Pancake Breakfast at the San Anselmo Fire Station

Mt. Burdell Hike

We tried our first Marin Parks District Family Hike in Mt. Burdell Open Space Preserve up near Novato on Saturday. Ranger David showed us how to (safely) catch a Western Fence Lizard and we checked out its bright blue belly! We also found spiders, learned about acorns and more. It's amazing how much you can see on a hike when you have an expert ranger present!

Storytime with the Aunties and Uncle

Wanderlust

We met Aunt Linnie at the SF Wanderlust Festival and Will was inspired to say the least!

So Long, Uncle Kit and Auntie Heidy

Uncle Kit and Auntie Heidy are moving to Thailand! Will has had some great times with his aunt and uncle living so close by. It feels like the end of a chapter. But really, it's the beginning of a new one.

Here are two of our favorite photos before they head across the Pacific:

Daddy's Birthday at Stinson Beach

We headed to Stinson Beach for Daddy's birthday on a beautiful September afternoon. We buried Mama's lower legs and feet and discovered that if she took them out really carefully, we could dig from the other side and make a tunnel!

Riding the Dinosaur

An Early Evening Walk at Phoenix Lake

Will headed out in the Jeep for an early evening walk at Phoenix Lake the other night after preschool. As usual he collected lots of "nature" along the way.

Mini-Mountain Biker

Will had a big afternoon after school, hitting some tennis balls with Daddy and taking his balance bike off-road. At this rate, he'll be keeping up with Dad in no time!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

We headed to Old Town Sacramento for Labor Day Weekend with our Li'l Engineer. While we kicked things off at the California State Railroad Museum, the California Automobile Museum and the Aerospace Museum of California completed our museum trifecta.
















That is a big steam engine! In fact, Engine No. 2467 weighs 300,000 pounds and could reach speeds of up to 100 mph. Throughout the 1920s, this locomotive served Southern Pacific's Overland Route from Utah to Nevada, and then moved on to service routes in California.














Cowcatcher!

  

After checking out the observation car (below), we hopped on the Sacramento Southern Railroad for a short ride along the river.

Did we mention the trackside breakfast table and the view of the railroad crossing from the hotel? Will got a special treat when the crossing signal got stuck for 30+ minutes!







The next day, we headed to the Aerospace Museum of California.

Will got to check out a (old-style) Blue Angel up close!

And sit in a fighter jet cockpit!

Boarding a helicopter...

Inside the museum there were more planes, along with several tables with construction toys and brain teasers. We forgot to take a photo, but our favorite was a set of sticks that would only come apart if you spun them around so that centifugal force moved a tab over. Meanwhile, Will was happy to build some very tall towers.

Next up was the California Automobile Museum. We got to try cranking an engine (and driving the car).

Will's favorite vehicle was a Mack truck. We learned that the emblem for Mack trucks is a bulldog (which you can see on the hood just in front of Will).

Following up our San Diego Willard brand sighting, here's another brand with an esteemed name!

A definite highlight was the DeLorean, a la Back to the Future!








 

We couldn't leave without checking out the Wells Fargo Stagecoach in Old Town! So long, Sacramento!