Parent's New Year's visit.

I was fortunate enough this past week to have my lovely parents come for a visit from Colorado. I'd been missing them terribly, and it was a bit hard to not be able to spend Christmas with any family, so I'd really been looking forward to some quality time with them. We filled their visit with plenty of new adventures, lots of presents and tons of marvelous food. It was hard to drop them off yesterday as they left for home- but what a wonderful time we had! Here are some photographs of our adventures, I hope you enjoy them!

 Immediately after picking my parents up, we started our adventure in Hollywood, California. We were all ravenously hungry, so we stopped at world famous Pinks Hotdogs for lunch. The line was tremendously long, but moved quite quickly. (thank goodness!)

 There were a multitude of choices, ranging from simple chili dogs to celebrity inspired and endorsed dogs. We chose the Royal Dog, Chili Cheese Dog, Spicy Chicago Dog and Ozzy Dog. Also, onion rings and fries. The Ozzy Dog, my choice, was hellishly spicy but super nom. And the onion rings were to die for.

 My mommy enjoying her chili cheese dog. She has some gluten allergy, so this was a rare treat for her!

 I almost ordered this dog, simply because Lord of the Rings is my favorite movie, but I'm not really sure how to feel about BBQ sauce on a hotdog.

 Hubby and I! It was bright outside (and 75 degrees... in December. I love California sometimes)

 Me and Mom standing in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall in LA.

 We continued our day at the La Brea Tar Pits, a place my mother has always wanted to go, but has never had the chance. It was my first time at the tar pits too, and it was very neat. We didn't get to go in the museum, because the line was insanely long, but we still got to view the tar pits and see the outside.

 Lucas sitting on a very cool twisted tree.

 The display outside was kind of sad- a mommy or daddy mammoth stuck in the tar while the baby cried out for it by the side. :(

 After the tar pits, we went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Graumman's Chinese Theater. We parked near this beautiful stripper shoe Christmas tree. Oh, Hollywood.

 

 The famous El Capitan Theater.

 <3 Hitchcock!

 Mom posing in front of the Sherlock Holmes billboard, which we all saw together. What an amazing movie! I didn't think it would be nearly as good as the first, but it was just as good, if not even better.

It's kind of strange to notice that ladies from the 30's-60's have amazingly tiny hands and feet. So did the men, actually.

 Can you tell I was excited? I am touching where Robert Downey Jr's hands once touched! Like... holding hands with him! Practically. <3

 

I wish there was some perspective in this picture for how tiny her little feet were. So sweet.

 My dad's cowboy boot next to John Wayne's footprints. He loves John Wayne :) I adore that he did a fist print instead of a hand print. Bad ass.

 The next morning, we did a belated Christmas morning together, our stockings hung by a non existent chimney with care.

 

I love our cute little pink Christmas tree <3

 Holding one of my Christmas gifts, a Southern Cooking Christmas Cookbook. Most people who know me know that I adore cookbooks. I have since I was a tiny girl! I pretty much collect them.

 My mom knit the most adorable matching hats for Lucas and myself. He was pretty stoked about his- he loves hats. They keep his little shaved head warm in the winter :P

 I got this really neat zipper purse from my godparents. The whole thing unzips and zips back up! Isn't that cool? I was having a lot of fun with it, haha :)

 My daddy holding a magazine from his stocking, American Cowboy! He's my favorite American cowboy ;)

 Me and Lucas doing a cheesy pose by our tree :) 

 It's kind of tradition to go out to our local diner and my dad and I split Chicken Fried Steak.  And my family ALWAYS takes pictures of our food before we eat it. It's a bit of a strange quirk to some.

See, I told you!!

The next day, we ventured to Newhall to go to William S. Hart Park. William S. Hart was a silent film star in the 20's who did cowboy movies. He has a gorgeous ranch and mansion you can tour for free.

 On the way!

 They had an area on the ranch of adorable little farm animals you can feed and pet. I was quite enamored with this potbellied pig. So fat! So cute!

 Pretty chickens! I love their beautiful feathers, but to be honest, I am a bit scared of them. When I was a little girl, a rooster attacked me and scratched my face. I still have a bit of a scar. :( Mean rooster.

 Turkeys... are ugly. But delicious. Was that wrong to say?

 I really wanted to pet this deer, but the sign said he was very grumpy and not to get close to him.

 

My nest hair.

 Mom as the next Vanna White. Watch out for snakes! We didn't encounter any.

 The views from the top of the hill were absolutely gorgeous. Aren't my parents adorable, too?

 Pretty flowers at William S. Hart's mansion.

 He had this amazing Kodiak bear rug in his living room... I think given to him by his friend Wyatt Earp.

 Here is a picture of William in his silent film days.

 On New Year's, the guys were tired and silly and wanted to stay home, so my mommy and I got all dressed up and went out for drinks. She braided my hair and I loved it. I wish I could do that!

 Taking pictures of our drinks- she had the most delicious pomegranate martini.

I had something called "A Drink Like That"- Grey Goose, Bacardi 151, DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker, DeKuyper Island Blue, sweet & sour, Sierra Mist and a splash of grenadine. It was... potent. 

Daddy and daughter.
On our last day, we visited our favorite diner again and spent more quality time together. We visited the Ronald Reagan Library and then I dropped them off, tearfully, and said goodbye. Can't wait until the next visit!