8 Years, 2 Months (October 2024)

With the summer heat finally over, we went to visit Steve's mom in the Sacramento area. 

Jack attends trunk-or-treat with Uncle Ed: 

Henry lounges with Grandma's dog Teddy:

While Grandma went to her volunteer project, we took a day excursion to the city of Volcano. 

Dad is aware of Jack trying to sneak his beer at lunch: 

We then went to Black Chasm Cavern. The boys had never been to a cave before, and I think they thought it was pretty cool.

Tiny blue speck of a pool way, way, way down:

Looking up:

The "dragon" formation:

After the cave, the boys enjoyed some panning for gemstones:

Possibly even cooler than the cave was the "zen garden" area, created by historical hydraulic mining: 

Back closer to home...

Jack really wanted to check out the Hawaiian-themed restaurant near our house, so we finally took the kids. 

Jack with his kiddie mocktail (aka juice):

Henry refuses to pose with his dad:

The nearby city of Capitola was having a fireworks display, so Steve and Jack went to check it out (Henry was not interested). 

Having dinner before the show, Jack apparently disapproves of the restaurant's entertainment:

But he approves of the spaghetti dinner:  

Fireworks (more impressive in person than on camera): 

Out on a bike excursion in a disused UC Santa Cruz parking lot, Henry zooms by:

Jack is ready to dart away:

Pay no mind to the old lady on her electric scooter:

Jack navigates his wall-driving car in the bathroom:

Ready for Halloween festivities at school, Pizza Jack and Banana Henry:

Banana Henry and friend Banana Camden:

Costume change before trick-or-treating, glow-in-the-dark stick figure Jack, Penguin Mom and Stormtrooper Henry:

So Cal Trip Summer 2024

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.

Henry, Steve and Jack, ready to set sail:

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.

7 Years, 9 Months

Jack and Henry are now so tall and capable that they can get into pretty much anything they want. This includes making their own smoothies, as I discovered them doing one afternoon, not at all proud of themselves. 

We celebrated Steve's 41st birthday with ice cream cake, as per the ritual of our people.

Forty-one candles create a lot of light...

... and a lot of smoke.

The school year wrapped up at the end of May. 

Henry showing off his sewing project:

Jack and his sewing project:

Jack painting:

Jack making observations in the "Life Lab" garden:

Last day of 1st Grade picture on the front porch:

Jack was definitely not feeling it. 

The boys' first grade teacher has a fun tradition of a waffle party during the last week of school. Henry and his waffle:

Jack and his waffle:

Jack enjoying a last day activity - "washing" of the desks with shaving cream:

Henry, with his energy, creativity, and wit (and quite a bit of sass), is very popular with the college kids that work in the after school care program. Henry has a habit of addressing people he's slightly perplexed by or exasperated with as "bruh," often coupled with a dramatic sigh. This trait was referenced in this card from one of the teachers at the after care program.

Cracked me up.

We took a very quick Memorial Day weekend trip to Santa Barbara for the wedding of a friend of Steve's from his chemistry lab days. Friends Eric and Gail graciously allowed us to stay with them to avoid paying for a hotel (and to get to spend a little time visiting with them). I didn't bring much for the boys to do since it was such a short trip, which was probably a mistake. Fortunately our hosts had a mini SNES system to break out when the kids got a little too wild.

Steve at the park wedding, pictured with the creatures who turned his hair that color:

Me and Steve:

Jack is king of the mountain:

Jack and Henry with (non-alcoholic) Jell-o shots:

Henry is having a blast, as always.

Henry was struggling to wait patiently while the taco bar was set up:

The boys' friend Camden requested that, in lieu of a party for his 7th birthday, that he get to go to the Boardwalk with Jack and Henry. So, off we went!

Henry, Jack and Camden: 

Camden, Jack and Henry enjoy some dippin' dots:

Jack, Henry, Camden and one of Camden's little sisters:

I enjoyed Henry's "Fabio" pose in that picture.

Camden and Jack play air hockey while Henry looks on:

Henry, Jack and Camden play one of their favorite arcade games (Mario Kart) while Camden's Dad looks on:

Though Henry struggled at different points during the day, I think all the kids ultimately had a great time. The ratio of participants was 4 adults to 5 children (since Camden's two little sisters attended) was fantastic. On another occasion, I took Jack and Henry to the Boardwalk with their friend Bascom, and the ratio of 1 adult to 3 kids felt a little strained to me. It was challenging to keep track of everyone when they got excited and raced off in different directions.

Henry waits for Jack and friend Bascom to get off a ride:

I was struck by how old he looks in that picture.

Jack is generally agreeable and often happy to go along with what his friends want to do, but Henry struggles when he's not directing things. Henry also had the misfortune of inheriting my motion sickness, which means he can't handle some rides and ends up feeling a bit left out at times during Boardwalk trips. I promised him I'd take him back sometime on his own so he decide exactly what he wants to do.