JERSEY BOYS/JERSEY GIRLS PART 1

The family embarked on our summer vacation on June 18th - destination New Jersey.  It started with a bang when we landed in Philadelphia, only to find our car service had been upgraded to a limousine!  Score!  Here are Rob and Spenser enjoying the ride, 

and all our feet comfortably extended.  Now that's the way to start a vacation!

The next day we headed to NYC to sightsee and see Daniel Radcliffe in "The Cripple of Inishmaan.

We visited the Cake Boss Cafe, Times Square, and our normal spot to eat, Sbarro's Pizza.

After eating, we headed to the Cort Theater and took several photo ops.

As you can tell, Sienna and I love Daniel Radcliffe!

Here is a view of the backdrop of the stage from our seats.

A selfie before the show!

Sienna familiarizes herself with the Playbill.

As the back drop fades and the story begins, we are mesmerized by our proximity to the one and only Daniel Radcliffe, the strong Irish accents, the talent of the cast, and the humor infused dialogue coupled with a depressing and dark tale.  After the show, we lingered outside the theater, hoping to meet some of the actors.

Here is Gillian Hanna, who played Eileen, one of Billy's (Daniel's) Aunts.

Here is Ingrid Craigie, who played Kate, another one of Billy's Aunts.

This is Conor Macneill, who played Bartley McCormick.

Then to our ultimate excitement, Daniel Radcliffe came out!  Here he is meeting the fans and signing playbills.  Somewhere in that crowd is his biggest fan, Sienna Rose Samour!

If the pictures aren't proof enough, here are some video snippets.

She's not shy!  Not only did she get her playbill signed, (Daniel's autograph is the one on the bottom right), she also got a selfie with him!!!!!

Life is good  GREAT!!!

Girls do Cali

The girls headed to California all by themselves this past week, to get out of the heat, vacation, and attend graduation parties.  The first party was for my cousin Hayley's son Mason, who will attend the University of California, Irvine. 

 

His party was at a park in SLO.  Here is my mom, Sienna, my Grandma Rose, and me.

My mom, Sienna, my grandma, and my brother Daniel.

Me with my brother Daniel and cousin May.

 

Aww, my grandma and little brother.

Sienna with her Godmother May, and May's son Aris.

 

Aris with his Grandma Peggy.

 

Grandma Rose and Tots.

 



Sienna and her favorite little guy.

 

Mason, opening our present.

 

Sienna and Aris watch Mason open presents along with Grandma Rose and Tots.

 

It was a great party/family reunion. 

 

Sienna and I spent the rest of the week going to downtown SLO, shopping, and even squeezed in a visit to Cal Poly.  Here is Sienna taking a tour.

 

We spent lots of time in one of our favorite places, Barnes and Noble.  Here are some of the books I bought and have begun reading (high school curriculum).

 

 

Besides Barnes and Noble in downtown SLO, we also went to our other favorite places like Splash Café, Firestone Grill (where Daniel works), and Cowboy Cookie, where they make delicious cookies and now ice cream sandwiches called Wagon Wheels.

 

We also had breakfast at the Apple Farm, where I met up with Jenny whom I played tennis with at Cuesta College.  She's the tennis pro at Avila Bay Club now.  She's got two kids in Arizona colleges, so Sienna had a good chat with her about the application process.

 

 

We hit the beach only once.  Here I am at Avila Beach

 and Papa came too.

 

We also tried to fit in some exercise, so here we are on the Bob Jones Trail out of Avila Beach.  Only 61 degrees that morning!  Brrr!

 

After a week or so in SLO, we packed up and headed south for Mission Viejo, to stay with May and her family.  Here we are with Zaylen, her oldest.  He is 6.

Aris is 15 months old.

 

 

We went to Laguna Beach, where May and Zhyan got married.

 

Then we went to the Irvine Spectrum Mall, where Sienna shared her love of reading with her little cousins at yet again her favorite place, Barnes and Noble.

 

The next morning we went to a park in Mission Viejo.

 

I had one more graduation party to go to, and that was for my doubles partner Jennifer's son, Cobi.  Luckily, she only lives about 30 minutes away from May, so it was so convenient.

 

 

We had a great visit, and Sienna was able to hang out with two women engineers, and hear their perspective on working in a "man's world."

 

The next day we headed back home to spend Father's Day with Rob.  It was a great trip!  Now we barely unpack before re-packing for another great trip - N E W J E R S E Y!

 

 

Goodbye Santan

Spenser graduated from 8th grade today!  It is both exciting and bittersweet as we now have to say goodbye to Santan, the school that Sienna had attended since kindergarten, and Spenser attended since first grade.  They did a great job growing our children and broadening their minds and abilities, both academically and musically.  Yes, I know their parents were also a factor, but it takes a great school and inspiring teachers to create students like our children are, so thank you Santan.

 

Here are the boys this morning, getting ready to head off to the last day of junior high.  Rob always has to see his children off on their last day.

 

 

Before dropping him off at school, we treated Spenser to breakfast at Mcdonald's - yum.

 

 

Then at 2 pm we were in the gymnasium for Team 8D's celebration.

Here is the program.

 



 

Can you find Spenser?  He is in the second to last row on the left side.

 



After a few speeches and hurrahs, it was time for the names to be called.

 

 

 

Here he is with his 'diploma.'

 



 

Of course we have to take several photo ops with our little guy.

 



 

No longer a stormer, now he's a Perry Freshman!

 



 

We had to stop in to see Mr. Kane and thank him for everything he's done for Spenser.

 



 

While in the music room, I snapped a few close up photos of the awards won in Anaheim.

 



 

What a great year and we couldn't be prouder of our Spenser Allan Samour!



English Student of the Year

Perry held their sophomore academics awards tonight, and Sienna earned two accolades!

 She not only won a letter for her high GPA, but also was chosen as the female Honor's English Student of the Year!  That's a huge accomplishment!

 

All we can say is W O W !!!!