Bareback Mountain

When the guests are gone, I guess it means you get to run wild and free:

They were chasing each other all over the house on the horse and cow.   Of course I wasn't fast enough to get a good action shot, but you get the idea.

Then, running around with their backpacks on their heads seemed like a good idea.  

I am so grateful for the laughter these little guys bring to my life.  Makes it all worthwhile.  :)

March Madness: The month of special guests - The Finale

All good things must come to an end.  I don't know who popularized the phrase, but I guess it's sort of right, or at least applicable here.  

Our last day of fun and touring with Arden, Tracy, and kids, had to happen.  It was such a blast having them here, and getting to play in our own backyard (figuratively speaking), and getting a chance to return the favor of playing host.   So much fun was had, in fact, that this poor little guy was conked out on the couch before we hit the road that day (we're talking 9:30 am peeps.  The dude was tiii-erd!)

Tracy and all the kids and I met up at the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose, which was conveniently right around the corner from their hotel.  It was a perfect rainy day place to meet up, even though my poor niece and nephew may have been at the end of the appropriate age range for this place.  But age aside, I think all 4 kiddos had a pretty good morning there, which means us moms did too!

One of the hands-on stations was making corn-husk dolls

I'm pretty sure that the water play area was the hands-down favorite for all the kids.  I was just happy I happened to be wearing my rain boots!

They also had fun at the bubble station (not that you can tell that's where they are in this pic):

And on the way out, my boys got distracted by the firetruck and pint-sized uniforms

 After our morning at the museum, we headed back up to SF for one last afternoon in the city.  We failed to make it over to Pier 39 and the Sea Lions on our first trip to the wharf, so we made one last stop on Devon's-wild-and-crazy-San-Francisco-Adventure-tour.

Adalin took full advantage of being on vacation and talked her mom into letting her do the bungee jump! 

 Good times had by all, capped off with a delicious dinner at Alioto's on the wharf.  We hope you guys come back again, so we can do it all over!

Gus decided he'd had enough at the end of another fun, but long day, and pulled up a spot on the floor.  At least the kid knows how to make himself comfortable!

 On our drive home along the Embarcadero, I got to see this sight…apparently it's an art installment on the Bay Bridge that's been there for awhile, but to this city-turned-suburban chick, it was new and exciting!

March Madness 2014: The month of Special Guests, Part 3 3/4

After staying with us for almost a week, our last houseguests of the month left, but not for WI. They moved down to San Jose for a few more days of California fun, while Arden was attending/speaking at a conference.  While we would have loved for them to have stayed with us the whole time, at least we were able to sneak in a few more days of Devon's-wild-and-crazy-Bay-Area-Adventures!

With the elder Anderson brothers both at work, Tracy and I ventured out for some fun on our own with the kiddos.  I really wanted to take the kids tide pooling, since this is one thing I know for sure they don't get to do in WI.  We headed to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach to see what we could see!

Starfish!!

Another starfish!!

That sea of gray behind the boys (or to their left) is a whole lotta muscles or some shelled animal!

A ranger was down on the beach, letting kids take a look through her telescope at the seals.  

Those white blobs way out there just before the waves are what we were looking at

March Madness 2014: The month of Special Guests, Part 3 1/2

To cap off what was already quite a week, we had a fantastic weekend, truly in Anderson style…windsurfing at the beach.  The kids were so ecstatic with our afternoon at the river on Saturday, that we returned for a repeat performance on Sunday.  It's no lake house like Arden and Tracy have in WI, but it was pretty nice being able to get to Sherman Island, Rio Vista, with a quick 20 min drive from home.  

Aden and Arjen jumped right in to the water sports

Arjen didn't skip a beat getting back on "his windsurfer"

Chasing after Dad

The kids decided building sand castles was no longer exciting enough

After a big day at the beach, the kids needed a little yoga to help them wind down.  Adalin and Arjen were pretty into it.

Gus, on the other hand, was one of these kids doing his own thing…

 On Sunday, I managed to get a few pics that really made me smile.

And then I have my wonderful sister-in-law to thank for making this one happen!  

March Madness 2014: The month of special guests, Part 3 1/4

Mixed in among the touring, were some lovely little moments among cousins, this one a particular favorite:

Arjen had been getting a little too rowdy for the older cousins (about to turn 7 and 9).  So Aden grabbed a book and carved out a little quiet space for himself on the couch.  Arjen thought this looked like a good idea, so he proclaims "I'm going upstairs to get a book too!" Okay, I think, fully expecting that he'll come back down with one of his books.  I absolutely was not expecting to see Hunger Games.  Yes, Hunger Games.  We had put a few homeless books, including a couple novels, on an empty shelf in his room.  He apparently was well aware of this, and decided that the book he needed was one that looked just like Aden's.  The best part, is that he proceeded to sit down and actually look at the darn thing like he was reading it.  The proof is in the pictures:

Day 2 of Devon's-wild-and-crazy-San-Francisco-adventure-tour:

We set out to do Fisherman's Wharf, a Cable Car ride, and Chinatown.  We mostly, sorta got that all in.  The Cable Car ended up taking way more time than we expected, between waiting in line to get on, then waiting for one empty enough for our crew to hop on for the return trip. But we got an Alcatraz sighting, lunch at the wharf, a ride on the Cable Car, a walk through Chinatown, and lucky Gus got to be stuffed into a kid-pack the whole day.  For the most part, he tolerated it quite well.  

Shameless selfie with the Rock

Not sure Gus knew what to make of the Cable Car.  Is it a train?  A bus? 

Arjen decided a nap in the mini umbrella stroller sounded like a good idea.  He'd make another trip to Chinatown, another time to see the chicken feet and dried sea cucumbers in all the store windows.  

In going through these photos, I'm realizing I didn't take many of the more interesting, tourist-y shots.  Makes for a lot of narrative, and not so many pictures of our adventures!

I swear that book was like his security blanket.  He made me carry it around in my purse the whole day!  

My tired tourists

For being 5 years apart in age, Gus and Adalin sure did have fun playing together!