Week in Cali

I know I am a few weeks behind on my blogs, so my goal this week is to catch up on all the fun stuff we have done this summer. Starting with...CALIFORNIA!!

One of the many benefits of being a teacher is that I have the summer off and get to spend it with Carson (and Brian when he is off). We were lucky to spend a week with my Aunt Claudia, Uncle Dennis, and Cousin Kyle in California. Carson & I headed out there on Saturday, and Brian flew out mid-week to meet us. I was a little nervous to fly with our 3 year old on a four hour flight without someone throwing us off the plane for him talking loudly or kicking seats, but we decided to bring his car seat and a bag of toys, books, and videos on the flight with us and that did the trick! He was an angel there and back!

Here he is ready to "blast off!" (his words)

And looking at the clouds out of the window:

We were greeted with fabulous weather once we were off of the plane and enjoyed the 70 degree temperatures the whole time we were there. Houston had been in the 100's the week before we had left, so Carson was excited to spend time outside.

Our first day there Claudia took us to the farm where she volunteers. We got a fabulous tour and got to visit the animals on the farm and check out the really neat garden. The weather and scenery were also gorgeous!

Claudia & Carson

Petting the goat

Looking for eggs (the hen wasn't too happy about this)

Getting "kisses" from the pigs

Boy, were they stinky!

Carson loved the little fort built out of vines

A bathtub full of beets

They also had a tunnel created by vines

Later that day we walked to the park and let Carson play. Notice the sweatshirt he is wearing (in July!).

Carson spent every afternoon "fishing" in the heated pool and hot tub, and practicing his swimming and floating skills.

The night we went to pick Brian up from the airport, we went to eat dinner in San Jose. Afterwards, we sampled some tangy yogurt from Pinkberry (made famous by Perez Hilton).

Claudia got tickets for us to go to a San Francisco Giants game. Brian, Carson, and I rode the train to San Francisco and Carson got to see his first baseball game! As you can see their field is beautiful! It backs up to the San Francisco Bay so the view, as well as the breeze was fabulous.

Crazy boys boxing

Outside the field

After the game, we went walking around San Francisco. Carson was wore out, and is getting too big to carry any distance, so we decided to invest in a stroller. As you can see, Carson approved:

The next day, Claudia entertained Carson AND handed over the keys to her hard-top convertible so Brian and I could spend the afternoon in San Francisco at Pier 39 & Fisherman's Wharf. We enjoyed lunch at Bubba Gump Seafood Restaurant and spent the afternoon looking at all the neat shops and sightseeing.

Alcatraz

There were so many neat street performers, but creepy skeleton was our favorite

Brian getting his fortune from Zoltar (like on the movie Big)

Our last day, we walked to town to the art and wine festival. My camera was dead by this point, so I didn't get any pictures, but it they had tons of vendors with beautiful artworks, yummy food, and a huge kids section where Carson spent a lot of time riding rides and burning off some energy before our plane ride home.

We had such a great time in California! A special thanks to Aunt Claudia for inviting us and keeping us entertained. Carson misses you, and has asked when he can go back and see you again! We have also spent many hours of our life watching the "toilet movie" Flushed Away...