Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Happy Birthday, Samuel!



The big 3 - 3 finally came for Samuel and
all I can say is,

"Good grief!  Thank goodness it's here!"

As much as I love celebrating how many wonderful
years he has graced this earth...
every...single...year
(because I'm older by two weeks),
he gloats about how he's a whole year younger than me!

Do your math, buddy!

Even if I have to say I'm 33
and you get to say your 32
-I'm still only two weeks older!

Anyway...
his birthday wouldn't be the same without this
annual back and forth,
and truly,

"Happy Birthday, Samuel!"

I love you, hon!

This year was a bit unconventional for us
in that I was away for the big day in Bakersfield, California.

My grandma's nephew passed away and
I drove her and my little sister down for the funeral.
It was a wonderful opporunity to visit
family that I haven't seen since I was a little girl,
and to be able to spend time with my grandma and sister
was priceless!

What to do about the homefront though?

Well the day before I left,
I baked my buns off and 
gave the girls the secret mission of carrying
on the festivities without momma!

I am so proud of those girls!

They put the finishing touches on a 
hearty lasagna dinner,
wrapped dad's gifts,
AND
served Samuel's favorite chocolate cake for dessert! 

They are wondeful little momma's!

And the boys,
they played their part well too!
Keeping daddy busy with their escapades so
the girls could finish up!
...

When I got home the next day,
there was nothing but hugs and kisses
from all but one...
Gabriel!

He refused to look at me,
or let me hold him!

He was so, so upset with me for leaving!

I apologized and
told him I was home now,
and only then did he crawl into my arms!

What a sweetie! 

I love my brood!


Thursday, November 24, 2011

Grateful for Roots

Since we were so far south for our
trip to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park,
we took the opportunity to head even further south
to Bakersfield, California
to celebrate Thanksgiving
with my late Grandpa's side of the family.

His brother, my great Uncle Junior,
played host to over 50+ relatives,
and this,
they informed me,
was a light year!

There were three whopping huge turkeys
being carved in the kitchen,
and a vat of mashed potatoes so big that
 I could easily have bathed both my boys in it!

But best all,
was the tremendous sense of family.

It has been years since I've visited,
the last time was when I was maybe
thirteen or fourteen years old...

but I remember.

I remember, especially,
my grandpa.

He took me here.

He made sure I knew where I came from.

And then he wanted me
to grow and be happy
with a family of my own.

...

So, so grateful.

For family.

P.S.  Miss you, grandpa. 

And...

See you later, alligator.

After awhile, crocodile.







My great-grandma Eulalia


Uncle Junior, grandpa's brother


Dear Aunt Agnes, his joyful wife from Brooklyn!



The photo which spurred a number of
car honkings, catcalls, and even a passer-by
who slowed and took their own photo of us from his car!












Grandpa's little sister, Aunt Connie,
whose personality is anything but little!





Grandma Lopez

So happy to be surrounded by family not
seen nearly often enough!

Again...

H A P P Y  T H A N K S G I V I N G !



Monday, November 21, 2011

Crazy Thanksgiving: Kings Canyon + Sequoia National Park

Last year,
for Thanksgiving break,
we backpacked in Point Reyes with family
and had the best time!

We were definitely bitten by the
school-break-travel-bug,
so this year
we opted to put our
National Parks Pass
to good use and visit
Kings Canyon + Sequoia National Park!

We've never visited a park
in the off season and
were really looking forward to,
one, the solitude and
two, seeing the park
in a whole new light.


We scored a great deal on a rustic cabin,
and quickly prepared for what would
be our first foray
into staying in the snow!


A rainbow!

What a nice send-off!


And away we go...


This is beautiful country,
and as we settled in for the long haul,
we couldn't help but notice the weather changing...

and the temperature dropping!










Home sweet home!

But why stay in when there's
a winter wonderland right outside our door!




Wow!

Talk about a little heaven on earth!










Samuel's face is so funny here!

He was amazed that there were icicles,
much less icicles this big!

We are so not snow people!



After our snow play,
and in honor of Thanksgiving,
a turkey feast...
on the floor!





Even trips to the bathroom proved magical!

And a nice bonus,
the bathrooms were pristine and super-toasty warm!

Really!


Back in the cabin,
open rafters provided the perfect way
to store gear and dry wet clothes!


Some weren't too keen on the accomodations... :)



Packing up fo a day of exploration!

Today,
Moro Rock!


But first,
the kids burn some pre-hike energy by
scrabbling around...







Now this is hiking!

If only we could pull the boys on all of our treks!


Iris,
the only child without boots!

How did we overlook this?!?

Luckily I brought all their socks from home!




Yes,
the boys still exclaim over every little mound,
"I'm on Half-Dome"!


And up we go...







On most of the rock
the sun had melted all the ice and snow.

But near the top,
was another story all together.

I served as Scout to see if it was
safe for everyone to go up.


And as you can see,
it was a "go"!



We met a fantastic older German couple-
"Gunter", was the gentlemen's name.

When we asked if he had been here before,
he pointed to all the surrounding peaks in a
sweeping gesture and said he had summited all of those!

Amazing!
He took particular interest in the kids,
and was especially concerned that no one fall off the rock.

As you can see from above,
that was a genuine concern!






One of the worst spots on the trail...
really though,
I promise it was not as bad as this looks!



The trek back was murderous
with nightfall settling in,
three kids that needed to be carried,
and a sled that was out of comission
thanks to a hole!



Luckily, we had someone
-or I should say, three someones-
waiting to welcome us home!

Note:
As cute as they appear to be,
they are not! 

Owen "relieved" himself in
the night off of the porch
and in the morning
we found a frenzied scrabble in the snow!

Yuck!


Goooood morning!

Time to explore
General German's Tree Trail
and a hike around Hume Lake!























It appears that only the disabled are allowed...

a perfect fit for Samuel!  :)



Bear tracks!




We followed them for awhile and then realized that
probably wasn't a very good idea...










Hmmm...more bear...only this time cub tracks too....

Not good!

I pushed everyone hard.

We needed to get out of here!












For some,
the hiked proved to be too rigorous...


Others just needed
some refreshment...

Salami, Cheese, and Ritz Crackers on Sourdough?

Anyone?  Anyone?


Gabriel followed suit with his own concoction:
 A Brownie Bar and Salami on Sourdough-
and then rejected his own creation...



Note the dome at the bottom of the photo...


Big Baldy, indeed...

{he he}


Midnight snowmen and sledding gave way
to giant burgers...




...which of course is the perfect segway into
a perfect breakfast of powdered donuts!








Our trip was fast coming to an end,
but before we left,
the kids begged for some final runs
down the mountain!







We had the time of our life,
and where previously I was a total baby about snow
-too cold and wet!-
I actually liked it!

H  A  P P Y  T H A N S K G I V I N G !