Declan Hercules: Dog days of summer (a touch belated!)

Oh my goodness!  We have been so so busy these past few months, that we haven't had time to update the blog!   Keevah and I had a great summer.  She continued her pre-school, which she loves;  and I did  a series of summer camps:  Connolly Ranch, Skyline Park Camp, and Art Lab.  I also was so lucky to spend a week with Gee & Grandpa and my great-Aunts Sara and Dana, and my second cousins  Nora and Marissa at Safari West Park in Santa Rosa.  We got to experience the animals of Africa first hand, and learn all about them.  

Me with second cousins Nora and Marissa

Writing and drawing for my presentation on an African Antelope

I also spent some time on the weekends focusing on one of my many current obsessions:  finding and collecting artifacts of any kind.  I got a metal detector for my 8th birthday and love to find treasures with it.  I also went digging around in a dry creek bed by our house and found a piece of ancient pottery.   I continue to work on my coin collection and foreign money collections as well.  I have bins and bins of organized treasures in my closet! 

Some old coins

My old piece of pottery

I was also able to spend a day with my best friend Haines at a local winery pool!  So fun!

Buddies doing a "pencil dive"

A silly pic of Keevah Nyx - just a normal day for her. 

I also did some swimming at Gee & Grandpa's house

We then flew to San Diego for a whole long weekend to visit Mama and Dada's friends Analeah and Ian from college, and their boys Keaton and Jonah.  I had a blast with the boys - especially boogie boarding at the beach and hiking along the ocean! 

Miss Analeah, Keevah & Mama

Dada and me on our San Diego hike

Beach sissy

Beach bubba

Finding treasures

just a girl on a beach...

Catching a wave

Jonah, Me, and Keaton

My fierce sister joins the boys

Keevah took the only group photo of the grown ups...

The very last weekend before school started meant the Napa County Fair was in town.   Always a fun time - this time Gee & Grandpa joined us.


Inside the hamster ball

Giddyup - my horse was named Hercules!

Ferris wheel with Mama

Keevah in heaven!

Bungee!

Reading with neighbor Ethan -  we climb over our ladders to each other's yards...

Spirit also had a great summer playing ball and trying to learn his manners.  We still love him!

School started mid-August, and now I'm in SECOND grade!  I can read, and continue to practice so I can read bigger and better words.  Right now, I'm enjoying the Magic Treehouse and I Survived series.  The day before school, we went to the office and I found my name in Ms. Holman's class - and Haines is in my class too!   So far, I'm loving my classroom and my teacher.  

Me with friends Francisco and Haines

Lined up with my teacher for first day of School

The weekend after school started, we headed up to Tahoe - this time with Spirit!  We discovered that he loves digging in the sand, isn't afraid of swimming...but will not pick up a sandy ball in his mouth!  You have to throw the ball just a bit in the water so it doesn't get sandy for him! Silly boy!  My friend Felix and his parents, as well as Gee & Grandpa, joined us.

Keevah letting Mama and Dada know just where they stand...

Keevah & Dada in the Lake

Grandpa, Dada, me and Spirit - all the boys!

Monkey sister hanging on Grandpa

The top of Heavenly has a ropes course, tubing, roller coaster, etc during the summer - we spent the whole day up there! 

Panning for precious stones

We found some beautiful rocks! 

Keevah on the tubing hill

Declan on the big tall ropes course

 Me rapelling down!

Ziplining!

Keevah on the shorter ropes course - this girl has no fear! 

Keevah on the zipline!

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Keevah, Gee & Spirit

Happy dog on a beach

I did paddle boarding all by myself!

Even Spirit went for a ride!

One last ridiculously silly video of Keevah and me playing "baby kitties in Morocco"....We are going to Portugal and Morocco in April...guess we're getting in the spirit. 

Phew - so many things to update!  I'll have another post really soon because we just got back yesterday from an amazing road trip to Nevada and houseboating on Lake Shasta!