California Day 8

The children's Grandmom (Chris' mom) assembled a wonderful collection of travel toys which she put into monogrammed denim tote bags for this trip. The Thomas the Train book "Trains, Cranes, and Troublesome Trucks" has become the new favorite. We have read it many times to the boy! This is video of John reading it to himself. If you can get the volume high enough, you'll hear him enunciating very well phrases about "cranes help on the double!" and "troublesome trucks." Thank you again, Dottie!


This morning we went to the Sacramento Train Museum with Grampa Neil.


We rode the full-size steam engine for 40 minutes . . . serious business for John.

Watching the engine decoupling at our turn-around point.

Mary's joy at having successfully grabbed Daddy's cup of soda.

After the children's naps, we went to Lynn's house for an Independence Day dinner. First we walked to the nearby playground. We were all walking along and I heard John say to Grandpa, "I just have to hold your hand."

Building a sand castle . . . serious business.

Cooperative digging.

Yet another interesting difference in babies. As a baby, John hated grass and would cry and cry if I put him on it. Today was Mary's first time on grass (excepting a brief moment a couple of months ago) and she sat placidly. She took great interest in the grass and wasn't as mobile as she is on carpert, but she was not at all upset. Later John ran from inside to out without his shoes on, ran unthinkingly onto the grass and froze: "I need my shoes!"

This lawnmower was a big hit.

My sister with Mary.