San Diego

Sunset on the return flight
Ethan Eating Chocolate

Sunset on Mount Soledad

Ethan facing off at lunch

Balboa Park

Mount Soledad (again)

The Star of India (an 1800's trader)

HMS Surprise Replica

Ethan on board a Soviet Sub

On a harbor cruise

La Jolla, where the seals are usually spotted (they were elsewhere on this day)

Cliffs at Torrey Pines State Park

SOUS (Seaweed of Unusual Size)

Pumpkin Picking

Pumpkin carving is sort of a tradition (turned competition) for Brian, my sister and I. So, on Sunday (in the cold and rain) we went pumpkin picking at Queen Anne Farm.

Ethan pulling the wagon:

Ethan riding in the wagon (he's having a great time...really):


And, of course, the end result:

There is some debate over which pumpkin is the best. I'm partial to the ones on the first step up, but when I asked our 3 year old neighbor which he liked best, he said the pirate (sorry, but using a pattern is cheating) and the "cat." You decide :-)

And an incredibly cute picture of Ethan, just because:

As for Halloween, we will be in warm, sunny San Diego. Now, that's my idea of a happy Halloween :-)

~J

Late Summer Update

Trip to Mobile, Alabama (Jenn and Ethan tagged along)

We visited Bellingrath gardens, a very nice, not so hot day to enjoy the outdoors.


Jenn took this great shot of a butterfly, in the "butterfly garden". Along the way we actually saw a snake, frog, some big fish, crabs, snails, and a lion made of stone. We wanted to see an alligator, but didn't that day. We did see one in the evening the day before we left though (outside a restaurant in the water), so the trip was complete.

We visited the USS Alabama (decommissioned battleship). Ethan had a great time. Here he is walking the deckplates and checking the integrity of the ship.



We took a look from across the Mobile river at the USS Independence (LCS 2), the reason for my trip (Builder's Sea Trials).

Summer Update

Ethan after a night of food on the grill

This cloud above was way more impressive in person- it was so high that it was pushing through the high level clouds around it. I went out after a thunderstorm and it was kind of eerie.

Ethan and his truck. You can actually see a mosquito to the left of Ethan if you look closely. You can probably select the photo to zoom in. They are constantly following him outside, but its hard to say how many bites he gets, because of course he can't tell me specifically.

This scene was at a New Orleans style restaurant in Atlanta. I put a Crayfish in front of Ethan, and he immediately put it in his mouth. Here I am in action- about to pull it back out.

Atlanta. See the family in the foreground.

Augusta, GA- Ethan trying on some shades

Virginia Tech Visit / Spring Game

Its been a while (it was April 26 that we went to VT) but better late than never.

Some Random Photos....

This is a baby sunflower....they are much bigger now. Updates to follow.