Tuesday, February 15, 2011

California Sunshine :-)

Mission San Luis Rey
  I thought you might enjoy some of our California sunshine, my friends. 
I hope your Valentine's Day was perfect!
 Here in California, learning about missions is part of the 
public school 4th grade curriculum.
There were 21 in all, and while not the most famous now, 
Mission San Luis Rey stands out as one of the most beautiful. 
Yes, that is an elbow on the right :-)
 If you're a homeschooling family...you can make visiting them part of a 
family vacation, and call it "History" :-)
Learning and traveling go hand in hand, don't they?
 Mission San Luis Rey was the largest of the missions, 
and originally had over 950,000 acres.
Quiet reflection
How it looked in 1830
Present day model
Where the laundry was done :-)
 Do you want to know another wonderful part about visiting missions?
Most of them are pretty close to this :-)
 I'm linking with with Faded Charm for White Wednesday,
and with A Beach Cottage for Good Life Wednesdays :-)
Blessings,
Marcia

40 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful state you live in! Gorgeous photo Marcia! looks like you had perfect weather for a field trip!

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  2. The mission reminds me of the Alamo!

    Thanks for the beautiful photos of the beautiful day!

    That is what I miss about California!

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  3. Sounds fabulous!!! After our cold, grey and rainy day!!! California here we come {ha ha} Seriously, this winter has just seemed to be long one, I guess it's because we had such a mild one last year. Please share the sunshine often!!!

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  4. Those are gorgeous pictures, the white just pops against that lovely blue sky! It looks like a wonderful day...I love those kind of field trips the best (geography is my favorite subject, especially when travelling is involved in the lessons!) Your children are darling!! Enjoy your sunshine!

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  5. I loved studying the missions with my children. I hope to teach my grandchildren, even if they go to school, I plan on teaching them some things like the missions. We have never been to this mission so this was a real treat of a post for me. Aren't they amazingly beautiful? I hope to travel in our 'Pearl' along the coast and visit as many missions as we can someday when it's just hubby and I. One of my favorite things about homeschooling is that you get to learn just by living. YOu have so much freedom to go places and learn by seeing, touching, smelling, experiencing. It's the best way to learn and so enjoyable.

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  6. Wow, that brings back memories. We visited so many missions during school!

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  7. It looks so pretty and white against that blue sky. I liked that part when the kids were in fourth grade. I looks like you had a nice day.

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  8. Fellow So Cal dweller here, I've been on some field trips with my boys to missions and they are beautiful to see!

    Your kids are all so gorgeous!!!

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  9. Yes, we are expecting snow tomorrow, so I did enjoy these sunny photos! BTW, I am hosting a pretty awesome giveaway on my blog. Wonderful people like you who are already followers just need to leave a comment to enter. Good luck!

    Warmly, Michelle

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  10. I spent my childhood about a mile from Mission San Luis Obispo. So much history in these missions. I did a mission report when I was in the 4th grade and so did all my kids when they were in the 4th grade! Your sunny weather looks wonderful. Mimi

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  11. A beautiful mission. I would love to visit all of them someday. Thank you for sharing your lovely photos.

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  12. Glorious sunshine and an amazing history trip! How great that the ocean is so close too!
    Have a lovely week!
    Christine

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  13. I love the place Miss Marcia!
    thanks for sharing the photos..
    Mama Chang~
    http://homeslight.blogspot.com/

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  14. "California here I come, right back where I started from" .... I'm thinking I need to go home for a visit! Marcia, thank you for the pics - I loved them! I long to see those golden shores again. You made my day! Thanks again!

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  15. I remember having to recreate a model of a mission as a 4th grader. Ugh. :)

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  16. Such a beautiful and interesting place, Marcia!! And I can't get over how blue the sky looks... simply gorgeous.

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  17. Studying California history in the 4th grade is one of my best school memories - I enjoyed probably far more than I should have *s*
    My hope is to one day take a trip to visit each of the California Missions. I have enjoyed each that I have visited so far.

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  18. Hi Marcia, looks like it was an absoslutely magnificent day! Our blue skies disappeared with a light dust appearing this afternoon. :/ Thanks so much for your offer to send candy hearts. Valentine's has come and gone and if you sent them, they likely wouldn't arrive til Easter. :) I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Wishing you a great rest of the week. Tammy

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  19. Beautiful! I would love a little California sunshine and warmth right about now. This has been a long cold snowy winter.
    We lived in Ca. when I was little and I remembering taking my grandmother to San Juan Capistrano when the swallows were returning.

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  20. Oh yes, the beach would be that added perk for the day! Thanks for sharing the warm temps. and the cupcakes below look awesome too! ;D

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  21. Thank you for the sunshine Marcia! The missions are beautiful and it is so interesting to see then and now, there must be so much history! What a great day to spend walking around and then of course hitting the beach! :)

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  22. Beautiful tour thru your camera lens. Thanks for sharing this beautiful area. ~~Sherry~~

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  23. This was lovely to look at !
    Sunny, warm photos - different to Noraway now...today -7 and starting to snow again...

    Take care !

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  24. Just wonderful.:-) and thank you for the comment about my boats.:-)

    have a nice day.:-)

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  25. Looks like a fun field trip and beautiful weather to go with it!

    We do family trips as field trips too!

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  26. Looks like a beautiful place, Marcia. I crave Summer now or at least a bit Spring..
    Have a happy day xxxx

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  27. Looks like a beautiful place, Marcia. I crave Summer now or at least a bit Spring..
    Have a happy day xxxx

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  28. oh lovely!! What a fun and exciting place to see!

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  29. You are such a tease with the last photo!! What a gorgeous day you all had! We love visiting the old California missions, too.

    Now I will thank God for my washing machine!

    xxoo
    Becky

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  30. Looks like a fun trip! The only mission I've been to is San Juan Capistrano. I know there's so many others and the one you visited looks so pretty and so nice they're near the beach, too!
    Blessings,
    Janet

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  31. Would you look at those rich blue skies! I sure miss CA. :o) And what a fantastic trip to the old mission.
    I hope you have a great weekend!!
    Sincerely, Trish

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  32. Fantastic photos! Love that laundry area:)

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  33. Thank you so much for taking us along to visit this mission with you. I have never seen one but it does so much remind me of churches and grounds I visited in Spain. Jos and I visit churches, convents and abbies everywhere we travel. What is being used in the rooms of the cloistered area? I noticed the cloister walls now have an extra floor added compared to the 1830 model.

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

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  34. Beautiful bright sunny pictures, Marcia and a little bit of beach too. On top of that a little history lesson thrown in. How great you are to share all with us. Your kids must love learning from you.

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  35. What a wonderful time!!!
    What a beautiful place! And such history!
    Oh to have that sunshine!!!! : )
    Love,
    Leanne

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  36. Hi Marcia,
    what a wonderfultrip, and very interesting to see the photos! Anf the sunshine, boy, do I miss some hot summers weather! We have - 19 C this morning and that it freeeeezing! Take care and have a nice sunday!

    Hugs,
    Cathrine :-)

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  37. I love this post Marcia!
    I could use some of that beauty and sunshine right now! And the mission is just stunning!
    Great Post friend,
    Cindy

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  38. Very beautiful place. I wish we had some of your sunshine right now!

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  39. How wonderful...and another joy of home schooling. Oh I love the go and see the most. Thanks for sharing, now I have learned something. I love visiting the history of our state. Now our beaches don't compare to yours but we do have some.

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Thanks so much for stopping by :)
Blessings,
Marcia