California Dreaming Day 3

 Second hotel had bees! I thought it was very neat to see these bee hives on the roof.

 

 

 

Quick morning swim before we checked out of the hotel

 After our morning swim, Robert thought we should go return "Blackie or Dark Black or Vader" as we had named our first rental. The air conditioner was not functioning that well and he wanted something working well for our trip up to Simi Valley, especially if we got stuck in traffic.

We traded the Nissan in for a Cheverolet and were on our way to the Ronald Reagan National Library

 This trip was amazing, and we did not leave enough time to do the whole place and truely give it the time it deserved.  It was set up in the hills or mountains to us Iowan's. 

 Reagan was a drum major, who knew!

 Note the WHO microphone.  Lots of Reagan - Iowa ties.

 They had a little area where you could see what it was like to read from a prompter.  Surprisingly difficult.

A super special part of Reagan's library was the installation of Air Force One.  It just so happened Gpa Dallas worked on the radio/avionics in this very plane. 

 This plane is huge, the pictures do not do it justice. There is an entire part of the museum/hanger dedicated to how they placed the plane, rebuilt it and then built the building around it.  So breath taking and powerful to see.  This plane had quite the view.

Looking out at the hills

 Out in front of the library

 Standing on the patio looking in

Patio looking out

California Dreaming Day 2

 

The problem with Pricelineing your hotels is sometimes you get a really nice hotel for a great price.  This happened to us many times on this trip. We only stayed at one place that did not have white robes ready for my use, that and no free continental breakfast is how I seperate the 4 Stars from the 3 Stars.  This is great when Robert is traveling alone or with me.  But I have decided when you travel with kids it is nice to have that free or at least onsite breakfast option.  Taking the first person under six down to get a muffin and some juice it priceless if everyone else can snooze another hour.  But the perks of no hotel breakfast is you get to venture out and find some good local food, which on Fathers Day lead us to these delicious and big as Rob's head breakfast burritos.  We ate al-fresco which we tried to do the whole trip. I think Robert and I agreed that this was our favorite food the whole trip.

 

After breakfast I thought we should find a walmart, buy a small cooler and stock up on some essentials.  It was so nice to have some juice and granola bars to throw at the kids the rest of the mornings! We also grabbed a couple of towels and some snacks for the beach.

Robert dropped us off near the beach and he started the journey of finding a parking spot and then figuring out how to pay.  It was so nice to be dropped off, but I felt so bad since it used up a lot of our beach time and family time for him, and on Father's Day!

 Noelle enjoying a cinnamon danish

 Our little beach spot

 Checking out the pier

 How lucky are our little Kibbe kids to have had their feet in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and now the Pacific Oceans. I'll even add in Lake Superior since it seems like an ocean.

 Gpa Dallas soakig up the rays

 The kids were excited to see palm trees

 Noelle loves sand/digging. She was quite dirty.  I was thankful for the beach showers.  I just read that the State of California was turning most of them off this week because of the drought.

 He loved to run into and then Hulk smash the waves

 Em would run in and then turn her body

 After beach time we settled into the next hotel and rested a bit.  We decided Robert needed ice cream for dinner for Father's Day so we set out to find a local joint.  I had a monkey tail, Robert had a couple different flavours in his waffle cone. We gave Rob the cards we had made and packed and celebrated his love for us!

Califonia Dreaming

Leaving for vacation, one quick picture before we left Ames.

 

Kids first time flying. 

Our puddle jumper to Minneapolis had  Dallas and Emily in one row, Noelle and I together and Robert sat by himself.  Things went great, they were super excited to order a drink! We are so stringent with electronic use that I think they had the most fun playing ipad and iphone games.  On the way out Dallas and Em took turns with the iPad but we used a splitter so they both could hear with their head phones.  Noelle played on my phone, then took a nap for an hour (it was 10:00 pm our time).  I read almost a whole book!  I think Robert watched a movie on his phone and I am sure Gpa Dallas was enjoying first class for the four hour flight from MN to John Wayne.

We went from the airport to the Double Tree hotel in which we were greeted with a fresh baked cookie, it made for a great, late night snack.  The hotel was completely pack and hosting an Indian wedding.  We saw so many beautiful Saris, and heard lots of Top 40 songs in dance version.

Falling into summer.

We are completely into Summer mode around here.  No place to be in the mornings. Kids can get themselves up and around.  I usually get woken up by someone's screams or by Robert hoping I will make him a green smoothie before he leaves for work.  Yep - that is how lazy I have been, I am soaking it up now, and saving my responsible-early mornings for school. (which is sadly right around the corner). 

The kids still prefer raw veggies, if I can get this kind of plate out and ready after the pool but before dinner they chow down. We are getting one cucumber and several yellow tomatos out of the garden daily.

 Pool time is all the time

 My grandma and I - I think she is stretching, or rubbing something?

 Father's Day/Birthday outing of golf at Veekner.

 Summers are for Chevelle driving

 If this suit came in my size I would wear it too!

Merle Hay Target for the win! 3 bags of popcorn for $4 made for the best ride home to Ames

 The girls were invited for a playdate, that left Dallas and I alone to find out own plans.  He decided to put on a fancy shirt for lunch. I took him to The Grove Diner, biggest and best pancakes in Ames.  We sat at the counter and watched them cook and talked about which kind of car would autocross the best.

I babysat for Audrey and introduced her to nectarines.  She didn't want anything to do with it, until she wanted everything to do with it and then I couldn't have it back

Eatting my Good Guys - Iowa State Fair grounds tenderloin low carb.  Who needs the bun anyway?

 We found the biggest moth we have ever seen outside of a butterfly garden.  This imperial moth (Erin helped id) was hanging out on our tree.  It was easily 6 inches and had a very fury body.

 Dallas and Noelle had the idea to put on a wedding for two bears.  These are some of the guests, the isle and the Very Hungary Catapiller acting as the minister.

 Instead of racing his fun car, Robert came home from a work trip and hauled 2 cubic yards of mulch for me.  He is such a family guy!

Emily has been attending a program called Thrive a couple times a week at church.  This session she learned and made her own fresh flower corsage.

Noelle cheering on big brother with a sign that said "GO Big Hitters" at Dallas final T-ball scrimage.