Visitors and the Pumpkin Patch

My brother Brian, my sister Calli, and her brand new baby boy came to visit. I picked them up in San Francisco and we headed to Fisherman's Warf. Once there, we ordered some crab chowder from a street vendor who blew his nose in a napkin.

Then we dropped off Brian at the Hyatt and I took Calli and baby Derrick home with me.

Litte Derrick is so scrumptious and tiny.

We took them to the Pumpkin Patch, where Edmond demonstrated his pony riding skills again.

Our kid is so spoiled. I never got to ride a pony. Ever. And he's ridden two.

Then we took our spoiled children on a train ride.

As we rode along, Calli and I discussed the joys of little boys. We sure love 'em.

Caught in the Act

Amber and I were chatting in the kitchen while I prepared dinner. I could hear my children merrily playing behind me on the floor.

I swear I only ignored them for four or five minutes. But when I turned around and looked down, this is what I found.



Yeah, that's the powdered sugar shaker in Edmond's hand.

This was a huge sticky mess. It was on the shelves, on the food, on their clothes, and in the cracks of the wood floor. I didn't even know where to start cleaning first. So, I started with taking pictures so I could blog about it, then I put dinner on hold, grabbed the baby, who was trying to escape and spreading the mess even further into the kitchen. I took him to the kitchen sink, stripped him, threw his clothes in the sink, wiped him down while he squirmed and screamed. I set him down and gave him some snacks on the floor to keep him out of the mess for a few minutes. Then I grabbed the boy, lectured him, stripped him, wiped him down while he said, "No, no, I don't like that! Mama! I made a mess!" I set him down and ordered him to go play somewhere else. Then I started wiping the floors, then the food, then the shelves.

Then I started on dinner again, but by that time the kids were starving and making each other cry...

It was one of those magical moments in mothering.

Bag for a Portable DVD Player

Get ready. I'm about to show you the most difficult thing I ever sewed.




It's a bag for my portable DVD player.

(By the way, maybe you're thinking it's weird that these pictures are taken in the bathroom. Well, it was late, and the bathroom had the best lighting. No judging.)



It has a little divider and everything. Pink flannel. I got the idea for the bag here.

I love the fabric. I initially bought it to decorate some part of my home...but I really don't have any navy anywhere...although if I had a daughter I would do her room in baby pink and navy like this one.

I just love it. And, it's handy for our road trips because I can grab the bag and go.

Laundry bag

We were getting rid of two dividers that split our massive camping tent into three separate rooms. As I walked toward the trash can I felt the fabric in my hands and realized that it was pretty amazing, and hey, I could make something out of this stuff.

I decided to make two traveling laundry bags out of it, since the fabric can condense into such a small little ball and won't take up much space. I always forget to pack disposable bags for dirty laundry on our trips, so these bags are great because I can just keep them in our luggage.



I even sewed some little hooks on there, because maybe I'll feel like hanging my laundry bag on a hanger one day.

And here's my tiny little bag, All scruched up in my hand and ready to stash in my luggage.

Apple Hill. My Favorite.

I was craving corn dogs and caramel apples and doughnuts.




Luckily, Apple Hill has all those things.



And, they have a fishing pond.



And hayrides.

And pony rides.

We asked Edmond what his pony's name was, just to see what he'd say, and Edmond told us "He's name is Colt."

And he kept saying, "Ride 'em cowboy, yeehaw!"

Every now and then he would reach down and pet his pony's mane.

We played the role of the silly parents with a camera, smiling and waving at our amazing 2-year-old who wasn't afraid to ride the pony.

Train Museum

I am not a fan of museums. This is mostly due to boring experiences I had as a child. Now that I am grown, I realize that the past few museums I've gone to have been interesting and I enjoyed myself.

Still.

When someone suggests going to a museum, especially on a vacation, I'd rather not.

Anyhow, being the minority that I am in my family of males, I found myself at a train museum on a Friday afternoon.



It wasn't so bad. It was actually pretty awesome.

The best part was watching Edmond run from train to train as fast as he could. He was soooo excited. "Big one, Dad! Big BLACK one! Steam engine, Mom! Diesel! Diesel train!"

Six Flaggs

We used our season pass for the second time.

We are so proud.

I think we got our money's worth.

All The Live Long Day

We are riding in the wagon

All the live long day

We are riding in the wagon

Just to pass the time away

This is how we pass those last long hours before Daddy comes home.

Bibs

I bought a bath towel at Walmart for $2.50. I cut it up and made it into 8 bibs.

It was fun and easy. And cheap.

Curly Hair

I bought a new curling iron and did my hair curly like Bionce. Or Mariah Carey. Or somebody famous like that. Then I took the curling iron back to the store. Because I didn't want the papparazzi following me.

Farewell

I could feel the summer slipping away. Going...going...almost gone.

Before warm days had totally left us, we spent a morning at the lake. Edmond waded in and out of the water for hours.


Charlie crawled in and out of the water.

So happy. So content. I wish every moment could be like this.

Amber and Sarah came with their kiddos, too.

We ate lunch there. Edmond fed half his sandwich to the ducks.

A woman came to our beach riding on her horse. The horse peed in the water. It was a lot of pee. The woman apologized to us. She was embarrassed. We forgave her.

The kids ate some more dirt and probably some horse pee. Then we went home.

Goodbye, Summer.

Miss you.

Love you.