California Road Trip

The girls with their dolls before we left



The kids did so well in the car!  We drove for over 50 hours (including stops) on the trip.

Ethan loved listening to music

I didn't get many driving pics of Hannah and Andrew because they were too far back.

Happy

Swing at Aunt Paula's house where we stayed

Riding the carousel in San Francisco

It was so crowded in San Francisco.  We met Kelsy, Brett, and Riah down there and I'm mad I didn't get pictures of all of us there but it was so crazy.  Kelsy took this one for us.

Porch swing at Great Grandma's.

Kelsy and fam stopped on their way home to spend a little more time and the kids were so excited to spend time with Riah.

Skip-bo is great grandma's favorite game.  Andrew learned how to play and loved playing it with her.

A fun day at the beach.  Andrew loved jumping the waves.

Eliza and Stella.  Daniel's cousin Brie has 2 girls and we had fun hanging out with them.

Ethan loved playing in the sand.

Back on the road heading home

I like this picture because the book is so big you can't see her head, just some feet sticking out :)

The Redwoods were awesome.  We drove our van through this tree.

We had fun exploring the redwood forest.

The kids were all crazy climbers.

Cute

We took a lot of stops just to stretch.  They had fun throwing rocks and jumping puddles behind a gas station.

Brie's other daughter Sammy.  Hannah and Sammy had so much fun together.  It was sad to watch them say good-bye.  I stole this pic off of Daniel's phone.

"What do you know, there's so much to be done"

Making mud pies

Sitting in a fire truck- Hannah has been wanting to go to the fire station since we brought the firemen brownies last winter and they invited us to come back to see the fire trucks.  We finally got around to going.

Eliza's mud pie...I'm not sure what the concerned look is but it's kind-of cute.

Andrew serving me a piece of mud cake- we had fun with the mud.



Going on a hike

Petting farm

Hannah and Karter getting drenched.  We had the water park to ourselves because it wasn't the nicest day.  They had a blast.

Ethan helping Dad build a birdhouse.



I had only closed and locked my door for a few minutes so I could get dressed and I opened it to all 4 of them huddled around it.  I am so loved...or something.

Andrew made brownies all by himself.  They were delicious.

Rhododendron Park- I forgot how cool it is.  Plus they put in a nice playground. 

Hannah learned to pump.

Our friend has a cool telescope.  We saw Saturn- it was so cool to see the rings around it.

I love getting flowers.



My kids spend lots and lots of time playing with stuffed animals.  The cushions are never on that couch.

Andrew was reading and Eliza grabbed a book and joined him.  Now whenever he is sitting in the rocking chair she wants to get a book and go sit by him.

Swimming at our friends apartment pool

Eliza at the pool

Andrew reading a book on the roof- why not?  When you have 3 younger siblings you have to get creative to find a peaceful place to read.

Eliza loved playing at Silverlake beach



These 2 are so cute together

Look who's walking

We've been having a great summer.  Do you know what song the quote in the title is from?  I don't know if it actually applies to this post of pictures.  I think we're a little too busy for it, but we are trying to embrace childhood even if it's not as simplistic as Christopher Robin's.