Back to School!

Well...the first day of Preschool was a success!  Ellie burst in the door and was ready to find a spot on the rug.  On the letter "E" of course, she was more than ready to tell us good bye.  Ellie's comment coming out of school was, "that was GREAT!"  Jack had a hard time with the idea of not getting to stay too, and the "where Ellie" only lasted about an hour.  Then it hit him, he had me all to himself and he thought that was pretty cool.  We'll see how he feels day two.  I've got a few pictures to share of some of our end of the summer fun.  My posts may be fewer and far between as we may not be embarking on as many adventures now with school in session but I'll try my best!      

Some more exploring at Kings Canyon National Park...

I see these families with super photogenic children that always look right at them when told to smile, not so much with my kiddos.  However, I love them that much more for the feeling  I get when I do get a great shot!  Hmm, this one not being one of them, but they were so proud of the log they discovered off the beaten path.

We explored a hollowed out tree and found lots of balance beams to cross.

Hume Lake made it on our stops this time. It is a very picturesque lake. 

The kiddos had fun splashing around, no swim suit necessary.

Jack was drenched and thought it was hysterical. That is until we got in the van and I took off his soaking wet pants and he was not happy with me.  We had to hear about wanting his pants back on until he drifted off to dreamland.  

First day of Preschool...

She stuck to her guns that she wants to be a police officer
 when she grows up to protect people from bad guys.

At this point I think Jack still thought he was going to school too!

See him trying to sneak in on that teacher picture!

She found "her" spot taking ownership of the E and didn't move.
The books were just a reach away!

Fruit Pickers!

We embarked on a fun little adventure this week of going to a Fruit Farm and picking grapes, peaches and plums.  I'd only ever been to apple orchards and pumpkin patches so this was a whole new experience for me.  We were even told to try the fruit as we picked to ensure we were getting fruit we would be happy with.  The kiddos may have gone a little overboard on their taste tests as it was too yummy to stop eating.  The best part was what a bargain the delicious fruit was we brought home!

We spent an afternoon at Shaver Lake.

The kiddos had their fun feeding the ducks.

Ellie learned quick that they rush in for the goods,
Jack was more comfortable watching from afar.

 Farley Farms...

Jack loved the grapes and was constantly stuffing his cheeks!

The plums were a hit with Ellie!

We were very happy with our loot.
 I can only imagine how much was consumed before we paid!

    

Carmel Beach and the 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach

Per my request to spend my Birthday at the beach we traveled to Carmel and stayed overnight to take in all the sites.  We explored the shops and did the 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach. There were little spots you could get out and explore along the drive.  We stopped at a rocky beach to play at while the boys napped.  Once we made it to the Pebble Beach Lodge we played on the grassy area near the 18th hole and had a drink at the Bench.  This has been my favorite beach thus far.  The sand was so soft and the beach went on forever so it didn't feel overly crowded. On top of that the views were beautiful.  We even saw dolphins and seals swimming near the beach. We made a stop at a place on the way home I had been wanting to check out called Casa de Fruta.  The kids rode on a little train and played at a playground and I got to taste some yummy fruity wines.  This was such a fun little family getaway for us, and great way to spend my Birthday.

Ellie's always thinking of ways to transform our home into pirate fun.

This was her pirate hammock invention.

17 Mile Drive...

This was a girl stop as the boys stayed in the van to nap.

We climbed rocks, chased the waves, and
found a kelp broom to make designs in the sand.

Ellie asked us to guess who she was sitting up on the rock like this,
so my first guess was Ariel and I was wrong. 

The winning guess after almost giving up was Pocahontas.

Carmel Beach...

Equipped with swimsuits on for day two, they were ready for the water!

We worked on a sand castle village and the kids tried out their first drip castle.

Our next en-devour was digging a hole to crawl into.

Then we got a little walk in to look for treasures to decorate our village.

 

  Casa de Fruta...

Jack and Ellie rode on the train ride with Dad.
Jack got a chocolate covered face because under Dad's watch he stole a piece of chocolate from a candy barrel.