Memorial Day Weekend!!

Wow we had a grand long weekend this memorial day, filled with fun, firsts, adventures and a few misadventures as well. We had wanted to go camping for the weekend but, due to the enormous population that resides here in California and our procrastinative nature, all the camp sites that were kid and dog friendly were full up by the time we started looking. Instead, Matt decided to pitch the tent in our backyard and we spent two nights outside bundled up with Orson and the dogs. This allowed us to take some awesome day trips, test our equipment and to spend the weekend enjoying each other.

Our tent, the girls wanted to sleep in the sleeping bags but they spent the nights in their house inside the tent instead.

Orson spent the night in the papoose style baby carrier that my mom saved from when we were kids. He was a little cold and confused the first night but we swaddled him for the second (to keep his hands in where it was warm) and things went much better.

For our first adventure, Matt and I decided to drive south to Brentwood and go berry picking. Cherries were the fruit of the day and we also found some lovely blackberries. On the drive home we ran into a fire and had to choose a differnet route then the one planned. It was hot but we all had fun, even the girls!

Later that day, not quite in keeping with Matt's amazing misadventure last Friday, I was gently rocking Orson to sleep in the rocking chair when, snap, bang, boom, the chair broke and everthing in the closet came pouring down on us. Luckily we weren't hurt and it looks like the chair will be an easy fix.

Then on Sunday we stayed close to home, going to church, working in the yard (I mean campsite) and attending a last minute BBQ at a new friend from mommy's group.

On Monday, we headed out into the hills to find the Big Tree Trail in Tahoe Natioanl Forest. It was a long drive but well worth it.

Snuggs decided that if she can't sit in the carseat with Orson she will instead be a carcrab (like a hermit) and sit inside the armrest instead.

The views were spetacular on the drive into the trail, as was watching the crazy bicyclists pracitising for the Death Ride (129 miles and 15000 ft elevation gain bicycle ride through the Sierra foothills).

When we arrived at the trail, we put Orson in his new faorite mode of travel, the backpack, and were on our way. He giggled and laughed for most of the hike, since riding on Daddy's back and being eye level with mommy is oh so exciting!

The trees on the trail were indeed big. This trail had giant sequioas, douglas fir and lots and lots of dogwoods.

On the was back from the trail, I made Matt stop often to take pictures of all the amazing wildflowers growing on the hills. There was something for everyone on this trip:

To wrap the day up, I decided it would be fun to teach Orson to drink out of a cup...he took to it like a fish to water! Next I will try putting breastmilk in it and see how he handles that.

Last but not least, since he was already naked anyway, I took a coupld of naked baby pictures that turned out really cute. I just cannot believe how big he is getting!