Thanksgiving Day at the Pearsons. I think we left the house only once to drop of some food for the homeless and run to the grocery store. The rest of the day we watched football, ate, talked with friends, ate, played Rock Band, ate, played Taboo, watched ESPN, ate, and took naps. It was a good day. Tanya had a well prepared day for everyone.
We had some great ham and turkey. Ron had the honor of cutting it.
Go Cowboys and Texas
Let's Eat!
The Turner's and Pearson's ventured to Disneyland in Anaheim California today. It was pouring rain when we left La Canada but as we drove south, the clouds broke and we never saw or felt rain again. After arriving, we waited briefly for our friend Bob Dobilina to come out and give us some free Disneyland tickets. He is the head of the entrance/security (I think) and this is his second time to save us money at the theme park.
We put a whoopin on the two theme parks, Disneyland and California Venture. We got to ride about 90% of the rides we wanted and even road Pirates & water rapids twice. The kids held up really well. Zander was extremely nervous before most of the rides and then he ended up loving them all. I think he just needs to process the rides by watching them operate first. Rides inside buildings or mountains gave him a hard time.
My daughter, Addison, must have taken a brave pill. There was no ride off limits for her. She road a ride I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. She had a great time (and is still asleep this AM). Here is a video of our crew on the Matterhorn roller coaster. Notice the Scary Snowman.
We left around midnight to drive back north. Disneyland is a well oiled machine. Its clean, friendly staff, well run, organized, logical, very impressive. Its well worth the visit.
After a WET water rideSlow day in La Canada and the Pearson/Myer house. Zander, Gabe, and I went to a few hair cut places in the area. After poor Gabe got his hair butchered, Zander and I decided to venture over to another shop to get our ears lowered. Z likes his cut and so does his mommy.
After a few naps and a couple of backyard tetherball games we decided to travel to CityWalk at Universal Studios to watch the 3D movie "Bolt." My families bill was $61.00. Thats right. Not a misprint. The movie was great.
We went out to discover rain and decided a quick sit down at a mexican restaurant might be just the thing. However it was still raining when we got outside. So we made a quick dash down the walk, took some pictures, and headed back home.
Busy day in Southern California. It started with a light breakfast and some laying around the house. The everyone (except mom) loaded up in two cars and drove to Pasadena to a Japanese resturant for some exciting cooking and conversation.
We then found "Flip Video Cameras" for $49 at Blockbuster. They are normally $149. We were so happy because we had been looking all over for them and willing to pay much more.
The girls and their mom's went to supper at the American Girl store at the Grove in Hollywood. I decided to take Gabe and watch a movie and hang out. We had a blast. We got to see Santa and take some pictures. Gabe informed him that he needed a new dog to replace C.J. Interestingly enough, Santa really did know where Gunter, Texas is and knew we received a lot of rain a while back.
We hung around the living room and watched Reagan entertain us with some shows and crazy talk! It looks like rain may effect our next few days. DisneyLand may be postponed. :(
Just woke up at 5:30am LA time and tried to keep kids quiet for a few hours. We just had a great breakfast that Tippy made...
and are waiting for the Cowboy game. Its starts at 10am here. Crazy. Update: TO rocks. He is still good!
The kids are playing in the backyard. The weather is just great.
The afternoon plans are: nearby playground, LA friends dropping by to visit, maybe catch 3D movie Bolt, and series premier of 24! Just a day of hanging around and letting the body heal from 2 days in the car. Kids are having a blast playing in the yard and wii.
Just returned from the park. Mandy and I took the 5 kids about a mile up a hill. (I dang near needed an ice pick to venture my way up to the park. I think my fat heart hit 145 bpm) We played a great balancing game on a crooked beam. We rock! Zander schooled me in small rim "around the world" while I took him to the woodshed in big boy "around the world."
Dad and I are waiting to see if Jack Bower saves the world tonight!
Not a lot to say here. We were in the car 90% of the day. Got to LA about 8:50pm Texas time.
We tried to stop at cool rest areas and get State Sign pictures. Arizona did not play very nice.
The sunset was beautiful while driving through Palm Springs. It was a nice drive once we entered into central California. We were ready to get out of the car and even more ready to see Aunt Tippy and the kids. Tanya did a great job preparing for the 1 week whirlwind. Can't wait for our crazy week to get started.
Left North Texas midday Friday (after watching Gabe's Thanksgiving program at CCA) and headed towards El Paso on I-10.
I drove most of the way with dad picking up the slack for a few hours. The iPhone has turned out to be a life saver. The GPS Map apps is awesome and the "near me" app told us about upcoming gas stations, places to eat, and hotels. The iPhone saved us $80 by allowing us to shop and drive 30 miles outside of El Paso.
The kids travelled great and watched movies in the car and listened to iPods. Mom wore her mask to keep lights from her eyes.
We stayed at a Red Roof inn next to a topless bar. Nice. I should have question things when the lady wanted to know if we needed our rooms by the hour or night.
Made the annual Convio trip to Austin. Convio Summit 2008. This year I went with Chris Baggett from Insight. Our trip to and from Austin down I-35 was great. The conference gave us opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people from many different non-profits. It is a wide range of people respresenting many causes. From save the whales, ban guns, pro choice, end tidal waves, free James Brown, and down with freedom. Even though IFL is technically a non-profit, I must constantly filter everything we hear (strategies and trends) knowing that we are a ministry and do not have traditional NP operations and goals.
Chris and I went to a few nice meals and watched the latest James Bond movie, the Convio/Austin tradition. Since I am on the Convio CAB, I was invited to go on a dinner cruise on Lake Austin right by downtown. It was a nice night full of nice scenery and good conversation.
My main memories of this trip include: Getting to know Chris better, Nice dinner conversations, CAB discussions, and Convio APIs.
2008 Convio CAB Group
Thanks for checking out our family travel blog. It's a lot easier to update family and friends via a blog then to send out 20-30 emails each day of the trip. Read our daily synopsis and be sure to look at the videos and pictures linked below. I try to update them almost daily during our travels. Daily Pictures (Web Album) and Youtube Videos
Finally, the rains came. The cool weather and heavy drizzle caused us to sleep in a little today. We finally decided to brave the weather and were so glad we did. The clouds never broke but the rain stopped and the winds died down.
We took the train into Victoria Station and walked to Buckingham Palace. The next four hours we filled with picture taking and being in awe of the massive structures before us.
We stopped back by Scott's house to say bye to their kids. We played Wii and I got my rear kicked in Bowling and boxing. We did OK on a trivia game... although we did not know the UK or many sports answers. We are packing for home right now.
Long day around London today. Walked a lot and took almost 400 pictures. We ate at a Spanish restaurant and then saw the play Wicked at the West End. It is 1am and we are headed to bed.
We saw a lot of Hip Londoners in the Knotting Hill area. It seems to the the Melrose of London. 20 and 30 somethings dressing up in their hip outfits (Black of course) and shopping, sipping tea, and looking important.
Notes on fitting in on a London Subway:
1) Wear something black. Its like a giant funeral around here.
2) Listen to your i-pod. It doesn't matter if it on, but keep the earpieces in to avoid conversations with Americans.
3) Read a paper. There is a discarded tabloid on almost every seat.
4) Keep quiet. Only American tourist are loud. Not the British
5) When appropriate... cuss. The F-Bomb is no stranger to the British tongue.
I really like this city. It is full of old and new world nicely blended. The building are phenomenal, the people are beautiful, and the weather has been great. (I know that is is not normal) The whole experience has been epic. I feel we dove into the city life and into the country charm of England. From slow train rides in the country to the Underground subways within the city, we have seen a lot.
Bill woke up with a sever limp in his left leg. I have no idea how his day went yet because he and Liza went a different direction than Mandy and I.
We headed to the trains and went all around the south of London. Down to the coast, over to the east, up towards London and back to our hotel about 30 minutes after dark. Its been a long day but full of interesting scenery.
We learned everything we needed to know about trains, schedules, tickets, pay-as-you-go bathrooms, seating etiquette, and "minding the gap."
The coast was cold and windy in some towns yet pleasant and warmer in others. We were able to find most all the gifts we needed in the towns we visited today. 
Most everyone is very friendly. If not, it is because they are "properly" keeping to themselves.
Mandy and I had fish and chips at a pub in Leatherhead. I hit my head twice on the same cross beam near the bar. Dang my short British ancestors.
The weather has just been great this whole trip. It rained for a few hours one day... other than that, its been sunny and fair. We couldn't ask for better fall weather. Cool and little breezy and sometimes damp.... but that is typical London.
Woke up and had another great breakfast and walked to the train. The station is about 1.5 miles from our hotel down a nice windy street littered with nice houses, an old church, a few pubs, and large trees.
The station has a train come by every few minutes and most them take us where we need to go. Once Bill and I arrived in Leatherhead, we walked about a mile to the office via the a path besides a river. It is beautiful and very peaceful. 
We had a meeting with the whole staff and then had some one-on-one time with employees. It was a very productive day. 
The walk back home seemed a lot longer than the walk to work. All four of us went back to the same pub near the hotel for dinner and called it an early night.
Pubs are a very interesting place here. They are next to churches and part of everyone's lives. Even good Christian women would be seen in a pub... eating and socializing. It does not have the stigma of a bar in the states. The ones we have visted are hundreds of years old. I have enjoyed them very much.
An early morning eating a English breakfast (eggs, beans, ham, and hash browns) in the hotels dinner. Low ceilings, fireplaces, and quaint table settings made for a unique experience. Productive day at work with some long white-boarding sessions.
We met the chairman of the IFL UK board for lunch and I had grilled sole. Great conversation.
Mandy walked to town and began shopping and changing currency to the Pound. She and Liza took a train to another village to find some jean (pants mean Underwear here). They were brave. I was proud of them.
Mandy, Bill, Liza, and I walked to the local pub and had a truly British dinner: starters, drinks, dessert, and hot tea.
The weather was great today. A little chilly but very crisp and sunny. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?
Our day started when we were waken by Scott at 9:30am and asked if I was ready to go to the office. I slept in and did not plan on Bill’s plane to arrive 1 hour early. So a quick shower, hasty dress, and an apple for breakfast started the day.
Scott took us to our new hotel in a nearby town (pictured to the left) . Mandy and I are on the third floor. It is very small and has a cool window that drops down. The bed was made in or around 1450 A.D. and has rusty springs that protrude into the small of your back, the side of your face, and into the actual bone of your feet. If you dare to roll over, you will wake dogs in neighboring counties or set off car alarms.
We had great weather the first two days but now have typical
What a lot of walking. Scott did not tell us they didn't have cars or bikes around here. :) Just good old soles to pavement. Actually, we took the train into London, walked around all afternoon, visited old landmarks, and took 350+ pictures. I'll be uploading a lot, so take a look. Castles, Castles, and more Castles. London Bridge, Westminster, Tower of London, River Thames, etc.
It was a great day full of interesting and beautiful sites. I'll write more in the morning. We just walked in the door at 10:30 pm and are getting ready for bed. Here is a picture of a Beefeater guide at the Tower of London.
Slept hard and only woke up once.
Still have not gone to bed but it is almost 8pm here in Leatherhead. I am uploading images as I type this. We got settled in and took the train to King Henry's Castle. Hampton Court, I believe it is called. It was HUGE.
Took an audio tour through many rooms and saw original paintings, rugs, furniture, and relics. We also ventured through an outdoor garden maze. This guy must have been VERY rich.
We are still in a daze but plan to be on full alert by morning. A nice night with the Beans eating Indian food and catching up. What a wonderful family and home they have.
The kids go to school in the morning and we head to London Tower and to a local Pub for some fish and chips. The motherland is good!
(OK. I'm going to still consider this day 2 even thought it is 2am in the morning. I am not wide wake but I am awake and can't seem to go back to bed. Mandy is passed out beside me and I have played Bubble Breaker one too many times on my treo. On a side note...Is there something I need to know about British Toilets? The one upstairs will not flush. I tired atleast 15 times to get something to happen when the level goes down. Stay tuned.)
Extremely quiet house with no "noise fan." We were so tired going to bed, we did not even care. Now that I'm up I can hear the quiet..its very loud.
Not in London just yet but it still counts as day one of the experience. Mandy and I had a breeze getting through the ticket line and then through security. (We wont mention Mandy's left sandal and the need for it to go through security in it's own container). We ate at a Blue Mesa here at the airport. Mandy did not want to go into the Admiral's Club even though I had a pass. She said we were under-dressed and under other things. :)
We are on cloud nine after attending our son Zander's soccer game. It was hot and only 4 kids showed up for the game. The other team had 9 players. Our kids fell behind 2 to 0 early but then scored and gained some confidence. When it was all over an hour later, our Gunter Tiger team won 5 to 3. My son scored 3 goals and even more important, he never gave up hustling. From the starting to the final whistle, he ran hard, passed smart, and gave it his all under tough odds. We are so proud of him. The parents and coach of the other teams were full of congratulations at our victory and could not believe the fight our 4 kids put up for the entire game. They said they deserved to lose to our team.. with all the extra hustle our kids put forth. (I think the Sherman team always believed we would wear out and they would end up winning. Just didn't happen!)
Mandy is getting excited and is looking forward to trying to sleep on the plane. I hope we can get "some" rest in our two seats. I pray God blesses this trip. For IFL and for Mandy. I am so thankful God allowed us to combine work and our 10 year anniversary. God is good! Look out Queen, here comes the Turners.
Headed to the motherland in September and October to visit Scott Bean's IFL UK office. Mandy and I will be traveling with Bill and Liza.
We will be staying in Leatherhead with Scott Bean's family for a few nights then join Bill at our hotel in the Surry Countryside for the remainder of the time.
Below is a Google Maps insert of the area we will be hanging out, just South of London. About 30 minutes by train.
View Larger Map
Took the family to East Texas for a 3 day weekend. Didn't plan it, just loaded the car Friday morning and headed out.
Got a great Shelter (# 16) on top of a wooded hill near the restrooms. Not too close to hear visitors or doors slamming, but close enough to watch the kids walk over. We had a LOT of space. Hung a hammock, put out horseshoes, made a small washer pit, and made the place home for a few days.
We took a few walks, one of them around the entire lake. Gabe did great. He was able to keep up and did not complain once. All five of us hopped on a paddle boat and went around the lake for about an hour on our first day.
Notable events included: Seeing a black widow near the bathroom, watching a snake eat a mouse at a park ranger event, jumping off the floating dock about 200 times, playing horseshoes and washers, sleeping on a hard concrete floor, having a 'large" tree limb fall and hit where we were standing just 30 seconds earlier, and eating at my favorite roadside taco stand in Canton.
Ok. I had one of the best seafood dinners of my life. A Fish and Shrimp Stew. The taste is still in my mouth from last night. Simple fabulous. We had crab claws for a small appetizer and the dipping sauce for those was just wonderful. The hole in the wall restaurant was actually well known and had a lot of accolades on the wall. The New York Times had a small article with great reviews in a small frame.
I learned some very sad news last night. It has been on my mind a lot as I laid in bed. Rio not only has homeless people but also street children. We have seen them begging and also sleeping on the streets each day. Barefoot and dirty clothes. (I know to Americans the problem seems easily fixed... just give them money, take them home, or get the help somehow. It just does not work like that here. It has been tried) The country has no orphanages. The kids wont accept certain help. They have been taken advantage of so much, that they don't understand love, help, compassion. They "live" on the streets. Its a way of life. They steal, beg, and manage somehow. Some are 2 and 3rd generation homeless.
That is sad enough... but here is the very horrifying news I learned. Just 10 years ago, there was a "Save the World" conference in Rio (Very Ironic) and city/country leaders did not want visitors to see the children on the street. So a week before it began, they started going around the city at night and picking up the children. After the event was over, the kids were not seen and questions started to be asked. Turns out over 4 thousand of the street kids were mass murdered by the government. The newspaper broke the story and I believe pictures were taken of the mass graves. It breaks my heart.
We had a great day at Rio on the Beach. I was made to eat Sushi at a small (and I mean small) restaurant even though fish are made to catch, put on walls, and to put in aquariums. They are not made to skin and eat raw. However, I was a trooper and ordered grill salmon and shrimp on the side. It was VERY good.
The plane trip was OK. We did have a baby sitting in front of us who was trying to break glass with her high pitched squeal... for the entire 8 hours. We then had to wait almost 20 minutes for AA to open the doors of the plane. Customs and Security was very easy.
I can't wait to get home, see my wife, kids, and my bed.
Finally got to spend time on the beach today. Poor Tony bought some sun glasses on the beach then lost them on a big wave 5 minutes later. We were able to boogie board on some big waves. It was really fun. Not sure if I burned or not, but the people beside me sure did.
We then took the trip up the Sugar Mountain on the cable car. It was very cloudy but we got some good shots and great scenery. 360 views of the entire area of Rio. It is a beautiful city with great views from various high spots. I was impressed.
A view from the first summit
A place to eat on the 1st mountain
We are trying to find a seafood place for our last night here. I then plan on wrapping up shopping for my family. I have a few ideas from things I saw today. We had what they call a cold front today. it got down to the 70s. I almost had to take off my flip-flops and put on real shoes. :)Just woke up in the room with Ken.. overlooking the beach in Rio. It is very nice. I expect the fog/mist to burn off soon and get a clearing picture of the city.
We ate breakfast and are are feeling a little upset in our bodies. I wonder if they washed the fruit with old bath water? I think we are going to face the day anyway.
Man I'm a Giant here in Brazil.
