Hiking in Rancho Santa Fe

Who knew it could look like Fall in San Diego?? We found this beautiful park about 15 minutes from our house. It has little hiking trails all over the place. I think it may become our Sunday family activity. We had a great time but both Sam and Elise bit it on the pavement while playing in the leaves. There is a picture of Elise with her scratched up face and a close up of Sam's "Boo Boo knee." Hope I don't bore you with the scenery pics...this park was just so pretty. And a storm was passing by so I think I captured a few good ones.

Longbeach Aquarium

Sam has been fascinated lately by deep sea life and has never ending questions about who lives at what level and what eats what. He is particularly taken with Angler fish, lantern fish, and dragon fish. He has watched every deep sea documentary that I can find on You Tube and we draw endless pictures of Angler Fish. This all started after watching Finding Nemo. There is a big Angler fish scene in that movie. This past weekend we decided to take him to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Longbeach to help answer some of his questions. It is no Monterey Bay Aquarium but it is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, we did not find any deep sea fish but we saw lots of sharks, had a front row viewing of the shark feedings and saw many Nemo and Dory fish so Elise was excited too. I didn't get very good pics from inside the Aquarium but after we went on a boat ride around the harbor, I think I got some OK ones from the ride. Anyway, here they are...

More from Halloween

The night before Halloween we made a scary cake and little ghost cakes. Sam and Elise each decorated a ghost and gobbled them up.

On the morning of Halloween, Elise woke up very excited because she knew it was "Halloween Time." I am not sure what she thought that meant but she was very happy and knew that Sam was excited about it and so she ran around saying "Happy Halloween!" all morning. After breakfast she went running down the hall, looking in rooms and closets, and came back to the kitchen crying, "I can't see Halloween, Mommy."

Pumpkin Patch

I took Sam and Elise to the pumkin patch on Halloween morning to get some pictures of them with pumpkins. We originally went at night and I could not get any good pictures. Well maybe a couple.

OK...back to Halloween morning. I took them to the pumpkin patch and bribed them into letting me take their picture by telling them they could go on one ride if I got a good picture. So here are the cute pics I took of my little humans by some pumpkins.

Here are some pictures from the ride. You can see they are very happy to get to go on this "Bucket Ride" that spins around while you can spin your bucket. Kind of like the Teacups at Disneyland.

Hi Mom! Havin fun on the ride!

Still having fun!

How long is this ride?
Still spinning...6 minutes later.
7 minutes in and Sam's head is starting to not feel so good.

8 minutes in and his tummy is not right. Operator, can you stop the ride?
Please?? I know its Halloween and you think you are being nice by letting the kids ride extra long...but my son is going to be sick...

So Sam threw up and I had to carry him back to the car. When the ride was over these were the comments I heard.

From Sam: "I never want to go on that bucket ride again ever, in my whole life, Mommy. Never, ok?"

From Elise: "Mommy? Can I go on the bucket ride again? I want to go on the bucket ride, Mommy, no go home."