Happy Birthday Allen!

Today is Allen's 40th Birthday! This is the second year we have celebrated his birthday while at Cub Scout Family Camp. We spent a fun weekend learning about knots, astronomy, leather working, volleyball, outdoor cooking. Ethan even earned his whittling card. 12 kids and 12 adults went through the knife safety class. Soon thereafter an adult cut his hand requiring 20 stitches. We had two families leave with vomiting children (not related to the knife incident). Overall an exciting weekend. The picture is of the kids playing volleyball. We left camp today and stopped by Stinson Beach on the way home. Nice to sit on the beach, smell the ocean air and hear the water. We arrived home to 107 degree day!!! Thankfully our friends let Miles and Katie inside the house so they would be comfortable during the day.

Last Day of School!

It is the last day of 2nd and 4th grade! It went by unbelievably fast. Here is their "last day of school" pictures. Ethan had to "fake" his smile. Is he upset about no more homework? No! He lost one of his shoes this morning and is upset he can't find it. He had to wear another pair of shoes. Even though he was grumpy at home he was better once we arrived at school. He doesn't let things bother him for long. Plus he thinks I will find it while he is at school. I probably will.

Busy Week!

Busy last week of school. Tuesday Ethan's class went to Kings Skate. I went with Rachael and the other 4th grade classes to the Wackford Pool on the same day. With one track missing there were still 104 fourth graders! (year round school so some kids went last month). Last night the school had their "Turn the Beat Around" dance performance. Both kids performed with their classes. Tony Crane works with the schools to put on the performance. Today Rachael's class is having a "movie" day. We have one last piano lesson before they get a month's break. Well, she will give them "homework" to do over the month off so it really isn't a "break". They love going for their lessons, but dislike the practicing. Have a great day!

Airing out the tents.

We have a couple camping trips planned so I got our tents out to make sure they were in good shape for the summer. You can see the first tent Allen and I bought together on the left. We would go camping with Miles and Abbey in that tent. We even went camping with both kids when they were smaller in the little tent. Then we upgraded to a bigger tent that we could stand up and spread out in. Ethan can still stand up straight in the little tent. Below is a picture Rachael took of the agapanthus.

Rachael Photography

Katie was sitting next to the pool and Rachael wanted to take a picture of her. She asked to use the camera. There are some 50 pictures from our afternoon by the pool. When I have more time I will post some more. Here are two of them.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

Other Pictures From Today...

Rachael, Ali and Rebecca.

What does Allen get to do on Saturday? Stain the wood in our backyard. Sunday he will have the "day off" from household stuff.

Sizzlin' Solos & Dazzlin' Duos' Summer Recital

The Piano Studios of Emma Elmore and Katie Yarbrough had their combined Summer Piano Recital today.

Rachael performed Waltz in Blue, by Edwin McLean

and Ragtime Do-Si-Do, by Martha Mier.

Ethan performed Marching Along,

by George Peter Tingley.

They did a great job!
Once I figure out how to put our video on the blog you can watch them perform.

Finally Arrived!

Rachael has been waiting a full week. Anxiously waiting. Having trouble sleeping at night. No, it wasn't the last day of school. Her American Girl Doll, Rebecca Rubin a Historical Character Doll has arrived! Rachael has thought about getting another doll, but then felt Ali her current AG doll (a "just like you doll") would not be played with as much,... but this is a special doll that celebrates Shabbat, Hanukkah and other Jewish Holidays (1914 Russian-Jewish girl growing up in New York City, she has a six book series about her life that we bought with the doll). Rachael really wanted it. We told her a week ago that we would make up the difference she was short to buy the doll. She ran up the stairs yelling, "Ali, Ali, I have great news!". Too cute. Now that she has the doll I would post pictures of her with it, but they went to a slumber party tonight. It will have to wait until tomorrow. I will be posting a lot the next week. We have a piano recital, Father's Day, and many last week of school activities.

Who are you?

We are a bit surprised by the number of "visitors" to our blog and wondered who is looking at it. I added a poll to see how many people are randomly looking at the blog (and then of course filling out the poll). We figured a lot of friends of the Benson's must of looked at the pictures of the plane because we had a record peak of 22 visits the day after we posted them. We also had a lot of people viewing when we add the pictures of McFarland Ranch.

We figured a blog was easier than emailing pictures to the Grandparents and family all the time. This way they can see the pictures without their email getting bogged down. We welcome all visitors who enjoy looking at our pictures and reading about what is going on.

Katie went swimming today.

Today Katie went swimming with Rachael while Ethan was at a birthday party. She loves the water and fetching her pool toys. When you get tired of throwing them in for her she will toss it in herself.

Making Brownies!

Last night we made brownies! Both Rachael and Ethan helped with the measuring, mixing, pouring and licking of the bowl. Of course when they were done we ate them hot with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top. Yum!

Ethan worked hard last weekend!

Last weekend Ethan worked hard helping us in the backyard. He watered, pruned, scooped leaves out of the pool, got us cold water to drink and even sanded some of the wood floor in our corner retreat.

A great day to go flying!

A friends' Grandpa gave the kids, Mark and Allen a ride in his 1955 Cessna. They flew over Elk Grove and our house! They had a great time! It isn't every day you get to go up in a small plane and look at your home from above. Thank you Benson Family!

McFarland Ranch, Galt California

Rachael's class went to McFarland Ranch in Galt today. It was lots of fun! They made candles, rope, a step stool, tin art and embroidered their initials on a hand kerchief. They had to dress in the clothes of the 1800's. As you can see, so did the parent volunteers. If they got done early they got to wash the clothes on the washboard. We sat on the grass and ate lunch (we brought a chunk of bread, apple and cookie with water). We really lucked out and had beautiful weather. Below are more pictures from the trip.

Class of 1800's

Here is the class of the 1800's. Below Rachael and I are all dressed up with no horse to pull us. Guess we will have to walk like they did back in those days...

The main house and pump house at McFarland Ranch

Above is the house at McFarland Ranch that they are renovating. The family is donating the furniture that was originally in the house. With the help of pictures they can put the nick-knacks back where they originally were. Mr. McFarland liked photography so they have many pictures. Below is a wind powered pump they use to get water to the house. They say when it is windy it opens up and looks like a ladies bonnet.