Map of Moses Coulee (the dot shows Hungate Cyn trailhead)
DAY TRIP: MOSES COULEE AGE 5, MONTH 9 APR 25 (2020)
We were in the mood for a road excursion with geological scenery, so we decided to drive up Moses Coulee. We hadn’t done this day trip for over 10 years! Early on, we spotted a small parking area that appeared to be a trailhead. We were treated to a short hike at Hungate Canyon. It lead us up to a creek and small pond.
Trailhead sign @ Hungate CanyonOn the trail – April 25, 2020April 25, 2020Looking back toward the road – April 25, 2020Family selfie – April 25, 2020Todd & Eric – April 25, 2020Looking back toward the road – April 25, 2020Todd & Elisa – April 25, 2020Todd on the rocks – April 25, 2020Lupine – April 25, 2020
Back on the road. After a while, we pulled over to eat our picnic lunch in the car.
Eric – April 25, 2020
Roadside geology – April 25, 2020Roadside geology – April 25, 2020
The end of our trip was Jameson Lake. We heard some interesting duck calls there, and Todd found a fuzzy friend. I had to insist that he needed to stay at the lake instead of going home with us!
Geology at Jameson Lake – April 25, 2020Jameson Lake – April 25, 2020
Todd with his fuzzy friend – April 25, 2020Todd with his fuzzy friend – April 25, 2020
NICK ZENTNER’S HELICOPTER GEOLOGY TOURS
For lots of information on this rich geological region, watch Nick Over the Rocks…
CASHMERE/HAY CANYON (WA) AGE 5, MONTHS 8-9 APR 18 – MAY 2 (2020)
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Our destination on this day was the pump track in Cashmere (WA). Todd tried riding his bike over a few of the hills, with success, and then he had fun running around. Next, we walked down to the river. Todd threw a few rocks, but mostly climbed on the hillside.
Funny face Todd – April 18, 2020Wenatchee River – April 18, 2020Todd – April 18, 2020Todd – April 18, 2020
We drove up the Hay Canyon road, just to check it out, but then decided to walk up the trail for a bit. We didn’t make it all the way to the top, but vowed to come back another time (…in May!).
Lupine – April 18, 2020Eric & Todd – April 18, 2020Hay Canyon – April 18, 2020Looking down toward Cashmere – April 18, 2020Todd running down the trail – April 18, 2020Balsamroot – April 18, 2020
SATURDAY, MAY 2
This time, we made it up to the top of the hill at Hay Canyon, so we were treated to a panoramic view.
Todd – May 2, 2020Hay Canyon – May 2, 2020Hay Canyon – May 2, 2020Todd & Eric – May 2, 2020Viewpoint – May 2, 2020
HIKING: CASTLE ROCK (WENATCHEE, WA) AGE 5, MONTH 8
MONDAY, APRIL 6
Eric and Todd hiked partway up the Castle Rock trail, via the little gully.
Castle Rock trail – April 6, 2020Castle Rock trail – April 6, 2020Castle Rock trail – April 6, 2020Castle Rock trail – April 6, 2020
SATURDAY, APRIL 11
We hiked partway up the trail to a lookout mound on this day…
Todd & Eric – April 11, 2020Elisa – April 11, 2020Todd – April 11, 2020April 11, 2020Eric & Elisa – April 11, 2020View of Wenatchee – April 11, 2020View of Wenatchee – April 11, 2020
ERIC’S SOLO HIKES
Eric hiked Castle Rock by himself several times this month. Here are some pics of the views that never get old! He even caught a couple marmots on video.
March 28, 2020
April 7, 2020April 15, 2020Egg shell – April 15, 2020
Watching YouTube channel Game Play Adventure (the guy plays games with long fingernails & makes funny sounds in a different language, which cracks us up)
Todd made a forest picture for Eli: “To Eli, I love you, Eli”
Making marble mazes with cardboard, hot glue and straws
Lots & lots of playing ‘doctor’ with hurt shoulder/arm in sling and doing surgery like what Eric had done
Singing/playing ukulele; his song “And Then”
Quoting lines from movies (Spies Like Us) “Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor” & (The Meaning of Life) “I really want the machine that goes bing!”
Eric made a table surface for the deck
Playing card games outside: Eye spy, Blackjack, Hulk choose! (4/9)
Spending lots of time on the deck (i.e., having dinner outside, making art)
The Easter Bunny brought Todd the Frozen II movie; he had fun looking for plastic eggs & thanked the EB (unprompted)
Playing outside on the grass with ball, T-ball, doing ‘moves’, sitting on skateboard & playing with Juan & Giovanni
Todd said:
“I’m sick” (when he doesn’t like something- usually a song)
“What did you say, if I might ask?
Playing games on the new table surface – April 9, 2020Dinner on the deck – April 13, 2020
THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY
Watching The Gods Must Be Crazy & cracking up watching the naked butts; Todd kept rewinding it (3/21)
Eric said, “Todd don’t rewind it. The best butts are coming up.”
Todd said, “But I want to see the bad butts” (watching The Gods Must Be Crazy)
Todd said, “Bye-bye butt show” (when I turned it off)
FUN ACTIVITIES
Walking to the elementary school & butt boarding on the skateboard (3/21)
Playing at Rotary Park (3/26)
Playing at St Joe’s playground (typically walk / bike ride there) (3/26 – 4/6); buttboarding, basketball, playing with kids / new friend Michael
On 4/6 the playground equipment at St Joe’s was roped off, so Todd played in the dirt/sand area
Playing his version of “Scary Teacher” in the grass
Cashmere pump track (brief spurt of biking but mostly running around); throwing rocks at the river & climbing up the hillside (he was more interested in climbing than throwing rocks)
Todd said: “Dada was a dud wall ball player”
March 26, 2020March 27, 2020April 5, 2020The day the playground equipment was blocked off – April 6, 2020By the river in Cashmere – April 18, 2020
BUTTBOARDING
Todd said, “I can beat you on the skateboard with my eyes closed”
Cashmere: Hiking partway up the trail/road @ Hay Canyon (4/18)
Tyee Ridge (Brief, WA) – March 21, 2020Todd hiking at the Jacobson Preserve – April 10, 2020Family selfie on Castle Rock trail – April 11, 2020Eric & Todd hiking at Jacobson Preserve – April 19, 2020
KINDERGARTEN
School from home continues. We found out school was going to be out for the rest of the school year.
We pick up a new packet every Monday & then Todd gets a take-out personal pan pizza (no cheese) for ‘Pizza Monday’
Todd meets with his teacher every Tuesday
No school for Todd on Easter Monday (4/13)
He loves watching Ms. R’s lesson with ‘Freckles’ on compound words; he makes jokes, “double decker bus,” etc.
Todd’s picture of cherries falling off trees/bushes, a butterfly and a man – April 16, 2020April 17, 2020
FOOD NOTES
He likes dipping romaine lettuce in balsamic vinegar
He tried spring roll skin (the clear kind made of tapioca flour) & liked it
He asked to eat a walnut (shocker!) & liked it
When he eats watermelon, he nibbles well into the white of the rind
Juicing orange/watermelon to make popsicles
Take out: Chipotle (2x), Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas for Todd (7x), Burger King Impossible burgers
He said, “I want something refreshing”
Eating plain spring roll skin – April 17, 2020
SLEEP
We put up the tent on Todd’s bed to sleep in
Todd said he had a bad dream: he was going to eat some chocolate, but then it had peanuts in it so he spit it out because he’s allergic
Sleepover with Elisa 1x
Todd fell asleep on couch (4/15)
4:36 pm – April 15, 2020
HEALTH & MISC
Todd seems to have a seasonal allergy
A right lower molar started poking through!
He helps put his own sunscreen on
Todd said, “Now take this off [my hair scrunchie]. It will look more beautiful like this” (touching my hair & smiling)
We parked at the WRAC parking lot and hiked up the Jacobson Preserve trail. Interesting fact: Eric’s mom’s first cousin is Sharon Jacobson…the same Jacobson family who donated this land to the Land Trust here in Wenatchee.
View of Castle Rock from the Jacobson Preserve trail – April 10, 2020Todd – April 10, 2020Balsamroot – April 10, 2020Shooting Star – April 10, 2020Elisa – April 10, 2020April 10, 2020Todd – April 10, 2020Eric has 4 sets of Todd’s hand prints on his back – April 10, 2020Todd & Elisa – April 10, 2020Todd – April 10, 2020
This month, we started a star (incentive) chart for Todd riding his pedal bike without training wheels. After 5 stars, Todd earned a personal pan pizza. (He likes the sauce-only pizzas from Pizza Hut.)
There were 3 different skills on the chart for earning pizzas: 1) Keep peddling with eyes forward; 2) Peddling while turning in circles; and 3) Working on starting and stopping. After earning 3 pizzas, he earned a Lego set (he picked the Hidden Side Wrecked Shrimp Boat).
SATURDAY, MARCH 28 SUNDAY, MARCH 29
We walked to St Joe’s while Eric drove Todd’s bike over with his van. Todd practiced riding on the paved area by the basketball hoops and the covered strip by the playground equipment.
MONDAY, MARCH 30
We drove to St. Joe’s and Todd practiced riding on the street for the first time, with me riding as a model and motivator.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31
We went back to St. Joe’s to practice biking on the street, with a specific focus on Todd using his brake. Todd earned jelly beans for successful ‘jelly bean stops.’
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
All of the bike riding must have gotten into Todd’s head at night, because he woke up and told us about his bad dream– about riding his bike too close to an edge and he fell off (then woke up)!
We took a day off from our usual St Joe’s outing, but later in the evening Eric and Todd went down to the tennis court to practice bike riding in circles. Afterward, Todd said, using an imitating voice, “Dada said ‘Bwa, bwa, bwa, do this”” (about bike riding).
THURSDAY, APRIL 2
First time riding from our home to St. Joe’s!
FRIDAY, APRIL 3 – MONDAY, APRIL 6
We continued our afternoon routine of bike riding from our home to St. Joe’s. By April 6th, he was starting/stopping/turning with greater ease.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8
We biked around the parking lot at the elementary school on the 7th. Eric and Todd biked a short section of the Apple Capital Loop Trail on the 8th.
SUNDAY, APRIL 12
We went to East Wenatchee and parked at the portion of the Apple Capital Loop Trail that spurs off from the main loop (at the Hydropark). Todd mostly practiced biking in the parking lot, but he was willing to ride a short section of the paved trail.
Todd was drawn to the river to look for fish, and he played on the grassy/rocky embankment with another boy his age. He wanted to wear his cloth mask, but insisted that it didn’t need to cover his nose (…oh well…).
Todd & Eric – April 12, 2020Elisa – April 12, 2020April 12, 2020Jumping! – April 12, 2020
MONDAY, APRIL 13
We rode our bikes around a church parking lot and then ventured over to the middle school. Before heading back, Todd wanted to play his own version of “Scary Teacher” in the grassy field.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 – FRIDAY, APRIL 17
We biked to the St Joe’s grassy area on the 15th and 16th. Todd rode around the tennis court on the 17th.
SUMMARY–
By the end of this month, Todd was able to peddle without training wheels, turn, go in circles, slow himself down, stop, and start himself. He was able to ride on quiet streets with our guidance. Success!
Skills for development for future months will be…
Improving endurance for longer rides, increasing reaction times for all skills, going up/down curb cuts and driveway cuts, and feeling comfortable riding within a defined width (i.e., sidewalk).
On this day we were in the mood for a scenic drive and short hike, so we ventured up the Entiat River Road. Our original destination was Silver Falls (located almost at the end of the paved road), but we were denied because the road was blocked with snow.
Instead, we turned onto the gravel road at Brief, WA / Preston Creek. We took in some gorgeous views of Tyee Ridge / Tyee Mountain as we ascended higher and higher. Before the road became too icy, we parked at a logical place (with one other car), and walked the road until Todd started getting tired.
This was just the sort of outing we needed!
Looking toward Tyee Ridge – March 21, 2020Looking back toward Entiat – March 21, 2020Family selfie – March 21, 2020Todd with Tyee Mountain in the background – March 21, 2020Looking back at the car – March 21, 2020Elisa – March 21, 2020Tyee Ridge – March 21, 2020Looking down the road – March 21, 2020Headed up the road – March 21, 2020Snowy section of road – March 21, 2020
Todd plays a game where he suddenly announces, “The floor is lava in 10-9-8-7…the floor is lava!”
Cracking up watching a video of a goat making a funny noise
First time saying he wants to marry me when he gets bigger (3/15)
Can you read this (starting with the number 3)? It says, “The bad guy found the gold and the money and diamonds.” Todd started writing from left to right, then did some reversals while writing from left to right. I traced with colored markers to pick out each word better.
Can you find the following names in this picture? Dad, mom, Todd, Grammie, Granddad, Lucy, Jason
February 27, 2020
Can you find the following names in this picture? Tyler, Eli, Ashley, Sandie, Darren, Kylie, Adam, Jeff
February 27, 2020Battle Gear – March 13, 2020
FUN ACTIVITIES
Playing mini golf & eating pizza at Tap & Putt (2/21)
Washington Park: practice with bike (training wheels) & playing (he brought backpack/bucket of toys) (3x)
He can pull himself up on the swing seat by himself now
Learning to bike without training wheels (starting on flat grass)
Playing at elementary school: playground equipment, grassy slope, buttboarding on skateboard, wall ball, basketball (3/17-3/20)
Todd said: “Dada was a dud wall ball player” (3/24)
Pulling himself up on the swing – March 1, 2020March 18, 2020March 18, 2020Shooting hoops – March 18, 2020
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
K.C.’s birthday party & Drake’s birthday party (Eastmont Arcade) (2/23 & 2/29)
First time getting his face painted (2/29)
Ian’s birthday party (his home) (3/7)
Todd & his buddy at K.C.’s birthday party – February 23, 2020Todd & his buddy at K.C.’s birthday party – February 23, 2020February 29, 2020
VISIT FROM FAMILY
My parents arrived Thursday 3/5 & went home Monday 3/9
Activities: Hiking Castle Rock (3/6); Dr. Seuss day at Todd’s school (3/7); Ian’s birthday party (3/7); Browsing Ye Olde Bookshoppe (3/7); Elementary playground (3/7); Mission Ridge (3/8)
My parents (“Grandpa & Grandma”) on top of Castle Rock – March 6, 2020
KINDERGARTEN
Field trip to the museum (2/21)
Todd wanted to go to the open house at his school (2/25)
He practiced hopping on one foot
Todd got a ‘SMART card’ for following directions (2/28)
Dr Seuss day activities (3/7; Elisa & Todd)
Eric & Todd typically went to the park after school to play
Spring teacher-parent conference (3/10)
Half day kinder for conference days (3/11, 3/12)
No school (3/12)
Last ‘regular’ day of school this year (3/16); I drove him to school since Eric was still wearing his post-surgical sling & Todd said, “I want to marry you, Mama, because you’re the best”
School work ‘at home’ started on 3/17
Buying treats with coins – March 14, 2020
SKIING & SNOW PLAY – MISSION RIDGE
The 3 of us skied together 2x (2/22, 2/29)
Elisa/Eric ski together (2/28; personal day; bluebird/like Spring)
Elisa/Lyndsay skied together the day before the ski area closed for the season (3/15)
Chairs 1,2 & 4
I rode Chair 1 with Todd this month
Sebastian & family skied at Mission (2/29); we went out to eat @ Chipotle’s with them the next day (3/1)
Elisa getting ready to ski Sugar Bowl (Chair 3) – March 15, 2020
ERIC’S SURGERY DAY
Eric had rotator cuff surgery (3/11)
After Todd’s half day at school, we all went to Ice for sorbetto; Todd threw rocks & climbed on rocks by the river
Check-in was at 2:30 and surgery started at 3:50
March 11, 2020March 11, 2020Eric post-surgery – March 11, 2020
FOOD NOTES & DINING OUT
We like getting bread from Glaze bakery
Dining out: Tap & Putt (2/21); Stones Gastropub (3/2; PTL meeting; Todd got a transformer to play with)
I took a personal day, but Todd had school. We went hiking to the top of Castle Rock(see post, “Hiking: Castle Rock (3/06/20)“).
Elisa & Eric on top of Castle Rock – March 6, 2020My parents on top of Castle Rock – March 6, 2020Todd & Grandpa chasing each other – March 6, 2020
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
This was an action-packed day. In the morning, Todd wanted to go to the Dr. Seuss day activities at his school. I took him to that event, and he had fun playing games and making crafts. Here is a picture of Todd with his chapel buddy (she adores him!)…
Paint dobber craft – March 7, 2020
After the Dr. Seuss activity, I handed Todd off to Eric, and they went to a birthday party for Todd’s classmate (Ian). Todd made a sweet card. I love the way he makes hearts!
At this point, I caught up with my parents at Ye Olde Bookshoppe. Afterward, we had smoothies/lunch at Seattle Yoga Café.
Next, Todd played at the elementary school playground. Grandma convinced Todd to try riding his bike without training wheels for the first time (he was motivated by a Lego set). He did great!
Playing at the elementary school – March 7, 2020
Finally, we went out for dinner at a favorite Mexican restaurant in Cashmere, WA: Agave Azul. YUM!
Out for dinner at Agave Azul – March 7, 2020
SUNDAY, MARCH 8
We all went to Mission Ridge for a day of skiing. It had been several years since my dad last skied, but it had been a very long time since my mom had. It turned out Grandma picked it up much easier than she thought she would!
Mom bailed out so she wouldn’t ski off the edge / run into a tree!
Grandma skiing at 78 years old! – March 8, 2020
Eric & I did a run together – March 8, 2020
MONDAY, MARCH 9
My parents went home! We started this school week not realizing it would be the last ‘regular’ week of school before the school closure! (And it wasn’t even a full week due to school conferences Wed/Thur and no school for Todd Friday.)
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