Off to Pittsburgh

Hello faithful blog readers. Sorry I haven't had time to do an update about school starting. It's just as well, though, because things changed dramatically at school today with lots of drama (crying students, upset parents.) Our very "un-touched by the CA budget crisis" school was touched in a big way when Michela's 5th grade class was eliminated, her teacher moved to 2nd grade, and all 34 kids disbursed among other classes, including a 4/5 combo class. Now all the 4th and 5th grade classes are at about 35 kids (up from 28 to 29), Michela and Jacob are in the same class, and it was quite an uproar today at school (everyone was just told today.) I'm actually fine with it (although I wish the classes were smaller!) because they have an amazing teacher and it will be a great year for them and having them together has it's advantages (and they are now mature enough that they'll be fine together and no longer need that individuality.) I'll give more details later.

I haven't updated about camp because I wanted harrison to do it (and he wants to) but he's been pretty busy with 7th grade stuff. We have free wireless internet at our hotel in Pittsburgh, so maybe he can do it then.

I'll have something pretty major and life altering to announce and tell you about next Wed, so you can look forward to that. How's that for peaking your curiousity? It'll keep you checking the blog!

We're off to Pittsburgh in about... oh.. an hour! Gotta finish packing!

We're fine!

Thanks to those of you who called to check on us after hearing about the earthquake this morning. We're all fine and didn't sustain any damage to our house or anything. I don't even think anything fell off the shelves or that the pictures got crooked. We're pretty far away from the epicenter in Chino.

I actually didn't even feel it. My mom and I were walking into her building from the parking lot and I didn't even notice it. When we walked in, everyone was in a hubbub there. Marlon said he felt it and that the building shook pretty hard at UCI. I called school and they said that the kids had to "duck and cover" for real (they do plenty of earthquake drills!) and then went outside in their earthquake formation to make sure everything was ok before returning back to the building. When I pick them up in an hour or so, I'm sure they'll be excited to tell me about it, as they've never actually felt an earthquake before even though we've always lived here. (I've been through a few big ones and they can be pretty scary! After the big Northridge one 14 years ago, Marlon slept in his shoes for a week in case he needed to run out in the middle of the night!)

Anyway, we're all fine. More later about school and camp. I think I'm going to have Harrison do a "guest post" about camp.

Last of the Pictures! -- Chicago

Ok, the moment you've all been waiting for -- the last group of pictures. These are all from our week in Chicago, which was amazing. I have many, many more pictures, but I just put a sampling on the blog. I have a lot of great scenery pictures, but I didn't really put any of those (well, maybe one or two.) If you'd like to see those, I'm happy to email you the Kodak link and you can see all of the pictures. Leave a comment or email me directly at bboarnet@cox.net. Enjoy the pictures and I'll write again soon about school, camp, etc.

Barbara and Jacob on the big Ferris wheel in Navy Pier.

Michela, Marlon and Harrison on the same Ferris wheel (we were on opposite sides of the little gondola thing.) What a great view of the city!
At Navy Pier, wearing the new Chicago tshirts everyone bought.
In front of the skyline at the Adler Planetarium

In front of the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier

The kids and Barbara at the Museum of Science and Industry in the lab dissecting cow eyes! It was so incredible. Barbara waited in line for an hour to make sure we got 4 of the 25 slots!


At the Shedd Aquarium

Outside in front of the Shedd Aquarium. We loved the skyline so much we just kept taking pictures with it in the background everywhere we went!

In the restaurant of our hotel with Dorey, Barbara's 97 (!) year old aunt, who lives in Chicago and came downtown to meet us for lunch

Can't see the background well, but we're 97 floors up at the top of the Hancock Building in the observatory. It was really need. I have great pictures of the buildings looking down, but, like I said, I didn't put very many of the scenery pictures on the blog. The things around our neck are the audio tours - they had a separate one geared for kids and the tours were amazing.

Construction worker Harrison taking a break 97 floors up!

Barbara and Jacob in front of the field museum

The famous "bean" in Millenium Park that's a trademark of Chicago. Isn't it neat how you can see the buildings from across the street in its reflection?

The famous fountains at Millenium Park that everyone runs around in

This little area was next to our hotel. We took it in honor of Marlon's mom and brother who are realtors!
Navy Pier (I took this photo from the boat of the river/lake tour we went on)
Marlon and I on the boat

The whole family on the boat tour

Lots more pictures - worth the wait!

Ok, folks. Sorry it took a bit longer than I had planned, but it got busy around here with the start of school this week, picking Harrison up from camp tuesday night to start school on Wed. (he's going back tomorrow at lunch to finish out the weekend) and all that. I'll do an update on school, camp and all that later, but wanted to get pictures out first because I know many of you are anxious. Here are a BUNCH of them from the last days in Texas, spent with the cousins. Next post I'll put all the Chicago ones! (hopefully tomorrow or Saturday!

Michela and Alex having fun at the park

Alex and Jacob designated themselves as "buddies" for the whole time

Michela, Mark and Jacob at Schlitterbahn water park

Barbara, Bernie and Mark relaxing at Schlitterbahn (that's Esther's left shoulder!)

Ian, Harrison, Alex, Jacob and Daniel at the water park

All the kids in their 4th of July shirts that Ian, Alex and Daniel made for them, doing the "poppers" that Nicole brought along. (She didn't have a shirt for Jacob Cohen, on the far left, because she didn't know he was going to be there, but he fit in with his red shirt!)
Daniel is in this one!
Jacob Cohen (Jerry's son), Harrison and Michela (sort of)

A nice shot of Ian and Michela
Marlon and his cousin Jerry

This was the day Nicole and I took the kids swimming at the YMCA. Harrison really enjoyed being the big kid and helping Ian and Alex

Daniel gets into the fun with Nicole

Having fun at lunch at Pat's Place

This isn't the greatest shot because their heads are cut off (Jacob took the picture) but it's the only one with Darren in it, so I included it!

Trent and Michela. Don't you love how his shirt and her suit go together and are so colorful?

Alex doesn't stop moving for very long, but Jacob caught him and grabbed him for a picture!

Nicole snuck in and took this one while I was reading to Daniel in bed. Before Darren got there, so he had her hands full with the kids (it's hard to travel solo!) so I helped her out by putting him in his pj's, reading to him and getting him ready for bed. It's not the greatest photo, but it was a really sweet time.




Harrison and Ian played and played together at the park

This time I caught Daniel and got him to stop long enough for a picture and he even looked at the camera and smiled. woo hoo!


A nice shot of all the kids in the car going somewhere, I think lunch
Up on the playground equipment at the park


I like this one because it's so sweet how Harrison is helping Ian. He did a lot of that.

I just love the expression on BOTH of their faces in this one. They were actually spinning pretty fast on this spinning thing.

Next set of pictures - 18 more!

This next set is of the last couple of days in San Antonio and New Braunfels before the Houston cousins came into town. I have some great "scenery" shots of various things on our trip, such as the inside of the caverns, the animals we saw up close at the Wildlife Ranch and of course buildings and skyline in Chicago, but I didn't want to put too many of those on the blog because I think most of you prefer people shots. I will be uploading all of the pictures (two hundred something) to Kodak easyshare and will be emailing the link to some of you, so if you're interested in seeing the scenery or animal shots, just let me know and I'll email you the link.

Enjoy these pictures. Next set will be all the fun with the cousins, posted tomorrow, so check back!

Jack and Harrison in front of one of their favorite roller coasters. The two of them had great fun all day going on the big rides together. It's hard to say who enjoyed them more!

Barbara and Jacob

Harrison and Jack still hanging out

At the Caverns, before going on the tour

Inside the caverns
Marlon and Jack (Jody's husband) at Schlitterbahn water park, the first, largest and best waterpark in the world!

The kids in front of some of the best rides. The blue one is Masterblaster - the newest and best ride, an uphill (and downhill) water coaster. Marlon and Harrison waited over 2 hours to go on it, but they said the wait was worth it!

A nice family picture

Marlon, Jacob, Jody and Michela

Jody and I relaxing with the kids (I think Marlon and Jack had gone to get drinks or something)

Harrison is having fun driving alone. He's actually not that many years away from driving for real! Scary!

Jacob takes Jody for a ride

Marlon is glad they're on a track. He won't be so relaxed when it's for real.

See Marlon and Harrison in the very front left side?

Michela enjoying a pampering pedicure Aunt Jody took her to

All of us ( you can barely see Marlon, but he's there between Harrison and Michela) on the ferris wheel. I was nervous because I don't like heights, but I conquered my fear and it was fun.

Jacob and Michela on the train

Marlon, Harrison and Esther. Can you see the beard Marlon started to grow? He let it grow for about 4 or 5 days, but then decided it was too itchy and looked dumb, so he shaved it off.