Poppies make me happy!

It will be a shock to many of you but the Shraders took a non-Disney trip to Southern California last week. (OK, you probably know us better than that...we DID drop by downtown Disney for a bit of shopping...and we did buy some wonderful Mickey and Donald treasures at a delightful antique toy store while in So Cal...but did not officially go in the gates of Disneyland!)

We had a wonderful week visiting with dear friends and visiting sites we don't usually visit. But the best part for the camera-toting Mommy was our Saturday morning visit to the Antelope Valley Poppy and Wildflower Reserve about an hour north of Los Angeles. The rolling hills, the blooming wildflowers and the perfect weather made me want to stay for a long visit. Unfortunately, hungry children ruled otherwise! But I might have had time to take one or two...or one hundred, pictures!

The Shraders in the middle of the reserve!

A Poppy waking up.

Fields of yellow and orange -- the poppies were not quite at their peak but the colors were breathtaking nonetheless!

These were Claire's personal favorite -- Fiddle heads! See how they curve just like the end of her violin?

Our love of Southern California is not just Disney-related -- Wade's best friend of 20 plus years lives there! We treasure all the time Uncle Todd gives our family when we visit!


Todd and his beautiful bride, Marti, and the Shrader clan!

I couldn't resist the pouty picture when Cate was told it was time to go and she plopped down on a rock to protest! I love this sweet little face!!

And these pictures of Mason and Cate running along the path just make me smile!

So just so you know, the kids and Wade have already been warned that Mommy has a new favorite place to go in Southern California! I can hardly wait to go back!!