To the Zoo with the Foster Twins

Papa Jamie and Trevor took the "Nipomo Twins" to the Zoo in Santa Barbara today. By train, of course! We visited the usual haunts: Eladio's for breakfast and Enterprise Fish for dinner. In between it was 100% zoo. The temperature was over 100, but that barely phased us. The "Lemon Chills" at the snack bar were pretty yummy, though. The rest of the pics are here.

Painted paw prints, in this case chicken footprints.

100 degrees!

The kids have a book about Lucky.

Riding cardboard down the "ant hill" is always fun.

At Enterprise Fish Co.

Arriving Santa Barbara!

Christmas Movies

Here are our (OK, Jamie's) list of Christmas movies. Not exactly sure how to describe perfectly the requirements to be on this list, but in order to get on this list, one or more of these have to be true: 1. The movie is about Christmas. 2. There's a significant Christmas "part" in the movie. 3. The background in the movie is largely Christmas. 4. Clearly set at Christmas time. 5. Anything that plays on the Hallmark channel from Thanksgiving through Christmas. 6. Jamie likes to watch it during Christmas time. Christmas movie season starts in mere weeks - be prepared.

* 12 Dates of Christmas * 8 Women * About a Boy * All I Want for Christmas * All Is Bright * Angels Sing * Apartment, The * Arthur Christmas * Babes in Toyland (1934) * Babes in Toyland (1961) * Bad Santa * Badder Santa * Batman Returns * Bell, Book, and Candle * Best Man Holiday, The * Beyond Tomorrow * Bishop’s Wife, The * Black Christmas (1974) * Boyfriend for Christmas, A * Bush Christmas * Charlie Brown Christmas, A * Christmas Card, The * Christmas Carol (1938), A * Christmas Carol (1951), A * Christmas Carol (2009), A * Christmas Eve * Christmas in Connecticut * Christmas Mail * Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, The * Christmas Shoes, The * Christmas Spirit, The * Christmas Story, A * Christmas Tale, A * Christmas That Almost Wasn’t, The * Christmas with the Kranks * Comfort and Joy * Coming to America * Crown for Christmas * Cutting Edge * Dead (1987) , The * Dead End * Deck the Halls * Die Hard * Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! * Edward Scissorhands * Eight Crazy Nights * Elf * Ernest Saves Christmas * Eyes Wide Shut * Family Man * Family Man, The * Family Stone, The * Father of the Bride * Four Christmases * Fred Claus * Friday After Next * Frosty the Snowman * Godfathers * Grandpa for Christmas, A * Gremlins (1984) * Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever * Harry Potter Sorcerers Stone * Help for the Holidays * Holiday Affair * Holiday in Handcuffs * Holiday Inn * Holiday, The * Holly and The Ivy, The * Home Alone * Home Alone 2: Lost in New York * House Without a Christmas Tree, The * How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) * I’ll Be Home for Christmas * It Happened On 5th Avenue * It’s a Wonderful Life * Jack Frost * Jingle All the Way * Joyeux Noël * Just Friends * Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang * Krampus * Kristin's Christmas Past * La Buche * Lemon Drop Kid, The * Lethal Weapon * Little Drummer Boy, The * Look Who's Talking(s) * Love Actually * Lovely, Still * Man Who Came To Dinner, The * Meet John Doe * Meet Me in St. Louis * Metropolitan * Mickey’s Christmas Carol * Miracle on 34th Street (1947) * Miracle on 34th Street (1994) * Mixed Nuts * Most Wonderful Time of the Year, The * Mr. Destiny * Muppet Christmas Carol, The * National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation * Nativity Story, The * Nativity! * Night Before, The * Nightmare Before Christmas, The * Nightshift * Noel * Nothing Like the Holidays * November Christmas * Nutcracker (1993) , The * One Magic Christmas * Perfect Holiday, The * Pete’s Christmas * Polar Express, The * Prancer * Preacher's Wife * Rare Exports * Ref, The * Reindeer Games * Remember the Night * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer * S.C. Congress the Martians (?) * Santa Claus (1959) * Santa Claus Conquers the Martians * Santa Claus: The Movie * Santa Clause 2: The Mrs Clause, The * Santa Clause, The * Santa Suit, The * Santa Who? * Santa with Muscles * Santa’s Slay * Scrooge (1970) * Scrooged * Season of Miracles, A * Serendipity * Shop Around the Corner, The * Silent Night * Sleepless in Seattle * Snowglobe * Snowman, The * Surviving Christmas * Susan Slept Here * Toy Story * Toy, The * Toys * Trading Places * Trading Places * Trapped in Paradise * Ultimate Christmas Present, The * Unaccompanied Minors * Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, A * We’re No Angels * While You Were Sleeping * White Christmas * Window Wonderland * Year Without a Santa Claus, The * You've Got Mail *

AJ Explores

Papa and AJ did a quick run to the Exploration Station in Grover Beach. These were his favorite stations...

Backhoe

Vibe Table (Earthquake simulation)

Crane

Parabolas

41st

And the two of us thoroughly enjoyed a Foremost Wine Company evening, complete with desserts and champagne. BTW, they've got a new curry flair to the roasted cauliflower!

Fun with Trash Cans

These were used for macro-scale beer pong Saturday at an adult party over at Gibs'. The kids, of course, figured out all kinds of ways to play with them.

Driveway Time

Spontaneous play on the driveway earlier today...

1 Place, 3 Photographers

We took a jaunt to Montana de Oro. But this time, Matteo had a camera with him and AJ got as many shots as he wanted with Jamie's. Matteo's camera was pretty old, low-res. It's amazing he did as well as he did. All the pics are here. You'll see Matteo goes for wildlife.

AJ's

AJ's

Matteos'

Matteo's

Matteo's

Great Lodges of the Northwest

Four intrepid adventurers set off to add to their collection of Great Lodges of the West following this itinerary: We took Amtrak's Coast Starlight from SLO to Klamath Falls, OR and headed right over to Oregon Caves Chateau. We made a quick stop at It's a Burl in Kerby, OR on the way to the Timberline Lodge at Mt Hood. In the vicinity of Mt Hood we did a 2+ mile hike around Trillium Lake. Then on to Paradise Inn at Mt Rainier with a couple runs down to the National Park Inn at Mt Rainier for breakfast (change of pace). We visited Pike Place Market and Elliott's Oyster House while overnighting at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront before our return to SLO from Seattle by train. What a great, relaxing time. Target rich environment for photography. This book is what got us started: Great Lodges of the National Parks.  All 1372 photos are here.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight from SLO to Klamath Falls.

Oregon Caves

At the Oregon Caves Chateau.

The Chateau at the Oregon Caves

Timberline Lodge at Mt Hood.

On Mt Hood (took the ski lift up).

Timberline Lodge.

Mt Hood from Trillium Lake.

Paradise Inn at Mt Rainier.

Lens cloud (right) above the Tatoosh Range with Mt Rainier on the left.

Carter Falls at Mt Rainier.

Christine Falls

Marmot.

One afternoon and evening along Seattle's waterfront.

Return on the Starlight from Seattle.

FIrst Day of School

Sam's already at school.

End of Summer

And no one knows quite what to do.

Naughty Sauce

Oh no, a climber! Yes, she had pulled the stool over to assist her ascent. We find her up on top of tables nowadays.

A New Face

Another cover of Central Coast Family Magazine. But this time it's David!

First Pizookie

Your first pizookie sampling is serious business. @bjsrestaurants

Pretzels and Pazookies

The four youngest boys dove into a pretzel-making experience today, under Nana's watchful eye. And Lexi, on the road with Mom and Dad, had her first pazookie experience. Great day!

AJ's "Olaf" pretzel!

25th Time's a Charm

Annie Jr will be Serafina's 25th production! It's true. OK, that includes stage and film gigs of all sizes. Matt and I counted 'em up last night. Seems impossible (but here's the list). And this time, she lands a lead. Actually, the title role! Yup, she's playing Annie. It's a milestone, and she's gotten here with tons of support from cast-mates, crew-mates, teachers, directors, coaches, companies, and "enablers" from all manner of friends and family. All of whom we can't thank enough.

Annie Jr is a Coastal Youth Theater production that will run at the Clark Center from November 4th through the 13th. See you there!



Oh, and guess who's playing "Dumb Dog"?...

Siscos and Ashes

The entire Foster-side clan came out from Kansas and Chicago and DC this week to give a fond farewell to Papa Bill. We took his ashes to sea with ALL of his (and Francie's) descendants on board! We were on the Papagallo II of Oceanic West, a family experience just as Papa Bill would have wanted, including some great times before and after the sea trip enjoying ourselves at various favorite places around the county. Trevor and Jen hosted us at Daou Winery. We followed that with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Novo. Following the boat trip the next day we had a quick, excellent lunch at Eureka Burger SLO (you've got to try their brussel sprouts!). Then off to the SLO Little Theatre to see Serafina in The Jungle Book (17 strong!). On our way to Olde Port Inn, an absolute favorite of Papa Bill's, we paused for some good times at Clesi Winery. For the first time ever, despite a number of historical attempts, we brought home an entire Butter Finger Pie from Olde Port. I'm sure Dad got a big kick out of that, though he would always have a dish of ice cream with chocolate syrup for himself. All Jamie's pics are here.