Church in Jeans and Trains

After checking out of our beautiful Tahoe condo this morning we drove to the nearest LDS chapel in South Lake. Unfortunately, I forgot a skirt. I had remembered to pack my kids some dress clothes but, of course not for myself. Aw well, I'm sure the members are used to slacker tourists like me.
After hearing some good talks about pioneers, it being the Pioneer day and all, we began our 4 hour trek to Windsor. We wanted to break up the trip by stopping in Sacramento. So after a beautiful drive through the El Dorado forest we were all ready for lunch. Not being comfortable with any of parks we drove by, we decided to pull up a patch of grass at the state library and near the state Capitol building and have some lunch.
The California Railroad Museum was next of our list. What a cool place this was. There were 23 real trains and lots of displays to catch the eye. Our boys really enjoyed it except when they got spooked by the mannequins in the sleeper car. Silly boys. Adam marveled at the fact that they had a train suspended from the ceiling. How DID they do that??

I so enjoy going to church while out of town. It feels...nice.

Church in jeans... not so nice. 

Standing on a stump always makes a great picture opportunity.

Our makeshift picnic spot near the Sacramento library.  

We couldn't find a place where we weren't scared...


Old town Sacramento
We didn't really do anything here but the museum. However, it looks cool...

If you are ever in Sacramento, stop HERE.

Our awesome traveling companions. (My sister and her family)

 Us

This museum was pretty dang sweet and the kids loved it.


Yeah, these guys are not real but they totally gave Kyle and Noah the heebee geegees.
They were afraid of walking through these trains for fear they'd come across another spooky mannequin.
So funny.
Personally, I thought it was VERY interesting to see what some the passenger trains were like back in the day. It made me want to take a train ride.

They even have trains you can PLAY with.

Adam and Noah. It was fun to get to explore inside many of the trains.

Kyle and Mommy.

After a great time at the train museum and another lovely drive, this time through 

BEAUTIFUL

 Napa and Sonoma Valleys 

(I wish we would have stopped for some pictures), 

we made it to Windsor in time for bed. We've got a big day tomorrow! San Francisco!

Toes and Tahoe

This post is the beginning of our adventure to Northern California. Enjoy!

This trip has been a year in the making and we were anxious! SO we decided to leave a day early and get goin'. I mean Battle Mountain in all her glory was awaiting! (This is where we decided to stay for just one  night (fortunately)  in an effort to break up our nine hour drive to Lake Tahoe.)  The kids' excitement was hard to resist so that even I was excited when we reached our super Super 8 hotel.

We got up bright and early Saturday morning and after a lovely continental breakfast were on the road by about 8:30am. Now to finish our trek to Tahoe and meet up with my sister and her family.

The kids were awesome during the ride down which made the drive easy and enjoyable.

We finally made it at about 1:00pm and went straight to the lake to look for my sister.  It was super crowded with it being the middle of July and a Saturday but it was very nice weather and not too hot.

Tahoe is a beautiful lake. I wish we could have spent a little more time there.

 Lunch.
(Where are Cyd and Eric??? Little did we know they were mere FEET away. )

 Baby girls enjoying the sunshine and sand.

 Megan REALLY enjoys the sand. 

 I think she may have been in her own little heaven.

 Reagan and Noah. Cute little buddies.

 Kyle and Adam got to go on a boat ride with Eric and Will on Eric's friend's boat.

Lucky ducks.

 Megan piling sand in Adam's hands.

 Hey, they're the next best thing to a bucket which we stupidly did not posses...at a lake...where there's lots of sand...and a sand obsessed baby.

 Stupid, stupid.

It was not long after this picture was taken that we realized with great dread that we had left our camera at home. These pictures were taken with my iPhone and are not as great a quality.  I must say that although I asked Adam before we left if he had packed the camera and his exact answer had been "Yes, its in the glove compartment" and even though it was all his fault, I did not once yell at him and kept my composure. 

I'm such a good wifey. (Grrrrr....)

So the person behind many of these pictures is Cyd or Eric and we appreciate them keeping our poor family in mind whilst taking pictures of their own.

So in the aftermath of our shock we did not take pictures of the rest of the evenings events.

We checked in at the condo at Zephyr Cove and swam and ate really good pizza from Luigi's. It was just a nice chilled evening. I'm glad we had that chance to relax because it was just about the last time we did!!

The Summer of the Sinister Strep Bug

I am SO done with strep around our house. Especially THIS strep bug.  He's made himself at home and seems to be quite comfy.  Daddy, Megan and Kyle have had it. Noah has had it 2, possibly three, times. Me? I don't think I have. Someone's got to take care of all the sickies around here!!

Gardening

 My very first garden.

 I am so proud.

We didn't plant a lot since I wasn't confident it would turn out at all.

We have zucchini and crook neck squash, tomatoes and strawberries planted.

The first of our harvest.

The kids aren't thrilled with the squashes but I've enjoyed fooling them into eating it by pureeing the squash and mixing it with different sauces.

Kyle likes to eat the little 'maters. I say EAT UP!

If anyone is looking for some veg to go with dinner, come right on over and help yourself!

Summer Lovin'

This "summer post" is SO not done but I'm sick of it. So enjoy.

Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked... {FHE}

Spence and Megs

Nana and Papa's Summer Day Camp

Day's of '47 parade

Kyle and Samuel

Before {Our yard on weed or weeds as the case may be}

Cook outs with family and friends in our new and improved backyard. {We love it!}

Ohhhhhhhh...love her.

Sunday chillin'

Fun at the Zermatt for Swiss Days

Cool picture of my hubby doing the Scout camp thing. He looks SO cool.

Hind Reunion at Lava Hot Springs

It was good to see family but we left a day early due to a torrential rain and leaky tent.

Lagoon with the Schroeder's. The boys really enjoyed it which is a good thing because I think I can count how many rides I went on on one hand...

Now Noah needs "a break". {He has started putting himself down for naps.}