Picnic

We finally got patio furniture!  So of course we had a picnic.

A few days earlier, we chased some bubbles in the yard.

Cal Day

 Today we went to Berkeley to check out Cal Day. Unlike past years, we found the schedule ahead of time and made sure to be there for the band. We didn't get very close, but we were able to lift the boys up so they could see, and of course we heard them!
After listening to the band, we headed through the gauntlet of tables set up for the clubs and activities. Alex and Zachary got some snacks from the cute co-eds, and as is our usual pace, we needed to stop for a snack break. This one was at the top of a hill, and features the base of the clock tower. We often see the clock tower when we are driving around, so it was fun to be up close to it.

 Next, the boys did some physics and chemistry experiments.

 Waiting for a lecture, which included 10 chemistry experiments.

 One of the experiments exploded (planned of course!) and was really quite loud. Zachary wanted to leave because he was worried that there would be another loud noise. But we stayed, and afterward, Alex and Zachary had a chance to dip a carnation in liquid nitrogen and then smash it on the table!

 The Cal racing car!

 Alex had a chance to set off a chain reaction. The ping pong balls are set up on mouse traps. When Alex dropped the last ball into the tub, all of the traps sprung, making the balls fly all around!

 It is a giant, inflatable Oski!

 On the way out, we stumbled upon one more lab that was still open.  The boys had a chance to experiment with sound and sound waves.

It was a long, tiring, but fun day exploring the campus of University of California, Berkeley!

Field Trip

Zachary and Alex spent the day at the Oakland Zoo with their pre-school friends.  It is an annual trip, our third year, but it is always fun!

Just a Typical T-Ball Game

Another Sunday, another T-ball game.  This one has the cutest fans ever!

 Batter up!

A little last minute instruction, and a great hit!

 Sizing up the competition.

 Such a happy face, headed for home.

 Of course you have to play the field too.  Ready position!

Happy Easter

Auntie Nichole brought dinosaur eggs! They need to soak in a warm bath before they hatch.

The Easter Bunny dropped off lots of goodies. Alex and Zachary were especially excited to get Angry Bird finger puppets.

We were so happy that Auntie Nichole could come stay with us and celebrate Easter and Spring Break with us!

Coyote Hills

Auntie Nichole came to visit us for the last half of spring break! Alex and Zachary were very excited to take her hiking at one of their favorite places, Coyote Hills.  This story is told mostly in photos.

Starting out

 Going up

 Enjoying the views and resting

 Going down...this is a steep part

 After hiking to the top of the hills, playing on the rocks, and navigating their way back down, (and probably more than one snack break) they toured the visitor's center and the butterfly garden.

 Next up was a walk through the marshlands for some bird watching.

 Do you see any birds?

 And of course, no trip to Coyote Hills is complete without a sushi stop on the way home!

Snowy Spring Break Day 2

We started out the day with a road trip to Jamestown, an old Gold Rush Town.  Many of the buildings were set up to show daily life during the Gold Rush.

The outer edges of the town were actually mined, and there are large boulders in a maze of trails to explore.

The boys had a great time playing hide-and-seek in the rocks and climbing all over. After a stop at the General Store for a snack, we headed back to the mountain for a second day of lessons. At the Lodge, we had some time to play around in the snow. We found a nice snowy patch right off of the parking area and Alex and Zachary had lots of fun throwing snowballs at the trees (where the snow stuck, making it even more fun) and even built a little snowman!

Then it was time to get suited up for their lesson. You can tell they were excited, because they were willing to leave the snowy patch to get started!

After Zachary and Alex had all of their gear back on, their teachers took them back to the learner's slope for some review.

A couple of runs down the little hill, and Zachary's teacher asked us if it would be OK for her to take him on the chair lift for a longer run. While it seemed a little crazy, we said to go for it!
It was a bit of a trudge to get to the lift, but Zachary is a trooper! And here is another use for the vest handle!
Shortly after that, Alex was up on the chair lift too. We didn't catch a picture of him on the way up, but here he is on the final descent.

Zachary's teacher told us that other instructors, and skiers/snowboarders kept asking her how old he was, since he is so little and was doing such a great job. She would reply, "He's 3" and Zachary would yell "I'm 3 and a half!"
Finally, a couple of videos showing off the skills they learned.

Snow for Spring Break

Most people head to the beach for spring break...we're not most people.  We headed to the mountains for a day of skiing and snowboarding.  It was the first time the boys had seen snow! There wasn't time to just play in the snow because their lessons were about to start.  After meeting their teachers, Alex and Zachary were fitted for their gear.

The vests have a handle on the back to help the instructors hang onto them, and also pull them up when they fall.

And here they are, all outfitted and ready to learn.

Zachary was a natural, and had the perfect bent knee position. Alex was more timid to begin, but gained confidence quickly.

 The snowboard had a retractable leash.

 Zachary changed directions!

 Go Alex!

The boys spent two hours practicing on the learning hill and having a blast!  Their instructors were very impressed with the progress they made. Everyone had so much fun, we decided to stay overnight and return for another day of lessons.