In these pics you’ll see the kid:

• Jump up and down on a bed
• Battle a squid!
• Get sniffed by a cat (or is that a really small dairy cow?)
• Stare down a Rover security sphere (aka, a 10 cent white balloon)
• Play with blocks!

She was particularly enchanted by the drawings of cat and dog…

They look just like the ones in her book!

Her first question upon seeing the letter was a matter-of-fact ‘what did he say about the train set’….I guess she’ll just have to wait and see.

The beautiful park is open to dogs, so Luna came along, and met up with other dogs big and small.

It’s wooded in places, hilly and meadowy in others, and it felt like we were in the middle of a forest, rather than a city. (It also reminded me of Hitchcock’s Vertigo.)

Here are some of the breathtaking views:

That green strip is Golden Gate Park.

Toward the Sunset, you can see the beach:

Auntie points out her house:

Luna having fun.

Auntie, Luna and Lucy wander down a path.

Lucy chasing the ‘piglet’ doggie:

We hope to visit again soon.

Oregon Visit from Mike C on Vimeo.

We spent Sept 16 – 21 in Oregon. Here’s a (16 minute HD) video of our time there, including a get-together with my brother and his family.

The majority of the video was taken around Corvallis. We didn’t really get any Portland footage this time, so we’ll have to address that the next time we go back.

For more info, check out Jill’s earlier post about our trip.

Music:

• “Someday My Prince Will Come” from Someday My Prince Will Come by Miles Davis
• “Little Wing” from The Sky Is Crying by Stevie Ray Vaughan

when we were browsing Golden Books.

Easter, again?! Wow, it’s a cliche, but time really does aviate at a high speed. We all trekked over to Gma Vita’s for Easter last Sunday. It was great seeing the family (though the absence of lumpia made everything feel a bit off this year).

Anyway, here’s a bit of video of the egg hunt. Also, for those interested, here’s a link to last year’s Easter post and video.

Camera Used: Canon Powershot SD750. Soundtrack:

• “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom” from Mr. Guitar: The Complete Recordings 1955-1960 by Chet Atkins and “Bron-Yr-Aur” from Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin

Here’s a video of our time in SF yesterday with Auntie Laura, Gpa Tom, Gma Karen, and a few four-legged friends. I made some of the video black and white after watching a bit of some Oasis documentary tour film this morning that reminded me how striking high contrast B&W can look.

Mix in a little slow-mo in the right spots and even a two year old can look pretty cool!

Camera Used: Flip Video Ultra 60. Soundtrack:

• “If Love is the Drug” from Tepid Peppermint Wonderland: A Retrospective by The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Yesterday Lucy and I made a trip up to the big city (San Francisco) to visit Auntie and Uncle and see a few sights. I have misplaced my camera, so Auntie took all the pics…and boy what a difference a real photographer makes! See Auntie Laura’s great photostory here.

We went to a pottery studio to make hand and foot prints of Lucy…bought some pretty, tasty pastry…went to the best beach for doggy-watching and wind-surfing in SF (Crissy Field) and met a cute pup…

I am just a little obsessed with Vertigo, and have always wanted to do the Vertigo tour, to see all the sites that were in the movie (at least, those that are left), so I made the group stop by old Fort Point (first pic above)…one of the pivotal spots in the movie. It was breathtaking, though not at all deserted, so not as much of a Hitchcock vibe this time. I will be sure to find more spots for us to check out next time!

She played a game and won a pinwheel. We stood in line for shave ice three times, and three times decided the line was too long and we couldn’t wait.

We went to the children’s activities tent and Lucy tried her hand at the Taiko drum (not sure if we were supposed to, but hey, the drummers weren’t there) and watched balloon animals being made.

We saw lots of doggies and other kids, Lucy picked up a few cat toys in the book sale area, and we looked at dolls in the exhibit area. We will be sure to go again next year!

We celebrated Mother’s Day today in SF chez Omie (the gray cat). He was an excellent host, darting here and there, showing off his acrobatics. Lucy was quite taken with him and his sis, and can be seen below sporting an “Omie” sticker as a member of his fan club.

It was wonderful to have the whole family together at once, we are especially thankful Gmommy is out of the hospital. So we had quite the shindig–pizza, cake, and lots of presents. Lucy had her 16 month birthday today too, she is growing up so fast! Sigh.

More pics of our day here. Addendum: even more great pics from Auntie Laura here!