If it's true that a rolling stone gathers no moss, then our little Norah is as smooth and clean as a skipping stone as she has racked up more frequent flier miles (and state #'s 9 & 10....that's 20% of the US, Folks...at just shy of 18 months!)by heading out to sunny Cal-i-forn-i-a this past week.
As many of you are aware, J prides herself on being a Valley Girl by birth, a Hoosier by breed and a Buckeye by choice. Ms. Norah is Buckeye born and has frequented the Hoosier state several times, but had never been out to the land of Mamma Weber's birth. So, D & J figured it was high time to pack up the bambino and head out to visit family in San Diego and Chino Hills (just south of L.A.)
The flight out was (much to Mamma's great surprise) relatively stress and temper-tantrum free thanks to a steady supply of goldfish, toys and .....The Blessed iPad. J was skeptical at first but, God Bless it, that damn iPad and its educational childrens' apps kept our Belle occupied all the way to the layover in Dallas/Ft.Worth. A personal thanks and box of chocolates is on its way to Steve Jobs as you read this. :-) The remainder of the flight to San Diego was spent using Daddy as a jungle-gym and, ultimately, a pillow.
San Diego was just fabulous. The Webers were hosted by J's brother and sister-in-law who also stood in as our resident tour guide and activities director. We had a wonderful time. Each day was packed with new and exciting adventures in which Norah could partake.
The first full day we were there, we all piled in the car and headed to the Doggy Beach on Coronado Island. The Pacific was....well...colder than hell, but that didn't deter our little water baby. Norah sauntered right in to the waves like a daring member of the Polar Bear Club. Her teeth chattered and her whole body shivered, but she was not about to let Mommy, Daddy or Aunt Courtney dry her off and warm her up. She had a ball.
A trip to the world famous San Diego Zoo was on tap for Day 2. Aunt Courtney and Uncle Matt are just a stone's throw away from all the lions and tigers and bears, so D, J, Courtney and Norah walked the short distance for some sun and exercise.
There were goats at the petting zoo, multiple species of monkeys and apes, panda bears, hippos, tigers and elephants. What fun! Norah may not remember the trip, but the adults sure had a blast introducing our precious little girl to a whole new world of exploration. To commemorate Norah's big adventure, she got a little zookeeper safari outfit complete with pith helmet and key to the elephant paddock!
The evening was topped of with a visit to Jimmy Carter's restaurant (one of J's favorite eateries while living there) with Norah's great Aunt Margie.
Day 3 was spent up in La Jolla visiting the school where Aunt Courtney teaches and seeing the sea lions and seals out on the cliffs ending with a wonderful (and hilarious) dinner of homemade, hand rolled sushi. (be sure to watch the video of Matt and Courtney perfecting their sushi technique).
D & J rented a modified skateboard (read: REALLY SMALL CAR) and headed up to Chino Hills to visit with great Aunt Susan and Great Uncle Don on Thursday. The weather was just a bit on the hot side (101 degrees), so we all stayed cool and comfy in the A/C while catching up and making J's grandma's world famous spaghetti sauce. This is a recipe that J remembers from her childhood, so it was something special to watch Norah gobble it up with the same enthusiasm 31 years later.
The trip was capped off by a wonderful family dinner with D, J, Norah, Matt, Courtney and Margie on Friday before it was time to jet back to the Midwest on Sat. All in all, it was a wonderful trip; one that Norah will treasure in pictures. Enjoy!
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