Sundial Bridge & Burney Falls State Park

For at least the next month & a half we will be traveling around Northern California.  Nick is on a short term project & we will be in an area for a week or so and then move on to the next area.  Since we are "from" Northern California, we are excited about this time to be able to visit with family and friends along our way, as well as explore.

Currently we are in Red Bluff, CA.  We've spent the past week getting back into our routine and reorganizing the trailer.  After spending almost 3 weeks at Grandma & Papa's house, we've been busy settling back into RV life.  We don't lay low for long.

Our week was also filled with walks along the Sacramento River, which is directly behind our RV Park.

One day after work we drove into Redding and took an sunset walk across Sundial Bridge.  Winter hadn't quite hit yet, so there were runners, bikers and walking families galore --- plus Ben the Knife Juggler.

On Sunday we too a drive to Burney Falls State Park.  President Roosevelt once called Burney Falls the 8th wonder of the world.  I can see why.  It was about 35 degrees, so we were all a but cold, but not too cold to hike the Falls loop. 

It is sure nice to be back in the land of mountains, trees, flowing rivers and the Pacific --- California you may be expensive & crowded, but you are SUPER beautiful.

Lego Club

A little over a year ago our family visited LEGOLAND California.  We all had a blast and highly recommend it.  For us LegoLand was doable with five kids and two adults, unlike the other highly sought after theme park in Southern California.  Not to mention cheaper and one day was just enough.  Even though we were there from opening until closing. 

While at LEGOLAND we found out about the Lego Club Magazine.  We subscribe (for FREE) to both the regular magazine and the Jr. version.  Aidan and Coda love that day each month that the magazine comes in the mail.  Within minutes they are working on that months contest, determined to win the $100 gift card to buy nothing but LEGOS. 

I have a confession, they build, I take a photo and I NEVER get it printed off and sent out in time.  BUT...this month I redeemed myself.  We're still awaiting the results, but here is Coda and his "Blue Bird".  (This month was to build a flying creature/animal.)

So make sure you head on over to Lego Club and get your own FREE subscription!!

Sledding at Art Hill

A few weeks ago it snowed quite a bit and we decided we wanted to go sledding.  Not knowing where the best place to sled around St. Louis was, I turned to my trusty friend GOOGLE.  "best sledding St. Louis"...Art Hill in Forest Park seemed like a good pick.  So bright and early Saturday morning we headed out to Art Hill. 

There was a lake at the bottom, but don't fret, they (whoever they are) puts bales of hay at the bottom so nobody ventures into the almost frozen lake.

Midway through our sledding adventures we stopped for a hot cocoa break --- it was in the twenties, so so warming up was much needed.

And after many "one last time's" we finally called it a day and headed to try out a new Thai restaurant - Basil Spice Thai. 

First Month in St. Louis --- Highlights

June/July 2010

• E was in St. Louis for a short bit, I honestly don't remember much of her being there.  I was too busy being in a ridiculous amount of pain from breaking my foot.   

 

 

• Nick, E & the children went to Tower Grove Park (while I laid in bed)
   

• Spent a HOT day at the FREE St. Louis Zoo, which oddly enough we became members of, so we could have free train rides, sea lion shows, carousel rides, entrance into the children's zoo and free parking.  I rode around in a electric scooter, not quite as much fun as it looks.

• Visited the Magic House - St. Louis Children's Museum for FREE -- we are members of a children's museum in California and in turn we get free admission to children's museums all over the country.

• Ate yummy ice cream and floats at the Fountain on Locust -- super cheap due to an awesome Groupon. 

• Each Sunday we attended Invigorate Church in Columbia, IL.  Awesome Word, Awesome Family, Awesome Aussie Accents :) We also served with them at an outreach carnival in East Alton, IL.

• On a lovely Saturday morning I fell in love with Tower Grove Park, the wading pool, the Farmer's Market, the trees, grass and the wonderful company.  If we ever live "in the city" I'd LOVE to live near Tower Grove Park!

• Enjoyed a sweltering hot, humid morning at the Soulard Park checking out the Lego Games Tour.  Then heading over to the Soulard Market, which was the first market west of the Mississippi.   This was also my first (albeit short) outing without crutches.

• Spent an afternoon with the Dodd Family.  Holly reads the blog and contacted me.  Her, her husband and five (now six) children came over for an afternoon of swimming, playing and dinner.  What a blessed time!

• Celebrated Aidan's 8th Birthday!  Complete with a favorite breakfast, presents, morning at Church, afternoon BBQ with the Lenz family and ending the day with sundaes at Dairy Queen.  I totally forgot candles, so we improvised and used a red spoon as a "candle".  

More photos from our time in St. Louis here.  

Colorado Springs

June 5-9, 2010

Our days spent in Colorado Springs were relaxing and full of family time.  We stayed at the KOA Colorado Springs. It was a typical KOA in the summertime; Pancake Breakfasts, Ice Cream Socials, Hay Rides and nightly movies.  Our first night there our neighbor brought over some fish that he had caught just that afternoon.  Love RVing neighbors!

On Sunday morning we headed out to visit the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, 700 year old homes built into the sides of the cliff.  The best part about this place, its hands on.  No "do not touch" signs, No looking from behind glass or ropes; you are free to roam, climb and touch!

Then took a drive through Garden of the Gods park.  We stopped for a picnic lunch on top of one of the mountains.  We found out that the roads through Garden of Gods are frequently in car commercials.  Except for the angry bike rider we had a wonderful time driving and climbing through Garden of the Gods.

I can't go to cute towns and not see what their downtown is like, so we headed downtown.  Cute park, lovely shops and a number of restaurants I would have loved to eat at, but we weren't hungry.

After eating a all-you-can-eat Pancake breakfast for $9 for all of us we headed down to a little creek right below the campground and one morning we spent a few hours splashing, walking and discovering down by the creek.

The day before we were leaving (we were heading to Dallas, TX), we got an email from Nick's work --- can you guess what it said?  Well let me just tell you that instead of heading to Dallas, we were on our way to Waterloo, IL, a little town about 15 minutes from St. Louis, MO. 

Next up driving through Kansas --- everyone says there is nothing to see in Kansas, what did we find? 

Photos from Colorado Springs, CO here.