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Stories I don't want to forget

So I posted the pictures of our vacation onto Facebook, but I can't really put all the stories that go with them into the little caption boxes... so, I thought I'd share them with you on here! I'm really bad at organizing pictures throughout text, so I'll do my best to coordinate stories to pictures...

We left early in the morning on Saturday, and began the first 7-hour leg of our road trip to Harris Ranch, in Coalinga, Ca (aka my favorite place on earth :) ). We spent one night in Redding, CA, and then finished the drive and stayed 5 nights at Harris Ranch. On friday our little family parted ways with the rest, and headed to the coast to see the Redwoods!

Ok, photo #1~
I wanted to include this picture because of the little tin Henry is holding. I bought both the boys a tin lunch box, and filled them with snacks, pencils, mini sketch pads, flash cards of bugs and animals... lots of little goodies from the Target dollar section. I totally recommend this to any of you with a future of road trips with little kids! These boxes brought us lots of hours of quiet(ish) play in the back seat, and once we arrived at Harris, they became lunch boxes for the poolside! I think I'll use them again next year, if they haven't been destroyed yet!




Photo #2~
Ohhhh I love this little face. I don't think Henry will remember this trip because of his age, but I will...



Photo #3~
So much trust for his Daddy. This is swimming in Lake Shasta.







Photo #4~
Jonathan surprised me with this impromptu, glorious squeeze! BEST.FEELING.EVER. :)

Photo #5~
SUPER BOY!!! He didn't leave these goggles on for more than the duration of my pictures, but I could see in his little goggled-eyes that he was quite ticked with himself, and felt very much like SUPER BOY!






Photo #6 & 7~
I kinda like dressing the boys similar. I like that they are becoming buddies. J has his Teddy, and H has his Monkey, and I love encouraging their buddy-ness. :)







Photo #8~
I love these guys! Throughout this trip, I really enjoyed a few hilarious moments between my husband, bro-in-law and I. I respect them both, and I love the humor dynamic we have :)

Photo #9~
THIS FACE! This face embodies the stage of development that Jonathan is in right now. About a year ago, he started making a different face that marked a season also. That face was sticking out his upper lip, which said, "Captain Destructo, comin' through- prepare for mayhem." Don't think I need to describe that too much... I started getting face to face with him when he'd make that face, I'd put my face up close to his and put my thumb over his lip and say, "Jonathan, wipe that naughty look off your face. "
The face that shows up sometimes currently is this little sideways lips thing... he looks so... determined, in an adventuresome, I'm-grown-up sort of way. It's hard to describe- I'm thankful for the picture to capture it.






Photo #10~
This one of J jumping is such a milestone in his boy-hood. I love it. :)

Photo #11~
Buddies. Tired from the pool, takin' a break for some juice together... buddies.






Photo #12~
I love this man, and I always will.

Photo #13~
Henry loves animals. I take the boy to the park, and he doesn't want to play on the play structure, he wants to pet the dogs! On this trip he started calling me "Mam," or "Mamee" instead of "Momma", and on the beach this day (Santa Monica) he kept saying, "Mamee- a bird? a get it?" He wanted to chase the birds! So here we are chasing them!






Photo #14~
I love that Josh and I share a love for coffee. It's a tiny little thing that has been such a mutual bright spot for us, especially through this season we've just walked through. This photo was in Santa Monica at Crumbs.

Photo #15~
Jonathan and Sean became even better buddies on this trip. I'm sure Jonathan feels like a big kid around him- can you see it?






Photo #16~
Out in the middle of the Trinity National Forest, CA, we found a garage sale! Jonathan was SO excited: partially because it meant we could get out of the car for awhile, and partially because he loves garage sales! I was stoked too. Thumbs up!

Photo #17~
Daddy is so much fun! The boys are in the middle of the Redwoods, throwing sticks at "truck monsters"... super cute, and definitely a boy-thing!







Photo #18~
Sometimes I look at pictures of myself, and I'm surprised by what I see. In this one, I really see myself as a Mom. It's strange that I'm really doing this- I'm really raising kids!







Photo #19 & 20~
Our little family!

This trip was so much work- but so much fun, family, and sooooo many memories!

Comments

  1. Looks like such a sweet time. Yes, long road trips/vacations are lots of work with young kids!!!!!! :-) So worth the memories as a young family!!

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