Hike to Humboldt Peak - July 15, 2011

It was approaching the end of our trip and since we weren't able to go on the RV trip with my sister and her family (their RV broke down the weekend before we came out to CA), we decided to drive up towards Mt. Lassen and do a hike with the kids and Granny and Papi. We drove up quite a bit of the ways, so on the beginning of our hike, we already had quite a view!

My three hiker boys!

It was July, but there were still patches of snow here and there on our way up the mountain.

This stake says "To Humboldt Peak." It was a good thing we noticed it because there were a couple of different directions we could have taken and this stake kept us on track.

Here we are at the top of the peak (plus Granny who is taking the photo)!!

We found a permanent marker (gold circle by Gabriel's left hand in photo above) on the rocks at the top of the peak that tell you where you are and how high the elevation was. Ayden won't let me forget how high up we hiked...it was 7,082 feet (we didn't hike all that way...we started out most of the way up)! Gabriel is pointing to where we were on the map. :)

I had to snap a photo of the little red tin that we found also that was hiding in the rocks. We could barely get the lid off, but we managed to pry it off and find a little notebook that served as a guest book for those who had hiked to the top! The notebook was started about ten years prior. There was a little pencil in there as well, so of course we all signed it.

Ayden wanted to write his own name and draw a picture as well.

Chico State & Thursday Night Market! - July 13 & 14, 2011

On Wednesday, we took the kids and headed down to campus to see Mom and Dad's old college!

The Administration building!

We had to stop by the old Bell Memorial Union and the Bookstore for some hats! :)

After our visit to the campus, Granny and Papi took the kids to Annie's Park (right next to campus and Bidwell Church where we got married) to have a picnic lunch. Julio and I headed downtown to do a little shopping. We met up with them at the park a little later to have some "Upper Crust" lunch goodies.

On Thursday, we went to a fun park near Upper Bidwell with the whole crew, including Franklin, Christina, Erica and Sharon for a picnic lunch. Then, later that day, we headed down to the Thursday Night Farmer's Market. On the way there, Gabriel found a dandelion. Mom taught him what to do with these earlier in the Summer, so he made a wish and...

...blew!

Rick came downtown to the market with us too!

We happened upon this adorable cart that served these amazing homemade cookie icecream (homemade also) sandwiches (that I couldn't eat because I had a stomach virus all week! :( ). We were living it up in Chico on this trip for sure! :)

Swimming in Salmon Hole, Upper Bidwell Park - July 12, 2011

The water must have been 50-60 degrees or something (freezing cold!) but the boys braved the water!

This was Ayden's first time jumping off the rocks at Salmon Hole! Mom and Dad got to remember some fun memories from college days while watching our oldest do something that we used to do nearly 15 years ago!
There he goes! Adventurous, just like his Dad!
And there goes Daddy! :)

Salmon Hole in Chico! - July 12, 2011

Popsicle Picnic - July 12, 2011

Cheers with the popsicles! They all decided to sit down in the kitchen with their popsicles and have a little popsicle picnic, so of course I had to snap a few pics of their cuteness! :)

Building a Lighthouse with Granny! - July 12, 2011

Gabriel just adores his Granny! They are two peas in a pod. Gabriel loves to sit in Granny's lap to hear a story or play a game. On this day, someone bought Granny a lego lighthouse since she loves lighthouses so much! So, of course Gabriel wanted to build it with her. Here is the finished product! :)

Day Trip to New Clairvaux - July 11, 2011

The morning after we arrived in Chico, we decided (well, I decided) that I wanted to keep busy and visit lots of our favorite and hopefully new places on our visit. We headed out mid morning to the place that a family friend, Rick, has been working for the past year or so. It is a Vineyard and also a place of worship. A group of Catholic Monks live there. It is called the Abbey of New Clairvaux. Rick and some other young men have been hired to help them build their "new" monastery. Some of the stones are from somewhere in Europe and are thousands of years old. I wish I remember all of the details because it is fascinating, but some of the stones are new and some are ancient and they are constructing a masterpiece!

Here is Rick showing the boys an old stone!

Look at that structure...amazing!

That circular blade in the top middle of the photo can cut through stone! Crazy!

Here is a shot of the vineyard. It was so peaceful and quiet there! That was a good thing because I was not feeling well that day. More on that later.

Cheese! Posing by one of the huge trees on the property. It was a very interesting morning!

Chico Cousins Together! - July 10, 2011

We drove up to Chico on Sunday, the 10th to see all the family up there. Our boys always have such a great time playing with Brandon, who is now 10 years old! Crazy! :)

Thinking About Grandma Jean - July 10, 2011

As I was hanging out around my sister's house that week, I found some photos and trinkets that had been delivered to Marcie not too many months before after the passing of my Grandma Jean (February, 2011). I found myself staring at this framed poem that Marcie wrote for our Grandma back when she turned 80. My Aunt Kathy threw her a birthday dinner party with the family and I remember that the invitation said, "no gifts." Grandma even told us "no gifts" when we tried to give her this poem. Little did she know that it wasn't one of those gifts that you buy at the store. It was a gift from the heart. I don't think I had ever seen my Grandma tear up before in my whole life, but when the four of us cousins (me, my sister and our cousins Matt and Kim) read this poem to her at the dinner table, it was clear that she was emotionally affected by it. Reading it makes me miss her more. We love you Grandma Jean, you will always be in our hearts! [Click on the second photo below if you want to read the poem].

July 9, 2011 - Sonoma Train Town!

Since both our hubbies were thankfully free on Saturday, we took a little day trip on Saturday, the 9th up to Sonoma! I just love that little town! It is so charming! Julius knew about a cute little amusement park called Sonoma Train Town. It was a perfect place for all 6 of our boys!

Here we all are waiting for the train to start down the track!

Goofing around as we get ready to check out some rides. :)

Cheese!

Ahhh...such a sweet photo of Joe and his Momma and Daddy!

The three amigos, the older cousins take a ride on the ferris wheel and love it!

Gabriel tries it out with Daddy.

This ride made me nervous! Ayden had never gone on a ride like this one before. I am such a protective mother, I know...but they could just fall out of that thing! They had a great time of course! :)

Merry-go-round with Dad!

Cheese again only with Mom's favorite hat on that I proceeded to leave behind in the cute Mexican restaurant that we went to for dinner. :(

Cute little Joe-Joe! The weather was beautiful that day and the kids all had fun. The drive was gorgeous! It was a great trip!

More Cousin Time! - July 8, 2011

I have to say...sometimes I look at our kids and think that my sister and I both made some pretty cute little guys! These two boys, Gabriel and Ben sure do get along well since they are only about 8 months apart. Love them!

Shadzi Twins! - July 8, 2011

If you follow my blog, you probably noticed the blue and pink shower that I threw for my good friend Lindsay. Well, here are the the little blue and pink babies!! Mr. Alec is on the left and Miss Layla is on the right!! I have to add that they are dressed in the cute little outfits that I gave Lindsay on the day of the shower! :) Sooooooo cute!! So, after the family history lesson, I drove down from Lafayette to San Jose to visit Lindsay and her babies. Her older son, Garett was there but he was asleep the whole time.

Here is Lindsay, proud Momma of twin babies!

Alec looks good in blue! I think he has more of his Mom's coloring.

I am always analyzing who looks like who, but it was pretty clear from the beginning that this cute little girl took on more of her Dad's coloring. They are just beautiful babies! Two little blessings from above! I was so very happy to be able to see them not long after they were born! :)