Saturday was spent purchasing a new car for my husband. WOO HOO!
We decided to break it in by going on a day trip to San Francisco on Sunday!
Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge...
We drove around Marin county for a while, then went back into the city. Decided to drive to Ocean Park to enjoy the beach. It was a beautiful day and it was fun to watch the surfers.
'R' found a neat piece of beach glass...
'A' wrote out, "I love mom and dad and 'r'"
Life is good!
We found about six jellyfish. If you touch them, they react and pulsate. I kind of felt sorry for them.
Cool mural on a house...
We took the roof off for a while to enjoy the late afternoon sun... Java Beach Cafe, a very popular spot for lattes, sandwiches, soups, and salads. This is where we ate lunch.
Another cool mural...
Heading for Golden Gate Park...
Driving through Golden Gate Park, we learned that the park has an established American Bison breeding program that has been in existence for over a century!! It was kind of a fun, unexpected , discovery.
We left San Francisco at sunset and treated the boys to a spaghetti dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Sacramento.
We took advantage of a perfect Autumn day and went on a hike to Hidden Falls. Hidden Falls Regional Park is between Lincoln and Auburn.
The pinecones are HUGE!
We enjoy seeing the nut trees. I think this is chestnut...
Acorns!
...and an acorn fight!
Dead Man's Creek
Overlooking the overlook of Hidden Falls...
On the way home from Santa Cruz, I decided to surprise the boys with a trip to the Jelly Bell Factory Tour, in Fairfield.
Here, 'R' lets us know how he feels avout the cinnamon jelly belly that he is pointing to on the car...
This bear is made out of Jelly Bellys!
Waiting for the tour to begin...
This is a wall dedicated to Ronald Reagan...
The tour is about to begin. We were all give little paper hats to wear. No photos or videos are allowed in the actual factory, but there is a virtual tour you can look at that is better than any photo I could take: Jelly Belly Factory Virtual Tour.
It all began with the simple thought, "why don't I take the boys to Santa Cruz for the day. We can dip or toes in the ocean, and maybe I can meet up with a friend I have not seen since high school."
The day started off just fine. Traffic was OK, and we were delighted to discover a totally unexpected view. Coming over a hill, heading into Benicia, through a light mist, we see a bunch of unique looking boats. 'A' was convinced they wre battleships, but I could not be certain. I promised him we'd look it up online when we got home. Well, he was right! These ships are a part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. They are "mothballed" ships that can be activated if necessary. I could not get any pictures, so here is one I found:
It takes three hours to drive to Santa Cruz. About 20 minutes outside of Santa Cruz, I began to not feel all that great. When I pulled into Santa Cruz, I had full on flu symptoms. I was so sick! I knew I would be incpacitated for a while, so I checked us into a motel, the Bella Notte, and spent the next five hours wishing I were dead. The boys were a little bummed that they could not play on the beach, but they got to watch alot of TV and eat delivery pizza, so it wasn't all bad.
The next morning was overcast and cool, but I felt much better and wanted to explore with the boys a bit. My friend, Deana (lives in Santa Cruz), suggested a few places to check out. One was a surfer's museum. We found out that there was going to be a surfing competition close to the museum, so that was where we headed first.
The Surfer's Museum was closed on Wednesdays, but we took advantage of a photo op anyway...
While waiting, someone was blowing these giant bubbles. The kids enjoyed chasing them down. There was a slight breeze and the bubbles gave them a good run for their money...
Waiting for the competition to begin...
We soon learned that the competition had been moved to a different beach because there was not surf. It was too bad because there were all these vendors who had to break down their stands. People knew the name of the beach, but did not know where it was, so we went to plan 'B'.
Deana had suggested we check out Wilder Ranch State Park. Unfortunately, they were closed as well. We then went to Natural Bridges State Park. They have a grove of eucalyptus trees where monarch butterflies spend the winter. We walked the trail and saw the butterflies. Could not really get a good shot, the butterflies were too high, except for this one...
Heading home, I decided to surprise the kids with one more stop, the Jelly Belly Factory!
One of the satellite Bayside churches hosted a Trunk or Treat. They had about 20 cars all decorated, inflatable games, hot dogs, and cotton candy. It was the perfect Autumn evening in NorCal.
About five cars were decorated, representing the decades 50's - 80's...
This was incredible. They tooks two storage trailers of a sort and placed them together, creating an "Enchanted Forest". The entry was all decorated in candy!
One of the cars had a Harvest theme and these cute props...
After a brief respite at home, we all went out to hit some homes. The neighborhood next to our apartments did an incredible job decorating their homes and yards. They really got into it!
Our friend, Sean, is an on air personality for Air 1 Radio station. He hooked us up with concert tickets to see The Classic Crime (Seattle band, btw), playing at a nearby church. This was the boys first concert! They did pretty well, and I certainly had a good time, even though it was a challenge to head bang with a six year old on my shoulders!!
'A', modeling the stylin' ear wax plugs...
Sean and the boys. We are going to miss you! Indy will be blessed!
Ama flew down for three days for a visit! We had fun shopping, looking at houses, and carving pumpkins.
Ama bought these hats that the boys are modeling...
early evening at the Fountains...
Goofing off at a furniture store...
While mom and I did the creative carving, the boys were on goop patrol...
Batman and Two-Face...
About and hour and a half from us, in a town called Camino, there is a series of farms known as 'Apple Hill'. My friend, Sema, invited us to join her and kids for the trip. We only scratched this surface, visiting three farms, and had a wonderful day.
High Hill Farms...
Watching how the cider is made...
'R', 'E', and 'A' in front of the trout pond...
Sema and gang...
APPLE DOUGHNUTS!
Abel's Apple Acres...
The Cal State Fair is a client of my husband. He provides their online ticketing. We went to the Fair as a family and we treated to free admission and unlimited rides!
Here are a couple of videos of the boys practicing lasso!
Playing on a see-saw that has saddles...
There is an area that showcases farming and contained a garden with a huge variety of vegetables and other items. We got to see how cotton looked in all of its stages of growth.
Some cute little piggies...
We were fortunate to get to see a newborn calf. We came across them when the calf was about 30 minutes old. Here, the vet is trying to get the calf to stand. The mother was getting aggitated and they needed the calf to latch and nurse ASAP.
We were surprised to discover that the grandstand had horse racing. We stayed for one race. 'R's horse got 2nd, 'A's 4th. (we did not bet.) RIDES!RIDES!RIDES!RIDES! It was fun to see the boys tall enough this year to move into some older rides. We were able to ride on some together and created some wonderful family memories.
The view from 'R's favorite ride, the 'Giant Wheel'...
This fair has quite a few rides that used to belong to Michael Jackson. This is one of them. This was a great ride for the whole family!
Demolition Derby!
A terrific end to a terrific day...
We drove from Chelan to Sagle, Idaho. Along the way, we encountered this interesting vista...
G&G Parker's home is always good for finding creatures of all kinds...
Antee Sara and 'R'...
Lunchtime in Sandpoint...
Granpa installed a tetherball for the kids...
or was it for the dog???
Grandpa also put up a tipi. Is it any wonder why the boys never want to leave?
Mom and daughter. So sweet :)
On the drive back to North Bend, we stopped at a diner in Wilbur, WA. This town is known for crop circles. OOOOoooooo....
We have a tradition of spending Independence weekend in Chelan with my aunt and uncle and family. It is always a wonderful and restful weekend.
This year was not without its drama. Within the first 15 minutes of being there, 'A' injured his finger on one of the outdoor lounge chairs. Running over to me and David, with a pained expression and holding his finger, I immediately left for ice and a towel.
Returning, I see David holding 'A's finger and blood is running all down his arm. I compressed it with the ice and towel and waited a while before taking a peek. After a couple of minutes, we took a look. Not good. The top layer of his skin on his index finger had been ripped and flipped up. I was thinking and ER visit might be in order for stitches, but mentioned that they would probably just use skin glue. My uncle said he had some, so we set up our own ER in the kitchen. It was a success and he was able to enjoy the rest of the week, with many waterproof bandage changes.
Here is our little trooper...
My cousin Katy, niece P, and 'R' got a hold of my camera for some fun shots...
Watersports are a must and 'P' did an amazing job on the wakeboard...
For those of you who have known me a long time you know that our family has a costume party on the 4th with a different state theme every year. My aunt creates a scrumptious dinner that correlates with that state. This year was "Alaska":
My wonderful aunt Annie and the feast (including salmon, steak, and shrimp...)
OK....drumroll......commence with costumes.....
Here we have: a Moose, Ketchican :), the Aurora Borealis, and a Crab Pot
The Runkel clan...they don't get out much
My mom, niece, and uncle...
Grizzly and boys...
'A', telling Uncle Artie, "I knew it was you! I knew it was you!"
My cousin Jenna, her DH Charles, and baby 'H'...
My cousin Brett, and 'A'...
My aunt Annie :)
I used glow sticks and it just wasn't showing well in light, so we had some fun with them in the dark... I love my family!
"Please, may I have more???"
We near the end of a fabulous weekend...our 'R' has a penchant for tipping chairs... tipping a chair backwards and landing facedown on concrete...
All better...
Same time, next year...
Have I ever told you how much I love San Francisco? It is one of my favorite places to visit. I don't think I could ever live there, though. However, living 90 minutes away makes for some fabulous opportunities for day and weekend trips.
We wanted to tour Coit Tower, but when we got there, we found out that you needed to either take the bus up or have a parking permit. We did neither, so we had to go to 'Plan B'.
We drove to Fisherman's Wharf and enjoyed all sights and people...
One of our favorite restaurants...
Three of my 'favorites'...Grandma, 'R', and cheese...
Two more faves...DH and 'A'
After lunch, from Fisherman's Wharf we took the bus to Chinatown. Mass transit in San Francisco is not a highlight for me. Although efficient, the buses were so crowded. Everyone made the best of it, though.
Chinatown is such a treat. It is another world. It was fun to see it through the boys eyes.
The architecture was a treat. We also got to visit the oldest Buddhist temple on the west coast. It was on the fourth floor of a building and you had to climb stairs to get to it. You would never know it was there if you walked by. David's mom used to live in San Francisco and although it had been many years since she was last there, she was able to find it. We were not allowed to take pictures, but there were three women tending the temple. The space was about the size of a living room or large master bedroom. One woman kept it tidy, another women made paper hats(?), and another woman transferred wishes and prayers from a book onto pieces of paper that were attached to paper lanterns hung overhead.
I love it that we are close to so many great locations for day trips. David took Friday off and we all sauntered over to Lake Tahoe. We stayed on the South shore. I was stunned to realize how much there is to discover there. We barely even scratched the surface.
To acclimate a bit, we decided to find the first public beach we could, so we could see the lake. We drove into Pope Beach and looked around for a few minutes. The boys found huge pinecones and wanted to take them all home, but we limited them to one each...
It was lunchtime when we arrived, so we went to a natural foods restaurant called "Sprouts". David and I had one of the best sandwiches ever. I am so glad we found this place. This will be a "must visit" whenever we go.
After lunch, we visited the Tahoe Visitors Center. The attendant suggested a couple of places for us to check out.
The fist place we went to was the Tallac Historic Site. This is a park that contains three "summer homes" built in the late 1800, early 1900's. The Pope estate was the largest, with cabins all around for their staff. All the rooms are preserved to look like they did back then. It is a fascinating look into the the rich and famous of yesteryear.
This was the tutor's room. It was one of four rooms in one cabin. The room is as big as what you see here...
Maid's room, in same cabin as the chauffer, butler, gardener, and tutor...
Servant's dining area. This was attached to the kitchen in a separate building from the main house. This is where the servants and children ate their meals...
The servants cabins...
The main house is on the right. David, Grandma Margaret and boys are looking into the kitchen...
The boat house. I don't know if this was on the Pope estate or the Heller estate...
I love this picture. We were walking back to the car and 'R' picked up a leaf and started yelling "Hosanna" (a shout of praise that the crowd made when Jesus entered Jerusalem. They also waved and laid palm leaves at his feet). 'A' followed suit.
The next place we went to was called Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. We did a couple of easy trail hikes, the "Rainbow Trail" and "Smokey's Trail". The Rainbow Trail had signs teaching about meadowlands and marshes and had a stream profile chamber to see what lives under a stream bed.
Smokey's Trail taught us how to properly tend to a campfire, so as not to start a forest fire...
On the way home, we stopped off in the town of Strawberry for ice cream at the Strawberry Lodge, (once a Pony Express stop.)
One of the things that made me excited about moving to this area was that we are 2 hours from Napa Valley. I had never been there, but I love seeing aisles of vines all terraced on a hill. It reminds me of being in France or Italy. We left early and made it to Napa when the wineries were opening.
The first winery we attended was Rubicon Estates, owned by Francis Ford Coppola. This is a gorgeous, family friendly property. The boys, especially 'R', kept raving about its beauty.
This is a room off the lobby. The boys are looking at a few private tasting rooms for private tours or parties. Straight in front of the boys is the door to their cafe.
The lobby of the estate contain items that Francis Ford Coppola collected that are related to the early moving picture industry. There were also a few items about the family, including an Academy Award 'Oscar' for 'The Godfather'.
This is a picture of the boys going upstairs to museum that contains more items of the early motion picture industry, including "magic lanterns".
After the museum walk, we went to the cafe for a couple of mochas. They loaned the boys a wodden sailboat for them to play with in their fountain.
This property contains a lovely garden and hillside.
The next winery we went to was the Robert Mondavi winery. It is next door to Rubicon Estates. It is a completely different style from the first place we visited. The property looks like a Spanish mission.
Throughout the property are sculptures by Beniamino Bufano.
I love this scupture that is the first thing you see upon arrival to this winery. It is by Beniamino Bufano and is St. Francis of Assissi.
I had packed a picnic for us, but apparently many properties do not have a "picnic license", so no picnicking on the Robert Mondavi winery. Instead, we went to the adorable Oakville Grocery and ate at one of their picnic tables.
After lunch, we went back to the Robert Mondavi winery for their Discovery Tour. We tasted one wine while touring the grounds, and a dessert wine at the end. Children were welcome on this tour and since it was only 30 minutes, it was short enough to keep their attention. They were bummed they did not get grape juice though, as I had promised.
It was a fun day and I look forward to exploring this area more.
We live close to a delightful historic town called Auburn. I prefer to take back road to get there, instead of the interstate. These roads go through some neat little towns. We stopped in the little town of Newcastle to meet up with a friend for a minute. She suggested we meet at 'The Tin Thimble', a darling little shop full of fabrics, yarns, and other craft type items. In front of the store is an old fashioned washing machine. Here is a picture of Grandma Margaret explaining to the boys how the machine worked...
Grandma picked up a new hat in Auburn. It looks great on her!
The boys love playing on this statue of the founder of the town. They pretend that they are nuggets of gold being sifted...
After our visit to Auburn, we drove down the Auburn-Folsom road, a beautiful drive. I had packed a picnic lunch and looked for a park to eat our lunch. I saw a sign for a park and turned to drive to it. We drove along a windy road for a long time. When I was about to give up and turn around, there was the park. There was also an $8.00 park fee...we decided to turn around instead and eat on the side of the road. We chose a spot that was between two farms. One farm had llamas, and yes, and emu! The other park had a bunch of goats. They all provided plenty of diversion while we ate our lunch.
We were excited to have Grandma Margaret join us for a week! We packed this week with a bunch of wonderfufl day trips. The first trip was the day she arrived. The boys and I picked her up at the airport and took her to Old Sacramento. After walking around a bit, we stopped for lunch.
'A', with his favorite food, prawns...
After lunch, we went to the Capitol Building. They have a free tour every hour. In the 70's, the building was tested for earthquake stability and it failed. They had a big division between the assemply and the senate. One group wanted the building to be destroyed and a new building built, while the other wanted the existing building to be retrofitted and restored.
Fortunately for us, the original building won, and we toured a beautiul piece of history.
This is where the Assembly meets. There is a general green colored theme to it. The details of the room were beautiful.
There is a hall with the portraits of the past governors of California. The governors got to choose who they wanted to paint them. Most were traditional, like this one of Ronald Reagan...
However, there was one portrait that stood out among the rest. That was the portrait of Jerry Brown. Apparently, some arts commission/organization approached him and asked if he would let them choose the artist for the portrait. He agreed and Don Bachardy created this...it seems a fitting portrait for a very unique governor.
This picture did not turn out that geat, but this is where the senate meets...
Alovely mosaid on the floor of a hallway, depicting the state flower, "golden poppy"...
The state seal...
The gorgeous rotunda...
Floor detail in part of the rotunda...
Outside the governor's office...(no, we did not see him...)
California has 58 counties. The building has a large corridor that has all the counties on display in glass showcases. It was neat to see how each county represented themselves. Some looked all slick and graphically professional, while others looked homespun, like a fair exhibit. Here are the boys in front of our own Placer county...
A variety of trees on the gorunds include this orange tree...
...and gorgeous magnolia trees...
After the tour, 'A' asked if we could go inside a cathedral that was nearby called, "The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament". I did not feel comfortable taking pictures inside, but there is a small movie on their website that shows the interior, if interested. This was the fist time the boys were inside a cathedral and they enjoyed lowering and raising the kneeling pads for praying. Margaret and I were smiling over the attendants "swiffering" Jesus on the cross. You just don't think of the logistics of maintaining a property like that, you know? :)
What a treat to have Antee Sara road trip down from Seattle to our neck of the woods, before trekking on to San Francisco!
We went to 'The Fountains' to shop and walk around. Here is Antee Sara modeling a dress. Note that the store (Anthropologie), wrote her name on the dressing door. Clever!
The boys, hamming for the camera...
The Fountains has an interactive fountain for kids!
I love this shot...
Antee Sara brought her super-cool bike to ride with the boys...
Thanks for Linda's suggestion, we went to the historic town of Nevada City. It was all decked out with American flags, honoring the Memorial weekend holiday. Apparently, this town totally decks out at Christmas, Victorian style. There were a buunch of lovely Victorian homes throughout.
This store had on display all of the hats worn by American soldiers through history. 'A' talked about this display for days after...
Taking a break...
Brother and sister at McCormick and Schmicks...
We miss you already Antee Sara. Move to S.F.!!
Our friends, Jeff and Connie, were on their way back to Washington from a stay in Texas. They joined us for a night of some fantastic "catch up" time and fun before heading home.
We took them to our favorite Thai restaurant. So good!
Then, after a tour of our church...Frozen Yogurt!!!
Some time in the tub and pool....
After a full night sleep and big breakfast, the Williams headed north toward the coast. It was wonderful to spend time with our friends.
This is an annual family tradition for the Carters. We have joined them for the past three years and the Holz's for the past two. We spent a day driving from California to Washington, then three days at the beach, and another day driving back. Of the three days, only one had decent weather, but we stayed at a place that has an indoor pool, and all the kids had a great time swimming.
For the trip, DH purchased 'A' a skateboard and 'R' a scooter. It was totally unexpected and they were so excited! Here they are testing them in California...
Post pool, chilling with "Tom and Jerry" Cartoons...
The big dinner out with all three families!
On the day that cooperated, we all took advantage of the weather, and spent it on the beach!
The Mamas...Christine, Me, Lisa
'R's collection of shells and my collection of rocks...
There was an old bonfire on the beach and Mason and Scott decided to resurrect it...
So comfy...
Lisa provided snacks and beverages for everyone. Here, the kids have surrouounded the "snack towel"!
Steve and Christine :)
Lisa and Vanessa each harvested a single clam. Scott took a pop can and boiled them over the fire! One made it and Steve's mom was the lucky one to eat it!
'A' enjoyed this walking stick so much, he had us bring it home!
Brothers having a good time!
After a hard day of play...
Last day, cold and rainy on the beach...
A professional, harvesting razor clams...
Looking forward to next year!!
Satruday, while exploring neighborhoods, we stopped by Bayside church to give my mom a tour, get a beverage, and let the boys play on the playground for a little bit. This is a picture of the boys in front of Bayside's courtyard.
Saturday night, we read the Easter story from the Bible and decorated eggs.
Easter baskets waiting for the boys Easter morning...
We went to The Fountains mall and got our morning beverages at Peet's. The boys played on the playground and we enjoyed a beautiful morning. Can you spot David in thei picture?
self portrait of me and mom...
'R' and the fountain...
We spent a good part of the day exploring neighborhoods. Check ot this rock that was in one of them!
Another intersting thing about this area, is all the wildlife. Even though this area is quite developed, there are many protected wetlands and open spaces. So far, we have seen frogs, lizards, grasshoppers, doves and other birds, deer, and get this... ring necked pheasant and wild turkeys! Here is a turkey that had just crossed in front of us while driving. (I am serious. This is not a Photoshopped picture!)
We had luch at Chili's and the boys were thrilled to learn that a side option was corn on the cob!
While driving through another neighborhood, we got out to look at a house that we have had our eye on for a while. In the garden, next to the sidwalk, I found this in the bark. It's a birds nest! It was so perfect and so beautiful, I had to take a picture, but I did not take it.
We set up an egg hunt for the boys...
Here is our Easter Sunday spread. No one wanted to cook, and David suggested each person request one item they wanted to eat. So, we had a fabulouse, funky spread, and yes....those are Cheetos, as requested per 'R'. ('A' asked for prawns...that's my boy...:))
We spent a Sunday afternoon exploring the towns near Roseville. We drove up to Lincoln, then along gorgeous country roads to Loomis, Penryn, Newcastle, and Auburn.
We stopped in Auburn to enjoy the landmark that welcomes you to the historic part of Aurburn. This town has a terrific historic area that is perfect for shopping, dining, and strolling.
This is a huge statue of Claude Chana, the man who discovered gold in the Auburn ravine and founded the town. Fools gold in the pan? Nope. That's the real thing!
This is a beautiful tree that is all around the Sacramento area. It's like a lilac, but there is no scent. I am not sure what it is, but the camera does not do it justice with the color.
My cousin, Terry, and his wife, Anne, celebrated the life of their precious daughter, with a traditional Hawaiian blessing, on the island of Oahu. It was a special day for all who witnessed it. (We were not there, but wished we were!) L to R: My Aunt Dee, 2nd Cousin H, Cousin Terry, Cousin Ann, Baby G, and Uncle Bob
My cousin, Jenna and her DH, Charles, had their first baby, a darling boy! They visited my aunt and uncle one weekend and we were able to see them before we moved.
The new Grandma (my aunt), and The Great Aunt (my mom)
We are blessed to live minuted from beautiful hikes and trails. We tooks a late afternoon hike a few days ago, capitalizing on the cooperating weather.
David and 'R'...
'A' and 'R'...
We made it to the bench at The Viewpoint!
The Lower Falls view...
Taking the Leap...
Playing on "The Rock with a Face"...
We always enjoy when Antee Sara visits. She has a special connection with the boys and are always excited to spend time with her. In this picture, Antee Sara and 'A' swapped coats!
The boys and I spent a terrific afternoon with my grandfather, their great-grandfather. We had lunch at one of my favorite places in Seattle, Chinooks. Grandpa and I enjoyed clams and the boys enjoyed playing with the shells!
The weather was overcast, but OK for a walk in Discovery Park. This is a huge park, and as Grandpa said, "I got my exercise in for 2009!"
For the past few years, we have enjoyed visiting Grandma Margaret and Grandpa Randy at their home in Sagle, Idaho. This year, we were fortunate to have Antee Sara with us for a few days as well.
Antee Sara pretending to roll 'R' up in a sleeping bag...
silly boys...
Antee Sara getting ready to snowshoe!
The boys got snowshoes for Christmas from grandma and grandpa. They leave tracks that look like paw prints of some sort. The kids had a great time snowshoeing on their five acre property. There was about 4 feet of snow. We were here for six days and it snowed for the majority of the time.
We played a bunch of "Uno Spin", and "Old Maid".
David and Grandpa entertained us with guitar...
Hot cocoa and homemade biscotti. MMMMMM....
This is Grandma and Grandpa's newest addition to the family, a six month black standard poodle named Luke. He takes his job seriously was the washer pre-washer...
The boys enjoyed playing Grandma's piano. They also received recorders for Christmas and an instruction book. She gave me her recorder and we were able to get a couple of lessons in. The boys can now play a mean "B"...
One day was beautiful and clear. We took the advantage had had a nice, long showshoe trek, all on their property!
A rare shot of us... Self portrait...
Wild turkey prints. Or, as David says, "this way to the turkey sandwiches!"
Snow Eater becomes Icicle Eater...
'A' helped Grandma make a special treat: They stuffed dates with walnuts and rolled them in powedered sugar!
We bought the boys a puzzle. Here is their handiwork...
No pictures, but I also crocheted myself a pretty, green scarf.
We all read alot to the boys, and also enjoyed watching episodes form the old "Nancy Drew" series from the 70's. We saw a few other movies as well.
Work hard. Play hard. Sleep well.
This is a little video I caught of the boys making up a "toasted cheese sandwich" dance. I was a little late getting in filmed, but this little part is still pretty cute.
We hosted Christmas with my Dad, stepmom, brother and his crew, on the Saturday after Christmas. Made a big batch of white chicken chili and had a great time playing games. We played Apples to Apples, Team Cribbage, and Uno.
Grandma and Grandpa gave us all snorkel gear. WOO HOO! Can't wait to break them in!
(On a side note... Grandpa Jerry gave 'A' some money for his birthday. This is what 'A' finally got after two years asking for it! It's a remote controlled airplane/car.)
Game time!
After dinner chillin'...(This is 'J', Tanya's son and great kid...)
Grandma Julee, 'A', and 'P'...
My aunt and uncle hosted our Christmas day. We enjoyed the magnificent meal she created and had fun with a gift exchange game. I ended up with a beautiful candle holder that I placed on my dining table. David got the item everyone was vying for, a lumbar back massager.
Our niece, KK, and 'R'...
My bother (Devin), mother (Susan), Dev's SO (Tanya), and cousin, Katy...
Our niece, P, adorable in braids!
My lovely aunt. I think that 'A' took this picture!
Cousins Katy and Brett...
'A' got a cool remote control car. 'R' got one as well. The adult men spent most of the evening playing with them!
We got our power back on Christmas Eve and had just enough time to get home, get presents wrapped and head to Dado and Dada's for Christmas Eve dinner. It became abundantly clear while driving that there was no way we were going to be able to get back home that night, it was snowing so hard.
So, we invited ourselves to spend the night at Dado and Dada's. They were gracious and accommodating, and it turned out to be a special time for all.
'R', hanging out by the stockings...
(Dada) Esperanza; Colombia's gift to our family...
Jealous? You should be :)
Nice hat, Dado!
Antee Sara showing the boys a custom calendar created for her by Fabio and Esperanza...
The boys crashed and slept hard all night. They were the last ones to wake up on Christmas morning!
Sharing a delightful Christmas morning breakfast...
A white Christmas! In Seattle!! A holiday miracle...
Many rounds of Sequence...
A movie with Dado...
Then on to Auntie Yaya and Uncle Artie's...
Sorry it has been so long since updating. It has been pretty crazy around here. After celebrating 'A's 6th birthday on the 20th, we encountered a major wind and snow storm that night. It knocked out power to our house (JUST our house), due to a tree branch taking down our lines to the house.
Soooo, what does our family do when the power goes out? We moe to The Westin, of course! :) We found a great rate online and decided not to use our owner's points we had. Upon checking in, they upgrade us twice, so we go a fantastic balcony room with the biggest bathtub I have ever seen. I actually felt guilty using it because it took so much water to fill it! I appeased the guilt by having the boys bathe after me :)
We spent three nights swimming in the pool, watching movies, and nerfing around Bellevue Square, getting our shopping accomplished.
The hotel had wall mirrors opposite each other and the boys enjoyed playing with them...
They also enjoyed the hotel's escalators...
I took the boys to a matinee one day and they enjoyed the game room before the show. Here is 'R' on a "motorcycle"...
It was a fun time, and the snow made it all the more special.
We are blessed to live in an area abundant with pine trees. True, the needles are a nightmare for lawn maintenance and even inside, but it makes for a lovely place to live.
At the entrance of our neighborhood, there is a tree farm. We went there this year to find "the one."
And here it is!
Ama came over for dinner the next evening and helped us decorate the tree...
'A' read "The Cat in the Hat" to us, and 'R' thought it was humorous to create our own "Cat in the Hat"!
Turkey (Cooked in an Electric Roaster) David's Mashed Potatoes (Little Clouds of Heaven) Crockpot Candied Yams
(After cooking in the crockpot, I mashed the yams and placed
marshmallows on top and broiled until brown) Sausage Stuffing
(This recipe calls for swiss chard, but I omitted it.) Homemade Bread from Dada's Kitchen
Marsala Rosemary Cranberry Sauce (Dado)
Paula Deen's Cranberry Sauce (Antee Sara)
Green Bean Almondine
Dessert Homemade Pecan Pie (Antee Sara)
Obleas (Dada) (Obleas is a Colombian dessert.
It is delicious light wafers sandwiched with dulce de leche.)
David, skillfully carving the turkey...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Antee Sara and the boys...
Showcase desserts...
Obleas! Que delicioso!
Pancho, el 'Poocho'...
Apples to Apples!
Day 10 We started the day by feeding the koi at the Villa. The kids enjoyed that quite a bit.
This video is in respose to me asking, "what do you like about the koi?"
We hosted a "clean out the fridge" dinner on our last night. We had Paul, Shannon, and Paul's friend, Cyrus over, along with our family and Grandma Margaret. The boys are on their own little table next to ours.
Day 11
Sigh...our last day. Our flight was in the afternoon, so we went to the Maui Ocean Center in the morning, on the way to the airport.
Ahhhh...good times...
Day 8 A fun day spent snorkeling and playing in the pool. dinner at Leilani's. After dinner, DH took Grandma for a walk along Kaanapali's Boardwalk, and I took the boys back to the Villas.
Day 9 This day was a big highlight for me. Most of the day was spent in the water, snorkeling and bodysurfing. Late afternoon, we drove to Wailea, where Grandma Margaret enjoyed the luxury of luxuries...a massage and spa visit at the Grand Wailea Spa! We arrived a little early, so Uncle Paul took us on a tour of the grounds (he works there.) This property is one of the most upscale resorts on Maui. It is gorgeous!
A cute, little baby gecko. I saw two of these on this trip.
Grandma and Paul, in the lobby of the Spa...
The boys left to swim, and Grandma and I entered heaven... LOOK AT WHAT WE DID AFTER OUR MASSAGES!
We met up with the guys in the Botero Gallery Bar and had appetizers for dinner.
In front of our Villa door, I spied a snail...
No big deal, right?
.
Today, we went into Lahaina to ride the glass bottom boat, The Reefdancer. While waiting to get on the boat, the boys played on some old cannons.
We walked around the big banyan tree, where they were having an art show. We walked into the bottom of the old Lahaina courthouse. It used to be a jail, but now it is an art gallery.
Here are some underwater shorts:
Lahaina Harbor
Maui bruddahs...
Grandma and da boys!
The koi pond at our property has toads that come out at night. We counted 13 one night!
DH took the boys for the day. They played in the pool and ocean all day.
The required jumping on the bed at a hotel...
I took Grandma Margaret for the day and went exploring.
The first place we went to was a Historic Printing Museum in Lahaina. Margaret taught typography on the college level and this seemed like something she'd be interested in. Hale Pa'i Printing Museum
This is actual currency used at this missionary and only at the missionary.
The docent (Chai) showing Margaret the press...
Margaret showing Chai a few things...
After that, I took Margaret to my favorite town on Maui, Paia. We had lunch at Flatbread. (Yes, Linda, we had the kalua pork and onion pizza...). We shopped around town and then met up with Paul and Shannon in Kahului. Margaret went with them for the evening.
Back at the villas, we went to dinner at the Westin Pulehu, their upscale option at the property. Here is our baked alaska dessert. YUM!
One of the things DH and I love to do while on Maui is watch Japanese TV. We lay in bed at night and watch dramas with subtitles. If we had Japanese TV where we live, I don't think we'd watch it, but it just kind of works on Maui, KWIM?
Day 6
Since Margaret was with Paul for the day, DH and I decided to break up our day with the kids. Both boys wanted to do different things. He took 'A' snorkeling at Baby Beach, and I stayed with 'R' at the Villas and played cars and played in the pool.
We had dinner that night at Shannon's (Uncle Paul's girlfriend) parents house. She was born and raised on Maui and they live in Kihei. Shannon's family is the epitomy of ho'okipa (hospitality). Carol, (the Mom), creates a magnificent feast, and Cowboy (the Dad) is gracious and tells great stories. Their kids are adorable and so kind to the boys. We love and always look forward to visiting our Kihei family and friends.
Today was a big day for us. I mean BIG! We decided to rent snorkel gear for everyone since the boys did so well with Snuba. We went to Baby Beach in Lahaina. This is a terrific beach for little kids. It is only 4 feet deep a long way out and there is a coral reef that you can swim throughout. If you get scared, you just stand up.
'R' and his "collection"...
In this video, I asked 'R' what he was making. He replied, "a swimming pool for the babies."
It was Grandma Margaret's first time snorkeling as well!
We spent the day on the beach and had dinner at Ocean's Restaurant (at the Westin South Villas.)
Our property (Westin Villas North) inflated a big movie screen and we watched the movie, 'RV' on the lawn!
DAY 3 We drove around the west/north part of the island, beginning in Kaanapali and ending in Kahului. It is a gorgeous drive and a nice alternative if you don't go to Hana (which we didn't this year.)
I am not sure what the name of this area is, but there are a bunch of stacked rocks and a little labyrinth you can walk through here. The legend says that little people called Menehune come out at night at build the little rock towers.
Strong boys climbing a "mountain"...
We continued on to the small town of Kahakuloa. A woman named Lorraine sells shaved ice and other items out of her garage. She was delightful, hospitable and enjoyed showing the boys her garden. Here is a banana tree from her yard...
The view from her home...
Another view from her home. Can you see the crocodile?
Ms. Lorraine and her treats!
Overlooking Kahukuloa...
The mountains above Kahukuloa...
I wanted to reward ourselves with lunch at this new place I discovered in Kahului in Januart, The Manana Garage. I was saddened to learn the the place went out of business. DH knew of a Vietnamese restaurant nearby, so it was on to The Saigon Cafe in Wailuku. It was a decent alternative and the service was fantastic.
We hiked through Iao Valley after lunch.
Back at the Villas, it was pool time for all...
One of the MANY geckos we saw...
'A' was having fun pretending this was a cape...
This guy lives at the koi pond, helping to keep the smaller fish population under control...
I don't know what this is called, but I love this water plant in the koi pond...
We stayed in for dinner this night, eating the leftover fried rice from the Gazebo Restaurant. YUM!
ALOHA! We just returned from an 11 day vacation to Maui. We took Grandma Margaret with us this year. It was her first time, and she got to see her other son, Paul, who has lived on the island for the past 6 or so years.
DAY 1 Paul met us at the airport and took Grandma Margaret to the condo where we were staying on the other side of the island. There was some heavy construction/traffic through Lahaina, so they were able to get some good "catching up" time in.
When we checked in, we were pleased to discover that we had been upgraded to an oceanfront view, instead of the oceanview that we own, (we are timeshare owners at the Westin Kaanapali Villas.) We were also ground floor and got a larger lanai. The kids were able to play on the small lawn attached. It was great. Our room was also shaded the whole time and that really made for a nice retreat from the heat.
One thing I love about this property, aside from the beautiful grounds, is that they have gentle Hawaiian music through the whole grounds. Wouldn't it be great to be surrounded by beautiful music all the time, everywhere you go?
A view of the lobby from the koi pond area...
Our view....
The kitchen...
The bedroom and lanai...
We went to Hula Grill for dinner, a must visit. They have an upscale dining area and a casual area where part of the floor is all sand. We ate in the casual area. They had a terrific Hawaiian musical trio that really helped set the tone for our trip. The boys practically fell asleep at the table, but that is pretty typical the first few nights we are there.
DAY 2 We beelined to the Gazebo Restaurant for breakfast. This place is a must for us to visit each time we go. There is always a wait, but it's worth it. It is located at the Outrigger Napili Shores, where we try to stay when not in our timeshare. Because it was so busy, we were not able to all sit together, but we were seated close to each other. I got to enjoy my breakfast with 'R'. The boys both put away a ton of pancakes! DH and I both ordered the stir fried rice plate. It was so big, we were able to take home leftovers enough for all five of us the next night!
Orchids next to our table...
cutie R...
Happy DH in one of his favorite places....
'A' enjoying yummy Pog :)
After breakfast, we drove up to Honolua Bay and visited the overlook. This area is being threatened by development. For more information, you can visit savehonolua.org.
Back at the Villas, the boys got to try SNUBA, an alternative to Scuba. The compressed air is located on a float that has tubes attached to mouthpieces. Both boys did much better than anticipated. It was fun to watch.
Here is some video of this new pastime. Maybe next year they will try the ocean!
Chillin' back at the villa. 'A' is surfing on Dad's back...
Visiting the koi pond...
We spent the rest of the day playing in the pool and the ocean. Paul and Shannon came over and joined us for dinner at Soup Nutz. (Be aware that their logo contains a little artistic nud-ty.) This place is another spot we typically go to. It is very unique in decor and not to everyone's liking (Barbies in a cage, snakeskin on the wall, and pretty much everything in between), but we enjoy the eclectic ambience and the friendliness of the owner and staff. 'R' fell asleep before being fed. We were able to stretch him out on a bench with a bunch of pillows. I wish I had my camera; he looked like a little prince. On a very cool side note: The owner takes a Polaroid of customers that he likes and puts them up on the walls. There are Polaroids all over the restaurant. A couple of years ago, DH and I were in there on a date night and he took a picture of us. We never knew if he did anything with it or not. Fast forward to this night, and 'A' looks behind him and right there at the level of his head was the picture of us! 'A' noticed it and brought it to our attention. Of all the places to sit and of all the places the the Polaroids are, I am stunned to know that our picture was right where our son was sitting. (If you look at the pictures on their site, you can kind of see what I mean.)
The boys and I dropped off a friend in Issaquah for a class and had a couple of hours before picking her up. We decided to visit the salmon hatchery first , then share a banana split at a local restaurant, then buy some new clothes for the cooler season.
Here is a little video of the salmon at the hatchery right now. The river is full at this time. They have just begun the process of harvesting the eggs and will continue for a few more weeks.
How ironic is it that the one day we were all finally able to get together, it was the last day of summer and it rained... ALOT! Oh well, being the true Northwesterners that we are, we still enjoyed the zoo, while everyone else stayed away. We practically had the place to oruselves!
Tanya and I in the rose garden. The garden was in full bloom and gorgeous!
Nieces P and K, with A and R...
The BEST smelling rose. I did not catch the name...
The 3 G's (My Grandpa Jerry, my brother Devin, and my Dad Gary)
Oops! Sorry about that! Here are the real 3 G's...
One of two bear brothers who was really into showing off for us...
Our nation's bird...
There is a new exhibit at the zoo that has birds from Australia. You can purchase feed sticks for $1.00 and the birds land on you to eat. It was a real treat for us all.
Looking at the toucans in the Amazon exhibit...
Me with my Dad, brother, and Grandpa!
Flamingoes at the new exhibit...(did you know they are pink from eating shrimp?)
Can you believe this man just turned 60? I hope I look half a good...
We met at Racha Noodles on lower Queen Anne for dinner. Here is Dado modeling 'R's new tie. He could make the tie bob up and down by just moving his Adam's Apple. It was so funny.
The boys enjoyed all the positive attention they received while dressed up a ring bearers. They had repeatedly begged us for ties. DH picked a couple up on Saturday, and they have wanted to wear them everyday since. Here is 'A' acting all "grown up". He even looks like he's sporting a moustache!
Ant-ee Sara, fresh from her visit to Washington DC and Pennsylvania, spoiled the boys with treats from her travels...
For our niece's ("P") 13th birthday, DH and I purchased tickets to a "VIP Shopping Night" at a local mall.
The evening began with a small dinner and party for our other niece "K", who had just turned 10. She spent the day with her dad (my brother), horseback riding, so this was a nice end to an active day for her.
'P' and I went to the mall and entered one of three private lounges. We received a bag with a $20.00 gift certificate to any place in the mall, a travel jewelry case, and a list of all the stores participating in the VIP Shopping Night. These stores had appetizers, giveaways, contests, and special discounts for the "VIP Shoppers", (we wore a wristband).
The private lounges had a dessert table, and a coffee/tea table. Here we are in one of the lounges, making a plan for our shopping journey.
We hit all the stores she wanted to go to first, then sat to watch a runway show. We went to another lounge, and another runway show. Each model held a little placard so you could see which store offered that outfit.
My two favorite memories of the night:
1) We entered a costume jewelry story called "Gild" (or "Gilt", I don't recall). They had an appetizer table at the entrance. 'P' went to the table and picked up a large cracker and cheese. As we walked to the center of the store, I glanced at 'P' at just the same moment she noticed something. Her eyes bugged wide open and she froze. When I looked to see what she saw, I started cracking up. It was a table laden with fruit and a chocolate fountain! She took one look at her cracker and said, "Do you want this?"
2) On the way to the mall, she asked me if I listened to Country music. Typically, I have Contemporary Christian in the car, but I let her toggle between two Country stations. She kept telling me about her favorite song. It is a song by Kelly Pickler, and it is about loving yoursef, and being beautiful inside. She kept trying to find it so I could hear it. Well, guess what was the very last song we heard while driving home? The song ended as I was pulling into her Dad's driveway. That was a perfect way to end a special night and I thank God for the gift.
Two weeks ago, DH attended a Songwriters conference in Mt. Hermon, followed by a short business trip in Sacramento. He was enjoying the lovely weather and suggested we do a road trip when he returned. so, with less that 24 hours from that suggestion, he flew back and we headed out!
DH returned by plane at 8PM on Friday. We left at 3:30AM Saturday.
DAY 1/SATURDAY
Here are the boys all set for the journey. 'A' kept DH from Seattle to Centralia, maybe even farther (I fell asleep.)
One of our rest stops was a McD's that had this cool guitar table. Here are the guys giving it a go...
'A' actually had a guitar pick. HA!
Another rest stop picture...
It was late afternoon when we reached Sacramento. We checked into the Holiday Inn Express. Everything was going wrong that day with them. It was really bad. But, we all persevered and made it through the night.
'R' found this post and wanted his picture taken next to it...
The tradition of jumping from bed to bed...
One of the unfortunate things that happened while we were there was that the carpet cleaner company had set carpets on fire. This somehow disabled their whole computer system and they had no idea what rooms were occupied and who was in them. We had other guests entering our room a few times, and also phone calls that hung up immediately well into the night. We figured the front desk was trying to see if the room was occupied or not. Not a good day for this hotel.
On the upside, we got to visit with the fire crew. I told them we had just one night in Sacramento, what should we do? The told us to go to Old Sacramento, when the original town was built during the Gold Rush days.
There was actually a festival going on called "Gold Rush Days". We arrived as it was closing down, but we did get to see some people in costumes.
This is an old fire engine...
An old "paddy wagon"...
We had dinner at a fun Mexican restaurant, overlooking the street.
DAY 2/SUNDAY
The next morning (Sunday), we walked to the Governor's Mansion. After the Reagans lived in it for 15 years, it was turned into a Historic landmark and opened to the public. Unfortunately, they are updating it so this is all I got...
Here is what should be under there...
We drove about 30 minutes to a town called Roseville to attend the Bayside church. This is the church that Lincoln Brewster is the Worship Director for. We knew he would not be there because he was at a big festival in South Dakota, but we wanted to attend a service anyway.
It was pretty amazing. We had an usher show us around and help us get the kids set up. They have three services and all three services were packed to the rim, with 10 satellite churches within 20 miles of the main church.
The main sanctuary is straight ahead, children/youth ministry and a cafe on the left, not sure what was on the right (maybe administration?). The courtyard had a play area for the kids, a couple of nice fountain pools, and plenty of coffee and tables for relaxing.
They had a special speaker this day. He was very inspirational and a delight to learn from. You can read about him at Nick Vujicic/Lifewithoutlimbs.org
On the way to San Francisco, we stopped in Vallejo for Starbucks. There were two police officers. The boys went over to show them their new digital cameras we picked up for the trip (Fisher Price makes ones for kids, we highly recommend it!) We had so much fun with these officers. One of them placed his badge on 'A' to wear.
One of the officers gave 'R' his flashlight to "steal", and the boys reenacted to chase scene. Here is 'A' (the cop) chasing 'R' (the bad guy).
'A' patting 'R' down and reading him his rights (both boys know the Miranda rights)
The officer called dispatch and had one of the operators stand by for a "little voice" to come on. He directed 'A' and 'R' to speak codes into his walkie talkie. Both had a great time doing this. Dispatch responded to the boys enthusiastically. It was fun. Here is the officer telling 'A' what to do (or is it the other way around?)
The kids got to sit in the squad car...
'A' is showing the Code 4 sign, which I think means, "we are on a break"...
We rolled into San Francisco as the sun was beginning to set. I am glad DH was aware of all the tolls we would have to cross and was prepared for it. I would have been in trouble if it was left to me.
We were SO HAPPY to see this. This motocyclist was speeding (at least 110mph) and weaving in and out of traffic. It totally stressed me out. But, no sooner did we both say that we wished there was an officer around to nail this guy, that a motorcycle cop passed us. How often does this happen?
We checked into the Westin San Francisco Airport. We had the best view of the airport runway, but the rooms were completely soundproof. The boys spent a good amount of time watching the planes come in.
We would have stayed at this property longer, but the hot tub was out of order AND the indoor pool was not heated. This seriously cut the time DH and I wanted to be in the water, so we checked out after two nights to find a place that had a warmer pool.
DAY 3/MONDAY
The view from our window...
The boys really wanted to drive over the Golden Gate bridge, so we did that and then drove around Sausalito a bit...
Alcatraz...
We drove down the "crookedest street" in San Francisco. You see this street quite a bit in movies. It was fun to do, and a bit of a challenge in a minivan!
We walked Fisherman's Wharf...
The boys, with Alcatraz in the background...
What's San Francisco without a little revoultion? We ran across a union hotel strike. the boys were fascinated.
We had lunch at 'The Franciscan'. This place is incredible! A definite highlight for us! FOR LINDA...
After lunch, we took an electric car to Union Square and walked over to the Yerba Buena gardens...
This is a fountain/exhibit honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
You walk behind the waterfall. Here is one of the pictures behind the falls.
The view from behind the falls.
A different fountain nearby... DAY 4/TUESDAY
The boys taking a picture f the fountain in front of the Westin...
We drove to Newark and checked into the 'W' Hotel Silicon Valley. The property had the outdoor heated pool we were looking for! Because it was midweek, midday, we practically had the whole place to ourselves.
We drove through a neighborhood in Newark that had a small man-made lake that people could walk around. DAY 5/WEDNESDAY
I unfortunately caught a bug and spent all day in bed. The boys spent the whole day swimming.
DAY 6/THURSDAY
The 'W' has this "amenity" where you can drive an Acura for free. They even pay for the gas! So, we took the Acura on a day trip! The car was decked out with a fantastic GPS system, and satellite radio.
We drove to Mt. Hermom, a Christian camp, and walked around the property and hiked their trails...
One one of the trails, there is a lovely setting nestled among the huge redwood trees, called "Meditation Chapel". There is a bench that has a plaque honoring our own pastor's father...
If you can see in the trees, a fabulous ropes course...the boys can't wait until they are old enough to go on it!
We drove to Santa Cruz. This is where we chose to scatter Grandpa Al's ashes...
Santa Cruz has a boardwalk that runs along it. It was all closed up and quiet.
Pelicans...
'A' had a blast in the waves. He did not want it to end. 'R' was happier playing in the tidepool and sand...
Read this sign closely...DEEP FRIED?!?
We then drove to meet up with my friend Mary, in Sunol, and her son 'K' ('A's age). We hoped to play in a park, but it was so hot that my two boys wilted away immediately. We settled for sitting outside a convenience store with a cold beverage, until it was time for us to return the car.
We dropped off the Acura and drove from Newark to Redding, stopping for dinner on the way. We got to Redding at 11:30PM and checked into the Motel 6, (or as 'R' calls it '6'; like the 'W'...) All was well, until a HUGE fight woke DH and I up. All we knew was that there were alot of people involved and it was best we stay inside. The boys slept through it all.
DAY 7/FRIDAY
We left Redding at 8:30AM and drove home, arriving home around 8:00PM. We hit rush hour traffic in Portland, and Tacoma, but it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, 'A' got sick and threw up three times in the car and two times at home. Corn dog. Not pretty. He was fine the next day, though.
We had a terrific time and would do it again in a heartbeat.
There is a walking trail behind my aunt and uncle's house, tucked up in some woods. DH, 'R', and I went for a hike back there.
Can you see the deer?
One of my favorite fellas :)
Two of my favorite fellas...
Gorgeous...
A Chelan lizard. gecko? salamander? newt? I'll stick with lizard for now...
Back at the house, good times in, and on, the lake!
'A', my brother Devin, and niece KK...
Uncle Devin taught 'A' and 'R' how to snorkel...
Boat ride with Uncl Art!
Boys town with DH, Uncle Art, Cousin Charles (who is going to be a Daddy!), and Brother Devin...
I love this picture of my niece, KK. She cleans up so nice, but that tomboy streak is never far away!
'A' fishing...
Every year for the 4th of July, we have a theme party. The theme is a state. This year, we did 'Hawaii', in memory of my grandmother who passed away in January. She loved going to Hawaii and went often.
This is a gorgeous Hawaiian bouquet that my aunt had shipped over from a small shop outside of Hana, Maui. We discovered this place when we had a "girl's weekend" in January.
Grandma Margaret and Grandpa Randy live on a lovely property in Sagle, near Sandpoint, ID. We had to cut our trip a little short, but we will go back soon. We all love it there.
'A' soaking up the morning sun on the deck...
Grandma and Granpa purchased
seven chicks. They are now "teenagers". The boys enjoyed watching them in their coop and following them when they were roaming the yard.
Grandpa and the boys...
There are a ton of crickets and grasshoppers. Here is one on a daisy.
Harvesting strawberries in Grandpa's garden. A major highlight for the boys is deciding what to eat for dinner in the garden that night. They pick the veggies/fruits and take them directly to Grandma to prepare. They are very proud of their lettuce picking.
Feverfew...
The boys love to go on the utility trailer and use it as a "stage" for performances...
Grandma gave us a deck of 'yoga for kids' cards. We spent every morning doing different poses. Here are the boys doing what I think is called the "partner bridge"...
We got a few lessons in. There is nothing better than taking "class" outdoors!
Grandma reading to the boys. It was a story about a man who was a printer for the newspaper. He was deaf, which was common for people working the noisy printers back then. We had directions in the back of the book to make the newspaper four square hats the printers would wear to keep the ink off their heads. In attempting to make these hats, we have come to realize that newspaper pages are smaller then they used to be; who knew?!
We went to an alpaca farm From the Heart Ranch, and got to go into the pens where some of the alpacas were hanging out. There is a gazebo of sots on the property and we had our picnic lunch there.
After visiting the ranch, we went to see where Grandpa Randy works. He is a craftsman for a custom timer frame company. They use wood pegs instead of nails. It truly is a beautiful skill.
The boys liked spending time with the shop cat who is always covered in a fine layer of sawdust. (good fiber...)
Grandpa in front of the shop...
After the visit to the shop, we drove to Bonner's Ferry. I had never been to this sweet town. We spoke with one of the sheriff's, ate some ice cream, and looked around in some of the shops. There seems to be a good size Mennonite population there. I saw quite a few women in head coverings.
Ama came up for a visit bearing gifts, a Badminton Set and Croquet Kit!! We immediately broke out the croquet, gave a lesson on not using the mallets like an axe, and proceeded to knock some balls around.
It brought me back to when I was a kid. It also brought back memories of the times I would trip myself up in the wickets!
My cousin, Terry, and his wife Ann, came up for a visit and brought their two children. We spent the day together visiting and catching up. Here are pictures of the newest addition to our family.
My MIL and FIL (affectionately known as Dado and Dada) threw a joint birthday party for me and my SIL (AKA Ant-ee Sara). Esperanza (Dada) created and incredible dinner. Ice cream cake for dessert; who could ask for more?!
DH belongs to a Worship band. The other families with us on this trip contained the drummer and the female singer.
The drummer and his family were at a deli and in speaking with the owner of the deli they learned that not only did he own the deli, he also owned a seafood market and ran a ministry teen center. On Wednesday nights, they had an "open mic" night for worship musicians. DH, Steve, and Lisa got to play with other people living in Ocean Shores.
Playing ping pong and foosball in the teen center...
The center had about six video stations with different games on each...
So, do you remember the enticing post I made about holding tight for some great pictures to come from our trip? Well, here they are...
After eating dinner with all of our friends the first night at a restaurant, while driving to the condo, we decided to stop at the grocery store and pick up some items for breakfast the next day.
Turning the car around, we noticed the fire station had their ladder truck out. We decided to stop and let the boys take a look at the truck ('R' wants to be a fireman).
While we were walking around the truck a fireman came up and began talking to us. He offered to let the boys sit in the truck...
We enjoyed talking to him and he asked if we wanted to go into the station house and look around. We met four other firemen. (Here's where it gets good...) The Lieutenant asked if we wanted to go for a ride in the fire truck!! We got to ride around Ocean Shores and while on the road back to the station house, they ran the sirens and lights!
Everyone got to talk to each other through the headsets...
THEN, when we returned the Lieutenant asked if we wanted to watch them do a drill1 So, two firemen were timed in getting in full gear, extending the ladder on the ladder truck as far as it goes, rotating the ladder and the basket all the way around, then lowering the ladder to ground level.
Here is the Lieutenant explaining what is going to happen...
The drill...
One of the firemen walked across the ladder...
THEN, took a picture of the boys in the basket!
Next stop, the ambulance...
The Lieutenant took us back inside to see the blueprints for their new fire station...
Group shot. What a great night! (The picture is of their Captain, who die last year in a surf rescue...)
We spent Mother's Day week on Ocean Shores, with two families who are friends of ours. The weather ranged from sunny and almost warm to blustery and rainy. We were able to fly kites, swim in an indoor pool, play cards, and enjoy each other's company.
The boys taking the road less traveled with Christine...
DH and 'R' flying the Ladybug...
'R' fell in the ocean, but had a good time doing it!
The younger boys enjoyed watching T.C. skateboard in the parking lot...
They also enjoyed watching M.C. play video games on the computer...
Lisa, flying her kite. She was really good!! (I am not...)
Playing cars in the sand dunes. This is 'R's all time favorite thing to do...
How cute is this picture?! JH is getting ready for the pool!
We decided to join DH for a business trip to Vancouver/Portland. We had such a fabulous time! Here are the highlights... Day One SpringHill Suites -Indoor Pool for swimming and free breakfast The Old Spaghetti Factory -first time for the boys Big Al's Bowling - Coolest bowling alley ever! We had a blast !!
Day Two Vancouver Police Department-East Precinct - There was a park and attached to the park was the police station. 'A' idolizes policemen and wanted to go inside to say 'hi', so we ended up chatting with 'Corporal Ford' for about 20 minutes before going to the park to play. Prince Caspian- 'A' and I loved the movie. It was a little long for 'R' Cha Taqueria and Bar- We walked around Portland's Alphabet District after dinner. I love that neighborhood.
Day Three and Four Country Cousin's Restaurant- This is a favorite road trip restaurant of DH and mine. Their door crows at you when you open it. A first time for the boys. Great Wolf Lodge - OH YEAH!! The boys were completely overwhelmed for the first few hours, but we ended up having so much fun, we decided to stay an extra night. This is a chain, so if there is one near you, check it out. We ate in the lodge restaurant for all our lunches and dinner because the food was so good. Magiquest - This was in the hotel. 'A' was completely immersed in it. 'R did OK, but his attention span was not quite there yet.
Our own 'R' turned four last week. We began the festivities first thing in the morning, when he saw the balloons on the couch. This his him within five minutes of awakening...
The boys wanted mohawks that day. This picture does not show the hair well, but it was too cute to not post...
We had cupcakes and ice cream at the homeschool co-op later that morning. That evening, we decided to surprise 'R' by taking him to Chuck E. Cheese. He say it and yelled, "Chuck E. Cheese!". Then, he saw "Denny's" and yelled "Denny's" even louder. We were laughing and asked him where he'd prefer to have dinner and he actually said "Denny's". We couldn't believe it! What child picks Denny's over Chuck E. Cheese?! Ours, apparently.
We still went to Chuck E. Cheese because DH had never been and 'A" would have been a wreck. 'R' was not disappointed.
That weekend, we had our whole family come for a party. Even Grandma Margaret and Grandpa Randy drove from Idaho to attend the party and spend the night!
'A' and Antee-Sara being silly
Uncle Devin being silly!
Dado and Grandpa Randy
KK and 'R'
Oh, boy, a fireman hat! SCORE!!
The adults play a roaring game of 'Apples to Apples'..
DH served on the Worship team for all three services on Eater. Later, that afternoon, we went to our pastor's house for a potluck dinner.
Our pastor's wife (and our friend), Ann, has a terrific sense of humor. She offered up her microwave for the festivity known as "Peeps Jousting". Everyone gets a Peep and names it. (Mine was Petunia). Each Peep is impaled with a toothpick and two Peeps are placed face to face in the microwave. The microwave is turned on and as the Peeps swell, their toothpicks stab each other. The first one to deflate, loses. (Petunia went down in the first round...) Winners get a new Peep and advance to the next round. First round competitors...
Our gracious hosts, including Brian's girlfriend Sarah, visiting from California...
Sue and Ann
'R' and Mimi
Pastor Mark and 'A', showing off his bounty!
'R' found money in his eggs. He kept saying "I'm RICH!!"
OK, back to Peeps jousting... BEFORE
AFTER
The crowd anxiously awaits the results of the match...(note: they are all staring at the microwave; DH is shouting encouragement to his Peep)
The Finalists!
The Grand Finale - A Peeps Pyramid....BEFORE...
AFTER...
Ann showing 'R' how to fling a well aimed monkey at her son, Brian...
DH's birthday was celebrated with Dado, Dada, and Antee Sara at Azteca. We had fun being together and enjoying the tortilla bar, celebratory beverages, and yummy food!
Dado showing off the stylish comb Antee Sara picked up at the Japanese dollar store...
Taking advantage of this great weather, the boys and I went on a hike. It was such a great day for it!
Here we are at the beginning...
'A' being the leader (his favorite place to be)...
The warm up for the hike. Throwing rocks...
Exploring "caves"...
'A' loves to climb...
Pretending to be panthers...
More rock climbing...
Hooray, 'R'! That was tough!
More "cave" exploration...
Our first break, AKA "picnic"...
They are taking turns "rescuing" each other...
More rock climbing... Yay, A''! You did it!!
Our second "picnic"...
'A' helped 'R' climb the big rock on the way back down. I was halfway pleased he wanted to help his brother and halfway petrified that 'R's face was going to be implanted in the rock!
I thought it would be fun to take the boys to the zoo. We had not been in a long time, and decided to go. I chose Monday, and invited "Dada" (Esperanza) and Ant-ee Sara to join us.
Oops. Wrong Monday. President's Day! All of Seattle decided to visit the zoo! (That's not entirely true. The other half went to the Aquarium, according to my friend.) But, after a 10 minute wait to get in, it really wasn't too bad. I am just spoiled at usually having the zoo to ourselves. I ran into three friends and their families, (Jen D., Larena, and Colleen). It was a treat seeing them there.
The weather was perfect! Not too hot. It felt so good to be in the sunshine.
I LOVE this one!
Enjoying the sun...
A highlight of the trip. Placing coins in this. The boys called the coins "sufers" and watched them surf to the hole.
Find the human. Hard, I know...
We left the wet, dreary days of Washington and headed for the pristine snowlands of Idaho! Grandma Margaret spoiled us with six days of incredible cooking, Grandma and Grandpa treated us to a horse drawn sleigh ride, and we got to play everyday in perfect snow!
Grandma and boys...
'A' and 'R' received easels and art supplies for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa. They loved drawing pictures and making up stories while drawing.
We went to the same place as last year for the sleigh ride, Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. There was much more snow this year and everyone received fallen snow on their heads from branches. It was gorgeous and what I hope will become a family tradition.
'A'... Grandma and Grandpa before... Grandma and Grandpa after...
DH and 'R'...
After the ride, 'A' decided to walk in untouched snow. He ended up getting stuck and we had to get him out.
Wild turkeys visit Grandma and Grandpa's house!
Sledding in the backyard...
Grandma giving the boys a piano lesson...
The boys were excited to open their stockings Christmas morning, then head to Seattle to spend Christmas Day with Dado and Dada.
Esperanza surprised us with stockings of our own at their place! She even custom decorated and personalized them!
Esperanza made this darling little nativity scene for her mantle
Esperanza and a pretty wood box from Fabio
Dado and Dada
Antee Sara
Esperanza made a delicious feast for us. I want that chicken recipe...
(Please note the dusting of snow in the backyard. We were blessed with snow on Christmas! This does not happen in Seattle!! :))
'A' and 'R' received a game from Auntie Yaya and Uncle Artie, called 'Hulabaloo'. They love it and can play it without my direction...it's a good thing :)
We attended our church's candlelight service on Christmas Eve. The boys sand two songa and wre adorable. I could not get a decent shot...'A' is top center, and 'R' is just below him.
After the service, we all drove to my mom's condo for a delicious dinner and lots of presents!
Last year, kind of out of necessity, we moved into the Westin Bellevue for three nights after spending five nights with no electricity. We enjoyed our time so much we decided to repeat this year!
The boys loved jumping from bed to bed...
The first night, I got to enjoy appetizers and dessert with our MOPS Steering Team. It was a nice evening!
Two of my favorite Jens...
The Team, minus three...
A beautiful art piece in a mall attached to the hotel... Another view...
The hotel is next to the Bellevue Art Museum. We had lunch in their cafe and looked at the free exhibit on the first floor. This is a piece in front. From a distance, it looks like a purse.
'A's birthday was on the third night. DH upgraded us to a new room that had an amazing view, and sitting room. Ama spent the morning with us and gave 'A' walkie-talkies and games. Here we are playing 'Trouble'...
My cousin, Terry, joined in the fun before going to lunch with DH...
The view from our new room...
Seattle in the distance...
Our friends, Kenny and Karen, joined us for 'A's birthday dinner at Manzana. They gave him a book that a mutual friend wrote, and this 'Pete the Pirate Parrot'. The boys love it!
View from our room at night...
The Westin had these live orchids all over their lobby. They are gorgeous!
I have to say, the Westin really went above and beyond to make our visit special. I called beforehand to order a bottle of champagne to celebrate our 13th anniversary. The concierge suggested chocolate dipped strawberries. OK. Then, when I said that we would have our boys with us, he suggested milk and cookies as well. (Gulping, and seeing how this was racking up financially, I said 'OK'). I asked if I could pay over the phone, and he said, "this is a treat on us, Happy Anniversary."
Then, upon check in, the front desk manager gave the boys each a bag of chocolates and the Kids Club bag full of goodies.
THEN, after finding out it was 'A's birthday, the manager had the front office staff sign a card and sent up two pieces of cake, milk, and a teddy bear for each boy!
We spent Saturday with my Dad and Stepmom at their beautiful home in Olympia.
My brother, Devin, and niece, KK...
'R' and Grandpa Gary...
Devin and niece, P...
Grandma and Grandpa with A and R...
We were spoiled agian this year with gifts. The boys received (among many other things) a castle with these fabulous knights and a dragon. They have been playing with it nonstop since we got home.
After a full turkey dinner, we all rolled to the living room floor...
My cousins held a holiday party. Our whole family from my Dad's side enjoyed each other's company and marveedl at the gorgeous new kitchen and bathrooms my cousins just completed.
Re-defining "Ebony and Ivory". This is me and DH (just back from Maui).
My Aunt Dee, my Grandpa Jerry, and my Dad
The youngest cousins
My cousin, Anne, and her son, 'H'
My cousin, Terry, (Anne's DH), and his mom, Dee, (my aunt)
Today was the first day of Advent. We have never celebrated Advent before, but as we grow in our faith, teaching our boys about the true meaning of Christmas is priority.
I have the book, "Christ in Christmas: A Family Advent Celebration". Each Sunday in Advent, there is a family time that includes a couple of songs, a prayer, a passage from the Bible, a decotional, and a family activity.
Tonight, DH read Isaiah 9:2-6
We sang "Away in a Manger" and "Jesus Loves Me"
I read a devotional and we talked about a few od the Christmas traditions we like:
'A' likes the presents
'R' likes candles
DH likes the angel candle thing where the candles heat a little windchime that rings bell (Our other one broke; I need to get a new one.) He also likes putting up Christmas lights and decorating the tree.
I like playing Christmas music, and opening one gift on Christmas Eve (new PJs).
We also talked about what we can do as a family to keep the true meaning of Christmas alive. We plan on participating in Advent, and 'A' said to continue praying.
We did an activity where we were all together in our dark bathroom. I then lit a candle for each of us. We talked about how it felt to be in the dark versus having light. Which was more helpful? How darkness can never vanquish light, and even the smallest amount of light can always vanquish darkness. How Jesus is the light in our lives.
There are short readings for the rest of the week until next Sunday...
Dado, Dada, and Great Aunt Elvira came up for dinner and to decorate our home for Christmas, (actually, they thought they were just coming up for dinner, but we had more in mind!!) We had a great time decorating our tree and going through all the special items reserved for this season.
Elvira brought gifts got us. She gave me the pretty yellow scarf I am wearing. She gave DH a framed piccture of him dressed in a poncho and hat (it is soo cute!), and she gave the boys each a Hot Wheel type car and two clip on cows. They loved they cars and were fascinated with the cows once they realized they clip to things. Here is Dada dancing with the cows...
'A' putting the cow on Dado's nose...
Dado and Dada brought up a couple of books for the boys. Here is Elvira reading to them..
Decorating the Tree...
We put this nativity scene up for the first time. This was my grandparents and it was passed on to us. I love having it. This means so much. I pray it will survive our family, though. One sheep disappeared for a few days and resurfaced under a cushion. The shepherd was knocked off and broke in two. Fortunately, I had superglue and it looks perfect. The boys keep taking down the angel andlaying him on the table, "to give him a rest."
Family photo (includes Mandy and 'Little Guy'. Josh took the picture.)
We had my mom, brother, and nieces to dinner to celebrate my mom's (Ama's) birthday. I made my current favorite appetizer, the carmelized onion apple bites, chicken baked with lemon, garlic, and herbs, wild rice with apple and herbs, and broiled asparagus. For dessert, I made our traditional birthday dessert that has been in the family since my great-grandmother, a white cake with chocolate-peanut butter frosting, and vanilla ice cream.
Tuesda,y I took the boys to a local company that has a bunch of inflatable toys to play on. We met up with friends and the boys played for almost two hours. They had so much fun!
'A' coming down the big slide...
'R' climbing a ladder...
'R' sliding down the big slide...
'J', 'A', 'S', and 'R'...
After KidzBounce, we went shopping. The boys found a Venus Fly Trap and got all excited. We had studied these a couple of weeks ago, and they are fascinated by them. So, we have one. I fear it won't last too long here. From what I have read, this is not their ideal environment. We'll see...
We started the day helping watch the MOPS Steering Team's children while they prepared for the MOPS meeting. I had the kids re-enact "Going on a Bear Hunt". They had a great time and I need to find some more storybooks to act out for future reference.
After that, we met with my friend, Sundy, and her two kids, 'T'(age 4), and 'E'(age 1.5) at Fall City Farms. Sundy also homeschools and their theme for the week was 'Fish'. Fall City Farms has a trout pond and we went fishing! (First time for me (as an adult) and the boys!!) In total, we caught two trout and five blue gills. The pond was also a pen for two sheep and a goat. The goat was very curious and wanted to be involved with whatever we were doing. We had to shoo her away many times. It was pretty cute.
This was such a day that needed to be captured on film, but neither Sundy nor I had one! There were artists scattered throughout the farm having a workshop and the boys enjoyed going from person to person, complimenting them on their artwork. One woman let the boys paint on her canvas and after fishing, she gave the boys a small canvas to paint.
We had a (very) late lunch at Isadora's, a cool, funky bookstore/cafe that makes HUGE sandwiches. A little dessert at Snoqualmie Falls Candy Factory, and we headed home.
We attended the Puyallup Fair Saturday with Grandma Julee and Grandpa Gary! You could not have asked for better weather. The Fair did not seem too crowded, either. It was an ideal day... (Thanks, Dad, for the pictures. They turnd out terrific!)
This is a picture of me and 'A' on the sky ride, overleooking the whole fair.
An aerial view of the fair...
This is called Mutton Busting. Kids under the age of six try to ride a sheep for as long as they can. It was pretty entertaining. 3 out of 4 kids backed out when they got on the sheep. Did my boys participate?
Oh, no...they both have a pretty solid sense of self preservation.
RIDES....
RIDES...
AND MORE RIDES...
We were able to witness an incredible event. A cow gave birth! There was quite a crowd and I could not see anything, but we put the boys on our shoulders and they tried to tell us what was going on. My Dad was able to get these pictures by holding his camera up high over his head.
You cna see the man pulling the tethered calf out by his legs...
The boys first experience with cotton candy. They both loved it! DH had quite a project cleaning 'R' up, though...
Grandpa Gary and Grandma Julee..
The boys wre a little timid of 'Plasterman', so he came off of his perch and talked to the boys. I thought that was pretty neat.
That's one big pumpkin!!
Located in the Sacramento area, 'Riverbend Prep' provides a Christ-centered homeschool for two boys, 'A' is 1B6 and 'R' is 2B5. I define myself as a Sonlight mom with Charlotte Mason tendencies... :)
MON
Menu Plan Monday
Body and Soul Class
Boys Martial Arts
TUE
Update Finances
7 Things Project
WED
Body and Soul Class
THU
Bible Study
Letter Day
FRI
Body and Soul Class
SAT
Church
SUN
Sabbath
Small Group
Current Curriculum
• Bible: Egermeier's Bible Story Book
• History/Geography: Sonlight Core C Books
• Memory Verse: Sing The Word From A To Z
• Math: Singapore Earlybird
• Character: A Child's Book of Character Building
• Art: Artistic Pursuits
• Art Appreciation: Come Look With Me
• Spanish: El Espanol Facil
• Phonics: Explode the Code
• Science: Sonlight
• Handwriting: A Reason For Handwriting
Personal Bookshelf
Beth Moore Bible Study: Living Beyond Yourself
For the Boys
• Sonlight Read Aloud List
"Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us."
Thomas Paine
L to R: My Aunt Dee, 2nd Cousin H, Cousin Terry, Cousin Ann, Baby G, and Uncle Bob
The new Grandma (my aunt), and The Great Aunt (my mom)
Proud mama, Jenna!
My boys!
Uncle Artie and 'A'
Self portrait...
First round competitors...
Sue and Ann
'R' and Mimi
Pastor Mark and 'A', showing off his bounty!
'R' found money in his eggs. He kept saying "I'm RICH!!"
Yay, A''! You did it!!
Grandma and Grandpa before...
Grandma and Grandpa after...
Another view...
My cousin, Terry, joined in the fun before going to lunch with DH...
Re-defining "Ebony and Ivory". This is me and DH (just back from Maui).
My Aunt Dee, my Grandpa Jerry, and my Dad
The youngest cousins
My cousin, Anne, and her son, 'H'
My cousin, Terry, (Anne's DH), and his mom, Dee, (my aunt)
My stepmom, Julee, and cousin, Robyn
Robyn and boyfriend, Dan
Me, with my Auntie DeeDee
My Uncle Bob and my Dad
Here are the boys playing the 'CakeWalk' with two of their good buddies (also homeschooled. btw)
(Anxiously waiting to hear their number...)
(My friend, Jen, and her family. Sorry. Could not get rid of the red eye. It would erase Pete's entire face!)
(Two supers! )
'A' and 'R' with our new Associate Pastor, Mark. 
'A' coming down the big slide...
'R' climbing a ladder...
'R' sliding down the big slide...
'J', 'A', 'S', and 'R'...
