Fun Time in Ventura

It's hard to believe we are back home in Colorado and our trip to California is now just a memory.  We had a fantastic time visiting with Holly, Erich, Zoe and Ezra!!!  It was quite nice to spend Easter with them this year!  I loved seeing the excitement in Zoe's and Ezra's eyes when they colored eggs the night before--and also on Easter as they searched for eggs inside and outside!


I was so glad we fit in a visit to the beach to just walk around.  At Carpinteria Beach, luck was with us...the tide was out so we got to check out the tide pools...lots of interesting creatures, shells, etc.


Took a drive to Lake Casitas...another beautiful, relaxing place!  Poor Ezra took a spill and landed on his face; a bit bumped up and two teeth slightly loose, but okay.  Quite an end to an otherwise nice day!


The Ventura Charter School's biggest fundraiser, the Ventura Eco Festival turned out to be a bust (for the vendors) due to the high winds which kept the crowds down.  It was a beautiful sunny day, in the mid-60s and despite the lack of "business", I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with everyone there!  I was very happy that Greg and Michelle stopped by, too, to wish me a Happy Birthday!  (Yes, the Eco Festival was on my birthday!)  And, speaking of my birthday, I was trying to remember when was the last time that Holly was able to celebrate with me; I think it's been at least 12 years!  So, I definitely enjoyed this one!


I also had fun going on the Wheeler Springs hike with Holly, Ezra and Zoe, too!  We had to be careful to avoid the new growth of poison oak, particularly at the start of the hike.  But it was so pretty walking among the trees.


And just doing the everyday things was extra special...fixing Zoe's hair as she gets ready for school, taking Ezra out for ice cream, playing a game of Scrabble with Holly, Erich, and Mark, dinner at Ferraro's, lunch at In-N-Out Burger...the list goes on and on!  


Now we get to look forward to July when they will come out to Colorado for a visit!  (Erich has to work, though...we'll miss him.)  I'll be counting the days until then!  Can't wait for them to see Sophia, too!  They last saw her as a newborn almost a year ago!  She'll love playing with Ezra and Zoe!

Fun in California

It seems like we've waited so long for our visit to California and now it's here!  We had a (too short) two day visit with my brother, Tom and sister-in-law, Mona before we made it to Ventura to visit Holly, Erich, Zoe and Ezra.  It was so great to see them again as well as Jack, Joleen, Maelee, and Earky!  We hope to stay longer on the next visit!


We are now having lots of fun seeing Zoe and Ezra every day and love spending time with them and Holly and Erich!  (Too bad Erich has a business trip next week to Tuscon.)  


I've managed to get in a couple of exercise classes at the YMCA thanks to Holly and Erich's guest passes and hope to have a few more opportunities before we leave here to return home.  (I'm trying hard just to maintain the weight I've lost these past 3 1/2 months...21 pounds!)  


The weather has been quite nice during the day...sunny and in the mid 60s!  I'm hoping it stays this way for most of the time we are here!  I especially hope it's sunny and warm on April 14th, my birthday and the day of the Earth Day Festival here in Ventura.  We will be vendors along with Holly and some of her friends at this festival.


More on our Ventura adventures a bit later...