First try At 5 Things

I am going to try to do the 5 things that I have seen on other blogs. It's a list of any random 5 things. In any order, from any time. For instance one can be from a week ago, the second from a year ago, and so on.

 So here it goes.

1. We took a day trip with a really dear friend and her boys to Gilroy ,Ca. There is an amusement park there called Gilroy Gardens. It is an adorable park that was created by a man named Michael Bonfante's  for his love of horticultural ~ *below is from the website's Mission statement and their vision*
His vision - his love of plants and trees, and his commitment to pass this appreciation on through the generations - continues to inspire everyone who works and volunteers at Gilroy Gardens.Gilroy Gardens is a non-profit educational institution whose mission is to educate and inspire families, especially children, to appreciate horticulture and the importance of trees in our lives by providing fun and memories in a beautiful garden setting. *end of websites mission & Vision statements.*

We enjoyed every inch of the gardens,rides,and food courts ! We had a yummy funnel cake there which my daughter highly recommends ! So if you take an adventure to the Gilroy Gardens seek out the funnel cake stand. 

www.gilroygardens.org ( Go here for more information on Gilroy Gardens)


2. We also went to Casa De Fruita .
click link here:
http://casadefruta.com/ 

Inside the casa de fruita candy shop !

So many Yummy Chooses !

Casa de fruita Water wheel

Here is the Casa De Fruita Sludge.

Which is just a little stop of the hwy that we travel on when we're headed to the coast. Monterary, Santa Cruz in that direction from the valley.

The sweet shop where you  can find all kinds of yummy candy, even vintage ones !

We love to  stop here for a nice shading area to stretch our legs, grab a ice cold drink, Sometimes for a nice breakfast if we left early that day. They are known for there delicious fruits and veggies, fresh and dried, a gift shop that has so many beautiful household goodies,and another one that sells things for keepsakes and kids treasures.They have wonderful wines that they make themselves. They have so many delicious ones. Here are a couple that I love, I especially love their fruit wines, apricot,blackberry, Raspberry !

Casa De Fruita Wine & Deli

My beautiful Daughter & Me

The Choo Choo Train that all my kids  have climbed on !

If you are ever traveling along Pacheco pass Hwy between Monterary and Yosemite stop here at Casa De Fruita and see for  yourself how much this great little place has to offer. You also can go to the link above and check out the history of this place. It's been there along time. They began planting their orchards in 1908. In the 40's the mother of three boys encouraged them to open a fruit stand to sell the fruit grown from their orchards. It has surely taken off from that small little road side fruit stand into what it is now today ! A wonderful  great business !

They even have a carousel for the kids to ride. It has pictures on it from Italian landmarks,and has 1400 amazing twinkling lights ! It sets beside the pretty creek that all the kids love. Their is a very loud Choo choo that you can take rides on and it travels around the little creek. You will also see peacocks running around the entire area ! So check it out !

My favorite summer beverage

3. I posted a few posts back about my finding of the Ice Coffee Recipe from "Pioneer Woman" Renee's blog ! Yummy, delicious,and  summer all in a big glass !

Lemons

4. Here is a beautiful dish of "fake" decorative lemons ! I love them, adore them. They scream summer ! Especially when they are packed into this shallow milk glass dish ! (Another passion of mine, milk glass) *LOVE*

swimming !

5.What would this post be  without me adding in a photo of our swimming ? It happens daily here at the Ole' Home stead ! We're in and out constantly through out the day ! Finally this year my beloved little chitlins have learned to hang up their wet bathing suits and towels outside !!! I'm so impressed with them. It only has taken almost all their 19,15,12 yrs on this planet to manage it ! woo hoo ! I have not had to wash numerous loads of towels due to them placing wet things in their bedroom floors ! I love summer !