Happy Pi Day!

Day 7: Sea World

Phew!! Thanks to our busy amusement park schedule, Patrick is on track to log 100,000 steps on his fitbit this week. While we've have an absolute blast, we're feeling tired and are looking forward to seeing more of southern California at a more relaxed pace. It turns out the hotel we booked for this six day leg of the trip is actually a resort with a huge kids pool, an arcade room with x-box, air hockey, a number of video game machines, a kids club with activities like smores around the firepit, and a large kids play area. There is also an olympic size adults only pool. I picked it because of its' proximity to Legoland and because of the huge flower field right next to it.

We visited Sea World yesterday in 90 degree weather. We sat in the soak zone at the Killer Whale show and did in fact get soaked. There is nothing like seeing that big tail pause for one moment aimed directly at you, knowing how much water is about to come your way! We also enjoyed the Dolphin show, with acrobats and high divers to go alongside the dolphins and small whales. Later, I heartily enjoyed putting quarters in the soaker machine when Patrick and the kids came around the bend in the intertube ride. Both Patrick and Otis have pranked me at home by putting a rubber band around the sprayer nozzle in the kitchen sink. Revenge was sweet.

Waiting for the Killer Whale show

Patrick captured this fantastic dolphin jump.

About to get soaked!

That's Patrick in the green shirt 4th from the back and the kids in the row directly in front of him

In food news, we had some In and Out burgers in our car before heading to Sea World. Loved those! Afterwards, we checked out the Village Kitchen and Pie Shoppe in Carlsbad in search of pie. When we arrived, the pie was well on it's way to being sold out, so they reserved us a slice and then also gave us a complementary half slice of a luscious apple pie.

Cheers to all of you! Hope you enjoyed PI day!

New Duds, New Digs

Day Six: BTC and Carlsbad, CA

Southern California has been heating up with highs in the 80's and we found that we had not packed appropriately so we had to do a little mid-trip shopping.

Sofia rocking her new sunglasses.

Otis loving his new outfit.

Lunch at Bruxie's Gourmet Waffle Sandwiches Oh My!

Early afternoon we visited BTC - a company for which Patrick has been developing software. They are on the forefront of neuropsychiatric medicine with MRT technology and were recently featured in the Washington Post for their work with treating PTSD/ TBI amongst returning veterans. There is a lot of energy there and excitement about the results they are having with Autism, with chronic pain, and with Alzheimers, to name a few. Patrick loves that he gets to work on something that is helping people and it looks like there will be many exciting opportunities in the future. As part of our visit, we all got to have EEG's to see what it's like.

Otis getting hooked up for EEG

Next, we traveled south to Carlsbad, California, near Legoland, where we'll stay for the next six days before heading home. Today was a down day, getting settled, checking out our hotel and watching Phinneas and Ferb's Star Wars movie.

Golden California

Bird of Paradise

Out With A Flutter...Last Day At Disneyland

Day Five: Disneyland

For our last morning we hit the park like pros and split up to hit our favorite rides. Sofia and I used our magic morning hour to get in line for Space Mountain fast passes before speeding over to Autopia for one last go around, taking a quick jaunt through Astro Blasters (she won) before picking up our Star Tours fast passes then on to Space Mountain. Sofia has that ride down so that she knows when to wave for the picture. Then we met up with the guys in the Star Wars shopping section to pick up our loot for the trip. We are the proud new owners of not one, but two, purple dual-blade, self constructed light sabers. Then one last Star Tour for the guys and on to a break at Starbucks on Main Street, including Mickey Mouse cookies and warm chocolate filled croissants. Patrick and I had a friendly wager to settle regarding the price of corn dogs in the park. They cost $6.79, just in case you wondered. For a light lunch we debated between turkey legs, corn on the cob and chimichangas from one of the park food carts.

Here we have Patrick and Otis on their final tour through Astro Blasters.

It was a gorgeous day and we were all tired from the last 4 busy days, so we ended up spending the afternoon at our hotel pool. Our hotel, Park Vue Inn, is right across the street from the Park Entrance. You can't get closer without staying in the park for much higher prices. We highly recommend it! Breakfast and parking are included in the price and the standard room comes with a queen bed and a bunk bed.

A view of the pool at Park Vue Inn

We enjoyed an early dinner at tripadvisor's number one ranked Anaheim restaurant, Orange Roll and Sushi. It was amazing, one of my favorite sushi places ever! Here is Sofia's photographic take on it (she plated and photographed the top two photos).

And Patrick's Take!

Finally, back to Disneyland for our last evening. We decided to relax, enjoy the magic that is Disney at night, and catch many of the slower easier rides we hadn't seen yet. Seeing the castle all lit up at night, the tea cup ride, a boat cruise through Storyland, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Flying Dumbo, and another go on Pirates of the Carribean. We ended the night with Alice In Wonderland, newly refurbished in 2014. There were giant flowers, a giant tea party, a sparkling un-birthday cake and the king, who says "Rule 42: The Queen Always Wins". A perfect ending! If we go back, we will get fast passes for the evening show Fantasmia, early in the day and actually stay to watch the light show.

Patrick capturing the kids on the tea cup ride

The castle, early evening

Vacation is like a box of chocolates...

Day Four: California Adventure, Anaheim

Doesn't this ferris wheel look fun?! I warn you, if you get motion sick or are afraid of heights at all, don't take the swinging carts line. I might not have made it if Otis hadn't screamed so hilariously the entire time so that I was laughing instead of panicking. He and I are prone to motion sickness but Patrick and Sofia were completely fine.

California Adventure got the better of us gals. After waiting in line for an hour for Radiator Springs Racers (a great ride!), then taking the swingy ferris wheel and the California Screamer back to back, Sofia and I called it Pool Time and spent the rest of the afternoon recharging. Patrick and Otis hit all the fun rides; the Tower of Terror, another round of the Screamer, Toy Story Midway Mania and another go with the Racers.

Waiting in line for Radiator Springs Racers

On the track with Radiator Springs Racers

Following a tip from some fellow travelers, we walked to Bubba Gump Shrimp Company for a lovely dinner and Forest Gump trivia competitions with our fellow diners. Patrick logged right around 20 miles on his fitbit over this day and the day before, and we were all in need of a big dinner!

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

A yummy bucket o' trash!

Now that's some spicy decor!

Otis On Disneyland

Day Three: Disneyland, from Otis' perspective.

Disneyland is AWESOME. When we first went in, it was busy with a lot of people but it was very big and it looked cool, like some kind of a Disney movie. I'd give Disneyland a five star rating. My favorite part was Thunder Mountain Railroad, followed by Star Tours, then Space Mountain. My favorite place on Earth is home, but I'd like to stay at Disneyland for several weeks. It's that awesome. I can't wait to tell my friends about it. Small World was ok, but it was ... too cute.

Sofia will be checking in with her perspective later on in the week.

The Excitement Mounts

Day Two - Garberville, CA to Anaheim, CA: After another 12 hour plus day of traveling, we were so excited to drive through L.A. Passing by exit signs to Hollywood and so many other famous sounding places, you really feel the energy of the city. Cars driving 75 in the 55 mph zone, and the city so immense it just keeps going and going. 42 miles from the northern end of it to Anaheim. It just doesn't look that far on the map! We pulled into our hotel at 9:30 pm, passing by throngs of people streaming out of the gates of Disneyland. Our hotel is right across the street and everyone is feeling excited now. It's a good thing we were all so exhausted or it would have been hard to sleep.

We started off the day visiting the huge Chandelier Tree, a Redwood tree that branches out up high like a chandelier. You can drive through this tree but it is much too small for our mini-van. Patrick's mom had sent a photo from his childhood of them under that tree, and we wanted to create a second generation photo. Below are the results.

Getting Ready For the Shot.

Erin, Ruth and Patrick Voelker

Sofia, Patrick and Otis Voelker

The kids are waking Patrick up by playing Minecraft Monster noises. Guess it's time to get going!

Redwoods and Springing Forward

Day One: Hillsboro, OR to Garberville, CA Daylight Savings Time made our early AM departure more grueling than anticipated, but a stop for coffee and hot cocoa kept us moving as we hit the road. It was a long 12 hour journey, however, driving through the Redwoods was magical. I couldn't capture the beauty of it with my phone. We were too small to manage it. Driving with the sun roof open, sun shining through the tree tops, huge tree trunks, some of them 2,000 years old - it takes your breath away. The tallest trees in the world!

A few photos from the journey:

Early morning Oregon fog over the fields.

Rest Stop.

Sofia made this in memory of our lost pets along the way under a beautiful tree full of pink blooms. To Tara, Lucy, Princess Ming and Percy.

There is a huge statue of Paul Bunyan with his giant axe and Babe right there under the Redwoods. As we were leaving, Patrick sneezed and made a chicken sound. Otis said "Rookie mistake Dad. Never sound like a chicken around Paul." Fortunately Paul was missing his arm temporarily and he's made out of plexiglass and steel, so he didn't give chase.

Redwoods

Patrick demonstrating the size of a Sequoia.