Back and Going to School!!!

So the kids went back to school today as well as Myles starting kindergarten!!  I can't believe how quickly this summer has went as well as how quickly Myles has grown up.  The kids all love their teachers.  Emma is in a fourth / fifth grade split and she loves her teacher.  Sophie is in a second / third split with Ms. Catalini.  This was who Emma had in second grade and helped nourish her love of math.

Myles did awesome, and we are glad we waited till he turned six.  The kindergarten teacher was excited to have him also.  She has watched him grow up when Beth would volunteer at school and at field trips.

So you will find more pictures of today as well as the full catalog of over 300 pictures from our Shasta trip here on our photo site.

Lake Shasta 2012: With Family, Sister, Niece, Nephew

We had a very nice Shasta trip this year with my Sister, niece, and nephew joining the fun.  It was hot and the lake was considerably down from last August and definitely since May, but it didn’t diminish the joy we had in swimming, fishing, having great pancake, bacon, and hash brown breakfasts, and seeing some awesome wildlife.

 

After work, last Thursday we headed up to the lake with enough time to set up camp with some daylight.  We got the same campground from two years ago which was big enough to have two large tents.  It was a beautiful night full of stars and no moon.

The next morning, I got up with the girls and climbed down the bluff behind our campground to the lake to fish.  Back in May, it was a short five minute easy climb; however, this time it took about thirty minutes climbing over boulders.  That was ok though because we got to experience a wonderful sunrise.

We got back to camp, had breakfast and then headed out for a swim before my sister and her kids showed up.  While it was in the 100’s, the lake was like bath water.

Now I haven’t seen my niece and nephew in two years so it was very nice to see them.  The kids were great and Emma, Sophie, and Myles had a wonderful time playing with them, taking hikes and fishing.  On Saturday, we were able to get to our favorite fishing and swimming hole.  For the last couple of years, this has meant that we could actually jump from the bridge that protected the cove from boaters.  This year the bridge was 30 feet up!  It didn’t stop some of the more adventuresome water-skiers from climbing half way up, but we weren’t having any of it.

 

Emma was the only one to catch a fish; however, the kids had great time fishing, learning to cast, and just patiently waiting.  This is the first year we have ever caught a fish from the bank in the summertime and I really felt bad that the rest of the kids didn’t catch anything.  Sophie did so well four summers ago up at Toccannon, catching over 20 trout that it is hard for her to understand that there is a fishing season in California, especially when she sees her sister catch one.

 

At night we would roast hot dogs and eat S’mores.  The kids and I took a hike to see the Osprey nest as well as fishing down by the boat dock.

All in all it was a very special camping trip I am sure our kids and my niece and nephew will remember for years.

Cold Beach, Hot Sun, and a Happy Anniversary

Mom and Dad down for their anniversary in 2007.

I would like to send a congratulations to my parents on their wedding anniversary.  It was on Sunday the 12th.  They have had a lot of challenges the last few years and I am hoping them the best in the coming year.  From Me, Beth, Emma, Sophie, and Myles: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

So really not much to report for the past week.  We have begun our hot spell, which has been late in coming this year.  While most of the country has been in a drought, we have had very few days in the 90's or 100's; however, we are making up for it now.

So this weekend was a pretty relaxing one,  To beat the heat on Saturday, we went to the beach after service.  It was 95 when we left Concord but was a chilly 57 in San Francisco.  We had fun though, the kids body boarded, Beth and I through a Frisbee and a football around.  Myles dug a deep hole and tried to fill it up with water to no avail.

In 2007 we took them to Monterey.

When we got back, it was close to 100, so we stopped at Guanatos for ice cream.  

That evening we set up the air mattress and watched the Perseid meteor shower.  It was a beautiful show of lights.  Emma in fact fell asleep Sunday night  outside to catch a glimpse of some of the left overs.

Sunday evening was all about the closing ceremonies of the London Olympics.  Both the opening and closing ceremonies had Myles rapt attention, which is pretty special when you consider  you can't get him to sit down for anything other than Disney Jr.

Our Little Mountain Goats

Had a nice week followed by an excellent weekend.  We started the weekend with Beth and the kids going swimming on Friday with their friends.  I can't believe what a great swimmer Myles has become and is now jumping off the high diving board.  Emma and Sophie are excellent swimmers too, with plans of doing a kids triathlon the weekend before school starts.

For the last couple of years we have tried our hand  at gardening; however, we really made a half-hearted attempt at it this year. So when Beth met up on Friday with the Behrens, she was given a wonderful array of produce.  So for dinner we had chicken kabobs!!!  I sure love grilling.

On Saturday, after service, we made arrangements with a sister and her daughter to go hiking with us on Mt. Diablo followed by roasting hot dogs and eating S'mores in the backyard.   It was an interesting day for a hike, we even got rain at the top.  I was amazed though at the kids, especially Myles.  The hike consisted of 8 miles and 2500 feet of elevation gain.  This trail is pretty much in our backyard and provides sweeping views of the Carquinez Straits, Rio Vista, and the Delta.

I thought for sure the kids would be tired after the hike, but they kept on going.  The cookout was nice, as well as further getting to know the sister and her daughter.

I thought the kids would sleep in the next day, but were up at there normal time.  For breakfast, Emma made pancakes, Sophie made turkey bacon, and we ate outside while we studied our Watchtowers.  All in all, it was a very nice weekend!!