Christmas 2012 - Day 3

We went to downtown Cincinnati to meet with my aunt. 

A Christmas tree downtown.

Cool buildings.

The river, which my aunt said her family never visited while they were growing up in Cincinnati.

Christmas 2012 - Day 2

On this day, my cousin, sister, and I went to Kentucky for... some reason. I forget why. 

Look at the buildings.

I think that I really liked this building. It is sweet.

Check this place out.

Tilt your head to the left.

Let's go to the dentist

I also like this building.

Woooo, Kentucky!

This is also Kentucky.

They have all the latest RAM.

This building is pretty cool too.

This was the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge, but it connects Cincinnati and Covington instead.

I have only ever seen a UDF in Cincinnati. They are a gas station that also has ice cream.

A fountain near where we went for Graeters ice cream.

My sister and cousin, eating ice cream near the Fifth Third Bank.

Christmas 2012 - Day 1

At my aunt's husband's family Christmas party. Santa and Mrs. Claus showed up and the kids really enjoy it. 

Actually, I think the parents enjoy it more. My aunt Margaret is on the far right. 

My aunt Margaret on the far right.

Santa and Mrs. Claus 

I actually have this nativity set too. 

They are a VERY Catholic family, with lots of nativity scenes.

Summer 2012 - Day 15

The final day of my Summer 2012 vacation began in a Red Roof Inn outside the Milwaukee Airport. Mom and I packed up things, then headed for Chicago O'Hare. We stopped at a truck stop on the south side of the Wisconsin/Illinois border for breakfast. I ordered so much food, and ate most of it, and it was delicious.

We went to The Franklin Park Public Library for me to publish my boarding pass.

Then it was off to O'Hare.

I took photos of our desiccated country from the air.

And on my way out of SFO, I took a photo of a sign that appeared to use nonsense words. I wondered if it was some sort of prank, but it turns out that these things actually exist.

Summer 2012 - Day 14

Today, I awoke, made breakfast, and assembled my things for transport back to California. We did some things in the shed too.

My sister plays with sap.

Inside the shed.

Then my sister and I set out to spend some time in Rudolph. First, we went to the Grotto Gardens, but were about 13 minutes too early to get into the gift shop. My mock protestations amused my sister, because I looked a lot like the Jesus statues for sale, with their backs to the window.

We wiled away the time by walking through the gardens, and took a lot of photos of the flowers around the Stations of the Cross. Sister noticed that one of the stations had tomatoes and peppers growing on it, along with the flowers.

These used to be for sale in the gift shop.

Some of the inexplicable playground equipment at St. Phillips Catholic School.

On our way home.

We waited for a train at County Highway DD.

The annual tour of the Back 10.

The outhouse that was moved the year before.

A Devil's Paintbrush.

Kitty Amin is buried here. 

I believe that this is "Cathead Point" so named because my parents found a cat head here.

This tree was struck by lightening.

That plant by the corn apparently soaks up pesticides.