is known
locally as 'Elephant Rock' because of its shape.
A hawk sailed overhead.
Roger has excellent balance.
The kids hike back home along the fence.
The 'trunk' of the elephant shape is seen more clearly here.
The arrow indicates the McGeevys' house.
Mother and I drove to Santa Monica Monday afternoon to visit with the Hedges Clan.
The kids elected to take Molly up on her invitation to stay with the
McGreevys. Sarah had a chance to visit with her friend from high school, Erin, who is currently
living in Moorpark. The boys played Disney Monopoly with Emily. They're over-dramatizing losing to a big sister!
Mostly, they just played games and enjoyed some down time, but Molly and Sarah did get them out to a movie matinee.
When Mother and I returned on Wednesday, Molly decided to treat us to Toppers Pizza for lunch.
The boys had been making paper airplanes, so they decided to test them at the park.
Daniel introduced Roger and Alan to the sport of bed-sledding. He used
the old mattress Emily had just replaced.
Alan and Bailey. The Cooper entourage went to see Sharon Walsh
in Moorpark Wednesday evening.
Alan asked if he could make pancakes Thursday morning. Daniel made
omelets. Our boys are developing useful skills!
Glen called, so he's in this picture, too, talking to John.
Unfortunately, work demands didn't permit him to join us on this trip.
We left the boys at home and had a ladies expedition to Costco. We
brought back a pizza for them. They were very happy with that scheme, of course.
Sarah took a Roadrunner van to LAX for her flight back to San Jose. She had to
head home sooner than the rest of us so she could attend a friend's
wedding on Saturday.
Del Taco Night -- a tradition.
Del Taco is a typical fast-food chain, but this one has an indoor play-place,
and we'd been in the habit of grabbing dinner here periodically when the
boys were younger. We could shoe-horn an hour of visiting into busy
schedules that way.
We were treated to a beautiful sunset that evening while waiting to
pick up Daniel from a scout meeting.
The Chagis joined us for dessert at the McGreevys' house.
Andy indulged us with a bit of music. We belted out songs
from Fiddler on the Roof, and even a couple Christmas and Hanukkah carols.
The now-obligatory game of Ticket to Ride!
Friday: time to leave Simi, and head for Santa Barbara. Even Bailey had to get in the picture.
Just for grins, we drove past the QualityLogic office in Moorpark as we headed west.
Glen telecommutes here, but ironically, he wasn't with us.
Heading north on the 101. Next stop, Jenny and David's place.
Saturday, Jenny took Mother and me to the Botanical Gardens while David introduced the boys
to an online game, Dungeon Defenders. It was such a hit that they continued to play
together online once we were home in Ohio.
And then back up the coast Sunday, arriving later than planned in San Jose. We'd hoped to
be in time to go to dinner at a special Peruvian restaurant, but got stuck in Gilroy Garlic Festival traffic.
We ended up at a Round Table Pizza at 10pm instead, with Sarah, Chris, Oscar, and Gladys.
Monday, Mother and I drove to Placerville to visit with Aunt Marge while the boys stayed with Sarah.
Sarah and Chris took them out to play minature golf. Thank you, Chris, for the pictures!
Some of their loot from cashing in tickets. Sarah planned to add these balls to her
prize bin at school.
Roger was VERY happy with his iPod he won with a Claw machine.
Chris took Tuesday off from work and drove us all into San Francisco.
Wednesday, August 1st: time to head home.
Flying over California - San Luis Resevoir is visible here.
Alan spotted these irrigation circles, probably somewhere in Texas as we approached Houston.
The Ohio River shimmered in the afternoon sun. Louisville, KY is below.
Mother spent the night with us and then flew back to BWI the next day.