What we've done with our summer...the LONG version

FAMILY VACATION

We headed to northern California on Sunday afternoon. Our first stop to see the sights was McArthur-Burney Falls (our first night was spent in Reno, NV) The park, the falls were beautiful. The hike was cool, but the best part was the Dane got to earn a scout patch by learning various facts about the park found in different areas in the park.

It was HOT there and the kids were pretty beat by the end of the trail. We loved watching the Stellar's jays hop around the place. Bryce and I got to see a black-tailed doe pass just ten feet in front of us.

We spent the next two nights in Redding. We played in the pool. (which is, of course, all the kids really wanted to do the entire trip) We visited Turtle Bay Exploration Park. It was a little bit children's museum, a little bit, aquarium/zoo...there was a lot of kid oriented fun stuff to do.

Ella's favorite part was the Butterfly House. They were EVERYWHERE. She could have spent an hour watching the ten or so varieties flitter around.

Next we traveled to a tiny town called Arcata. It became our home base for three days as we explored the Redwood Forest and beaches. It was around 63 lovely degrees the entire time. And mist...every morning, in the afternoons...so gorgeous!

Our first site was the Lady Bird Johnson Memorial Grove. I couldn't believe how wide and tall these amazing trees were. We felt so small and the air was so breathable.

This is our first real look at the Pacific Ocean.The next day we went Yurok Loop trail. It's right near the coast and was a quiet, green, happy place, until...

...Cam, Dane and Ella got a little too far ahead of us...and we came to a fork in the trail and I called for them, worried that they took the wrong trail. Bryce and I took the loop leading back, even though it didn't seem like the obvious choice. After a while we still didn't see them ahead of us. After Bryce was really concerned, we said a prayer and just kept going. My cell phone rang, turned out Cam was worried about me, but he was still convinced we were on the same trail. Bryce and I got back to the car and still no sign of my family. I called and called and (middle of nowhere) and called. FINALLY got him again and gave him some directions. I was praying for stamina for the kids and wisdom for Cam and they made it back. Dane ran half-crying/half-laughing. It was sweet and I was SO relieved.

After that adventure, we visited the beach. We were in our jeans and jackets, but it was COLD!

We rose early the next morning at low tide to visit a beach with tide pools.

Barnacles and musselsStarfish and anemone

The ocean view from the pools

Cam Dane and Bryce perched over some tide pools

Later we took the Fern Canyon Trail (used for filming a scene in The Lost World). We didn't get separated, but we did get our feet wet in the beautiful streams. The most memorable part of the whole trip for the kids will probably be that they got to throw rocks in the stream. They all love to do it.

I was sad to leave at the end of our time here. On the first leg of our return trip, we did the ultimate hokey Redwood forest activity.

We drove through a tree. We loved stopping for fresh fruit along our way. These were incredible.

We made a deal with the kids that if they would do their best to follow Cameron's continuous question: "If somebody does something you don't like, what should you do?" (BTW, the answer is ask them to stop and then if they don't then you ask mom or dad for help) nine times then they would get a special treat. IT TOOK THEM THE ENTIRE VACATION, SEVEN DAYS, TO BE NICE ABOUT THEIR DISAGREEMENTS!

Finally, we got to have ice cream cones.

We made it home about 9:10 PM yesterday, exhausted and very happy to sleep in our own beds. Too bad we don't have any food. Time to go shopping!

If you've stuck around this long, you may want to scroll down and see what else we've done with our summer. We still have one more big day: Pioneer Day!