Bubbles

Some pictures of Caleb playing with bubbles on our back patio (before he dumped the bottle out all over the floor and hence couldn't play bubbles anymore):

(Photos from 9/14)

in love

We started the day driving this:



Then after a few slices of pizza (photo taken by Caleb)


We ended up driving home in this:


I am beyond ecstatic.

LA County Fair

While in California, we decided to go to the LA County Fair. It was only a dollar if you got in before a certain time. Well, we got in line in time, but so did everyone else. By the time we got to the ticket counter, it was a solid five or ten minutes after the deadline, but they still gave us our tickets for a dollar.



Sometimes when I want Caleb to look at the camera, I'll ask "Where's Mommy?" It gets him to look most the time, but it also gets him to point.

Caleb wasn't big on walking while we were there. And apparently we parked on the wrong side of the fair. By the time we got to the other end, we were already exhausted and we hadn't even done or seen anything yet.


I voted to take the kids on some rides (since we had originally wanted to go to an amusement park, but this was way cheaper). Caleb and Agnes were tall enough to go on the 36" rides, which greatly limited our choices. Caleb really wanted to ride the train, so we started with that. Except, once we got both of them onto the train, Caleb freaked out and wanted back off. So Nana had to ride with them.





Next they rode the airplanes. Caleb was really excited about the planes. We were worried that he would want someone to ride with him. But he found a hair thing in his plane and that distracted him till lift off. Then he was having too much fun flying.






Agnes and I went on the teacups together.


Caleb didn't want to ride with us. He got distracted by the basketball carnival game and the prizes you could win.


I sat down for a moment to recuperate after the teacups. Next thing I know, Nana's put the kiddos on a roller coaster. Without having to ride with them!







They loved the roller coaster so much, they had to go on it again.




I love how little they look in this last shot, so I had to include it. Amazing how we started the rides with the slowest one and Caleb was terrified, but ended the day with the fastest ride and he absolutely loved it.

Nora's Birthday Party

The reason we went down to California was to celebrate Nora's fifth birthday. She had a cooking party at her grandma's house. The kids decorated their own aprons and hats, made breadsticks and their own mini pizzas, and played lots of cooking games.



I thought Caleb would have a lot of fun, since not only does he love cooking and especially pizza, but he really loves older kids. Apparently, a dozen kids is about ten or eleven too many for him, so he wanted nothing to do with the party unless none of the other kids were around.



All Caleb really wanted to do was play in the toy room. He kept dragging me in there and shutting the door behind us so that nobody would bother us. Then he'd get out all the dishes and pour us each a drink. Who says tea parties are just for girls?



The only game Caleb did want to play with all the kids was the one involving doughnuts. In case you didn't notice the chocolate all over his face in the previous photos, this wasn't his first doughnut of the evening.


At least he seems to enjoy his cousins more these days. He and Agnes had a blast with the marshmallow shooter, although neither of them were quite strong enough to get the marshmallows to shoot out.



And lastly, as is the case at most family functions these days, my camera seems to be in love with this sweet boy:

Hot Air Balloon

Caleb and I took a quick trip to California. While we were there, I really wanted to go on the hot air balloon they have at the Orange County Great Park. So my friend Jocelyn, her son Teak, my mom, Caleb and I headed on out. When we got there, there was the slightest breeze which was refreshing on such a hot day, but was unfortunate because they don't let the balloon go up if there's any wind.




Finally, the breeze died down enough that they did a test run to make sure it was safe.


The boys were in awe and kept saying bye bye to the balloon and that it was going home.


The boys both did really great when it was our turn to go up. I thought they'd be scared, but they weren't.