The drive

    We have completed the drive from Spokane to Carpinteria.  I will recap most of the trip.  Grandma Gizmo arrived in Spokane on Tuesday.  We finished packing the car and Grandma Gizmo, Kim and the kids left from Spokane to Portland on Thursday.  Grandma and Albie arrived in Portland on Thursday and were waiting at the hotel.  On Friday, they all went to the Oregon Zoo and the Rose Garden.  I taught my last class at Gonzaga, observed the packing of the house, and drove to Portland.  On Saturday we drove from Portland to Florence.  In Florence we went to mass and had a very tasty dinner. 
   The next day was a long drive from Florence, Oregon to Fortuna, California and through a redwood tree.  We left around 9:00 am and finished around 4:30 pm.  After the drive we went to Grizzly Creek State Park for dinner, where David, Betsy, Nathan and Matthew had driven to over the weekend for a camping trip.  The kids played in the river and had smores while the adults attempted to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew.  We arrived back at the hotel after dark.
   The next day was a shorter drive from Fortuna to Sonoma.  The trip took longer than expected and we just made it to one vineyard before closing.  We had a nice relaxing evening in Sonoma with good food and a swim in the pool.  On Tuesday we drove from Sonoma to Monterey.  In Monterey we went to the Aquarium.  In fact, a women approached Kim and gave her tickets for the two of us and the kids to get in for free.  That was a very nice surprise.  The aquarium was great, I especially enjoyed the jelly fish and the tank with tunas and a hammer head shark.  We finished the trip by driving from Monterey to Carpinteria On July 4th.  It was a long drive, but went very smoothly.
   In all it was an amazing trip, and one we will remember forever and talk about frequently.  Thank you to Grandma, Albie and Grandma Gizmo for sharing such a wonderful trip.

Caramel Apples

With Caitlin's peanut allergy is it difficult for us to get a caramel apple when we are out.  So we decided to make some.  It was a lof of fun.  The kids liked the caraml apple, although they most just ate the caramel.

Playing at the Park

Last Weekend in Spokane

This was our last weekend is Spokane.  On Saturday the girls got their nails done while Jack had a haircut.  Jack had a nice nap, while Caitlin did not.  We went to church and said good bye to some of our friends. We had dinner at Panda Express, still Caitlin's favorite.  Sunday morning was spent cleaning to prepare for a open house.  During the open house we went to Manito Park.  Caitlin played in the splash pad, but Jack is still a bit timid of the cold water.  We all had fun walking through the gardens and seeing all the pretty plants.   

Playing Together

The kids have really begun playing well together.  There are times that they spend a half hour just playing made up games.  Frequently the games involve Caitlin being Jack's mom.  One of the videos is them preparing to go to a pretend beach.  It is so much fun watching them play and laugh together.

Tot shots

Here are some pictures from our last photo shoot.  Caitlin is still very photogenic and seems to love having her picture taken.  Jack, well, he is not so much the same.  Hr does like to say "cheeeeeeeessssseee"

One last visit to Spokane for Grandma and Albie

Grandma and Albie finished their last visit while we live in Spokane.  We had a wonderful time celebrating Jack's birthday, watching the Fund run, going to parks, and just enjoying each others company.  Kim was away in Austria, so the extra pairs of hands was very helpful.  We had to get out of the house several times to show the house.  In fact, we had three showings in a single day.  Without Kim we had a few trials, including Jack falling of a spinning wheel at the park,  He got a pretty good bloody nose but did get back on the ride.  We also tried to see "Pirates, Band of Misfits".  However, the kids wanted to leave as soon as the candy was eaten.  I am surprised we even made it through the previews.  In all, it was a great visit.  We are excited about Grandma and Albie's next visit as we drive down the coast together.