Dan woke one morning to the ninja like silence of our wee one hovering over him at 7am. She said "Daddy, I tried to wake your footsie, but it didn't work."
Lea has me say good night to her footsies every night. We even do "5 things Footsie can do."
Mr. Footsie can pour tea in the bath... its true I've seen him. Her monkey toes can hold a plastic tea pot. But usually Mr. Footsie just runs, jumps and hides from Mommy. For the most part Mr. & Mr. Footsie are well behaved. Sometimes even better behaved than Lea.
I call them Mr. Footsie. Do you think I'm forever scarring my daughter by implying her feet are male? Oh well...
Besides all the great stuff we did and people we saw, one of the best parts of the California trip was playing the Wii. Ron borrowed his son'sWii on the first day so we spent our down time bowling. What fun, Wii!
We also played a little golf. Dan played some baseball and we boxed once... we were so worn out after 3 rounds of boxing we didn't do it again. Also Ron thought we were going to break the TV we were swinging so hard and we kept inching closer and closer to the screen. Dan won boxing. We all got pretty good at bowling.
We made our own characters: My Mii Dan's Mii We spent much of the day on the computer, Dan checked their machine for updates, I tried to load all my Tree photos to the blog and we saw their China pictures.
Jo Ann took Lea to the park where Lea became "spider girl" crawling all over a rope ladder and climbing on the monkey bars for ages 5 and up.
On our last night we took Ron and Jo Ann to dinner at an Italian restaurant of their choice. It was very nice and yummy. They offered fruit as you walked out. Of course my clever hubby had to be witty. The girls at the door said "Good bye, oh how funny," and Dan said "What? I can't hear you, I have a banana in my ear."
And eventually we had to go home. Lea did a good job on the plane ride back, but got a bit bored with everything we had just as we started our decent. It was Lea' job to remember that we had to get on a spotted bus (the parking spot). She did very good remembering the sequence: On the way there — Truck, bus, plane, Grandma Jo Ann's Van. On the way home: Grandma's van, plane, bus and truck. We went over that a lot on the ride home.
Here we are with our new luggage (I did not fill up all the pieces! 2 suitcases have other suitcases in them... ok well one is a tiny tote, but still!) One suitcase had rocks and a stuffed penguin. One suitcase has another full size suitcase, a dual pack of NyQuil and a book "Dallas Dog" that barked. When we got home we found a "This bag has been searched for your protection" note in it. I wasn't surprised.
On Monday, Day 5 of our California trip we took a fantastic family day trip to the Redwoods and Stinson Beach. It was about an hour an a half to the redwoods and two hours home. Again, Lea was a great traveler and took it all in stride (but she did get to watch Robin Hood on the way home).
We arrived at Muir Woods around 10am and Ron got awesome parking. Here we are at the entrance to the Muir Woods National Monument.
I can't say enough about how beautiful the Redwood forest was. It was an easy hike up and back along a little stream. It was so beautiful and majestic. This video is supposed to show how peaceful and beautiful the running water sounds were, but I think mostly you just hear the shuffle of the camera. But I tried to capture it.
I can let the photos speak for themselves. And boy did I take a lot of them. The mighty Redwood...
Lea by the stream
Ron, the tree hugger
Lea did get tired less than half way through. Everyone took turns carrying her for a bit. Here its Grandpa Ron's turn. Grandma Jo Ann and Lea say hi to another baby in the redwoods. Grandma threatens to steal their stroller since we didn't bring one. Group pic in the Redwoods Dan strong man in the woods
Lea and Mommy sit on a tree
Around noon we took a rather scary drive down the winding road along the coast to Stinson Beach. Again, great parking, beautiful location. For this Southern girl the beach is somewhere that water meets sand, meets more sand and then road. But in California Water met Sand met Mountains. It was beautiful. This panoramic is a composite of 5 photos
We unloaded the van and the boys hauled our lunch to the beach. Lea eats her picnic lunch.
Some old fogies didn't wear short. But that didn't stop Dan. He still got in the water with Lea. The very very very very cold water. They played ankle deep as the waves washed up and Lea laughed and giggled and froze her tootsies. Lea and Daddy in the water
While we played on the beach Ron got out the kite.
Ron and the *!@#!*!@! Kite
See while Daddy played with Lea in the water Jo Ann and I ran all over the beach trying to get the kite in the air, but to no avail. That silly kite did not want to fly that day. After many tries and much frustration we decided it was time to build sand castles and enjoy the togetherness, not running all over dragging the kite through the wet sand.
Lea and Grandma Jo Ann searched for "shells" on the beach. This beach was rife smooth rocks and drift wood, but no shells, so Grandma Jo Ann brought some shells with her and layed them out for Lea to find. Lea had fun picking them up. Mommy and Lea also collected a lot of rocks and drift woods to bring home. Grandma Jo Ann and Lea built sand castles.
Mommy and Lea also built sand castles. Well... Mommy built them with the sand molds and Lea played Godzilla and stomped them.
Then around 4 we decided we'd better get going. Mommy wanted one more scenic picture at the pretty gnarled tree. Alas at the same time we walked up to the empty tree so did some very strange beach goes with their minis of Courvoisier. So we got our picture and got the hell out of there. I guess I have to say I'm glad I have the odd balls in the picture, it does make for a much more interesting photo. What characters. As Dan said, in California what is not fruits and nuts are flakes.
But we didn't hit the road home immediately. First we wanted to visit Point Reyes to get a stamp in Grandma Jo Ann's National park passport book. Their visitor's center had a wonderful nature exhibit with animals and some touch and feel bones and fossils. Lea enjoyed this part where you pulled a lever and a log lifted to show the life underneath. Lea just liked to pull the lever. Here are Grandpa Ron and Lea looking at the nature exhibit. This was my favorite part of the nature exhibit — bird smelling his arm pit. Then we stopped by a little store and bought cheese. I was very excited about blue cheese made from the region. Grandpa Ron thought it was bizarre that I was so excited about cheese. I do enjoy a good souvenir cheese. We went to a small "Whole Foods" like store where the young teen checking me out groaned as he worked the check out about all the drama in his life. I said "How can you be stressed out in one of the most beautiful places?" and he said, "If only landscape could change the world, we'd solve a lot of problems." It was an interesting and quick exchange. The imprtant thing is that I got cheese.
Continuing our journey home we tried to stop by a creamery that made Brie, but they were closed. Either closed for the season or we missed it by 15 minutes, hard to say, but closed is closed.
And as we made a true effort to make our way home we got held up at a 4 way stop in a small town. Cars were stopped 3 cars deep at a 4 way stop as a blind man with a cane stood at the intersection. No one wanted to run over him, but no one was willing to tell him traffic was stopped. No one that is, except my fantastic husband! Dan jumped out (and as he passed the car in front of us the lady asked him to help the man... real thoughtful lady... like he was just taking a walk since traffic was stopped). Dan said he asked the man if he could help him across and the man said he hated the intersection because he never knew when traffic was stopped. Dan said "well they're all stopped for you now, so lets go." We were all very impressed by Dan's helpfulness. Once a boy scout, always a boy scout. Dan helping the blind man.
We made it home about 7 pm and had yummy takeout burritos and fell exhausted into bed. It was a really great day.
We noticed as I was posting that there are no pictures, after 3 full days here, no pictures of Grandpa Ron. So on his birthday, at his party, we made sure to take a picture of Grandpa Ron and Lea.
We started the morning by going out to buy luggage and strawberries (not at the same place.) We have a fantastic new set of 5 pieces to replace my one old "body bag." Will we fill it all to come home? We'll see...
We got strawberries at a real strawberry patch. The strawberry patch let Lea pick her own berries. Lea had fun picking them and eating them. She ate them as soon as she picked them so we didn't stay too long. We would have had a berry stuffed girl! They were some really fantastic tasting strawberries. So fresh and sweet.
While out shopping Grandma Jo Ann got Lea a beautiful new party dress and pretty yellow flip flops for the big party Sunday afternoon. There were about 20 guests over the afternoon. It was a joy to meet all of Grandma and Grandpa's friends. We got to meet Ron's two sons and his grand kids (who Lea had met the day before at Emily's first communion). Alex, Emily and Zachary.
When Lea saw Emily on Sunday she walked up to her and just stroked her arm. The only thing I could imagine was because Lea had seen Emily in her Communion dress with veil the day before, Lea thought she was a princess or something. Or maybe Lea just wanted to play with Emily, because she did take her hand and lead her outside. They played together well and blew bubbles, even though Emily is about 9. Emily had great patients with Lea. Dan and Emily sharing a laugh over some bubbles.
Also at the party was Dan's grandmother, Vivian Cardoza. She is looking great it was wonderful to see her. She came with Aunt Jeanie and it was good to see her as well.
They got a picture of the 4 generations.
Lea got to help Grandma Jo Ann and Grandpa Ron open a couple presents.
And as tired as everyone was, after all the guests were gone and everything was cleaned up, Mommy made the 5 of us pose for one last picture.
and then it was time to kick back on the bean bag and watch some tv.
video of Grandma Jo Ann blowing bubbles and the garden:
"Deerlick beloved we are gathered here today..." Lea's pun during Punderdome game 5-22
"Boat, Boat, Boat!" = Danger when there was water coming into the boat on Beavers Bend Lake in 4-22 with Kim
Puff Puff Piffle make me sniffle — Lea argues that that is the saying, not make me just as small as Sniffles 2017
Osonate [Aw-son-ate] sauce = Arsenic sauce in the Grinch song "You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!" 2016
Germ hole to germ hole = a kiss at church during peace be with you when mommy is sick
anti quote = always comes with finger quotes. I believe she means "And I quote" but she is adamant that it is anti quote. 5-12
Sam Philips Hand = Philips head screwdriver after Dan told Lea it was named for a man named Philips.
Compliment = The word Lea kept using instead of Accusation during our first games of clue. As in "I can't make a compliment until I get to room, right?"
Ark el Harold's Angels Sing and And The Jelly Hosts Proclaim= Hark the Harold Angel's Sing and With Angelic Hosts Proclaim
"Wolf gloves" = Fox Glove flowers. In a story Lea asked what foxgloves look like, so the next morning she wanted to look them up and asked Dan to look up Wolf gloves. It took us a while to figure out what she was talking about. 8/10
"mows my teeth" = what the electric tooth brush does
Seener = Venus I think. As in "I love you to Seener and Mars and back again"
Box of socks = what's inside a wrapped package so Lea doesn't give the gift way.
amn't = "I am not" as in "No, mommy I amn't"
Ep-a-cot = Epcot center. On our Disney trip Lea made this word 3 syllables.
Ray-B-C = CB Radio. There is a picture of the pigeon talking on the CB Radio in a book and Lea can never get the name right. You know talking on the Ray-B-C.
Smash 'em Turvy = Smash 'em up Derby. Smashable Turvey is what Lea thought I said, so now when we play cars we play Smashable Turvy.
skull = pirates. Anything decorated with skulls Lea says are pirates, as in "Your shoes have pirates on them."
licky pills = cough drop/throat lozenge
chicken hairs = tiny hairs on mommy. I remember my grandmother calling the tiny mostly invisible hairs on her face "chicken feathers" so I said that to Lea one day. Now even hair on my legs are "chicken hairs" as in sitting in my lap saying, "Mommy your chicken hairs are POKING me!"
Ouchie Lea! = The natural equivalent to "Ouchie Mama" which I say... me being the mama... so Lea figured out she needed to say "Ouchie Lea" Took me longer to figure out why she said it that way. Makes perfect sense if you're 3.
Be Patient, Be Calm Mommy =Lea's calming influence on mommy. Her cute little voice when I've spilled something all over the kitchen floor.
Cotton Ball = Cannon Ball... that's what Lea called Dan's "diving" in the pool, as in "Do another cotton ball Daddy"
schlopp schlopp = ice cream or treat. It comes from The Dr. Seuss book The Thinks You Can Think. "You can eat schlopp schlopp, you don't have to stop." And there is a picture of two people sitting at a table. Lea said that was Mommy & Daddy, so the next time we went out without Lea I said we were going for Schlopp Schlopp and that she and Grandma could have ice cream which then became schlopp schlopp on its own.
Bergen = "Let's find a Bergen" -This means, let's do the Gem Hunt on Webkins which features an old salty dog. After several days of wondering what she was talking about, we heard the dog say in a drawl, "Let's see what Bargains we can find" and we both had an "ah ha" moment.
"Den DC" = Where Godmother Sherry lives. Lea's shorthand for Washington DC.
"Heavy Strong" = chin ups or pull ups. Lea used to do "heavy strong" on the bars of her crib and now does them on the playground.
"If you say so, I say so"= I will relent to doing what you say or you have relented to what I have insisted on for the past 20 min. Very cute in a staccato voice.
Old McDomino's=McDonalds, as in "I want to eat at Old McDomino's"
"ploblems" = problems as in "Mommy I'm having shoe ploblems"
"oat mill" = windmill @ grandpa's house
"floppy nest" = pack and play bed @ Grandma's
"za-cunni" = zucchini — usually as in "No, no za-cunni"
"why cause" = because
"nap thirty" = response to what time is it after lunch?
"attention horde" = extension cord
"as fast as me can"
amn't I = aren't I. I've listed this before but thought I'd note that she still says it at 8 yrs/third grade old even though she reads at a 6th grade level. I still find it cute.
Posts
