Getting out and about

While I prefer to stay  home and do quiet things, I do haul my kids out of the house every once in a while.  Summer is a great time to do this kind of hauling. 

One Sunday we took the kids back over to Stanford for the afternoon (it had almost nothing to do with the fact that Will left his phone in his office on Friday and couldn't do without it for 12 more hours).

We visited the Cantor Museum which houses an amazing Rodin exhibit with lots of his sculptures like "The Thinker", "The Gates of Hell" and "Beyonce's Single Ladies"

We tried to get the kids to line up by their age, standing on the stone that marked their birth year in one of the arched hallways.  Colter insisted he was 14.  There is supposed to be a time capsule under each year stone.  We all wondered what was in the capsules and talked about what we would put in a time capsule.  We walked for hours.  Our feet hurt and it was hot but it was a pretty great family outing.  I packed snacks, which we devoured on the drive home (mom for the win).  

We only made one trip to the beach this summer.  I just didn't have my act together any other time.  Which is a shame because the kids and I love going to the beach so much.  They are entertained every second of the time we are at the beach.  It is awesome.  We made the trip and met up with our good friends, the Salisburys.  There was plenty of digging in the sand and splashing in the waves.

We brought along a friend for Lorien, as the Salisbury's match with Lorien was off visiting family.  In exchange for bringing Ava along we got to use her family's boogie and skim boards.  We've never done that before and the kids had a blast.  I am going to have to keep my eye out at yard sales or something.  We all want a boogie board now.

While we were at the beach there was a pod of dolphins, several sea lions or seals (I couldn't be sure), AND a couple of WHALES!  It was crazy cool.  The whales kept leaping out of the water as they snatched fish swimming at the surface.  We were in awe every time.  

Once the beach day was over (we left at sunset) we loaded up and made our way up to the car.  Lorien offered to take Colter.  I went one way and Lorien went another.  When I looked back to see why she wasn't following me I saw her hiking up these rocks with Colter on her shoulders, her canvas bag over her arm and in bare feet.  Oy.  Thankfully, no one was hurt.  I seriously cannot believe the stuff my kids think they can do...and then end up doing perfectly!  

We had lunch at a pizza place near by.  As we were leaving the pizza place it started pouring rain.  I thought I saw lightning when we went inside but couldn't believe it.  The kids were as blown away by the rain as they were by seeing the whale.  It has been a long dry drought here...