California McMillans

We are really enjoying the cat.  She sleeps with Tyler most nights and likes to hang out with us in the day.  At lunch today, I went home and everyone was gone.  I talked to Mel and cleaned up the home.  She'd follow me up and down the stairs and occasionally hide from me on the landing.   Each kid pretty much has his own electronic device.  I have to remind Heidi that I watched 4 hrs of TV each day and I turned out okay.  I still managed to find time to do my piano and soldering and play with my friends. Parker is still having a hard time.  He doesn't seem to have recovered from his shots last week.  He gets up 4-5x/night.  He cries unless you stand and hold him.  Kira and Blake have mostly recovered.

Last night we went to a Stockton Ports game.  They're an A team (single A).  They can throw fast and hit far and stuff but they're not quite as precise as the majors.  Therefore, there were some wild throws and some fumbles.  The stadium was pretty empty, as you can see.  There couldn't have been more than 150 people in attendance.  Plus, no one talks in the audience.  I called out, "Nelson, the bat breaker!"  People turned around.  Then Nelson got a home run.   We stayed a little bit too long and got home late.  Like, 11:04.  The kids don't do well on little sleep.  Still, it was fun.  Go, Ports!

Monday we had awards night for the gym's swim team.  Scott got lots of medals, which he likes..   On Thursday we got one of Christine's kittens!  The kids had been talking about a cat for several months.  Mel is super chill, real social and playful.  I prefer cats to dogs and I think back on our cats.  We had Friskees, then Sylvester, then Meowers, then Gato.  Jacquie got two cats in 2005 that are not social and the kids like to hunt around the home for them.  Mel likes to climb up into our beds and sleep with us. Scott won each of his events even though he added time.  They are thinking about having him swim with the older kids so he has someone to race.  Here is his pink schtuff cap.  

This year we went to southern California.  My parents rented a big home in Anaheim.  It was pretty sweet because there was a pool with a lazy river and slide.  The kids occupied themselves for hours.  Sadly, I don't have any pictures of it.  All of my sibs and their kids went, so that was cool. We spent the night in Anaheim at some 1.5 star hotel.  It was actually pretty good, especially since we got waffles at continental breakfast.  Then we went to the Huntington Beach parade, which is some huge 4th of July celebration.  We had to park in the garage at $27, and we thought that with a handicapped placard that we could get it for $8.  Well, I figured it was less stressful to just pay that fee than search around looking for the $8 garage when there were cars and pedestrians swarming around everywhere.   The weather was overcast for a while and then when the sun came out, it warmed right up and we went to the beach. The water was 61 but felt like 68 and Adam and I bo