The Tommerdahls

We took the kids to California this year for our family vacation! We flew into LA/Anaheim on a Wednesday and spent 4 days exploring the LA area. We then drove four hours to Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon to see the Giant Sequoias for 2 nights, flying home the following Wednesday. Included below are some pictures and memories.

Day 1: Travel Day and Exploring Anaheim

Our early flight combined with the two hour time change left us plenty of time to explore Anaheim when we arrived. Our Airbnb was beautiful and spacious and we felt right at home. We all enjoyed walking around the city and exploring. Highlights included the thrift store, the library (huge! and had an awesome teen section and our kids love the library), and the beautiful Anaheim Packing district. We finished off the day with a delicious dinner at Panini Kabob Grill and a family game of UNO DARE when we arrived back at our place.

Day 2: Knott's Berry Farm Soak City

Day 2 was a fun day at the waterpark! We opened the park and spent the full day there, all the way til close, staying past 6 to get the final ride in! We picked up some frozen pizzas on the way back to our place, showered, and enjoyed a night in.

Day 3: Exploring Laguna Beach Coves and Medieval Times Dinner Theater

Today we spent the day exploring several coves in Laguna Beach. The paths between the coves had amazing views and it was so much fun to watch the surfers. The kids loved climbing on the rocks and watching the waves crash in. The tide was high tide at 1pm this day, so we didn't get to see as much sea life as we hoped, but we did see some. We stopped at a little taco shop for lunch and enjoyed some time in the water in the afternoon. We cleaned up to head to our reservation at Medieval Times, where we were placed on the team cheering for the Blue Knight as we ate our "baby dinosaurs" (chicken), slurped our tomato soup (no silverware), and ate like Kings and Queens.

Day 4: Hollywood

We spent the morning touring Paramount studios. The kids were fascinated and our tour guide was awesome. In the afternoon, we downloaded a car audio tour of famous homes in Beverly Hills. The audio tour told us where to drive and then told us about who lived in each house. The car tour ended at the Hollywood sign. We finished off our Hollywood Day by driving past the front of the home used in the Brady Bunch, which we all love! Olive Garden for dinner was the perfect way to close out this day.

We rode around the property in a golf cart

Our tour guide would show us spots on site, like this gate, and then also show us clips of times this was used in a movie.

Paul on the bench Forrest Gump sat on

Summer in front of the yard/school building where Brady Bunch episode "Greg smoking" was filmed

A parking lot / tank they fill for underwater scenes

Walking around little "New York" at the studio and learning that some buildings are just the "front" and others have spaces to film inside.

We got to go in a sound stage to see what that is like.

We learned a lot about Lucille Ball (dressing room on the left of this pic) and her role at Paramount. This grassy area was also used in a Brady Bunch episode.

Hollywood sign in the background

Brady Bunch House!

Brady Bunch house (Greg's car in the driveway).

Day 5: Disneyland!

We had an amazing day at Disneyland! We got up early to be at the parking lot by 7:15 and ready for rope drop with 10 min to spare. We rode as many rides as we could possibly fit into our day, stopping only for a quick PBJ lunch and a quick pickup of some burgers for dinner. We didn't leave the park until 11pm! Disneyland is such an experience. The way they form the scenery in each land and the way the rides make you feel like part of a movie - it truly is a magical experience. I am so grateful we got to experience this day together as a family!

Day 6 Travel Day

After a very full day at Disney, we let everyone sleep in. We checked out and started our drive to Three Rivers. We enjoyed a brunch at Cracker Barrel on our way, and arrived at our new place around 4. We settled in, and then went swimming and rock scrambling at the river nearby. The kids had lots of fun climbing and sliding on the rocks, swimming, and playing. We ate dinner right along the river as well - it was so beautiful!

Day 7: Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon

Today was spent the whole day in God's amazing creation seeing the ginormous trees! We stopped at/hiked many of the well-known spots along Generals Highway including Moro Rock, Crescent Meadow, the Big Trees Trail, General Sherman, Big Stump Grove, and Grant Grove. We had lunch at the Lodgepole Village and ate dinner at a Mexican place in Three Rivers. We had fun sitting in the hottub that evening watching for shooting stars.

General Sherman

Big Stump Grove....I am standing on one side of a stump, and the kids are all on opposite corners of the same stump. (Mark Twain Stump)

Big Stump Grove

See the kids on the left?

Climbing through a Sequoia

Inside a Sequoia

Kids are in the middle

Roots of a fallen Sequoia

On top of Moro Rock

Day 8: Travel Day

We spent this day driving from Three Rivers to LA, stopping at In and out Burger for lunch. Then we flew back to MSP.

I am so grateful for the time we got to spend together as a family and for all of the things we were able to see and do. It was a wonderful trip!

Summer turned 14 on August 3rd!

Summer has such a huge heart for people and loves others deeply. Her birthday fell on a Saturday this year, which was a day that we were needed to help a refugee family move homes. We have been connected with this family for almost a year and we love them and are like family to them. Summer immediately said it was okay to spend her birthday helping this family move, and our dear friends from church surprised Summer by bringing donuts to the moving party.

When we were all back home, Summer chose to play a family game of Settlers of Catan! We also enjoyed her birthday meal of choice, crazy noodle night, and presents.

Larkyn gave Summer two foldable hairbrushes for her backpack/bag.

We all giggled pretty hard when Tiger somehow slipped his favorite mouse into one of the presents - so I guess he gave Summer a mouse for her bday!

Summer opened a lot of running gear including a big water bottle, running headbands, running shirts, a running phone belt,

She also asked for a garbage can she can use as a recycling can in her room. Tiger liked it!

Colton gave Summer some hair clips (claw) she wanted!

Summer, you are absolutely incredible. Your heart for the Lord and for others is awe-inspiring. I am so grateful for the ways you slip in and help with everything around the house without being asked. You notice when I'm stressed and I can tell you truly care. You faithfully spend time in the Word and you intentionally look and pray for ways to love and serve others. I know that God is going to use your outgoing personality and love for others to draw others to the Lord at Apple Valley High School next year. I am so proud of how you dove in with both feet to a new cross country team, faith club, and being a high schooler! How fun it is to watch you grow into such an amazing person. You are a favorite babysitter to many (and so good with kids), you step in to help anyone in need from teachers to refugees, to those you don't even know. I am so grateful that you trust me and will confide in and talk to me about anything. I love watching you on the stage, with kids, on cross country, and your thirst and love for learning and knowledge. You are mature in your choices about screen time and phone privileges, your new debit card, and your continued independence. I trust you entirely, love you completely, and couldn't be more proud of you. Thanks for making having a teenager easy on us! I thank the Lord for the gift he gave me in you!