Weekend with the Redwoods

We decided to take our last weekend trip in California to see redwood trees.  We decided to head north to Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the Avenue of the Giants to avoid holiday weekend crowds in Sequoia NP.  We stayed overnight in Eureka and then the next day we explored Redwoods State and National Parks.

They found a banana slug--the mascot of Laura's science camp.

We stopped at a beach for a few minutes on the way home.

We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on the way home.

Kids Adventures Without Parents

We started our busy weekend by seeing the Addams Family Musical performed at Washington High School on Thursday evening.

Then on Friday, the boys went to the Mater Faire in San Mateo with their robotic club (and a few other school groups) to present the arduino project they have been working on for the past few week.  I am glad that they went and enjoyed all the cool exhibits (and they got to miss a day of school!), and I stayed home and relaxed (while packing Laura up for her weekend adventure and getting the house ready for an open house on Saturday).

The robotics club's display board.  Joshua and Benjamin put together the Simon Says game.  They also helped put together the race car exhibit.  Unofrtunately, their table was next to one which had a large Ferris wheel with flashing lights that attracted lots of attention

Of  course they also had money to treat themselves to a good lunch and snack. 

Before the boys got back from the Maker Faire, Laura set off to Mysteree, a Girl Scout weekend at Camp Butano.  

Laura's troop and the 7th graders from Niles won Rockella, which means that Laura came back with a big plastic box containing a family of rocks and accessories.  The girls get to play with the rocks and accessories for the year, they have to add something to it and bring it back to camp next year.  Laura gets to play with it first since we are leaving soon.

Laura and the Rock family.  Rockella is wearing a lovely hat.

One of Rochella's two family cars.

The Rock family enjoys a campfire.

Saturday, Joshua volunteered at the Fremont Kids and Kites Festival for the day (but they served him lunch),

Joshua spent the afternoon as an attendant at this ring toss booth.

In the evening, we attended the end of the school year Havdala at the synagogue.  We made nice smelling medallions by gluing spices on cardboard hearts and ate ice cream floats (or just plain ice cream).

On Sunday, Dave took the boys to see the movie Infinity Wars while Laura returned from Girl Scout Camp and then went to Laura's birthday party at Rock 'n Jump.

The two Lauras at the other Laura's birthday party.

Finally on Tuesday evening, we decided to try out the Curry Pizza House.  We got a chicken pizza and a vegetable pizza.  Both were pretty good.

San Francisco and More Guests!

We were delighted that Ed, Tina and Peano decided on a list minute visit this past weekend.  After the last Friday night family service of the year, Dave and Laura rushed out to pick up Ed, Tina and Pino from the Hayward airport.  Laura was very excited to help walk Pino during their visit.

I had reserved tickets for the DeYoung Museum for Saturday and arranged to get together with Marci.  We ended up leaving Fremont much later than I had hoped, so after a picnic lunch outside the museum, Dave, Ed and Tine explored the museum while the kids, Marci and I first hung out in the family craft room while Laura made flowers and Benjamin made an airplane.

Then we walked around Stowe Lake.

Saturday evening, Laura and Ed figured out a flight plan for Sunday.  Then on Sunday, Laura left early from her last Sunday of religious school to fly with Ed in his airplane.

Weekend at Stanford

To encourage Joshua to think about going to college, I registered the boys for Stanford Splash.  A program in which college students get to teach a one or two hour class to junior high and high school students.  Joshua was interested enough to want to rush over to Stanford after taking the SAT.  Fortunately, we even got there in time to catch the end of the  boys favorite subject, lunch.
After a couple of afternoon classes, I wanted to show Dave The Stanford Dish hike where I spent many memorials hours as a grad student.

We spent some time on the Stanford Dish trail.

The boys at Stanford.

On Sunday Laura and I helped out with the Lag B'Omer carnival Temple Beth Torah.

Afterwards, Benjamin filled out a survey about how the food class influenced him to make healthy choices, and, ironically, received a $10 gift card to Burger King as a reward.

May flowers right on schedule

Yesterday, I suggested a quiet evening walk in Quarry Lakes.  When that turned out to be close, we ended up at the California Historic Nursery garden.  All the various colors and types of roses were in full bloom!

Today, I joined the bike club ride that went from REI to Alum Rock Park.

Movies with sound are for rich people.

Saturday morning, Laura's girl scout troop volunteered at the Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon wetlands in the middle of Fremont.  This activity was a final project for their Breathe Journey badges.  Laura was excited that she got to use sharp tools (like hedge trimmers).

The girls enjoyed watching the baby geese.

When I mentioned that I wanted to check out the silent film museum, Joshua said "Because movies with sound are for rich people".  Saturday afternoon we biked to the nearby Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum.  The pays tribute to Niles historical significance as the silent movie capital.  The small museum had a few exhibits about silent film history and we saw a few short movies.

Laura checking out some movie props in the museum.

On Sunday we went to the Sunol Regional Wilderness, using an "Explore and Go" backpack that I borrowed from the library.  It even had a pass to visit East Bay parks!

Laura enjoyed climbing on this unusually shaped tree,

We saw lots of lizards running around outside the visitor center.