6 Years, 6 Months

Last month, I turned 40. 

My gifts, a labeler from my parents and a stuffed bunny from Jack and Henry (Steve tried to steer them toward other items, but the boys were very confident that they knew what I wanted):

A very Lisa birthday card:

It's been very stormy, and a little scary at times with us actually receiving an evacuation warning at one point for potential flooding, but we were lucky and not impacted beyond being stuck at home a couple times when the boys' childcare was canceled due to the hazardous conditions. 

Rainbow over the boys' elementary school:

Dread Pirate Henry, biking edition: 

Joyful Jack rocketing down the street:

The boys saved and pooled their money to buy this cool space rocket toy, and they were very proud:

Henry

Henry's mid-year kindergarten report card stated that he was able to do all the skills they tested for, and had this narrative evaluation: 

A happy Henry is a Henry in a pirate costume eating pasta with butter and garlic salt:

Henry, very proud that he prepared his own plate of fruit for snack:

Dining out at a fundraiser for the boys' former preschool, Steve has company:

Jack

Jack's mid-year kindergarten report card stated that he was able to do all the skills they tested for, and had this narrative evaluation:

He's super charming too:

Discovering the wonders of Where's Waldo:

A happy Jack is a Jack inundated with stuffed animals:

Boardwalk

This is our second year of the boys having annual passes to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It's been a lot of fun, despite their constant whining for more money for the arcade. The boys are shockingly (to me, at least) tall at just a shade under 4', and can go on most of the rides now. They've been slowly branching out to try more thrilling attractions.

Jack braves the giant pirate ship with Dad while Henry looks on from the picnic tables:

When I asked Jack what he thought of the scary big kid ride, he exclaimed breathlessly, "It was better than donuts!"

The boys on one of many spins on the stomach-churning Tornado: 

It's basically like the teacup ride where the center wheel spins the individual pod, but the whole thing is spinning in the air at the same time.

I think it makes Henry sick (he seems to have inherited his mom's tendency toward motion sickness), but he kept wanting to go on it anyway.

Jack chases Dad and Henry up the lighthouse (you pull the rope to climb and release it to fall):

The boys decided it was more fun to ride this one together even though they could have had their own cars:

Gleeful screaming Henry hangs on for dear life while serious Jack raises his arms as the car whips around the turn:

Determined Henry is ready to grab for the brass rings: 

Henry on the orange track, Jack on the yellow track, on the giant slide:

Just another month in paradise.