Women's March on Washington DC

Didn't think I'd get there, but I did!

Stayed in a VBRO near DuPont Circle with a cool group of women: artists, professors, analysts, accountants, students, and one mid-wife:  all activists and all wonderful.

 

Rode the metro in our pink pussy hats. 

Joined the march 

but stayed together as a group (not easy in that crowd although our white sashes helped.  They also caught the attention of reporters from the Huffington Post who interviewed us).

So many different people there, all extremely friendly!  Loved this man in his child's kitty hat--loved the good men supporting the women.

The signage was amazing:  

my favorite-

Signs came to rest at the fence facing the back of the White House.

March over, marched back to our VBRO, tired legs, sore feet, but finally found a place to eat dinner.  

Happy, happy campers!

As the New year Started...

Rachel and David and Gwen and Simon arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday evening all set to fly to New Zealand for the year.

Sam and Jess and Maddie and Max arrived at the same time from Cleveland after their week-long whirlwind visit to family and friends on the east coast.

 

 

They met in the terminal!  There was much hugging and many hellos and then goodbyes as the Page/Bethel clan left for their 13+ hour long plane trip to halfway around the world and the Page/Kender clan left for the much shorter trip back to their home in Burbank.

 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???!!!