Railroad Tunnel Trail at Lake Mead

For family day we hiked the Railroad Tunnel at Lake Mead. The Railroad Tunnel Trail has a lovely view. It was a bit hot and we should have brought more water with us, but we still had a good time. It was fun to listen to the bats in the tunnel and try to locate them. It was too dark in there to see them, but it was fun trying to pinpoint their location.

It was free National Park Weekend so it was more crowded than we've ever seen it. We planned on having a picnic at Lake Mead, but we changed our minds because of the crowds. We went to a park for our picnic.

Marie-Anne

Stephanie Lynn Craig Park

Several times recently we have met up with some other SAH (Stay-At-Home) moms from church. Although they bring their younger kids it is more for us moms than for the kids. Both of the other ladies have two year olds and the one has older kids who are in school.

During spring break we met at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park. I was a bit surprised that the older kids didn't really play together. They still had a good time though.

Marie-Anne

Baking With kids

Several times lately Sabrina has helped me make cookies or cupcakes. Alex also enjoys helping sometimes. It is a good bonding time and helps them learn important skills at the same time.

Marie-Anne

Neighborhood friends

The one thing I miss about our old neighborhood is all the kids Alex and Sabrina had to play with. Most of the boys Alex's age here are more into sports than he is. We still haven't met any little girls in our new neighborhood. We sometimes let the kids bring some of their toys out to entice the other kids into playing with them. It works!

Marie-Anne

Foxtrot Park

After we left Mountain View Park we stopped at KFC then had a picnic at another park! Sabrina especially likes picnics and it is such a fun and easy way to make her happy.

Of course, the kids also got in some more play time. I am so glad that we have so many nice parks around here. It's cheap family fun that's healthy too.

Marie-Anne

Mountain View Park

A couple of weeks ago we took the Park Challenge. We visited Mountain View Park. It is a nice park that is connected to a baseball field. Both kids really liked the rock climbing wall. The kids had a good time while Frank and I walked.

They also brought their scooters.

Marie-Anne

Date

Frank and I trade off babysitting with another couple. It works great because the kids also get a playdate. The kids got to visit a playground near our friends' house. We got to go for a walk and then out to eat.

Marie-Anne

Barnes and Noble Storytime

Sabrina loves going to story-time at Barnes and Noble. She also loves having her coloring pages hung up on the wall there.

Marie-Anne

Arroyo Grande Sports Complex- Park

We had family day after Alex's class. We planned on going on a hike, but that didn't work out so we made up plan B as we went along. Plan B was to hit several parks we haven't been to in a long time and a new park.

Our third park was Arroyo Grande Sports Complex. This is a park that I didn't even know existed that is only about a mile from our house, in a way I had never taken. This is an unusual park. The play ground looked like the tunnels a hamster uses- the kids were even claiming to be hamsters. It also has a dirt bike trail, basketball courts, horseshoe pit, baseball diamond... It is pretty big.

Alex rode his scooter on the trail because his scooter just happened to be in the car.

We were actually looking for another park, but we couldn't remember where it is. So as I was saying we could stop at the next park; we saw this one. We will be going back to this park.

Marie-Anne

Winchester Park

We had family day after Alex's class. We planned on going on a hike, but that didn't work out so we made up plan B as we went along. Plan B was to hit several parks we haven't been to in a long time and a new park.

Park number 2 was Winchester Park. Winchester Park is a park that belongs to a recreation center. The kids had fun, but neither one was playing with the other kids so we didn't stay too long.

Marie-Anne

Winterwood Park

We had family day after Alex's class. We planned on going on a hike, but that didn't work out so we made up plan B as we went along. Plan B was to hit several parks we haven't been to in a long time and a new park.

Park number 1 was Winterwood Park. Winterwood Park is near our old neighborhood. It has the pretty standard park set-up. The kids had a good time playing while Frank and I walked around and talked.

Marie-Anne

Maslow Park and Street Preaching

Yesterday we took the kids and a ball to Maslow Park. Sabrina is interested in learning to play soccer, or at least kicking a ball around.

Of course, the kids also got to play at the play ground.

We all took a turn on the microphone during street preaching. My main job during street preaching is safety officer for the kids.

Marie-Anne

Game Night

Last night was family game night. It is a time of great silliness and some life lessons. Last night we got a lesson in sportsmanship as a certain child was being a bad loser. The parents had a good time showing the children what a bad loser looks like, drama style. By the time our demonstration was over we no longer had any bad losers.

Our fist game was HISS. We didn't play by the rules. Instead we turned it into a cooperative game. It was fun.

Next up was the Berenstain Bears Learn to Share Game. This is a family favorite and gets played more than any other game.

We also played Scrabble Alphabet Soup.

Our last game was Old McDonald Pop-n-Match, which is a fun preschool game. It is even more fun when a certain Papa puts the wrong head on the animals.

Marie-Anne

Whitney Mesa Park

On Tuesday, I took the kids to Barnes and Noble for story-time. Then we went to Whitney Mesa Park.

Sabrina really enjoyed "playing" soccer with me. Two trees were the goal and she scored goal after goal after goal. She's really good.

Alex spent most of his time playing with another boy at the play ground.

Before we left I talked both kids into flying a kite. It was super windy and we never did get the kite to do much more than spin in circles, but it was fun anyways.

We had a wonderful time at the park- it was one of those days were it was just good to be alive.

Marie-Anne

Gap!

"I like my teeth style."
    - Sabrina Rendla

Sabrina is only 5, yet she has already lost 3 teeth.  She has another loose tooth!

Marie-Anne

Nana's Visit- Chuck E Cheese

Grumps was so kind to pay for us to visit Chuck E Cheese, even though he wasn't able to come himself.

 

Needless to say, the kids had a great time. Chuck E Cheese is a great place to take the kids, as long as you eat somewhere else. We usually like to go when we have coupons for extra tokens.

This time we got the most tickets we have ever gotten- over 800!

Marie-Anne

Nana's Visit- Whitney Ranch Park

On a very windy day, we took the Park Challenge and had a picnic at Whitney Ranch Park. Whitney Ranch Park is a very small neighborhood park a few blocks from our house. It is ringed by trees so it will be great for when the weather gets hotter.

We had a lot of fun being goofy on the riding bugs. The pics of me being goofy are on my Mom's camera ;( 

Marie-Anne

Nana's Visit- Rec Center

Nana got to watch Sabrina's gymnastics and Alex's martial arts.

Marie-Anne