All the Family News of the Crane & Anderson's: In California

For the plane trip home we decided on Delta Airlines. It was a little more money than Southwest (plus they charge to check luggage!!) but it is nonstop. I thought it would be worth the extra money not to have to get off and one and extra time. The other thing with Delta is that they have assigned seats so you don't have to worry about getting the seat you want.

For the first part of the trip Kody played with his new toy that Mom had put into his backpack.

After we got our drinks and snacks ( I brought them as they didn't have anything that we could eat) and watching the snow covered mountains roll by for awhile this is how Kody spent the rest of the trip.

One six year old thumb and his blankey and he was a gone goose. He is still getting over the Mono that he had a month ago so he gets tired easily.

Coming off the plane in Burbank and saving his ears for Rock Concerts in the future!!

Kody was the first one to spend the night in our new bunk beds!! Here he is calling home to say goodnight to everyone!

Sunny Southern California! I didn't know if I was going to be able to write that this year or not. The first week we were back it was chilly the whole week. The day before we left to go back to Utah we made it down to the beach on a perfect day. The weather was just right and the waves were fun.

Kody had a great time in the surf. I know if he had had someone to go in with he would have gone swimming too. I didn't feel I was up to doing that! Those tides are strong!! The water was chilly but not as cold as I thought it would be.

Lots of wildlife that day.

He had a great time and wants to go back as often as he can. Future surfer maybe?

Park time was something we did a lot of. We mainly looked for monkey bars but all the equipment was fun. He can pump himself this year where he was just learning last year. Of course it was more fun if I pushed him......

Monkey bars. We didn't do them that much after awhile because.......

why you ask? This is why.....

Blisters!!!

Somehow the California Monkey Bars weren't as kind to him as the Utah bars are!!

Wading in the water to cool off.

One evening when I asked him what he wanted to do the next day he picked the Conejo Botanic Gardens. We had already gone hiking twice there . This time he wanted to take his lunch up to the top and have a picnic. Jessy and I always do that when she comes out and Kody and I did that last year also. He remembered and really wanted to do it again.

Up at the top of the mountain in the Desert Gardens they have several picnic tables and that is where we stopped. When I took Jessy before we would stop at Taco Bell and have that at the top. Since the Celiac change things are a little more difficult to plan but we managed. Yogurt, pudding, carrots and fruit roll ups did the trick.

And of course Chocolate Cookies (gluten free!) for dessert!!! He loves his chocolate!!

He brought his Ben Ten Alien Force toys up with him and after lunch we played with them.

And played with them..... Two and a half hours we sat up there in the wonderful outdoors and played with these toys.

Are they cute!! You put a "key" in the back and turn it and they come apart and then you can put them back together again. You can split the aliens apart and mix up the pieces to make new and exciting aliens. My favorite is the chubby one in the front! I called him penguin man.

While Kody was playing I took some breaks to play with my toy, the camera.

When I explained to Kody that I though of it as my Toy he understood why I like to use it all the time. He was willing to let me roam around the area next to him and take my pictures. After all you Have to play with your toys!!

Here is his skipping on down the hill after his picnic. That was the most relaxed I have seen him in a long time. He loved being outdoors with nothing else happening.