DEBRA TURNS FIFTY-SOMETHING

Today is Debra's birthday.  She is a few years younger than me.  She is in her fifties.  That's all anybody needs to know.

 

 

I made a card for her.  She wanted me to make a video for her like I always do for my sister and brother, but I didn't. 

 

 



 

 

 

 

I gave her a present.  A photo album.

 

 

 



 

 

 

This is how the first few pages read.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Debra opened her gift in front of Silas and Hunter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debra's reaction to her gift was captured on video.

 

 

 

GRANDSON FUN (DAY THREE)



Today concludes our last full day of our visit with Silas and Hunter.

 

After leaving our hotel this morning, we stopped by the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay in Redding.  Then we took a tour of Lake Shasta Caverns.  Then we headed back to the house on Oak Valley where we swam, played pool, played ping pong, ate ice cream, watched Firehouse Dog and went to bed.

 

Tomorrow we return the boys home.

 

 

 

Silas and Hunter cross the Sacramento River on the Sundial Bridge.

While looking down at the river from the bridge, Hunter noticed a spider.

Standing together on the other side of the river.

Both boys show a keen interest in rocks.

Hunter rests.

The tour of Lake Shasta Caverns includes a ferry ride across Shasta Lake, a bus ride uphill to the entrance to the caves, and a guided tour through the caves.  Hunter and Silas enjoy the boat ride across the lake.

The boys choose the back seat of the bus.

Bear hug.

Our tour guide, Dave, gives some history of the cave before we enter it.

Dave explains different structures inside the cave.

The boys thought their trip through the cave was "cool" and "awesome".

The boys spend some time in a play area outside the cave gift shop following the tour.

After returning to the house on Oak Valley, Hunter and Silas challenge Nana to a game of Pictureka.  

GRANDSON FUN (DAY TWO)

The boys went to bed early last night in anticipation of getting up early this morning and embarking on a secret adventure. 

 

We were out of the house at 6:30 a.m. and accomplished this feat without waking up Debra or Ashley.

 



 

Boys only for this trip.

Every trip requires an occasional stop to buy gasoline, to use the rest room and to jump up and down in the back of a pickup.

Our secret destination became known when we arrived at Water Works in Redding, California.

Hunter and Silas both sail down The Corkscrew  (Click the name of each ride and see what it looks like).

The boys grab their tubes and prepare to ride The Raging River.

Down they come.

Climbing the stairs and getting ready to ride The Cyclone.

Lunch break.

Hunter slides into the pool.

Both boys cool off under a raining mushroom.

Silas rides the scariest attraction at the park:  The Avalanche.

After returning to the hotel from the water park, we decided to get some ice cream at Dairy Queen.  Since the temperature outside was only 105 degrees, we decided to walk.  It took only about ten minutes.

We've eaten several healthy meals so far:  Dinner last night at McDonalds, breakfast this morning at Burger King, Lunch today at the snack bar at the water park, and dinner tonight at Dairy Queen.  At least I had fresh strawberries.  Maybe they were frozen.  It was hard to tell the way they were mixed into my Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard.

The boys chow down at a Dairy Queen that was undergoing some remodelling.

Returning from Dairy Queen to the hotel, we stopped for a moment to admire our shadows.

Once in our hotel room, we relaxed for the remainder of the evening in front of the television.