The Pond

I'm not sure if anyone is still checking this blog, since it has been so long since we have posted. It has been a busy year. We are going to attempt to start blogging more regularly. In September of last year we put a pond onto the property in the foothills. We still haven't decided on a name for it. So, we just refer to it as "the property". I know, we are a creative bunch.

The boy in front of the excavator bulldozer that was used to make the pond.

The dig site for the pond.

The excavation.

The start of the pond.

Since we are in the midst of a drought, we didn't know if the pond would fill in this year. We had them dig on a natural spring on the property and it ended up almost filling it in it added some water, but the winter rains that run off from about eight acres of field above it filled the pond. The pond is 2/3 an acre. It is teardrop shaped with a shallow area that gradually gets deeper until the deepest point at 13" 11" (the top of the dam is 13 feet). It isn't a large pond, but since our place would make a great giant rock farm, it's as large and deep as our spring and wallet would allow.

Last weekend we went to a fish hatchery that is open to the public once a month. 

We purchased 500 mosquito fish, 15 bass and 35 blue gill.

The boy got to feed the fish.  The girl was busy reading a book.  

They give you the fish in large, plastic bag they fill with oxygen and seal.  We put them in coolers for the trip to the pond.

On the way back from the hatchery, we stopped at our favorite nursery and picked up some water hyacinth.  They will help create 

a habitat for the fish.  After the fish were put in the pond the kids went around placing the plants along the shore.

Nothing better than cooling off in a cool pond after a busy day.  Deacon loves the water, as long as the kids are in it.  

At this point after looking at the pictures, you may be saying to yourself, "I thought they had two children"? Did they lose one along the way? Or, are they clearly showing favoritism to the boy? The answer to your questions, thoughtful blog reader is 'no" and "no". We in fact are currently in possession of a "tween" daughter that has decided she no longer likes to have her picture taken...unless it is her idea. Don't worry, I will post some pics of the girl I managed to sneak by.

A pic with the girl in it!
Edits for facts made by the actual fat dad

A Three Hour Tour

Uncle D is in our neck of the woods fighting a forest fire. Last weekend, we were lucky enough to go visit him. He pilots this DC 10.

He gave us the full tour. It was amazing! It's really incredible and dangerous how low he flies the plane over fires to dump retardant on them.

It was a great day....thank you Uncle D.

The inside of the plane. It was fun to explore.

The boy asking Uncle D his numerous questions. Uncle D was very patient and answered them all.

On a wing and a prayer.

The full tour of the plane. The had so much fun.

Future pilots!

The kids goofing off.

When the boy saw this helicopter on the runway he said "I made a Lego model of this helicopter."
Uncle D had arranged for the pilot of this Erickson helicopter to give the kids a tour of it. He told the kids to get in it. Only the boy took him up on it. There are only 21 of this type of helicopters in the works. When he is finished here, the pilot and helicopter go to Australia for their fire season.

The pilot told us that some people from Disney came and took measurements and pictures of the helicopter. It was the model Windlifter in the movie Planes and Rescue.

Aquarium

The kids and I went with my God children to the Monterey aquarium last week. It was great! The boy didn't want to leave. There is so much to see and do there. This is the boy and A and Z at the penguin exhibit.

My favorite exhibit, the jellyfish. I could have stayed there all day!

The wave tank.

My favorite picture.

Waterworld

It was our last full week of summer, so the kids and I decided to go on some day trips. We started the week going to a marine research lab/aquarium. We were very lucky, since we were the only three people on the tour, we were able to go into the research area that is normally off limits. We got to see the researchers working with some retired navy dolphins and we saw several endangered sea lions. We were not able to take any pictures in the area, because of the nature of the work and the fact the animals are endangered. It was amazing, seeing how intelligent the dolphins are, the kids are still talking about it.

The kids in front of a blue whale skeleton. The whale washed up on the beach back in the early seventies. It was huge!

There was an area of gray whale bones for people to explore and pick up.

Touching a swell shark.

Swell shark egg casings.

For Tia!

The next day we headed to the beach. The boy boogie boarded all day.

My bathing beauty.

Since we had been at the ocean for two days, we decided to hit up the water slides on day three of our water adventure.

The girl coming out of the slide.

Since we had done the ocean and the water park, next up was playing in the river. The dog played with the kids in the river, but he was to fast for me to get a picture.

Then, at the end of the week, it was back to the beach with their cousin A. The boy boarded all day, only coming in when I made him take water breaks or c eat. There was a seal and some dolphins in the surf behind him, but I couldn't get a clear picture.

Coming in for a water break. The girl and A body surfed into the waves all day.

Elevensies

Today was the girl's eleventh birthday. She thought she was going to school, as if it was a normal day. When we dropped off her brother at school I told her not to get out of the car. We headed off to the mountains to a zip line/sky bridge course about 40 minutes away. She didn't know what we were doing, until we meet our instructors and stepped into our harnesses. Hubby wanted to go with us, but he wasn't able to get the day off. After a practice run, we were anxious to get on the course. We did 8 zip lines that were at 100-180 feet high and three sky bridges. It was a two hour tour of beautiful landscape and fun. Since we had the place to ourselves, it was extra special.

The zip line instructors were teaching the girl to hang off the side of the platform using her feet for balance. Once they found out she was a daredevil and not afraid of heights, they did a bunch of extra stuff with her.

They would "slingshot" her off of the zip line platform. A slingshot is where they grab you, pull you back and let you go. She would get this big grin on her face and let out a little "whoop" of glee as she went speeding along.

Here the girl is playing around on the zip line. The instructors would push her out from the platform and then she would hand over hand her way back to the platform. She loved it! After a fun morning hanging out in the tree tops, we headed off to lunch at a local little "cowboy" restaurant and then topped off our day of playing hookey with some ice cream. Happy Birthday to my little girl. I had such a great time hanging out with you today!

The Lost Weekend

On a neighbors farm are the remnants of a French Utopian colony. They were kind enough to take us on a tour. By tour I mean let us run around to our hearts content.

There were a surprising number of ruins over 7 acres.

It was a beautiful spring day, perfect for a hike.

The boy riding in our neighbors polaris.

The girl found this laying not far from the ruins. There is still twine on the wooden spool. Our best guess is that it was a kite spool. There is still a lot of paint on it.

The perfect end to the day was this bouquet of wildflowers the girl surprised me with.

Week in Review

I thought I would give a quick update on what went on last week. The girl making a bunny easter cake. It was really cute. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture.

The boy building the Legos his cousins sent him in his easter package. His friend T is helping.

The girl and her friend G. I took this pic, since I love the fact that the still hold hands and skip at this age. We had just gone to a movie in the mall. Since the boys were at the property with friends for a few days, the girl had a sleep over with her friend.

The boy graduating from a bear cub to a boy scout (webelo 1).

Before the moving ceremony, all the boys get marked with different colored markers on their face to denote their rank.