yosemite

We totally lucked out with the weather when we went to Yosemite.  Just the week before, the Bay Area got record rainfall and a rare lightning storm.  While we were there, the temperature was in the upper 70s and it was sunny, sunny, sunny.  We stayed in Wawona at the Redwoods in a cabin that we rented with the Chengs.  It's about an hour outside of the valley.  On day one, we went to see the giant redwoods that were close by to our cabin.  Then we took a short hike to a waterfall within walking distance from our cabin.

On day two, we headed into Yosemite valley.  First, we filled up with a breakfast buffet at the Ahwahnee hotel.  The main dining room was grand and we ate a lot.  To burn off the large meal, we rented bikes and the kids rode around in a trailer attached to Uncle Dion's bike.  We looped around the valley while Maddy yelled, "Stop it baby Evan!" the entire time.  We took a break at a stream where Maddy dipped her toes in the freezing cold water.  She later told me it was the best part of the trip.  We hopped back onto our bikes and took a short hike to a spectacular waterfall, lower Yosemite falls, that was gushing with water.  It was the perfect time of year to see such an abundant flow.

After we left the valley, we headed up to Glacier Point.  It was totally worth the hour long drive there because from the top, you get a bird's eye view of the valley and Half Dome is at eye level.

exploratorium

The egg extravaganza was scheduled for last Saturday in Alameda, but we woke up to a torrential rainstorm (with sideways rain).  We warned Maddy that rain was forecasted and the egg hunt was likely to be canceled.  She was disappointed, but we had something else lined up for her so that she could have some fun anyway.

We braved the storm and went to the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

By the time we left the Exploratorium, the sky had completely cleared up and the sun was shining.  We walked toward our car and Maddy insisted that she wanted to see the ocean when she caught a glimpse of it.  We had an awesome view of the Golden Gate Bridge and she sat alongside other people who were also admiring the view and sunshine. (That's her above in the red raincoat).  She sat there looking at the water and the seagulls for a long time.  When we told her it was time to leave, she said, "...but I want to look at the ocean!"  We'll bring her back soon.