Southern CA

So much to tell; we did so much on our short week to So. California. Liz, Sydney and I left early Wednesday morning driving south. Steve, Liz's sweet hubby, loaned us his new baby (GPS) for the trip. We dubbed her "Joyce" and were amazed at how no-nonsense, calm and intelligent she is. Joyce told us when we had made a wrong turn ("In 100 feet make a right turn if possible."), when we insisted we really DID want to go south on 101 and not Highway 5, she finally sighed and recalculated our trip. We just plugged in the addresses in Sacramento we needed to go and she got us there. By the end of the trip when we had turned her off (since we knew how to get from Sacramento to home, Sydney was confused, "How come Joyce isn't talking?" We turned her back on.

First stop was Sacramento, several business stops and then of course, we stopped at Runs with Scissors Quilt Shop in Citrus Heights. Our friend Marie owns this new shop and it looks great. It was hopping with customers, a quilting class and Jackie was demonstrating something in the back. We spent the night with Liz's friend Brilyn. Brilyn has the cutest 4 month old baby, Rylie Jayne. Thanks Brilyn & Joey. We were off on Thursday morning at the crack o'dawn thirty (5:30 am) and stopped for breakfast in Modesto. There was some rain now and again. In order to avoid Los Angeles we cut across CA at Bakersfield and through Tehatchapi (where we grabbed lunch and let Sydney play in the playland), to CA 395, down the Cajon Pass into San Bernardino and on to Redlands. Joyce was magnificent at getting us there, but she does NOT know the best way to get from the freeway to Dad's House! We arrived around 4 pm. After dinner Dad & Liz drove to the airport to pick up the Minnesota kids!

Great-Grandpa and Jakob got along fine!

The kids loved picking oranges and lemons right off the trees in Great-Grandpa & Willie's Redlands home.
Generally Jakob (3 in March) and Sydney (4 in March) get along pretty well. Some sibling-type rivalry, but they had so much fun playing (and plotting!) together. Jakob, the younger, is several inches taller and several lbs. heavier than Sydney....at Disneyland they really scoped him out as being under 3. I had to comment, "Would you like to see his passport?"

One morning we all got to go to Redlands High School, my Alma Mater for a booster's club pancake breakfast. Afterward we went to Sylvan Park and the kids all posed in front of the tree Mr. Scottie Dog and I met in....yes, a tree....I was 3 weeks out of high school and he was a junior in college. A week later we were engaged....40 years ago!

We played on the swings, slides and more. Here's sweet Mercedes loving the swing. Isn't she the cutest thing? She always has a big smile and a sparkle in her eye.
Dad and Willie were the best hosts. Willie fed us (and such a crowd!) fabulous meals....dinner conversation always consisted of , "This is fantastic! Can I have the recipe?" We filled up the house with people, toys and suitcases and not once did they complain! I think the bathrooms and the laundry really got a workout!

We visited with friends, went to Disneyland and more....I'll save that story till next time.