We have left warm and sunny California for the cold and snowy mid-west. Why did I move? Why do I stay?
At least Jeff has a good job and we have amazing friends. Those things redeem the snow.
Anyway, I need to finish up on my trip.
The last weekend that we were in LA we were supposed to not be in LA, but up at the Lake instead. However, Grandpa got sick, so we canceled the trip. Although that made me very sad, it also allowed us to do some great things.
On Friday, mom, Tommy, and I went to the LA County Museum of Art to see an exhibit on Renoir post-impressionism. I hadn't been to an art museum in ages (after being a member of the Art Institute in Chicago for a few years and going frequently), so it was nice to put an end to the drought. The exhibit did a great job of exploring a different side of Renoir and placing him within his historical context, which made this history-lover very happy. Tommy did a fantastic job. We timed it so that he would sleep during most of our time there, and it would have worked amazingly well had it not been that another family was there and their child was neither sleeping nor quiet. Her screams woke up the little guy, and he refused to go back to sleep. However, he did stay quietly in his Ergo and looked at all the paintings and listened to a bit of the audio. He did have a snack-related meltdown in the gift shop, but it was brief. The best part? I got in on a free ticket! While we were waiting in line to buy our tickets, a man walked up to me and said that he was leaving and couldn't use his ticket, and he offered it to me. I will never turn down a chance to save twenty-five bucks (well, let's be honest, to save my mom twenty-five bucks), so I gratefully accepted it.
Before we hit the museum we had a chance to go out to lunch at the Homegirl Cafe. It is a neat restaurant that is part of an organization that employs former gang members to allow them the support they need to stay out of gangs. Mom and I ordered a bunch of different tacos and split them, the homemade pork chorizo was amazing, and everything else was also delicious. We also got some cookies and other treats at the bakery, where Tommy made friends with the guy working the counter, who was very impressed by Tommy's roots. Tommy gave him a slobbery pound (is there any other kind), and the guy told me: "I got some of his saliva on my hand. I will treasure it." Cool, except for the whole food-service thing.
That evening, Tommy and I went to the start of the evening program for the St. Andrew's high school group's 30 Hour Famine. They were raising money for Uganda, because they are awesome and continue to show their love for Tommy. I had an opportunity to talk about some of the conditions in Uganda and some of my experiences over there, and Tommy ran around looking cute and charming the girls. Typical. I felt very privileged to be a small part of the event, and was glad that we had the opportunity to help out.
On Saturday Tommy and I spent the morning at Grandma Janie's. He had a blast seeing the "cool car" and playing with toys. Then he got to eat lunch with her before we went home for his nap time. After his nap we went to redeem a certificate that Tommy had been given to Build-a-Bear. I don't think he really understood what he was doing, but he did pick a bear and a little heart and watch it get filled. We accesorized it with a UCLA shirt and a little football. We probably could have just bought the little football, because when we got home he promptly took it off the bear and put it on his wrist, and ran around with it on for the rest of the night. We also had a special treat for dinner- Leo's. Oh, those cheese chips...
Sunday we had another jam-packed day, starting with a church service focusing on the 30 Hour Famine. Tommy may have fallen asleep during the sermon and snored very loudly. After church dad, mom, Tommy, and I drove to Watts, where St. Andrew's serves food once a month at the Powerhouse Church. I have always wanted to go, because the Hamiltons (who are near and dear to my heart) have been so passionate about this ministry, but we have never been home on the right Sundays. I mostly watched Tommy while everyone else cooked, but I did get to serve some rolls with Tommy on my hip, and do some clean-up while Tommy played outside with Poppa. From Watts we raced to Costco, bought a ton of food, then raced home to get ready for a dinner party. It was quite a gathering. Grandma and (recovered) Grandpa, Grandma Cox, Jacquie, Jane, Aunt Annie, Molly, Kevin, Colleen, Russ and Shannon, and of course, my parents and Tommy. We had to put all of the leaves in the table, but we managed to fit. It was the perfect ending to a great trip, and, as you can see, we didn't waste the weekend.
At least Jeff has a good job and we have amazing friends. Those things redeem the snow.
Anyway, I need to finish up on my trip.
The last weekend that we were in LA we were supposed to not be in LA, but up at the Lake instead. However, Grandpa got sick, so we canceled the trip. Although that made me very sad, it also allowed us to do some great things.
On Friday, mom, Tommy, and I went to the LA County Museum of Art to see an exhibit on Renoir post-impressionism. I hadn't been to an art museum in ages (after being a member of the Art Institute in Chicago for a few years and going frequently), so it was nice to put an end to the drought. The exhibit did a great job of exploring a different side of Renoir and placing him within his historical context, which made this history-lover very happy. Tommy did a fantastic job. We timed it so that he would sleep during most of our time there, and it would have worked amazingly well had it not been that another family was there and their child was neither sleeping nor quiet. Her screams woke up the little guy, and he refused to go back to sleep. However, he did stay quietly in his Ergo and looked at all the paintings and listened to a bit of the audio. He did have a snack-related meltdown in the gift shop, but it was brief. The best part? I got in on a free ticket! While we were waiting in line to buy our tickets, a man walked up to me and said that he was leaving and couldn't use his ticket, and he offered it to me. I will never turn down a chance to save twenty-five bucks (well, let's be honest, to save my mom twenty-five bucks), so I gratefully accepted it.
Mum and Tommy at LACMA
Renoir!
Before we hit the museum we had a chance to go out to lunch at the Homegirl Cafe. It is a neat restaurant that is part of an organization that employs former gang members to allow them the support they need to stay out of gangs. Mom and I ordered a bunch of different tacos and split them, the homemade pork chorizo was amazing, and everything else was also delicious. We also got some cookies and other treats at the bakery, where Tommy made friends with the guy working the counter, who was very impressed by Tommy's roots. Tommy gave him a slobbery pound (is there any other kind), and the guy told me: "I got some of his saliva on my hand. I will treasure it." Cool, except for the whole food-service thing.
That evening, Tommy and I went to the start of the evening program for the St. Andrew's high school group's 30 Hour Famine. They were raising money for Uganda, because they are awesome and continue to show their love for Tommy. I had an opportunity to talk about some of the conditions in Uganda and some of my experiences over there, and Tommy ran around looking cute and charming the girls. Typical. I felt very privileged to be a small part of the event, and was glad that we had the opportunity to help out.
On Saturday Tommy and I spent the morning at Grandma Janie's. He had a blast seeing the "cool car" and playing with toys. Then he got to eat lunch with her before we went home for his nap time. After his nap we went to redeem a certificate that Tommy had been given to Build-a-Bear. I don't think he really understood what he was doing, but he did pick a bear and a little heart and watch it get filled. We accesorized it with a UCLA shirt and a little football. We probably could have just bought the little football, because when we got home he promptly took it off the bear and put it on his wrist, and ran around with it on for the rest of the night. We also had a special treat for dinner- Leo's. Oh, those cheese chips...
Sunday we had another jam-packed day, starting with a church service focusing on the 30 Hour Famine. Tommy may have fallen asleep during the sermon and snored very loudly. After church dad, mom, Tommy, and I drove to Watts, where St. Andrew's serves food once a month at the Powerhouse Church. I have always wanted to go, because the Hamiltons (who are near and dear to my heart) have been so passionate about this ministry, but we have never been home on the right Sundays. I mostly watched Tommy while everyone else cooked, but I did get to serve some rolls with Tommy on my hip, and do some clean-up while Tommy played outside with Poppa. From Watts we raced to Costco, bought a ton of food, then raced home to get ready for a dinner party. It was quite a gathering. Grandma and (recovered) Grandpa, Grandma Cox, Jacquie, Jane, Aunt Annie, Molly, Kevin, Colleen, Russ and Shannon, and of course, my parents and Tommy. We had to put all of the leaves in the table, but we managed to fit. It was the perfect ending to a great trip, and, as you can see, we didn't waste the weekend.
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1 comment:
It all sounds wonderful!
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