Monterey Bay: Cannery Row and the Park

Our hotel was at one end of Cannery Row and the Aquarium was at the other.  Along the way we found lots of fun things to do.

I don't know why I even say don't get wet.  They always do!  We had fun beachcombing and playing with hermit crabs.

A little store along the way...(they had cute "Harry Otter" Sweatshirts!)

This place had a laser room where the boys could pretend to be spys going over and under the lasers trying not to set them off.  They also had this mirror maze.  Conner had the good sense not to go in.  It was crazy.  The woman who worked there almost came in to find us!

On the way out of Monterey we hit Denace the Menace park. It is an amazing park great for older kids! We spent over two hours there.  I don't know what was more fun for them, the aquarium or this park...

Monterey Bay: The Aquarium...

An impromptu overnight trip to Monterey Bay to visit the Aquarium...

Water Bending

The boys have been obsessed of late with the cartoons, "Avatar, The Last Airbender".  Basically, it is about three kids trying to unite the four nations (water, fire, earth and air).  Anyway some of the kids have bending powers for the elements.  Conner has been practicing "fake-waterbending" as he calls it on a daily basis.

Here are some shots of him "waterbending"...

Our own street art

As soon as we returned home from the Italian Street Festival, we set about creating our own street festival on the driveway.

Aidan's fire nation ship...

Conner's Harry Potter...

Conner at work on Tinkerbell...

Mine...

And a picture I forgot to post last time.  Eating icecream and listening to the youth acappella chorus at the festival...

Italian Street Art Festival

Last weekend the whole family joined some friends at the Italian Street Art Festival. It's a great festival where artists draw amazing chalk pictures on the street in front of the mission in San Rafael.  The proceeds from the festival go the the Youth in Arts group.

They also have a section where parents can small squares for their children. 

Aidan, Conner and S start their art...

The final works of art.  Aidan's is a sunset desert scene, Conner's is a portrait of S who has a darling peace sign headband under her hat.  S is still hard at work on her undersea theme...

I wish you could tear up the cement and take some of that art home.  By Monday morning it will all be washed away!

The last days of school...

Wow, this year flew by.  I can't believe it is summer vacation already.  This may have something to do with the fact that we had winter-like weather up until a few days before school let out.  A very cold and wet spring.

At the end of the year the first grade classes do a performance in their music classes.  The theme this year was patriotic music.  Aidan was selected to play George Washington in his class. He had a few lines which he had down pat.  Unfortunately, he ended up with the flu all week and missed the production.  (of course after I spent a week making an amazing george washingont coat!)

Here are some shots from Conner's production.  He came up with his own red, white and blue costume!

Entering behind the Statue of Liberty...

Dancing with his partner...

The Grand Finale...