Visiting Family

We had a two week west coast adventure in June. We had a fabulous time with Opa & Oma in the Northwest, pictures to follow. Ali got to be a flower girl in Auntie Melodyjoy's Webbing, and did a fabulous job, I'd like to add.
We then spent the 2nd week in CA with my folks. Alas, the first night Theo came down with a very nasty tummy bug. We ended up spending the week doing umpteen loads of laundry and consoling ourselves with lovely time in their front and backyards. I can't put my finger on it, but Arlington & Cypress are just soooooo incredibly different. My dad ended up looking up the numbers, and apparently the two cities are almost identical in square miles and population. I just can't believe it. Maybe its the larger (multi-family) houses and smaller streets. I imagine folks in Orange County have a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that two cars don't pass each other on the street when cars are parked along it (as they most always are). You have to actually pull over and let the other person go. It's just "thickly settled" as the signs say.
Anyhoo,we surely enjoyed the pleasure of easy-living in the lovely land of Cypress, with its sprawling manicured lawns and noticeable lack of humidity. We obviously made it to the beach one day. It was the big Hurrah, I'm afraid. We had planned a trip to Disneyland, but Ali decided it was her turn to throw-up the night before. Very sad. Alas, we'll have to make up for it come Christmas. ;)
Few more pics here.