For the Love of Larchars: Redwoods and Natural Bridges

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Redwoods and Natural Bridges

The second adventurous day we had during Diane and Joseph's visit was to the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and then to Natural Bridges State Beach. It was a lovely day, albeit slightly chilly. Both of these places are also within an hour drive of us. It really is amazing to me how diverse and beautiful this whole area is!

Arianna climbing around and having fun before our walk in the woods.

Gorgeous trail and very good for bringing strollers, for which we were grateful!! The walk would have taken all day if we didn't keep them all strapped in! (4 children 4 and under!)

The gang minus me (the photographer) in the Redwood forest. We even saw a number of banana slugs on our walk. They are pretty cool.

After the walk in the woods we drove just 10 miles to get to this beautiful place. I had never been here before and loved it!!! This is Natural Bridges State Beach. It is just up the coast a couple of miles from the Santa Cruz Beach that has the huge boardwalk/ carnival area. I had been to that portion of the beach when we first moved here and it was nice to be on the beach, but the loud, brash boardwalk kind of turned me off to Santa Cruz. I don't enjoy the noises of carnival games and arcades. So, when we discovered this portion of the beach that is so natural, calm and beautiful I was delighted!!

The girls had a blast in the sand!

Arianna having the time of her life. I hadn't seen her this happy in a long time!!

Daddy and his girls

Our family. Poor little Grant was miserable at this point- coming down with a pretty bad cold at this point, so he never got to get down and play in the sand.

Diane, Joseph and Benjamin

Kenneth and Heidi

The children running free!

Sandy girls.

Emma, Benjamin and Joseph exploring among the rocks

They were all sopping wet, sandy as can be and happy as clams!

We had so much fun with Diane, Joseph and Benjamin!! Here are a couple more pictures of their visit:

The kids playing at our neighborhood park.

Uncle Joseph reading all the kids a story. You do that and you are their new best friend.

2 comments:

Neil and Courtney AnneMarch 22, 2011 at 6:25 AM
I totally owe you an e-mail, and I miss you guys tons! But I wanted to tell you that you have to go back to Natural Bridges in the late fall. There is a eucalyptus grove there where butterflies winter. It's incredible!
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CamiApril 14, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Oh, that is such an amazing place. I am jealous. Looks like you guys had great fun!
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Little Larchars' Latest Laughable Lingo

We were on a walk the other evening and my 2 YEAR OLD didn't want to hold my hand to cross the street and told me in no uncertain terms, "Don't hold my hand EVER AGAIN!" Sheesh- they grow up way too fast!!

We were studying Anatomy today and talking about the skull. I told the kids that there were no bones in the tip of the nose. I asked them what was in the tip of the nose if there were no bones there. Without skipping a beat, Grant blurted out, "boogers!"

Mom to Aunt Heather: My kids know the meaning of 'instigate' quite well. In fact, they are experts on the subject.

Arianna (proud as can be): I'm the best instigator in the family!

Dad: Do you guys know you only have 2 more days of school? Then what are you going to do?

Arianna: Just the things on our charts, then play!!

Dad: Should we plan some fun field trips and projects?

Emma: I want to go on a field trip to Africa!

I asked Grant to get the carrots out of the refrigerator. When he handed them to me he said something to me, which I didn't quite hear, but I thought he said, "Here you go, dork." I asked him what he said and he replied, "Here you go, Uchtdorf!" I'll take that as a compliment!!!

Grant went to the scrap paper drawer, got a piece and nonchalantly said, "I've really got to work on this tax paper."

Emma slung the kitchen towel over her shoulder and said, "look at me, I'm a mom!"

I got a new decorative bonsai tree while Kenneth was out of town. Arianna was showing it to him and he asked if it was real. Arianna responded, "No, Dad, that's how mom keeps it alive".

Grant (singing): Here comes the ox cart short and stout. (Combining I'm a little teapot with the Primary song about the Pioneers.

Grant: Mom, you are an expert!
Mom: An expert what?
Grant: An expert milker!

A Potty Lesson:

Mom: Wetsies are #1 and Poops are #2

Arianna: And milk is #8

Dad: Grant, when are you going to learn to go on the potty?
Grant: When I'm a girl.

Emma to Arianna: Chew with your mouth closed. That's not polite. You are choosing Satan's plan.

Dad to the children: Please stop barking and eat your dinner.

Emma excited to show me the train they were forming as they chugged around the house: Mom, I'm the engine and Grant is the caboose and Arianna is the cattle car.

Emma: I can't wait to grow up!!
Mom: Why?
Emma: Because I want to have children!!!
Arianna: I want to be a farmer.

Mom: Arianna, you better hurry and finish cleaning up!
Arianna: But my arms are running out of power!

Grant: You are a sucker, Dad!
Dad: What?
Grant: You are a sucker, Dad!
Dad: Where did you learn that?
Grant: At primary

Emma to Arianna, "A mosquito's favorite food is people blood!"

Arianna (37 months) to Grant, "Don't hit! It's not acceptable!"

Emma to Arianna, "Please move!! I have to set the timer; the monkey just hit the pony and he needs a time out!"

This morning we were talking about different callings in the church. We talked about how Mom teaches and sings with the children in Primary and how Dad teaches the Young Men. Arianna thought for a second and with the most adorable little smile on her face said, "And the Bishop gives me animal crackers!"

Emma: Mom, you know what would be really neat? If we had a mom and a dad and a big sister and a sister and a baby and a dog.
Mom: I'm allergic to dogs, Emma, so we can't have one at our house.
Emma: Should we get a new mom?

Mom, is talking visiting teaching? (Emma on the way home from a visiting teaching appointment where we had talked about 1 1/2 hours.)

Mom, She just bless youed on me!! (Emma about Arianna)

Emma to Arianna: We are going to be mommies and feed babies!

We were walking to see the front of the White House yesterday and told the girls we were going to see Bo Obama's house (the Obama's dog's name) On the way there we passed someone walking a dog and Emma said, "Is that Bo Obama, mom?" Cute.

Emma: I'm a '2' Lady (She had a number 2 on her shirt)
Emma: What's Grant, Mom?
Mom: He has a baseball on his pajamas.
Emma: Grant is a baseball boy.
Emma: What's Daddy wearing?
Mom: His suit and tie.
Emma: That means he's a black man!

Heidi: "Tomorrow is Sunday. What do we do on Sunday?"
Emma: "Be quiet!"

Heidi: "Mom and Dad are going to the temple on Saturday"
Emma: "Are you getting married?"

Emma, randomly one day at lunch: "Mom, Boys are gooses and girls are ducks"

Heidi to Arianna after her nap: "How are you doing?"
Arianna (21 mo. old): "Good. Nice nap!"

From the Archives:

Emma, earlier this year: "I want Mommy to go to work and Daddy to stay home!"

"This is my husband" -Emma introducing a guest in our home to Kenneth.

For the Love of Larchars

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Redwoods and Natural Bridges

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