Saturday, Nov 2

Someone tall lives here

Ben and Erin's home

Today was gymnastics first.  Then the farmer's market with lunch.

After lunch and nap we went to Fairytale Town.  That was fun.

 

3 friends on horseback

Erin and Jeanne.

After Fairytown we met with Rick Steve's Alums - Sue and Barry.  We ate at a delicious Italian food place in Davis.  It was fun reconnecting with them.

Ben couldn't make it.  He was working.  Same thing with Jay and Marcki. 

Friday, Nov 1

morning walk

Story time with Grandpa Jay

Breakfast.  Jeanne and I had Sean duty.

Fun at the park

time at the park.  

Once Erin got home we went to the Sacramento Train Museum was very impressive.  We had a great time.   

Olive Garden for dinner.  Then we went to the hotel where the dart tournament was being held. Jay could show off his grandson to his dart buddies.

My treat

I had a plan for making a dessert. I started with a recipe Mario Batali's Pomegranate Prosecco Gelatina.  I bought dried blueberries and gelatin in Beaverton.  I thought blueberries would transport easier than pomegranates.  At the airport after going through security I bought an Oregon sparkling wine instead of Prosecco.  Once we got to Ben and Erin's I made the gelatin and got it in the refrigerator. When we took our walk we stopped at Safeway and I could buy some sorbet and whipped cream.  When we got home I could add the blueberries.

After Sean went to bed I assembled the rest with putting the sorbet and whipped cream on it.  Actually I think the sorbet and blueberries were the best part.  

See all the tomatoes in the background.  We picked them from the back yard.  They only have 2 tomato plants but they were very prolific.

Halloween

After Ben and Erin got home they got Sean dressed in his sheep costume.  Then we drove to downtown Davis with everyone else and did trick or treating with the local stores.

This is actually just a painting.  No stairs here.

jelly fish

cotton candy

Farmer with her sheep

Sean met up with one of his daycare friends

When Sean had enough excitement we sat at a Bistro and had happy hour snacks of wine and sweet potato fries.  We then picked up our take out Indian food and went home for dinner.  After dinner Sean got into his next costume - the Stinky Skunk.  He went trick or treating in the neighborhood with his parents while Jeanne and I stayed home to hand out candy to the kids coming to the door.  Jay and another friend Marcki could join the trick or treaters.  

Then it was bed time for Sean. The rest of us crashed soon after.  

Oct 31 Sacramento

I left this morning about 7:20 to go to Sacramento.  Jeanne and Jay were going there to visit Ben, Erin and Sean.  I was invited to join them.  Jeanne met me at the airport.  After getting home we took a walk to a close park.  Sean is 2 years old now.  Then we went to Dos Coyotes for lunch.  I had a delicious burrito bowl.  While Sean was napping I made a treat for tonight.  Ben and Erin came home early from work.  

Dos Coyotes Mexican Restaurant.  

Home again, safe and sound

We left for the airport about 1:45pm after a nice lunch of leftovers.  The flight home was uneventful.  Giselle picked us up at the MAX station.  We were home by 7pm.  What a day. We had a fabulous vacation.

Up, up and away

We were up at 5am for our third attempt to have a hot air balloon ride. We were at the field in time to see the dawn patrol take off.

As the sun came up more balloons went up.

Then we drove to another location because we were part of a competition (not us but the pilot).  So we had to drive to a field at least 1 mile away and the competition was to drop a bag on an X back at the festival field. 

Waiting to take off we saw the mass ascension from a distance.

They put Menaul's banner on the balloon.

Once we got the word that we could take off we started off.  It was fun helping.

Then we took off.  Wow what a view.

Coming in to throw our beanie on the X

Then we went to another field to land.  We helped put everything all away.  

We are working here. We are squishing the air out of the balloon.  Then they drove us back to the festival area and then our guide drove us back to the hotel. 

We had already checked out of the hotel so we got to our car and drove over to Rebecca's for our last lunch before heading off to the airport to go home.  We have had a very nice time.