Ronald Reagan

"America's best days are yet to come. 

Our proudest moments are yet to be.

 Our most glorious achievements are just ahead."

-Ronald Reagan

In Simi Valley, California is located the Ronald Reagan , Presidential Library and Museum.  The building it's self is stunning.  It is perched on a mountaintop with awesome views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.  We visited on a rainy day, but it is said that you can also see the Pacific Ocean from the museum.  The museum contains artifacts of President Reagan as a child all the way through his presidency.  He is also laid to rest in the gardens surrounding the museum. 

Ronald Reagan was a sports caster and here Heston was able to 

walk in his shoes by giving sports casting a try.

Future President Mize ?

The boys had the opportunity to stand behind the Presidents podium and read from a teleprompter.

We had to travel all the way to California to see public restricted ares of the White House.  For instance here we had the opportunity to walk into the Oval Office (the way it was during President Reagan's White House).  We visited the White House while living in Washington DC and President Obama was just too picky as to who he allowed in his Oval Office. 

Just kidding, I know not just anyone is allowed in that room.

But it was really cool to walk into the Oval Office of President Reagan.

The tour guide even told us the story behind the Presidents desk.

Did you know that the story from "National Treasure" about the desk

 IS

 the true story, minus the part about the secret compartments?

President Reagan's Limo

Air Force One

So cool, we got to walk inside!! Could not take pictures though.

While in DC we never even saw this thing fly through the air, so it was really a neat opportunity to be able to walk though the one that President Reagan used.

Bryson riding horses with the President at Camp David.

On display is a replica of the White House.  On the back side you can see into each room.  This place is packed with lots of cool rooms, for instance did you know that we have a movie theater in the White House.  I think we should be able to attend a matinee, it is, after all our tax dollars paid for it:-)

That's soooo LA!

Here are some of the cool things that we have been able to see while here in Cali.  Some I would say are just soooo LA.  Like the movie cameras everywhere.  We are always seeing something being filmed.  Palm trees, famous people,and Hollywood are among things that we  have only seen here in CA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PALMS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The streets and beaches are lined with gorgeous palm trees.  They are everywhere out here.  I so want one to take home.  These palms can grow super tall.  They make awesome pictures, especially with the sunset behind them.  I find it amazing how they just know to grow along the streets.  It makes the streets sooo LA!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GOT TO SEE PLACES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOLLYWOOD baby! Can't come to LA without seeing the Hollywood sign.  Cool site!

\

Hollywood Boulevard.  

Some of our favorite STARS!!!

 DISNEY LAND

So we have been to Disneyworld so we had to check out where it all began, DisneyLand.

DisneyLand, California Adventure had some pretty cool rides like this Ferris wheel.  

The buckets swung back and forth when the wheel went around.  

Malibu

We never saw Malibu Barbie.  I was looking!

The Grove

Open air shopping malls are so cool.  Because the weather here is so warm, some of the malls here are outside.  Most of the time they have lots of outdoor bistros and awesome water fountains with cool gardens. Very Romantic! The Grove contains a farmers market, trolley, and of course awesome shops.

Santa Monica Pier at sunset.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FAMOUS PEOPLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ty Pennington was hanging out at our pool one day.  We so had to go say HI ! and get a picture!

Ty is the designer on the show Extreme Home Make Over.

We saw Shriek one day while we were downtown in Hollywood.

Ali Sweeny, who is the host of the Biggest Looser.  

Wierd Al Yankavance

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




 Everywhere you go here in LA you are bound to run into a camera crew filming something.  

Here they are filming a music video on the beach at Venice Park.  

We attended one of Clean Houses yard sales and witness the filming of that show.  We also where filmed so we are keeping an eye on the show to see if we made it on.

Filming on the side walk.

These kinda things are cool to see but can get annoying.  Most of the time they shut down the walking paths or make you wait until the shot is finished to walk pass.    

Filming on the pier, Johnny and Bryson where caught in the shot but we don't know the name of the movie.  So keep your eye out for this shot in up coming movies and let us know if you see us!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ONLY IN CALIFORNIA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONLY in Ca would you see a sign like this. What are you suppose to do if the lands chooses to move while you are driving along???? I guess you just fall over into the ocean.  

Only in CA can you see this awesome ocean coast line.  It's just simple amazing.  

We found this cute glass chapel on the coast line.  Very cute! A wedding was taking place the day we visited. Sooooo romantic !!!!!

Viva Las Vegas

We decided to head off to Vegas for the weekend.  Our family enjoys the show "Pawn Stars".  It is filmed at a pawn shop in Vegas.  The show features guest who bring in items to sell.  It's interesting what all makes it on the show.  We enjoy guessing how much some of the items are worth.  

So we woke up early on Saturday and head off the Vegas, from LA it is about a 4 hour ride.  Kinda a boring  ride, not much but dessert.  Once you leave the Los Angeles area you kinda drive and drive and drive until you hit Vegas, which is nothing but a city in the middle of a desert.  Although it is a popular city in the middle of no where.  

Here we are at the pawn shop.  The truck was on one of the episodes.  The Pawn Stars bought it and had it fixed up.

This pin ball machine had a sign on it which stated that it would be featured on an upcoming episode of Pawn Stars.

On the strip!

This area is called New York New York.  The hotel is in the shape of the New York sky line.

This is a statue of Liberty made entirely of Jelly Belly jelly beans.

We stopped by the M&M factory.  The boys made our family back home some M&M's scripted with their names.

Paris right in the middle of Vegas.

T

Treasure Island

We got a great deal to stay at the Circus Circus. 

Night lights of Las Vegas

Cool little truck with one wheel in the front.

Even the McDonald's is all lit up in Vegas!

The boys played Lazar tag at Circus Circus.

We had a great weekend in Vegas.  Only lost $1.  The boys were intrigued at all the slot machines.  So Johnny showed the boys exactly what the machines are made to do.  He feed a dollar in and guess what we got out?? Nothing!!!! A dollar lost, a life long lesson learned.
We did not see the Pawn Stars on our weekend visit to Vegas this time so we are hoping to go back on a weekday.  Maybe we will catch Chum-Lee, Rick, Big Hoss or the Old Man on our next visit.