Fire Station field trip

Our homeschooling co-op went on a tour of a fire station. We all enjoyed it and now Nick wants to be a fire fighter when he grows up. Natalie chose to go to school instead of coming with us. She loves school.

Rat

Welcome Ratella! Elizabeth showed us that she was responsible enought to take care of a pet, so after a couple of months trying to find one, we got her a rat. We actually tried another rat a while back, but after a traumatizing 5 hours of hiding under our entertainment center, the rat turned into a biter. Snake food. Our nephew Matthew has a snake that enjoyed Ratalina. Ratella seems to be working out better. She's cute, but seeing her on Elizabeth's shoulder with her tail wrapped around Elizabeth's neck still kind of creeps me out. :)

Gold Rush Days

Old Sacramento puts on "Gold Rush Days" where they make everything look like it did back in 1849. They bring in 200 tons of dirt to cover the streets, have people dressed up for the time period, and the only way to get around is by walking and horse drawn wagons. They had gunfights, gold panning, a saloon, a Mormon Battalion display, music and dancing and all kinds of fun things to see and learn. We had a great time, even though it was 105 degrees!

Back to School

The kids started school last week. Here they are modeling their new first day of school outfits. Elizabeth is doing 3rd grade at home. Natalie is thrilled to be in Kindergarten at Twelve Bridges Elementary School and Nick started preschool. He wanted to go with Natalie all year last year and now he keeps saying over and over, "I'm 4 now! I get to go to preschool!" I am also doing a little schooling myself. I'm taking a literature class and a tennis class.

 
The kids learned about the ocean all summer to earn a trip to Monterey. We went to three beaches, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and a fun park. We all tried several kinds of seafood, but not even Ken and I were brave enough to try the baby octopuses. The highlight for me was having Family Home Evening on my favorite beach in Carmel.

We went with our friends to the Nevada County Fair, about 45 minutes away. I think I like it better than the State Fair. The kids loved the animals and the activities. If you want to see more pictures, go to http//picasaweb.google.com/cheriehodgson4/NevadaCountyFair

I've pulled my sister Camille into the running world. Ken and I ran with her for her first race. Nick and Kate came along for the ride. We did the Alzheimer's Aid Society 5K. A sister that had a great influence on our lives as teenagers suffers from this terrible disease. Her name is Diane Jensen. It felt good to do a little to repay her for all of her efforts she put into the events that we were able to be part of growing up (stake plays, dance festivals, etc.). During the race, when we were about to pass someone, Nick would say "We're going to beat them up!" He likes passing people almost as much as I do. :)