One of my favorite things we did was go to the Ronald Reagan presidential library and museum. As we were getting out of the car the children were wondering in less-than-impressed tones why we were going to look at a bunch of books. By the time we left they were enthusiastic about all of the interesting things we saw and learned.
Here the kids could see what each president has chosen for their official china to be used for state dinners; design floral arrangements for state dinner tables; and design their own official china.
This is the very Air Force One jet President Reagan and several other presidents after him used, including Presidents Bush, Clinton, and W. Bush. They wouldn't allow pictures inside the jet.
President Reagan is buried here. The view is amazing and peaceful. I came away so much more impressed with the man as a human being and politician.
This was a special exhibit at the library, leaving the same weekend we were. If it comes to your town go see it! It's a to-scale detailed miniature of the entire White House.
The ballroom with the piano on the right was the focus of a cool story. There is a painting of George Washington in there that was cut out of its frame, rolled up, and hidden away by one of the early president's wives as the British were coming to Washington. The British burned the White House, gutting the interior. The painting was the only thing saved from the first White House. This ballroom also used to house animals of all kinds in the very early days of our country.
Uncle Dave has a very cool hobby: wood working. He helped Evan, Bronwyn, and Liam make their very own Harry Potter wands.
This is the very Air Force One jet President Reagan and several other presidents after him used, including Presidents Bush, Clinton, and W. Bush. They wouldn't allow pictures inside the jet.
President Reagan is buried here. The view is amazing and peaceful. I came away so much more impressed with the man as a human being and politician.
This was a special exhibit at the library, leaving the same weekend we were. If it comes to your town go see it! It's a to-scale detailed miniature of the entire White House.
The ballroom with the piano on the right was the focus of a cool story. There is a painting of George Washington in there that was cut out of its frame, rolled up, and hidden away by one of the early president's wives as the British were coming to Washington. The British burned the White House, gutting the interior. The painting was the only thing saved from the first White House. This ballroom also used to house animals of all kinds in the very early days of our country.
Uncle Dave has a very cool hobby: wood working. He helped Evan, Bronwyn, and Liam make their very own Harry Potter wands.
These next few pictures are at a place in Thousand Oaks called Gardens of the World. It's small, but very beautiful, with several different kinds of gardens. It reminded me of a very small Thanksgiving Point Gardens. This is the Japanese Garden. It's supposed to be peaceful, serene. In fact, a sign warned against feeding the fish and "excessive behavior." The boys weren't too impressed with having to settle down. Ahem.
Knowing we were going to be getting honeybees this spring has awakened in my children a greater concern for the little critters. Here the kids are trying to rescue a honeybee that didn't seem to be able to fly well. They tried several different methods to scoop her up onto something they could use to move her off the walking path so she wouldn't be squished. And it was here that I caught my first whiff of orange blossoms. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
Not exactly Wizards Chess, but still fun. Evan won the match.
The Getty Villa in Malibu is now one of my favorite museums. It's based on an actual Roman villa from the time of Herculaneum. These silver bowls intrigued me because they are dated to 600 BC...about the time Lehi and his family left Jerusalem. I imagined they would have had fine silver things like this. These come from Turkey -- not very far away!
The trompe l'oiel here was so cool! The rectangular doorway is the only actual feature there in the middle. The yellow columns, pediment, tracery, and even the shadows of the tracery are painted on. The ceiling is real.
Malibu beach!!! We aimed for going at low tide to see if we could find any tide pools (didn't) and it was so lovely. The sun was warm, the breeze was cool, and the water was COLD. The kids didn't care about the water temperature. At least not at first. And this picture is my evidence that I have finally figured out the timer setting on my camera!
This yellow stuff is amazing. Hillary says it's a plant called Witches Hair. It's tangled all over the plants between Barstow and Baker, and there's a lot of it in Ventura County. I was fascinated. I got this picture off the roadside on the way back home. It was a little scary parking the car on the shoulder with those big semis blowing past.
My sister and her husband couldn't have been more gracious. We loved getting to spend time with them and their girls. I love getting to go out to see my sisters and their families, but coming home is always a little hard because I hate the physical distance that separates us. sniffle. Ooh. Enough sentimentality!
My sister and her husband couldn't have been more gracious. We loved getting to spend time with them and their girls. I love getting to go out to see my sisters and their families, but coming home is always a little hard because I hate the physical distance that separates us. sniffle. Ooh. Enough sentimentality!
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