California Dreamin', Day Seven

As noted before, we've settled in at 5 in the morning as our wake-up time. Or, I should say that's when I hear them for the first time; it's quite possible they've been up longer but mercifully playing quietly. We do our usual breakfast routine, and then the kids have to be patient because I have a long phone meeting for work that I have to tend to.

With that out of the way, we head to downtown San Jose and make a beeline for the Children's Discovery Museum, which Jada has been to several times but Aaron has never been to. Our membership at Please Touch Museum gets us in for free, which is a nice perk. (We worked the same magic at Happy Hollow, since it is part of the same network as the Philadelphia Zoo.)

We scarcely had time to visit half of the play areas when my sister called to say she was on her way downtown as well. So some of Jada's favorite spots - bubbles and water, anyone? - will have to wait until our next visit.

We hoof it a half-mile to the San Jose Museum of Art, which I thought for sure would not hold the kids' attention. I thought wrong. After eating our packed lunch, we meander through the place, and each floor has at least one thing that is kid-friendly in nature. In one place, there are messenger bags full of art supplies that can be taken, brought throughout the area, used, and returned; I borrow an idea from a friend and have the kids pick their favorite piece of art and draw it, which they do with great delight. In another area, there are Legos and blocks galore for building cityscapes; heck, I could've spent all afternoon there just by myself. Note to self: we are definitely coming back here, at least all the way up until Jada turns 7 (kids 6 and under are free).

Alas, from there we have to bid Auntie Mester adieu, as she is leaving straight from there back to Merced. Aaron predictably falls asleep on our way home. As soon as we get home, I start laundry, so that I'm not up too too late folding and packing. The kids are served an early dinner and I get them off to bed way early; maybe they'll get more sleep this way and be less cranky on our long journey home to Philadelphia. However our travel day plays out, we had a blast in California and are counting down the days to our next visit.