Channel Islands Visitor Center and the Wind-re done with pics

January 24, 2015

Channel Islands Visitor Center and the Wind

Saturday(the 24th) was the first day that my dad was here. We slept in then and pancakes and BACON! After that me, Noah, Ben and Lucy went down to the beach. It was super windy and the waves were huge. There were a bunch of surfers there. Later my parents came to the beach and we decided it was too windy so we decided to go to a marina where the boats go out.

We played on the beach there because they had rock baracades in the water to keep the huge waves from coming in so we waded in the small ones, then we went to the Channel Island National Park Visitor Center. In about two weeks we are going to go out there on a boat and take a tour. We went inside of the visitor center and we saw a National Parks worker talking to some people around a huge tank full of fish. She talked about the fish at Channel Islands and a disese that kills starfish. She said that they didn't have it in their tank(which had starfish) until they let in some water from the ocean, then one of the starfish died in a horrific way. She said the disiese might wipe out kinds of starfish and thats why they aren't as common on the islands.

The lady also told us that there is an exhibit that told you about the layers of the sea. On our way I saw this thing that said Pygmy Mammoth. It said that the had found the most complete set of Pygmy Mammoth Bones on one of the islands and I thought that was interesting. We learned that the islands are part of one big mountain, half under water and the other half above water. Five of the Eight islands are part of the National Park. The islands in the park are: San Miguel (9,325 acres), Santa Rosa (52,794 acres), Anacapa (699 acres), Santa Barbara (639 acres), and Santa Cruz (60,645 acres).

There are many animals on and around the island. There are sea lions and seals and also whales. Aparrently marine life ranges from microscopic plankton to the endangered blue whale, the largest animal on earth. Whale watching is very popular there along with scuba diving, hiking, and in some places, even camping.

If you are planning to go to Channel Islands National Park, I would go to the Visitor Center in Ventura. It is very helpful and interesting and I learned a lot of cool new stuff!

This picture shows all of the eight islands of Channel Islands.  San Nicolas

island is a part of them and is the island that the girl is stuck on in the

Island of the Blue Dolphins.

This is a picture I found on Google of some of the islands in Channel Islands National Park at sunset.

Before we went to the beach. Pic is in front of our beach house.

At the beach by the marina. You can see the rock baracades

View from the top of the visitor center.

Pygmy Mammoth Bones replica

Santa Barbara and the Mission

January 25, 2015

Santa Barbara and the Mission

In the morning, my parents decided that we would go to Santa Barbara after lunch. I kept asking my mom what was in Santa Barbara that we were going to see but she didn't really answer me. Around 11a.m. I took Noah and Lucy to the beach. Me and Noah buggy bordded while Lucy played in the water. My mom told us to be home by twelve thirty to have lunch then we would drive 40 minutes to Santa Barbara.

We came home around twelve twenty and washed off and had lunch then we left for Santa Barbara. The drive was along the beach beach and was very beautiful. When we got there we drove up a hill to a park and what looked like an old church. My mom said it was called a Mission. She also said there were many in California and Mexico because California used to be owned by Mexico. I asked her what a mission was and she said it was Spanish Missions in Alta California are a series of 21 religious outposts; established by Catholic priests of the Franciscan order between 1769 and 1833, to spread Christianity among the local Native Americans.

The Santa Barbara Mission was the one we were visiting, and it was built in 1806. They have monk who live there and when they aren't having mass, you can go on a self guided tour, which is what we did. We walked to the courtyard where they have a garden. They were playing a video in one of the rooms about how they made the Mission. It was very cool because I have only been inside of one kind of church in my life and I thought it was interesting to see what other people do. In the room with the video there was a statue of Mary with candles in front of it. My mom said that people buy a candle then light it and pray to Mary. My mom also told us about Saint Barbara. She was a girl who was raised by a woman who did not like christianity and locked her in a tower. She somehow got out and became a christian but her father beheaded her for her beliefs. We walked around the garden then into the grave yard. It was green and had many trees. Some of the graves were nice and marble and others were old and made of rock. Though there were only about 30 or 40 graves a plaqe said there were hundreds of Native Americans buried there. There were crosses everywhere and I wasn't quite used to that because growing up I was kind of afraid of the symbol but I got over it. On a small statue there was a symbol that my little sister pointed out to look like my dads tattoo. It was because it was the same symbol.

Then we went into the chapel where they have mass. A sign told us to be quiet. We walked up to the alter at the front then looked at the holy water in the back. There were doors at the back and my mom said they were called confessions, where you go in and tell the pope what you have done wrong and he makes you clean again. At the sides of the room there were statues where the people go to pray. My dad pointed out one that he thought was very good, it was of mary in the garden after Jesus had died and he came to her.

We walked through the rest of the place, going in rooms and looking at scuptures and things. The grounds were very pretty and before we left we walked around the front of it.

After we left we got ice cream at this really good ice cream place then went down to the beach for several minutes before heading home.

I really liked going to the mission because I like to see what other people do and learn about their was instead of just knowing my own.

Ben, Me, Noah, Lucy in front of the Santa Barbara Mission

Santa Barbara Mission

Me in front of some statues

Selfie while waiting for my mom to come out of the gift shop

Pasadena and Kaths House- re done with pics

January 19-22, 2015

Pasadena and Kath's Family

We got to our friends house about two fifteen. Our friends in Pasadena that we are staying with are some of our closest friends. Kath and Wade are friends with my parents. They have a son Noah's age and a daughter named Ella who is my age. We have been friends since we were babies. We goofed around for the rest of the day. We made funny music videos and watched a show at night.

The next day we didn't do much because we all had school. But at night we went to Soup Plantation(owned by the same people at Sweet Tomatoes and they are basacally the same place). I used to go there all the time with my mom and doris when I was a kid. Kath and Ella are vegan and are trying to go gluten free so it reminded my family to remember to eat healthy even though we were on a trip. Soup Plantation has a really good Caeser Salad. After we went to Trader Joes, and it was the one that we used to go to a lot in Pasadena.

The next day we did school and then we finished our fake music videos. After the kids went to the park by the Rose Bowl with the adults so me and Ella watched TV then when everyone got home, Kath and my mom left so me and Ella were baby sitting. We had pizza and watched TV until the adults got home.

Today we woke up and did school. We are going to our house by the beach in Oxnard later when we are done with school. I am really excited!

Me and Ella watching our hilarious music videos(yes, we are in costumes)

Me in the morning, while doing school I took a selfie.

Lucy and me playing with the camera.

Our extremely organized packed trunk

San Diego and the USS Midway

by Sophie

Friday, January 16, 2015

Last Friday my family and I went to San Diego and went inside the USS Midway. It was America's Longest-serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century. It was used from 1945 to 1991. About 200,000 sailors served on it. After it retired, it became a museum located in downtown San Diego at Navy Pier where you can go throughout most of the ship using an audio tour, or you can just look around.

We were staying about an hour out of San Diego at a friends house. My mom looked up on the internet what was the San Diego's most popular place to visit, which was the USS Midway. After doing our homeschool in the morning, we drove down to the city. As soon as we entered downtown I commented on how clean the city was. Unlike any city I have ever been in, San Diego was very clean and I couldn't see very many homeless people. We drove down to Navy Pier where there are many Hotels, Yachts, Ferries, Fish Grotto's, and Boats. Because it was a city, people were everywhere.

We parked at a Fish Grotto called Anthony's and right next to it was a huge 16 hundreds ship called the Star of Indi. It look repainted and nice but we wanted to go on the USS Midway. We ate at Anthony's and we had a good view of the water.

When we were done we walked down Navy Pier and you could not miss the USS Midway. Its huge! It looks like a huge boat but it has a big platform on top that is as big as the boat where the airplanes (and hellecopters) would take off. It looks kind of like that big flying boat in the Avengers except it can't fly (and it isn't as fancy inside).We went up to a booth where we paid and then we got to enter. I was a bit nervous because one of my biggest fears is deep water and this huge boat looked like it was about to sink! But I was excited.

We went through the door where they checked our tickets and then we went down a hallway that led to the biggest room I have ever been in. It was full of planes and helicopters! It was full of people and it had gift shops. We got our head phones for the audio tour which were connected to a thing that looked like an old TV remote. A worker explained that you just push the numbers on the remote of the number on the sign in each room.

So we started off. We went through old tunnel looking hallways with oval doors. Arrows showed us where to go and we looked at where the sailors slept. They were small bunks with little lockers to put their stuff. We also saw the officers and commanders sleeping quarters. They all got their own room and had bigger beds with dressers and desks. We saw the showers and bathrooms. They didn't have a big water supply so they had to take very short showers. We also saw what is kind of like the ships jail called the Brig\. It was where the sailors went if they started fights or gambled. The audio tour thing said they would have to sit in a cell for days only eating water and bread. On the walls of every room there were things that the sailors said about their stay on the ship. Life there didn't sound so comfy.

Then we were led back to that big room full of planes in the center of the ship. I was curious at how they would these huge ships onto the take off deck. The audio tour said their was a huge piece of floor that if you folded the planes wings the floor would lift up and be kind of like an elevator and take the plane up to the deck. Next we went down stairs and saw the kitchen. They had many choices for food and the kitchens were really big with huge pots for soup. Then we saw the mail room and the laundry room.

We started seeing old men in yellow hats walking around. Turns out these were old WW2 veterans who worked on the USS Midway and they would talk to us about their experience. We went to rooms where we saw places where they operated and took care of the ship.

Finally we went up to the top deck. We saw all kinds of air force planes. We walked up and down the deck, looking at the planes. My mom told me that at the end of the war, when we won all of the sailors came into Navy Pier and kissed any girl they could find. They have a statue of that on the pier. 

We saw a couple more rooms and then went back to our car. We drove around San Diego and looked at the older part of the city and the newer part. After we had dinner with our friend then went back to her house.

I think my family can agree that it was super fun. Sadly my moms phone was dead while we were in the boat so we have no pictures of our own but we do have some of the city.

Amy's House

January 12-16, 2015

Amy's House

Before we go to our rental house by the beach(where we are staying for most of the California trip) we were stopping at some friends house's and doing some things around the area's I grew up in. We stayed at a friend named Amy's house for several days. Amy was watching her grandma for most of our stay in her house, but we will see her quite a bit. Amy is my moms friend. When I was a baby, Amy loved to hold me and she is really good with kids.

We got to her house really late at night. It was about an hour after we dropped of Ben and Dad at the Long Beach airport. I didn't know that Amy wouldn't stay there the whole time with us so I was nervous that we may go in the wrong house when we arrived at her home. We went inside and her house is gorgeous. It looks small from the outside but the inside is really open and pretty. My mom and Noah stayed in one of her extra rooms and me and Lucy stayed in bunk beds in a guest rooms.

In the morning we were all a bit tired and cranky. We didn't know the internet password till about 10 a.m. so we got a late start on our school. That day we spent a lot of time outside because she has a big back yard and it is very green with some trees that my siblings would climb. While we were at Amy's, we relaxed a lot and didn't do much.

The next day, we did school and then went to the beach. We met with Amy at the beach and we were there for four and a half hours. After, we went to the store to pick up some food.

The day after we went to the beach, Amy came back to stay with us. In the morning we went on a walk on a really pretty trail. Then, we picked fruit and tried different kinds(except for Noah, he didn't want to try the new fruits). That night my mom and my watched Divergent because she had not seen it yet.

The next day we decided that that the next day we would go to San Diego and go inside the USS Midway and then after have pizza with Amy. And the next day we had a wonderful time in San Diego. I love going to new places and doing things like that. I also learned a lot while we were at the museum(Read San Diego and USS Midway).

Me, Noah and Hedgie(the pillow hedge hog noah has on his head) packing the car.

Amy, Me, Lucy, and Noah right before we left for Long Beach Airport.

Above: Me, Noah and Lucy at the beach we met Amy at.

Disneyland and L.A.

Saturday, January 10-11, 2015

Disneyland and L.A.

We woke up around 8 on Saturday morning and we started getting ready. We were going to Disneyland about 9. When I was ready, Ben said that he would take me down to breakfast so we wouldn't have to wait for everyone else. While we were eating breakfast downstairs, it started raining and that was kind of concerning because we were going to Disneyland and we were going to be there all day. About ten minutes to 9, the rest of my family joined us downstairs.

We left for Disneyland a little after nine. It took us about five minutes to walk to the entrance. We like to stick together at Disneyland because it is one of the few parks where everyone in the family can go on everything. It was raining kind of hard by the time we were in the park and everyone was upset to hear that Matterhorn and some other good rides were closed.

We started in Fantasy Land, where we went on rides Peter Pan and my Dads favorite: Mr. Toads Wild Ride-he gets very excited when you drive the car to hell.

Then we went to Frontier Land going on The Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain(which barely had any line), and the one of the family's favorite: Pirates of the Carrabean.

Then we went to Adventure Land where we went on Indianna Jones which we have had issues with in the past. Last time my younger siblings came out crying but this time they had a great time. Noah was the one "driving" and he did a great job not even touching the wheel.

Then we went and got fast passes for Thunder Mountain. None of the kids in my family have been on it because it has been closed the last couple of times we have gone and my parents said they remember it not being that fun but when we went my whole family said it was one of the best rides.

Then we went to Space Mountain in Tomorrow Land where we waited one hour and two minutes but it was totally worth it.

After that we had dinner then we split up for the first time all day(except for the times Lucy kept getting lost). Noah, Lucy, and My mom went to go on some kid rides while me, Ben and my dad went on Indianna Jones again. When we got there, the line was huge! We were deciding if we really wanted to go on it when this random guy ran up to us and gave us two fast passes for it then went away.

My dad said that me and Ben should go but from my previous experiences from going with Ben on rides and rollercoasters, I said I wouldn't go without my dad. We went up to a "cast member" and told her what was going on. She took the passes and gave a one pass and said it would count for all three of us and that we can take up to six people on another ride and go in the fast pass line. So we went on Indianna Jones and then met back up with the others and told them what happened. We decided that we would use the pass for Space Mountain.

We went on Buzz Lightyear, Star Tours, and Space Mountain. Then we realized the park was closing in fifteen minutes so we ran to Thunder Mountain and went on it again. After that we saw we only had five minutes and so we ran to Pirrates of the Carrabean and got there one minute before the park closed. After that we went to get ice cream on the way out of the park but while my mom was about to pay she realized that she had lost her debit card so my dad paid while she shut down the card over the phone.

We left the park and went back to the hotel. We were all very tired. Then we realized we had been at Disneyland for a whole 15 hours. Though we were there for a very long time and it was rainy, we had a great time.

The next day we woke up at about ten. We packed the car and left for L.A. We ate lunch at a really good burger place(yes, burgers...AGAIN) called Fat Burger. After that we walked passed some premier theaters and got really good ice cream sandwhiches at a place called Diddy Reese. After that we drove by some of my parents apartments they used to live in before they had kids. We also drove by this cemetery with hundreds of graves for men in the war.

Then we drove up the mountain to an art museum called the Getty. You can only drive halfway up and you have to take a train the rest if the way because their are no roads up there. We were up there for awhile but my favorite part, the gardens were closed. My brother Noah started feeling sick so we decided to go to Santa Monica beach to watch the sun go down. I collected many beautiful and unique shells. After we ate at a resteraunt on the beach called Gladestones. While they were eating the Golden Globes awards were playing on TV so we got to watch some of that.

After that we dropped off Ben and my dad at the airport and drove to our friends house about and hour out of San Diego. Our friend is named Amy she lives by herself in this gorgeous house on a hill where a bunch of rich people live. We drove there in the dark so we couldn't see anything but the house was gorgeous. Amy was babysitting her grandma so she wasn't there for the first few nights.

The weekend was very fun and I had a great time.

Picture at the entrance of Disneyland

Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney Statue

Me in front of the castle with Noah photo bombing.

Ben in front of Mr. Toads Wild Ride

Mr. Toad

Me and Mr. Toad

My mom took a selfie of me, my dad, and herself on Splash Mountain

This is the picture they take when you go to the top of the waterfall in Splash Mountain.(Starting at the top) Ben, Dad, Me, Mom, Lucy and Noah.

Then the next time we went, we all (except for dad) decided to go like this:

And the last time we went on Splash Mountain:

When we went on Space Mountain. I covered my face with my hand because I didn't know what face to make.

Me at the top of Tarzan's tree house, in front of Fronteir Land.

Then the next day at Diddy Reese, my Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies around Mint Chocolate Ice Cream.

Ben, Me, Noah and Lucy at Diddy Reese.

Me and Lucy at Santa Monica Beach

Santa Monica Beach at sunset.

Noah goes to Disneyland

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Last Saturday I went to Disneyland with my family. It was crowded and rainy, but I had fun and we were able to walk on a lot of rides.  It smelled like popcorn and there was music everywhere. 

For lunch we ate at the French Market, and I tried the corn chowder in a bread bowl but traded it for mac-n-cheese. There were live jazz musicians playing while we ate.  

I liked Autopia in tomorrowland, I drove the car and Ben pressed on the pedal--I could have, but it was a little hard with the slippery pedal. I liked Pirates of the Carribean the best--I liked that he said, “Dead men tell no tales” a lot of times.  I loved all the mountains--Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Thunder Mountain.  Our longest wait was for Space Mountain, but we got a fast pass later and went again. We walked on to Splash a few times and onto Thunder twice. I got to become Ironman in Innoventions and meet Captain America.  The Haunted Mansion was the Nightmare Before Christmas style still, which was weird.  I like the regular one.  But I liked the hall with floating Zero in it. I saw my goat Dangit holding some dynamite in his mouth on a rock on the top of Thunder Mountain.  

I really don’t like the Indiana Jones ride, its just so rumbly and dark and loud, and you feel like it’s over but it’s not, but I do like the Indiana Jones movie.  Our Jungle Cruise tour guide was funny and told good jokes.  I like Mr. Toad’s wild ride because the whole story is that he’s a bad driver and blows himself up and goes to hell.  I like the first part because you go in through a place and then turn around and come back out and it looks like you are going where you started, then you look like you’re going to hit people but end up going through a wall.  For dinner we ate at the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland, but I didn’t like it.  We stayed until it closed at 11 and walked to our hotel.

We forgot to go on Winnie the Pooh, so next time I’d start with that.   If others are visiting, I’d warn them that Indiana Jones is kind of creepy.  

Overall I give Disneyland 5 stars.

Noah, age 10