The Big Move - day 2

Today is Aug 20^th, day 2. We're driving 335 miles today from South Lake Tahoe, California to Elko, Nevada. 

When last we left you we were just pulling into South Lake Tahoe for the night. The Blue Jay Lodge was pretty nice. It was nestled among about 7 other low end hotels that all looked pretty much exactly the same. I'm sure in the ski season it gets pretty insanely busy. But we didn't see too much of the town really. Since the kids were asleep already when we arrived we worked to get the room set up (with Calum in a playpen and Alec on a thermarest on the floor). It mostly worked...

After a bit of a difficult night Erica and Alec had a sleep in while Calum and I went for a little walk. The Blue Jay Lodge is literally half a block away from the Nevada border, and what do you suppose is immediately across the border? The Casino of course! Its totally weird seeing this nice respectable little ski town and then just at one edge of town there is suddenly these monstrous buildings for gambling. It definitely spoils the charm. Fortunately Calum didn't seem to notice.

After a continental breakfast we all hopped in the car and headed off for a short drive up the Lake to the Sand Harbor State Park, and Beach! Arriving at like 9:30am on a Monday morning is definitely the time to go to Tahoe; it wasn't too busy and we got a great chance to enjoy the sand in relative peace.

Alec and Calum promptly made friends with the two little girls beside us, and proceeded to help them dig a hole to China. The lake itself is beautiful, and we all went in the water event though it was a bit chilly at first. Alec is a good swimmer, but is happy to be wearing his new water wings. Calum went in with me and had a good time watching the inexplicably ever present Canadian geese.

 

We played and swam and dug, and built sand castles, which Alec promptly trampled. Everyone thoroughly had a good time. And then all of a sudden it was time for food. We headed off to the picnic area in the nearby woods. 

While the coals got hot Alec and Calum explored the trees, rocks, and stumps. They collected pinecones, and went for a walk. 

We cooked sausages, and made cous cous with brocolli. Pretty nice for a BBQ lunch :) Our plan for food as I mentioned yesterday is to avoid too many restaurants. We're hoping to stay at hotels with breakfast included, and then do at least one meal a day on the BBQ. Hopefully the other meal will be cold (maybe sandwiches, or whatnot). We're not trying to avoid restaurants per say, it can just get pricey, and this way is really better family time. Even if it takes a bit longer and means more cleaning.

The kids did well, although after lunch Calum refused to listen to us one too many times and got is first ever time out. Its a tough thing, and I don't think he actually got the message, but at least we're trying. Instead of getting upset at his timeout, Calum just giggled through it.

Then it was time to pack up and hit the road. Elko is a real trek and this may be our biggest driving day overall. Since we're also stopping for beach time, this is going to be a long day!

Logistics: Today we drove through the El Dorado Forest up I50 straight to the 431, and the 395 leading in Reno, NV. From there we struck out on the 80. We'll be on the 80 for quite a while so for the next day or so its a drive through the desert.

Driving through the mountains to Reno was beautiful. We hit an elevation of some 9000' and wound our way back down to Reno. The mountains we're pretty spectacular and there were a few amazing vistas as we drove. Also Alec was really amused to see a truck carrying porta-pottys on the back. He really wanted to try one out!

Our next stop came on the outskirts of Reno. The kids we're getting squirrely and we needed gas and a bathroom break. I took Alec briefly into a Super Walmart to use the bathroom and immediately remembered why I dislike those stores. Just ICKY. Instead we went to Target to take a break and let the kids stretch their legs... hey there wasn't much else around and we needed to pck up a few things. And no, Target and Walmart are totally different. Just go to one vs the other and you'll see. Our kids like hanging out in the toy aisle in target, and they know that we never take anything home. Its kind of like a toy library for them. That's normal right...

Anyhow, after a stretch we got back in the car and decided to push on and get as far as we could before we needed to stop for diner. Lots of flat desert driving followed. Overall the kids have been good in the car, even playing with each other. Calum's still a bit young to engage too much but he has fun on his own and Alec just talks up a storm.

  

 

Alec was impressed wth all of the trucks. They we're all very weird to him. He saw a truck with laundry on the back, a truck hauling a boat, and a truck hauling another truck. While this part of the States is nice in its own hellish way, I'm not sure exactly why you'd want to live somewhere so crazy hot and dry. Sure its beautiful, but its also also such a harsh climate. Very tough to figure out.

While we wanted to get further we ended up stopping in the little town of Lovelock, NV. Small town NV. I'm not sure what there is to say about it... they had a nice playground by the courthouse though, even if it was a bit old and rusty, 

We set up shop and let the kids romp around for almost two hours while we slowly put together dinner. Some local teenage boys came by and started doing a few cool parkour moves around the playground and really impressed Alec. Calum couldn't care less, but I thought it was cool!

Later we ate soup and pasta cooked on a little camp stove we brought, and the kids did pretty well. Although expectedly Alec did not want to leave when it was time, and Calum took a bit of a tumble, doing a faceplant into a metal bench (only a cut lip though). It was very nice to stretch, but of course soon enough it was time to get the kids in PJs and head back to the car for the final leg of our journey.

The sun set beautifully over the desert hills. We passed not one but two prisons along the way. Probably a good idea to put them out here.. I mean where could you escape to? There were signs along the road indicating that hitchhiking was illegal in the “prison zone”...

We're maybe 50 miles outside of Elko at the moment. The kids are asleep and we're driving in the dark beside tumbleweeds. And at least tonight we'll be in a room with two Queen beds. Hopefully the kids will fare a bit better than last night. I'm looking forward to another fun day tomorrow. We're headed straight east into Utah and Salt Lake City. It should be fun :)

The Big Move - day 1

Well we've finally made, or more accurately started the big move. That's right the entire clan has packed up and I on our way East. Its bittersweet. We're sad to leave our friends, our life, and the city that we've called home for thee past 10 years behind but we also know this is the best move for everyone.

Erica and I have loved our time in San Francisco. We moved for jobs, for lifestyle, for a better climate :) But we found a place that's been more than special, its been our home. Its where Erica and I met, its where we fell in love, and had two wonderful children. Its also where we made so many lifelong friendships, living in San Francisco has shaped who we are, emotionally, and spiritually to the core. I'm so glad to have lived there, and we're very sad to see it go.

Life changes though, and not to put too fine a point on it, but no matter how much support we've gotten from our friends we miss our family. We want our kids to grow up knowing their cousins, their grandparents, and to have the opportunities they deserve. The Bay Area is wonderful in so many ways, but its not cheap, and if we really want to live in an urban environment SF is one of the most difficult places to live. Add to that issues like evolving US politics, health care, and other government services and ultimately we came to the difficult decision to make the move back to The Great White North.

YES that/s right, we're not just headed East, but North. To the Toronto area specifically. The house in SF is rented out, our stuff is on the way with the movers, and we have just hit the road! We're driving, nice and slowly across the country with the kids and a VERY full car.

There are (of course) lots of other details, including a wonderful goodbye party with our friends, and yes a few teary farewells with friends here but now we're resolved to look forward. We are genuinely excited to start this next chapter in our lives and today is the first step.

Today is Aug 19^th, day 1. We're driving 229 miles today from San Jose, California to South Lake Tahoe, California.

Logistics first, before I forget them. We started out this morning headed north on I680, then after the Martinez Bridge (I think that's what its called), and we hit Fairfield we took the 80 E up through Sacramento, and onto the 50 in to El Dorado National Forest and to South Lake Tahoe. Since we didn't start until midday our timing was a bit skewed today/ Our plans will fall a bit more into place over the next day or two and I expect we'll be onto more of a routine so we can break up the driving into as manageable chunks as possible.

Traveling with a 3 and 1 year old will be a challenge. Even though our boys are great, and honestly very seasoned travelers Erica and I are both anticipating a few trying times. So we're doing what we can to mitigate the issue before any real problems arise. The kids have toys, snacks, and a lot of breaks planned. With a few exceptions we're planning on driving for around 4 hours a day. That should be totally manageable... right?

We're also planning a lot of stops, or maybe I should say we're not planning our stops but just letting them happen. We'll be staying with some of my family along the way at a few stops, and we've got hotels booked for the first two nights of this trip but other than that we're panning on playing it by ear as much as we can. Yes we have to cross the border into Canada on the 31^st, and we have a general idea of where we'll stop for the evenings, but we don't know where we'll be spending our days. That's all part of the fun here. This is a real world, genuine adventure!

Our first stop occurred some 20 minutes in. Despite having been asked before we left, we received a frantic call of “I have to pee!” from the backseat... This isn't even the time it would've taken for us to get from San Jose back to our house in San Francisco. So somewhere around Danville we pulled into a Denny's parking lot and Alec got his relief. At least it wasn't in the car. Our younger one Calum was thankfully sleeping, so we decided to push through.

Our next stop was for a snack. Roadside fruit stands are always awesome, and today's was no exception. I think we must've been somewhere near Dixon, California; at least that's what it said on all the in house dried fruit and candy packaging. We picked up a few treats, dried pineapple (YUM!), some Sour Cherries for E, and a basket of strawberries for a snack later on. 

We've decided that the kids need at the very least a time to run around everyday. They are VERY active boys and Sacramento seemed like a good idea. If anyone out there knows how the Yelp mobile app works please let me know cause I am having a tricky time figuring out what parks and playgrounds rate best (the full site seems so much better). Something I expect to be looking up a lot as we drive.

Ultimately I found a CBS Sacramento listing for their park picks and we took the coolest sounding one for their word. Rausch park may technically be in Citris Springs, and not Sacramento, but it really is very nice. The playground is guarded by these wonderful stone lions and there was some solid play equipment. The boys climbed and slid, and did exactly what we were hoping for the next hour. 

Alec has definitely proven that he won't forget his friends in San Francisco quickly. When approached by Spanish speaking kids on the playground he immediately started singing Mandarin songs he had learned with Alyssa at daycare :) 

After some playtime we sat down for a snack of strawberries. The kids love strawberries, and Alec is always considerable of his brother. He specially found all of the smallest ones in the basket and gave them to his brother. What a guy.

Back in the car and onto the road again. We had thought to stay in Reno tonight, but changed our mind, deciding that spending some time at the beach tomorrow morning then pushing through to Elko would make more sense. I'm glad of it too. This area is beautiful! Even from the road, as you get in closer to Tahoe the trees get bigger, the vista more majestic, and everything just feels cleaner.

We decided that tonight was an exception to the plan and stopped at a restaurant off the highway for dinner. That's one of the unfortunate tings we have to deal with here, these kids operate on their own time frame. When they are hungry they are hungry. And being stuck in a car with a grouchy 3 and 1 year old who haven't eaten is not a place I want to be. So into the belly of the beast we went and supped at one of the great American staples: Denny's.

To be honest dinner was pretty good. Its been a long and very hot day out here. It seemed like as soon as we left the Bay it got hot, REAL hot. Now though the sun is going down and so is the temperature.

Back in the car and the kids have a spirited game of hide and seek from the car seats. Its pretty adorable. They've both got their blankets and Calum is in his PJs so the only place they have to hide is under their blankets. They think this is hilarious!

Erica and I have just pulled up to South Lake Tahoe after some more spectacular hills going over the southern Tahoe mountain summit. We're a few minutes away from the hotel taking a quick stop at the Safeway for supplies. (We've been so busy getting ready for the move we didn't have time to even get groceries for the trip!) 

I just saw the lake a minute or two ago and am certainly happy to be here. On our way. On our adventure. The kids have as expected fallen fast asleep in the backseat. 

 I'm looking forward to day 2. This is going to be fun.

BBQ at Ocean Beach!

 We decided to try something new the week before last and as it was beautiful weather in San Francisco we headed over to Ocean Beach. We often go to the zoo and decided to check out the beach right beside the Zoo, just at the intersection of Sloat and The Great Highway. 

 There is a parking lot right on the beach but you have to basically be lucky to get a spot.  We happened to be looking just as someone was leaving and it was definitely worth waiting for the spot.  From the lot it was a short walk down a steep hill and you are right on the beach!

There were lots of signs posted letting people know there were no fires allowed.  We assumed this did not include BBQs and cooked our lunch anyway.

One thing that immediately struck us was the amount of shoot on the sand.  It seemed that everything was covered with a thin layer of black dust and as a result our children were quickly covered as well.  Despite this a good time was had by everyone and while the Ocean was cold it was not freezing and we all enjoyed playing in the waves.

 
Overall a great day but if time is limited would suggest checking out other beaches like Half Moon Bay around for your sand castle building and  BBQing enjoyment!

Egg Decorating

Egg decorating might not have taken us outside but we did do it in the bright sunlight steaming in from the window so I figure it counts.  :) 

 While I don't have strong memories of decorating eggs for Easter when I was younger (I think I was just too focused on the chocolate) I love the idea of doing this type of thing with my kids.  Last year Alec and his grandmother decorated eggs at their house and while we would have loved to do it with her again this year they have moved so we had to sort it out for ourselves. 

We hard boiled a dozen eggs and the kids were off to the races. After a quick taste test of two eggs that had cracked during the boiling the dyes came out and the fun began.  The results might not have been award winning but they were unique to each of the kids and brought smiles to everyone's faces.  Only a small amount of egg dye was ingested and a fun time was had by all!

Swim Lessons

We recently restarted swim lessons for both boys and as G’s parents moved last summer we decided to forgo lessons at the PJCC and try La Petite Baleen Swim School in San Bruno as it is a bit closer to home.  This week will be our third class and so far we are really happy with it.  It is different from our previous lessons as the focus is very much on learning to swim rather than just getting used to the water.

   Our three year old is in the pool with a teacher and three other kids and has learned to be comfortable without a parent in the water, hold his breath (balloon face) and swim around 6 feet on his own.  He looks forward to going to the class and also enjoys the train table he gets to play with while we are waiting for his younger brother. Our one year old is in the water with his dad and by the end of the class is exhausted. He spends his time in class getting used to being in the water, and putting his face underwater. A lot of the focus is on safety and learning the basics a simple repetitive nature. For example, he learns to climb out methodically, elbow - elbow - tummy - knee - knee; and while he can't quite do it on his own he definitely is getting the idea.

One funny thing is that they have the kids wear goggles and fins, have to admit it is pretty darn cute to see them in their gear ready to go! 

Photos from Mexico!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Half Moon Bay State Beach

We have close friends who live in San Jose so one of the things we are often looking for is fun places easy driving distances from both San Francisco and San Jose and one of our recent favorites is the state beach at Half Moon Bay.  The beach is never crowded, the sand is great for building castles and our kids love playing in the waves. Be warned they are stronger than they look and we all got at least the bottom halves of our pants wet when a stronger than expected wave hit!

The last time we went we spent a few hours on the beach and then headed up the hill to enjoy some BBQ at the tables overlooking the ocean with a great view of the surfers. Be warned that the seagulls are fierce and are determined to get your food at any cost.  We had the toddlers running circles around our table and that still was not enough commotion to keep them at bay!

It costs $10 per car to get in for the day but with lots of picnic tables, bathrooms (and showers if you brave the water) and BBQ facilities it is great value for a super fun day.  They also have camping, we’ve never stayed overnight but should try one day!

For more information you can check out their website here!

Magic Mountain Playground at Coyote Point

We decided to try a new playground a few weeks ago and as it was foggy and cold in San Francisco we decided to head south.  We thought that Coyote Point would be a good option and after looking online found information on what sounded (and proved to be) and amazing playground called Magic Mountain.   

Magic Mountain is basically designed and based on a gigantic purple dinosaur and castle.  It consists of big and baby swings, at least 6 slides and a ton of other things to climb.  The ground is covered with that soft rubber materials a lot of modern parks are using these days which is perfect as our boys both tend to take a lot of tumbles.  As soon as we arrived our three year old was up the multistory structure and while he would not go down the long tunnel side on his own he had a great time climbing and expended a lot of his energy.  Another of our kids favorite things was the dinosaur’s mouth where they could actually get inside and climb on the teeth. 

The only downside of this trip was the cost.  It was $6 to get into the conservation area which was totally reasonable but there was an additional $25 fee to use one of the picnic tables beside the playground which we needed to BBQ.  Had we known about the cost we would have just brought sandwiches and had a picnic on the grass but we were excited to use our Cobb BBQ and had been looking forward to the idea of hot food on a slightly chilly day.

Overall a great day and a really fun playground!

Why we love the zoo!

Friends have often heard me profess the benefits and value of our San Francisco Zoo membership. For $95 a year a family of two adults and upto 5 children get to go as often as they want and have access to the member only benefits and events. 

Since we bought our membership we have met Spider-man, Captain America, Elmo and Cookie Monster as well as the Easter Bunny (ok – it was actually the Nesquick bunny but our kids did not know the difference and were excited none the less).  We’ve seen musical shows featuring Fisher Price’s Little People and been present for the arrival of Santa’s reindeer two years in a row. 

 

In terms of set up and animals SF Zoo does not have the awe of the San Diego Zoo (which is amazing) but as a family with two very energetic toddlers the open space, good sight lines and lots of things at their level it is the perfect day out.  We generally spend a lot of time in the children’s zoo which includes a bug house and a petting zoo along with a bunch of kid type animals.  One of our favorites is the muir cats and prairie dogs who are usually out and about doing their thing and happy to show off their entertaining personality.  We also love the petting zoo, the main attraction are the goats and sheet wandering around who are pretty mild mannered and used to kids throwing themselves on them.  There is also a building within the petting zoo where they raise chicks and you can see the eggs in the incubators, we’ve been lucky and actually seen one hatching one morning during our visit.

Another advantage is free parking on Sloat Street.  It may require a bit of extra walking but we’ve never had trouble finding a space less than 10 minutes walk and appreciate the chance to save the $10 parking fee.