Bob Jones Trail

While Tracy and Matt were out celebrating their tenth anniversary, the rest of the family and some of the Phillips family joined us for us a hike down the Bob Jones Trail, some play time at the Avila park, and dinner from the Hula Hut. What a day!

All the photos: http://JF2.com/120901/

The Worst Combination of Kids at Costco...

...is AJ. Or so Tracy quipped at lunch today. We about split a gut, and it reminded us of the pics we took one day at Costco with the aforementioned child. (This picture was taken last December.)

Music Stand = Belt It Out

The next thing we knew... AJ walked up to the music stand (American Girl size) sitting on the coffee table and started belting out "Jesus Loves Me"! Don't you start belting out songs whenever you see a music stand!?

American Girl "Gymnapstics"

 

Serafina is very excited about her new American Girl gymnastics equipment. She says, "First day of gymnapstics (sic) for McKenna. Do you wanna go?!" Coach Serafina lends a hand. Serafina's now got McKenna off doing balance beam and floor exercises...

Back to School

Look out schools, here they come!

The Complete Back-to-School Photo

Up 'til now you've only seen the version with the twins cropped out. Here's the whole picture, and nothing but the picture...

Business and Pleasure

Santa Maria Valley Railroad Business Special to Seattle
August 9-14, 2012

Sometimes it all comes together. Like when you realize you've made your fun stuff be also your business stuff. We got a chance to do some business, plan some strategies, think long term; and play tourist a little, too! We even pulled our technical wizardry together enough for Rob to "run the railroad remotely".

Once you go private railcar, you'll never go back (or want to go back). OK, I'll go back as often as I can, but still. Private railcar is a first class experience from back in the days when first class really meant something. I don't mean 3-piece suits, though there was a tie now and then. And we interacted more like family and friends than business associates. Or maybe that's the best kind of business associates - family and friends. It was also that we were totally spoiled with fabulous meals, made up beds, "cruise directors", and drink servers who also became friends as the trip unfolded.

And Papa Bill got to join in on this one, too. You remember Papa Bill, a Compound Living great granddad who gets to be out here a couple months each year (from Kansas). He's been a train lover all his life, enjoying all scales from HO to garden to 12 inches to the foot. Riding, running, or modeling.

Lynn was all set to come along, too, until we realized that she had to be back at school the day before we left. Bummer. We'll schedule that better next time.

There are 6 web pages of photos: http://JF2.com/120809/