The last Swim Meet of the Summer

Every summer for the last 3 years we have signed up for the Newbury Park Swim Team. It is usually the Congellieres, the Simmons, the Yagers, the Macdonalds and us. It is always fun. They provide a great experience for the kids. They practice 3 days a week with great coaches. This year we were able to go two swim meets. Anna finally signed up for 2 events in her age level. She took 2nd place in both the backstroke and freestyle. Adam signed up for 3 events taking - fifth in breaststroke, 3rd in backstroke and 2nd in freestyle. I was really proud of Anna overcoming her fears.

Anna with Natalie and Sarah Congelliere.


Ready, set, go - backstroke.


Adam preparing to do the backstroke.

Let the race begin.

Monterey for 4 days - Hurray here we come.

After 3 days in Sacramento, we headed to Monterey by way of San Francisco. San Francisco hopes a special place in our hearts. While Jens was growing up in Denmark learning about the States; he learned about San Francisco. He wanted to go there and see the Golden Gate Bridge.

We went there when Adam was 6 months old and rode a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a great day.

It was only 62 degrees in San Francisco. It was wonderful after 101 degrees in Sacramento.


At Point Lobo near Monterey. We went hiking together.






We went to the Monterey Aquarium every day we were there.
This is tropical fish. They are so full of color.





We saw this little guy sitting on the rocks looking at us while we were looking at him.


Waiting for the splashes at the aquarium.








Having fun at the Splash Zone.

We had a nice vacation - great room at the hotel, swimming everyday, dates in the lobby. I wish I was eating cheese and bread in front of the fire right now. See you next year, Monterey.

4th Grade Field Trip - Family Style Day 3 State Capitol and Sutter's Fort

Day 3 of our Sacramento trip started at the California State Capitol. We went on a guide tour. This day was my favorite. The dome of the capitol bldg was breath taking. My picture does not do it justice. We continued the day at Sutter's Fort. We learned all about the fort and John Sutter's daily life. At the fort, they have a doll from the Donner party. It was so little. One of the daughters of Reed carried it from back East all the way across to California. The doll's name is Dolly. She carried the doll inside her petticoat. It was amazing to see that small piece of history that connected that time to our time.

The Capitol Bldg. as we walked up to it. It was beautiful.

Inside the dome of the capitol bldg.

This statue depicted Queen Isabella talking to Christopher Columbus. It was a gift from a gentlemen who had made a lot of money in early California

Inside the floor of the House of Representative was green to depict the common man. These are original desks from 1861.

The Senate of the state of California. It was so ornate and there was a feeling of power inside.

Schwarzenegger's office
We learned how to spell his name this way.

Sch = School, he loves education

War = War, he will fight for what is right

Zen = Peace is important to life

egg = Breakfast food = most important meal of the day

er.


Anna in front of Sutter's Fort.

Sutter's Fort - you went inside each room to learn more about John Sutter and the way of life during this time.

We went into one room that demonstrated medicine of that day. I am grateful to be in this day and age. The docent told us what it would have been like if Anna had lost her arm. It is scary what they did not know back then. They would drill in your brain for a migraine headache. The docent reads medical journals from the late 1800's. She was very informed and very interesting.



Jake is grinding wheat to make bread. This is why they did not have to worry about exercise.

Well, enough about history, we finished the day off with Harry Potter and the half-blood prince and a swim at the hotel.

4th Grade Field Trip - Family Style - Day 2 Gold Bug Mine and Sutter's Mill

Day two in Sacramento was so fun. We went to Placerville to the Goldbug Mine. It was the first time for my kids to be inside a mountain. It was so cold. The tour explained how they would pull gold out of the mountain and the process it took to stamp the rock. The docent, Bob, was a little short on patience at the stamper cabin. He even was short with my dad. That became the joke of the trip - there goes Bob's sister, etc. It is funny when you meet a person that is not happy with what they are doing and you can really see it. You almost feel sorry for them, but you are still irritated at them. Poor Bob. We had lunch in Placerville at Mel's Diner. The kids wanted to know who Elvis was and if I knew him. NO!!! Then we headed for Colima to see the John Marhall Gold Discovery Park. This is where gold was found. Boy was it hot - 101 degrees. Sutter's Mill and how Colima started was very interesting. We toured their museum and watched a film. Anna was interested in the artifacts that had in the museum like a wedding dress and the carriage. Jake wanted to know about the Indians - Mewok and Maidu.

Here we are entering the Goldbug Mine.

Adam inside the Goldbug Mine. It was fun to learn about the mining process. It was amazing learning about what the miners went through.

This is where my dad got into trouble with Bob. This stamper worked 24 hours a day. It was so loud that when it stopped the people of Placerville would wake up.

Dad and Anna going into Mel's Diner

We are sitting at Mel's Diner.

Colima was very hot, and dusty, but interesting.

We needed to know how to pan for gold. They each had a speck of gold. I wonder if I could retire on that amount?

This is the orginal spot of Sutter's Mill.

This was the spot where John Marshall found gold. It was very strange, kinda anticlimatic.

Anna, Jake and Adam in the American River. It was so cold, but I wished I would have had my bathing suit. Jens and the kids swam to the middle of the river and caught the current down. First Adam and Jens did it, then Anna wanted to join the fun. Pretty soon, Jake was brave enough to go too. Jens was a little worried about Jake, but Jake did just fine.

We could have spent the whole day there. Sacramento has a lot to do rafting, sight-seeing and lots of history. We could definitely go back.

Jens saw this bridge and needed a picture. We call it the Harry Potter Bridge. It is right by the American River. There were lots of people swimming and having a good time.

Adam is being a nice brother. Jake was out. It was a great day.

4th Grade field trip - Family Style Day 1 - Old Sacramento

Anna spent most of 4th grade learning about the history of California. She really wanted to see it. So that is where we went for our summer vacation. 3 1/2 days in Sacramento and 3 1/2 days in one of our favorite places - Monterey. We meet my parents for the first part of the trip. It was so fun being with them. We enjoyed going back to the hotel and swimming with Grandma and playing Marco Polo. It was so funny how she kept one eye open while she was trying to find you.

Old Sacramento - John Sutter has received the credit for founding Sacramento. It was really his son.




Great way for a kid to start their vacation - Candy Heaven. They even gave out FREE samples, which my mother enjoyed.



The kids learned what it was like being in school during that time - boys on the left, girls on the right.

I love this picture of my mom and Anna - my two favorite girls.

While we were in Old Sacramento, we went to the Transcontinental Railroad Museum. It was great. Jens said that he could have spent more time there. I had to take this picture of a reefer rail car for him. I wonder what the fruit season was like there.



It was a great beginning of our vacation. Everyone enjoyed our time in Old Sacramento.

If you ever get the chance, go to the Circus

We went to the Ringling Bros. Circus at the Staples Center. It was amazing. They made an elephant disappear. They did it so fast. The lion tamer, the elephants, the clown. It is truly the best show on earth.

The Lion tamer



The Elephants

We had a great day from the biggest to the littlest.

There was even a pretty girl to lock arms with.

La Brea Tar Pits

We went to the La Brea Tar Pits. It was interesting and educational. It was also stinky!! The kids enjoyed the trip. We can now mark it off the list.