Just add water...

My friend Peggy and her boys, Hunter and Jackson, joined us for a little fun in the sun. With the record breaking heat we had been experiencing, this was the only way to stay cool!

California Adventures

Wednesday brought new adventures at California Adventures! The boys woke up energized and ready to go! Will was still under the weather, but it takes more than a cough and fever to keep him down...actually you'd never know he wasn't feeling well, except for the hacking cough (we later found out he had a sinus infection, poor kid!). The boys had a great day and enjoyed the rides and a Playhouse Disney Show. We thought they'd both pass out as soon as we got in the car to drive home. Will fell asleep almost immediately, but Gabe stayed awake most of the drive...he had lots of questions to ask about all the things he'd seen!

Following the leader!

Will sporting his hat style for the day...

Gabe, clearly enjoying himself...

The boys shortly before Will got SOAKED by the dancing water...

Amy, Kiera, Mark, Gabe, and Jeff all wet after the Grizzly Rapids ride...

Thanks to a great deal they have at California Adventures, our Mr. Potato head can now accessorize as more than just Spiderman/Peter Parker. These are just a two of his many new alter egos...

Disneyland

Gabe couldn't wait for May to arrive...he knew two things would happen 1) camping with dad and 2) meeting (cousin) Kiera at Disneyland. So, as soon as the camp out was over the questions about "Dis-me-land" began. Seeing as Gabe was only 9 months old the last time we were at Disneyland, he really didn't have the full picture of what to expect...

Our adventure started Sunday night with Will developing a cough and slight fever (seriously?! are you kidding me?! can we not take a trip without someone, for some reason usually Will, being/getting sick?!?). Oh well! The show must go on! I tried to pack accordingly and Monday afternoon we were on our way. Luckily for me, my mom opted to join us on our adventure, so she was in charge of toy/book disbursement for the boys. At one point, I turned around to see Will "reading" a pamphlet from the school district about what your child should know before kindergarten and Gabe was perusing a parenting magazine. Apparently we're past the "kiddie" books!

After an uneventful drive, we made it to the hotel where the boys were VERY excited to see huge posters of Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, etc. And the excitement rose to a whole new level when they saw the Disney pictures in the hotel room...and it went through the roof when Kiera showed up at our door (let the bed jumping and laughter begin!)!

Tuesday morning we made our way across the street to Disneyland. It was fun to watch the boys try to take everything in! We started the day with what proved to be a favorite for Will, the Buzz Lightyear ride! The boys really loved it all! And though both tried to resist the stroller in the beginning, it didn't take long for them to realize it was the only way to travel through the park!

Gabe isn't the most adventurous child, but he did a great job of getting on everything. It was often with his ears covered and him asking "When is it done?", but he did it! And ask him now what his favorite ride was and he'll tell you Space Mountain. Good job, Gabe! Will was right there for whatever he was tall enough for...next time, he'll be able to go on about any ride there.

Will, taking aim at the evil Zorg! He actually got some pretty good scores...

Taking a spin on the Teacups...

As the piranhas attacked on the Jungle Cruise...

Meeting Mickey Mouse, definitely a highlight for the boys! Will is still singing the "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" song...

Gabe, Will, and Kiera entertaining themselves while waiting in line for the Nemo ride...

Will on the Nemo submarine ride, I'm pretty sure he would have climbed through the window if he could have...

Sometimes I feel like this sign should be on their bedroom door when I ask them to clean up (and this is the reaction I often get!)...

Will looking completely unimpressed with Nana's driving...

Two tired boys, Will slept through most of the Disney parade despite all the poking and jostling we did to try to keep him awake...

Gabe's School Program

With the end of the school year coming to a close, Gabe's preschool put on their annual program. For weeks we've been listening to Gabe sing his songs around the house (Will is even singing them now!...okay, I'll admit, they're also getting stuck in our heads!), so we had some idea of what he'd be doing. Gabe is not usually one to "ham it up" in front of a group of people, so we were a little surprised at how animated he got. (He told us later that he was "silly" because I had the video camera.)

Gabe entering the auditorium with his class.

The 4 year old classes performed second and sang "What a Wonderful World", "I Wanna Be a Dog", and "Mi Gusta Contar." Gabe was in the group that came to the front as part of the "I Wanna Be a Dog" song. He had a great time and enjoyed sharing his special night with with Nana and Grandpa.

Gabe and Steven being the cutest dogs we know!

Gabe's class singing "Mi Gusta Contar". Gabe is in the back row between the girl in pink and the boy in green.

And the highlight of the evening for Will? Well, the punch and cookies of course!!! What 2 year old doesn't look forward to cookies?

It's cookie time!

Gymnastics

Will anxiously awaits Wednesdays, because he knows that is the day he gets to go to gymnastics! He absolutely loves it and is doing really well! Will has always been very athletic and now he's getting to put it to use. He is definitely a kid who knows how to maneuver his body to his advantage!

Gymnastics is so much fun and such a good "workout" that he can't even stay awake the whole way home!

Go, Nana, Go!

Nana and her new toy (she had no idea I had the camera until this moment!)

What is better than watching your Nana (in her pink 'kerchief) riding a the new toy she bought for you?

Nana recently bought a fun new toy for the grandkids to use while visiting her house. It's called a "Twist Car" (Will calls it "Nana's helicopter") and looks like a lot of fun. I know my boys have enjoyed riding on it...even if they do have to take turns with Nana! Will likes to help Nana go extra fast by pushing her. Oh, the fun! I think we ought to get a couple more of the cars, so they can all ride together!

Will and Gabe showing off their new driving skills...

Camping with Dad

So, what did I get for Mother's Day this year? 24 hours of peace and quiet! Is there a better gift than that? I used my time to make cookies for Gabe's school, have dinner with friends, go shopping, enjoy a very welcomed surprise visit from my friend Peggy, make 5 batches of strawberry jam with my mom, and take time to just sit with my feet up - all done without any little helpers (I do LOVE my little helpers, but it's amazing how much you can get done in 24 hours without them!).

What did Mark and the boys do? They went on a church "Fathers and Sons" camp out at the coast. The boys were so excited about the trip! Will spent Friday helping me pack the van and get things ready to go while Gabe was at school. He knew they'd be leaving after Gabe got home, so all day I heard, "Where's daddy? I ready to go get Gabe!"

As soon as they could get away on Friday, they drove to San Simeon. Gabe and Will enjoyed a break from the drive at McDonald's and I think Mark was glad for the entertainment the "Speed Racer" toys brought. They were all happy to reach the campsite and get things set up.

The boys loved playing with the flashlights...well, until Gabe somehow managed to (accidentally) put a hole in his friend Steven's cheek with one. Gabe felt horrible and it was evident that Steven knew it was an accident, he kept telling his dad "Gabe's still my buddy." Luckily, Steven's dad is a doctor!

Helping dad set up the tent (while Will's friend Hunter supervises).

The finished product!

Running wild with their buddies Steven and Hunter.

Taking a short cut through the trees.

They both enjoyed climbing trees...

but apparently Will's fearless side took over and he climbed a tree and was above Mark's head (I also heard he climbed to the top of the ladder on our friend's camper).

Saturday morning brought a walk to the beach. The boys had fun playing in the water and sand. And, Gabe brought home a great collection of rocks!

Before heading home, they stopped to see the Elephant Seals...

And there were A LOT of them!

Thanks Mark! The boys loved their trip and I loved the time off!

Chuck E. Cheese

Up until this point, I've managed to avoid taking the boys to Chuck E. Cheese (though Gabe has been begging for at least 2 years now - I know, I'm a terrible mom!). But, last week some friends of mine invited me to go along with them. So, Friday we dropped Gabe off at school and Will, Dalia, and I headed to Chuck E. Cheese. It was actually a pretty good experience and $5 well spent! We went early enough that there wasn't anyone else there and the kids could pretty much roam free without me worrying about them. I think Will was overwhelmed by all the choices because he wandered from game to ride to game saying, "I want to do that! No, I want to do that!" The best part of all is that Gabe still has no idea we went without him (so, sshhh! nobody tell him!).

Here are a couple of pictures of Will and Dalia...