Jack - 28 Months

Jack,

You are getting so big and love being a big boy. You have started to open and close doors and you love to slam the doors shut. We are working on gently closing the doors.You move objects to stand on and turn on the lights which help mom and dad especially when we are having to bring in all of the stuff from the car.

You LOVE Thomas the Train, Dinasour Train and anything that is on wheels or that moves. Your sister loves to take the toys you aren't playing with and intice you with them and then you get up set and kind of scream like a girl. Its kind of funny. You are learning time out, somewhat of patience and that you can't always get your way.

You LOVE your dogs especially Daisy and love to climb on them, love them and of coarse tell them that they are good girls. You have started asking "What's this?" all of the time. You love figuring things out and finding out what things are and I especially love when you repeat what it is. With help you are able to count to ten and you will repeat back the alphabet.

You love to read and let your sister pick the book and we can see you learn each and every day. We love you.

Utah State Fair 2011

When I was growing up, around September, we would pack up the car and head to the Eastern Idaho State Fair. From Carni's to Tiger Ears it always felt like home and you new where every thing was from the hypnotist to the horse races and to the Tiger Ears booth.

This year we didn't make it to the Idaho Fair but decided to head to the Utah State Fair. I was able to get off of work early and since Jeremy didn't have to work that night away we headed down town. We headed first to the animals thinking Jack and Abigail would get a kick out of the animals. 

At the bunny cages

Abigail loved sticking her finger through the cage grate and touching the bunny's nose. The bunny would then move his nose and Abigail thought that was the best.

After the bunny's we headed to the cow's. Abigail just wanted to head straight over, climb into the hay and lay with the cows, but we were able to stop her. After the cows we headed to the sheep and petted a few.

After the animals we decided to walk through the rides section and we came across this Little Hands on the Farm, so we headed in.

Each kid got an apron and a bucket. You moved from little barn to barn learning about different things about the barn. It was pretty cool.

Here we are learning how to milk a fake cow.

Jeremy and Abi trying it out.

Jack did try it, but it was just weird to him.

The trail then leads you to a sand garden where you can plant your seeds in the sand.

On the other side your veggies have grown and you can now pick them.

From there you head to the tractors to cut your crops.

Jack loved the tractor ride

Abi also rode the tractor and loved it.

You then go through a few more learning barns and then you turn in your apron and bucket and are then paid a dollar which you then go the the grocery store and buy and item for a dollar.

After the little hands on the farm we took a ride on the Giant Yellow Slide. I rode with Jack and Jeremy rode with Abigail. They didn't know what to think about it.

We then continued to walk around the fair and came across this guy with his dressed geese. All dressed up and are at the fair.

Abigail hanging out

Last the Utah Fair is known for their Funnel Cakes and yes I shared one with the family and the five or ten bites I took were good for me.

Abigail - 20 Months

Abigail,

You are a wild child and continue to be wild. Rough housing with your brother every day and when around your cousins joining in that fun as well. You are starting to talk and talk and talk and you try so hard and you do such a great job. You are able to some what count skipping numbers as you go it seems that right now your favorite numbers to say are one, three, seven and eight, but we help you work on your numbers each and every day. You love to read and every night you pick what book we are going to read.

You are so smart and you learn each and every day. You are stubborn and LOVE to say "No" but you say it in a question, which is kind of cute, but annoying at the same time. You are an eater and out eat your brother each and every day. We love you.

California Trip 2011 ~ The Final Stretch - Thursday, Friday

The final stretch - Thursday we got up, got ready, packed up, checked out of our hotel and then headed over to Dad's one last time for breakfast. This time we were going to be served the delicacy of the Heinrichs legacy - biscuits with chocolate gravy.

Yes I know what you are thinking - gross, but it actually isn't bad.

After eating we said our goodbyes and was on the road by 11:00 am. The kids did amazing that first long stretch.  We drove pretty much straight through and finally stopped in Las Vegas and went to Cici's Pizza (since its advertised in Utah but actually not here) as we were trying to find the pizza place we past a huge playground and let the kids play on it for a while. We then got back into the car and headed for the Nut House. The Nut House was much cooler this time and wasn't as hard to cool down and go to sleep due to the cool breeze that was blowing.

We woke up had pop tarts for breakfast and was on back on the road by 10:00 which as soon as we got through the gorge we lost an hour so it was already 11:00. We first stopped in St George, filled the car up with gas, let the kids play a lilttle and got some sandwhiches. We then finished heading home. We got home about 5:00. Got the kids out of the car, unloaded the car, cleaned the inside of the car and then rested. As nice it is to be back it was sad to leave.

Thanks Dad & Christine for a fun trip, hope to see you soon this time in Utah.

California Trip 2011 ~ Wednesday

Mommy's cuddle bug

Wednesday we headed to Dad's for breakfast. We then decided to head to Hearst Castle a tradition to tour it while being in town.

Hearst Castle is located near the unincorporated community of San Simeon, California approximately 250 miles (400 km) from both Los Angeles and San Francisco, and 43 miles (69 km) from San Luis Obispo at the northern end of San Luis Obispo County. The estate itself is five miles (eight kilometers) inland atop a hill of the Santa Lucia Range at an altitude of 1,600 feet (490 m). The region is sparsely populated because the Santa Lucia Range abuts the Pacific Ocean, which provides dramatic seaside vistas but few opportunities for development and hampered transportation. The surrounding countryside visible from the mansion remains largely undeveloped. Its entrance is adjacent to San Simeon State Park.

Hearst Castle was built on Rancho Piedra Blanca that William Randolph Hearst's father, George Hearst, originally purchased in 1865. The younger Hearst grew fond of this site over many childhood family camping trips. He inherited the ranch, which had grown to 250,000 acres (1,012 km²) and fourteen miles (21 km) of coastline, from his mother Phoebe Hearst in 1919.^[2] Although the large ranch already had a Victorian mansion, the location selected for Hearst Castle was undeveloped, atop a steep hill whose ascent was a dirt path accessible only by foot or on horseback over five miles (8 km) of cutbacks.

Jeremy, Jack & Abi hanging out while we wait for our tour

The South Family

You ride a bus up the winding road that leads to the entrance of Hearst Castle

Arial view

Arial view

Jeremy & Abi at the beginning of our tour

Jack a little bord decided to climb down one of the many stair cases. 

We took the

Grand Rooms Tour

This tour is recommended for first-time visitors. It also has the fewest stairs to climb. Every evening, W. R. Hearst’s guests gathered in the grand social rooms on the ground floor of Casa Grande (his formal name for the twin-towered building, or main house). Follow their footsteps and experience what it was like to be a guest at The Enchanted Hill—known today as Hearst Castle. At the end of the guided portion of your tour, stroll on your own through the gardens and wander at your leisure around the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool—just as Mr. Hearst’s guests did in the 1920s and 1930s.

Assembly Room

Evenings began in this huge living room, with cocktails, conversation, and a chance to meet your host. Its walls are lined with walnut paneling and vivid tapestries, all dating back to the 16th century. Neoclassical marble statues brighten the corners and fine bronze sculptures sit atop the large tables. But the jigsaw puzzles, poker table, and comfy overstuffed chairs show that the Assembly Room was also a place for socializing and fun

Refectory

All meals were served in this splendid dining room. Mr. Hearst and his architect Julia Morgan named it the Refectory, the term for a monastery dining hall. Its high windows, bright silk banners, and gleaming silver candlesticks convey the atmosphere of a church from the middle ages. When we see the mustard and ketchup bottles sitting on the long tables, however, we realize that Mr. Hearst liked to keep things informal at the ranch

Billiard Room

Guests could play both billiards and pool in this impressive game room, which is also decorated with gaming themes. Its 15th-century Spanish ceiling is painted with scenes of courtly life, including bullfighting and jousting. And the Flemish tapestry from 1500 shows an early-morning hunting scene

Theater

W. R. Hearst and his companion, film star Marion Davies, joined the guests every night at 11 p.m. for a full-length movie, preceded by a newsreel. Visitors will sit down to view a short film showing footage of the Castle’s talented architect Julia Morgan, Hearst and Marion Davies themselves, and many of their celebrated guests—all having a wonderful time on the Enchanted Hill

After the tour which was about 40 minutes you could then roam the gardens, grounds and pools.

Here are some additional pictures from us roaming the Castle's grounds

What a cute family!

The whole clan.

San Simeon

One of the guest houses.

After spending a couple of hours up on the castle grounds we headed back down the winding road on a bus listening to 1920's music and additional information about the Castle its grounds and what it was like back in the day.

Grandpa & a very tired Jack

Once we got back to the visitor's center we were starving to we headed to Sebastians's Store in San Simeon next door to the William R Hearst State Beach.

This is the one room school built for the workers families children to get an education, during the building of Hearst Castle

In the parking lot sits a tractor - Jack had to have a turn

So did Abigail

After a great lunch we decided to head up to Ragged Point about 10 - 20 minutes from Hearst Castle to one let the kids sleep and two to get some ice cream.

Again Abigail falls asleep and does her impression of a hot dog

Ragged Point is located 15 miles north of San Simeonn's Hearst Castle and midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in San Luis Obispo County in a mountain region called Big Sur. Big Sur is a steep stretch of California Coastline where the roads sit atop the mountains, providing spectacular vistas to the Pacific Ocean, whales, dolphins and sheer drops to rocks or small sand beaches below. Some regions offer trails to the beach for those physically fit and wearing sturdy hiking shoes.

While the kids slept, Jeremy stayed in the car and I went with Dad & Christine to look at the gorgeous landscape of Ragged Point.

Love the beach, especially as it crashes against the rocks

The Ocean

Gardens of Ragged Point

Heading back to Cambria we stopped at the Light House which the top part along with the lense is on display on main street in Cambria.

We then headed to Moonstone Dr in Cambria and walked along the boardwalk

Sea lions sun bathing on the rocks

The South Clan

Jeremy & Jack

Jeremy & Abigail

Abigail, Jeremy, Jack

Abigail & Larkyn

Abigail, Larkyn, Jack

After talking our time on the board walk we decided again to part ways and head back to the hotel to rest. We rested until about 8:30 then headed out to pick up some Chinese from the local Chinese restaurant Dragon Bistro

We drove by the lighthouse lens/light and then headed back to our hotel for some eating resting and then finally sleeping.

To be continued...