The Joys of Lake Living

I romantically think back to the movie "On Golden Pond" as how I want to grow old. Yes it had the now over done Disney plot ... angry teen sent to live with relatives for a summer to help "turn him around."

However, the idea of a summer by a lake or a pond seems very romantic. Growing up my most memorable summers were the ones where we camped along a lake in both Upstate New York and Mendocino, Calif.  I wanted my boys to experience the joys of lake living during the summer. We are so lucky that my Aunt and Uncle live on a clay bottom lake near Cheboygan, Mich.

My Aunt and Uncle have a pontoon boat, and the boys like riding on it across the lake, looking at fishes and trying to find loons. We also tried our hands at fishing, but honestly the boys are probably a little too young. They were more excited about swinging the fishing line then waiting patiently for a fish.

I've been taking the boys to swim lessons for awhile, but until we got to Michigan it hadn't occurred to me that the boys have never had the chance to play in water... And play they did. My Aunt had inner tubs, floaties and blow-up gators for the boys to use in the water. Xander took to the water right away, and spent a couple of hours  almost everyday in the lake. Caleb on the other hand was a bit reticent about the whole water thing. He liked riding in my lap or Jonathan's lap on the inner tube ... but even more so playing catch (him comfortably on the deck or the boat, his partner in the water).

We'll probably go back for a visit in 2012 when Xander is 7 and Caleb is 5. It will be fun to see how the lake experience changes for them, as their able to do more things. Maybe one of them will even catch a fish.

Airline Travel Rant: Families with small children please step aside

On our recent trip to Michigan we had a rather annoying experience ... our airline of choice did compensate us a grand total of $750 for canceled flights and lost luggage, but I have to wonder what happened to "if you are traveling with small children or need extra time ..." policy.

On Sunday night before our red-eye,  we found out that our flight was canceled. Jonathan found out via text message, one of the super awesome conveniences of modern flying. He called the airline, and they couldn't get us out on Sunday. We were rebooked on the 10 am the next day. This was a huge bummer. It cut our trip short by one whole day. Jonathan was able to get us $150 vouchers for each ticket. Considering we used miles to travel, we ended up ahead in the future travel category.

The next day we headed to the e-ticket line at the airport to check in and check our luggage. We waited about 20 minutes to get to the front of the long line. The system couldn't find our tickets, and we were sent to the back of the full service line (equally as long). Forty minutes later we finally were checked in. A long wait with two wrestling preschoolers was quite unpleasant.

Checked in we breezed through security, and made it to our gate. We were in boarding area 2, so we waited for our area to be called. The boys are old enough now, that they can board a plane with the rest of the flying population. When it was our turn to board I noticed a woman waiting her turn upfront (she was held back by the attendant because she was in seating area 4). She was traveling with six children. Two teenage girls (she'd hired to help her) and four kids under six (two were infants).

I asked her why she hadn't boarded yet? And the attendant interrupted to tell me that it wasn't her turn, but if I'm going to just stand there, she might as well go. Well going forward if I see something like that happening again, I think I will just stand there. She was able to go in front of us.

When we got on the plane she was seated in the last row with us. She had her three year old in the seat across the aisle from her, but her five year old, and both of her teen helpers were in single seats, which meant that she had a five year old traveling alone in the front of the plane. It took awhile to work things out so that they could be seated together. I thought this usually happens before boarding ... and as a single passenger I've been moved to accommodate a family before. I empathized with her, it is difficult enough travel with small children, without having to worry about your five year old sitting alone.

Okay ... so family friendly travel was scoreless.

We had oodles of delays that were not the airlines fault to add insult to injury, and the boys' luggage didn't make it to Traverse City. We did get another $150 voucher, and the luggage was delivered at 8 pm the next day ...

The return home was mostly uneventful. Although, this could just be an issue with Traverse City, but to check in it took over an hour, because all three attendants took the Premier line first. We had already printed our boarding passes, and paid for our checked in luggage (so all we were doing was dropping-off luggage), but they had no way to accommodate us.

Our airline's (in which we've accumulated hundreds of thousands of frequent flier miles) business model is predicated on status, and when you no longer have status, the experience is pretty atrocious. We probably would've had better experiences on family friendly discount airline, but traveling in the height of summer can be expensive. We expect that.

But come on. Anyone traveling with infants should be seated first ... and if you have children under 10 the airline should go out of its way to seat the family together. It is just basic service.

Holiday in Michigan... You're kidding?

Where were all the tourists? We came back from our six day adventure in Michigan, and we had a blast. It is beautiful country, woodsy with plenty of lakes big and small, fishing, berry picking, camping and nature walks. During the summer the temperature peaks in the 80s, and often lingers in the mid seventies.

When I told folks at work that we were going to Michigan on vacation they seemed surprised. We even got questioned about it innocently in the shuttle to the airport. "Why are you going to Michigan?" like we said that we were taking the kids to Baghdad. We staid off some questions by telling people that we were going to see family. And we were at an advantage because my Aunt and Uncle live in a cabin on a lake near Cheboygan, Mich., but I had to wonder where were all the tourists?

The flights to rural Michigan were crowded enough, but most of the passengers were local, and complained about the limited number of flights (one man mentioned he had six flights canceled in the last three months) ... But it is hard for businesses that cater to tourists to make a go. We saw a lot of hotels with empty parking lots, restaurants that changed ownership numerous times, or were vacant, lakefront property for sale and a general sense that tourists don't visit Michigan.

I did find out that a colleague of mine from the Pacific Northwest was vacationing with his family in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at the same time. And United Airlines Hemispheres magazine even profiled the drive we took (we only took it partially, the full drive circumnavigates Lake Superior) as one of the top 10 most beautiful drives in the world.  

So here are my two cents, for what it is worth. Michigan is spectacular, and it was the perfect outdoor summer vacation for a family. The boys loved it, I can even see us vacationing here every other year. Next time we may just circumnavigate Lake Superior.

Cheboygan Michigan Bound

I can't believe we'll be traveling to Cheboygan to visit my Aunt and Uncle on Sunday. We've been so busy that I haven't started the war room or packing for the trip. Although I did buy the boys some new toys that they'll find out about either at the airport or when we arrive in Traverse City.

The plan is to take the red-eye to Chicago O'Hare and then onto Traverse City on the first morning flight. Again we have the booster seat dilemma -- the rental car company is charging an arm and a leg to rent booster seats for the boys. I suspect that it is the cheap $25 seats that they want to charge us $50 per child for a week. We're debating whether we'll just bring them ... of course that means buying booster seats and hauling them cross country.

On both the airplane trip and the road trip to Cheboygan I'm hoping the boys will sleep, so they'll be bright eyed and cheerful, and not a crazy tired preschool mess. My Aunt and Uncle will understand (hopefully), but I want the whole adventure to begin on the right foot -- not with a total melt down by one of my kids.

A friend of Jonathan also warned us about mosquitoes and chiggers, so we'll be off to shop for bug repellent suitable for our 3 year old. When Caleb gets a mosquito bite it isn't just an itchy patch it is an ugly welt that scabs over ... so we'd like to avoid that. 

The drive from Traverse City to Cheboygan is supposed to be beautiful. My Aunt and Uncle have a bunch planned for them. Fishing trips, boat rides, swimming, and a train ride ... But we are most looking forward to relaxing and spending quality time with the boys, and my Aunt and Uncle...

Now off to pack!

Of parades, barbecues. bouncy houses and block parties

For the fourth of July weekend this year we stayed at home. On Saturday we threw a long awaited for birthday party for Xander our five year old, and on Sunday we participated in our neighborhood kid parade and block party.

For Xander's birthday we decided to have a low-key party with just six kids. This is after the over-the-top blow-out fourth birthday party we threw for him last year, which was a lot of work, but at minimal success. For Xander's birthday party we rented a bouncy house. The bouncy house plus some water play kept the kids entertained, and gave the adults an opportunity to enjoy the barbecue.

Today we went to our neighborhood fourth of July celebration. We'd skipped last year due to our East Coast trip. The block party has definitely gotten better. The parade through the neighborhood was fun. Xander and Caleb road their bicycles and wore red, white and blue. There were tons of kids this year, most between the ages of 3 and 6. Afterward there was a neighborhood potluck, and then games for the kids. Xander and Caleb had a blast.

We concluded the day with another barbecue, and sought out fireworks at a the Tamien train station where we could see the fireworks from San Jose Municipal Stadium, as well as the illegal fireworks. All and all it was a wonderful two days, now we just need to figure out what we want to do tomorrow. Mellow day, or a trip to Angel Island.

Eating on the Cheap with Kids

Jonathan and I have recently discovered the joys of the family friendly restaurant. We have been drawn in by the kids eat free restaurant promotion, and been won over by the low pressure environment and friendly service. For the first time in our adult life we find that every Tuesday we are frequenting chain restaurants, or a close approximation to the chain restaurant. We are becoming connoisseurs of the kids menu. Below are places we frequent with the boys, some better than others

The Mom & Pop Operations

• Georgio's - Our favorite restaurant for spaghetti, chicken parmesan and occasionally a yummy pizza. The restaurant has a lovely New Jersey Italian restaurant feel, and it is great for kids. Other related restaurants are Frankie, Johnny and Luigi's in Campbell and Mountain View.
• Max's Opera Cafe - We came for the dessert, and stayed for the Matzo Ball soup. Max's is a staple for us. At least once a year we do a big family gathering there before my Aunt and Uncle fly back to Michigan. The portions are huge, and the menu has something for everyone. We always have a good experience at Max's, even when we have to take a restless preschooler for a walk and talk.
• Pancho Villa - This continues to be our favorite taqueria in the Bay Area. Every year it makes the best Mission Burrito list as well. It is a typical cafeteria style taqueria. It has locations in San Francisco and San Mateo, and the food is the best. My boys love beans, rice and chicken ...
• St. John's Bar & Grill in Sunnyvale - We've been semi-regulars of St. John's since we moved back to the Silicon Valley three years ago. Even during our 7 years in San Francisco we would make special trips to St. Johns. This was the first restaurant that I felt comfortable taking the boys. It is a large noisy, sports bar with excellent burgers, chicken sandwiches, and of course a kids menu. Open six days a week, St. John's runs a special every night. For the kids, the chicken tenders are the best ... seriously.
• Willow Street Wood Fired Pizza - It doesn't hurt that we can walk to the original location in Willow Glen. Kid's eat free on Tuesday nights, but our boys don't like the kids menu. Their favorite is the fusilli pasta with chicken, sun dried tomatoes and artichokes. The pizzas are also wonderful. We love this place so much that every two months or so we burn ourselves out, and can't eat Willow Street for a couple of months.

The Chains

• Chevy's Fresh Mex - As chain Mexican goes, Chevy's isn't too bad. Some locations are better than others, but I've never had a bad meal. The boys love rice and beans, so Chevy's is always a good bet.
• Chili's Grill & Bar - Like Chevy's I never had a bad meal here, but I tend to forget about it. We took the boys here a few weeks ago, and it wasn't too bad. The kids menu looked like every chain restaurant, with the usual suspects (macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders, corn dogs, etc.). The chicken nuggets were the worst. Xander ended up eating my grilled chicken, rice and beans (is there a theme). Next time we go here, we'll skip the kids menu, and order an entree for the boys to split. 
• The Elephant Bar - We tried this restaurant for the first time the other night after we took the boys to see Toy Story 3. The food was really good ...  The Asian theme was a breath of fresh air compared to our burgers and Mexican rut, so this will make its way into our circulation. The restaurant was crowded, but they managed to seat us in 20 minutes. Xander's chicken nuggets were tempuraed, and he liked them. The Mac and Cheese was the best so far. By the way we bypassed the kids menu, and had the boys split the chicken tenders and Mac and Cheese on the regular menu (on the kids menu it was Kraft).
• Red Robin Gourmet Burgers - On Tuesday night this week we took the boys to Red Robin for the first time. While our local Red Robin does not have a kids eat free promotion, it does do several things that cater to children. They have someone walking around in a Red Robin costume, and they give out balloons. The food was pretty good for a chain. Xander ordered chicken tenders and fruit, and Caleb ordered macaroni and cheese. The mac and cheese was better than most of the chains ... the chicken tenders were average.
• Sonoma Chicken Coop - Our chain odyssey started with the Sonoma Chicken Coop in Campbell. A great location and vibe, with incredibly mediocre food. If the food wasn't so awful, I would never have gotten up my nerve to start exploring these other restaurants.

I'm not 4 I'm 5

Today was Xander's fifth birthday. In two months he will be starting kindergarten. The beautiful green eyed boy that I called "baby boy" is growing up. He knows how to behave in restaurants, he holds your hand when crossing the street, he can walk into a store filled with breakables and not touch, he is  kind, thoughtful and sensitive.

We went back to Oak Meadow and Vasona parks for the first time since December. We road the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, and played in the playground with the firetruck, airplane and train, as well as the blue playground. It was amazing to watch how much more sure of himself he was on the playground. He is starting to do the monkey bars, he could climb the ladders I thought were reserved for much older kids ... well now I guess he is.

He got a scooter for his birthday. He let me put on all of the padding, and agreed that he would need to wear his hockey helmet, to make sure that he didn't break anything. Considering how many times he fell it was a good thing... but he tackled the task of learning to use the two wheel scooter with confidence.  But he was tired ...

So, we were soon home where he got two of the trains he asked for and had me write on a birthday list that he kept under his pillow for the last month. He was so happy to get patchwork Hiro and Birthday Thomas. He had me check them off his list.

Then we went to St. John's in Sunnyvale where they have great chicken tenders. He feasted, polite, sweet and so grown-up.

In the middle of August I will no longer be able to say my preschoolers. My little Xander will be a kindergartner.