Oh, amber waves of cheese

I do love a good cheese counter. This place opened up a few miles from my office.

The card I was dealt

At a work-related meeting high above Marina del Rey. Isn't my place card impressive?

Everybody was jumpin' jumpin'

Even in California, there are some days where we stay inside. Ellen enjoys an afternoon at Jumpin' Jammin', a high energy joint full of inflatable bouncers, tunnels, ball pits, and dozens of screaming kids.

Little man in a big suit

I've been losing weight all summer. I give credit to the power trio of healthy weight loss -- diet, exercise, and pneumonia. My suits are all ridiculously huge on me, but a little tailoring will make them tolerable for a few more months.

Victory hug

So excited to see mommy! And All! That! Pink!

Ellen may become a breast cancer awareness advocate just for the colored swag.

Out cold

A two hour drive to Santa Barbara to see mommy compete in the Avon Walk for the Cure was ... a little too much for her. Even the scenery along the Pacific Coast Highway wasn't enough to keep her conscious.

Tagger

Give Ellen enough blacktop, and she'll color the Sistine Chapel for you. If you don't mind it being done in pink flowers and butterflies.

Nose to the glass

She really does love to fly, and she likes having the window seat. This is a brief ground stop in MSP on our way back to California. At MSP, she has her favorite restaurants and sights memorized. And she always reads along with the flight attendant on the seatback pocket safety card. I think she's even managed to sweet-talk her way into a few cockpit tours! As she told me, "there are buttons on the ceiling!"

Nap Zone 3C

Rachel loves to nap at Orzyland. She has several couches, hammocks, chairs, loungers, and other spots picked out for naps, and she tries to rotate between them over the long weekend. She's dedicated to her craft.

Scattered

Scattergories is the "women's game" at Thanksgiving. (Not quite as venerable as the ancient family poker game.) It's somehow been transplanted to the lake house for our reunion weekend.

Another early morning at LAX

Pre-dawn at Parking Lot C. A familiar starting point for us on a cross-country flight to Milwaukee for the annual family gathering. LAX is 30 miles away from home and only a really tolerable drive when we can avoid rush hour traffic -- hence the very early or very late departures. MSP used to be an easy ten minute drive from home in Minneapolis. Fortunately, Ellen is a great traveler.