December Events 2016

 

Lots of activity...

 

Day after Thanksgiving, Toby falls and breaks his hip. He's been in a Burbank Rehabilitation Center since then--slightly chaotic but a very good physical rehabilitation crew.

 

 Christmas activities go ahead--

 

 

 

Handsome men at The Nutcracker Suite 

 

The Page Kenders decorating their tree.

 

 

The Page Bethels arriving--Simon entertaining Toby.

 

 

Maddie earning her advanced green belt!

 

 

Page Bethels at the Santa Monica Pier.

 

Dinner at Benihana's 

A rainy day at Legoland...

but we loved it.

Sam's big 40th!!!!!

 

And Christmas photos:

 

 

Goings On...

 

 

A visit to the Feinsteins--here's Lea and sweet granddaughter Lucy in Palo Alto.

 

Festive table setting for Thanksgiving at the Page Kenders--the grown-ups' table

and the kids. 

Meanwhile the Page Bethels traveled to Tulsa to be with David's family for Thanskgiving. 

Gwen and Simon standing under Rachel's picture at the Smithsonian exhibit in the Panama airport.

The love of dogs.

Big boy haircut!

Big boy total concentration.

Much to my amusement on a recent trip to Michael's Maddie suddenly realized that she really liked shopping.  Ahhh---join the gangs of us that feel the same way!

 

Legoland

 

Couple of weekends ago Sam and Jess, the M's, Jess' mom and I went to Legoland--which was

 

 

 

FULL of Legos, as you can imagine.

 

 

 

Just one example--an armored suit built out of Legos,

 

 

 

Legos even in the swimming pool.

 

 

 

It was all a blast--loved it, but glad I didn't go on this ride!

The America I Want

 

 

 

When I was watching Maddie and Max's school Halloween parade in Burbank last week, I realized that standing in front of me were parents representing the mix that constitutes America: several African Americans, an Asian, a Latino, and a Muslim woman in a hijab.  Behind me was a white guy on a ladder.  All were there for their children, and that mix of kids was marching around the circle together, totally happy together. 

This is what I want America to be.

Halloween in Burbank and Gamboa

 

In Burbank, the Edison Elementary School Costume Parade the morning of Oct. 31st,

our two Pokemon characters (costumes made by Amelia):  

 

 

 

Maddie's behind the hot dog.

 

 

 

Maddie as Pikachu

 

 

 

Max as Lucario

 

 

 

Lucario with a newly missing front tooth! 

 

 

 

Lucario and class portrait.

The great Halloween haul.

 

Halloween eve in Gamboa.

 

 

At Gwen and Simon's Gamboa Discovery School, Captain Fasma, an Ewok, and Princess Leia, the "most creative parent-child combo."

 

Quite creative goodies:  

 

 

 

 

Wonder how tasty a bat brownie is? 

 

David--scariest of all.

 

 

Trump in Gamboa???!!!

ZOOMARS!

 

Several weekends ago we all went to San Juan Capistrano and to the petting zoo, Zoomars.

 

 

Toby and I first visited the goats

 

 

 

then into the guinea pig pen where Maddie spent most of her time,

 

 

 

and Max too before exploring areas:  pumpkins, corn cribs, rock areas.

 

 

 

Warning:  don't hold any one guinea pig too long or this will happen!

 

 

 

Tired but happy kids on the ride home.

Back to Burbank!

 

Toby and I arrived here on October 1st, sorry to leave Chocorua but so glad to see the family here:

 

 

 

Finding that Sam is near completion on his amazing outdoor structure,

 

 

 

 

Not surprised that the M's are still loving rainbow ice cream at Baskin Robbins--where we also got free pumpkins!

 

 

 

Touched that they came for a sleep-over the next weekend and wanted to repeat all the usual's:  Pizza for dinner, the Lego Movie (which we've watched so many times that they I-Padded during most of it, but I was still engrossed, Mr. Little books at bedtimes, choc.chip and regular pancakes for breakfast, and art in the studio).

 

New Things:

 

Toby in his 6-bed board and care home just up the street from our house here. Big, big, BIG change for both of us.  I was surprised and pleased to find that he likes it there.

 

 

I've taken my paints over to paint furniture on the patio while he watches and we listen to music.  I see him almost every day.

 

 

 

Taking him to watch Max's soccer practice.

 

 

 

Lea down from Palo Alto--giving Toby a hello hug.

 

 

 

My big splurge:  a Water Rower

Set up in our living room--smooth to row on--good exercise--and from Warren, Rhode Island (just next to Barrington) where they know how to make boats.  As David wrote:

"I love the idea of you rowing on a Rhode Island rower with the sounds of the water--in your living room in the California desert!"