We had another great trip to the Russian River!  On the way, we stopped to pick up a friend in the Bay Area to enjoy our favorite spot in Berkeley with us.  We just love the train, and the merry-go-round is super special too.

My six-year-old was impatient to get to the river, so it was bittersweet saying good-bye to our friend, and Berkeley.

We enjoyed taking it easy at the house and exploring by the river.  The river changed course after the harsh winter, so for us, it was a whole new river.

My eight-year-old loved examining a broken dragonfly wing under his microscope.

I think I enjoy the view of the cottage as much as the view of the river.

The boys had fun being silly around the house.  They love the toy tractor, and playing police officer.

We were glad when the anticipation was over, and our cousins arrived!  We did lots of fun things together!

My hubby wrote a challenging breakout box that required every kid’s help to break it.

The reward was pretty fun!  They were even more excited when I pulled out a second round of water balloons.

Our greatest adventure was probably floating down the river together.  Or maybe it was cramming 11 people and eight inner tubes/rafts in a minivan.

Some had fun telling chicken jokes.  I liked having a chicken around.

The cousins had a great time bonding.  Our eight-year-olds were glued at the hip.

It was really sad when our cousins left, so we went to the Jelly Belly Factory.  Our boys were brave enough to sample some icky flavors: Baby Wipes, Earthworm, Canned Dog Food, Skunk Spray.

The boys fished several evenings, but didn’t catch anything.  They sure are good at casting and managing their own rods, considering their ages and experience.

We went to our local redwood forest.  I love the cool canopy and the color of the redwoods.  We all love standing with heads back, trying to find the tops of the trees.

We had a nice trip to Bodega Bay.  It was cold, but that didn’t stop the kids from having a great time!

As our time at the river was winding down, we enjoyed some nice floats down the river with all five of us.

Our time seemed so short this time, but that’s probably because we were having such a great time!  Love you, Russian River.  Until next time…