L.A Part 1: California Dreamin'

Chris, Scarlett, Max and I headed out to LA for the week of Thanksgiving to visit Mark, Monica, Maya, and Emma.  Papa Tig and Mimi joined us out there as well.  We had lots of fun on the agenda ...  beach, Disneyland, and Thanksgiving, just to name a few.

On our way!

Our rental house in Santa Monica less than two blocks from the beach.

Checking out the "secret garden" with Cousin Maya after lunch at The Grove.

Lunch at the Back on the Beach Cafe in Santa Monica, just down the street from our rental house.  There was a playground right next to the dining patio ... genius!

We had two celebrity sightings at lunch.  First Cuba Gooding, Jr. was eating a few tables away.  Then Chris spotted Valerie Bertinelli heading to her car.  Here's Cuba photobombing Max and Scarlett, who were busy playing in the sand.

Papa Tig is always guaranteed to play at the playground, too.

While we were at lunch, we witnessed a marriage proposal by five sky-writing jets -- amazing!  A few minutes later the jets came back by to inform us that she said yes.

Three excited little girls heading down to the ocean.

Papa Tig and Scarlett taking it all in.

Mimi, Emma, Maya, and Papa Tig admiring the view.

The light was beautiful.

Max decided to stay far away from the waves, focusing instead on the sand (which we continued to find in our house and car for days).

Maya strikes a pose.

Hey Max, where are you going?  (Maybe back to the restaurant to chat up Cuba Gooding, Jr.?)

This photo looks sweet, but Scarlett is actually super hacked off because we told her it was time to leave.  Chris is negotiating.  Unfortunately, they could not reach a compromise, so it didn't end well for either of them.

Telling Max we were leaving the beach didn't go much better.  Here he's wailing and trying to escape my clutches while I haul him back to the car  ("More beach!!! Mooorrreee beeeeaaaccchhh!!!").  Parents can be so cruel.  Also of note is my "Why are you taking a picture of this, Chris?" face.  I suppose I should just be glad that I'm actually in a picture since I'm always the one taking them.

Back at the house it was hot tub time!  I'm not really sure what's going on here.  If I had to guess, I'd say that Maya's being a shark, Emma is escaping from the shark, Max is squealing with excitement (probably due to the imminent shark attack that nobody else seems too concerned about), and Scarlett is smugly wondering what all the shark fuss is about.

Next up ... Disneyland!

Max's Mickey Mouse Second Birthday Party--Part 2

Paw and Randy put together another awesome hayride for Max's birthday party.

Paul was the master of ceremonies, leading us through the various clues and adventures to get to Max's presents.

Ready to roll!

Note the sign for the "seniors adults only" trailer ... Steamboat Willy's Hayride, complete with old-timey Mickey cartoon.  

First up, Toodles (played by Gavin, Randy's grandson) with the Mousekatool sign (full of "tools" or clues to help us along our way, most importantly a puzzle that we had to put together piece by piece as we travelled along the hayride).

Max holds onto the Mickey puzzle as we head out to search for pieces.

Oh no -- it's Prospector Pete!  (note the puzzle piece attached to his hat band)

Shrek had a puzzle piece, too.

Same for Iron Man.

Making s'mores at the campfire at the bottom of the property.

Deeeelicious!

Scarlett, Max, and Jordan spotted a tiny butterfly on a log (ok, so maybe it was a moth, but butterfly sounds more charming so let's go with that).

Busting out some sweet dance moves at the bonfire.

When we finally gathered up all the puzzle pieces we found along the way and put them all together, there was a surprise on the back -- a map with coordinates!  Luckily, Max and Scarlett's cousins are quite the outdoorsmen and were able to lead the way using the map (full disclosure:  they found an app on someone's phone (thank goodness, or we would have been out there wandering around in circles for days)).

Auntie Erin and three of the McGinnis cousins plot our next move.

Still searching with the whole gang in tow.

Paw explains the final Mousekatool, which led us to ...

... PRESENTS!

Once the hayride was finished, it was cupcake time!  Max was so ready to eat his Mickey cupcake that he blew out the candle before we even finished the first line of "Happy Birthday"!

Birthday cupcake photobomb.

Piñata time!  Max did a great job swinging.

Scarlett, too.

Cousin Jordan, however, decided that hitting Mickey Mouse with a stick just didn't feel right.  I get it, Jordan, I really do.

Lots of Seitzes.

Silly girls.

Do not be alarmed by the disproportionate number of Aggies in this photo.  (Thanks for the lone hook 'em horns, Cousin Jake.)

Cuddles with Grandma.

Presents!

A Texas-style face plant after a long, fun day.  Happy Birthday, Maxwell!!  Two is going to be an awesome year!