The Cryers Come to Visit!!

     After Easter, we had plenty of things to look forward to.  The biggest one on our list was the visit of our dear friends from England, the Cryers!  Yea!!  They had planned a three week trip to the States, and we were the very last stop before they headed back to the UK.  We felt so honored.
     I've written about Helen and Scott Cryer before on this blog.  They are among our dearest friends.  Grounded, trustworthy, quietly confident, strong in their belief in God - I love them both to bits. And they are raising four incredibly fine children:  Lucy, Jack, Tom and Harry.  When they came to see us, it was as if we had seen them yesterday.  We just picked up right where we left off.  Awesome.
     They just had one day to see San Diego, so we took them to La Jolla cove first, and then on to Balboa Park, and finishing up in Old Town.  Their trip is probably best recorded in pictures. 
     First stop, La Jolla cove:




The kids explore the caves at La Jolla cove

The seals at La Jolla Cove

People could get right up close to the seals

 

     Dr. Suess was from La Jolla, and I can't help that notice the trees near La Jolla cove look a lot like some of his illustrations:

 

 



Hmmmm .... the Lorax?

Sneeches on the Beaches - or something like that

     Next stop was the beautiful Balboa Park - by Helen's request.  Helen is a very practical person, and Balboa was the perfect place to take 11 kids, 4 adults, and a dog without breaking the bank.
     Lucy Cryer and Abigail are BFF's, and they were screaming and hugging and laughing the whole time they were together.  So lots of the pictures from the day are of these two inseparable souls:

Lucy and Abigail

Lucy and Abigail

And ... Lucy and Abigail

     The Cryers loved the architecture at Balboa:

One of many fountains at Balboa

     Something I probably should have mentioned before:  Helen is an amazing, fabulous, beyond awesome photographer.  She has a great eye when it comes to taking photos.  I have no expertise in this area so I just follow her around and try to imitate her in some small, humble way.  So the following pictures of the kids were Helen's idea:

The calm photo

The High School Musical photo, or something

     We also enjoyed the many gardens at Balboa:

Jack Cryer in a garden

I don't think you see these flowers in England



But this looks a bit more like an English garden

 

The Japanese Gardens



Fascinating tree roots

Tim tries the dreadlock look, sort of

All the kids at the fountain

Georgie manages to stay dry

But Samuel definitely does not ....

     We walked, explored, relaxed, chatting the whole time - about family, school, hobbies, England, California, work, politics, food - everything.  We ended up in Old Town, and descended upon a fine Mexican restaurant there in the heart of the town square.  Although I am sure they are used to large parties, we were, I think, still a sight to behold:

Cryers and Bleakleys - a long awaited reunion