Jordan talking at Dinner

Summer 2010

This past summer we went to our favorite beach spot at Powerhouse in Del Mar. When we go to the beach Shanne likes to make things with the sand. On this particular visit he decided to make a sea turtle. Jordan thought it was pretty cool and we couldn't resist a couple of shots with him sitting on his shell.

It was a fun day. I love this photo of Jordan laughing with his Daddy. The water was too cold for me so I stayed on the warm sand and snapped photos of them playing.

Cousins

These are Jordan's cousins. They visited us from Memphis.

Jordan and his Aunt Michelle

The Beauty of a Rainy Day

These are pictures that I took in my in-laws backyard. They have the most beautifully manicured backyard with green grass, different types of trees and lots of flowers and flowering plants. On this particular day, it was overcast & raining all day, but I just had to get out there and take some photos. I admit I'm a complete amateur, but I think these are pretty regardless.

Bates Nut Farm 2010

We went to Bates Nut Farm with Grandma & Grandpa Sleder. It was fairly overcast and cold.

Helping grandpa with a close-up picture.

Bates Nut Farm Continued

Contemplating which pumpkin to buy. Which is the biggest? Why do they all have flat bottoms? When do we eat?

Jordan's first horse ride. Right away he wanted to pet the horse and while riding he kept saying "neigh, neigh"!

Tractor-pulled hay ride. Notice the clouds in the background...it was a pretty cold day.

Just one more...

Love this one.

At the Pumpkin Patch

Just the three of us at the pumpkin patch. Jordan liked standing on the hay stacks. He loves to climb on things, so he was a little upset when we had to move for the next person.

Stopped to take a pic on the tractor-pulled hay ride. I love the opportunities to take family photos with the 3 of us. We don't think to do this very often.

After the hay ride we went through a corn maze.

San Diego County Fair 2010

I think some cows are just beautiful. This one had the pretty eyes and color of coat.

This is one my favorite pictures! By the look on his face, you would have thought that we bought the cow. Double-click on it to see it better.

He did not like the pigs. They were a bit to loud for him.

Our 8th Wedding Anniversary

Shanne and I celebrated our 8th anniversary this past July. He surprised me with a planned trip to Santa Barbara. We spent the weekend at the Bacara Resort & Spa in Goleta. It was beautiful.

This is one of the walkways along the shore.

Coastal sage is one of my favorite smells.

We loved spending time at the spa. The best part were the soft robes we got to wear. All the swimming pools on the property were saline-filled. I really enjoyed our time there and I wouldn't mind visiting Santa Barbara again someday.

The Bacara owns the land surrounding their property. They grow their own vegetables & fruits in a 10-acre garden very close by and they offer tours of their avocado & citrus groves.

The resort was built in the spanish colonial style (which I really love). The room we stayed in had its own private balcony. It was such a relaxing time.

We found out that the resort was built right next to a historical site where the Japanese attacked the mainland during WWII. I was really excited about this news because it made the place even more interesting. Luxurious & historical...right up my alley. :)

The sign reads...On February 23, 1942, at 7:00 PM, during one of President Roosevelt's Fireside Talks, the Japanese Submarine I-17 shelled the Richfield Oil Field Facility at this site with 28 5-inch rounds. Not since the War of 1812 had the U.S. Mainland been attacked by a foreign power.

I had to take this picture. Its crude oil that seeps up naturally from the water. Along the beach there was quite a bit of it. We weren't aware of it until we got back to our room that it had got on the bottom of our feet and we had to spend some time getting it off. Even though the crude oil is there its still a beautiful stretch of sand and nice to walk on.

We visited the Santa Barbara Mission. It was pretty neat.

Broccoli

Okay, I think that every parent has the right to brag every now and then. My kid eats broccoli! Initially he wasn't very sure about it, but then I guess he was intrigued by the odd tree-like shape and he decided to try it. Turns out he likes it...a lot! I actually have a hard time getting him to eat non-green veggies. Okay, I'm done. Well, not really, if you think about it that's what family blogs are all about "bragging". I'm a Super Proud Parent! Yeah broccoli!! Okay, done.

More Moments @ Disneyland

This was our 2nd trip to Disneyland. This time grandma & grandpa Sleder joined us.