Leah screen print
Friday, July 24, 2015
Talented Kids
Monday, July 20, 2015
LA
I am enjoying my time with Joel in Los Angeles. Got here late Wednesday night then spent all day Thursday at Disneyland. Then yesterday was more relaxing. We slept in then went for coffee in a cool coffee shop bookstore. 
He was happy in this picture, just not so happy about getting his picture taken.
Joel lives in Echo Park. It is a cool, upcoming area near Echo Park Lake and the 101. It does have a small tent city but they are all over.
We then drove downtown and got to see Joel's work. His building is super cool, retro, upscale. The lobby and a library upstairs had old style red couches. The floors were those tiny octagon tiles and the walls were marble. Joel's work is actually in a loft with a full kitchen and bathroom. It had a sitting area and a long work table and huge windows. 
I met one of Joel's co- workers, Rae, as his boss and the other co worker were off .
They put the VR goggles on me to show me one thing they've been working on. It was an ocean and sky sequence with birds and fish and animals. The blue sky and sunset and ocean and fog were super cool. It zoomed down and soared up. I oo'd and aw'd. 
Joel took me up to the roof of his work and I was very impressed. It is a patio with fountains and about six seating areas with awesome furniture and then a pool deck with comfy furniture around it. There was even fake grass in an area for dogs. 
We walked a ways downtown to a food court that had all kinds of food, mostly ethnic. Joel and I got wood fired pizza. Joel, mike, Rae and I sat outside and ate lunch. 
After lunch we went to the grocery store then back to Joel's apartment and took a nap. Then we walked up a huge hill and two blocks more to echo park lake. We found a grassy place to sit and laid down and looked up into a weeping willow tree. We relaxed and talked with a duck napping nearby and a turtle checking in on us several times. 
We changed clothes at the apartment and drive into the next neighborhood and ate dinner at Umami burger. I had truffle cheese fries.
We drive further into Hollywood and went to a friend of Jc's house for a birthday party. I had such a great time. These are Jc's friends from church and some friends that Kristin knows from dance everyone there was beautiful, literally, models and dancers. But they were also very nice and fun to talk to. Jon was there with some people from home and I made friends with a gal who wants to be a social worker. We drank and played beer pong, but not with beer. 
Woke up early this morning and had my quiet time in Joel's room while a Kansas thunderstorm boomed outside. We eventually went to a yummy breakfast with mike then made arrangements to take me to the airport.
I had such a great visit with Joel. It was short but very worth it bi am determined not to feel sad as Joel is hoping to come home to visit in September.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Disneyland
What an amazing day! Joel said everyone is happy at Disneyland and he wasn't kidding! I am so glad to have had this experience. I am not sure it can be captured in words or pictures.
We parked and rode the tram then entered the park. 
You immediately are in a fantasy land called Main Street with shops and Victorian houses and cute signs. 
At the end, you can see the famous Disney castle which was glittered up for the 60 year anniversary celebration. 
We made some plans and made our way to get a fast track for a bigger ride later to cut down on the waiting then made our way back for the first attraction, pirates of the Caribbean.
All the rides have waiting but they really work to make the waits decorative or entertaining for the most part. Pirates of the Caribbean was an indoor water ride with amazing animated scenes set up all along a water pathway. I liked the scenes but I hate log rides where they take the boat up ramps then release it because it makes my anxiety go through the roof. Just a fact.
We then waited in line for the haunted mansion which was also very cool. The first room we all went I to while waiting grew because the ceiling raised way up. Then we got in these little carts that whisked us through the attraction of animated horror scenes. Some of the lighting ones were pretty impressive.
We got a snack then waiting in line for Space mountain. The boys had to do a lot of talking to me while waiting for this one because it was a roller coaster. But it was indoors and didn't have any drops and so I liked it! The lighting was again fabulous as we shot through space while hurling 35 miles per hour around curves, etc, so to be honest with you, I had my eyes squeezed shut for most of it. But it was fun!
We walked around some more through the various parts of the park, Adventureland, Tomorrow Land, Frontier land..... And walked through Sleeping Beauty's castle.
I liked The Buzz light year ride even though the line was long and hot. We got in carts and basically shot targets with lasers. It was so fun! I just completely became a kid for a few minutes!
The Indiana Jones ride was cool mostly because the waiting was in a cave like structure that fit the theme and was pretty impressive. The ride itself was fast and bumpy. When Indiana was being lowered down to us on a rope, it really looked like Harrison Ford! And it looked so real!
The jungle tour water ride was fun, silly, entertaining. There were fake animals and the tour guide joked the whole way. At one point, perhauana fish spewed water all around the boat.
We all liked the Finding Nemo ride, too. We got into a submarine and were actually submerged under water for a fun show as the sub traveled around a lagoon.
We had a couple of good meals, one in downtown Disney. I bought some sandals. And we went into the hotel lobby which was a perfect place for my nap.
Our favorite ride was the Star Tours, which is a short, interactive,simulated Star Wars flick. So we were on a space ship with c3po and shot through the galaxy and under the water and participated in an intergalactic battle. Loved it! The wait was all about boarding the ship so there were Star Wars characters and it felt like they were taking right times.
At the end of the night, we got in the middle of a huge crowd for the ending parade and fireworks show. We were exhausted and my expectations were low. I could not believe how unbelievably fantastic it was, particularly the lighted parade! Each float was animated and lighted and themed and each one blew my mind! I cried! Then the fireworks show over the top of the castle with the castle being illuminated and Disney movie songs blasting was crazy. So emotional singing Jungle book and Little Mermaid and then of course, Let it Go, from Frozen. Awesome.
So we had to end the night with a second Star Tours ride. Fun!
Afterwards, Joel wondered what stood out in my mind. I'd have to say that the fun times I had hanging out with him, standing in line, etc, is what stood out. Joel is so humorous and easy to be with.
I loved Disneyland.
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