Our Quarantined Beach Trip

Last day of Spring Break, and the warmest day we've had, which meant it was the perfect day for a beach trip. I brainstormed all the beachy activities we could do from home and had things ready to go when everyone woke up.

First off, Aqua Sand. We got a couple things of this years ago and I'm pretty sure the kids only played with it once. It's kind of a pain to clean up, but what's the point in keeping and storing it all these years if we don't play? So we got it out and we all had fun with it.

Such a weird substance! The water beading up on it is fascinating to watch.

After getting ready for the day, everyone wanted to start reading. And that's pretty much what we did for the rest of the day--read while listening to ocean sounds from YouTube. We did take a break to watch a virtual lesson on Elephant Seals from San Simeon State Park, but otherwise, I couldn't tear the kids away for games or the Nana sand castle painting I thought we'd do. Honestly, I was in the middle of a book that I really wanted to finish, too, so we were all pretty happy on beach towels and hammocks for the afternoon. 

After Daddy-o got home, we went down to the creek for a bit. What a difference a week makes. Where the boys were peddling through knee deep water is pretty much dried up. I think this is probably the last of the water here for the season. Kind of sad. I love water and it's been so nice having it close by. 

We did pull out one game--Oceans--which I have been dying to play for a couple months now. We didn't make very far before dinner, but at least it's all set up and we have the basic rules of playing down, so we can try to finish tomorrow. It definitely has the potential to be a really fun game once we figure it out.

6 hours outside, 2 meals outdoors, 4 total finished books and one 1/2 done, a messy kitchen table with sand and games, and a lame 90s beach movie to finish off the night. It's been a good break, and feels like we had a little vacation without even leaving Livermore. Hope the change can get us through a few more weeks of sheltering in place, and maybe there will be a summer. . .

Backyard Camping Trip

We figured out a way to feel like we've been on a trip, even though we can't leave our city--camping in the backyard for the win!

We planned a whole nature themed day, with our nature themed games, a video class on redwood ecology in Henry Cowell State Park, and a lot of backyard time.

Trekking the National Parks is one of our favorite games and was perfect for our day of nature.

Once Daddy-o was home, we started foil dinners, the kids' request for camping food.

It doesn't get more camp-like than this!

A few more puzzles and games.

Time around the campfire. . .

It wasn't quite the same, but it really did feel like something different than just staying home, week after week. We all smelled like campfire when we went to bed, and had the experience of hearing racoons in the night (well, Daddy-o did--the rest of us slept through that) and being woken up by the birds in the morning. Pretty much a typical camping trip.

The next morning, we made bacon and pancakes on our gas grill (which I would totally take camping if we had the room to bring it!) and headed out for a hike in Sycamore Grove. I had hoped to go somewhere a little farther away to try a new trail, but things around us are getting even more strict--more parks closing, and many counties threatening anyone who doesn't stay within a few miles of home. It didn't feel worth the risk, so we stayed close by. But we did try a new trail that branched off from the new trail the kids and I had done last week, and at the top, found the amazing climbing tree above.

 

We haven't done any real hiking with all 5 of us for a few weeks, so this was extra nice.

Found more turkey tail mushrooms.

And then a group of wild turkeys who talked to us for awhile (or maybe they were talking to each other and we just kept interrupting.) Pretty fun hike with sections of no crowds. Weekends are hard because there are so many people out trying to find a bit of nature. And, as we've found, a lot of people only take the social distancing so seriously. We actually ran into friends who were hiking, together, without any attempt at distancing. It's hard not to get frustrated because we feel like this attitude slows down the process and will drag out the return of travel and being able to go anywhere. But what can you do?

We finished off the day with a national park documentary, reading in the hammock, and a camp-y movie--Follow Me Boys.  The kids and Daddy-o had watched this movie a couple times before, but I think it was always in the car when I was driving so I'd never seen it. They convinced me it was perfect for our theme, and it was a really great movie, but nobody warned me that it was going to be such an emotional movie. I was expecting a fun, light-hearted, old fashioned movie--instead, they hit on a lot of tough subjects (infertility, kids with alcoholic parents, death, adoption, giving up your dreams for the good of others). Between that and reading a book about slavery, my heart has had more hurt than it can handle at this time of extra stress and worry. Gotta find some light-hearted entertainment next!

New York, NY

We picked a few days of spring break that would be our themed vacation days--today was our Boston/New York trip day. If we can't go visit the cities, we thought we'd bring a little of the cities to us. First up--listening to Broadway musicals. Peanut was very inspired by Newsies and did his own rendition of I'm the King of New York on our kitchen table.

Then, we made some bagels. We did this once, a long time ago, possibly before Peanut was even born. So the kids didn't really remember. 

I'm not sure they are supposed to look quite like this 😆

They sure tasted good, though!

Peanut still had art class, and his teacher absolutely loved that he was dressed up. 

We figured we probably would have seen some art while traveling, so we all did a little painting.

And one of the games we played was an art game as well.

Plus a travel game--10 Days in the USA. Nothing like planning a trip across the US!

Then we headed outside for some time in Central Park (or Boston Commons). Lots of reading and drawing time.

Bean has been really enjoying having time to read again.

And this series is perfect for right now--set in Harlem, with a family who live in a brownstone, which is right wher we were going to be staying during our few days in NYC.

We ended the day with take out Chinese food and watching Night at the Museum. Not quite the same as getting to visit these cities in person, but we had a fun day, and someday we'll make it out there.