When in Doubt, Italian

We finally had a really good meal tonight.  We spent most of the day just knocking around, taking it easy.  This evening we met my brother and his family for supper at a nearby Italian restaurant.  We shared a really nice meal with lots of stories, and laughter.  The food was delicious.

Happy and Full!

Joe likes to make little care packages for the kids when we visit, so today, before we met them for supper, we spent a little while in the infamous "99 cent store."  Joe LOVES that place.  We don't have them in Virginia and the Dollar Tree just does NOT hold a candle to the 99 cent store!  Every trip to California includes at least one trip to the 99 cent store, where Joe has fun trying out all of the toys and looking at all of the interesting things offered for such a small price.

Filling up at the 99 cent store!

Since we will be visiting with friends in Redondo Beach next week, we took the opportunity to pick up some goodies for their son too.  By the time we found our way back to the parked car, Joe was ready to make the little gift packages.

At dinner, after we'd all had our fill and while the coffee drinkers were enjoying their after dinner cuppa, Joe disappeared for a few minutes.  He returned with a box.  Everyone asked what was in the box, and he told them there were puppies in the box ...  Well, these kids, 15 and 13 years old are not that easily fooled, but we all had a good laugh.  Joe then proceeded to produce from the box the four little gift bags he'd made -- one for each of the family... BECAUSE... apparently, Ray and Denise are ALSO "kids!"

We sat and talked a while longer, took pictures of the kids and Joe, all wearing sunglasses from their gift bags, and had the waiter take a couple of all of us.

Gift Bags!

Haley... all grown up!

Joe Clowning Around with the Kids

Making me Laugh!

Haley, Andrew and Joe sporting Sunglasses

When the coffee was finished, we made our way out to the parking lot, where Andrew, my nephew, took the keys his father handed him.  He has his learner's permit and is driving his family around these days.  We said our goodbyes and climbed in our rental to head back to the hotel.  As we followed them out of the parking lot, I thought, it's always the same... when in doubt, choose Italian... somehow, it is ALWAYS good!  And then I watched Andrew as he drove through a yellow light and KNEW that inside that vehicle, my brother and sister-in-law were saying....."slow down, slow down, slow down....OK, just go through!!!"  I have to say, I do NOT miss those days of teaching my kids to drive!

It was really nice getting to see them.  Living on opposite sides of the continent, we don't get to see each other very often, but we always enjoy ourselves when we do get together.