Grammie's Visit

My mom came down for a 2.5 week visit at the start of September. It was so fun to have her here, and we really appreciated her help since Steve was spending long hours at work preparing for a big presentation. 

Here are some pictures from Steve's birthday - the kids helped make vanilla cupcakes and shortly after this picture M got a bit of hot wax on her finger...

...which explains her blank stare in this picture:

We went for a little hike with Grammie, around one of the water reserves in Marin County. M dresses herself most days, and usually has a few outfit changes throughout a day. This was her chosen hiking outfit, and the most important part of it for her was her little red emergency kit.

She said several times, "when is someone going to have an emergency?!?"

M playing the role of big, protective sister as she "helped" Ross cross this dry creek bed.

Our lunch stop... it wasn't until I saw this picture that I realized my mom and I were dressed alike that day!

The kids and Grammie examining the Acorn Woodpecker holes in the trees.

M took this lovely picture of Grammie!

We also went to the Oakland Zoo with Grammie.

Both kids did not put their little zoo maps down once. I think the maps were more interesting for them than the animals!

A beach day at Point Pinole...

... topped off with yummy frozen yogurt. (Ross had just woken up!)

M and her pretty braids, just hours before she decided to give herself a haircut (with braids still in)...

... which results in a sort of reverse-mohawk style, with added little short spots at the back, sides, and crown. Fortunately, there is enough for a comb-over, and I added a few more bangs to even it out. As much as she claims to like her long hair, she didn't seem at all bothered by the short pieces. This is her second DIY haircut, so the scissors now live on top of the fridge.

Grammie with Ross, Madeleine, Baby Theo, Poppy, Madeleine, Anna, Elsa, and Baby Coconut.

Grammie's visit also coincided with a 3 week visit from Luna, a little white rabbit who was escaping every other day from her home a couple of houses away. The owner offered her to us after we caught and returned her one day, so we had a bunny living in our kitchen for a few weeks. In the end, the owner's sister wanted to take her, which was fine; as much as we all liked her, we had realized this is not the best house or time for us to have a pet. 

One final shot of Grammie and Ross reading together...

Summer Projects

Here is a collection of pictures from the last couple months, starting with a project in the garage.

The kids wear their ear protection and stand far away when Daddy is cutting wood.

Ross was so proud of himself for doing as he was told...

They were cutting wood to make some little wooden boxes.

They were so excited with the finished products and as soon as they rolled out of bed the next morning, they were showing them off and putting treasures in them. Ross used his to hold all his plastic bugs, Madeleine used hers to hold a wide variety of trinkets and papers.

Madeleine helped me iron some fabric I bought to make her a skirt. She had never seen an iron in action before!

While Ross was napping one dayMadeleine helped Daddy scrub some of the parts for his lathe...

 ... and then re-grease them.

We went for a weekend hike in Marin County and the kids loved throwing rocks into the reservoir.

Searsport, Maine

We flew to Maine at the end of July to see Kristin and Matt. They were married at city hall in August of last year and this year they wanted to throw a party at Matt's family cottage to celebrate with friends and family. The kids did very well on our red eye flights out to the east coast, and were very excited to see everyone. We shared the cottage next door with my parents, who brought their tandem bicycle and afterwards cycled to Nova Scotia.  

We enjoyed the first few days of cloud, rain, and cooler temperatures. 

But soon enough the sun came out and Madeleine was prepared!

Madeleine loved "babysitting" Polly the dog and was very happy to have her at our cottage as much as possible.

We had so much fun taking the kayaks out from the nearby beach. Both kids loved it, and so did I.

Ross held his treasured crab very tightly...

... and stopped to smell the flowers.

M loved the slip n' slide that Kristin and Matt got for the kids. It was luxurious to have so much water and green grass to play in - the kids don't get much of either in drought-ridden California.

Uncle Matt set up a ping pong table in the garage and all the kids had lots of fun playing together.

The gardens around Matt's family cottage are beautiful and lush - the kids loved running and exploring and rolling in the grass.

The party day was a lovely sunny day and about 35 people gathered here for a delicious lunch with pie for dessert.

Matt and Kristin re-enacted their vows, and shared their story of getting three family wedding rings melded into two. 

Matt and his friend Melanie entertained us with music.

After a relaxing afternoon, we all headed to the beach for an impressive bonfire.

Here's the happy couple and Polly!

Pizza and Round Valley

Last week the kids helped me make pizza for dinner.  Ross wanted to eat the dough more than roll it out. I can't really blame him; I remember wanting to eat the dough as a kid too.

About an hour inland is Round Valley Regional Park, where we went for a mini hike last weekend. The temperatures are a lot higher that far inland and it was sweltering hot. We had started the kids out in long pants and socks, trying to be cautious of ticks in the long grass.  But it was so hot, and they were moving so slowly, (and not going anywhere near the long grass), so we changed them into shorts.  However, they still moved just as slowly. M loves studying the trail maps and often draws her own maps.

The drought has left these hills dusty and golden,

and it was so hot out there we were very grateful for moments of shade.

On the dried up riverbed, there was one swampy area in some shade that had a huge number of little frogs. Both kids had fun catching and holding them.

Then Ross sat on a rock in the riverbed, first as a "big guy",

and then as a frog!