Steve and I picked up the boys from their last half-day "inventor's workshop" camp at the local community college and hopped on the freeway to try to get as far out of town as possible before the Friday afternoon traffic leaving Santa Cruz ground to a halt.
Having escaped Santa Cruz, we stopped to have lunch at the Watsonville airport, a fun place to watch small planes and helicopters take off, buzz around and land while you eat.
The kids loved this tiny picnic table.
Ice cream and hot dogs, hooray!
Jack (stretched out in the shade under the tree at right) in his happy place, watching trucks at a rest stop:
Even though it was over 100 degrees, he probably would have happily watched trucks for hours. But we had to keep pressing on to Grandma and Grandpa's house in Lakewood.
On our first day in Southern California, we attended Aunt Jenny's birthday party in Long Beach, held at Aunt Jessica's house. Due to the prohibitive cost of repairing many issues with the backyard pool, Jessica has turned it into a pond, complete with fish. Jack, Henry and the neighbor kids watch Cousin Rosey catch some of the fish to show them:
Jack, up a tree:
Henry always wants to follow, but doesn't quite have the same knack for climbing as his brother.
Jack and Henry play on the trampoline with Cousin Rosey. They probably would have stayed out there all night if we'd let them; they were having a fantastic time.
Jack helps Grandpa load up the truck with couch pieces bound for the cabin (near Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains):
Unfortunately, the weather at the cabin was uncomfortably hot, so we were only able to work on a few of my parents' projects. But the view is always nice:
After a few days at the cabin, it was back to Lakewood for 4th of July fireworks. Henry and Jack pose with the grand finale (purchased by one of their cousins):
Both had a fun time doing fireworks with extended family, although Jack said he might want to spend next 4th of July somewhere more quiet (definitely momma's boy).
Relaxing at Grandma and Grandpa's house after a late, loud night:
It takes 45 minutes to drive to our closest Ikea back home, so we took our opportunity to drop in and pick up a few things at the Carson Ikea.
Jack and Henry, looking like they're in a drawing in the black-and-white "infinite possibilities" display:
We decided to take a Long Beach Harbor cruise. The boys had never been on a boat of any kind before, and I think they both had fun. Henry especially seemed taken with being on the water, spending the whole trip at the bow of the boat with me, delighting in the sea spray as we crossed the wakes of other boats.
Jack, me and Henry out in the harbor:
Scenic harbor sea lion (who actually waved a flipper at us as we passed):
It was neat to see all the goings-on of a busy, working harbor. We saw giant container ships, oil tankers and this tugboat pushing a barge with big rigs on board:
All in all, it was a good trip. A little too hot for wimpy Santa Cruz people, but still fun. The boys have already been asking when we can go back.
Henry, Steve and Jack, ready to set sail:
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