Day 4. Bark Boats & Rain. Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

Tuesday started with avena. Tia Lise discovered a new favorite: avena with parmesan cheese and mixed nuts.

The forecast called for lots of rain, so everybody was in full rain gear for bark boat building. 

Are you ready Noah?

Actually, Noah wanted bark boating to just be him and his dad, but the girls couldn't miss out on that much fun.

You need a good place to launch the boat, one exposed to the current. 

For this spot, Alaia and Mikaela needed some help over the water from Tio Tom. 

After boats, it was time to cross the river 

and climb some rocks. 

We were getting hungry and snacks and lunch were on the opposite side of that log, so we decided to lunch at the Majestic hotel (formerly the Awhahnee hotel, but the outgoing concessionaire claimed the rights to that name). 

Auntie Vicky and Cousin Chris were at the hotel, but we only took pictures of their backs. 

After lunch, it really started to pour. And it hailed. Turns out, hail has the texture of a perfectly crunchy-yet-smooth snow cone. The kids taught us that. 

Back to the motorhome to play Auntie Vicky's Mexican Train. Cousin Chris said Alaia and Mikaela were cheaters (those fingers and that torso belongs to Cousin Chris, so I guess we just don't take photos of his face). 

Alaia and Abby gave a rowdy puppet show. 

Tio Tom played Skull King with Noah and Mikaela. 

Then Alaia went home for a late bedtime. The Houston Castillos went to Tia Zahra's room at the Yosemite Lodge for showers before a very late bedtime. Tia Zahra had gotten a hotel room because Benny was very sick and hadn't slept well the night before :-( . 

Day 5. Bouldering and Yosemite Falls. Wednesday, April 3, 2019

On Wednesday morning, Mikaela worked on Alaia's braid.

Sick Benny spent the night with Zahra and Abby at the Yosemite Lodge. Mike picked him up in the morning. 

Much time was spent climbing the perfect climbing tree at our campsite (Lower Pines campsite 39 is a winner). 

When the kids, minus sick Benny, set out on the day's adventure with Tio Mike, Tia Lise, and Tio Tom, Abby started in the poco carrier. But she wasn't in there long. 

The adventure started with some rock skipping . . .

some tree bridge crossing . . .

and then lots of rock climbing.

Then all the kids, even Abby, walked the 2+ miles to Yosemite Falls. We started at the viewpoint  . . . 

Then worked our way to the lower falls.

Meanwhile, Zahra and Benny were also on their way to Yosemite Falls, but we didn't know it. Zahra and Benny saw a bobcat. 

We finished the day w/ 45 of TOV's 85 meatballs. They were amazing. Next year we'll take down all 85. 

Oh, and here are some pictures of adults. 

Day 6. Leaving Yosemite. Thursday, April 4, 2019

After a breakfast of chorizo, eggs, & beans, the kids rode bikes while the adults packed up. Noah tried the balance bike Tio Tom tried to make for him using Alaia's old bike (note the zip ties holding up the chain).

Time to recover in the hammock.

But it's a quick recovery. No Alaia, the adults won't help you and Abby flip Noah out of the hammock. 

Benny is starting to feel a little better. 

The group shot (plus half dome) minutes before departure. 

Noah joined Alaia in the Castarken motorhome. They made plans to go scuba diving at that town that's now submerged under the Tuolomne river. Then Noah took a nap and managed to even get Alaia to nap a bit, only her 3rd nap ever in a moving vehicle.