Ports O Call (good grade trip part 3)

After a lunch we realized that by hopping on the freeway would land us in the middle of traffic. So we decided to kill some time and stopped off at Ports O Call (or is it Ports of Call?). A little strip of shops and restaurants along the water and across from the Long Beach Port.

My babies. When I asked them to pose The Phi said "I knew you were going to make us take a picture here!" 

It is a bit of a run down place, but still pretty interesting to check out. We stopped at a jewelry place and learned all about puzzle rings and even stopped for some ice cream.

Joey had been here before as a kid with his Grandparents. He told us how he Grandma use to have a favorite clothes place and about a hat shop where his Grandpa would buy his Grecian Sailor hats.

It was a great place to spent an hour or so. It was some place I had never been and I love exploring new places. I would love to go back and eat there.

The Phi would not like to eat there.

I swear The Phi has been more places in her 7 years than I had been in my first 25!

And believe it or not this was not the end of our big day.

One more stop......

Come back Monday for Part 4 of our Good Grades Trip!

Good Grades Trip Part 1 of 4

We got The Phi's report card in the mail and we were beyond happy because she got straight A's. All year long.

She may look like her Daddy, but she is a true nerd like her Momma.

Now we don't believe in paying for grades. That is what Grandparents are for. But we do believe in rewarding her somehow. So we set up a little day trip to somewhere fun (and educational). A Good Grade Trip. This time the place kind of landed in my lap. While at a Chamber of Commerce meeting one of the members had 2 free tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. We had never been and had always wanted to go so on a Friday we headed out to Long Beach for what turned out to be an amazing and exhausting day.

Lots of underwater creatures to see and study. The Phi really loved it. And I loved watching her get excited about everything. I really am in awe of this kid. She has been dealing with her skin issues all her life and I am the one that seems to get frustrated with it all. She just rolls with it. She is getting to an age now where other kids are starting to ask her about her rashes and her wraps, or why around her eyes are red. She just shrugs and explains she has eczema. Watching her scratch, itch and bleed is so hard for me. But she has always handled everything like a champ. I guess I am proud of my Phi for a lot of reasons.

Patrick?

Phi is not only a nerd like her Mom, but she is also a big ol' chicken like her Mom. I try really hard not to let my fears project to my kids so when its time to touch a shark or a sting ray I let Joey go with her.

Oh yea Lou was there too. And since she has become a bit obsessed with Finding Nemo, this trip was right up her alley.

Watching the Sea Lion show.

Lou always gets the best seat in the house.

Come back tomorrow for the second half of our visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific. And if you want to see Phi's web-show episode about the aquarium CLICK HERE