October Beach Day!

We're in what's probably our last heat wave around here (to make up for the coldest summer on record I guess) so we went to the beach! It was warmer than the day we went in June, totally perfect weather, no sweatshirts needed this time.

We planned to get there at 10:30, but ended up almost 2 hrs late due to Ryan waking up with an infected penis ... which has never happened before ... so of course it happened the one day we planned a beach trip. Saw the doctor at 9:30, who of course advised against sand play, then hemmed and hawed about it with Allison, who was car pooling with us, and decided to triple layer him on the bottom half and be extra careful since we couldn't bring ourselves to not go after all the lunch and beach packing. I picked up his antibiotic on the way out, gave him the first dose and kept it in the cooler. It all worked out and I managed to keep him sand free down there .. mission accomplished. We had another doctor check this morning and it was already looking much improved by last night, so no mommy guilt about the beach trip... yay!

Here's Ryan and Jack playing monster trucks in the sand. There is a strange thing with boys and vehicles that I don't get. Ryan sleeps with cars or trucks in his hands like they're teddy bears. He also hugs a teddy bear though :-) At least 2 of my friends with boys also talk about them sleeping with their cars in the bed.

Jack, Ella, Ryan, and Reagan playing in the sand

Daddy Weekend

While on my girlfriend getaway cruise, Cam and the kids had a lot of fun. They went to the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, to a park with peacocks and a big hiking hill, and dinner at our friend's house (whose Mom was with me on the cruise).

Ryan told me over the phone all about how they saw mama peacocks but not any baby peacocks:

"Hi Mommy! baby peacock ... nooooo .... mama peacock" He said it clear as day, it was hilarious.

A roller coaster building exhibit at the science museum:

Pumpkin Patch Season

Sept 30: Springhill Cheese Farm

We milked Bessie the cow! First time I've ever even been that close to a cow. Reagan was too nervous once we got up next to it, but it was all she could talk about beforehand.

We dug up our own potatoes and chose our own pumpkin from the vine. Also got to see their milking barn, pet newborn calves (some only a couple days old), and taste their cheese and homemade pumpkin ice cream. The kids enjoyed the well-done hay maze too. The hour drive was worth it, especially since we car pooled.

Oct 7: Smith Family Farm

Here, we saw a really cute barn sing along show, got a trailer ride out to the pumpkin patch, saw animals, and did a hay maze and a corn maze.

Ella and Ryan, sportin' the farm-wear

From left: Emma, Ryan, Lucas, Jack, Ella, Nick, Reagan, Alex

kids walking hand in hand, when is that not a cute picture!

Peek-A-Boo

Picking out our pumpkins

Wedding Party

Rani's daughter Ganga got married at the end of August and although we couldn't make the wedding in LA, Rani held a pre-wedding reception at her home. As usual, fantastic Indian food that Rani and her family members prepared. Also a friend of theirs was doing henna tattoos which Reagan and I both got. It ends up reddish brown when you wash it off after it sets.

Ryan enjoying his food as usual
Reagan showing off her cool hairdo from our hair stylist the previous day. Her hair is normally pretty curly at the ends and she was just beside herself when the stylist made it straight for her (she already talks about wanting straight hair like me and her friend Emma).

August 2010 - Out and About

Aug 5: Air Force Museum

Emma & Alex's Dad flies with the Air Force and we went to base one day to check out the museum. Of course my Grandpa Kalkman also flew, but I'm drawing a blank right now ... air force, navy?

Emma, Reagan, & Wesley

Wesley, Reagan, Emma, Ryan, & Alex walking around all the huge planes

Wes and Ryan fly a plane

Reagan & Emma fly a plane

Aug 7: Children's Fairyland

We saw The Little Engine That Could by the Bay Area Children's Theatre and it was really cute. Then we had the rest of the day at this park.

Reagan: Yay, it's Snow White, my BFF!

Ryan: Is this girl real?

Ryan climbing Captain Hook's ship

Aug 8: Wildlife Museum for Reagan's friend Olivia's b-day

Ryan mowing down his pizza like a big kid; several parents were impressed at how he picked it up and went to town, no supervision or cutting into pieces required. He's an excellent eater!

Reagan got to touch a lot of animals including this live snake!

Aug 13-15: KOA Camping with 3 other families (and Happy 33rd bday to me!)

Setting up camp

Weekly Bootcamp with Mommy

I give a stroller bootcamp workout once a week for the Mom's Club. It's Reagan's favorite because they get to jump out of the stroller and play wherever we stop to do exercises.

The Naked Family Story

The Scene - Pool, July 20, 2009, 7 pm:
Reagan's parent/tot swim lesson ends and kids and parents head into the locker rooms while other kids and parents settle on the bleachers for the next lesson. Reagan and I (and her friend Jack and his Dad) head into our respective locker rooms while Cam and Ryan (and Jack's Mom and baby sister) wait on deck. Cam picks up a fussy Ryan ... and reveals the biggest blowout in the west ... poop is everywhere!

Minutes later, Allison passes through the locker room letting me know what Cam's dealing with and that I should take my time, ha ha! After showering, I realize half our clothes are out in the stroller. I'm dressed from the waist up. Reagan's naked. I tell her to wait while I quickly run out (with a beach towel around me, this isn't that good of a story ... and there's no poop on our clothes, not that good of a story either). Cam has a mountain of dirty wipes next to him and is balancing a naked Ryan while scraping poop off into the pile of all-that-is-poopy. This pile is in his car seat, by the way ... bad sign.

Cam: "Can you just go stick him in the shower?"
Me: "No, I'm already dry!" (and it would freak him out and the water's too hot, I thought later)

I grab the clothes, start heading back, and see a naked Reagan walking toward me. "I wanted to come with you", she says. The parents on the bleachers are having a nice chuckle by this point. When we return, clothed, ...

Cam: "You're planning to throw that outfit [that he was wearing] away, right?"
Me: "No, that's Jack's, I have to give it back to Allison!"
Cam: "It's burried in there." (pointing to "the pile")

I carefully retrieve the onesie and with a good rinse, stain remover, and wash, it comes out pretty nice. They probably don't want it back though, having seen it in all it's glory.

Later that evening, a nature show is on TV and Reagan says: "Wow, what a beautiful sunset. That's the color of Ryan's poop."

3rd of July Parade

With two groups to walk with, Mom's Club and Stepping Stones (preschool-like class where parents attend), we walked between them in the parade. Ryan fell asleep in the carrier toward the end, so he was apparently unamused with the festivities:
Queen Reagan and King Jack rode in his decorated wagon pulled by his Daddy, Blake.

Summer Fun

Jun 24 - Studio Grow (play place)

The Artist

The Gymnast (video)


The Thrill Seeker (video)

Jun 26 - The Oakland Zoo

w/ BFF Jack on the train

Jun 28 - Heat Wave

we got a backyard pool!

Uncle Brandon & Aunt Danielle Visit

June 5th, our first day, we toured San Francisco. We saw Grandpa Don's old house, Ocean Beach, ate at the Cliff House, drove some steep streets, then crossed the Golden Gate Bridge.
Later that day, Reagan climbed Mount Tam for a view of the entire bay area.
Here's another tough hike, this time in Yosemite. Uncle Brandon will help.
Uncle Brandon and Cam climbed Yosemite Falls, a 2500 ft waterfall. Here's Brandon at the top.
Looking back up at Yosemite Falls from halfway up.
Danielle, Reagan, & Melanie at Glacier PointToo much drivingReagan & Uncle Brandon on the Merry-go-round at Fisherman's Wharf. Reagan could choose 1 of us to go with her for free and she chose Uncle Brandon ... so cute.

Happy Early Halloween!

We did most of our Halloween celebrating this weekend. I went to my friend's Halloween party on Saturday night. It was all out as they normally do, with full on construction as part of their decoration/theme, but this is the first year I've been able to make it and I've known them 6 yrs! I was there til 3:30 am, making it home just in time for Cam to leave for work (not normal work hrs for him, it's shutdown for his unit at the refinery right now). I was a vampire.... here's the picture Cam took from the couch half asleep when I left at 9pm ... not the best angle, but not bad for those circumstances.
Here's a close up of the makeup ... not the best lighting ... it looked better in person.


Sunday evening, a Mom's club friend threw a Halloween Party for the families in our playgroup and it was super cute. The only reason I was a vampire this year was to match Reagan who was a bat. I won the "sexiest costume" ribbon though! ... all because of my fishnet stockings and knee high boots. :-)


Here I am with some of the other Moms there ... from left; Wilma Flinstone (who's husband was Fred and their son was Dino ... is that what he's called, I haven't watched Flinstones since before I was born or something, ... anyway ... a Witch, Little Bo Peep, me, Vampire Extraordinaire, a Thomas the Train Conductor, and Tiffany who gets credit for dressing up last year when many of us didn't.

Baby Inliner

That's the name of what I'd like to invent. Joggers have baby joggers and bikers have baby bike trailers. It would be like a jogging stroller, but would attach to your hips allowing your arms to be free for counter-movement and balance.

Why do I care about inline skating all of a sudden? I signed up for some torture ... the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate Event ... except this time I'm doing the shortest 38-mile version ... unless I'm feeling gutsy the day before, then I may switch to the 52.4-miles. (In 2004, I had a funeral for my ankles after skating 87 miles in 11 hrs and 45 minutes ... never again.)

Anyway, I dusted off my old inline skates (which still have mucky and now rusted wheels - oops! - from all the rain that made that day in 2004 extra fun ... of course I didn't clean them when I got home ... I wasn't ever touching them again!). I took them for a spin today at the State Park and was a little nervous, especially since I'd be pushing the jogging stroller at the same time. Overall, that part worked fine, especially if I pushed one handed to do the "skater arm swing". It wasn't very fun when it was slightly uphill with a headwind though ... on top of pushing the stroller, which isn't that light cause we got a cheaper one ... oh, and on top of the rusty, sticky wheel - that worked itself out by the time I was heading back with tailwind and slight downhill - ya know, when I didn't need it. My feet were hurting almost immediately, mostly because I wasn't relaxed enough and was clenching them the whole time. I skated for about 25 minutes and that felt like enough right now ... hopefully, skating has a quick feet/knee/hip adaptation period just like biking does with the butt bones ... because I only have a month until the event! My one hip that's really tight is especially feeling it. After today, 38 oughtta do me in just fine. I'm optimistic that it was just rustyness all around though and that I'll feel better next time I go out.

Oh, and Reagan was mesmerized by these crazy wheels attached to my feet. In the middle of my skate today, I parked her and did some circles in front of her on the skates and all I kept getting from her was the sign for "more" while she stared with wide eyes and open jaw.

Camping Adventures

We took 2 camping trips this month, one in Tahoe Aug 10-11 (1 night) and one on Angel Island Aug 23-25 (2 nights). The Tahoe trip was just the 3 of us and was our practice for Angel Island where we wouldn't be able to bail to our car (30-40 min hike and ferry ride from car). My Dad (Grampa Martin/Galieber) flew out on a free Southwest voucher and joined us for Angel Island and we all had a great time. Reagan enjoyed both trips as long as we were hanging around the camp site or exploring rather than stuffing her into the hiking backpack or bike trailer.

We lost a bit of sleep the first night in Tahoe, waking up every few seconds to make sure she didn't need another layer or to put her hat back on her (still) bald head. We had plans for 2 nights in Tahoe but decided there was no sense losing sleep again ... we knew she could sleep fine in the tent and we'd already done everything we planned to do - gondola at Squaw for dinner with a view, hiking part of the trail to Mt. Tallac, and a buffet dinner at the top of Harrah's Casino in South Lake Tahoe - but I like buffets! Notice a lot of eating and a little hiking in our plans ... and I wonder why I can't drop the rest of the weight!!

Here, we stopped hiking to let Reagan have some fun... little rock climber

Good morning ... this fun jumpy bed is still here!

Anyway, on Angel Island, our view was fantastic and it was really wild to look at San Francsisco and both bridges and Alcatraz while we sat at a camp site roughing it. We saw tons of Deer (or as Reagan calls them, "Dee") and they were so much less skiddish than usual since they don't have any predators on the island. We also saw lots of birds (Reagan flaps her arms for them). Since Reagan wasn't willing to be in the hiking backpack that long, Cam stayed at camp while she napped in the tent and my Dad and I hiked to the top ... even greater view. It took about 45 min to go up and 30/35 to come back down.

Hiking up to camp from the Ferry dropoff point (Ayala Cove)
My Dad at the top, Tiburon in the background Our site
View of SF from our site (enlarge this or you can't really see SF in background) (it was really cool at night all lit up)Reagan's make-shift high chair ... she only lasted a couple minutes like this, but it was funny :-)
Morning hike down to the beach (where we saw a lovely sea lion carcass washed up on shore ... that smelled good!). "So, we sit on this like a chair, huh Grandpa?" Took her a while to go down for a nap, but checking out the iPod & making a few calls on my cell wore her out.
As soon as she realized this water spicket was here, it was non-stop "hand-washing" time
Heading home ... with less stuff, so we were able to squeeze Reagan into a bike trailer and all ride our bikes down to the ferry. Sooo much faster than the walk up! Here's the happy camper:
Ferry ride back to Tiburon
Reagan zonks from a tiring weekend
Still zonked through half our lunch at Cheesecake Factory
We also encountered the "smart" racoons, as the ranger put it with a smirk. We put our food in the food locker thinking it was there to keep food safe ... ya know, like the bear lockers do at yosemite, right? wrong!! They managed to pull 5 bananas, 2 apples, 3 peaches, and 6 hot dog buns through the 1/4 inch gap at the bottom of the food locker door! I am not joking. It certaintly wasn't an easy task ... they obviously struggled based on the insane sounds we heard ... a half shrieky, half growly, really frustrated/mad sound ... we could have swore a pack of lions were fighting outside our tent. We finally heard my Dad unzip his tent (he later told us he sat and contemplated this for a while though) ... and good thing, cause we weren't going out there! :-) ... and he yelled and threw a couple rocks to scare them away. He only saw one racoon ... found it had chewed into the baggie holding the dish sponge. So, he wedged the food locker door shut at the top with a thick stick. There. Now they won't be able to get anything. Ha! That was before the afforementioned feast. After enjoying our bunless hotdogs for lunch the next day, we meant business the second night. They were trying to get serious too... approaching our campsight before it was even dark! One of them was really daring and would come within 10 feet of us. Holy crap, this is war! We wedged a tent stake in the food locker door, wedged a huge log against the front doors so they couldn't be pulled open at all - no 1/4 inch gap this time! - and we didn't store anything on the bottom shelf this time... oh and my Dad rounded up an arsenal of rocks to throw to scare them off. We never heard a peep and everything was untouched in the morning. Ha, we won!