4th of July

We went to the parade up in Central Point for the 4th. It was OK. I definitely think that the chamber of commerce there needs to take a trip to Preston Idaho to learn how to put on a really parade. The kids seemed to like it. I think we may try Ashland next year.

 Parade Buddies.

 Cute family at the Parade :)

 Ethan Watching out for his brother, looking for cool cars and trucks.

 Ethan enjoyed the sparklers until he got burned. But the snaps you throw on the ground were a big hit.

That is is buddy and neighbor hanging out with him.

 My little look a like, and cuddly! He doesn't like the sound of the fireworks and needed to be held. Darn!

Yeah for my sister being in town! She is spoiling me, and I'm starting to get used to her help. I don't want her to leave....

More Redwoods

I'll try to get as much in tonight as I can because I'm to taking somewhat unexpected trip to Portland and will be gone for two weeks. Yikes!

 These next few pictures are on a little walk we took the next morning. The tree above here we called the peter pan cave. Remember that movie how they lived in a dark hole like this? Maybe it was a redwood, just a thought. This tree obviously suffered damage from a forest fire at some time and also survived. Fascinating how strong these trees are that even a forest fire (and you can see how high it burned) didn't even kill these giants.

 "Just" another really big tree. You'll notice the terrain here has little brush. I assume it was because of the fire that came through here however many years ago. You can again see the fire evidence. The only plants that really grows here are ferns, lots of poison oak, and very large clovers and occasionally there will be a maple tree. Where as when we traveled north to the National redwood forest, there is all kinds of foliage and it's really tall. Here I really like how much more defined the trees are, probably because of the fire.

 Not a great picture, but fun anyhow.

 Ethan loves to climb. He searched high and low for something without poison oak on it that he could climb. and he found some roots.

 The Root system of the redwood, really isn't as big as you'd expect but still pretty impressive

 Just a really cool tree with extra thick bark and fire damage again. And you get to see my backside. Lucky you.

 The "Giant Tree" in the Avenue of the Giants. It is over 53 feed in circumference. WOW!! Its makes me look skinny.

This is the drive along the Avenue of the Giants. Really beautiful and astounding. (much prettier than what we saw in the National Redwoods which surprised me.) Doesn't this just make you want to come and visit me?

Redwoods

Here is our campsite and a few other goodies. 

This was the fulfilling moment for me. As a child we got the National Geographic magazine. One year there was a special on the Redwoods. This tree was in it, and other amazing photos. I have wanted to do it ever since, and now I can say I've done it.

And this was our glorious camp site. That road right behind there is the Avenue of the giants! When we first arrived some other people biking had taken our spot. John had (very nicely) asked them to move. It was a good thing, I would have been mean to them because later we ended up eating smores with them and they took the pictures for us on around the campsite. They were biking from Portalnd to San Francisco Via Hwy 101 and 1. Crazy and cool. I may have to try that some day.

This may look upside down but it isn't. They cuddled for their nap. How cute is that! They are such good boys!!

 This Tree Stump pictured above and below was part of our camp site. On the left you see the big dark spot. There was a forest fire that came through here an number of years ago. There is a whole left from it. John started telling ethan about a scary monster that lived there. I made him stop abruptly so I could sleep peacefully without crying children. :)

I just really like this picture. I have two really cute boys even with chocolate road trip snack smeared all over.

Pink Foot

Ethan wanted to tell us a scary story. This is how it went.

There was a scary monster named Pink Foot and he would come out on a full moon and steal your marshmallow (one version was smores) and sing you a song.

So sweet and innocent right? :) More on the redwoods tomorrow

More

After Redding we checked into the Hotel and swam there, and then we visited the Fort Brag area, Glass beach and the light house just south of Casper Beach. Then we headed to the more exciting part of the trip.. the Redwoods :)

Point Cabrillo is a very small lighthouse and very charming. You can rent the vacation houses on this property (not pictured) and they look so cute and charming. I may have to look into that.

Just another view of the lighthouse. I love the red roof on this. 

And of course the boys here.

And me and Liam, Ethan decided not to cooperate at this exact moment.

Just thought this was pretty funny at the time and took a picture of it. 

And this is what the boys do all day, follow their Daddy around. It's cute.

What a cute family! This was glass beach. Not as cool as it sounds. It used to pretty cool back in the day I guess, but not now. Probably won't come back here. 

And this is what the boys do when they find water and rocks. They could do this all day literally. 

Liam is in heaven here.

California Trip Part 1

We had a large agenda on this trip. We mostly wanted to get a feel for what the kids are going to be like on road trips and see what is close to us for trips over the next few years while we live in southern Oregon.

First stop was Redding. The original plans were to swim at the water park all day, but the weather pooped out on us so we ate at In-N-Out Burger and visited the Sundial Bridge/Turtle Bay and then moved on to the next stop.

Seriously he is so handsome. This picture doesn't show much of the trip, but it is one of my favorite pictures of him. 

Better shot of the bridge, its a pretty bridge. It crosses the Sacramento River.

Good Shot of the bridge and my dudes :) Ethan is using a stick for a shooter. Yes we brought that stick from home and yes he poked us a lot from the back seat with it. Yes I almost through it out of the car window, but didn't. Yes he is in the boy stage where everything can be a shooter. You ask him what happens when when you shoot someone and they fall down & die? His response is, they get back up! It's just a phase in life.

So cute! My little Liam is growing up!

Liam's favorite thing about this bridge is that you can gather rocks on the side and through them off. That is seriously all he cares about. At the campsite Liam had this conversation with Daddy
"Daddy go hunting" (meaning we go)
Daddy "hunting for what?"
Liam " Rocks and a river."
One day we will take him to a lake or a river and stay there all day till he is ready to go home. We'll get up early and stay all day and see what happens. So far the record was 3 hours,  he still wasn't ready to go home then. 

Cute pictures from March :)

Just had some fun taking pictures and practicing editing.