Halloween Parade

It's been ages since I posted any photos!  So sorry!  As you know it's been a little crazy around here.  Things are settling back into a routine (just in time for the holidays/birthdays).  Here are some photos from the boys halloween parade at school this morning.  Not the best but hope to get better pictures this afternoon of their costumes.

Aidan is the skeleton behind his teacher Mrs. Kreuzberger... (there were quite a few Giants costumes as you can imagine.  At least the colors are appropriate for Halloween)

Conner holding the hand of his teacher Ms. Nebolan.  He was a little nervous about the scary costumes.  He is a fruit bat.  Notice the green grapes in his right hand...

More pictures to come...

A trip to the beach...

 Yesterday morning our friends from school invited us to join them on a trip to Limantour Beach.  We were prepared for cold and cloudy skies but the day turned out sunny and warm. Lots of crab sitings, water and sand play...

Watching the crab burrow back into the sand!

Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival

Euan took the boys overnight to Monterey to see the Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival. 

They seemed to have a great time and meet the queen....

And I got over 24 hours of solitude....bliss!

Squaw Valley Trip

We spent a week in Squaw Valley courtesy of Papa. It was a wonderful time spent with Auntie Kim and Ben.  Papa was able to join us at the end of the week.  One of the things the kids (and adults) enjoyed most was a raft ride down the Truckee River. This is something I had found memories of as a child. The trip was a 2 1/2 hour  gentle ride with a few small rapids.  Of course, I didn't get any photos because there was a very strong chance of the camera getting wet.

The first day we went on a lovely hike up the Shirley Trail.  This is a great hike that starts in the parking lot of where we stayed.

There was lots of fun things to do in the Squaw Valley Village.  

Miniature golf and bunging jumping...

Here is Ben and Aidan on the Zipline...

Conner on the big chair...

There was also a lot of relaxing things to do at the condo.  

Aidan playing Shuffle board...

Conner in the pool...

The last weekend of our stay the Village was sponsoring the Wanderlust Festival.  A yoga and independent music festival.  This made for fun watching of very calm people by day and listening to very loud music from our rooms at night.  (I'm so old).

It was a great trip.  Thanks so much Papa!

A trip to Grams...

A visit to Gram's house in Washington State.

Grandpa Howard teach the boys how to fly fish...

They desperately wanted to catch a fish.  Especially Aidan.  Any chance he could he would be out there with the rod...

The trip wouldn't have been complete without a boat ride...

Aidan even asked to steer the boat...

A little arcade play...

Another kind of boat ride...

Some miniature golf (Gram got a hole in one!)...

Conner seemed to enjoy the water part more than the golf...

An impromptu trip to the beach...

Some more water bending...

Even though it was cool they got very, very, wet...

The next day Conner and I returned with more appropriate attire...

That boy loooovvvveeess the water...

Thanks Gram and Grandpa Howard for a wonderful time!

The Fourth of July

Our fourth of July was spent at Papa and J's house with brunch.  Then we headed down to the park for the annual fair.

Getting ready to be driven down to the park in the back of the truck (highlight of the day for the kids. They thought it was so daring...)

Conner and A getting ready for the ride...

Aidan, Conner, A and D waiting for the parade watching some squaredancers...

Conner on the slide...

The pipers in the parade (Aidan loovvved pipers when he heard them...)

Aidan watching the parade...

A colorful car...

Afterwards,  we had fried chicken and a great pie made by Ben...

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...