2011 California Trip: Round 1

We just returned from our annual trip to California. We always go for the antiquarian book fair, but try to spend as much time with family and friends as we can. The first several days, the girls and I spent in Petaluma (Sonoma County) with Grandpa and Gigi, while Daddy was doing book-stuff.

Here the girls are making Valentine's for their Aunt Heidi, who is now in the Army, stationed in Texas. She was sad to be missing our visit this year.
Gigi got the girls a tea set that they played with every day!
We spent a day walking around downtown Petaluma. One store had a coin-op horsey. Ella's look says it all (Nora refused to try it).
A fountain in town...just happens to be near the local pie shop. They make pies. And sell them.
There is a small playground less than a block from their home. Grandpa and Ella had fun with the swing.
Nora was a big girl and did all of her own stunts.
LOVE this photo. Such a pretty girl.
Nora did the "rock climb" all by herself. Of course, she asked her Uncle Troy to watch her every single time.
The girls were so excited to play with the kitchen set that their Aunts and Uncle used to play with (and maybe even Daddy at times).
We went to do some local wine tasting. Nora thought that if she put on the movie star glasses, they'd think she was old enough to sample.
At St. Francis vineyards
Tasting room. I'm pretty sure the girl behind the counter was smashed. It was a slow day for them, apparently.
The Golden Gate Bridge from the parking lot of the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
Part of the outdoor water-play area at the museum.
They were able to play with toy frogs...
...and fish. It totally looked like they were sending dead fish down stream. It was kind of weird.
Ella the frog
Gigi tries (to no avail) to get Ella to dress up like a skunk.
Nora teaches Grandpa how to sort shapes.
Ella rides the lizard.
Nora did about two dozen laps around this tree.
Walking through a wigwam kind of thingy.
Ella sat at this table, no really doing anything with these parts. She was just looking at the kids next to her.
Turns out she was waiting for one of them to leave the computer so she could pounce on it!
The girls put up "window" panes
Seriously. What a great view. This is from the outdoor play area of the museum.
Captain Nora.
Grandpa helps Ella up the rope ladder.
Nora crosses the kid-friendly version of the Golden Gate Bridge.
View of the outdoor area of the museum from above.
The art room. The girls played at the sand table. Gigi couldn't help herself.
We finished our adventure by having lunch in Sausalito. A lovely town.
Round 2 pictures (San Fran) will be up soon.