We always try to hike Flag Hill on the fourth.
Because of Navy’s burned foot, we skipped this year.
But it gnawed at me, so today…on July 7th we hiked.
Patriot Hill was a beast.
After five straight days in the intense heat…nobody was really prepared for this hike…but I told them we at least needed to do half of the hike. Everyone was in great spirits, and Pippi is a total trooper…she was rad.
Once we made it to the Tree of Life, the kids were good to turn around. I pushed for two more hills, and they did them with gusto.
When we got back to the car, Dash found a stink big, and thought it would be nice to bring it back to Navy who couldn’t come.
I was dying that he was holding his nose while holding it!
And Pippi asked to smell the stink bug!
How funny…until she went in for her second whiff, and he got it too close on purpose…so she hit him, and with more attitude than I have ever had, she said, “That’s what you get.”
Pippi sat across from me this morning singing and drawing.
As she drew an octopus family, she sang “HalleYOUlah….HalleYoulah”!
This girl is the cutest thing in the whole world.
Then I joined in with some harmonies…and she not-so-kindly asked me to stop.
The day after I set up a treasure hunt for the kids while camping, I heard Dash and Navy up to something. I called for them, but they kept putting me off because they were doing something. When they finally came, I saw Dash throw something away. I asked them what they had been doing, but they wouldn’t tell me because they knew I had wanted them 10 minutes earlier. They were all sorts of smiles, so I investigated Dash’s trash and looked to see if I could figure out why they were so happy..and then I saw this:
A rhyming treasure hunt!
How cute is Navy!!!
The coaches always camp at Doheny over the fourth of July.
Last year we stopped in for a bit, and that got Micah’s juices flowing for this year.
So this year, we had a campsite for four days about 1/2 a mile from our home.
-
I wasn’t there the whole time. Of course I slept at home, but I also was at home a bit to do a bunch of stuff to help my dad out in Utah. But every single time I went down (a few times a day) the kids were all in hog heaven!
The campfires were a total hit…s’mores and hot dogs galore.
We had the best seats in the house for fireworks this year. I promised the kids I would take a raft out in the water for even better seats…but was so relieved when they said the water was too cold!
The group of kids was a really nice bunch of kids.
And amazingly…the adults were raving over our kids and how nice and helpful they constantly were the whole time.
Pippi “shook” or more like offered a royal hand to be kissed, to a really nice officer who stopped by the campgrounds.
He then let her talk all she wanted on his loud speaker. It was all cute and fun, until Navy came in and wanted a turn. She spoke in Mandarin the whole time, and I was beaming from ear to ear with pride. That is, until Scout came up from the water cracking up at what she was saying….apparently she said, “Hi, my name is Navy. What is your name? Is it Bum Hole?”
She then had to go apologize to Dash’s kindergarten teacher’s aide (Mrs. Keyvon), who also happened to be camping with us!
I felt a bit bad about not being there as much, so I put together a fun treasure hunt for the kids. It was supposed to wash up in a bottle from the ocean…but unfortunately Micah choked on that part. So we just told them about the next hidden clue.
The kids ran to Lifeguard station #9, and Navy found the clue! She read it, and sent this group of kids all over Doheny, until they finally ended up back at the campground to dig for the final box of (Dollar Store) treasure!
It was pretty fun to see them all so excited.
In the end, Camping was a total hit for our kids. Micah loved most of it, except the rudest camping neighbors ever. And I love my back and forth, except on the day that the heat wave was in full force, and we hit 103 degrees!
At four days out — after burning her foot with hot lava soap from the microwave — her foot doesn’t look too hot.
At one week — after beach camping and everything else — her foot looks brutal.
-
I guess I will finally text the doctor to see if Epsom salts, Neosporin and bandages are doing the trick.
Today we held our Amazing Grace party…featuring the girl who got Scout back on track this year!!!
His tutor!!!
It was Grace and her brother, the Nichols and us.
It was decorated in honor of Amazing Grace.
We had a bunch of fun treats for her!!!
We played games!
And we swam with snow cones in hand!
-
Nothing can do Amazing Grace justice…but I hope this did a small part.
The best part?
Scout’s toast to his great tutor.
(He failed it..but should have nailed it.)
We LOVE you Grace.
You truly are AMAZING!
ON the activity menu today — a sidewalk chalk competition.
The four submissions:
Dash’s Dinosaur
Navy’s Hot Lava
Pippi’s Array Including Three Aliens
And Scout’s Rubiks Cube
-
The winner………
WITH A LOT OF ARGUING AGAINST MY DECISION…….
Pippi!!!
I told everyone I like bright colors..and hers was the brightest.
Then I finally gave the biggest complainer Scout the win.
After church I sometimes like to take classy pics of the kids.
They whine and complain that they don’t want to take them…but I make them because “this is the only time you four all look somewhat decent during the week! Suck it up!!!”
And you know what — I am ALWAYS glad I made them take them.
Because a classy shot with Navy wearing Nonnie’s slippers to church because of her burn is a MUST memory.
My dad is the baby in the picture — with two of his sisters and his dad.
My dad isn’t doing too hot…he is really sick - and has a psycho appendage who is oblivious to life and isn’t taking very good care of my dad, so I went up to visit him on behalf of the family and took over. As we had expected..he is doing horribly, so the kids all went into high gear to get him back to himself. I spent four days in Utah, and meanwhile the kids were with Micah and Nonnie. I HATE leaving the kids, but according to the adults…they were awesome!
The first day I left, Scout and Navy hosted a backyard party for Dash and Pippi. My mom said they were so cute with them, and really took charge. Apparently, they had all sorts of crafts going on, and kept the kids entertained for hours. How cute!
BUT…..this is the day that poor Navy did a science experiment of putting soap into the microwave to turn it into foam. She put in the wrong soap, so instead of turning into foam, the soap turned into hot lava…and came pouring out onto Navy’s foot. She got third degree burns on her foot! But how smart was Navy…who immediately ran straight to the pool, and stopped the burning as she soaked her foot. My mom said her screams were like screams she has never heard before! But good old tough Navy got bandaged up, and apparently…has not made even one peep about it since it happened.
That’s saying a lot…because I have had the teeniest tiniest burns that kill for days!
Navy is literally the toughest girl I know — and the best part — she is allergic to complaining!
Another day, micah took the kids to fish. they didn’t have great fishing success, but he said they all had a blast — end even jumped off the pier after.
(not Pippi)
Notice Navy’s sock covering her bandage.
-
As a mom, it is always a battle to get your kids to be awesome. But then it is moments/days like these when you are MIA. And those are really the times to see who your kids really are. And based on what I have seen for the past few days — my kids are awesome.
Several months ago, Scout mentioned that he wanted to see Alcatraz.
Done…I made tickets that day.
Fast forward to the trip…when Micah and I were discussing the trip and we realized that we never made Alcatraz tickets!!!
AND THEY ARE SOLD OUT FOR FOUR MONTHS!
Whoops!
Good thing we found out that we can get up at 5am and wait for unclaimed tickets.
The travel was easy.
Especially when we discovered that Pippi holding a bag with her BYOO in it…made her 100% happy!
The kid’s first cable car ride was a total rip off…but pretty fun — especially for Navy, who was hanging off like a monkey the whole time.
(Cautious Scout wouldn’t hang, and we wouldn’t let Dash hang!)
Chinatown was filthy and beyond crowded.
But this shop owner loved Scout’s Mandarin, and gave him a 30 minute character writing lesson!
The hills were steep, and everyone was taking the help they could.
Scout was particularly rad as he pushed Nonnie up a crazy steep hill.
And Navy is always rad…helping anyone who needs it.
The freezing cold 5am Alcatraz morning came, and we spent a few hours in line for tickets….which we got!!!
Notice that Dash is drinking hot chocolate because it was so cold — without a shirt! I told him the only way he could have hot chocolate, was if he took his shirt off because he would surely spill. He said he would, and although he was getting funny stares, we were cracking up at oxymoronic Dash!
Alcatraz has been redone. When I was little, there were tour guides. Now it is automated, which I was bummed about. UNTIL I did it. The tour was fantastic. Maybe the best tour I have ever been on. Alcatraz ended up being a big hit…especially since were were home from the island before noon.
The ultimate hit of the trip (besides UBER) was the food. The farmer’s market at the Ferry Building was amazing. It is literally the only thing I would go back to San Francisco for. It was amazing.
Then Micah took us to Little Tokyo for the fresh mochi. It was also amazing…and the difference between little Tokyo and Chinatown was embarrassing. Little Tokyo was spotless, everyone was very kind and proper…and it was a favorite stop of ours!
But as always — the best food we found, was delicious cheeses and bread to constantly munch on.
Our final stop was Fisherman’s Wharf.
It was really crowded…REALLY CROWDED…but we did find a rad shop with every arcade game from the beginning of arcade games.
Some favorite moments from the trip:
When all of the kids would get under Micah’s sweatshirt when they were cold.
When Micah found Pippi’s disgusting duck friend in his delicious mochi.
(Apparently, Duckie needed a nap.)
And the best moment of all came after a long and hot day of walking around. As soon as we got back in the hotel room, we watched Dash and Pippi go straight to their respective blankets, and cuddle them in the corner for about 15 minutes. When Navy saw them, she said she thought they were saying their prayers! I told them no….they are just worshiping their cozy idols.
-
I said it last time and forgot about it….but San Francisco, I never plan to go back to see you. You and your transients…have a good time wreaking of urine, with WAY too many people per square foot.
Good thing I really enjoy being with my family…because at least I had that!
| DESIGN BY