Indian Guides

Sam and Keith are gone this weekend. They are on their first Indian Guides camping trip!  The girls are home alone for two nights.  We miss our boys but Elise was excited to learn that she would get to sleep in my bed all weekend.

Sam went camping when he was about 10 months old.  Obviously he doesn't remember that so this is really his first official camping trip.  I have to preface this next little story by letting you know that Sam likes to watch Survivorman and Man vs. Wild and Dual Survivor on the Discovery Channel.

Keith and Sam are accompanied by our friends Max and Eric.  Eric and Keith work together and Sam and Max go to school together.  On Thursday, Eric and Keith were sharing stories about their sons nervous inquiries about the camping trip.  Max was concerned about sleeping away from his mom for two nights in a row.  Sam also voiced some concerns to Keith.  He asked if they might see a specific type of brown spider.  He asked if they might see a rattle snake.  He wondered if there would be rabbits, bats, bugs, and other critters.  Keith was answering thoughtfully as he thought these questions were fear based and did not want to create any extra anxiety for our boy.  Then Sam asked if they would be using/making bows and arrows and if they would build a fire.  When Keith told him no on the weapons making...Sam asked, "But how are we going to hunt and cook the snakes and rabbits?"  Sam was counting on some serious survival skills needed for this camping trip.  I hope he is not disappointed when he learns that they will be watching movies, devouring ice-cream sundaes and chowing down on grilled tri-tip rather than preparing their taste buds for bbq'd rattle snake and slimy grubs.

August Reunion

Mila is staring at me while sitting on the sofa.  I can't resist taking a picture of those big brown eyes. 

 In August, we had the pleasure of her company along with her daddy, Uncle D and Uncle Lam too.  Mara and family stayed with Papa and Curly.  Aunt Lene and Uncle Jack were banished to a hotel after what happened the last time they came for a visit. ;-)  Even our cousin Mike joined the party for a few days!  I am ashamed to  say I don't have many pictures from the week.  Uncle Lam has a fancy camera so I let him take most of the pictures.  Now I need to hunt him down before he goes back to Vietnam so I can have some copies.

This is our nephew Maxwell.  This was the first time we met.  He just turned 1 so we had cupcakes together.

Look at that face...Oh my...he is beyond cute.

Cole is Maxwell's big brother.

(Why did I just type that?  Do I think we'll forget how we are all related to eachother?  Mara...here is a picture of your first son Cole...he is Maxwell's big brother, did you know that?)

We all took the train to old town. Taking a train with a big group all meeting at the train station can be a bit tricky.  Cory almost missed the train on the way down. He used his super human speed to run across the tracks with a stroller and a baby at the last minute and just made the train.

On the train ride back this Irish gentleman we know almost started a brawl while trying to get off the train and I had to use my super human strength to hold the train door open so Uncle Jack could jump off before getting stuck on the train to LA.  I love a feisty Irish man who stands up for himself!

Aunt Mara treated the kids to some personalized license plates...Old Town had everyone's name...impressive.

Here is my Rock Star brother in law looking tough while blowing bubbles.  He is currently playing a few shows in Boulder with Colin Robison.  He also is hangin' with my current favorite singer/songwriter Gregory Alan Isokov.  Seriously, he is hangin' with him, like staying at his house and everything.  If you have access to iTunes, go download his album This Empty Northern Hemisphere and play it on a Sunday morning over a cup of coffee.  You can thank me later.  OK...back to the reunion.

While in Old Town, Keith's parents took us to the Mormon Battalion.  They have an interactive talk about some of the Mormon History and how they fought for our country.  It was very well done and impressive.  Sam really got into it but was disappointed to find out we were not really going camping with shotguns...it was just pretend.  I had no idea my son would be so quick to sign up to fight for his country.  Nice but I hope that is never, ever, never the case.  The kids also had a chance to pan for gold.  Really fun and not heavy on talk about religion so it really is enjoyable for all to go to.  The entire experience is free and it was the highlight of the Old Town trip.  (Except for maybe the pitchers of Margaritas Aunt Lene, Keith and I managed to put down at the restaurant.)

Here are the kids on our favorite Hike in Torrey Pines...they are looking for dinosaur bones in the sandy cliffs.

Elise thought is was pretty hysterical that she decided to run through the waves with all her clothes on.  She didn't care that it meant riding home cold and naked. She thought it was definitely worth it. 

We had so much fun with the fam!  Papa and Curly worked their butts off feeding this crew. 

 Thanks Papa and Curly for all your hard work pulling this reunion off!  

Love Notes

The best thing about Sam starting school last year was his learning to read and write.  One of the best things about Sam learning to read and write is that Elise is eager to try to keep up with her big brother. Halfway through the year we started finding notes left by our bed.

Elise would copy by leaving notes too, but she chose to keep the notes short.  And she insisted on using some notecards that she found in my desk.

Her notes usually include a picture of her or her and someone else and then her signature.

This is one of her early signatures that I really love.

I love how she has lots of lines in her E's and that the first E and the last E face eachother. 

It just makes sense.

Throughout the year, Sam's writing improved and his pictures included more details.

Elise started to experiment with color.

Elise's handwriting is starting to improve...as it should, but I will always love her early style.  This note is getting much more advanced including some lower case. I think Sam helped her with her spelling on this note about her BFF Ella.  That...or she knows more than she is letting on at pre-school.

This writing thing also helps Sam communicate his frustrations as this runaway note shows. 

I can't remember what he was mad about but I am happy he got it off his chest.

This looks like Elise needed to air some grievances as well. 

Today was the first day of First Grade.  Can't wait to see what this year brings.

I love my 6 and 4 year olds.

I am trying to cherish everyday.

I know these days will pass too quickly.

Tahoe Continued

When I win the lottery, we are moving to Tahoe.  Or at least buying our summer home there.  It would be a perfect getaway since the summers in San Diego tend to be foggy and cool.  I love, love, love, Tahoe.  One of the most beautiful places in the world...in my opinion.

Our last four days in Tahoe we spent with our good friends at Casa Bowman.  Keith and Chris have been friends for a long time.  Since, like forever ago...like since the late 70's, man.  When we reunite in Tahoe every year, there is an instant comfort and lots of stories to re-live and laugh about. 

Every year we have the same schedule of events...we always have a beach day...

The men have a golf and poker day while the women folk entertain the kids.  This year we found a new hiking trail near their cabin.

While on the hike, I think we may have arranged a marriage.  Elise still has a choice though...they have three bachelors to choose from.  This day it looked like Cash had the edge.

 For the first time we all figured out the boys would be in a lot less trouble when the golf/poker day gets out of hand if the girls plan a day off as well.  We shopped, went to lunch, got our nails did and met this random woman outside of Garwoods. Amazing how a few drinks in high altitude brings strangers together!  The men took the kids fishing and Sam caught his first fish. 

They were also thrilled about spotting a bald eagle flying above them. 

We usually start out the 4th of July with a day at Northstar...here the kids are waiting for their chance to jump...

The trip would not be complete without a little photo shoot.  This is my favorite from this year.

Our last night is always a picnic dinner, a group photo, and fireworks in Tahoe City.

Sam tried out my camera for the first time...here are a few of his shots.

We usually wake up at 5:00 the following morning to start our long

and beautiful drive home down the backside of the Sierra's. 

Looking forward to Tahoe 2011!

Just post it

Can't...keep...up...I have too many pictures to edit!  One post a month is not going to cut it for this "scrapbook" of mine.  I need to get over my picture editing addiction and just post away.  So here we go...

4 days in Tahoe with my sisters...unedited.

Fun is...

Staying in a hotel room with your cousins

lounge chair surfin'

posing on a rooftop

three year old cousins

playing tag on a rooftop...unless you are Sam and you have a bad cough

hangin with your teddy

takin over the rooftop

football on the beach

snow on the mountains in late June

playing in the water

getting warm on the hot sand

cold water on a hot day

naps on Aunt Megan

a beer on the beach

playing in the big afternoon waves

trying to out run the wave

letting the wave get you

letter boxing

leaving our mark on the hidden treasure

getting the kids their own table for our last dinner with the cousins.

We had so much fun with our cousins it was hard to say goodbye.

Lucky for us we had another 4 days to spend in Tahoe with more friends.

To be continued...