Author: Dad

The next day everyone headed down to Donner Lake Historical Park to learn about our ancestors. I am a descendant through Mommy’s family. I am not sure how… but I am.

I loved running in the park.

Runnin’ runnin’ runnin’

The base of this statue (the stone part) is how high the snow was the year the Donner Family got stuck in the pass.

Enjoying nature… my true element!

Mommy, Uncle Matt and ME! We found a little waterfall and I was enjoying throwing everything I could get my hands on into the water!

Later we went by to feed the ducks in an little area right off of Lake Tahoe. We all looked pretty silly with our heads through the bridge looking down at the ducks.

Honest, there are ducks to feed!

Then we walked out to the lake. It was really low so there was a LOT of dirt/sand/rocks to run on. What a beautiful sight.

I enjoyed throwing rocks, go figure?

Okay, this one was pretty big!

There were lots more to throw!

Then more running…

Then a break with Mommy and Uncle Matt. Honest Daddy is on this vacation too!

Then I saw GEESE, Canadian Geese to be specific. They looked a bit too comfy, so I needed to fix that.

FLY AWAY! The were pretty lazy!

But I think I would be too if I were enjoying this view.

Look, DADDY and EMMERSON!

Sorry we are late to blog about our vacation but with Thanksgiving and everything else in the world Mom and Dad are a bit behind.

We had a lovely time visiting Uncle Matt in California.

Both Emmerson and I did fantastic on the flight out. Well, Emmerson cried most of the way… but I slept a lot of it! 🙂 We flew into Sacramento (aka the armpit of California!) and took a very twisty I80 up to Truckee to see Matt. Grandpa John picked us up at the airport and drove us to Matt’s place. Quite a temperature change for us. But it was still warm in California for winter and high elevation.

The first night in town we just hung out at Matt’s and settled in. We did a small amount of sightseeing and what-nots.

The next day Matt drove us around locally to see if we could find a little snow to play in. We pulled off near Donner Pass and found some beautiful snow and nice views of Donner Lake. 

Uncle Matt tried to help put on my VERY large gloves

 
We gave up eventually.

I found a chipmunk… but was later told it was a California squirrel! Not like Florida squirrels at ALL!!!

MY FIRST SNOW… okay so it was on a sidewalk… but still SNOW!

Stomping through the wetness… I am NOT in good clothing for this… but I didn’t care!

Look at me go… this is FUN!

Mommy thought it was funny to THROW snow at me… NOT NICE!

I liked holding Uncle Matt’s hand. He kept me safe.

I was just in my glory with all this WHITE STUFF.

A cute picture of Mommy, Uncle Matt, Emmerson and ME!

I made Uncle Matt nervous with my “not looking at my feet or where I was going”. He said I had no fear and that was dangerous on these slippery rocks. If I took a tumble I may fall all the way down to the LAKE!

I went on safari, looking for every kind of animal you could think of.

Would you believe I found a giraffe!!! Okay it was a plastic Happy Meal toy but still a giraffe… ONLY ME!

Here I go again… catch me if you can…

Taking a break with Emmerson…

Posing with Uncle Matt overlooking Donner Lake.

Ready to run again…

Getting in trouble again for being a silly-billy and running on the rocks.

What a view!!!

Gee Mommy you look silly wearing my hat!

Heading down… I think Uncle Matt had enough. Hey, do you think I should hit him with this stick???

Quote the Raven… nevermore!

Mommy and Daddy promise they will help me get caught up with blogging and the awesome trip to see Uncle Matt.  But, right now I wanted to make a quick post…

Mommy and Daddy noticed the ground was wet and water draining onto the road from the neighbors’ water meter area.  Since they weren’t home, Mommy and Daddy called the water department to report a leak figuring they would either fix it (if it was the City’s problem) or shut off the water (if it was the neighbor’s problem).

So the water department came and tore up the meter area to find the leak (and for the record left when shift ended with water leaking faster onto the street!).  Anyway, I was curious so went to watch.  Mommy explained that the box and thing in the ground was a water meter.  I wanted to go see ours. 

We went over to ours and Mommy opened the cover and lo and behold: A toad!

I had to have Mommy catch it.  We put it in the spare Aqua-Pod aquarium but realized it will just climb right out.  Out came the cling-wrap to make a toad proof top.  But, since it’s only cling wrap, it had to stay outside on the patio table.

I love watching it!  

Then Daddy made me cry and have a break down.  He explained we could keep him (or her!) to watch until bedtime and then would have to let it go so it wouldn’t get too cold overnight and die (since it can’t burrow down like it could if it were free) and we can’t bring it in since it will escape.  Well… I didn’t like that at all.  As I told Daddy “I have to keep it in my bedroom.  I’ll be sad forever if it goes away.” 

After quite a while of being emo, Mommy and Daddy realizing this was a big deal.  Daddy went to the store and bought a place for me to keep him… and some food… and some moss for him to bed down in… and some aquarium rocks for him to explore… and a hollowed out small branch for him to hide in.

So, anyway, I’m happy about it and will post a picture of him soon.

Anyway, Daddy keeps muttering about “darn $40 water main leak”.  Go figure!

Okay, I’m thinking it’s time to move.  Either that or our park/playground is going down hill.  Or is it society as a whole?  Probably the latter.  🙁  Bad parental and grandparental generations!  Shame on you for letting society become what it is today.

I was at the playground and there was a very rude and mean bunch of kids (middle school) playing there for a post football party.  (I won’t list off all the rudeness and atrocities, but they included monopolizing the equipment, beating on a sweet handicapped younger brother of one of the boys at the party, and having a massive water balloon fight and soaking people who weren’t with the party).  

Anyway, the point isn’t that they were rude and mean.  Get this.  Mommy dragged me away as this game started but I still overheard it.

They played “tag”.  Copacetic so far.  But, as they ran all around the equipment playing tag, if someone shouted “drive by” everyone had to dive to the ground.  The last one to get prone on the ground became a punching bag and everyone got to come over and hit them.

They were doing this in full view of their parents.  

Um, it’s time to move Mommy and Daddy.  Find another country please.  I fear this one is quickly headed downward. 🙁

I’m really starting to master manipulative situations and am so proud of myself. Soon I’ll best mommy on a regular basis. I succeeded the other night.

I went into the kitchen and:

Me: Mommy, I’m hungry.  May I have a snack?

Mommy: You can have a healthy snack.

Me: How about you make me a chocolate chip cookie?

Mommy: We don’t have any to make.

Me: What about the ones in the freezer?

Mommy: No, I’m not going to make a cookie.

Me: (Saying this with a big grin on my face since I thought I had Mommy manipulated into a corner because she said “make”) Okay.  How about these instead?  (I was pointing to a box of cookies on the counter)

Mommy gave in.  Go me!

I’m getting much better at playing the game.  I wanted the cookies on the counter the whole time but knew Mommy would have said no if I asked for them right away.  Soon I’ll figure out the means to accomplish all my devious goals! 🙂