Week 6

Week 6 was a busy week! 

I went to the Oakland Zoo with Jeanne, Paul, Melanie, Daniel and Jennifer. It was a warm day with a senior fair going on. I think we were in the minority at the zoo that day being that we were all below 65 years old. The kids like looking at the animals and running around with Paul. After walking through the zoo, the kids rode some rides and thought they were great! 

We celebrated my birthday and Elizabeth's birthday too. We threw her a princess birthday party and invited the whole clan to the party. Even Craig and Suzanne came from Sacramento. She had fun playing with her cousins and we all had fun visiting amongst ourselves. She received some great toys and a lot of gift cards to go shopping! She will be thrilled when we have our girl's shopping day! The big hit was the cupcakes with the Disney Princess rings on them. The kids couldn't get enough of them!

On the actual day of both of hour birthdays, both my parents and the my in-laws had special dinners for us and special desserts. 

I was able to escape for a bit and hang out with my best friend of 26 years, Jennifer. We watched Katy Perry's movie and Magic Mike which wasn't so magical and even enjoyed a dinner at Johnny Garlic's, Guy Fieri's restaurant.

The last thing we did that week was visit the USS Hornet with my Dad. Elizabeth was excited but Isaac was SUPER excited! All the kids enjoyed looking at the old airplanes and helicopters and all the old navy artifacts. Isaac is obsessed with the military and loves watching documentaries on battles fought during WWI, WWII and Dessert Storm. This brought that to life a little bit for him.

The Cabin

Weeks 4 and 5 were spent at my parents Cabin in Sonora. The kids look forward to going up there every time we visit. Isaac remembered right when we drove up but even-though Elizabeth talked about it, she didn't remember anything there. She even told me that it wasn't a cabin but a house. I wonder what she thought a cabin was?

The kids LOVED going to the lake every day to swim and fish. Isaac was the master fisherman catching a fish everyday. I don't know who was more excited when the fish was hooked, him or my Dad? Both kids felt right at home in their life jackets and were jumping off the dock, going on the rope swing and swimming to the middle of the lake. William loved the lake too! He really enjoyed swimming and playing in the sand and dirt.

By the end of each day, the kids were so dirty and ratty looking that they looked homeless; an achievement that I take pride in since it means that they had a fantastic day! 

We took a couple of day trips to Columbia State Park and to the Cover's Apple Farm which is ran by Mennonites. The kids like to bowl, ride the stagecoach, pan for gold, make candles and drink yummy Sarsaparilla when we go to Columbia. This was the first time that it actually occurred to Isaac that it was a historic town and he had an endless stream of questions about the "old people." At Cover's, the kids rode the train, looked at animals and had freshly made apple cider. 

The last few day we were there, my parents went home and the Wuehler's came up for a visit; not all of them, but Jim and Jeanne, Paul, Melanie, Daniel and Jennifer. I was glad that they were able to come up and enjoy the simple pleasures of not being on the grid. We also went to Columbia with them and did all of the fun things again which made my kids happy. We had some more fun days at the lake and s'mores in the evening.

William LOVED that wheel. Every time we went to the lake, he had to stand up and drive.

Week 3: More Adventures

After riding bikes for a bit the all familiar sound of the ice cream truck had perked the kids ears. Of course I am sure that you know what the appropriate action next would be: buy some ice cream! My Dad treated the kids to some ice cream and they enjoyed it in the front yard.

Every visit home he go to Golfland and this visit was not any different. The kids love to play golf and the video games. I am sure in a couple of years we will start keeping score but for now it is just fun to watch then hit hit the ball and then pick it up to put it in the hole

I called my cousin Emily and asked her is she was up for an adventure with the kids and me. She was up for it so we took the kids to the Jelly Belly Factory and the Railway Museum.

 The kids enjoyed seeing how the jelly beans are made and tasting them at each phase. Isaac enjoyed the sample bar where he was thrilled to try the "baby wipe" flavor. Gross! He liked it.

The Railway Museum was interesting too. Besides riding on a hundred plus year old railway car and seeing a bunch of others, I was fortunate enough to step on a snake with just my flip flops on. I was so creeped out! Isaac of course had a million and one questions about the rail cars but after a full day, we were ready to go home.