Trinidad

 

 

 

 

 

 

While in Trinidad, and only steps away from Patrick's Point State Park, we naturally had to spend a good deal of time there. Gina satisfied her agate-hunting cravings (almost), and the kids were able to play in the sand long enough until I barked at them to start the half-mile hike back to the car before it got too dark. 

House in Trinidad

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because of the windshield issue, we arrived very late our first day in Trinidad -- 10pm -- and enforced an immediate lights-out without seeing much around the house. The next day we woke up early and immediately fell in love with the five-acre farm complete with friendly horses, donkey, two goats, three geese, and an squatty dog. We stayed in the original farm house and were able to feed the animals carrots, play in the game barn, or just hang out around the gardens or at our own fire pit. It was probably our most unique VRBO.com rental experiences, which is saying a lot, and we'd go back in a heart-beat.

Strange Start to the Vacation

Finding cracks spreading across the windshield the night before leaving. This photo was taken two hours before we started our drive to Trinidad, CA.

Nate's 10th Birthday

 

 

 

Nate's 10th birthday started with laser tag and ice cream cake with friends at school two days before. With our Colorado trip postponed, we had an unexpectedly mellow celebration at home for the day of: bacon with breakfast, presents, video game marathon, and Zachary's pizza + huge ice cream sundae for dinner. (Just writing this makes we want to go for a hike and eat a salad!)

Father's Day

 

 

 

It doesn't get any better than this: I woke up to kid-made poems and a new smoker box for the BBQ while Gina made a picnic lunch. We drove out two hours to the windy but sunny Sonoma coast to find the wooly mammoth rocks I had read about online. It wasn't hard to find -- the rocks are smooth on the south side, from waist high up to 20' or so. It also wasn't hard imagining them walking around the plains during the last ice age. Afterwards, we drove to Petaluma for a trip to the bookstore and then to Lagunitas for an early dinner outside while listening to music. Thanks Gina, you're the best...

Pixar in Concert

 

 

On Sunday we drove across the Bay to San Rafael to watch the Marin Symphony. They played the music from all the Pixar movies at the auditorium of the Civic Center which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a packed house, but we had good seats and it sounded amazing. Afterwards, we quickly scampered down Hwy 101 to the Buckeye Roadhouse for an "adult-ish" dinner. Nate didn't like the fact we ate under a stuffed moose head (mounted heads are his #1 dislike in restaurants/hotels), but it wasn't anything a good rootbeer and gigantic hamburger couldn't fix. 

AA Championship

Nate's Brewers swept the AA playoffs, beating every team until they faced the #1 ranked team in the final championship double-header game in 105 degree weather. Final score in the last game: 3-5 (with two of their runs coming from a single disputed technicality.) SO CLOSE! 

Last Day of School

 

Nate and Julie's last day of school is today, and in our annual tradition, we took photos in the same spot as the first day of school. I know they'll both miss their teachers and the ability to see friends every day, but Gina and I are looking forward to summer and spending more time with them.

Julie's log cabin project

 

Julie spent hours and hours working on her log cabin, complete with wood and fabric furniture, picture frame, and moon-door outhouse. Good job, Julie!

Berkeley Chalk & Chocolate Day

 

 

 

 

Before Nate's baseball game, and while Gina was in Arcata helping her brother during surgery, I took Nate and Julie to the "Chalk and Chocolate" festival in north Berkeley. Since the forecast was for a hot afternoon, we went early -- probably too early to see the finished masterpieces, but it didn't stop us from drawing on the Chalk Car and sampling (gobbling?) a chocolate hot dog and mini cup-cake.