Fairyland

We generally set aside time each Saturday to do something fun with Jack. This past weekend we went to Fairyland which is a short ride over the Bay Bridge to Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA.

Fairyland is a small fairytale theme park that is hilariously retro, low tech, and kitsch. There are storybook settings throughout the park to explore -- Beatrix Potter, Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, There was a Crooked Man, etc. Some have slides or animals, interactive exhibits, or just nooks and crannies to walk in and out of and climb on. There's the Jolly Trolly train, carousel, puppet shows, and even a children's theatre.

The most unique feature of Fairyland is the "magic key" that you purchase before entering. There are kiosks set up at each of the storybook sets. When you enter your key, a song and/or story is played.

The park is an institution in Oakland and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The sets don't look like they have changed or been updated in 60 years either, and the wear and tear of the sets is evident. But that didn't bother Jack or us. We had a fun afternoon at Fairyland like the past few generations before us undoubtedly did as well.

CLICK HERE for pictures of our day at Lake Merritt and Fairyland.

Watch the video below to see Jack enjoying the sunshine at Lake Merritt before we hit Fairyland.



Watch the video below to see Jack meeting Snow White and her dwarfs.

Quick Kiss

Jack likes to pick up his toys, hold them up to you, and make you kiss them. Now if we can just get him to kiss us.

Fourth of July Fun

We are having even more fun as Jack gets older, more mobile, and interested in exploring. Today we took a trip to the amazing Bay Area Discovery Museum. The museum is located just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Baker (formerly a military outpost and now part of the National Park System) and has spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and bay.

The museum has a fun Tot Spot for with a faux rock stream complete with plastic fish and frogs, and lilypad room with three waterbed-like ponds and a waterfall tunnel. We had so much fun exploring the Tot Spot that we ran out of time to explore the other areas of the museum before naptime.

Play the video below to watch Jack with the Fishes & Froggies at the rock stream:



Play the video below to watch Jack giggle his way across one "pond" of lilypads and crawl through the waterfall tunnel that connects to the other "pond":



CLICK HERE to see all the pictures of our day at the museum.

Fathers and Sons

Jack often likes to hold Tom's hand as we stroll along. It's a father and son moment that always makes me smile and seems so perfect on Father's Day.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there -- Mindy and Tom's Dad especially -- we are thinking of you and wish that we all lived closer.

Jack's First Haircut

UPDATE 6/27/10: Check out the latest digital scrapbook page from Mindy's Aunt Pauline - love it, keep them coming!

Original post from 6/19/10:

We've trimmed Jack's hair with those little blunt craft scissors before, but he's recently grown a rat tail in the back and hair was curling into his ears -- time for a real haircut.

We visited Kids Cuts for Jack's first big boy haircut. It's a cool local salon with cars for chairs and stations equipped with TVs playing cartoons.

They know their stuff and we were in and out in record time with a little packet of hair for Jack's baby book.

CLICK HERE for more pictures of Jack's first haircut.

PLAY the video below to watch the action.

Stella's so money

Jack meets Aunt Carrie

We recently went to Portland, OR to visit with Tom's parents and his Aunt Carrie who was visiting from Minnesota. Carrie drove from Minnesota with Luther, her yellow tabby. We hadn't seen Carrie in a couple of years so we were really happy to see her and excited to introduce Jack to his Aunt. Carrie is one current, cool chick - she does the books for her local organic foods store, is active in her church and sometimes fills in for their minister, and we're envious of her fancy Mac laptop. Jack had fun spending time with Carrie, Grandma, and Grandpa and was fascinated by Luther who often hid safely behind the sofa -- only to look up and see Jack peering down at him.



Carris is a Minnesota transplant and a born and bred New Englander -- so you know she's a fan of LL Bean. She got Jack the cutest LL Bean slippers which are perfect for chilly San Francisco mornings on hardwood floors.



CLICK HERE for more pictures of our fun visit with Jack's Aunt Carrie, Grandma and Grandpa Blossom.