September 24-30 This week in Monterey...

This week was a pretty great week.  On Friday the space shuttle Endeavor flew over Monterey and we were able to go see it with our fancy new Aquarium Memberships!  It was so awesome. (I love that I am homeschooling and I could take my kids to go see that awesome sight. They would have been in school otherwise.) We got to Cannery Row a little early because the space shuttle was an hour late taking off.  With about 45 minutes to kill, we (my friend Kelley, her brother, all of the kids and me) took the kids down the steps to the beach for some tide pooling! Then we headed up to the observation deck to see the shuttle...

 The Beach.

Courtney too busy texting to be bothered for a picture. ;-)

Jessica and Erin (with Jaden and Emma in the background)

Jaden, Christian, and Emma checking out the local sea life

Christian gazing out to sea wondering when that space shuttle was going to get here! (He's my resident space man who's going to be an astronaut when he grows up.)

Miss Bella giggling uncontrollably chasing the "Eagulls"

an anemone in the wild!

The Space Shuttle Endeavor

Then I got a new delivery of pedestals for my washer and dryer! Hooray for me! I love that I don't have to lean way over to do my laundry. 

Then on Wednesday I took the kids to the aquarium for our "science class."  We visited the touch pools this time and learned all about at least 3 different kinds of star fish, sea cucumbers, abalones, sting rays, and leopard sharks.  It was so interesting, for instance, did you know that if a starfish loses one of its "arms" that its arm will regenerate? Awesome! 

Check out Courtney's face! The sea cucumber was squishy!

Bella loved watching the waves come down in this exhibit.

This Cabezon fish makes me miss all of my Rio Rancho friends!

Christian observing the anemones, Bella loved the pink color!

In case you are a mermaid and have a sudden thought you wanted to jot down... here is a sea pen! ( that's its actual name. :) )

Then finally on Sunday we went on an afternoon drive and did the 17 Mile loop.  This is a famous stretch of road along the coast and Pebble Beach Golf Course.  It was beautiful!

That's Pebble Beach, y'all!

Bella's happy face is fantastic in this picture!

More of Pebble Beach