San Francisco!

On the 15th on this month the whole family enjoyed a great trip to San Francisco! Uncle Daniel and Vanessa were wonderful tour guides and hosts! We are still getting back into our regular routines and schedules, which is why this is a slightly delayed post, but that just shows how much we were able to see and do. We did a lot! This post is long despite my attempts to be brief and only include a few photos from each day. Sorry! Here's the recap of each fun filled day-

Wednesday afternoon the boys enjoyed their first plane ride and loved it! They smiled and giggled during the take off and landings. They enjoyed getting served apple juice and looking out the window.

When we arrived in San Francisco Uncle Daniel picked us up from the airport and we went straight to our VRBO apartment. The apartment was lovely and so convenient for all of us. We took it easy that night and geared up for the next day.

Thursday morning we headed straight for the Golden Gate Bridge. The weather wasn't great but it was still amazing to walk along and see dolphins and seals in the water below. 

Next we headed to an indoor trampoline park called House of Air. It's located in a historic airplane hanger just down from the bridge in the Crissy fields area. The park was really cool and Owen loved it! Gavin enjoyed the first 10 minutes and then the bad mood monster bit him and he refused to play. :(

Gavin cheered up as we made it to our next stop at Lands End. We got to see a great view of the ocean and the gift shopped proved it's worth as it provided Owen with his new favorite possession a book about sharks!

After lunch we toured through Golden Gate State Park, which is huge. Daniel took us to a wonderful playground area where the boys had a blast!

Thursday night Uncle Daniel and Vanessa treated Joel and I to a night out. We went to a great restaurant called Delarosa and then a hilarious show called Beach Blanket Babylon. It has a long history in San Francisco and updates to keep up with current pop culture and political material.

Friday was a jam packed day! We started bright and early by taking the bus to Fisherman's Wharf. We began by visiting the Aquarium by the Bay. The boys loved the exhibits and the activities they offered in honor of shark week. Owen has picked up a pretty strong interest in sharks. So he will now tell you because he likes sharks, dinosaurs and ice age animals that he is into "lots of creatures". 

 

After the aquarium we said hello to all the sea lions out on the docks, had some lunch and then headed out on a boat tour of the bay. It was a little windy but the gorgeous sunshine gave us great views of the bridge, city, Alcatraz and several more dolphin sitings.

After the boat tour we walked down to Ghiradelli Square for some chocolate! This was a big hit for all of us. We got to sample some sea salt carmel chocolate squares and then enjoyed some delicious ice cream.


   

We had to wait quite a while but eventually took our turn riding on the infamous San Fran cable car from Ghiradelli Square all the into the city to Union Square. The boys were pretty interested in how it went up and down the hills and like when the conductor rang the bell. Joel got the best spot, hanging off the side and playing the role of the conductor's right hand man.

 Once we arrived at Union Square we walked over to Daniel's office which is located in the financial district and is the 2nd tallest building in the city, the former Bank of America building.  In his office we were able to see more amazing views of the city and bay. 

Saturday was another early day that was filled with lots of different activities. We started in Muir Woods with a hike through some red woods.  It was gorgeous! The boys had fun pretending to be chipmunks since we weren't able to find any real ones.

After our hike we took a scenic drive up through the hills to see how the low level clouds really take over the city and lower areas.

Next we headed to Stinson Beach. The boys had never been to the ocean before and were thrilled to find a few shells and other evidence of sea "creatures". ;) The water was definitely too chilly for us to do any swimming but they kept themselves busy in the sand. Daddy buried them a few times. Daniel helped them build a castle which Gavin wanted to name Joe Mauer but was ultimately named Crab Castle. They found an entire crab buried in the sand and used it as a guard for their castle. The castle also had a treasure cup at the top of the tower full of crab legs. They also had a moat with a moat monster, some sea weed, and a garage in the back! The boys also had fun running in the shallow but still strong waves. Both got knocked over once or twice!

 

Sunday was our last day and didn't turn out to be a very nice day but we managed to do quite a bit. We drove down Lombard, the crooked street, and then headed to Telegraph Hill.

  

We did some relaxing and hanging at Daniel and Vanessa's where the boys had fun playing with/ harassing their dog Cheeky. The clouds cleared and we decided to head to a nearby park to exercise both Cheeky and the boys. Uncle Daniel and the boys took turns sharing their best soccer moves.

Our final destination before heading to the airport was the Palace of Fine Arts. The palace was actually located just a few blocks from our apartment and we frequently pointed it out to kids when we saw it in the skyline, "See the dome? Our apartment is right there." Both the palace and the grounds are stunning  and it was so cool to walk through it. 

                                               

Sunday afternoon we headed to the airport. Both boys were great about getting through there with all of their belongings. The flight home seemed less thrilling. They acted as if they had flown a million times.

We got back to MN in the middle of the night feeling completely exhausted. It was so worth it as this was a trip we will always remember. Thanks again Uncle Daniel & Vanessa!

Next week Gavin begins preschool and the following week Owen enters Kindergarten. More adventures to come! Stay tuned!

Tons of summer fun!

July has been a really hot month! However, the heat hasn't slowed these boys down at all! Here are some things we have been up too this month-

• Making homemade ice cream!
• Going to the Twins game!
• Owen got his cast off!
• Visiting the pool and lakes to go swimming and boating! We have the freckles to prove it!
• Picnics at Centennial Lakes with buddies!
• Lots of library visits! Trying to keep up with Owen's dinosaur fascination!
• After dinner park visits! The boys love climbing and have started climbing trees! (Yikes!)
• Breakfast dates! Mommy and Gavin had breakfast with Curious George at the Children's museum while Daddy and Owen went to the zoo for Dinos & Donuts and to watch a flying dino movie at the IMAX. Both were huge hits with the boys!
• Soccer & T-ball! Gavin is now old enough to play sports through the YMCA. He and cousin Cooper are playing T-ball on the same team! Really cute and fun to watch! Owen is playing soccer and playing it well!
• Visiting family in Iowa!
• Hanging in the AC watching cartoons! (When Mom needs a little quiet time!)

Hope everyone is staying cool! Enjoy ALL the photos ;)!

Summer break is here!

Well it's June, summer break has begun and things continue to be super busy around the Caruth house! Here is a recap of things we have been up to this month-
    The boys wrapped up swimming lessons and have been pumped to start frequenting the outdoor pools. Gavin especially made nice progress with his swimming skills. He is definitely comfortable in the water and is using more purposeful swimming strokes.
     The city of Richfield had a great family event to kick off the grand opening of their municipal center. The boys loved checking out the State Trooper cars, motorcycles and helicopter, which they got to watch land only yards away from them. They also got to explore firetrucks and spray a real fire hose.
     Dinosaurs have come to the MN zoo and Owen could not have been more excited to go! They are really life like and he was so excited that some of his favorites were included in the exhibit. I'm sure we will be heading their again really soon!
     We had the chance to visit and catch up with some college friends a few weekends ago. How times have changed! We had a picnic and play date with all the kids. It was so fun to see them all together. Especially Gavin, Addy and Quinnlyn who are all 3yrs and born within a week of each other!
     As many of you heard, Owen fractured his arm a week and a half ago.  It is a buckle fracture to his right wrist. He was really a trooper about it! In fact, we weren't even sure how seriously he was injured at first. It didn't bruise at all and didn't really swell too much until the next day. Glad we trusted our parental instincts and took him to the ER when we did. He started with a splint for a few days, so the swelling could resolve, and now has a cast until July 11th. The cast hasn't slowed him down at all, he can still use that hand to eat and write. He was also lucky enough to receive a waterproof cast and has already put it to good use! We were also proud to see how he has matured as a patient. Owen has historically been pretty anxious during ER visits but this time he did a great job. Big shout out to Children's hospital they did a great job making him feel comfortable!
       This past weekend we had a ton of fun celebrating Father's Day! The boys made a special massage shirt for Joel. They drew a road and train track on the back of a t-shirt. When Joel wears it they can drive their trains and cars on it to massage his back. Fun for all! As a family activity we visited the Waterpark of America Sunday night. Not sure who had more fun Joel or the boys!!

We have had a fun and interesting month, but are looking forward to a more relaxing couple of weeks!

Enjoy the photos!

Look who's 3 yrs old!!

This guy! That's right Gavin celebrated his 3rd birthday over the weekend! It is hard to believe that Gavin is already 3 years old.  Although he certainly does look it! In the past year he has gained 4 lbs and grown 3 1/2 inches.  Gavin now weighs 35 lbs 2 oz (81%) and is 39 inches (85%).  He had his 3yr check-up today and also had his hearing and vision test. Everything was normal and he was given a clean bill of health. We were all thankful that this visit did not include shots!

Here are a few things about 3 yr old Gavin. He continues to love trains, swings, swimming and blocks. He is still our lefty, with the exception of swinging a baseball bat. (Not sure why that is!) Gavin also loves play dough, painting and being messy! He is very imaginative and usually has a full story about what the trains, lego people, etc are doing when he is playing with them. He also takes on characters for days at a time. When he is in character you do not call him by his real name you call him by the name of the character he has taken on. Sometimes he's Geo, Milly, Mike the Knight or a long list of others! Gavin is very excited to be going to school next year. Although he does not love to separate from mom and dad, he has gotten better at it. (We hope that the transition is a smooth one.) Gavin knows all of his letters, colors and shapes and is starting to recognize some numbers. He loves books and has several memorized. Gavin is very charming and generally wants to please those around him. He prefers to play with another person or in a group rather than playing alone.

Gavin had a really wonderful time celebrating and was just thrilled with how his party turned out. We celebrated with friends and family Saturday morning at Choo Choo Bob's in St Paul. He could live in that store and still never get enough of watching the motorized trains run around the tracks. He and his buddies enjoyed lots of playtime before moving on to cake and presents. Gavin is truly loving all of his new gifts and has tried each of them with lots of enthusiasm.

Sunday was Gavin's actual birthday and so he woke up to a special birthday breakfast. He got to choose the menu and therefore we all enjoyed chocolate chip pancakes and blueberries. He was in heaven! I had Gavin answer a few questions that we will re-ask him each year to see how his answers change over the years. Here are his responses-

1. How old are you?  3
2. What makes you happy?  Opening presents
3. What is your favorite animal?  Elephant
4. What is your favorite thing to eat?  Pancakes
5. What is your least favorite thing to eat?  Tomatoes
6. What is your favorite thing to do?  Play trains
7. What is your favorite TV show?  Team Umizoomi
8. What are you really good at?  Building things
9. What is your favorite movie?  Rio
10. What is your color?  Pink and purple
11. What is your favorite song?  The Rio Song (I Wanna Party)
12. Who is your best friend?  Will & Addy
13. What do you and your mom do together?  Snuggle
14. What do you and your dad do together?  Play ready, set, go tackle
15. What is your favorite sport?  Baseball
16. Where is your favorite place to go?  Jenny's house
17. What is your favorite book?  Cat in the Hat
18. What do you want to be when you grow up?  A train finder

Can't wait to hear what he says next year! Enjoy the pictures!

PS- I included some photos of Owen working on his "research paper". He is into making lists of dinosaur names and information. Monday morning he set-up shop at the dining room table to work on his paper while I made breakfast. I hope he continues to be this studious when he has real homework!

Owen's Preschool Graduation!

    Owen had his preschool graduation this last week. It was very cute! The kids did a great job telling their favorite things about preschool, reciting the pledge of allegiance and singing a song about Minnesota. They all wore caps and gowns and received diplomas. Very authentic!
  The changes Owen has made since his first day of preschool almost 2 years ago are amazing. He has matured so much socially, become a helper to the younger classmates, learned to read, write and draw.  His creativity and imagination have truly blossomed! Owen's favorite thing about preschool was "art". Each day he comes home with several illustrations with captions detailing the story he has created. For example, today's picture was a dinosaur, a spinosaurus, chasing a girl, Stella from his class. The dinosaur was saying "ROOOAARR!" and Stella was saying, "Go away! Eat Fish!". (Spinosauruses eat fish)
   We are so proud of you Owen Matthew you continue to amaze us with your wit, imagination and curiosity. Look out kindergarten here he comes! Enjoy the photos and a quick video with some highlights from the ceremony.

Here's a look at Owen's first day of school with his grad photo...

Owen Graduation

April Activities

   As a April comes to an end we thought we would share a few tidbits about all the activities the boys have been up to. Last weekend we took advantage of a small break in the weather to get out and do some Earth Day cleaning. The boys really took their job of picking up litter around our house, street and alley seriously. They also like watching a few Earth Day videos online. Owen also played teacher to Gavin telling him all the things he learned about Earth Day at school. After they finished their handwork we got in a few minutes of bike riding. Gavin has really improved his pedaling skills and has pretty much got the hang of riding his trike. See the video below!
   Owen participated in basketball this last month and wrapped up the last game today. He really did enjoy basketball and says he would like to play again sometime. He would like to everyone to be clear that soccer is still his favorite sport! We did get some shots of him during practice and the game. It was fun to see how his skills improved. He can actually somewhat dribble down the court now and his shots can typically reach the net so he is getting closer to making baskets on the 7ft hoops. Just need to build up some more strength in those little arms!
   Both boys started swimming lessons last Friday and LOVE it! Gavin in particular can barely contain himself on the drive over because he is so anxious to get there. This session has turned out to be really hassle free for mom & dad! Mostly because Gavin is now able to be a class that does not require parent participation, but also because both boys are in lessons at the same time and in small groups right next to each other. Hooray!! The boys have also been going to the Y with Daddy to practice in between lessons. Joel reports that they continue to be fearless in the water. In fact last weekend Gavin was jumping from the side to Joel but would go all the way to the bottom and then climb Joel's legs "like a ladder" to reach the surface. Once he caught his breath he would yell, "again!".
    We also visited the dentist this month and both boys have healthy teeth! Once again they got to enter the "no cavities" raffle drawing. They both cooperated nicely for the staff and Dr JoAnn. Owen even got through his second set of x-rays without any trouble. We were reminded once again to start saving for orthodontic bills. :( They both have an overbite and some significant crowding. Good thing they're good about flossing!
   We are hoping that May brings us better health and more sleep. It's been a tough few months with one of us having a some kind of virus every couple weeks. Wish us luck!

PS-Owen has been reading single words and small phrases since the beginning of last summer. We haven't pushed him too hard with this because he typically would get frustrated and lose interest. Throughout the fall and winter he became more interested and started reading short books and some level 1 readers. In the last few weeks he has gained the confidence to take on a few pretty long books. He has now read Green Eggs and Ham and several level 2 readers. Go Owen!!

Enjoy the photos, video and check out the latest quotes!

Gavin riding his trike

Easter Fun!

It was another fun filled Easter weekend for the Caruth's. The boys enjoyed many Easter themed activities at Grandpa Mike and Grandma Jeanie's.  They also enjoyed eating a few Easter treats and playing with their Easter toys including coloring books, peeping chicks, bubbles and dig and glow dinosaurs.

Here are some funny stories/quotes from the weekend-
Gavin was looking at a Grandma Jeanie's chick decoration and asked "Where is the mommy?" Jeanie suggested that maybe she went for a walk. Gavin replied, "Noooo. She went to yoga!"

Owen had Lovey sitting with him on the car ride down. He pointed out interesting landmarks as we drove along, "See Lovey this is Minneapolis"and "This is the country side Lovey". He also played "I spy" with her. We were not along to play along, only Lovey.

Owen also told everyone all weekend about how he wants to be a "scientist who learns about space". Last night we dug out the dig and glow dinosaurs and read a new dinosaur book. Today he told everyone at Target he wants to be a "scientist who discovers about dinosaurs".  

Enjoy the photos!