Spring Break and Easter Fun 2013

 We did the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Eileen's ranch this year.  The four kids got a lot of eggs.

 Ellie, Gavin and friend Sofia loved searching for eggs in the tall grass.

 Aunt Erin, Ethan and Sofia got plenty of eggs.

 And Gavin found the silver egg.

 Relaxing on the grass and eating lunch.

 Then it was games for the little kids.

 The big group at the Easter Egg Hunt - thanks to Eileen for a lovely day and helping us to make memories.

 Then it was time for Downtown Day for the Reed-Chang kids, with Gavin, Ellie, Ethan and Elise.  They all took the Gold Line into Downtown LA and Union Station and we had a great adventure.

 First it was lunch at the Home Girl Cafe - and they have great, healthy food there.

 Then it was a ride on the shortest railroad in the world - Angels Flight - 297 feet long up Bunker Hill.

 Finally we cooled off in the fountain in front of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.  Ethan didn't even try to stay dry - it was too much fun to get wet.

 Gavin was reluctant at first but finally got his courage up to do it.

 The kids all pretty much got soaked to the skin.

 We had the Bike Ride with the Mayor on the 2nd Saturday of April.

 Merril and Sharon came down from Utah for Nora's Blessing.

 Then it was off to Morro Bay for a short vacation, with a stop at Mission La Purisima in Lompoc.

 Sharon with the kids with on an ox cart.

 The kids learned about shearing sheep for the wool.

 Gavin and Elise enjoying their time at the mission.

 More pictures of the mission.

 Then it was dinner at F. McKlintocks - yum!

 Elise liked playing on the toys there.

 We went up to the beach north of San Simeon and watched the elephant seals basking in the sun on the beach.

We also did some geo-caching, and Gavin and Elise found the cache.  It was a very fun spring break.

January through March - a busy time!

 This year I was able to do something that has been on my bucket list - and that is to ride on a float in the Rose Parade.  Since I am Mayor this year, the City of Hope asked me to ride on their float.  Originally, I was to walk along side of it but at the last minute one of the patients that was to ride the float was too sick to ride the 5 1/2 miles.  So here is the float that I was on.  Pat Johnson, Steve's mom, came down for the Rose Parade.  Charlene is also pictured here with us.

 This year, a band from El Salvador played in the parade, and they stayed in Duarte.  Some of the adults stayed with us.  We loved having our Central American guests stay with us.

 As usual, on New Years Eve we went out on the Rose Parade Route on Colorado Boulevard to experience some of the excitement.  We had a lot of fun with Pat Johnson, Annie, Ian, Steve, Alana, Valerie and Evan.  Plenty of wet toilet paper being thrown this year.

 On New Years Day, at the Rose Parade, Evan and Valerie walked part of the way next to my float at the end.

 Eleanor Sharon was born on January 17, weighing 9 lbs. 1 oz.  She is the sweetest little baby!

 The Warnick Family just before Meg and Danny went to the hospital to have baby Eleanor.

 While Meg was in the hospital, the Gavin and Elise went with me to the MLK Day ceremony, where Dr. Terence Roberts, one of the Little Rock Nine, was the main speaker.

 Gavin loves his new baby sister.

 Four generations of girls at the hospital.

 A picture good enough to post again. . .Valerie and Evan when they got engaged.

 We had a pasta party at the house when Valerie and Evan returned from the marriage proposal on the mountain.  Here they are with Grammie and Grampie.

 Valerie's sisters, Julie and Laurie, and their families joined us for the pasta party to celebrate the engagement.

 Our 5 children with their spouses, and spouse-to-be. . .we couldn't be happier!  You all have chosen well.

 At the end of January, it was off to Hawaii to work on the condo on North Shore.  We had a great time with Pat Johnson and Donna coming with us. . .and Steve went out to work at Tripler Hospital in the dentistry program for a week.

 Kawela Bay, near the condo, is a lovely serene bay with nobody on it.

 Our final night for dinner we had fabulous food at Lei Lei's on the golf course.

 The next weekend, we went down to the Great Park in Irvine and rode on the helium balloon that is tethered.  It goes up about 400 feet in the air.

 Brad and I went up to Utah for Valerie's twin sister, Allison's, wedding.  Linda was speaking at the Mission Training Center so we all had the opportunity to hear her speak.

 While we were at the Great Park, we also went on the carousel ride.

 In front of the helium balloon before we went up.

 Up, up and away above the Great Park.

 Elise (Coco) had an Ariel birthday cake - nice job on the cake, Meg.

 Another great cake, by Megster, for Ethan's 4th birthday.

 Then it was James' birthday on St. Patrick's Day. . .and a really big Sunday dinner.

Finally, a beautiful sunset at Morro Bay.

Evan and Valerie's Engagement

 This past weekend, following on the heels of the birth of a beautiful granddaughter, we had an engagement also.  Evan asked Valerie to marry him.  He knew that she wanted to be proposed to at sunset so he picked a place where they used to play when they were in kindergarten.  Dear friend, Lisa, set up the most beautiful table on the hillside overlooking Los Angeles, complete with French pastries, brie cheese, and sparkling cider.  Thank you Lisa for making this so lovely for them.

 James and Steve waited behind a fence that had been covered with some material to hide them, and took pictures of the event.

 Valerie had no idea that she was going to be proposed to this weekend.  We all worked so hard to keep it a secret from her.  Evan had told her that he wouldn't talk with her father until March about their getting married, and a proposal would come some time after that.

 Some time alone - kind of - with James and Steve still shooting pictures.

 Then Valerie said that she wanted to take some pictures of it all with her phone - but in this picture, Evan said "Look behind us - it is being recorded very well."

 Evan had contacted Valerie's sisters, Jen, Julie and Jessica to find out what kind of ring Valerie wanted and what her ring size was - and they all did a great job keeping it a secret from her.

 Finally, they were able to sit down and enjoy the moment - and watch sunset -

 but not before doing a jumping picture!

Congratulations to you both. . .what a fun proposal for all involved!