September outings

Even though school has started we have still managed a few more outings here and there. Of course, there are still trips to the park...

And chasing down the ice cream man is always fun...

Then there was a fun little picnic at a "secret" swimming hole on the upper Sacramento river. Tony's eye doctor was telling us about this place, and every time we've mentioned it to a "local" we always get the same response- "Oh yeah, I know where that is!" Big secret...Anyways, it starts at a turnout on I-5, then you drop down a little dirt road, cross over the railroad tracks and hike down a trail to this little swimming hole. Very fun place, we even got to see 3 trains while we were there. The kids loved it, and we will definitely head back when the weather gets hot (the water is freezing!!)

Next adventure: the Shasta Sunset dinner train. The McCloud Railroad has restored their Pullman dining cars and every night they take an excursion up to the base of Mt. Shasta and back. They serve a yummy 3 course meal and between courses you can wander the train or go out on the open air car to take in the view. Tom and I have wanted to go ever since we've moved here and finally decided that our 10 year anniversary was the perfect time to ride. Nana and Papa took the kids on an adventure of their own- a trip to Sac with a train ride of their own, a trip to the zoo and the railroad museum, and Tom and I took off for the dinner train. We all had a great time. Tom and I even made it up to Ashland and Jacksonville for the day, all by ourselves. Such a treat!

We are off to Denver on Wednesday for another grand adventure- the Great American Beer Festival, or as Tom and Papa have taken to calling it: BEERLAND. They talk about it with such reverence, you'd think we were going to Mecca....I'll keep you posted...