I haven't been working for a while and it has probably been the best time of my life. I've been finishing my degree, training and spending time with the kids. But, I wasn't spending as much time with Luke as I used to. Real time. So we decided that we needed a "guy trip" to kind of get Luke back to where he used to be, more polite, more friendly and just having a better relationship with me and others.
First we went and visited Selena (I was a bridesmaid in her wedding), who manages the Van Nuys Airport. Great trip to tour the airport, have lunch and start the trip.
Next to Thousand Oaks to see my cousin Bobby, his wife kids, my uncle and my cousin. Luke thought this would be the best, but it was tough because his older cousins, Ryan and Brett, had friends there that were their own age (19-21) so they didn't quite spend as much time as Luke wanted to with them.
Now to Santa Barbara to see Jake Muldowney, Jim Muldowney's son. I say that so you'll know who he is, but even if he wasn't Jimmy's son, he is a great guy. He picked my mother up in Las Vegas (He's a student at UNLV) and drove her to Mark Millam's house in Summerlin, Nevada. He's an intern at Sandpiper golf course. We saw the course and then took Luke to get his haircut. See, one of the issues that we had is that Luke wanted his hair real long like one of his friends. It looked like a mullet gone bad. It was my fault. Again, I didn't spend enough time with him. So Jake and I talked him into a haircut. Then a walk around Santa Barbara, a picture with Jake and Luke and then a picture with Jake, Luke and a homeless guy.
Jake has gone from being a friend's son to being a friend of the family in his own right. I could be no prouder than to have Luke look to him as a friend and a man he can turn to.
Off to San Luis Obispo (SLO) to see Chad Theule and his family. This was a great time as Chad was one of the originators of Monday Night Pizza 9 years ago. We went out to Pizza, spent time at the beach, biked and went to the SLO Farmer's Market. True friends are true friends no matter how far away they live or how often you see them.
Then back to Carlsbad to go camping with Norbert and Derek for Derek's 9th birthday. We took their trailer up to Big Bear. Luke and I camp a lot with the YMCA Indian Guides but it is much better having a 28' trailer, or "Aluminum Tee-pee" as we call it in the Guides. 
This was a great trip. A trip that every father should make with each of his children. Time alone to talk, to laugh, to pray and to spend time with friends.
Luke is back to the "old" Luke.
We are back to being best friends.
The Smithification continues.
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