The beach is a half hour from our house and although I'd live there if I could, we frequent the place at least weekly. If there's a perfect age for kids at the beach, I feel like our little family is arriving.

Lennox strolls like a little prince---his kingdom is between earshot and/or about 20 feet from wherever I am; Kellen plays quietly by himself; and Grant shovels with or without someone to help him. That's when, of course, we're not all together dodging the waves, running in just far enough to get our knees wet, then running back screaming with glee. ---SM

I actually lost myself to the art of having fun today. Staci, the Shipleys, the boys, and I decided to take an early evening paddle boat excursion on Almaden Lake, and when I realized the time at the end of our fun, I was 10 minutes late for my Young Women meeting!

We paddled and laughed and paddled and laughed. And when Justin called my cell while we were mid-lake---just after he'd arrived home from work to an empty house, we invited him along. By the time we paddled back to the shore, he was standing there smiling and waiting to hop aboard the extra seat on Becky's boat.

Our tour lasted a short hour but it was filled with orange life jackets, tired thighs, and lots of smiles. Afterward, the kids played on the nearby playground and ran through the park's water feature, clothes and all. Wait. Did I say it was just the kids? Hee...hee...---SM

Vasona Park is a great spot in Los Gatos. We've been there before, but this time marked our first riding the miniature steam train. It was hot but the boys were resilient. We stood in line for what seemed to be hours (although it was really about 20 minutes) while a tanker truck dumped diesel fuel into the train? I didn't quite get it myself---steamy or diesel? Seriously. Whatever. Fortunately, the boys were equally infatuated with the truck.

One of my highlights was watching baby wear that duck around his wrist the entire time. His infant toy---we brought it out for good measure to see what he would do. He just kept shaking it and laughing at it until finally he just didn't seem to notice it anymore. Ah, the simple life.

In one shot below, we caught Kellen mid- "choo-choo." ---SM

Question: How do I convince my mom to put a bathing suit on and go swimming for the first time in more than a decade?

Answer: Place two daring 3-year-old grandsons next to a water slide and have them stare longingly toward hours of presumable fun. That's how.

We all went to the water slides today and all got in---my mom included, Staci, myself, Justin, and the boys. The exceptions: my dad and Lennox who cheered us on from the sidelines.

Water slides for shorties you may ask? Yes, they're still a bit on the tiny side, but their stellar swimming abilities persuade the lifeguards to "let 'em slide." (OK. That, and two of their babysitters work at the water park. That helps...) ---SM

For the only big girl in our all big boy crowd. Pink cupcakes for all! ---SM

Will the real Kid Rock please step forward?



[Above: "We playin' Rock Band!" ---Grant]

Kellen is a negotiator. He tries to better his situation at all times. (Genetics from his dad run deep.)

He does it in several ways: he almost always offers Lennox a "replacement toy," when he wants what Lennox is playing with. So, if he wants a hammer that Lennox has, Kellen will take the hammer and replace it with a lessor toy without being asked.

Sometimes he'll say to me, "Mama, if I drink all my milk, I can have juice!" Or, "If I'm really quiet, I don't have to snooze." He's just good that way. So good, in fact, I sometimes agree with him without even realizing I just did.

Here's what I heard yesterday:

Me: Boys, today we're having a special treat. We're going to stop and have a hamburger for lunch. Would you like that?

Boys: Yeah!

K: Mama, if I don't get a special drink, may I have ice cream?
[translation: a "special drink" = a half-full cup of lemonade]

Me: No, brother. We're not having ice cream. They don't sell it here.

K: Oh. But, Mama! Look at that!
[He points out to me a giant poster in the window with an oversized photograph of two huge ice cream sundaes with candy toppings.]

K: Mama, I won't have a special drink and I will have ice cream. OK?

Sigh. He got both. Every once in a while I can be a softy.---SM