Bucket List - WB Studios

FRIENDS is my all time favorite TV show and everyone who knows me, knows this. 

Nate took me on a tour of WB Studios last month and we had a blast. Each tour group is asked what are their favorite shows (I was wearing a Friends t-shirt so she knew my answer). The tour guide would take the tour through the sets that were requested. This made it more fun and interactive since we were all seeing sets and show/movie productions that we were interested in. Nate and I were the most vocal on the tour so we got to see everything we wanted. The tour guide would ask a question and the entire bus would be quiet, then Nate or I would answer. We really tried to give others a chance but if we had not spoken up, we may have not left the parking lot. 

One of the few outdoor sets still around is on the WB lot. The set is currently being used for Hart of Dixie on WB. We got to see Wade's house, the lake, the cottage, and the Rammer Jammer. This same set is used for the bar in True Blood.

We moved past the outside sets and on to the production museum for props. This is a huge building with all kinds of movie/show props used and reused. We saw this guy and immediately thought.... Goonies. Everyone else thought Pirates of the Caribbean. Both were correct we just showed our age and movie knowledge.

There is a wall of Presidential seals, all with a small error on purpose. They can not make an exact duplicate for obvious reasons. 

We saw a huge Batman exhibit with all the vehicles from all 7 movies, costumes, props ect. We saw the same type of exhibit for Harry Potter complete with the sorting hat and giant spider. 

Lastly, the reason for the tour Central Perk.

Complete with a picture of Nate and I on the actual orange couch. 

It was an awesome tour, and so fun to be only a 30 min drive away. Next is the Universal Tour and being in the audience of a show. 

 

Joel turns 13!

On Tuesday, Joel turned 13. He didn't ask for much just a Pokemon/Pikachu birthday cake and some pokemon toys/movies. Here is a couple of his toys from family and the progress of his cake.

Wrapping Joel's presents

About to open presents

Slippers from Aunt Jenny and Uncle Matt

Pikachu 

This is the first gum paste character I have ever made. I spent a few hours Friday night molding this, coloring the gum paste, and gluing him together.

The parts of Pikachu before I put him together.

The completed cake. It is suppose to be a battle area with the poke ball and Pikachu. The Poke ball is rice krispies with fondant over it. 

A few guy friends came over to enjoy sub sandwiches and cake. The cake is red velvet with buttercream icing.

Stroke, Stroke, Stroke

At the beginning of June 2013, Cori told us she wanted to start swimming at school. We started with 6 weeks, 5 days a week, 4 hours a day--swim camp. Cori was hooked after 1 week. Swim at school is a spring sport so in the fall and winter they practice during 6th period each day, for PE.

February 18th started 5:30am practices every weekday. Which is an adjustment for all of us. Getting up and having Cori at school that early every day. She has strength training after school each day too. Cori is loving every minute of this swimming sport. We are so proud of all the hard work she is putting toward this and still keeping up with her schoolwork/grades.

Stuff we all had to learn about swim... meet is a competition between 2 schools, invitational is 4-5 schools who compete at one location, frosh/soph is the name for beginners (freshman/sophmores), then JV and Varsity. Cori has worked her way up to be one of the top frosh/soph at her school.

Cori was one of 5 beginners to be asked to compete in the invitational last week. She has been chosen to swim in every meet so far in the season. Her favorite stroke is butterfly, and freestyle. She is more of a sprinter in the water. The first 100 yards are her best. Here are some of the pictures from her different meets and invitational.

Winter Wonderland

A few pictures of my family in the snow storm from a couple of weeks ago....some call it Snowmageden 2014!

My kids Elementary School

My parents house

Car wrecking/parking across the road from my parents house

My grandparents house with the frozen lake out front

Where we use to live, with more trees 

Beautiful!

Sweet Alice and her 1st snow!

Cousins playing. 

A winding road

Crazy Snow/Ice Days

In California, We are experiencing the warmest winter in years. The family is enjoying the warmer days in the 70's and the cool nights only get to 50's. Later this week we will hit 80 each day. It doesn't feel like winter and that use to bother me when we first moved out here but now not so much. People told us our blood would thin and we would get use to the California warm weather really fast.....and we have. It gets below 60 and the fireplace comes on and the heavy coats come out.

As most the rest of the East and South have colder than normal winters we are basking in the sun.

Christmas break this is Joel. Now the weather was in the 80's but the water was not heated so it was in the 60's. He only lasted 20-30 mins but he was all smiles the whole time!

Cori is starting in 1 week her swimming team practices that will take place at 5:30am in the morning in an outside only slightly warm pool. This will be fun to see how she handles this kind of commitment to her sport of choice. 

This is Cori over Christmas break wearing a new sweater (thanks Grandma) and a snowflake necklace from her Daddy. 

Last year I only posted 12 times. Lets see if I can do better this year.