Austin, June 5-11, 2009

Grandma and Grandpa Tolman made a trip to Austin to attend Emma Benefield's baptism and spend a few days with Ali and Adam and their family, pictured here outside the Round Rock Stake Center.



Emma with Mom & Dad






Clara the scare bear at Cabela's

Hyrum strikes a more passive pose.

Adam and Annabelle relax.

Grandma and Emma learn how to operate the Bedazzler....

Pizza with cousin Luke.

Annie chugging a juvenile beverage. Not a portent of things to come....

Grandma instructing on the finer points of Burger Shop.

Annie is very proud of herself making sounds on the karaoke machine.

So Cal Adventure

The Salk Institute called us earlier this year and wanted to have Emily return for testing. Deanna and I agreed that we both had to go along and make somewhat of a vacation of the trip.

Reiko explains a few things about the shrine.

After Reiko explained that she pours small amounts of sake on the gravesite when she visits, Deanna remembered that her dad liked to relax listening to Vin Scully call a Dodger game with a cold beer after a day at work. Reiko just happened to have a cool one on hand and let us take refreshment to share with Roger on our visit to his grave at Rose Hill.

Friday afternoon we drove around Glendale and La Canada getting some pictures of Deanna's childhood homes and school. In the evening we attended a performance at the Glendale Community Theater and had a marvelous time.

On Saturday, we went to Sea World in San Diego... Saturday evening we checked into a San Ysidro motel and looked on the internet for a place to attend Sunday services where we ran into ...

Bishop Jordan Buswell and his family. They invited us to their home to dinner on Sunday evening.

On Monday and Tuesday, while Emily was testing at the Salk Institute, Deanna and I found other things to do. On Monday, we went to the zoo.

On Wednesday, we were back in Los Angeles for testing at Cedars Sinai. Thursday morning before our flight back home, Deanna and I made a quick trip to the Getty Museum. Emily decided to stay at the hotel and rest.