Monday, August 17, 2009

Jedidiah Smith State Park





We saw lots of giant Redwood trees. They were 100 feet or taller, most of them. We walked the trail to see the trees. I liked walking on each fallen tree we could find. They are important to the forest because, they continue life. They compost into the ground. Plant sprouts have a new area to grow in the sunlight.



Banana Slug that Daddy found.





We loved to run along the fallen trees.



A quiet place.










Eventually we came down to the river. Quillan and I caught lots of tadpoles and a few frogs. We also saw two crawdads, and some blue birds with mohawks. We let the frogs and the tadpoles go.
We left the creek and headed back to the car, but I accidentally found paradise! There was a bride across this other spot on the river. A little creek ran down into the big river. The path we ran down, led right to the creek with a little bridge. WE LOVED IT!

We found our mom again, walking after us. She looked kinda angry. But she wasn’t when we showed her paradise. Our mom said we should have lunch here and rounded up Max and Roddy. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing there.






Quillan and Max rock climbing.



When we finally crossed the river, there was a bunch of rocks in the water, with tadpoles. They weren’t black like the ones we caught earlier, they were spotted and looked much like rocks- probably for chamoflage. Some had two legs, some had four, but they all had their tails.
When it was time to go, we walked across the bridge. Quillan and I really really really really really wanted to KEEP the tadpoles, but mommy said we couldn’t. So we let them go across the bridge.
We got lost tryin to get back to the car.
-Finn

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Crescent City Beach viewpoint.....



Roddy (daddy man), Max, Quillan sheltered from the wind.


Down at beach level, Mommy and Quillan dodge waves.



the water was cold enough to make us scream... just a little...





We went to the windy beach at Crescent City. I loved jumping waves! Some were huge. I could have stayed all evening, but it was time to go back for dinner. At the campsite, I made the fire all by myself and I even lit it. Roasting marshmellows is my favorite thing to do after dinner. Mommy read the
book, the Lightening Thief, out loud to us again. It’s an exciting story!
-Quillan




First Quillan had to pose.....



Mommy thought this would make a better xmas card if we were also dressed like pirates.



We LOVe building the fire, keeping it going and roasting marshmallows.

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While Max andMommy were making dinner, Daddy and I went down to the creek to pick blackberries. We picked a lot, so I said “I think we have enough.” I asked Daddy if we could putter around and he said yes, so we decided to cross the creek. We make a little ring of rocks in the middleof the creek to set the bowl of berries into, to chill, while we played. There were lots of slippery rocks. Daddy slipped and hit his toes on a rock. On the other shore, we looked for a place not so slippery to cross back. I was holding daddy’s hand so I wouldn’t fall down but Daddy was the one who fell down! Splash! He was soaked to his armpits! I lost balance and soaked my shorts. Our walk back to camp sent, “Squelch-squelch-squelch….”
-Finn

Patrick's Creek Campground

Morning thoughts.
I like waking up first thing in the moring because it makes the trees glow.
-Quillan

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I woke up this morning because I heard a bear in our campsite. I sat up. The grumbling noise continued. I looked around……it was my dad snoring. I was kinda disapointed it wasn’t a bear.
-Finn

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

It's my birthday! - Quillan


Guess what? It's my BIRTHDAY today! And I'm seven years old. Thank you for celebrating my birthday.

My mommy made me a coffee cake b'cause I love coffee, and I always ask for coffee when mommy goes to the coffee shop, but she sez no. I already had my birthday song and a slice of this cake before dinner and it tasted awesomely great. My brother Finn didn't think it was all that great, in fact, when he tasted the icing, he ran into his room! But I loved it.

Can I have a granita?


Poppy and I want to celebrate your birthdays, too!

Location, location, location- by Finn



We are going to the Redwoods Forest, which is in North California. We are also going to the biggest petting zoo in America. Traveling in our group is my brother Quillan, my dad Roddy, my mom Alysse, and Max.

I am looking forward to seeing all the different sites, and I'm kinda nervous about being on the longest road trip I've been on in my life, and being away from home for a week.

From Finn

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Ready Set Go


Packing is hard work. There are many things to do and many things to organize.
-Finn age 9