Rancho Los Cerritos

This year the children and I are learning about California History. We are currently reading Carlota, which explains the California war with Mexico. Want me to explain the war to you? Well, too bad, because I'm not done with the book and I know nothing of California history minus the gold rush. Now I am usually a very reader. I do the accents (poor as they might be) the deep/high voices, etc. I do not, as it turns out... or cannot read with a Mexican accent. Our characters currently sound very Italian and any time they say their last name I need to stop and awkwardly sound it out five times before I decide on one pronunciation.

Carlota lives in a rancho in the mid-1830's, so off to a rancho we went. There are several near house, but this past Friday we visited one in Long Beach called Rancho Los Cerritos.

The rancho is open for free tours from Wednesday to Sunday 1pm-4pm. The children and I were blessed to have a wonderful tour guide who acted the part of a former family member who lived in the ranch.

It was a great tour that lasted nearly an hour. We got to touch things (not sit on museum-quality chairs as Alynna found out), try out the washing "machine", answer questions, etc. I highly recommend trying the place out.