Lake Tahoe

This past weekend we went on a family camping trip to Lake Tahoe.  I'm embarrassed to admit this but this is the first time we've been camping with all the kids.  I really like camping, but not so much with tiny babies or while pregnant.  So to all you who camp with teeny ones or while expecting, I commend you.  You are a better person than me.  Emma is big enough now to walk around and not fall in the fire, so we geared up and headed to the lake.  Tahoe is about 4 hours from our house.  Our gear barely fit in the car with all the kids in there.  It was a tight fit.  We might have to pack stuff on the roof rack next time.  Here are the kids helping us set up the tent.  I booked a site at a resort (Camp Richardson) with a beach and marina on the lake so we were really close to the water.  They also have a bike rental place and little ice cream shop.  The place was nice and it was fun, but I don't think I would recommend it or stay there again because of the beach situation.  I'll get to that.

Matthew and Anna came with me to buy some firewood from the little camp store.  

They did some exploring along the way.

Our first night we had tacos.

I was afraid I would forget something vital with the food, but it all worked out.

The kids playing Go Fish.

John checks out the fire.

Matthew brought his bird book.  He enjoyed identifying the different birds that we saw.

Matthew and Anna have inherited my love of well done marshmallows.

If it ain't black, put it back (in the fire).

Mmmm, s'mores!

Hot cocoa with breakfast.

We drove over to Emerald Bay.  We would have liked to explore more (Vikingsholm and some of the waterfalls and trails) but it was so crowded we couldn't find a parking space.  Lake Tahoe is so beautiful (I'd never been there before) but super crowded on summer weekends apparently.  In Southern California people go to Vegas for the weekend.  In Northern California they go to Tahoe.  We lucked into a parking spot at this lookout over Emerald Bay.  So pretty!

We need to come back at a less crowded time!

Grant tries to block Anna's view

After being unable to park anywhere at Emerald Bay we headed back toward our campsite (South Lake Tahoe area).   We stopped at the Lake Tahoe visitor's center.  I love visitor centers!  They were having a small festival there - the Native Species Festival.  Lots of plant displays - too bad my mom wasn't there.  We got to meet Smokey the Bear.  But the kids didn't know who he was and were all (but Anna) too afraid or shy to approach him.

At the visitor's center we were able to go on a short hike.  The visitor's center was gloriously uncrowded.  I think the hike was only a half mile loop but part of the loop was flooded so we went down one way until the flooding and then back the other way to the flooding, so I think we did a mile total.  Emma was getting a little tired by the end.

Here we are near the flooded part.  Part of the trail had a boardwalk over a marsh area.  This was taken seconds before Matthew fell in.  :(  He only fell in with one leg at least.  He was ok.

View of Mt. Tallac I want to say.

Part way through the hike was this stream profile where you could see under the stream.  It was so cool.  This was part of Taylor Creek.

And Taylor Creek from above.  All the rivers and streams we saw were bursting with water.

It's a high water year for California.

We found the flooded boardwalk trail again.

Time to head back.

Checking out a cool topo map of Lake Tahoe.

There were lots of fun activities as part of this Native Species Festival.  The kids got to climb through this blow up salmon...

Then swim up stream...

And hide their eggs in the gravel

They got to make bracelets.  Each color represented something about the salmon.

The rangers told the kids about it.

And helped them with their bracelets.

Later on we headed to the beach.  I thought this beach was private for guests of the resort only.  But that was not the case.  Anyone can use the beach.  And on this summer Saturday afternoon, everyone did.  It was so crowded.  Horribly crowded.  Like spring break in Florida.  I was disappointed about that.  But we braved the crowds for a few hours.

The trees go right up the shoreline so there is not a lot of beach to speak of and its actually shady in the water.  That's not something you find at most beaches.  At our campsite and in the lake there was a lot of yellow pollen from the trees.

We rented a kayak for a few hours. That was so much fun.

I haven't been kayaking in many years.

The boys on the beach

And some of the girls.  Emma did not want her feet to touch any sand or pine needles, so I held her most of the time.  I can't wait until she outgrows this.

John on the skinny beach.

Some of our kayakers

More kayakers.  Everyone got a chance to go.  And everyone but Emma went multiple times.  The kids really liked kayaking.  We'll have to go again.

And here we are on our last night having hot dogs.  The kids loved camping and want to go again soon.  I had a great time too but was not thrilled with the crowds.  Lake Tahoe is so beautiful and I'm glad we got to visit.  I'd love to come back again, but would prefer a less crowded time or place.  It was just too many people for me!!  But we still had fun.

Welcome Summer!!

Summer is upon us and we're trying to make the most of it.  We've been grilling out a lot.  Here is a recent grill meal, teriyaki chicken and grilled pineapple.  Easy and great for summer.  Here are a few pics from our recent summer activities.

Matthew just finished a week of cup camp.  It's mandatory here that parents volunteer two full days per camper.  So I was with the boys two days.  We had seven boys in our den.  They are Webelos so were a little more mature/better behaved than some of the younger boys.  They had a child watch place for my other kids to play while I helped the scouts.  Here's Matthew at the BB gun range.  The boys had a lot of fun shooting.

At the STEM station, exploding some bags with a baking soda and vinegar mixture.

Matthew with some of his den getting ready for their skit.

And at the archery range.  The camp was held at a private school in a neighboring town.  I thought it would have been more fun in the mountains but it worked out.

More archery

Matthew tying knots.

They had to wear the same shirt all week.  It was getting pretty stiff by the week's end.

On the last day they gave out a few awards and then went swimming at a local pool...for 4 1/2 hours!  I like the pool but don't usually spend 4 1/2 hours there so I had to psych myself up for this.  Five kids at the pool for four and a half hours.  We lathered up with sunscreen.  Here's Grant waiting to go in.  It was in the 90s that day so it was nice being at the pool. 

All my kids were excited to swim.

We survived the long afternoon at the pool.  It wasn't so bad but I missed a few places with the sunscreen on my back (must have Anna help me next time...she's always offering) and I realized I needed to bring more snacks.  Lessons learned for next time.

Grant was very excited this past week because he had a very wiggly tooth.  His first one.

And soon enough he lost it!  He was disappointed that the tooth fairy didn't come the first day (have I told you about our forgetful tooth fairy?) but he did get a visit from the tooth fairy the next day, so all was well.  The tooth fairy in our house is like Amazon prime - comes in two days.  (Forehead slap)

We got out the slip and slide and an old wading pool that we had from Illinois.  It took me a long time to clean the old pool, but eventually it was clean enough to use.

The kids found a grasshopper and Grant begged to keep it as a pet.  We made him let it go.

Here are the kids checking out their captive grasshopper.

We celebrated Scott on Father's Day.  Here is John asleep on him.  Such a nice place to fall asleep.

All the kids giving Scott a hug.  It's hard to spot all five kid heads in there.

A little bit better Father's Day picture on the front step.

Scott is such a great dad!

And swimming lessons!!  The kids had swimming lessons at the local high school last week and part of this week.  Last week they had to miss a day because of an accident in the pool and the decontamination that followed.  This week we got one day of swim lessons before another accident occurred.  And today we got a call that they are just cancelling the rest of the lessons.  So we only got 4 out of 8 days of swim lessons.  :(  The good news is they are refunding our money for all the lessons.  And we're going to use that to get a pool pass for a fun aquatic center at the other high school in town, which, as far as we know has not been closed for decontamination recently.  Fingers crossed.

Even though we didn't get a full swim lesson session, I think the kids learned something.  John wouldn't even get in the water the first day, but the second day he got right in.  And Matthew and Anna have improved on their different swim strokes I think.  More summer adventures to come.

The Last Day of School

and Kindergarten Graduation

I have become increasingly discontented with Grant and Anna's school.  One of the minor points of contention from this past week was that there was a kindergarten graduation ceremony but I was only made aware of it the day before through a last minute note home.  Throughout the year there has not been great communication home about what's happening at school.  

Luckily Scott already had the day off but I had to miss an event in Matthew's class to go to Grant's graduation.  In any case that is only a minor thing and we were able to make it to the graduation.   Here is Grant with his long-suffering teacher.  Grant had several behavior problems at the end of the year.  The major one involved him standing up to some 1st graders who had been teasing and picking on him all year.  Any day Grant got a ball, all year, these two 1st graders would steal it from him and then tease him.  The yard duty people never did anything when Grant complained 'cause the older boys would say they hadn't stolen the ball and that Grant was lying.  In the second to last week of school Grant stole the ball back when they took it from him and kicked it across the field.  Then, for good measure, he kicked their lunch boxes too.  When the yard duty people asked Grant if he did it, he said yes.  At least he didn't lie about it.  He ended up in the principal's office that day.  It wasn't a good day and was not good behavior, but I get why he did it.  And I don't like that the kindergarteners, even though they have their own playground and lunch area, have lunches and recesses with the older kids.  Because they get picked on.

Anna also had her troubles.  Two boys in her class picked on her all year and Anna ended up paired with one of them most of the year because no other student in the class could work with them.  Anna hated sitting by him 'cause he constantly made fun of her but her teacher intentionally kept her there 'cause Anna was a good student and would still be able to get her work done.  It was bad for Anna.  She was counting down the days until she would never have to sit by this boy again.

Next year Anna is going to a different school to be in the same program Matthew is in and will have, I think, the best teacher in the district.  So I'm hoping she doesn't have to sit by any jerks next year just because she is a good student.

UPDATE:  We just found out Matthew's teacher is retiring immediately and Anna won't get to have him next year.  I'm very sad about it but hopefully they will get a great new teacher to replace him.  :(

And I'm considering sending Grant to that school as well for several other, much more serious reasons (involving misappropriation of parent donated Home-and-School Club funds) that I won't go into now.  Sorry for the school rant.

 Grant with his class at the graduation ceremony.

 

I was really annoyed with a lot of the parents because they walked right up in front of everyone who was sitting and stood there to record with their phones while our kids were singing.  No one could see.  At least crouch down people!  I got a few glimpses of Grant between standing people.  They also announced each child's name so they could walk across and get their diploma.  And a lot of the parents sitting in front stood up, folded up their chairs and stood there chatting after their kids' names were called even though there were still 3 other classes to go.  Some days I feel like people are the worst.  Ok.  Not all people.  ;)

After the ceremony.

I made it through without punching anyone.  Yeah me!!

So Grant survived kindergarten.

Barely.

And we all survived his graduation.  I'm glad we found out about it in time.

Onto 1st grade...maybe at another school

Anna and her beloved 3rd grade teacher

Despite Anna's classroom troubles she did love her teacher.

Matthew on the last day at his school.

He was sad to leave his great teacher, Mr. H., who Anna will probably have next year.

Mr. H is a fantastic teacher who we love.  But Matthew will still be able to see him some next year.

UPDATE:  We just found out that Matthew's beloved teacher is retiring immediately.  I was hoping we would at least get a year notice on the retirement.  So Anna won't be able to have him next year.  We're all sad.

Here are our school kids on the last day.

Last day of 4th grade, 3rd grade and kindergarten.

And my two kids at home...who will be home with me one more year.

They have really become buddies this year.

John wanted to be in the picture with the big kids.

They all look so grown up.  Are we ready for summer?

The day after the last day of school, Grant crashed, hard in the afternoon.

 It's like when you're a college student and finals are over and you just sleep for three days.

Am I the only one who did that?

He slept and slept and then was up a bunch in the night.  

A year of kindergarten will really take it out of you.

Now on to summer!!