San Diego Update

Austin and I ventured out to San Diego to spend the week with Brian and we are having a great time! Austin couldn't be happier going to baseball games every night and seeing Daddy :) Hunter is up in Washington visiting Grandma and Grandpa, having a fabulous time messing up their house I am sure!! I have never been away from our dog Hunter for this long before, I miss him so much!! Austin and I are headed up to Washington on Sunday, we will be up there for almost 2 weeks as Brian and his team finish the baseball season on the road, and it will give us a chance to visit friends and family up there! I can't believe baseball is winding down already! Well, we are off to the park by our hotel, (which is right next to the stadium, it's gorgeous!) to go enjoy the beautiful weather here!! Here's a bunch of pictures of our time here in San Diego so far!!

Got my glove Dad, we are all ready to come see you in San Diego!

On the plane to San Diego!

Our view from our hotel room...we couldn't be any closer to the stadium!

Austin couldn't have been more excited to see the baseball stadium from our window!

Once he saw the stadium...all he wanted to do was go play catch!

Austin at the Padres game!

Hanging out with mom after the game!

Austin struttin' his stuff at our hotel!

This is what we use for Austin's high chair in the hotel room! You gotta use what you've got!

Austin wasn't so sure what to make of the huge sundae being shoved in his face!! We fell in love with this restaurant when Brian played in Vegas, it's called Sammy's Pizza...and they just so happen to be based in San Diego, we couldn't have been more excited to eat there! It's so good!

It didn't take long for him to figure out he LOVED the sundae!

Showing off his cheeks and watching the DNC convention back in the hotel!

Outside at the park by the hotel!

Which just so happens to be connected to the stadium, how cool is that!! Austin was in heaven!

This park is so cool, they even have a little field for the kids to play in while the Padre game is going on in the background!

Enjoying some room service!

Gotta love eating in your hotel room!

Awesome view from the sandbox!

See, I fit!! Now Daddy has to take me with him when he goes on his road trip!

Checking out Mr. Padre.

What up Khalil Greene!

Having fun with Daddy after the game!

At the park again :)

Having fun in the Padre's family room!

Human Kong

Is it normal that I crushed a frozen snickers bar at 11pm last night?!  Or as Brian likes to call them, "human kongs" (after the chew toy for dogs).  The worst part is, I was already in bed, happily reading (book 3 of the Twilight series which I have become completely addicted too!) and just had to climb out and go to the freezer to indulge in a little late night snack! The worst part though, was coming into the kitchen this morning and seeing the wrapper on the counter...

Bad Apple...

It seems my apple laptop is in need of some serious repairs. I am so sad. It has been a very faithful computer, with us since '03 and currently housing some 10,000+ photos, which of course I have yet to scrapbook ;) It all started before I left for San Diego, I was hoping maybe the week off from using it would let it wind down, but no. It is currently at the apple store getting tested to see what is wrong with it, and sadly I just got the call telling me the bad news. It's the hard drive, it needs to be replaced. Bummer. Looks like we might have to put her down. How sad. So, that is why I haven't been posting. But thankfully, I do have a back up...our good old faithful desktop computer, which hasn't seen any action in years it seems, but I guess it's time to dust off the cobwebs and try to remember how to use it again!

Shamu!

Austin and I are in San Diego visiting Brian for the week! The Padres had a day game yesterday and a day off today, so we took full advantage and trekked out to Sea World today! We just got back, and Austin was so overwhelmed he didn't even make it out of the parking lot before falling asleep! It was a very fun day, and we had very beautiful weather! Austin really liked Shamu and the dolphins, but absolutely hated the sting rays (I have never seen his body stiffen so fast when one came up to him in the water!!). He was also fascinated with the birds...the pigeons, and the seagulls specifically...we just kept laughing, I mean we went all the way to Sea World for Austin to go crazy for the darn birds eating our crumbs?!! And Brian got to see his favorites, the Sharks and the Clydesdale Horses! So everyone left happy...and dry, even though we sat in the Soak Zone at the Shamu show!!

Happy Birthday Jane!!!!

We love you so much and hope you have the happiest of birthdays!!

Love, B, S, A and H :)

Dear Grandma, 

Here's just a few reasons you are simply the best...

You make me so happy!!!

I LOVE playing the piano with you!!

You give me the yummiest popsicles!!

You have great taste!! I love the shirts you pick out for me!!

I love your stories!

We have so much fun together!!!

I love you Grandma!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Love, Austin (and Hunter too! Woof Woof!!)

Future Fantasy Footballer...

I can't believe it is football season already!! :)  

Austin was absolutely spellbound with Brian's fantasy football draft...it looks like it won't be long before Austin is in a league himself!

"No Dad, I think you should take LaDainian Tomlinson instead!"

Austin clearly excited for the football season!

Rub a dub dub...

3 kids in a tub!

Lauren, Austin and Kaelyn suddsin' up!

Austin couldn't have been happier to have his two best friends in the bath with him ;) 

(We took a pit stop on our way from LA to AZ and stayed a few days with Kelsey and her girls at her Mom and Dad's house!  We had a great time and were so happy to see them again!)

Up, Down, All Around!!

Well, it looks like Brian is going to be playing for the San Diego Padres again!  The Dodgers needed to make room on their roster a few days ago and unfortunately they had to designate Brian for assignment in order to get the roster spot.  We spent the last few days just hanging out together, waiting to hear where Brian was headed next (The Dodgers had 10 days to decided if they wanted to trade or send Brian down to AAA, then once they made that decision he had to go through waivers, which meant that any other MLB team could claim him, and it looks like San Diego did!).  We just found out this morning and Brian is headed out to San Diego tonight.  Crazy I tell you!!!  It's always an adventure in the Falky house!! San Diego here we come!!

Just the boys...

I'm in love with this picture and I'm in love with these boys!  

Falky Field!

Would you look at that! Apparently they loved Brian so much here in LA they named a field after him!  Actually, it's named after Brian's Grandpa (and Austin's Great-Grandpa!),  but how cool is that!!  And we were lucky enough to go visit Falky Field and let the Falky boys take a picture in front of it!!

The Three Amigos!

We had a great time hanging out with our friends in St. Louis :)  

If only we could have brought them back with us!!

Baylie, Austin and Brody!

Baylie and Austin now (August 2008)...

Baylie and Austin then (May 2007)!

How can we say goodbye to such good friends?!!  

We will miss you guys :)

Wicked Witch of the Airplane...

Ok, so long story, but I have to get it off my chest.  So Austin and I flew out to St. Louis yesterday to watch Brian and his team play a few games and to see some good friends we made while playing there.  We started the journey out OK, leaving for LAX early so we wouldn't hit Monday morning traffic and got to the airport right on time.  Getting through the airport was a breeze, although I wasn't very happy about having to pay $15 dollars for checking in my one bag.  I hate that new rule.  

We got on the plane just fine, but ended up sitting on the runway for what seemed like an eternity because of a plane traffic jam.  This is like the worst thing ever.  You are on a crammed, "every seat full" flight, with no air circulation and everyone is ancy to begin with and sweating due to the no air, and you get stuck on the runway.  Austin handled it pretty good, but was udderly fascinated with the pull down tray in front of us.  

Seriously, why don't they make child locks for that thing!!  No matter what I did, he wanted to release the button and pull the tray down...over and over again.  Well, the lady in front of me, who I have dubbed the "Wicked Witch of the Airplane," wanted absolutely no part of Austin and his new found excitement with the tray table.  Before we even took off, she turned around all huffy and puffy and said to me that this seating situation was absolutely not going to work, she had a headache already from Austin kicking her seat (which he wasn't by the way) and couldn't I possibly find a seat for "her" to sit in somewhere.  

First of all, does Austin look like a girl?!  Secondly, come on Lady!!  He was only trying to have fun with the incredibly enticing tray button in front of him!! It's not like he was screaming and pounding his fists into the back of her chair!! And if you want peace and quite on a plane, there's a thing called first class or better yet, charter your own flight!!  I did all I could do to restrain myself from pulling her hair.  And where exactly did she want me to find a seat, which the pilots had repeatedly reported were absolutely over booked and full?  

I mean, I get it, it's super annoying when the person behind you is jiggling your seat, but you would think maybe she would have handled it better, I mean she was a Grandma!! (So I found out at the end of the flight when she realized how rude she had been and repeatedly apologized and tried to make it up by goo-goo-ing and tickling Austin, who was pretty amazing and happy the whole flight).  

And on a side note, the other lady next to me, who I have deemed "smelly egg lady," thought it was a great idea to bring, and eat, mind you, 5 hard boiled eggs on the plane.  I counted them all. Are you kidding me?!! Who brings and eats hard boiled eggs on a plane!!!  I mean can you imagine the smell?  Enough said.  

But, we made it safe and are happy to be back in a familiar city, Austin's birth city in fact! We are headed out to go visit our friends for the afternoon and then off to the game...weather permitting (thunder storms are looming on the horizon!)

Mr. Fix It!

Austin discovered the plunger today and thought it was the greatest toy he had ever seen. Why is it that kids always seem to get their hands on the most germ ridden things in the house?!  I guess a little bacteria never hurt anyone though, right?!

Manny Mania

Manny's first at bat as a Dodger

Austin enjoying the game with Uncle Greg, Aunt Marianne and Cousin Allyson! 

Gettin tickled by mom with the foam finger!

Manny is officially in LA and it's absolutely crazy at Dodger stadium.  I must say though, he is very bad for traffic.  Too bad we lost his first time as a Dodger, but it was a fun game, the crowd was so loud!  Hopefully we will turn things around tonight!  Brian wants me to get a picture of Austin and Manny...I will try my hardest.  

We had a wonderful visit from family at the game last night.  Brian's Aunt Marianne, Uncle Greg and cousin Allyson joined us to see Manny in action.  We had a great time, if only we could have gotten a win ;)