going to Cali

Okay, so the next few posts are WAY late, but as you’ll see it’s been a super busy summer for the Collins family. We kicked off the beginning of summer with a trip to California in June. The primary reason for the trip was I had to be in Bakersfield for work all week. It turned out that the weekend before my brother Chris would be getting his PhD from UCLA. So we decided to pack up the whole fam and fly out to California. The trip to Cali was exciting and stressful to say the least. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to board, etc. but our plane was stuck in a rain storm up in Dallas. Seven hours later we were finally on our way. Once in California with a bit of extra time, we decided to take Ava to Disneyland so she could meet the princesses. That was needless to say, amazing! She was so awe-struck by them it was adorable! We proceeded to my brothers commencement ceremonies and rejoiced as he was also awarded dissertation of the year.
We then packed up and drove up to Bakersfield for my company’s annual user conference. While I was working during the days Jillian took the kiddos to the pool, to the zoo and just had a good time hanging out with friends. We were fortunate enough that one of my co-workers lovely teenage daughters offered to babysit the kids a couple of nights so that Jillian could join me for the after-hours festivities. One night the whole group went to Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace, then on Friday night to a Melodrama. All in all it was a great trip and I was glad to have the family out with me for a while.

leaving, on a jet-plane

Ava on her way to meet the princesses

a view of inside the Pepperdine Chapel where we got married 7 years ago

the fam hanging out in Malibu

Ava outside my corporate office in Bakersfield, CA