Cast Life

While I worked in Bend and cleaned out the rest of the stuff from the house, Susan and Jenn started working at Disney World. They went through Traditions, the basic Disney orientation, and began training in their work locations. 

Jennifer was assigned to work full time at the Emporium in the Magic Kingdom, while Susan received part time at the Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom.

When they weren't working they spent some time in the parks, including checking out the Festival of Holidays at Epcot. 

But they worked a lot, picking up shifts when they could. Tonight they both worked PAC (Parade Audience Control) for the NYE fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.

Moving to Florida

A few months ago, Susan, Jennifer, and I decided to leave Oregon and move to Florida. We put the house on the market and two weeks ago, we packed up a moving truck and two cars and headed out. We headed east to Burns then turned south and drove through Nevada to Las Vegas. Then we turned east onto I-40 and continued east until we reached Mississippi, then proceeded southeast to Winter Garden. 

We pretty much drove all day for five days, stopping only to eat and get gas and sleep. This was the eleventh time I had driven across the country. We unloaded everything into our rental house and turned in the moving truck.

After a couple of days to unpack and rest, we spent Saturday at the two Universal parks. On Monday, my last night, we enjoyed dinner at Boma at Animal Kindgom Lodge, then stayed the night in a villa there. Yesterday I took the Magical Express to the airport and flew back to Oregon.

Pinnacles National Park

We left San Diego Monday morning and headed north to San Luis Obispo, where we had dinner with friends. The next day we slept in, then continued up 101 to a KOA near Prunedale. Wednesday morning we drove east to Pinnacles National Park. The road was narrow and windy enough that I was glad I didn't try to camp in the park.

We checked out the Visitor Center and hiked up a trail, and the kids finished the Junior Ranger program. Then headed back to our trailer for the night. Pinnacles used to be a National Monument and just recently became a National Park, so there's not a whole lot there unless you are a dedicated hiker.

Yesterday we drove back to Oregon.

Cabrillo National Monument

Our last day in San Diego was spent at Cabrillo National Monument. Located on a peninsula west of downtown, it commemorates the landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay, which began the European exploration and eventual settlement of the West Coast. 

It also contains an old light house, and a former army building which hosts an exhibit that tells the military history of Point Loma.

There are also great views of San Diego Bay.

Sea World San Diego

Friday morning we drove down to the San Diego KOA and dropped the trailer, then headed to Sea World, where we enjoyed the dolphin show and their Christmas decorations. Susan and I used the Platinum Passes we bought while in San Antonio in September.

We returned yesterday to enjoy more shows, animal exhibits, and some attractions. Bryan flew down and joined us, along with some friends. I enjoyed the views from the skytower. The kids especially enjoyed Manta, the park's family roller coaster. 

We bought the All Day Dining deal, so we stopped often for food, and that kept us pretty busy from park open to close. 

Disneyland Resort

We spent Wednesday at Disneyland park. We enjoyed seeing the Christmas decorations and experiencing some of our favorite attractions.  

We rode the train, and, as in January, I tried to take photos of the future Star Wars land.

Thursday night we attended a Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic event at California Adventure. DVC members got exclusive use of the park after regular park hours. We weren't too impressed. It was pretty crowded and not very well organized, although we enjoyed a free meal and free snacks.

I wanted to check out the new Incredicoaster overlay of California Screaming, but the line was very long all night.

Universal Hollywood

On Tuesday we headed down to Southern California. We stopped at Universal Hollywood and enjoyed the tram tour, the Special Effects show, and a few other attractions.

I was a little disappointed that the Hollywood version of the Mummy roller coaster wasn't as good the one in Orlando, but we enjoyed looking around the Harry Potter area and seeing the new Kung Fu Panda show.  

I would have liked to have gone on the Jurassic Park ride, but it was being updated into Jurassic World. In the afternoon we drove further south to a campground in Anaheim, near Disneyland.

Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks

Last week Susan, Jenn, and I embarked on a trip in our trailer down to California. We headed south on US 97, then down I-5 and 99 to a KOA outside Visalia. The next day, having detached the trailer in a campsite, we headed up to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. My mom joined us.

Our first stop was at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center. We looked around then headed to the Grant Grove and walked the trail out to the General Grant Tree.  

From there we headed south into Sequoia National Park. We stopped to walk down to the General Sherman Tree, the largest known living tree on Earth.  

After that we continued south and stopped at the Giant Forest Museum and the Foothills Visitor Center, then headed back to the KOA. 

Maryhill

 

This weekend we drove up to the Seattle area for a friend's birthday party. On the way back we stopped at World War I memorial at Maryhill, Washington. The memorial is a recreation of Stonehenge, and has a lot of information about why it was placed as a WWI Memorial and how it can be used as a seasonal sun chart.

There are also great views of the Columbia River.

This fall we traded in our camping trailer for a larger one. The 19’ one we drove out to Florida last year was fine for Susan and I, but a little cramped when we added Jenn. We upgraded to a 27’ with double bunks.

Sea World

On Saturday, we went to Sea World. They gave graduating Airmen free tickets for their families. San Antonio's Sea World isn't as nice as Orlando's or San Diego's, but it's still a fun day, especially if you like coasters. The Great White and the Steel Eel coasters were open when we visited in 2006 but we didn't ride them, and I didn't this time either. I did try the new Journey to Atlantis, but I was disappointed in the version here. It's lightly themed and much shorter than Orlando's.

The kids enjoyed the Shamu play area, and I enjoyed the Smokehouse restaurant. I also enjoyed the Wave Breaker coaster. It's fairly tame, and simulates riding a jet ski over the lake. They had removed the flume ride which, while not great, we had enjoyed in 2006. In its place they were building a new roller coaster. There's also an Aquatica water park here, but we didn't visit it.

On Sunday we spent more time on base, visiting the BX and walking around a field with lots of old aircraft.

Yesterday we flew home.

San Antonio

On Wednesday, Susan and I flew out to San Antonio Texas with a friend and her four kids to watch her husband graduate from Air Force basic training. This was my third time in San Antonio. We spent a few days here in 2006, and Bryan and I stopped briefly in 2017.

On Thursday, we attended the graduation ceremony at Lackland Airbase. Before the ceremony we got to see some of the base and tour the barracks. We stayed at a Hampton Inn on the west side of San Antonio.

On Friday we dropped our friends off at the zoo then spent some time exploring the RiverWalk. 

We also visited the Alamo and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe. We then rejoined our friends and walked around Brackenridge Park while they rode the train.

August in Bend

 

Earlier this month, a friend of Jenn's from the DCP came out to Bend to visit for a week. Jenn took her up to see the view from Pilot Butte, and they floated down the Deschutes.

Last weekend we took her to Crater Lake before she flew home. We checked out the view from the Rim and had lunch.

The kids completed the Junior Ranger program. 

This weekend we attended the wedding in Bend of our first Honored Queen of Bethel 11.

Summer Update

Summer has been going by relatively uneventfully. I've been working fairly long hours, often at night, watching highway construction projects in the Bend area.

In June, Susan went up to Seattle for a scrapbook event. When it was over, I flew up to meet her in Bellingham, and the next day we drove up to the border to apply for Global Entry passes. These will allow us to travel with less delay at Customs and airport security checks. On the way back we stopped at the new Cabela's in Lacey to walk around.

I've also been working on wiring and sheet rocking our pole barn. Sometimes I get visitors.

This week Jenn went down to Anaheim for a convention. She also spent some time at the Disneyland Resort. She visited with friends and enjoyed a birthday lunch at the new Lamplighter Lounge.

Flower and Garden Festival

 

On Thursday, Jenn met up with another friend at Magic Kingdom, then had dinner at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian resort. She enjoyed meeting Cinderella and her stepsisters.

Friday morning she and Bryan went back to Epcot to check out the Flower and Garden Festival and meet up with friends.

In the afternoon they to the Magic Kingdom. In Tomorrowland, there was a promotion going on for the new Incredibles movie. Besides doing some rides, they watched the parade and the fireworks.

Yesterday was their last day and it was again spent enjoying the Flower and Garden Festival. They flew home last night.