5/8/09- Train Fieldtrip, Dinner, Softball Championships

This was one busy Friday! It started off with a fieldtrip with our Parent-ed class. I had asked my mom to come along because we would be getting on and off different trains and subways. At first she couldn't go, but as I was about to get on the freeway she called to say her plans had changed. I turned around immediately and came and got her. I was really worried about doing it alone with 3 kids, so I was so relieved she came. Especially since I had been scraping the living room walls for about 8 hours the day before and my right hand was so swollen I could barely use it (before and after pictures coming). I'm not usually an over anxious mom, but when it comes to large, motorized vehicles, I'm a little paranoid of a child escaping my grasp and running in front of one. We even had to cross train tracks to get to wait for our train. It was also nice having an extra set of hands in the crowds of the train stations. We met at the Glendale train station and bought round-trip tickets.


Waiting for the train at the Glendale station

Trying to take our own group shot while riding the train.

We never did get it quite right!

Troy spent the whole time just sitting in Grandma's lap, or holding her hand as we walked in awe. He just had big eyes the whole time and loved it!

The train dropped us off and Grand Central Station where we took a subway to downtown LA.


I guess the next day was "train day", so they were passing out hats and paper trains.

Enjoying the subway ride.

We were suppose to ride "Angel's Flight" outside of one of the plaza's in downtown, but it was closed. I actually worked in several of these buildings during the summers during college. I use to sit in this plaza and eat lunch while reading "The Work and the Glory" serious.

Here's the whole group. The fieldtrip was suppose to continue on to the farmer's market and then to Olivera Street, but we had to get going, so we headed back on our own.

After we got back to Glendale, we made a quick stop at Costco and Home Depot (for stuff for the living room), and then headed home to put Troy down for a nap. We had planned on going out to dinner with all the girls (sisters and cousins), but plans changed. My kids had been so excited to go out to eat, that it was hard to disappoint so last minute on them. So I took them all by myself. We went to Torta's. It was a sit down restaurant, but I told the waiter we only had 30 minutes. Sure enough, we were in and out in 30 minutes and the kids did amazingly well. I think it helps that we weren't there for very long.


Then my parent's showed up and we all went together to a wedding reception for Jon Nelson (a boy I grew up with). We left straight from that to go to the championship softball game that Grant and my brother's play on. (Grant was at work all this time, so the first time we saw him was at the game!)

Everyone came out for the game! Even Becky and Dena, who don't have spouses on the team, came to support their brothers. They brought pom poms and megaphones and Dena lead the girls in cheers. I think we sufficiantly annoyed the other team!! =-) That's Grant going up to bat! He had a great game, as did everyone else! I've forgotten all the details and even the score (you'll have to ask Grant about that. I forget by the next week, but he'll remember for years to come). But I do know he hit a couple home runs and brought in a ton of runs, and most importantly... we WON!!!

Here are the champions!!! Back row: Phil, Elbert, Jon, Brock, Dan, Will, Grant, Dave, Mark, Matt. Front row: Steve, Terry, & Rich

And here are the champions with their kids (there are some extras with Dena and Becky's kids).