Nature Walk

It was a beautiful fall day (yes, we have Fall in California!) and I decided to take my girls to Markham Park in Concord.  We've been going to a "playground" park almost every day (that I'm not working) for about two weeks.  My girls have so much energy!  A daily trip to the playground about 3:00, does us all good!

Today, however, it was a nature park.  When I was little my grandmother used to take me to Markham Park as she lives just a short walk away.  I also went to some special classes there when I was in elementary school.  I don't think I have been there in over 20 years ... and it has changed!

There are so many places to run, things to explore, and learn about.  The girls picked up leaves, threw rocks, and looked at the stream.  We spend over an hour there & could have stayed much longer. 

Have fun with your kids and just take them out exploring!  Really, my girls had as much fun today exploring nature as they do when they go to an amusement park.  So often, I think people believe that kids need "things" to stimulate them.  A kid can find fun & joy almost anywhere they want to.

John Henry

Disney has a great video ... or should I say DVD.  Heroes & Legends.  It takes some great folk heroes & tells their story in animation.  There is Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, and John Henry.

I remember these from when I was a kid ... a few years ago.  My parents recently bought the DVD for my girls to watch.  They love it.  They are particularly fond of the story of John Henry.  A story of a freed slave who helped build the railroad with his mighty strength.  In the end, he dies of exhaustion.

The girls love singing the song & took our croquet mallets and pretended they were sledge hammers, like the one John Henry used.   Fearing they would break our mallets, I had them ask Grandpa to build them hammers.  Of course, he did.

The girls love "playing" John Henry and can actually break up rocks with the hammer.  All the time singing the John Henry song.

I wonder if I can include "knows how to swing a sledge hammer" on their list of skills for their modeling resume.  hummm ....

We are family!

Over the weekend (for 4 days actually), we had my brother and his family as house guests.  He has two little boys, ages 5 and 8.  Wonderful boys.  They live in Los Angeles.  Unfortunately, we don't get to see each other but 2 - 4  times a year.

One would think that the kids would have to take a little time to get to know each other since they are so young.  Not so.  Our kids are in love with one another.  They play well, hug, laugh and only argue a little.  We had a day at Muir Woods.  A fun adventure and a must see for anyone in the San Francisco area!

My favorite part, however was bedtime.  Their oldest is a great reader & read the bedtime stories.  It was so adorable.

Fortunately, the next visit is just two weeks away.  Hopefully, I can put my house back together by then.  I don't know about you, but having house guests is a perfect excuse not to do laundry and other deep cleaning ... I'm too busy visiting!!   What about your extended families?  Is there a bond there that you see with cousins that you don't see with friends?

State Fair!!

For those of you who read "A Milking We Will Go" know of my daughters obsession with milking a cow.  Where it came from, we don't know.  In my quest to find a cow for her to milk, someone recommended heading to the California State Fair, in Sacramento.

On Tuesday, we headed to the state fair!  It was also the day the Choo Choo Soul was preforming ... which my girls love.  If you haven't heard of them, check them out.  Steam Train is one of their fun songs.  Lots of dancing & positive learning energy.  I was really glad it was a free concert, as my girls who go nuts at home when they watch the videos, stood like statues at the concert.  About half way through, Vivienne asked if they could go ride the boats (at $5 a person!!) One thing about the state fair, bring your money.  It is not for those looking to pinch pennies.  $10 for parking ... and it goes up from there.

UC Davis had a livestock nursery area set up.  A very large tented area with cows, goats, and pigs all about to give birth or have just given birth.  If you were lucky, you could watch a birth!  This was also the area where the kids (or adults) could milk cows or goats.  Since Vivienne had already milked a goat, she was intent on milking a cow.  After waiting in line ... for 30 minutes ...

She did it!!!