Oden Adventures

In February, we found a bit more of a rhythm again.  I captioned videos like a madwoman, taking advantage of the ever-increasing ability of my kiddos to play alone or together (or let's be honest, watch TV), and we didn't let the rain get us down so much.

Indoors days means Oliver/Batman can hang out in his favorite spot in Sister's room...

and Vianne can get her baker on. 

 Using her new baking set from Christmas and her chef's hat from Grandma, 

I helped her make her first-ever no bake cookies.

She even got to stir over the hot stove, which was a big deal!

"I'm making really good blobs," Chef Vianne tells me.

And we also grabbed hold of the non-rainy days.  Our first family trip to Davis, CA, which is really just right down the street, we explored the UC Davis Aboretum, a few miles' loop around a creek (?) with lots of fauna & flora to take in.

The kids were thoroughly enchanted with the love locks!

We were also delighted to come upon some horses!

A kind security officer had some badges for the kids.

We met a very loud donkey

and some curious sheep.

We found a quilted heart that reportedly needed a home, part of a nationwide campaign to brighten lives that we were previously unaware of.  It brightened our day!

Lots of fun bridges along the route

We swung by Baskin Robbins afterwards since February is Love Potion #31 month, or as I call it The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Vianne opted for her current passion, chocolate, and for not taking a good picture.

There's the good stuff...

Oliver had fallen asleep in the car and stayed asleep for the whole ice cream outing.

Daddy & Chef Vianne making some root beer float ice cream (my other favorite)

These two.

The last week of February, the kids & I headed north on I-5 to surprise Mom/Grandma for her milestone birthday.  Great day for a road trip!

The kids powered through with me all the way to Weed before we stopped!  There was snow there, which was fun.  Pretty sure this was O's first time in snow.

We spent a couple of sneaky days at the Storey house, playing with them and hanging out with the Hsiehs, before surprising Mom at her house (where the Blairs were staying) on Saturday.  

These two cuties reached a new level of bonding, having this adorable stair conversation.

V adores her cousins

Playing war with Aunt Jenny, another of V's happy places

Hope Fellowship on Sunday (Mom's big day) where Thom was preaching that day.

Then over to Geoff's house, where the big cousins watched the little cousins so that the adults could go out for a wonderfully peaceful lunch of delicious Thai food.

Grandma's brood...we tried so hard to get one good one.  So. Hard.

Birthday dessert after lunch

The second half of the trip we stayed over at Geoff's house and spent the day with Vera & the boys at Mom's on Monday, then headed back south on Tuesday.  

Always have to get a shot of my favorite part of the drive, Mt. Shasta.