Happy Girls at Happy Hollow

 Our dear friends Klaudia and Maya (http://katelenhey.blogspot.com/) were taking their mommy on an adventure and invited us to join them! Luckily, we were able to, and we all ventured out to Happy Hollow Park and Zoo  (only we never made it to the "zoo" part).  

And dopey mommy left the camera's memory card in the computer. doh! But, happily, the camera has a bit of internal memory and I captured a few happy moments.

Again, and as expected, the favorite part is the marvelous "Keep Around Carousel"

Just like last time we visited nearly a year ago.

We spent a good deal of time in the redwood climbing area. 

Liv worked hard at climbing the cargo nets. Mimi loved the huge slides.

Later Liv lead a group of kids "protecting the cave from the boys"

Camping Kirk Creek

Our family's first camping trip.

We loaded up the van (really loaded it up!) and headed out to the coast.

The campsites were mostly reserved - yikes - but we arrived early enough to snag one, albeit, close to the road, for the first night.  The sites are 100 feet or so above the sea. with a pretty jungle-like hike down to the rocky shore.

Late in the afternoon a Norwegian couple pulled into the campground looking for a site - of course there were no open sites - but we had a very large site and invited them to pitch their tent and share our campfire. 

They joined us the next day for a hike down to the shore.

I couldn't resist climbing this.
(Bella followed me. Liv didn't think it looked like such a great idea.)

Liv lighting the way...

Jeff had an encounter with an incredibly tame/bold squirrel who was (correctly) sure we had gorp.

We had the great fortune to meet an exceptionally cool family with 2 daughters Liv's & Mimi's ages - they rode bikes, colored, and played ... and their daddy put up this swing. 

"This is SO AWESOME"  - Livvy

"SO FUN!!" - Mimi

Watching sunset from inside the tent...

The zoomy girls taking a bike-break during camp break-down.

We broke down camp and headed off to a nearby SANDY beach where the kids could dig and splash.

We continued to have fabulous luck -- weather-wise -- and it was actually a very nice day at the beach! 

What cool stuff is in the bucket? 

sand crabs! wow!

running like kids at the sea! 

More Zoomy Girls and Big Smiles!

Boy are we having fun!!! 

Twirly Girls

Hula-Hoopin' Fun!

Look Who's Zoomy, Now

Mimi is tearing it up on her "running bike"
I'm amazed, proud,
and frankly, terrified! 

Little Bakers

Mama has the best helpers!!

Springtime at Home

I haven't really been keeping up these past few weeks - and I apologize.
Here are some lovely photos from some spring time play around home.

Liv took these next few pictures out on a little hike around the house. 

She even got Bella to say "cheese"  ha-ha-ha! 

near by to our "climbing tree" Liv discovered a lying down climbing tree. :)
The world is her gym - 

(why I haven't put her in toddler gymnastics classes) 

Finding and repairing leaks in the irrigation, critter holes in the grass, and plants that didn't make the winter...

all part of spring! 

 bird watching... hawks, finches, bluebirds, orioles, magpies ...

spring showers...

new summer clothes!

the sheep doing their wild-fire preventive mowing

us - watching the funny sheep

lots of bike riding, dancing, growing, and singing.
more to come...