Love, Learn, Play: California Adventure- Days 14 and 15

Ah- I can't keep up!! By the time we put the boys to bed at night I am so gosh darn exhausted- and I just want to spend a little time with Jon because he is gone all day and I'm not used to missing him in the summer :)

Yesterday was Jon's first day with students. He said things went really well. He came home exhausted- partly because he's not used to fourth graders and partly because he's only used to handling two gifted, overly inquisitive minds at a time- not eight! On the bright side, I think he has an even better understanding of why I often break down into tears when we talk about me homeschooling the boys full time! While he was at school, the boys and I met up with some friends for a trip to the Los Angeles Zoo. Our friends Madison and Morgan have a zoo membership and invited us to spend the day with them courtesy of their guest passes. We had a wonderful time! We walked through most of the zoo checking out all of the animals on our way to the playground in the way back. The boys enjoyed everything from the seal and the alligator to the giraffes and gorillas. But what I think they liked most was holding Madison's hands as we walked from exhibit to exhibit!! Because all four kids were so well behaved and able to walk a few steps ahead on their own for the most part, I got to spend some time catching up with my friend Monika. Having a conversation with a grown up is a wonderful treat every now and then :)

Today the boys and I had a play date with one of their managers and her kids in the morning. It was great to see Miss Debbie- we are in touch via email and text on a weekly basis but we haven't seen her since we were out here two years ago. The boys played just beautifully with her little boy and little girl (who were more than adorable!) and we even got a surprise from the boys' other manager Miss Mary who showed up at the park with a special treat for all the kids- black and white cookies!! The boys were in Heaven!! While the kids all played, I was able to catch up with Miss Debbie and Miss Mary- filling them in on our experiences in New York City and discussing our plans going forward with the boys. I can't even begin to express how blessed we are to have found these two ladies. It is quite rare for an actor to find representation in Los Angeles unless they actually live in Los Angeles. Nearly three years ago, Mary took a chance with signing the boys to her roster- and even if we did live here, I don't think we could have found a better team to be helping us with the boys' career. While the entertainment industry can feel like a terrifying rollercoaster with no seat belt, I feel like the boys have two guardian angels who are truly looking to help them develop and grow into wonderful people, not just actors. Mary and Debbie- we will never be able to thank you enough for what you have done and continue to do for our boys. Each step of this journey has helped shaped them into the little boys they are today and the young men we hope they will become- three trips to Los Angeles, three trips to NYC, two trips to Chicago, living on both coasts, working with the most incredible actors and directors- it has all helped the boys become who they are. They are travelers, adventurers, frequent flyers, architect lovers, music lovers, black and white cookie connoisseurs, Frank Lloyd Wright hunters, and budding little actors who get to learn from and work with the best of the best... and we couldn't be more proud of them!

L.A. Zoo