Visit to Phoenix

Labor Day weekend we visited uncle Trav in Phoenix. These first pics are from the Children's Museum which was really nice, even better than the new one in San Diego if you ask me, mostly because it was bigger and Ismael enjoyed all of it.

We spent about 4-5 hours there and practically had to drag Ismael out. I think his favorite parts were the supermarket, the pizza making and of course the race cars.

We almost melted, but we did visit the zoo, another favorite past time of Ismael. I also took him kicking and screaming from there, as I was about to pass out from the 100 degree heat.

Mexico fun

So here are a few more adventures in Mexico. We went to a water park that was partially indoors, so it didn't matter that it wasn't that hot outside. There were only about 15 people in the whole park, so when we wanted to go on a ride, we just had them turn on the water for that ride. It was pretty nice not to have to worry so much about where our stuff was & where the kids were going since they were the only ones there!!

Here Ismael's getting his first driving lesson...

And here they are dancing to Dora the Explorer making "silly faces" to get past the grumpy old troll...

Another Zoo

After visiting cousins in KS, we headed to Mexico to visit. We even went to the zoo again. Here's Ismael with cousins Briana, Ximena & Tia Schere in front of a white tiger.



Ismael was also very excited to get to sit on yet another tractor & then he got to ride the horse up & down the street! I was actually quite impressed that he wasn't too scared to get on!

3 Little Monkeys

Three little monkeys playing at the zoo.... and trying to stay dry. It rained hippos & elephants while we were there, but the 3 monkeys didn't care.

We had a little better weather at Gage Park in Topeka. Ismael rode the train about 4-5 times, even though he would have gone more if we'd let him. He was talking about it for days how he went in the tunnel & on the bridge.

Ismael was too scared to pull the whistle when the conductor offered, but once he left his seat, Ismael ran up for his chance.

Tractor ridin'

Everytime we visit Grandpa, we have to ride on the tractor. Not just once either. Again. And again.... this was no exeption. This time, however, we rotated between the tractor and the motorcycle, over & over again.

This time he even got to ride the tractor tricycle that Travis & I rode a long time ago....

July 4th

July 4th we flew back to KS to visit for a week since we were no longer concerned about moving. We first spent a few hours with some friends in Kansas City & went to Parkville so Ismael & Victor could go on a few rides.

In the evening we met up with Gma Yaya & watched Beauty & the Beast in the Shawnee Mission park with fireworks afterwards. Ismael was asking to see more fireworks for about a week afterwards as he didn't quite understand that it's not an everyday occurence.

June gloom, not so gloomy

In southern CA, the cloudy month (it's really only cloudy until 10am and then it's the normal 80 degree sunny weather) is referred to as June gloom or Marine Corp fog/haze. This June was hectic as usual but everything seems to have worked out for the best. It was the last month of internship and being on call 6x/month. My orders got changed from Great Lakes (Chicago, aka Antartica) to stay here at Camp Pendleton (aka beautiful sunny southern CA). Granted, they waited until 2 days before I was having the movers get my stuff to settle the deal, but whatever, I didn't have to move. The first 2 pics are from Knotts Berry Farm. We went with some friends for a birthday. Ismael only "drove" the truck about 5x...

This is from the anual "hail & farewell". Basically it's a dinner with video skits that each resident year has but together about the past year, usually poking fun at themselves, the hospital & our staff.

This is Ismael just before I took out the 2 stitches under his nose. He had jumped off of the sofa & hit his face on the coffee table edge. I have to brag that he got no numbing medicine for the stitches & didn't even cry. He even told the doc thank you afterward.

May showers

This is Ismael's massive (about 10' long) train track. The motorized Thomas & Percy don't fit in the bridge & so they often need Mom to come help repair it. I'd be rich if I had a dollar for each time I've fixed it.

Another of Ismael's favorite things to do is lining up all of his cars.

Grandma Yaya came to visit for a week in May, so in came the cold & rain along with her (it hadn't rained since December!). We visited the USS Midway in San Diego, where Ismael got to sit in the cockpit of an old plane.

Here we are at Legoland on one of the new rides that we rode several times.

Ismael & Bob the Builder at Legoland, CA.

The day Gma Yaya left, so did the cold & clouds (I think I've seen one cloud since she left!). Ismael & I went to the new Children's Museum in San Diego. Here he is molding some clay to make a rocketship. He also got to paint a VW bug, race wooden cars, go through a maze, build a city out of pillows, "swim in the ocean", rock climb, & lots more.

April 2008

We had more great weather in April as you can see by the pictures. Ismael & I were travelling to San Diego everyday since I was working in the ICU at the Naval Hosipital, so we didn't have much free time, but we managed. It was actually quite horrible, & I hope to never step foot in another adult ICU ever again (so nobody get too sick, I may not visit!!).

This is the beach at Camp Pendleton, we practically had it all to ourselves. Sometimes you can walk out on the dam & see dolphins, seals & octupi (?) in the water.

Here's Ismael "fixing" one of his many, many trains with his tools.

March activities

So, I can't really remember much about March... I took my Step 3 board exam (& I just found out I passed- yeah!), we played outside in the beautiful weather, we went to Disneyland (of course) & went to the beach... Not a whole lot of excitement. I would have liked to been able to catch up on things, but really I just tried to dig myself out of the hole I've been in since internship started.