Shell Beach and Goodbye

After a week with Aunt Shannon it's hard to say goodbye!  We took the boys for one last time to play at Shell Beach for this trip.  They started out digging and playing and as you can see we had to take their shorts off because they were going deeper into the water and couldn't resist getting wet. 

 

We took Aunt Shannon some flowers, that Garrett and Gannon picked out, to say "thank you" for playing with us all week. 

 

A Morning At Avila Beach

Dave's annual conference at Cal Poly is upon us once again and we came down as a family this year.  We spend Saturday night at Gramma Toni's place and Dave headed to his first meeting on Sunday morning.  Aunt Shannon was taking the boys until Thursday on Sunday afternoon so we spent the morning at Avila Beach.  Avila is typically warmer than Pismo so that was my choice!  Plus they have a great pirate ship playground for them to climb on too. 

 

The boys are at an age that they can be entertained for hours just digging in the sand.  They were making a huge hole in the ground (to crawl under!)  Both were covered in sand, having a ball!  We then headed to Del's in Shell Beach for a pizza lunch.  This Mom is smart and phoned ahead so we only had to wait about 5 minutes for our pizza.  In this 5 minutes Gannon was "getting ready" to sprinkle the cheese on his pizza and couldn't resist licking the shaker.  Garrett's eye lit up and he was laughing hysterically at Gannon which was pretty cute! Silly Gannon loves parmesan cheese.

 

Point Award Trip - Giants Game

The Atwater FFA Point award trip this year was to a Giants game so we joined the group for the tailgate and night game.  Garrett of course LOVES the Giants and a night game is even better!  Hot dogs galore and we headed into the game.  A few rides down the slide and Garrett was ready to head to his seat, he's not their to play on the playground!  Gannon insisted on wearing the backpack, that almost knocked him over it was so heavy.  It was a fun night, but Garrett was bummed because the Giants lost to the Marlins. 

 

Both boys were out and I was thankful we were staying at a hotel in Pleasanton for the night vs. driving all the way home.  We headed to Ikea in the morning for my new scrapbook area!!!

 

Garrett's Newest Accomplishment

Garrett and Gannon have this clock in their room and Garrett can now tell you what time it is!  Maybe this is normal for a 6 year old, but I was amazed.  Without even looking at a clock and me quizzing him, he can tell me what time it is by me simply telling him where the big hand and little hands are located.  He could do the counting by 5's easily and now even knows to estimate if the big hand it between to numbers.  Amazing in my book, I have high school students that can't do this!  With everything, he loves learning something new so he runs around reading clocks everywhere now!  Love our little learner!!!

 

Pee Wee Pair

Four more years until the boys could officially show their own animals so we'll continue to prepare them through Pee Wee Showmanship.  Ms. Natalie hooked us up with a couple goats, but Gannon had said he didn't want to show after all so one was put back.  Of course then he changes his mind!  Garrett was a trooper and let Gannon show as his partner!  They did great walking their goat around and answering the judges questions.  Gannon was even being silly giving him kisses.  They named "their" goat Henry, after Henry Hugglemonster Gannon's new favorite show. 

 

Carnival Rides

This year was the first year that we bought the boys an all you can ride wristband at the fair.  I'm pretty sure that will be a forever thing now!  We picked out a day ahead of time and told them that on Wednesday they would get to ride the rides.  Being at the fair a week before it officially opens and is still being set up creates quite the build up effect for them.  Gannon asked everyday if it was Wednesday yet.  We got into the fair before the rides opened and they were one of first to get their wristbands.  Running from ride to ride they had a blast.  Many of the rides they rode I swear 10 times, leaving a few they didn't ride.  Gannon is our little thrill seeker and he was very upset when we were calling it a night at 8, which is late for them!  He was crying saying he didn't ride all the rides.  I reminded him that many of them he rode LOTS of times and that we would return next year for more.  Really we'll be at the Stanislaus Fair so they don't have to wait but a month for more.  I was on the chase most of the night so I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few. 

 

 



Merced Fair Projects

Garrett and Gannon have been entering projects at the fair for years now and we decided it was time for Garrett to have a "bigger project"!  He was signed up for a garden plot and was excited to get it all set up.  The kids on the garden plots are according to the rules supposed to do the plot themselves.  No problem here we weren't allowed to help him!  He had a plan in his head how the flowers should go in and he had his "pattern" worked out in his mind.  Garrett loved creating this project and did let us help with a few of the final touches.  This years theme was "Thank You Veterans" so it was really simple to find material for this theme.  I painted little crosses to add to his plot and he was fine with us putting these where we wanted them to go.  He added little flags in front of each!  J

BLUE RIBBON FOR THIS ONE!

 

Wheel barrows are one of the projects that we have done for years.  Garrett is good about following directions to put lots of plants earning a blue ribbon.  Gannon on the other hand likes to do things his own way and will not take much direction to adding more plants were needed.  His wheel barrow is also much smaller, earning a red ribbon. 

 

Potted plants and succulents are our other "normal" entry.  Only one of these received a ribbon this year, I guess the judge forgot that these are kid projects and wanted more from them. 

 

Always fun to get their projects ready.