2/16/08...We took the Coronado Bridge from San Diego to Coronado Island.  We spent our first afternoon here on the beach.  

Coronado...it was cool but the kids wanted to put on their suits.  The sunshine made 65 feel warm enough to get in a bit.

The Ludwigs in front of Hotel del Coronado.

Climbing a man made sand dune on Coronado

Running on the sand dune.

Our hotel room in San Diego Old Town.  The kids loved the balcony.

Another view of that much loved balcony.

At the San Diego Zoo.

This picture shows our reaction to Nathaniel's favorite zoo exhibit.  There was this funny gorilla that kept walking around with a potato sack on his head.  

Enjoying one of the animal shows at the zoo.

A trainer showing how this cat can jump!

A Mexican Restaurant in Old Town.  We went for an early morning stroll and saw them making fresh corn and flour tortillas here.  They ground their own masa!  We had some tortillas right off the griddle.

Annabelle enjoyed staying in touch with her friend back home with a morning e-mail session!

La Jolla Beaches

Seal  Beach at La Jolla.

More of La Jolla's beaches.

Annabelle on the beach...the seals can be seen in the back ground.

Later that day, the sun came out and we were just north of La Jolla at Torrey Pines.  

Hiking the trails at Torrey Pines.

Torrey Pines overlook.

The gliders at Torrey Pines.  Dozens of them filled the skies as they launched off the cliffs.

The sand was perfect for writing.  Nathaniel recorded his favorites...Legos and ELO.

A cool marine hermit crab Annabelle found in the water at Torrey Pines.

LEGOLAND!  A dream come true for Nathaniel.  We visited the Lego Theme Park in Carlsbad, California on Tuesday.  We started and ended our day here...at the Volvo Driving School.  Nathaniel and Annabelle loved driving these cars around a "real" lego cityscape, complete with traffic lights!

More Lego rides!

This was a fun ride...you had to pump the fire truck down to the burning building, extinguish the flames with real water and return to the starting point.  You raced against 3 other trucks.

Nathaniel at the "Lego Factory Tour".  The large silver boxes are "retired" Lego molds.

Annabelle and Chris on the "Fairy Tale Float".  We glided through a forest filled with characters from classic tales...of course all constructed with  Legos!

Annabelle posing by Hansel and Gretel!

Nathaniel loved the safari ride....we cruised through a jungle filled with Lego formed animals.

Mini Lego World!  Great sights from around America recreated in Legos.  New York City, New Orleans, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Washington D.C....it just kept going! 

Nathaniel and Annabelle steering Lego remote controlled boats.

Annabelle didn't get to see Hollywood on this trip to California...but she did see "Legowood"! 

This was one the last rides of the day - since it involved getting wet!  An "Aqua Raider" ride.  

Father and son made from Legos!

Annabelle and me in the hotel pool at Yuma, Arizona.  We drove half way to Tucson and stopped here for the night.  We were treated to a very warm day!

In the fields behind the hotel we saw acres of lettuce growing!

Hiking up a mountain in Yuma, Az.

Catalina State Park near Tucson.  We loved this state park and returned for a second day of hiking in the mountains on Saturday.

An overlook at Catalina State Park.

Grandma Brecher (my grandma) took wonderful care of us.

My Grandma and Grandpa Brecher...we stayed with them in Tucson.

We saw this gorgeous bird while having a picnic outside the Sonora Desert Museum.  It is called Pyrrhuloxia (Cardenal Torito), a member of the cardinal family.

At the Sonora Desert Museum we saw a family of Harris hawks in a free flight demonstration.

A pair of bobcats at the Sonora Desert Museum.  We saw a bobcat in my grandparent's yard earlier that day!

The kids looking at a fierce Mountain Lion.

The quail were plentiful at my grandparents feeder.

My grandparents home.

Annabelle picking oranges at from a neighbor at my grandparents house.  We brought home 3 sacks!

Nathaniel at Catalina State Park.

Hiking at Catalina State Park.  We had to cross this stream (removing 4 pairs of shoes each time) about 5 times on the trail.

Annabelle and Nathaniel by a Mexican Golden Poppy, which dotted the mountainsides in Catalina State Park.

Annabelle and I on a huge rock near a stream in Catalina State Park.

Sunset at Catalina State Park.

Annabelle ready for the pool!

It was a toasty 80 degrees our last day...perfect for the pool!

Finally a ride in the golf card with Grandpa Brecher!

Annabelle and Nathaniel with their Great-Great Aunt Marilyn.  We had a lovely dinner with her and her husband before we got on the plane in Phoenix

Me, my Great Aunt Marilyn and Annabelle.