Firsts

*You know when you think you published a post, but didn't?  Yea, that's why this one is 'late'.

We headed to Portland for the Fourth.  Since Brandon had work meetings in Portland that following Wednesday, and the BMW Club had their track day wedged between the Fourth and the meetings, we thought it was a nice time to get away.  (Now that I'm back, especially today when 9 out of 11 teachers didn't show at Primary - and NONE got a sub, I kinda wish we were still away.) 

Parker had a fun time, I think.  He had a lot of firsts this trip.


Parker's first eats from Grandpa Hines's garden (certainly not his last).

Fresh Peas!

Can't...get...enough

Parker's first blueberries (from Gramp's garden - told you it wasn't P's last).

Parker's first time watching Pops at the track.

P thinks he's going around the track with Pops

Parker's first watermelon.

Yes, we torture our boy with silly hats

Parker's first visit to the Oregon Zoo.

That's one big Tera cat!

Parker's first time in the pool.

What is this wetness..?

Parker's first pouty face.

This isn't the best photo because P was holding back.  But he always moves when I try to take his photo.  See what I mean? 

This was THE best face.  But P moved once the camera came out.  He also does this breathing thing that makes it simply hilarious.  (We were leaving the pool, hence the Hefner robe.)

Speed Racer

Brandon hates it when I say he's going racing.  'I'm not racing, just driving over 100mph."  Okay Mister Lead Foot.  I might be a little jealous, until I remember all the training and classes, and the fact that he has to have an 'instructor' in the car until he drives like 5 times.  Just give me the NOS and a straight road in the midwest. And no other cars.

Helmet ready

Once a year Brandon likes to join the Portland BMW Club for their driving day.  Last year I was preggers, and possibly still working (like I can remember), so Brandon went solo. (I think I remember not actually knowing he was going to 'race' until the day before.  I'm sure this was to keep me from killing him.)  This year, Brandon wanted me to bring Parks, and watch how close Brandon could get to wrecking the family car.  Yes, I was duped into agreeing on buying the BMW with the promise that it would be the family car.  And since Brandon supports the family, he gets to drive it to work, everyday.

Brandon with his instructor

Our camp

 Have I mentioned that Brandon likes cars?  He researched the make and model he wanted.  He read so many reports my eyes glossed over when he would share what he learned.  So not my thing.  But, it turned out to be beneficial.  Brandon found the car model with the extras he wanted - something that can be hard to do when everyone in the US wants the same stupid extras (sorry, we don't need the winter package here in Newport).  One dealership tried to get Brandon to look at a lesser model.  I remember at least 5 times Brandon said, "No, I'm interested in the 335."  My favorite was when he added something like, "I know you have 3 in stock."  Anyway, Brandon found the ONLY model, with the sports package and extras he wanted, in the US....and had a different dealership 'ship' the car up to Salem, from Riverside, CA.  He was persistent, to say the least.

Here are some videos of Brandon: 

This one is Brandon taking off:

Brandon Speeding by.  He's in the background at first...

 

Link to HQ YouTube version

Brandon taking off again.  I love the guy telling him to go.

 

Link to HQ version on YouTube

My favorite - Parker watching the cars go by.  I'm terrified Parker is going to grow up to like cars more than Pops.

Link to HQ YouTube version

Next year, if you would like to watch Brandon speed around PIR, let us know.  We'll save you a spot in the bleechers.

California Part 4 - D-D-D-D-Dis-Ney

Yes, we went to Disneyland and California Adventure.  Parker is a very spoiled kid.

Mom and Parks on It's a Small World

Parker and I went to Disneyland with Grandma Hines.  The first thing Parker did when we walked in the gate - eat.  Then what, you ask?  Parker slept 2 hours.  The first 2 1/2 hours at Disneyland were spent just walking around letting Parker eat/sleep so we wasn't cranky.  If I had to do it over again - I wouldn't care about Parker being cranky and make him go on rides.  Instead, he only went on It's a Small World.  How sad.

Yahoo!!!!

Brandon had a free day Friday.  We all headed to California Adventure.  This time I was going to have Parker go on rides.  I read on Pinterest that you HAVE to go on Radiator Springs Racers.  The only way to do this is to get fastpasses the minute the park opens.  Somehow we got passes  - we thought the park opened an hour later than it did.  We went on Mickey's Fun Wheel and Toy Story Mania with Parker.  Then California Screamin' finally opened.  Grandma watched Parker while Brandon and I went roller coastin'.  Brian and Val met up with us then.  We ate lunch before heading to Soarin' Over California.  Grandma watched Parker for this one.  I was so scared on this.  I totally thought they were going to tip us face-down and kept waiting for it.  I couldn't enjoy the ride because of this.

Riding the Chew-Chew Train

 
Grizzly River Run was finally open so Brandon took Parker while the rest of us got really wet.  It was one of my favorite rides.  Parker enjoyed Ariel's Undersea Adventure - he was watching so closely!  Brandon and Brian went on Tower of Terror.  Crazy boys.  The rest of us headed to Bug's Life so I could feed Parker in the shade.  Then we took Parker on Hemlich's Chew Chew Train.  He didn't seem too impressed with that ride.  After picking up Brian and Brandon, we headed to Mike and Sulley to the Rescue.  It made me want to watch Monster's Inc again.  I kinda forgot the story....  Then we saw Muppets 3-D.  Because our fastpasses for Radiator Springs Racers were getting close, Brian and Val went to catch a couple rides while Grams, Brandon, Parker and I got ice cream. 

I scream for Ice Cream

This place is my favorite ice cream parlor.  I will admit that I decided it had been a bad choice to share a sundae with Brandon.  Thankfully Grams couldn't eat all her sundae so I helped.

Once full of too much sugar, we ran to Radiator Springs Racers.  Because we had Parker, someone had to wait with him while two others went on the ride.  We decided Grams would watch Parker first.  The cool thing about having someone watch Parker, one person who already got to go on the ride got to go a second time with the person waiting with the babes.  So, I became the lucky one.  It was a nice perk to having a baby along.  Plus this ride was worth grabbing fast passes.

Too tired....and no more Dr Pepper

Parker was hungry again.....  We tried to figure out where to go next - a place where Parker could go too.  By the time we fed Parker and walked around to find something (things were closing because of the Colors of Water), it was dark, and Parker was fussy.  It was around 8pm by then.  I thought Parker did well - lasted the whole day.  So, we said goodbye to Brian and Val, and went to our hotel to watch the fireworks at Disneyland.  Did I mention they upgraded our room to a Disney view room, for free?  Thanks, Hilton Anaheim.

California Part 3 - Anaheim

Anaheim, California

Love this photo

Monday Brandon started his training.  I goofed around for a while, heading to Anaheim Garden Walk.  A complete waste of time - most of the shops were empty.  Then I got cornered by the lady selling timeshares.  *sigh*   My mom flew in Tuesday.  We asked her to come help with Parker.  I did laundry while waiting for her shuttle to arrive.  (Yes, I did laundry while on vacation.  I highly suggest it if you have a baby.  Less clothes to pack.) Wednesday my mom, Parker and I spent the day at Disneyland.  This was only my second time - my first was when I came down to meet Brandon's family before we got engaged.  Brandon wasn't going to take me to Disneyland, but I told him I would go without him.  He didn't like that.  I paid his way and I guess he still liked me enough to marry me.  Anyway, we totally spoiled Parker by taking him to the Happiest Place on Earth when he was only 6 months.  I wrote about Disney here. At least we can tell Parker he's already been to Disneyland when he begs us to go in 4 years.



Thursday I had lunch with a friend from Newport who moved to a town near Anaheim.  It was a short visit, but still lovely.  Here's a photo she took:

Grandma, Parker, and I spent the afternoon hanging outside, relaxing.  It was much needed.  Friday was Brandon's free day.  We headed to California Adventure.  Brandon's friend met us there (the same friend from Philippe's).  Parker went on a few more rides.  It made me wish I hadn't been so scared to get Parks on rides at Disneyland.  But - California Adventure does seem like it is more catered to kids (with Cars Land and Bugs Life).  We left before the big light show.  We did watch the fireworks from our hotel room.  More about Disney in my next post.... 

California Part 2 - The Plane, The Plane!

Don't deny it - you hate seeing a baby board your plane.  We ALL do.  But it is those who do not have kids, or who have never flown with their own kids, who expect WAY too much from babies on planes.  

This was, of course, our first time flying with Parker.  I was very unsure how Parker would do since he had been a little fussier than normal as we approached our trip.  But, he was amazing!  We had the easiest baggage check and security screening ever.  No lines! (well, no lines a head of us....sorry everyone behind us)  Thank you Pinterest for all the information on flying with baby :-)  Oh - and a great tip: if they ask for anyone willing to check their carry-on bag....DO IT.  Totally saved us, and we still had everything for Parker in my personal item.  Brandon boarded with the family boarding.  I waited with Parker until the very last minute.  We fed him as we lifted off, and he finally fell asleep about 45 minutes from landing at LAX.  That's when things got a little tricky.  Parker wasn't sucking on his pacie and woke up with his ears hurting about 20 minutes before landing.  Then he was crying so much he wouldn't suck on his pacie.  So, I made another bottle for him.  You do what you can. It seemed to solve it, for the most part.  Having Parker, Brandon decided to be 'one of those' who, sitting at the back of the plane, decides they are more important than everyone else on the plane and jumps to get off the plane a head of the people sitting just inside the door.  He didn't make it very far. (Maybe it was all the others who jumped to get off?) 

Parker just fell alseep

On the way home things were different.  We got stuck in LA traffic - taking 2 hours for a 40 minute drive.  We decided to stop at the Santa Monica LDS Temple Visitor Center because traffic looked ok a head of us.  It calmed us down.....but traffic was bad when we got back on the freeway.  We thought we were going to miss our flight. Somehow we got the rental car dropped off, caught the shuttle to LAX, checked in and got our boarding passes, and made it through security in record time.  The security line was short again!  There was another baby in front of us so 2 ladies decided they didn't need to wait in line - and cut in front of that baby.  Seriously?  They actually ran in front of the family and pushed things out of the way so they could put their items through the machine.  Everyone else just kinda looked at everyone like 'is this really happening'?  Anyway.....     Parker was fussy the whole flight.  I could not get him to just sit or play or sleep.  Finally Brandon took him and Parker calmed down a little.  I'm sure our hurried drive to the airport had something to do with Parker acting fussy.  But, we survived.  Not sure if we will fly with a baby again....but we survived.

California Part 1 - Brandon Childhood Tour #9

Since Grandma Hignite moved to Utah to live with Brandon's family, we haven't really had a reason to head to Los Angeles.  Brandon has been going crazy figuring out how to get down there.  Finally, he found a training for work in Anaheim.  Work paid for his flight, food, and lodging.  I had a free ticket from Virgin America (thank you to my old job for sending me to the 2012 Oregon Governor's Conference on Tourism), so the trip became affordable.

We flew down early to visit Brandon's old stomping grounds.  First thing we did:  Eat dinner at Tommy's.  Yes, it was around 10pm, but it is never to late, or early, for Tommy's.  Here is my food:

If you don't see the Shack, take it back!

Yum!  I am so craving those chili fries right now......  If you look up nutrition values, this is better for you than McDonald's food (if you are comparing a Tommy's single chili burger or chili cheeseburger to a Big Mac).  And certainly tastes better.  Side note - I was terrified to try Tommy's.  Looked disgusting.  I thought I could handle the chili dog so tried that instead of the burger.  Bad idea.  Their hot dogs snap when you bite them.  Gross.  But I got the burger next time and haven't turned back.  Guess I'm officially a Hignite.

Friday was hot.  We didn't want to hang around the valley so we did what everyone else in Southern California does when it gets hot - we went to the beach.  We hung out at Santa Monica all day.  It made me wish Newport had warmer weather.  The day ended with Brandon and me taking a turn to dip our feet in the ocean while the other watched Parker at the end of the walkway.  Parks was asleep in his stroller....  He didn't even get to play in the ocean!

We left 50* weather for 80*

Saturday we ate lunch at Bob's and got this cute photo of the fam with Big Boy.

I'd like to thank the lady in the background who wouldn't move. Our photo so needed your flip-flop.

One day I will go on the tour

While in Burbank we decided to go to City Walk at Universal.  I found my absolute favorite store ever. If you couldn't believe it was a candy store, you don't know me well.
That evening we met up with Brandon's friends for a Quatro De Mayo party at their home.  It was so much fun I forgot to take photos.  Made me wish for a big backyard - and nice weather to enjoy a backyard! Brandon says the solution to that is to move down to LA.  He is so hilarious.

"Parker, can you say 'Tommy's'?"

Sunday we headed to Anaheim.  We made a lunch stop at Tommy's.....  Did I mention I craved Tommy's when I was pregnant?  I asked Brandon to spend the $32 plus $25 shipping to get me some chili shipped.  He said no.  I guess I'm not as special as I thought. 

But Mooooom, I want this BMW concept from MI:4!

We also stopped at the Peterson Automotive Museum. I'm not sure how Parker enjoyed the museum. I think he thought he would be leaving with one of the cars - like it was his first car shopping experience.  That boy is like his pops.

Mom - will you teach me to drive? Pops won't take his hands off the wheel!

Parks, Bran, Chris, Val and Brian at Philippe's

We met another friend at Philippe's for dinner.  Gots to have the original french dip sandwich.  We skipped Olvera Street since it was Cinco de Mayo. One of these days I'll make it there.

Any ideas what we should do our next LA trip??  

A Quickie

I'll make this quick.  I tried to post yesterday so I had something in June...but the computer wouldn't agree to do anything.  I want to post more often even if it is just for me.  Watch for a lot of posts for a while as I'm catching up.  But for now - Brandon has a new boss, Christine is still working in Primary (Really?  They didn't release me after having a baby??), and Parker has survived 8 months.  We must be doing something....right.

Now here's a photo of CrankyPants: