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Showing posts from September, 2010

Disneyland!

We weren't planning to visit the happiest place on earth, but thanks to our fairy godmother Lynnie, we got to! We also got to spend the day at Disneyland with Cathie Marie, Lynnie, and see Lynnie's daughter Karen dance in the parade. The kids even got to join her in the street to do the Twist! Great weather and friends, and to make the day even more perfect, we had the homeschooler's advantage. Thursday=school day=no lines! :) The kids had a WONDERFUL time and we couldn't thank Lynnie enough! Josh was a bit scared on the Tower of Terror! The World of Color was an AMAZING water show! Short clips from World of Color... More pics...

Fun at Lynnie's

We got to spend some time at Lynnie's house Tuesday evening. If you know Lynnette Siler and Cathie Marie (who's visiting from England for the Adobe crop!), you know what a treat that is! My kids love them (almost as much as I love them)! They loved swimming and playing with her pets, and the yummy Mexican dinner!

Hollywood

Allen took the kids to Hollywood while I caught up on a little work after the Adobe laptop crop. Lizzy didn't see her beloved Hannah Montana as she hoped, but she still had fun. They climbed up to the sign (as Allen & I did last year ), saw the stars, hand prints, and even ate at Pink's .

Southern California is hot!

We're trying to beat the heat with our mobile lifestyle, but it sure caught us in southern CA! It was a beautiful drive down I-5, but wow did it get hot! 113F to be exact, of course the hottest temperature in recorded history in LA. And we were here for it, awesome. Notice the temperature on the rear view mirror! We almost miss our stalker storm that followed us for months. At least severe thunderstorms would cool it down!

Laptop crop at Adobe in San Jose/Francisco - wrap up

Wrap up by Lauren Bavin : Meeting our DSP friends in real life is always an exciting experience. Meeting them at the Adobe Laptop Crop is the ULTIMATE experience for any DSP member old or new. This year’s crop was scheduled for the third consecutive year at Adobe's Headquarters in San Jose but a last minute emergency shutdown of the building necessitated a move of the crop to Adobe's office in the historic Baker and Hamilton building in downtown San Francisco. With hotel rooms already booked in San Jose at the elegant Fairmont Hotel, we made this our base for the weekend. On Friday, the excitement kicked off with a photo walk Lauren organised at History Park and the Japanese Friendship Gardens . A film was being shot at the historic park so we were privileged to see people dressed in period costume re-enacting a scene from history, and the beautiful Japanese Gardens provided some great photographic opportunities. Early the next day we met in the hotel lobby for our bus trip

Fountains by the Fairmont

Our kids don't do anything half way. I'm sure they get that from us. We do say if you go, go all out. Allen and the kids had some time to kill waiting on me after the photowalk, so they got to play in the fountains in San Jose. By the time I got there, they were completely soaked, and thoroughly enjoying themselves!

San Jose photo walk

Before the Scrap the Map laptop crop in San Jose San Francisco, we had a photo walk in San Jose organized by New Zealander and DSP Designer Lauren Bavin . I'm not really sure why we always put a Kiwi in charge of outings in the US, but she always does a great job! We visited History Park and the Japanese Friendship Gardens and both were unique and interesting, although honestly it's the company that really makes it fun. We had a large group, all adorned with cameras (from pocket size to elephant hunting size). It was so fun to see people we've met before, finally meet some we've known online at DSP for years, and meet newbies for the first time. As usual, some of the grannies showed up as their flat selves and got into trouble. (They are printed and come with others since they can't be there IRL. IRL means in real life in case you're not a geek.) Some of the flat Digital Elite Team came as well and were equally rotten I hear. So, if you see a crew filmin

Lombard Street in San Francisco

We love listening to Bill Cosby, so when we saw Lombard Street , we were so excited! I've quoted the Driving in San Francisco bit so often growing up, and now the kids are also saying "Come around, idiot, come around!" It really does go straight up, then straight down. (Driving in San Francisco is on the Why is There Air? CD) After the hilarious bit about the straight up, then a stop sign at the top, here's Cosby's take on the street back down: "They built a street up there called Lombard Street that goes straight down, and they're not satisfied with you killing yourself that way—they put grooves and curves and everything in it, and they put flowers there where they've buried the people that have killed themselves. Lombard Street, wonderful street."

Trip into San Francisco to visit Adobe

Our family was invited to Adobe's San Francisco office to check out the new laptop crop location for Scrap the Map . When I say family, I mean the kids too! I told them it took me years to get my foot in the door and here they are waltzing right in. :p But they were very good, and then Allen took them to tour San Francisco while I stayed to plan with some of the DSP staff, Meg , Kim , Lauren , and Kerry. On the way there we saw the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and even Lombard Street (which every Bill Cosby fan would enjoy! Come around, idiot, come around!)