Taking off

 

 

Day #1 of our summer road trip to the NW.

Chicken moving day

 

 

 

Out of the 4'x4' plywood brooder in the garage, and into their own custom made chicken coop. It took them two days to learn how to walk up the ramp, but I still don't know if know how to drink from the automatic waterer.

NY Times Article

Nice mention of Redwood City in a NY Times last month. The town is (or was) the SF Bay's best kept secret.

Birthday cake!

 

Nate requested "chocolate hot fudge cake" this year, so we skipped the ice cream and spooned fancy San Francisco chocolate sauce on top. I had seconds.

Nate's Birthday Bash

 

We loaded up the Acura with five of Nate's school friends to go see Toy Story 3 in glorious 3D. You couldn't ask for a better film to show on a seven-year old's birthday. And this was a nice group of kids -- a lot more manageable than last year's entire class in our backyard. We then drove everyone to a restaurant for hamburgers and hot dogs before returning home for cupcakes in the backyard.

Father's Day Hike

 

Another hike, this time our annual Father's Day outting, and we chose a new riverside trail in the canyon of Chabot regional park south of Moraga. It was long, dusty and flat, but weary bodies were rejuvenated by Gina's picnic lunch, and back home we all took a quick dip in the hot tub. Great end to Father's Day -- and to the start of summer.

Redwood Hike

 

 

 

While Gina was off visiting her brothers last weekend, I took the kids on this uphill redwood tree hike five minutes south of Lafayette. The only thing better than the views and butterflies were the chocolate chip cookies at the top of the ridge.

First day / Last day of School Pictures

 

The main changes I notice: Julie looks a lot less nervous and Nate has grown. Actually they both have grown a lot this year, both physically and otherwise. Hard to believe the kindergarten days are over!

Memorial Day Hike

 

 

 

 

We tried to beat the heat by leaving early for our Mt. Diablo hike to "Balancing Rock" formation, but by the time we left at 9am it was already almost 80 degrees. It must have also been muggy since our 4 mile hike halfway up Diablo was cut slightly short by many protestations. Good thing: on the way back we passed a hiker being air-lifted by helicopter due to heat exhaustion.