Ok, back to our previously-scheduled trip update!

We enjoyed a fabulous time with family and friends while in California, and our pictoral essay documents it below. Of special note was a meeting with Trish Freund - an American (also married to a German) who we lived near in Hamburg for a few years. They moved back to San Diego in 2007, and we had the opportunity to meet Trish and her darling twins for an afternoon at the Wild Animal Park in SD.

Photos….!
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Visiting San Diego Wild Animal Park with Trish and Lili (her son Olli is running around somewhere off-camera..):

Sophie’s first ride on a moving carousel animal (oops, hard to see Sophie, but really, she’s there…):

Happy couple in the wild animal tram ride:

There’s a wild animal!

Sophie is totally uninterested in wild animals:

Back at my folks house, we snap a photo for posterity..

Sophie steps out in mommy’s shoes:

A cloudy but entirely satisfying afternoon at Balboa with my bro & his family (we ate lunch at Ruby’s Diner - a 50s-style American diner - on the end of the Balboa Pier, then rode the ferry to Balboa Island and walked around admiring the houses):

And finally, our traditional “al fresco” lunch at the La Salsa by my bro’s house, accompanied by a bubbling fountain:

Soenke and Gina hang out with baby Levi:

Sophie chugs around the fountain in her chic new outfit:

Cousin Chase gives Sophie some love:

A little “lunch around the La Salsa fountain” video:

Now, on to Arizona !!!!!!

After a long, gloomy Northern European winter, spring burst into existence for me the second we touched down at LAX on March 8th. The first view of California poppies on the airport greenbelts actually brought tears to my eyes. It had been a long time since a proper, dig-your-heels-in visit to Cali, and I was READY! No more clouds, no more rain, definitely no more snow, and very easy on the jackets and socks….

While the weather was far from sweltering, within minutes of arriving at my folks we headed out to my parent’s front lawn for an hour of sun soaking. Yes, we did garner a few weird looks from passing drivers who wondered why anyone would sunbathe at 60F!

Week one was spent savoring every delicious moment with my family. Well actually, I think they savored every moment with SOPHIE, while Soenke and I were just side dishes .

Our pictoral collection below captures some of the highlights of this week…

Photos:
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Our beloved Craig Park provides plenty of interested and hungry ducks (and that’s my dad standing there):

Sophie shows us where the ducks are:

Soenke teaches her the tricks of the trade:

I get recruited for the heavy equipment:

Off at my brother’s family’s house, Sophie & her cousins gather for a scenic family photo:

My mom supervises the youngest cousin, Levi:

While the menfolk cook MEAT:

A post-meal stroll to walk off the calories..

Sophie’s little legs get tired:

Now we’re all ready for birthday cake! (Soenke’s b-day)…

Cousin Channing helps Soenke open his gifts:

Which include this cool BBQ apron (he’s training to be a Master Of The Grill):

My bro does his best Max von Sydow impression:

China the puppy joins the fun:

China’s mommy Gloria on left (my sis-in-law’s mom), my mom on right:

China’s poppy Russ, now a retired real estate mogul (my sis-in-law’s dad):

And what would a California birthday party be without a pinata??!

Channing shows us all how to effectively whale on a pinata:

Remnants of the pinata end up as hats…