USS Hornet & Chabot Science/Space Center

Ayden has been asking for a couple of months to see a real aircraft carrier.  He has a huge toy one that he plays with all the time, so Ken looked online and found the USS Hornet.  It is a decomissioned aircraft carrier in Alameda, CA that has been turned into a museum.  Since it's only about 2 hours away, we decided to go and also visit the nearby Chabot Science & Space Center.  We were joined by Grandpa & Grandma Jill, had a great day and could not have had better Bay Area weather!!!

 Ayden was pretty excited the whole time.  He listened to the directions very carefully and kept reminding my dad not to touch things. He was very interested in the planes that were in the hangar.

Grandpa, Grandma Jill, and Ayden waiting for the flight simulator

Running off some energy on the flight deck with Daddy

The beautiful view of San Francisco from the deck of the ship

After a break for lunch, we headed to the science center. Our entrance included a planetarium show and an IMAX show, which were both pretty cool.  We ran out of time to see the whole place before they closed, we will definitely have to go back another time to see the rest. Ayden enjoyed the space artifacts and replicas!

Our tired boy!!

Hard work

In the small amount of good weather we had this spring, Ken re-did an area of our backyard to make a small patio for our bar-b-que.  Ayden loved helping him and asked every day, "When are we working in the yard?" Ken called him his slave driver!  It's so cute that he's such a hard worker (when he wants to be!)

Easter!

'Twas the night before Easter...." and we went over to my brother and sister-in-law's house for a nice dinner with them and my dad & step-mom.  We had lots of fun, lots of yummy food, and lots of laughs....

A cool new soccer ball in his Easter basket from Grandpa & Grandma Jill - This was right before the soccer game was moved to the backyard

Ayden loves Matthew & Dominique's dogs.  Sometimes too much. Daisy isn't always fast enough to run away when he picks her up and carries her around...poor thing!

A little Super Mario Brothers Wii  - (which is very very hard to play with four players)

Easter Morning!!!

Someone went downstairs to look for his basket before his mom could grab the camera to get the "ooh, what did I get" shot.  Someone's mom may or may  not have re-assembled the basket to get a picture.  I think that explains the look.

Thanks to the Easter Bunny, we now have a Zsu Zsu pet.  I don't think he will be getting any friends anytime soon though.

Ready for church - the only time I can get him to look at the camera is if he is posing with something....Now if I could figure out a way to get a real smile.

more Easter Gifts...

Thank you Grandma!

Ready to hunt some eggs!

this was right before he took a header off the hammock!

And this is what happens when a four-year-old puts his egg in his pocket and doesn't tell anyone for a few hours.  On the way home, he kept complaining about "something stinky" and we had no idea what he was talking about.  Then, a few minutes later, he was saying that he was sad that his egg was cracked.  When we asked which egg he was talking about, he said, "the one in my pocket."  I didn't actually believe him until we got home.  He was kind of freaking out because he said he couldn't get it out because it was "too yucky."  Luckily we have daddy for all the jobs that are "too yucky"!

Happy Easter!!!

Easter eggs and more

We had a fun day today getting ready for Easter.  Grandma and Aunt Dominique came over and we dyed eggs, frosted cupcakes, and made some cute Easter-ey sugar cookies.  The kitchen was a huge mess when we finished, but it was worth it!

Ayden didn't understand why he couldn't dip all of the eggs in all of the colors - he said he would be fine with all brown eggs...

the lovely fake smile

decent attempt at a picute

I had to include this one - I don't think I even want to know what he is thinking at this point...



A few of the finished eggs!



sprinkles for the cupcakes

I think this was right after he said, "is it my turn yet?"

Yes - it's your turn!

 I guess I didn't get any pictures of the cookie making, I was too busy keeping my kid from eating dough and licking the frosting off all of the knives!

Daddy's Little Helper

Most of the time, Ayden loves hleping out around the house, especially if it's something that is new to him.  He was super excited and interested to help Ken replace a part in his truck in an attempt to fix something that was wrong. (obviously I really know a lot about cars!). 

Showing off his new skills

mechanic's crack!

His best trick was showing me that Ken taught him how to check the oil level.  I don't think I even know how to do that! He looked so old standng there "working" on the truck!

Ayden insisted I take a picture of his and daddy's dirty hands!

Spring has Sprung

...and no one is more excited than Ayden.  Well, I'm pretty excited about it too, especially because Ayden asks to go play in the backyard every day when we get home. I love that he is old enough that he can play in the backyard and I can watch him while I make dinner.  He would spend all evening every day out there playing and getting dirty if we let him!

A hose, a dump truck, and some stairs....what more do you need?

an attempt to get a picture with his eyes open

The cheezy smile that I'm getting every time I get my camera out...he wanted to pose with Muck



And then there's the sand/dirt/mud pit



and another cheezy smile...ugh

Ken's Birthday

...Was a few weeks ago.  I'm just now getting around to blogging it.  We've been busy!!

We treated Ken to blueberry pancakes, sausage, and eggs for his birthday and before we were even done eating, Ayden had gone to get his gift.  Ayden insisted on using this Christmas bag for Ken's present and was very proud he had wrapped it himself!

 A larger gift....a new fire pit!

Ayden wanted to put it together immediately!

All finished - a happy boy and his happy daddy!