LA Zoo animals only (28 Dec 2011)

Traditional family holiday trip to Los Angeles and to the zoo. The weather was beautiful, so glad I live in So Cal!

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LA Zoo family (28 Dec 2011)

We had fun as a family at the zoo, it was great to have Brittany home from college, it was the first time our whole family had been together for awhile. We even brought Britt's boyfriend Matt along for the party.

We then scooted up the hills near the zoo to the Griffith observatory to check out the sunset which was a brilliant red at the time.

We didn't stop there as we then traversed Los Angeles (good and bad parts) to get to Santa Monica and check out the Christmas lights at the LA temple. Not a bad day.

Check out all the pictures here:

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California Christmas Family Park Tag

I know in different places Christmas time is enjoyed in different ways. We never have a "White Christmas" in California, and with the weather generally good we have celebrated during the break by going to the beach or Disneyland. This year we actually went to a skate park in Costa Mesa for the boys, and then played on the apparatus at Tiwinkle park. The kids have often played an assortment of "lava" games growing up, ie. you can't touch a certain surface or color of tile because it is hot lava or "unsafe". In this large playground the family played a massive game of "lava tag", where only those who are "it" can move on the ground, the rest on the climbing stuff. Each side gets to move 3 steps in the enemy territory, and it made for an eventful, and photographic, afternoon.

Jonathan in the bowl

Caleb flipping his deck

Brittany explaining the three step rule

Jonathan negotiating

Sarah after Hannah

Mom gets Sarah

Caleb hiding

Jonathan entertaining as usual

Brittany escaping

Hannah fleeing

Jonathan avoiding Hannah

Sarah hoping she is safe

Caleb spiderman approach

Sarah evading Mom

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