Monterey Bay Aquarium and Dennis the Menace Park

Tyler took this week off work and we are having "fun week". I am going to blog it all out of order, well, I guess because that's how I do things! Tuesday and Wednesday we spent in Monterey, I even got to wear a sweatshirt for a bit! Below we are walking Cannery Row to the aquarium.

Sadly the aquarium was incredibly busy, apparently all of Europe vacations in August. It was very frustrating to try and see the exhibits and enjoy ourselves, it took forever just to look at each tank. The kids, especially Peyton, loved this area below where every 10-15 seconds a huge wave would pass overhead.

The Europeans weren't as into this as some of the kids were so we hung out here for awhile.

I love the touch pools, I think the kids liked them too, my favorite...the sea cucumber (not pictured)

The splash zone for kids was a hit. Peyton found a little area just high enough for her to walk through that had several different tanks lining the walls; it was hard to get her to leave there.

I had to include this little guy. He was such a funny looking fish, can you see his lips?

We spent some more time in the less busy area, Hovden Cannery. The aquarium occupies the same space the cannery once did and part of it was left intact so we can see what it was like as a cannery. Here the kids are in a fish basket. WHAT A CATCH!

Well, we made the choice to take off from the aquarium and head over to the best park, Dennis the Menace Park. I was sad to leave the aquarium early, but it was really too busy. I made the suggestion that we come back the following day (we bought a membership which allows unlimited entrance to the aquarium for a year because it was only $20 more for our entire family). Below is Jacob going down a slide at the park, one of many it has. I know it isn't the best picture but I wanted to include it so you could see a few of the slides; these are very fun; they are curvy and bumpy.

Peyton conquered a fear there. She has a huge issue walking on suspension bridges, even the little tiny ones on play equipment, she hates how they move. Well, at this park there is a very big one, and she said she wanted to go on it. As soon as she stepped on I could see the fear quickly creep into her eyes and I said, "How fun, it's like a trampoline huh?" She loves tramps and immediately began jumping. She made it all the way across the bridge.

I went down this roller slide myself, on my bum though. It was so much fun, most of the kids were "surfing" down it like Jacob is here. I wanted to try and probably would have if there weren't so many adults watching!

Here Micah is "surfing"

I took a picture of Micah and Jacob several years ago in this same tunnel and wanted to get one of all the kids but Peyton was elsewhere with Daddy.

Southern Pacific Railroad donated this real engine that the kids can play on. The boys loved it and requested going back to the park the next day too, so it looked like we would go back to both places the next day and skip the beach. When we got to our hotel we went swimming (a bit cold) I let the boys swim longer and took Peyton back to our room where we played in a nice warm tub and she didn't let me get out until she was done too.

Here we are the next morning walking to the trolley stop. I got my way, we were going back to the aquarium! I thought it was so funny that Peyt was picking her nose up on Daddy's shoulders for all the world to see.

One of my all time favorite exhibits is the jellyfish exhibit. I hate to see them dead on the beach but love them in all their beauty swimming in an aquarium!

The aquarium has a few new exhibits, Seahorses, flamingos, and sea turtles. They are beautifully done and I enjoyed them but there was A LOT of global warming/polor ice caps are melting propaganda that I really could have done without. Anyhow, I am all for treating our planet well and recycling and being green and all that it just irritates me to hear it tied in with global warming. That being said, the exhibits themselves are awesome. Here is Ben with a seahorse statue. He was always ready for a picture. Did you know that the female seahorse gives her eggs to the male and he caries and delivers the babies?

This is Peyton with one of her "friends". It was like pulling teeth to get her away from these guys. A while after this was taken we lost her and I went directly back to the turtles and there she was, squating by her turtle friends, pooping.

The second day at the aquarium was great, much fewer people, still busy but not as bad. Again we went to the park afterward and had lots more fun, the camera battery died so I was freed from taking pictures and we just had fun. We then drove home. When we got in the car Ben said, "Where are we going now?" Ty told him we were going home and he started to whine. I guess they were having fun. More to come, stay tuned.

Another hand me down and the park

You liked my sweater on Miss P, here are my sleepers on her, pretty good shape after 30 years huh?
January 24, 2009
January 29, 2009

Park time on a warm, sunny day.

Park Day and Easter Eggs!

We actually made it out of the house today! We borrowed Hannah Martin and brought her to the park with us. Hannah is Jacob's favorite friend. He tells me that he is going to marry Hannah. Hannah is the biggest tomboy I have ever known, and she is beautiful with long thick blond hair, which makes her perfect in Jacob's eyes. She loves to do the same things as Jacob, but she has long pretty hair. He is very smitten with her. While they were playing Legos, he just stopped and watched her for a little while. She likes Jacob quite a bit too, as a friend. I don't think it's as big a deal to her as it is to Jacob.

Hannah Martin and Jacob


Ben has always been pretty freaked out on the swing, but this park trip I think helped get him over his fears. He was very scared and didn't want to go high, like always, but by the end of our visit he was swinging as high as we could push him. Way to conquer your fear Benji!


Hannah is the queen of the monkey bars! She went around and around several times. Micah said, "Hannah, that's really good, I can't even do that! Well, let me see." He was inspired. He couldn't go nearly as long as her, but it was the longest I've ever seen him go on them, good job Micah!


They all played Hogwarts while we were at the park and didn't want to go home because there was no "tower" at home. I wonder if this Olive tree was supposed to be the whomping willow?


Ben really wanted to get up in that tree.

Dying Easter Eggs is one of my favorite things to do. This year I didn't make that many, so there were enough for each of us to only to 2, so I tried to make my 2 really count! Tyler did one and donated the other to Ben. Tyler knows how much I love coloring Easter Eggs, so He took charge of Peyton so I was able to really enjoy it this year. Dying eggs is something I always did with my dad and it was a special thing for us, so I always think of him whenever I color eggs. All the eggs looked great, I think we should do fewer every year, and that way there are less to eat! We love them, but we are all trying to help support Tyler in lowering his cholesterol, we want him around for a very long time!

Getting ready to dye eggs!

daddy (Tyler) quickly working to get his one egg done.

Ben is thinking really hard about what he's going to do with his next egg.

My sweet husband taking care of the baby so I can enjoy this activity.

My favorite egg of my 2.

Micah's eggs, one of them is a world on one side and on the other it's an eyeball.

Jacob's eggs, one of his is an outside scene with grass and a sky.

One of Ben's eggs, it was all scribbled, actually pretty cool.

Aunt Morgan's favorite of hers, pretty flowers all over it, I wish you could see the whole thing.

My silly Jacob was so exhausted he fell asleep in his bed with a Power Ranger on his face! We were up too late dying eggs.

Family Home Evening, The Park, Mutual, Haircuts and Smiles!

Monday night for Family Home Evening Micah read us a story from the Friend about a little boy who gave up his Easter Eggs to two blind children. It was really a good story and the boys seemed to really grasp the lesson behind it. Jacob was asked to pick the song and while he was thinking about it I said that I had a song in mind that would go well with the lesson. He immediately started singing the song I was thinking of. It's the one that starts, "If you don't walk as most people do, some people walk away from you but I won't, I won't." When Jacob learned this song in primary he sang it quite often, he really likes it. Afterward we played games together. While tyler was doing some studying the boys started playing chess together, then we all played "What's Gnu" (a spelling game)and "Uno Spin". It was so much fun, I wish I would have taken some other pictures! It was one of those times I just felt an overwhelming amount of love for my family.



On Wednesday we had our play group, but it was the whole Fresno Play pals Annual Spring Fling. We had it at Oso De Oro, this huge park in Fresno, where we always have it. It is especially cool because it was built to be handicapped accessable. I love it, so do the kids. They had an Easter egg hunt, played a bit and fed the ducks and geese. Unfortunately we had to go a little late because Jacob had to be picked up from school before we left, and Micah had to picked up afterward and it was early release, 2pm. It was very fun though.



Jacob and Ben ready for the egg hunt. I wish you could tell how shiny all those eggs really were, it was beautiful in the sun.

Off they go! Look at Ben running.

Jacob collectede about 3 times as many as Ben. Poor Ben, the bag I gave him was closed pretty tightly and he spent a lot of time trying to get his first egg in the narrow opening before I realized what was wrong.

Jacob's hair looking a bit Bobby Brady ish.

Ben loved just throwing the bread, I don't think he even payed much attention to the ducks and geese eating it. He was just trying to throw it as high over the fence as he could, it just wasn't as fun to drop it through the slats.


Jacob had lots of fun feeding the ducks and geese too. Thankfully my friend Jennifer brought a lot of bread for everyone.



Wednesday night was mutual and Peyton came with me like always. Every 2nd Tuesday of the month we work on Personal Progress. Because there is a play going on, I only had 2 of my girls there, so after we finished with Personal Progress we put the baby on the floor and got a few pictures. This is one of my favorite sleepers she has, I especially like the hat, and of course, it's a hand me down!

On Thursday we had an appointment for haircuts, Jacob and I did anyway. I have always been the one to cut Tyler's hair, and all the boys too. It saves us quite a bit of money. I try to convince Tyler to cut mine but he refuses, that's probably a good thing. I don't want to be too low maintenence! Anyway, Jacob has always been difficult for haircuts. He is afraid of them and it takes 2 people to hold him down. This last time I just let his hair keep on growing because I was dreading having to cut it. Luckily that overgrown, shaggy doo is in right now. Well, my step sister's mom cuts hair. Her name is Janie and she's like family. Janie has her own shop in her house, it's not finished yet, but it's pretty cool. I made an appointment for Jacob and I because Jacob is not afraid of scissors, just clippers. All I can do haircuts with are the clippers. It still took a lot of time and a few bribes to get him in the chair. We even had Benji get a haircut first and he didn't even need one. What a good example for a little brother to set. Ben showed him that it was so easy! Jacob now holds a free pass to play Nintendo on a day when he usually can't (a school day!) When I first waved the free Nintendo pass he didn't bite, it took telling him that he wouldn't get to play on Friday or Saturday either if he didn't get in that chair!


Here is Ben setting an example. He always sits so still for his haircuts and never complains about it.



Afterward Janie even offered them candy. Ben was in heaven, he loves candy.



Before!


Doing good Jacob, I am so happy!


She thinned the back out quite a bit with one of those razor combs, Jacob has insanely thick hair.


After!




Aww, Peyton! On Friday I was finally able to capture some smiles on camera, they are coming more often and more easily now. I didn't get any of her open mouthed or her half mouth smiles, maybe next time. I was going to wipe the drool off of her face but I was afraid I wouldn't get the smile after that, so I left it. She is such a good and sweet baby. Her smile makes my day.