Thanksgiving Week {Monterey, Los Banos, Fresno}

Really attempting to make the most of our Thanksgiving week, Jake took the week off and we spent a 6 days hoping around Central California. Our 1st stop was Monterey, CA. This is a quaint coastal town we had both visited as children. Two of Jake's brothers and their families came as well making a large Freeman crew exploring the town. Kate could have cared less where we were and what we saw, because when asked what her favorite part was she would always respond it was her cousins. It is hard to beat 4 little girl cousins to play with. The weather was cold but we dressed the kids in their snow gear and took them to the beach so they could see the ocean. Kate went straight to work collection shells and building things, until her cousins showed up and she could skip the shores with them.

Looking at Sea Otters.
We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which was a popular destination the day before Thanksgiving.

"CHAARRK!" is what Sam yelled through most the aquarium.
Kate show cases the fish tank for me.


Kate and Cami look at the Jelly Fish



Sam started screaming and crying out of exhaustion so he ended up outside with Jake chasing seagulls for the better half of the aquarium. I don't know that how much of the aquarium I really saw for trying to keep track of Kate running around and Sam's tantrums. I really love the atmosphere of the town and would love to return sans children some day.
For actual Thanksgiving we headed to Los Banos, CA, where my grandmother and aunts live. My parents and little sister were there too. In my hurry to re pack our stuff to spend the day in Los Banos, I forgot my camera. Imagine there is a picture of tons of food, cousins, and a spirited game of BINGO with very worthy prizes.
We ended our trip with a few days rest in Fresno with Jake's parents and siblings who live in Fresno and who were in town for Thanksgiving. We saw five of the seven siblings and their families.
The kids enjoyed playing with cousins, a grandma and grandpa who would read them book after book, and warm enough weather to play outside in the orchard.


We made a last minute decision to leave Saturday evening because we saw Winter Storm Warnings for Sunday and Monday. We packed our stuff and the car in about 25 minutes and were on our way. When it started snowing before we hit Las Vegas I thought we would be in a lot of trouble, but we had little snow until the last hour of our drive. Jake and I both pulled an all night-er to get home safely and finally went to bed this morning around 6:30 am. Of course the kids slept well in the car and we have been trading off sleeping most of today to make up for it.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving with perhaps less traveling and packing.

Fall Fun

On a whim (like usual) we decided to head out to the Thanksgiving Point's Halloween Fun this afternoon. Like is tradition we ate JCW's, and then to join in all the Fall fun at Thanksgiving Point. This is the 2nd year we have gone to this Fall activity park/ dinner at JCW's. I really like this evening. I think we will do it next year as well.
Here Kate and I enjoy a ride on the Grain Train.

Can you believe how handsome this guy is?
I guess we know why my little boy is so handsome.
I can't believe that both these handsome men are all mine.
We rented a wagon to tote kids around in.
Here we are lost in the corn maze. We found some corn though. Corn Sam tried to eat, but Kate told him we had to wait till we got home. Sorry kids- we are never eating that corn you found.

There are not very many picture of Kate because even before we got to the park, Kate was saying she wanted to go home. She was grumpy because she had fallen asleep in the car and we had to wake her up, but also because it was really cold, and when we had played at the park this afternoon it was really hot, so all I brought the kids were sweaters. That is okay- last year Kate was really grumpy here too- I guess it is all part of the tradition. The rest of us had tons of fun.

Sam didn't let the cold get to him. He loved everything. Including throwing hay all over himself.

Kate and Jake climb a hay tower.

Riding a bike trike.

Sam has no fear on the big slides.
Kate finally got happy around the time she rode this monster.

Sam enjoyed jumping on the trampoline with Jake.
When we decided to leave of course, Kate didn't want to go home anymore, and wanted to do more things like ride these moose swings.

Sit on this train.

Riding trikes in a hay maze.


Ride in some cow carts pulled by a tractor
We spent nearly two hours at all the activities and there was lots more to see and do not pictured- including Jake and my favorite- little pig races. We had planned to get pumpkins but we were too cold and it was too late by the time we had done all the activities, so we will have to plan another pumpkin trip.
The End.

Fresno Trip #17

This past week we headed out for what I believe to be our 17th trip to Fresno during our marriage. It always feels like a second home. Have I explained how great of a family I married in to. My Mother and Father in Law are good at everything. If you want to learn to do something- they are the people to consult. No wonder Jake is the king of everything- it runs in their blood. Furthermore his siblings and their spouses are some of my best friends. Marrying into this big family I figured that there would be some people I liked- but I didn't guess I would love all of them. We only wish we could hang out with them all more.
Our trip there went smoothly. We drove through the evening and night and the kids were pleasant and sleepy. Our first order of business upon arrival after some catch up was a trip to the Fresno Zoo. Kate loved being the tour guide, sitting in the stroller and pointing things out she wanted to see in the brochure. The brochure featured a parrot- which we did not see, leaving Kate a little confused.
The Stroller Limousine we borrowed from my sister in law was a hit with the kids. The cooler weather brought out the animals. Sam growled at the tiger and Kate name every animal there- including a cabybara. Zoo trip = success.
We have never been to Fresno in February. It is completely gorgeous. Yes- these pictures are from February. Jealous of the states weather? Sadly- we didn't have much sun, but lots and lots of rain- and even a little snow when we headed to the "mountain house" as Kate calls it. Any plans to go Marine World or the coast were out. But I felt like we were still always doing something.
These are the bee boxes. If you didn't know- farmers bring bees in to help pollinate their trees. One of my favorite things to see is the trees in bloom and the bee boxes lining the rows.
The Freeman Farm grows a little of everything. The everything trees are a bounty of fruit that they spread between all their family and friends and there is still too much to ever eat. This trip we brought home a box or oranges and tangerines. The majority of the land- what they harvest for profit and sell to Sunsweet -are plums for drying. If you have ever bought a bag of Sunsweet prunes you may have just been eating something from The Freeman Farm. The prune trees are not in bloom, so not as lovely- but interesting to look at still. I think they always look spooky.
Mid trip we traveled to Los Banos to visit Grandma Wood, Aunt Marilyn and cousin Tina. They were kind enough to play with the kids and not mind the mess they created.

Kate loves her cousins. There are seven little girls 6 and under who make perfect playmates for Kate. Kate enjoyed playing with the four that live near by. She is already talking about her cousins coming to visit her and making plans for what they will play. We love it because we don't spend an ounce of energy entertaining her the entire trip.
Sunday we had some great weather. Sam soaked up some sun while dancing on the trampoline.
The last day or so there the kids came down with colds. They were cranky the whole way home and I just chalked it up to the colds and long trip. When we got them out to get a bite to eat half way home we discovered their 102.4 fevers. I guess they had a reason to be crying after all. But who needs crisis training when you have dum- dums. They seemed to help the kids at least soothe themselves to sleep. One time I promise we will manage not to get sick in California.

Now we are home. My goals for the day include unpacking and getting the kids better. Then I need to catch up on chores so I can get to reading Cathing Fire. I read Hunger Games by Collins this trip- despite my usual stance against reading anything trendy- and was pleasantly surprised.