Summer Family Fun

So on our summer family fun to do list, there were four pretty major activities/events Jei & I knew we wanted to do with Michele and the kids and definitely planned for. All we needed was some cash, a high capacity vehicle, and some good weather. Fortunately, we were blessed with all three! Our first activity found us in beautiful San Diego, on the bay at the U.S.S. Midway Museum.   

We of course had been there before... but this time Jei & I had a bunch of kids with us who we knew were going to absolutely love it just as much as we did! 

Not exactly toddler friendly...

Allen enjoyed being carried around most of the day!

"Go on ahead guys... I'm beat!

I'll take a nap & catch up with y'all later."

"Hey you... have my jet fully fueled 

and ready to go on the flight deck ASAP!"

Our afternoon flight briefings were a must!

Some of us behaved quite nicely while onboard...

and some of us did not!

Completely clueless in the engine room...

but it certainly did look cool.

Eat your heart out Maverick!

"Good Lord... another picture!? I gotta get out of here!

Now where the heck is that darn ejection handle???"

I just didn't have the heart to tell him

that wasn't the ship's steering wheel!

"Sorry guys... still not ready,

come back in ten minutes and lunch will be served!"

Allen & Sophia enjoy a nice cool breeze out on one of the decks.

We finally made it to the flight deck where we were greeted with lots of sunshine, some really cool planes, and an outstanding view!

Sisters don't shake hands...

Sisters gotta hug!!!

On the top of an aircraft carrier, on the bay, with family...

doesn't get much better than that!

We could not have asked for a better day to spend down in San Diego enjoying one of the coolest and most amazing museums. Fun was definitely had!

A group 'selfie' with San Diego Bay & the Coronado Bridge as our backdrop! I honestly didn't think I could get us all in... but it turned out surprisingly well.

The Midway was lots of fun... especially since the kids were so excited about seeing & being around all the cool military planes & helicopters on the ship! But after such a successful trip and a great time down in San Diego, we were kind of afraid the other three trips we had planned weren't going to compare and not be as much fun. Of course there was only one way to find out... so we all crammed into the truck, headed up to L.A., broke down on the side of the highway, and eventually got to our destination in plenty of time to enjoy our second planned event together!  

It actually was a big surprise... with only me, Jei & Momma Soch knowing exactly where we were going and what we were about to do. So when we suddenly showed up to a stadium and I handed each kid their ticket to go see the L.A. Galaxy play a live soccer match... their reaction was absolutely priceless!!!  

We quickly found our seats, grabbed some pre-game snacks & drinks, and settled in with huge smiles on our faces ready to enjoy a good game.

Fortunately, there really wasn't a bad seat in the house... so we were very pleased with our seats, which gave Allen a great view of the game... which he was surprisingly really into.

Come nightfall, it got a little chilly...

so the jackets went on and lots of snuggling ensued. 

Not only was Sophia, who happens to be the biggest soccer fan of the four, surprised that we had all planned to see a live game that evening, but she was also very grateful and extremely happy!

English superstar and former Galaxy player David Beckham was in the house watching the game with his sons in a private suite... and as you can imagine, once we (the women!) spotted him with the binoculars, Sophia completely forgot that there was actually a soccer game being played! 

It may have been a serious game out on the pitch...

but in the stands, there was plenty of silliness going on!

Definitely on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from a military aircraft carrier museum, but it was for sure just as much fun and exciting... and with the Galaxy pulling out a win that night, it made our trip that much more special!

As much fun as the soccer game was, it was time to head back to the other end of the spectrum again for our third activity. And while we once again had some great weather, we spent most of the day staying nice & cool indoors.

We found ourselves in Los Angeles yet again... and headed back to a museum, but unlike the planes we saw on the Midway, the one particular plane here is quite literally out of this world!

Jei & I had visited the California Science Center a while back... and it was definitely a fun and educational experience. But now that the Space Shuttle Endeavor is on display there, we were super eager to return and show the family a good time.

To be honest, I really didn't feel like seeing the shuttle so up close & personal was going to be that big of a deal. That is until I stepped foot into that hangar!

I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the floor as soon as I walked in. I guess I just wasn't expecting it to be that big... which I'm sure these pictures in no way do it any justice at all.

I was incredibly impressed and awestruck... and I'm pretty sure the kids had the same reaction and feeling as I did.

We made sure to take our time making our way all around the shuttle, and to soak in what exactly we were seeing... and of course taking lots of pictures.

Getting to see an old aircraft carrier, planes and helicopters that had all seen war back in the day was pretty darn cool... but getting to stand next to and underneath one of only four remaining shuttles that have actually been to outer space was truly remarkable!

Of course seeing the Endeavor wasn't the only cool thing to see at the Science Center. (Yes, Leo definitely could've been an exhibit himself, but no... he wasn't what I was referring to.)

Its massive aquarium was just as impressive

and definitely one of our favorites!

Speaking of favorites, once Allen saw all the fish moving behind the glass... he too became a big fan of the enormous fish tank.

"Hey... I think I've seen that on TV before!"

Allen & I sure did enjoy looking at all the fish swim by.

Especially the big ones...

there were a couple that were just as big as Allen!

"Hey Dad, how come we don't have

an aquarium like this at our house?"

After seeing a space shuttle up close, and then all the fish swimming around in the aquarium, not to mention all the other cool stuff the Science Center had to offer... Allen and the kids couldn't have been any happier!

And to cap off an amazing & entertaining day at the California Science Center, we had one last exhibit to go to... an incredible restaurant where we wore our sunglasses as we stuffed our faces with deliciousness!

Speaking of deliciousness... that brings us to our fourth & final activity. No aircraft, fish or museums this time, but there certainly was some good food, run rides, and fascinating entertainment for all of us to enjoy.

What would summer be without a good fair to go to?! Naturally, our fourth family outing brought us out near the coast to the Orange County Fair. It had been a long time since any of us had been to a fair last, and after hearing good things about this one... we were all very eager to go.

They of course had a petting zoo and lots of animals on display... which is where Allen found one of his favorites, a beautiful black stallion.

Sure, the horses were pretty and all... but there was no way they could compare or compete on the cuteness scale with the little baby piglets we saw!

And then there were the crazy fun rides! Allen sat this one out so that the four kids could enjoy it together... and get wet together too.

The rest of us chose to stay dry and ride something a little more on the tamer side... or so we thought anyway!

As with most fairs... once the sun went down, that's when things started to get a little wild & crazy! We made our way to the arena where we watched a full on demolition derby! I don't think Allen had a clue as to what was going on, cause he had this blank look on his face (pictured) the entire time!

The derby was a huge hit (no pun intended!) as we all laughed, screamed, rooted for our favorite, and had a good time watching old beat-up cars destroy one another!

So while the daylight was reserved for the kids and us adults to enjoy all the fun rides... the night belonged to Allen, as he found a bunch of cool little merry-go-rounds to ride.

I don't think Allen was all that comfortable with the rides... but regardless of whether or not he enjoyed it, the rest of us watching him certainly got a huge kick out of it... for his facial expressions were hilarious!

Funnel cakes, turkey legs, log rides, farm animals, fake tattoos, ice cream, demolition derbies, ferris wheels and one big happy family... add all that up and you get one heck of a good time!

Four very different events... four unbelievably fun family excursions!