Tiny Mini Golf

If you've ever had to keep two-year-olds entertained, you probably know how difficult a task it can be.  They tend to get bored.  So, even though I was admittedly skeptical when Jenn suggested that we take Max and Charlotte mini-golfing down in the Arroyo Seco last Saturday, I went along with it, figuring that we had nothing to lose, really.   But, as you can see, it was a terrific plan!

16 February 2013

16 February 2013

They might not have really understood the concept of the game, but it should be pretty clear that we all had a great time!  And I appreciated their unique perspective on mini golf.

I just wish that I had known that we wouldn't be able to retrieve our golf balls after sinking the final hole of the course.  Charlotte was very confused -- as was I -- and rather upset about that ... until she noticed the squirrels playing in the trees nearby and the sparrows waiting to eat the scraps of our lunch.

Sometimes, entertaining a two-year-old isn't as hard as it seems after all.

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

Seasons Greetings from Chico, California -- Part II

So where did I leave off ... uh, three weeks ago?  Ah, yes ...

We were supposed to stay in Chico for just a few more days, but we wound up spending another week there.  Clearly, Charlotte and Max, enjoying a puddle following lunch, were having too much fun to leave!

26 December 2012

We got to spend extra time with Tio Johnny and Tia Wren and Max and Charlotte's cousins, Natalie and Patrick.  And that, naturally, was a lot of fun.  Max and Charlotte really enjoy playing with them; I'm pretty sure it's mutual.  Patrick showed off his vehicles one evening.

29 December 2012

Patrick shows Charlotte his swank electric jeep (above), as Max Luke Dukes it over the hood.  We didn't leave the garage, so there wasn't any driving around.  However, there was just enough room for Patrick to give Charlotte a ride on his little motorcycle.

29 December 2012

Charlotte, playing in Grandma Judy's backyard, does a pretty good "Dumb" Donald impression, which is impressive because, not only is she not at all dumb, I'm pretty sure she's never even seen a single episode of Fat Albert!

30 December 2012

Girl cousins!  Natalie and Charlotte enjoyed playing together, too.

30 December 2012

Natalie, Patrick, Charlotte and Max and their parents and Grandma Judy visited a playground in downtown Chico before enjoying lunch on New Year's Eve.  Charlotte and Max displayed their skillz on the slide.

New Year's Eve 2012

New Year's Eve 2012

Charlotte poses with Abby at Patrick and Natalie's house on New Year's Eve eve.

New Year's Eve 2012

But we did eventually have to head home.  On the way back we stayed at Harris Ranch.   The feedlot smell notwithstanding, we had a nice evening.  Charlotte and Max woke up in good spirits.

2 January 2013

2 January 2013

In fact, it was so nice that we're probably going to stay there on our next family road trip up to Chico!


Lucy and Rufus didn't come with us.  There wouldn't have been room in the car for them, even if we'd tried to make some for them!  So they stayed in Riverside County, where they romped and played and were made (more) beautiful before they came home to us.

6 January 2013

I have to say that, despite myself, I though that the road trip was a lot of fun.  I'm really looking forward to doing it again!  And, if I know my children, I'm sure that they're looking forward to our next road trip, too ... if only for the hours and uninterrupted hours of Curious George!

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

Seasons Greetings from Chico, California -- Part I

We hope that everyone out there enjoyed the holidays!  Max and Charlotte sure did!  It seemed to be the first Christmas that really meant something to them (i.e. they at least got the concept of a present).  And we made the most of it ... at least I like to think we did.

Charlotte and Max joined us for a little Christmas shopping on Lake Street here in lovely Pasadena, California.  Charlotte met (and posed with) a cute papier-mȃché fox while shopping at Anthropologie.

15 December 2012

After their Macy's shopping spree, Max and Charlotte sat with us at a new Italian restaurant for a nice post-shopping lunch.

15 December 2012

Having turned two, Max and Charlotte now require their own plane tickets.  Buying four plane tickets instead of two changed the economics around our holiday travel.  Whereas we have flown to Chico, California, in the past in order to avoid the difficulties of a long, 8-hour (at a minimum) drive, we elected this time to go by car to spend Christmas (and New Year's it would turn out) in Chico with Grandma Judy, Tio Johnny and his family.  And to make things a little easier on Charlotte and Max, we took two days to do it.  Below Max can be seen posing next to the enormous fountain -- water features are always a draw for our children -- at the Hotel Mission de Oro in Gustine, California, which marked the halfway point on our journey and is where we spent the night.

23 December 2012

There was a lot of sleeping on the car ride to Chico ...

23 December 2012

... but there was probably more time spent watching Curious George!

Charlotte really digs opening presents!

25 December 2012

Max and Cousin Natalie check out one of Max and Charlotte's more intriguing Christmas presents: a Shop and Learn Cash Register.  It turned out to be quite popular.

25 December 2012

I'm not sure whether I find the picture of pensive Charlotte (left) or happy Charlotte (right) to be cuter.  Fortunately, I don't have to choose!

25 December 2012

25 December 2012

I'm still pretty amazed that I not only got Charlotte to sit and pose for me, but that some of the pictures actually turned out decently.  (Dress by Grandma Cheryl.)

Max didn't want to wear his nice Christmas clothes, but he looked cute standing with his Mommy nonetheless.  (I wouldn't have expected any different.)

25 December 2012

We were all very excited that Grandma Cheryl and Auntie Lauren joined us up in cheery Chico!

25 December 2012

25 December 2012

As I said, the Shop and Learn Cash Register was pretty popular!

25 December 2012

We had a great Christmas!  Charlotte had a lot of fun opening presents.  And Max had so much fun playing with each toy he got that he could barely be bothered to open the next gift.  Indeed, Charlotte had to finish the job for him.  (I got some pretty cool gifts, too.)  And, of course, the very best part was spending time with family, from both Jenn's and my side!

But, wait (for the next post) ... there's more!!!

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

Two Turn Two

Max and Charlotte celebrated their second birthday about a week and a half ago.  It was not the grand affair that their first birthday party was, but it was exciting nonetheless!  Just as we did a year ago, we had a party with plenty of friends, presents and birthday cake!  This year we held a smaller party at the neighborhood park in the late morning/early afternoon (thus avoiding difficult bedtime conflicts and extensive post-party clean-up).

Charlotte posed with Brenda for a few pictures ...

10 November 2012

... as well as Brenda's daughter, Gabby.

10 November 2012

Many thanks to Brenda and Gabby for bringing the Elmo birthday cake!  I'm sure it needn't be said that it was a big hit.

10 November 2012

I hear it was delicious, but I never did get to enjoy a piece (not that I'm complaining or anything ...).

Chalotte and Max consider what they're going to do with all that cake, while Dean (left) and Reed (right) look on.

10 November 2012

Charlotte gets together with the big girls: Livi (left) and Annie (right).

10 November 2012

In the meantime, Max was having fun on the playground.

10 November 2012

Not pictured but also in attendance were Grandma Judy, Geraldine and Chris, Kim, Cindy Jo and Ronan, Henry and Czarina and their son Peter, as well as Max and Charlotte's playground friend Quinn and Quinn's nanny and parents.


Charlotte and Max inspect some of the cool new presents they got.

11 November 2012

It is quite clear that Charlotte now grasps the concept of "the present", as she kept asking for more, even long after that particular well had run dry.  I don't know if Max really got it; he was too busy playing with his new toy garbage truck.


The night before their birthday Grandma Judy, Jenn and I took Max and Charlotte out for a tapas dinner at a new Spanish restaurant in Old Town.  (No, really!  They pounded down jamón and marinated olives.)

11 November 2012

After dinner Max blew out the candles on their birthday desert, as Charlotte was (fortunately, from a self-preservation standpoint) a little too scared of the burning candles.


And the fun didn't end there!  We had a small celebration on their birthday at home.

12 November 2012

Grandma Judy sang "Happy Birthday" to Charlotte and Max.  And lit the candles on their birthday tart (with berries!).

12 November 2012

Max had to blow out the candles again, as Charlotte hadn't yet gotten over her fear of lit candles.

Happy birthday, Max and Charlotte!  We (and so many others) love you more than words can express!


--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

All Hallow's Eve 2012

Last year, Jenn conceived of and created Max' and Charlotte's Halloween costumes.  This year Charlotte and Max conceived of their own costumes.  Jenn "just" created them.

31 October 2012

31 October 2012

Charlotte elected to be a pink bunny; Max wanted to be a piggy.


While trick-or-treating on Oakland Avenue, Max and Charlotte (and Jenn and I) ran into our friends Peter, Czarina and Henry.

31 October 2012

Max, Charlotte and Peter, dressed as Humpty Dumpty, investigated up close the inflatable jack-o'-lantern and ghosts which had been the objects of Charlotte's and Max' obsession over the previous two weeks and which, until this evening, they could only inspect from the safe distance of our car.

31 October 2012

31 October 2012

I just couldn't decide which of these two ridiculously cute pictures to post.

31 October 2012

So Jenn didn't just create one or two handmade costumes.  She put together three costumes, as we decided that Max didn't love the color of his first piggy costume (the first one was less pink).  Amazing!

We all had a great Halloween, even though Max and Charlotte didn't really get into the swing of trick-or-treating.  They were quite content to run around in their costumes.  But don't think for a second that candy wasn't part of the experience.  I didn't get a picture of Charlotte during the sugar-fueled high that kept her awake well after 10:00pm.  That's a good thing, I think, as we can focus on the above pictures by which to remember Halloween 2012!  I wonder what they'll decide to be next year ...

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

PS -  Thanks to Peter's mom, Czarina, for sending us these beautiful pictures of Charlotte and Max!!!

Oh, Hi!

That's how Charlotte and Max pronounce the the name of the town Ojai, California: oh-hi!  That is, of course, the appropriate pronunciation, but it sounds extra 'specially cute coming from them.  We spent last weekend in Ojai, staying with our friends Jefferey and Haigaz.  They purchased a great place in Ojai, which they've renovated and turned into something pretty special.  Max and Charlotte (and Jenn and I) had a wonderful time!

They posed for us sitting in a gorgeous old oak tree on Jefferey and Haigaz' property.

22 September 2012

22 September 2012

Charlotte points out the cameraman (yours truly) to Mommy.

22 September 2012

Charlotte and Max got to pick figs, apples, oranges and tomatoes (perhaps Max' favorite food after strawberries).  Jefferey peeled and cut one of the sweet, sweet oranges for Max.

22 September 2012

Max and Charlotte explored the property, being careful to look out for the black widows which are supposedly lurking about (well, we watched out for them).

22 September 2012

Charlotte and Haigaz recline in one of their relaxing hammocks.

23 September 2012

Jenn, Charlotte, Max and Jefferey enjoyed some of the local musical talent -- a bluegrass band -- playing at Ojai's farmer's market on Sunday morning.

23 September 2012

Don't let the fact that Max was eager to hop into our car and drive away persuade anyone into thinking that we didn't have a wonderful time!

23 September 2012

It was a short visit, but in that time we got to do lots.  (Lucy and Rufus spent the time at Camp Foothill Veterinary Hospital.)  I'd like to thank Jefferey and Haigaz again for their hospitality.  And I hope that whirling dervish of activity that is Max and Charlotte these days doesn't discourage from extending it again.

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

Welcoming a New Resident to Southern California

What's that coming in low over the hills where I love to go cycling?

21 September 2012

Why, it's the space shuttle Endeavour making it's way to the California Science Center, which will serve as its retirement home!  (Notice the two fighter jets escorting Endeavour and the Boeing 747 on which Endeavour is piggybacked.)

21 September 2012

As part of it's grand entry into Los Angeles, California, it performed a flyby over the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

21 September 2012

Not being JPL employees, Charlotte and Max didn't get this fantastic view of the shuttle.  But they saw the "biiig plane" as it flew past our neighborhood.  And Jenn saw the shuttle from Los Angeles, too.

21 September 2012

And there it goes ... flying off to its United Airlines hangar (thanks, Angie!) at the Los Angeles International Airport.  The next time we see it -- and we'll have to go at some point, it'll be down in Los Angeles (conveniently located right off I-110).

21 September 2012

Speaking of flying, I neglected to post these pictures of Max from our trip to Seattle, Washington (well, our return trip, specifically).

4 September 2012

As we boarded, Max was invited to sit in the cockpit.

4 September 2012

With all of those buttons all around him, I can only imagine that Max must have thought he'd died and gone to heaven!

4 September 2012

Unfortunately, Charlotte wasn't extended the same courtesy; plane corridors are narrow, and we had to take our seats.  But we'll have to make sure that she gets to be the co-pilot, if only for a few minutes, on our next plane flight.

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)