Cali: Week One

We were off to California for Christmas and New Year's this year! What a difference a seat makes...plus Simone is older now.


On the way home - Wahoo's!


Granddad had a helium tank in the backyard (leftover from a church event). This made him _very_ popular with his granddaughter:


We had a nice visit to Village Green:



Dad and Great-grandma. Notice they have the same haircut? :)


Great-grandma had a stroke the second week we were home. I'm glad we were able to some time with her beforehand.

S loved riding the Christmas train at Crystal Court. I was a little surprised she had no problem jumping on by herself and waving every time it sped by!


It was a big tree:



The balloons escaped:


So sad:


There were many must-food stops, including bringing back breakfast burritos from Alerto's. S really liked these, as do M&D:



While Mom and I went shopping, Dad, S and E went to buy flowers for the planters in front of her house that resides in my parents' backyard. Here are S and E enjoying the new flowers:


We went walking, as is tradition, on the pier at Huntington Beach. It was a lovely sunny day. S loved watching the surfers...who can blame her:


Nice kiss:


S and G-ma were stomping down the pier:


I didn't get a very good group shot on my camera but hopefully Mom did:


Funny sign at the airport:


After we picked up May and Ko from the airport we went straight to dim sum for lunch. In the parking lot - S's first ladybug:


We opened presents Christmas afternoon instead of morning this year. S got a LOT of DVD's...people know the way to her heart!


Ezer with Dad in the vest we gave him:


My sister and her boyfriend missed their first flight but fortunately made it on Christmas Day!


S's favorite present - the kitchen set from Granddad! She played with it every day for the rest of the trip. E was just glad it wasn't sendable to New York.


Simone and I drove up to L.A. for a little "Emmanuel in L.A." reunion at the Getty Museum. There were quite a few of us back for the holidays! Interesting note: we were the only non-Koreans!