I wonder if he will crawl like this...

Point Reyes

Saturday we finally took the trip up to Point Reyes! Lance and I both woke up with what we had thought were bad allergies, but didn't think anything of it as we were getting everything ready to go.  Then about fifteen minutes through the drive, all the kids fell asleep.  Slowly the sore throats started, the sneezing, coughing, aching and then...the fevers?  Yep, every single one of us was sick.  So there we were at a place we had FINALLY visited with less than four months to spare here in San Francisco, all feeling miserable, but we just HAD to go and we are so glad we didn't turn around! 

The drive was beautiful along Highway 1.  There were ocean views, seals, Stinson Beach, ravines full of trees, and hills and fields full of cows.  So many cows. Then I got carsick (which I thought I got over at age 5, but I guess not) and couldn't look at anything else. 

When we got there the fresh air and views from the parking lot were so perfect

It was a .4 mile hike to the top and then a stair descent down to the lighthouse. Anyone who has been could tell you what an easy walk it is, but it seemed like an 8-mile hike with our aching bodies, and Evelyn cried that her neck hurt too bad to walk anymore.  If it seems like we were just total wimps, we are not denying it. But we made it, and the lighthouse and view were amazing!

wind-carved rock as we reached the point:

 Farallon Islands, known for their abundance of Great White Sharks.  We can actually see these from our house after rainstorms

 ...and open water...people kept seeing tons of gray whales passing by, but I obviously don't have that gift because I didn't see one.  I took this picture in the direction everyone was pointing, so good luck finding them in there. 

 Blake

Addi was ready to go before we started

 Lance and I switched off going down to the lighthouse, so we could avoid a three-kid simultaneous meltdown, so here was my turn down the stairs.

Stairs equivalent to a 30-story building:

 Still operating with the original lens and clockwork gears, completed in 1870

 308 steps back up

 Ready to go. Home. And sleep.



February

We had some beautiful warm weather here during the first two weeks of February.  So between all of Lance's labwork, night clinic, and boards studying, we stole some time to go play. It's official--we are going to miss it here.

We're going to miss hearing the sound of these ships on foggy nights

 Just to get an idea of how huge the ships are, each one of the boxes goes on the back of a semi truck.

 A funny girl pretending to do a cartwheel. Dad helped her out.

 The question I hear most from Evelyn is if she can have a pet butterfly. Specifically, a pink butterfly.  She said he can even ride in the car with us, and take a bath with her.  When I told her maybe he would miss his butterfly family that lived outside she said, "Mom, he's just a butterfly--not a people.  He wouldn't cry."

 Blake is a heart melter.  He is SUCH a sweet kid.  He is six months and huge mover!  He kicks his legs so much he gets blisters on his big toes from his feet touching each other as he kicks.  At his six month checkup he was: 17lbs (35th percentile), 27 inches (75th percentile), and head circumference (can't remember but 54th percentile)

 Addi has been our comic relief lately.  She is learning to say so much, and it is hilarious.  She had a sore on her fingers, and she couldn't say "fingers" just "mingers."  Soon enough "mingers" turned to "mongers" turned to "morngers," so she will tell us, "Owie morngers!"

Soon, the sun set and it was too cold to stay, but we sure love days like this!

The Making of a Picture

I hope someday my kids love the few pictures they have all together, because boy does it take a ton of work!

  Step 1: Get everyone together

 Step 2: Kids make weird/bored faces, pull their brother's ears, strike interesting poses, etc.

Step 3: Kids finally realize you are jumping, dancing whistling, etc to get their attention, but your attempts are futile.  Continue doing it anyway.

 Step 4: Ok good enough for me!

Step 5: The good picture stage ends after a very brief period and is replaced by the silly picture stage.  At this point you can stop while you are ahead.

Valentine's Day

The Plan: Make sugar cookies, and take them to some of our friends the next day for Valentine's Day

Reality: Things were going well...really well.  And then they got crazy fast...really fast.  And one container of sprinkles ended up on one cookie, and one little girl's hands ended up in the frosting.  And they definitely DIDN'T get taken out to anyone!

Inspecting a pink tongue on the knob of the cupboard

 Addi joins in

Happy Valentine's Day!