Google Search Leads to Grammar Lesson

I use Google search all.the.time.  constantly.

If ever I have a question pop into my head that I don't know the answer to, I ask Google.  Such as:
"Full Moons 2011" when my coworkers are particularly weird,
"psychopath vs sociopath" when my mom and I were watching a soap opera,
or "San Diego for kids" while planning our latest vacation.

Google knows all.

And I know less and less with each passing day.

Just now I was going to write a blog all about how anxious I've been feeling lately.  I've got a lot of things on my mind and things I need to plan and I feel like I'm all wound up, but instead of preparing to explode, I kind of want to drop everything and eat a pint of ice cream.  I'll save 'eating feelings' for a future blog post though.

So, I was going to write about being 'wound up' but as soon as I began typing it, I started second guessing my spelling.  Was 'wound up' really the same spelling as 'I covered my wound with a bandaid'?

And thus I turned to google: 

'wound up tighter than a drum' {search}

Yup!  That's the correct spelling.

The next inquiry was obvious:

'words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently' {search}

And thus I got a grammar lesson on Homonyms.

I'm a stickler for the correct usage of there, they're and their, as well as too, to and two, so I figured I'd share this with you.

Homonyms

Homonyms can be defined as two or more words that share the same spelling, or the same pronunciation, or both, but have different meanings.

Since there are several “types” of homonyms (e.g., same spelling but different pronunciation, same pronunciation but different spelling, same spelling and same pronunciation), homonyms are broken down into 3 sub-catagories:

Homophones:
Same Pronunciation.
Different meanings.
May or may not be spelled the same way.

Example: Write and Right.  Bear and Bare. Carat and Carrot.

Homographs:
Same Spelling.
Different Meanings.
May or may not be pronounced the same.

Example:  Present (a gift) and Present (to introduce).  Down (opposite of up) or  Down (feathers).  and of course Wound (up tight) and Wound (injury).


Heteronyms:
Same Spelling.
Different Meaning.
Different Pronunciation.

Basically - they are homographs that are not homophones.

Examples:  Polish (people from Poland) and Polish (buff the floor).  Record (write) and Record (set a world record). Desert (abandon) and Desert (arid region).



Makes perfect sense, huh?
Okay, maybe it's still as confusing as ever...

San Diego - Balboa Park Sculpture Court Cafe

Right next to the Museum of Art at Balboa Park is a hidden cafe that is an awesome retreat.

We ate there twice during our week long stay and were more than satisfied each time.

There is the option to grab a sandwich (on a small brioche style loaf) for $8 or for $10 you can be served a sandwich like the one seen above with a choice of side (green salad, pasta salad or fries).  I think the sit down option is the much better deal.  Add water with lemon and you've got a lunch for two - with tip - for $25.

The open air cafe was great for children as you didn't feel the need to keep them silent, and the tablecloths were covered with butcher paper that you could color on with crayons.  Although the meals were served quickly, it did help to pass the time.

Verdict:

I highly recommend this cafe if you're in Balboa Park.  The chicken salad sandwich on sourdough (above) is amazing and I'll be incorporating their secret ingredient (orange zest) the next time I make one at home.

Website:  http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/sculpture-court-caf%C3%A9

TTC Baby #2 - Episode #3 - I Made a Big Step

Let talk about cycle 4 and the decision we've made!

Join us on our journey to conceive baby #2 with PCOS and Factor V Leiden clotting disorder.

MAIN CHANNEL: Thebubblelush 

http://www.youtube.com/thebubblelush

OTHER CHANNEL: DailyLush 

http://www.youtube.com/dailylush

FACEBOOK: Carla TheBubblelush

http://www.facebook.com/thebubblelush

YouTube Keywords: Carla thebubblelush the bubblelush carlathebubblelush dailylush daily lush Chris Hannah vlog vlogs vlogger vlogging blog blogs blogger blogging Video Blogging family mom mother ttc tring to conceive infertility fertility getting pregnant with pcos polycystic ovarian syndrome ovary disease disorder femara inducing period provera breakthrough bleeding withdrawal low progesterone from breastfeeding letrozole clomd clomiphene citrate journal new second channel

San Diego - Cabrillo National Monument

Originally we were going to spend Sunday afternoon at the children's pool in La Jolla taking photos of the seals, but there was a concert in the park and the whole city was over run with tourists. (for Being a tourist, I sure dislike hanging out with them...). Parking was a nightmare and Hannah had just fallen asleep - finally. We decided to scrap the plans and go to the Cabrillo National Monument instead. It was a nice 30 minute drive and a weeklong admission to the park was only $5. Perfect.

Low tide was at 4:30 and we arrived at 3 o'clock, so our first stop was at the tide pools. Chris took Hannah down a natural rock staircase to the tide pools below, while I followed behind with the camera. He pointed out sea anemones and snails while H oohed and aahed. We should have changed her into crocs instead of her nice white sandals, but I'm glad we grabbed a sweater because the winds were pretty chilly.

So. Cute.   

{Once I overlook that she's touching a snail, that is.}

Sea Anemone

This was the next picture on my camera.  

I'd bet money she's sucking anemone juice off her finger....

We walked up to the cabrillo monument but didn't have time to climb to the lighthouse before the park closed at 4:30. If we lived in the area we would definitely buy the annual pass because the tide pools were a LOT of fun.

Mister Cabrillo himself.

Chris dangling our heir over the rocky cliff.

 Hannah's real thoughts on the ocean waves.

Verdict: 
Keep this park in mind as a backup in case other plans fall through, or move it to the top of your list if you don't mind getting a little wet or are on a budget. This is a much more affordable option compared to aquarium entrance fees, and the hands on aspect is bound to win over the kids. Bring your telephoto lens for amazing shots of local surfers and military flyovers.

 Keep little ones close - there are fall hazards. Make sure you wear appropriate water friendly shoes with traction (not cheap flip flops) and keep a change of shoes in the car with a towel and possibly some water to rinse off your feet as I didn't see any feet washing stations nearby. Hannah sat in the water multiple times and her whole outfit had to be changed, so a swim diaper would have been useful.

San Diego - Coronado Beach

What is it:
Coronado is an affluent resort town 5.2 miles from San Diego.  Although often referred to as an island, it is actually connected to the mainland by a 10 mile long isthmus called the silver strand.  There is a bridge to the 'island' from San Diego, or you can travel by water via ferry or water taxi.  It is one of the most expensive places to live and was named the second best beach in the USA by Stephan Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach).

Getting there:
After a long meandering walk in search of the fifth street pier (you wouldn't think it'd be so hard to find, but it's fairly unassuming and tucked behind hotels and the convention center) we took a water taxi to the 'island' ($7 a person, Hannah was free). The taxi was a small boat skippered by a man named Rusty. It was so cliche it was laughable. Bikes were allowed on and I'm sure he would have allowed the stroller inboard, but we were carrying H in the Ergo.

On the way back we took the ferry which was a large two story ferry that could easily handle bikes and strollers (but not cars). It was $8.50 for an adult oneway ticket, and free for those under 3. we rode on the top deck, and the breeze and views were very enjoyable, although I did keep a sweater handy in case Hannah got chilly.

What to do:
Both the water taxi and ferry drop you off at the Ferry Landing. If you want to go to the Hotel de Coronado and see the actual beach, here is a city bus that leaves every hour on the Half Hour. Of course, we found this out 5 minute too late and werent interested in waiting 55 inured for the next one. there is the option of taking a cab (we were quoted about $10 one way) but let's tally that up: $14 for the water taxi to the ferry landing, $20 cab ride round trip to the beach, and $8.50 for the ferry back to San Diego. $42.50 for two adults to get to the beach. Stupid.
I have to admit that I hated the ferry landing on Coronado. I thought it was an absolute tourist trap with tiny crowded shops full of tcochkies and over priced nick nacks.

We took the ferry back to San Diego, got our car and drove to Coronado. Hannah napped while we drove and Chris and I were able to enjoy the sights. We parked for free right by the beach access on Ocean drive by the hotel del Coronado. We were able to walk right down to the beach and take lots of pictures of Hannah's first splash in the Pacific.

We walked onto the grounds of the Hotel del Coronado, where you can eat at the restaurants browse the shops and try to hide your jealousy of the families enjoying the private pools of the villas. We stopped in at moo time creamery and spent way to much on two sundaes when we could have easily shared one - the only problem would have been trying to decide on just one (or two) flavors because they all sounded delish.

Verdict: 
Drive, don't ferry, to the 'island' and spend your time at the ocean, not in the shops.

San Diego - New Children's Museum Review

San Diego - Day 1: Flying with Hannah

Seaport Village - Fire Breather

Here are some photos from our first day in SanDiego when we hit up Seaport Village.

San Diego - Seaport Village Fountains

San Diego is full of fountains, and Hannah didn't find one that didn't make her squeal. The first two she came across were in Seaport Village. Here are some of my favorite shots:


She was SO excited by what must have appeared to be a giant bathtub.




And because I know the topic of child leashes can be a hot button with some people, please keep in mind that she had been cooped up in either a car seat, an airport, an airplane, a stroller, or another stretch in the car seat while we spent close to 6 hours traveling. She needed to stretch her legs but she's only 11 months old and doesn't understand stranger danger yet. We both were right by her, but this allowed her to run around a bit, which made everyone happier.

San Diego - Seaport Village Carousel

This historic carousel was hand-carved in 1895 and is still delighting kids and adults alike. This attraction features 54 animals and two horse-drawn chariots.

It costs $2 per rider but accompanying adults are free. We paid $4 since Hannah and I rode animals and Chris held on to H. The ride lasted almost too long for Hannah, but she was a big girl and tried her best to enjoy herself.

Verdict: It was a good value, a great photo op, and a wonderful memory.



I love the Oregon connection of this carousel, but here are all the other places it has called home:

How Google's +1 Helps Bloggers

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