Two and a Half Men

Jacob worked on Two and a Half Men last week. He is part of a dream/nightmare sequence where Charlie Sheen's character walks into his house to see the 30 or so children he has 'fathered' during his , ahem, lifetime of debauchery. All the kids (girls included) were dressed in the Charlie 'look' - cargo shorts, mocs, and a bowling shirt. The scene is part of the season premiere - check local listings !

Styling!

Camping at El Capitan State Beach

This past weekend we went camping for the very first time.

Setting up camp.

Ann checks out the site.

A 'walk' on the beach turned into an impromptu swim.

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Jacob's tribute to Grumman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

A proper swim on Saturday.

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Hot dogs - camp style.



Mmmm...Smores!!!

A day trip to Solvang is not complete without a big wooden shoe.

Oooh -Ostrich Land!! We HAVE to check this out!



My, aren't we excited?


The sun, the wind, the big giant bird...


Why Dad, Why?!?!??!

"Based on the high quality paint job on this sign, this has got to be a classy joint!"

Click on the picture for the full effect.

The Whites Go Camping.



They look like they have lived at the beach all of their lives.

Bathroom Tour of Illinois

Jenni has a 'ahem' talent for finding bathrooms, so on this trip, we thought we would document her WC adventures....

Chicago Trip - Final Chapters

On Friday we got up a bit earlier than the day before, and took a cab over the Shed Aquarium.

Jacob and Jennie outside the Shedd Aquarium

After checking out all the cool fish and other assorted underwater creatures, we walked over to The Art Institute of Chicago. On the way we stopped by the Buckingham Fountain.

Goofy tourist pose #134

The Art Institute is truly an amazing place. We walked around a bit on our own, then went on a family tour with a guide.

In front of the lion at The Art Institute.

Jacob discusses the subtle nuance of 'Nighthawks'.

" A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat.

Kari and Al came into the city to pick us up, and we we're off to Wheaton. We went to a Kane County Cougars Single A baseball game. We sat on the grass and enjoyed a classic American evening.

Ann, Jennie, Eric, Kari, Al and Jacob enjoy the warm evening air.

On Saturday we drove to Sycamore, to check out the farm that was once owned by Ann's grandparents. The current owners were happy to see us, and invited us in for a visit. Jennie even got to gather some eggs!

Hillquist Farm

Jennie collecting fresh eggs.

On Sunday, we went to Cosley Zoo near Kari and Al's house, then to The First Division Museum at Cantigny - from cute little animals to The Big Red On and tanks, it was a fun day.

Still having fun

Attack!!!

So,to recap, in about 4 days we did the following:

• Navy Pier and a jet boat ride
• Buckingham Fountain
• Millennium Park
• Hancock Tower
• Sears Tower (just the lobby)
• Field Museum
• Shedd Aquarium
• Science And Industry Museum
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• Minor League Baseball game
• Hillquist Farm
• Cosley Zoo
• The First Division Museum at Cantigny

All in all, a GREAT trip!

Chicago Trip - Day One Pictures

When we last left our intrepid travelers, they had just witnessed a very cool Midwest thunder shower - from the streets of the financial district in downtown Chicago! Not real smart to be out in such weather, but cool none the less.

Just a recap, here are some pictures from Day One:


Still looking for the name of this sculpture at Navy Pier.


The Jay Pritzker Pavilion , designed by Frank Gehry.


At Navy Pier, on the shore of Lake Michigan.

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Classic Chicago skyline from Hyde Park.


Jacob talking with Bob Newhart.


Jacob and Jennie under The Cloud Gate by British artist Anish Kapoor's. Most people call it the jellybean.


Ooh, reflect-y!



The view from the observation deck of The Handcock Building.



Ann, Jacob and Jennie checking out the view.

More pictures later...

Chicago Trip - Update

Sorry for the lack of posts on the remainder of the trip. Work was a bit busy, and I'm hopping to get some time to work on a more complete post. Until then, here is a little teaser picture

Jacob and Jennie in front of
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by George Seurat
at The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago Trip - DAY 2

After a long first day, we slept in a bit In fact we slept in a lot! Ann's sister called us as we were still getting dressed, and told us they were just about to our hotel. We rushed downstairs and jumped into the car for a quick drive over the the Science and Industry Museum. From a capture submarine , to Jacob and Jennie making their own custom toys, we had a blast. After a bit of lunch, we then drove over the the Field Museum of Natural History. There we saw Sue, the most in-tact T-Rex ever found. Very cool!

The rains then started, and we were treated to a pretty spectacular lighting show. All in all, a great day.

Chicago Trip - DAY 1

Greetings from the 'not so windy city'! After an early morning flight from LAX, we arrived in Chicago around 1:30 and were to our hotel by around 2:30. We dropped off the luggage and set out to see as much as we could in 1/2 of a day!

We grabbed a quick bite, then walked over to Millennium Park. Very cool sculptures, fountains and general people watching. (NOTE: pictures and video will be uploaded after we get back).
We walked over to Navy Pier and got ticket for an EXTREME jet boat ride on Lake Michigan. Jennie could not stop grinning, and never put her arms down! Jacob had fun, but it did take a bit of getting used to the speed and the spray - oh yea, we got SOAKED!

We then walked over to the Hancock building- 94 stories up and a great view of Chicago.

Tomorrow, Ann's sister Kari and her husband Al are meeting us at the hotel and then we're off to the Science museum.

Underwater Fun

Last year I was walking thru Target, and I found this underwater motor-thingy. The original price was something like $140, but it had been marked down to $10! I couldn't pass up a deal like that, so I grabbed it and brought it home. As you can see, it is quite a kick to use.

4th of July

With the fire danger so high in Palmdale, we decided to go with a non traditional celebration.

I recently bought a LCD projector, and we showed the movie NATIONAL TREASURE- Book of Secrets on in our new 'Dive-In' theater. Around 8:30 or so, we settled in to watch the movie on a screen that is 19 feet wide and 10 feet tall! Very cool!

Prior to the movie, Jacob and Jennie provided quite the show - it really is amazing what Menthos and Diet Coke can do.

Happy 4th of July to all!