From Dan and Emily

A Day at the Park from Dan Truog on Vimeo.

Outgrowing the cage

Remember this? Well, while we were gone, our lovely neighbors helped water a bit and before I left I did fertilize and when I got home...

Day 4: Wake up in Arcata, Go to sleep in our own beds

The problem mom and I have with driving along the 101 is that there is so much we always want to stop and do. We want to stop at every beach and take every detour and go to the aquarium and the sea lion caves and take the Skunk Train from Willits to Fort Bragg and lay on the sea glass beach and swim in the rivers and and and... I knew it wasn't going to happen. I looked at the windy road on the map that would take us back to the coast from the redwoods, and all I felt was nausea and all I heard was kids screaming. So instead we found Caleb one of the only three drive-through trees left in California. It was off of the Avenue of Giants in Myers Flat. Then we had lunch in Miranda.

As a last measure to regain some semblance of sanity, we stopped in Healdsburg at the beautiful playground in their recreation center to feed Zoe and let C run off some energy. The playground made me a little jealous. But I feel like if you leave Healdsburg without being jealous of something (the food, the lifestyle, the rolling winery hills, the quaint townsquare, the adorable homes, the huge estates) then its not doing its job. So, I picked the playground.

Black Sand

101 is beautiful. Every time. At all times of day. In all weather. It never gets boring. Unless you're 3. And all you want is to go play at the beach. Not stare out the window at it. But it was cold and windy in Bandon. And then sister Zoe needed a nap as we were passing through PRIME beach land. And then all of a sudden the water turned to trees. But then! Zoe wakes up. And she's hungry and fussy and we all agree to take the next possible stop. Which turns out to be False Klamath Cove. And everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief. Zoe is fed and then let loose to become covered with sticky black sand. Henry chases after sticks running like a bunny and Caleb finally! gets to dig and build and smash some sand. It was magic.

Day 3: Still Alive

I awoke in our hotel room at the Best Western in Florence, Oregon to the sound of the room phone ringing. I stumbled to the phone but didn't get there in time. I noticed the door to our motel room was open so I stuck my head out trying to figure out what was going on, maybe mom hadn't closed the door tightly after she left in search of breakfast with Zoe. Maybe she took Henry with her on a walk. Since I couldn't see anything without my glasses on, I went back in to find them and put them on. Before I could investigate further there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Caleb, in his pajamas, in the arms of a stranger, next to a woman in a Best Western uniform asking if this was my son. After assuring her that, yes this is my son, I then went to retrieve Henry off the third floor deck where he had been cornered after nipping at a few guests' heels. I still don't know for sure why Caleb decided to leave our room that morning. The hotel worker told me it's a good thing my son knows my name. Is this what the threes are all about? This (not so) newly found independence is scary and embarrassing.

Back on our way down the coast. We promised Caleb we would stop at the beach in Bandon was it was ridiculously cold and windy and miserable so we found a playground inland a little. Caleb was disappointed. But! Forever now, Caleb has been talking about his purple house in San Pablo. He has a purple car that goes with his purple house and he is allowed to do anything he wants at this house and all of his favorite people live there with him (which isn't usually his parents) and the description of this house gets more and more elaborate as he builds on this story. Well, at this park in Bandon, there was a little play tugboat and he declared THIS his purple house. He told me he wanted to stay there forever. He showed me where he cooks dinner and sleeps and colors... he was in love. (Eventually, of course, we did have to leave. Tantrums ensued.)

Day 2: May the life of this fleet be bountiful and safe

18 through Oregon to the coast, then down down down 101. A little stop for ice cream, then on to Newport for an amazing meal at Local Ocean Seafoods. Everything was yummy and perfect and fresh... except Caleb who was antsy and impatient and tired of sitting after the day in the car. Afterward, we walked a little and looked at the boats and then-back in the car to our hotel in Florence. It was a long day.

On the road again...

Luke left early Monday morning in time to be at work in Emeryville. We shoved as much stuff as we could into the car, rearranged everything, fit everything in and then hopped in ourselves. We stopped in Olympia, so Zoe could meet her Great Grandma Noble and so that we all could visit with Grandma Noble and my Aunt Sheryl. My cousin Anna made an appearance and even Henry got a bit of play time with their jack russel terrier. Zoe put on a show for everyone, smiling and cooing.

Then it was off to Vancouver to see the rest of Grandma Lila's family. Caleb got homemade ice cream and found a playmate in Violet. Zoe got to spend a lot of time in the grass and pulled herself up to standing for the time.

Fish Pond

After the Sculpture Park, we had dinner at Anthony's which is one of my favorite Seattle places that remind me of when Seattle was home. What I didn't know, was that there is a splash park on the pier behind the restaurant. Since it was still in the upper 80's after dinner, we let Caleb go for a swim. And by "let" I mean I said "okay" after he had already hopped in.