HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

So, this past weekend has not been what we expected, but a lot of fun just the same. We were planning to go camping over 4th of July weekend. In fact, we already had reservations up in Redwood National Park. I was so excited! But Sunday and Monday nights, Mike and I took turns not being able to sleep. I'd finally doze off around 2 in the morning and then Mike would get up around 3 or 4 and not be able to fall back asleep. Then, Tuesday and Wednesday nights Madie was sick with a fever and (we think) a stomach flue, so that kept me up those nights too.

This is how Daddy found us on Friday morning. She couldn't stay asleep at all unless she was right up next to me, which meant I didn't sleep at all. The second night wasn't quite as bad as the first, but they both were pretty miserable for little Madie-Fi.

On Friday, neither Mike or I felt like camping with Madie for two nights. So we cancel our reservations, and decided to just do a day trip into Oakland and Berkley. We had a blast! In Berkley, we had lunch at Cheeseboard Pizza. They had a live boogie-woogie band. This woman, Wendy DeWitt rocked the keys of this piano! She was awesome! And had a great, old-timey sounding flare to her voice. She played with just a drummer and guitarist, who both helped on the vocals. They had great report with the audience and between themselves. They were so much fun to watch!

Then on Sunday night, we had a little barbeque with some neighbors of ours from Korea. They have a 14-month-old daughter who is very quiet and shy, but who seems interested in getting to know Madie. Madie loves her, and Mira (the mom). Jong Tae, the dad, works as a mechanical engineer at one of the labs. They'll only be here until November, so we thought we'd show them a good American celebration. So after the barbeque we walked over to the church ball field and watched the fireworks from Robertson Park. (Madie's not wearing any clothes in this picture, sorry!) Tamin (the daughter) was scared by the fireworks, but Madie wouldn't take her eyes off them. She loved all the noise and colors. Mira promised to repay us with some homestyle Korean food. Alright!

Mike had Monday off as well, so we headed into Monterey. We had a picnic at Denise the Menace Park, and then crawled around and played in the sand and went down slides and let little puppies lick our hands, all of which made Madie's day. (She cracked up when the puppy started licking her hands. That was a new experience.)

Then we went to the beach and Mike took Madie all around to look at tide pools. I didn't join them since it was high tide and there were no tide pools. Haha! I sat on the beach and read my book. Madie loves the ocean. She likes the birds, the sand, the wind, the water. She's a girl after her parents' hearts!

We took a little family shot on the rock wall along the beach. Mike and I would love to spend a night or two at one of the bed&breakfasts in Monterey. It's so pretty!

Finally, we ended in Salinas and visited the John Steinbeck Center. Since we arrived about 45 minutes before closing, they let us in for free! I have just finished Travels with Charley and Mike just started it, so it was fun to see Rocinante and all his other, bigger contributions to America. It's shocking I've only read two of his books. I am going to quickly correct that. What I didn't realize though, is that so many of his books have been turned into movies! I had no idea! All I knew about was the version of Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise.

Happy Independence Day!