Tag Archives: travel

Jerusalem

July 30, 2011UncategorizedtravelStu

We sure have fallen behind on our blog, accumulated a growing set of pictures from the 4 months since our last post. Rather than let the backlog grow further, we’re going to pick up with current events and go back and fill in the missing 4 months as we have time. We’re also going to try a leaner format, with more frequent posts but with short commentary and just a few pictures. We’ll do some experimenting, and see what works!

To start off the new system, we’ve just had our first full day of a two-week trip to Israel and Jordan. Jerusalem is the first stop and, thanks to jet lag, we were up and exploring at dawn with our trusty double stroller. It was great to see the Old City wake up, with Jews heading to the Western Wall for shabbat prayers, Arabs opening their markets, morning at a playground, and the blazing sun still on pre-heat on its way to another 95 degree muggy day. Then a long nap in our rented apartment, exploring the city in our nicely air conditioned car, dinner, groceries and now bed. A fun day!

Sun Valley Reunion

July 16, 2011UncategorizedAunt Laura, Grandma Judy, Grandma Sharon, Grandpa Jack, reunion, travel, Uncle Rob, Will VKatherine

My latest extended family reunion was this summer in Sun Valley, Idaho. Stu, the girls and I all drove out there on a fun road trip which included a stopover in scenic Elko, Nevada. Thanks to some savvy negotiating by my Uncle Steve, we got upgraded to a lovely cottage right on the lake, with five bedrooms and a basement full of bunk beds for kids. Highlights included a long but beautiful hike off Lake Creek Rd, lots of barbecues and visits to the pool, hanging around our cottage with my Mom, Laura, Rob, Will, my Dad and Sharon (including listening to an Avett Brothers concert from our house which was right next to the concern pavilion), a dinner and hike up at Galena Lodge, and of course my cousin Bryson juggling fire. Click on Uncle Bob’s family group photo for a slideshow.

July 4th in Oklahoma

July 5, 2011UncategorizedAunt Lou Ann, Nana, Poppa, Sara, Sophie, Susan, travel, Uncle MikeStu

We spent July 4th this year in hot and sunny Oklahoma, staying with my sister and family. Highlights included Claire and Juliet sharing rooms with their cousins, the Edmond town parade, fireworks over the University of Central Oklahoma campus, and lots of time in the swimming pool. We didn’t take many pictures, so click on the picture of Juliet, Claire, Sophie and Susan at the parade for a slideshow mostly of pictures Abbas sent us.

Costanoa visit

May 30, 2011Uncategorizedcamping, travelStu

In late May we headed back to Costanoa with a big group of kids and friends. We roughed it in a tent cabin with heated mattresses. Highlights included playing on the beach and a two-mile hike where Claire and her friend Logan played sword with some tall coastal grasses. There was also a bungie-jump trampoline thing that Claire played on, and as always lots of s’mores with very large marshmallows. Click on the picture of Katherine and Juliet for a slideshow.

Spring 2011 catch-up

May 30, 2011UncategorizedAunt Mona, Katherine, travelStu

We collected a few pictures over the spring, including making cookies with a visiting Aunt Mona, Juliet enjoying the Sound of Music, an early spring visit to a family oriented “eco resort” on the Pacific coast called Costanoa and the nearby beaches, the girls doing yoga and playing games with me, Katherine doing a rainy triathlon with a group of her friends, a visit to a nearby zoo and amusement park, and finally Juliet’s two-year-old photo. Click on the picture of Aunt Mona and Claire making cookies for a slideshow.

Tahoe Visit

March 22, 2011UncategorizedClaire, Juliet, travelStu

Over President’s Day weekend, we took a trip to Lake Tahoe with our friends the Cohens and Friedmans, including Claire’s friends Max and Jake, and Juliet’s friend Maia. We enjoyed plenty of time in the snow, sledding and snowshoeing, and Claire even had her first ski lesson! We also had time to hang out with the kids and play in our PJs around the house. Click on the photo of the four of us in the snow for a slideshow.

Lake Tahoe 2010

November 2, 2010UncategorizedtravelStu

Earlier this month we headed up to Lake Tahoe for a last few days of holiday before I started my new job. We rented a condo right on the southern shore of the lake in the Al Tahoe neighborhood. Adventures included Claire trying her new bicycle for the first time and picnicking on the lovely beach right next door to our condo. We also ventured out to a local state park for the kids to see the running of the local salmon. We even stopped off at a u-pick apple orchard on the way back home so the girls could see the origin of one of their favorite foods. Click on the picture of Claire and me on the beach for a slideshow.

Redwoods camping

October 17, 2010Uncategorizedcamping, Claire, eating, Juliet, travelStu

A few weekends ago we headed to Big Basin State Park in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains for a weekend of camping with some friends of ours and Claire’s. We stayed in a tent cabin, which was adventurous without the headaches of squeezing a portable crib into our small backpacking tent. It was busy and fun, with ten kids under five-years-old running around our campsites, walking on felled redwood trees, playing hide and seek among the cabins, and roasting hot dogs and s’mores. It was also a chance to use our brand new roof rack on Katherine’s Subaru Outback. Click on the picture of Juliet and Clare among the redwoods for a slideshow.

Early summer 2010

September 3, 2010UncategorizedClaire, Farrells, Harrison, Juliet, Toths, travelStu

We’ve fallen behind this summer so will make it up in two posts with pictures galore and even a few videos.

First off, here’s a slideshow from the early summer including Claire falling asleep on the couch trying to adapt to life without afternoon naps, berry picking at nearby Webb Ranch, visiting with our friends the Farrells for Glenn’s birthday and for my godson Harrison’s first lemonade/snack stand, our town’s July 4th parade, hiking in the redwoods at Wunderlich Park, and a movie night for Harrison and our girls. There’s a few videos of Juliet, too, one hiking and another munching on pizza. Finally, we’ve got pictures of the girls’ first car camping trip which we took with the Toths in a nearby state park. It was hot, dusty, and sleepless, a mild disaster so probably average for a first outing with kids. Click on the berry picking picture for a slideshow.

Also, we’ve added a few more pictures and videos to the post on Claire’s 3rd birthday party including this one of the various efforts to keep her candle lit long enough for her to blow it out.

Y Camp 2010

July 2, 2010UncategorizedAunt Laura, Grandma Sharon, Grandpa Jack, travel, Uncle Rob, Will VStu

We made our bi-annual trip to Estes Park, Colorado in June to join Grandpa Jack and Grandma Sharon for a week at the YMCA of the Rockies. We enjoyed high mountain air, lots of hiking and fun camp activities, plus a great time with Aunt Laura, Uncle Rob and cousin Will. Highlights included a hike around Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, a hayride to a marshmallow cookout where we spotted an elk on the Y Camp’s main quad, a pony ride Claire went on that lasted 15 seconds, cycling around Lake Estes in a 4-person bike, and much time lounging around the cabin. Click on the picture of Will and Claire hiking for a slideshow.