Family vacation: Sea Ranch

We ended the summer by spending a week on the Sonoma Coast at a development called Sea Ranch from September 18-25. We rented a house called Chase Place which was perfect for us with two bedrooms, an enclosed deck, views of the ocean and a hot tub. We spent the week frolicking in the ocean waves, exploring tide pools, hiking on trails, swimming in pools and enjoying the starry skies.

My summer vacation (part 3): Family time!

We were able to have several fun family get togethers with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles! See for yourself...

Father's Day fun with Grandpa Ken

End of June brunch and play with cousin Vince from LA

Family resemblance or is it just the pacifiers?

July BBQ at Auntie C's in Oakland with Grandma K

Family shot at the Tysells' in Richmond over Labor Day weekend

...photo credits to Emi Yamamura (grandma), Elvin Kawasaki (cousin) and John Tysell (uncle)

My summer vacation (part 2): Museums, parks and zoos!

Now that fall's upon us, it's really time to update you on what we did during our summer vacation. We were able to visit several fun spots for tots this summer. Here's a sampler...

Saying "Hi" to the opossom at the Lindsay Wildlife Musuem.

Getting to know the giraffes at the Oakland Zoo.

Finn's buddy Max giving the train a whirl at Fairytale Town in Sacramento.

Exploring the galleries at the Crocker Art Museum.

Getting a ride from Dad at Lassen National Volcanic Park.

Playing with vapor at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

This tiger may be a little too close for comfort at the Sacramento Zoo.

Taking a ride on the miniature steam train at Hagan Park in Rancho Cordova during friend Isaiah's birthday party in July.

All in all it was a great summer...here's Finn having a blast at Fort Mason in SF.

...we also visited the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, the Sacramento Children's Museum and various playgrounds and parks in Sacramento and the Bay Area.

My summer vacation (part 1): Water play!

This summer Finn spent a lot of time playing in or near the water. It was a relatively mild summer here in Sacramento, but on those hot days we made sure to enjoy cooling down by the Bay, in the pool or simply with some sprinkler action in the backyard.

In August we spent a day in Walnut Creek at the Nelsons' pool.
Thanks Spencer for sharing a great day with us.

On Father's Day we sailed on the San Francisco Bay. Thanks Uncle John for such a fun adventure!

Several times this summer we visited the "play pools" in Sacramento at Land Park, McClatchy Park and Bertha Henschel. What a wonderful resource for summer fun!

In July we spent a day in Pleasanton at the Jennings' pool.
Thanks Tessa and Colin for sharing a great day with us.

Here are Finn and Brooke enjoying some wading pool time after "exercising" in the lap pool at the Ullensvang-Naganuma home.

What's better than playing in the sprinkler at home with fellow June Baby, Sammy Stern?

I made it one year!

It's hard to believe, but I've been alive in this world for one whole year. Woo-hoo! Mom and Dad, I'm ready to take my driving test any day now.

Yes, I'm a pretty boy.

Some big things happened in the last few weeks. First, I started walking. Then I started to say "Uh oh!" And then I got a haircut at the same children's place that my dad went to when he was a kid. The price is a little more now, I'm guessing.

Presents and cake! All I got was milk last year.

To celebrate my birthday, we had a big party at our house. A lot of friends and family showed up, and Dad did a no-rain dance all week leading up to the party because we have a tiny house. There were two Sock Monkey cakes that Aunt Gwynne made - and one of them was all for me!

Never get on a scale a day after eating cake.

The day after the party, I went to the doctor's office for my one-year checkup. I'm slightly below average in measurements except for one: height. Clearly, I get it from my dad.

Fun times in Ashland

Finn took his second trip to Ashland, Oregon over Memorial Day weekend. Mom and Dad got to see a few plays while Auntie C and Grandpa Jim watched over Finn. Finn also checked out Lithia Park, swam at the Ashland YMCA and visited the Science Works Museum over the 4-day stay. We had fun catching up with friends from the Bay Area and Portland and eating good food both at restaurants and back at the cottages where we stayed.

Pit stop at the Sundial Bridge in Redding on our way north.

Ashland Creek was almost a river! And the rhododendrons were blooming!

Grandpa Jim liked Finn's Oregon Ducks shirt and Bobbee really liked making him smile.

Water play at the Science Works museum

First Mother's Day

The family took a trip to Big Sur for Mother's Day weekend. We stayed at a nice little apartment at the top of a big hill that overlooked the ocean. On Mother's Day we visited three state parks: Julia Pfeiffer, Andrew Molera and Garrapata. The weather was beautiful. See for yourself...

Mother's Day is tiring.

Please touch? Don't mind if I do.

This seems bigger than the pool at the Y.