Tag Archives: Adventures

She Said/He Said: Jeannie’s Trip to Boston

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Boston Skyline | Painted by Jared

Boston’s Salt and Pepper Shaker Bridge, hand painted by Jared

Colin’s brother, Jared, and his wife, Laura, just had their third girl by C-Section. Last year, when I had my surgery they came out to help me recover. When we learned they were expecting, we knew we wanted to return the favor. So Colin and I planned a time when I could go out there for a whole week which, of course, meant that he’d have to be home with our own children for that week while I was gone. Here is the She Said/He Said debriefing of that week…

{Jeannie’s Week}

Although, admittedly, it is a fair amount of effort to care for other people’s children, or cook in a kitchen that’s not your own, it was an enjoyable adventure. I got to read the entire way on the plane, uninterrupted. I saw some snow. And most importantly, I got to spend some quality time with my adorable nieces, playing games and listening to as well as telling stories (Evelyn, at 5, is a master storyteller and enjoys hearing a good tale as well), and hang out with Laura, picking her brain about interior design as I continue planning to reform the Pig House, and comparing favorite recipes. I missed my family terribly, but the week flew by and Colin sent me several texts and emails with funny kid antics. I was so glad to be there to help with Laura’s recovery. Jared and Laura are amazing and we’re biding our time for the day when they move back to the west coast, hopefully to Seattle.

{Colin’s Week}

Survival mode.

Grand Ridge Trail Run 5 Miler

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Get ready to run!

I have caught the racing bug.

Colin decided that after his Tough Mudder experience he needed another motivator to keep him running. He found a local race that we could do together before Thanksgiving. He invited Tami and Joe to train and run the race, too. We all signed up for the challenge.

What we didn’t realize was how insane the course would be. “Five miles,” you say, “how hard can that be?” When the first mile is straight uphill and full of switchbacks, you’d think again.

The mountain kicked my butt. I foolhardily made the goal to run the whole race without walking. I did no such thing. But although Colin ran the entire 500 feet elevation gain, he also had moments of walking, so I don’t feel so bad. Thank goodness for the downhill portions of the race!

Trail-running is beautiful, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the surroundings, even though it was quite chilly and a bit drizzly.

It was a great challenge. I’m so glad we did this, tough as it was to complete. We’re going to make it an annual pre-Thanksgiving tradition.

Any locals want to join in?

Tough Mudder

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Colin meets the Tough Mudder

Joe talked Colin into participating in one of the most insane-sounding events around: the Tough Mudder. That’s 13 miles of army-like obstacles taken to the extreme. We’re talking ice water tanks, electrical wires, tubes, barbed wire and, of course, mud. All of it is meant to play on your fears and weed out the tough from the wuss.

Colin was up for the challenge. He trained hard in the month’s time he had to prepare, once we moved to Washington.

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The boys did a great job. Teamwork is the motto behind the event, which they took to heart. They worked together to complete the course, but not without injuries. Joe broke his nose and Colin bruised his rib. But they finished strong. Tough.

I couldn’t be there to witness the thing. Besides having four wiggly kids, they charged admission to be a spectator. So, Tami took these amazing pictures to capture the day.

Way to go Colin, Joe, Luke, and Aaron!

La Brea Tar Pits

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We took another family trip to the L.A. Temple and spent the night in the temple apartments. Before joining our Ward (church congregation) on Saturday afternoon for baptisms and a Primary activity allowing the children to tour around the grounds and visitor’s center, we went to the Page Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits on Wilshire Boulevard. It’s a paleontological wonderland in the middle of the concrete jungle that is Los Angeles. Millions of years old pits of tar with thousands and thousands of dinosaur bones they’re still digging up out of the muck.

I hadn’t been there since I was about ten on a class field trip and Colin and the kids had never been so we thought we’d meander around.

It was overcast, but warm that morning. We walked around the grounds and checked out the pools of tar and then ventured inside the museum to look at all the fossils.

 

Memorial Day 2012

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Memorial Day, like last year, was spent with Julianna’s family, only this time there was new baby brother Garrett to enjoy. We had a fabulous time at Zuma Beach, our favorite on the SoCal coast.

More good memories were made catching up, boogie boarding, digging in the sand, and eating lots of food.

To top it off, we ended the holiday at a BBQ with friends here in town.

The sun was shining non-stop, it was over 75 degrees, and we spent the afternoon with loved ones.

It was a perfect day.

Fathers and Sons Camp Out

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Nearly every year (except for the time we had wildfires on the hillside) our Stake (large church congregation) plans a camp out to commemorate the Restoration of the Priesthood. It’s an opportunity for fathers and sons (of varying ages) to come together for good food (they usually have tri-tip) and bonding by the campfire. Warren loves it and looks forward to it every year.

They head up to camp around 4:30PM on Friday and return home around 11:30AM the next day. Jake and Joey are too little still (Colin is thinking 3 might be a good age, as to ensure they wouldn’t dive head first into said campfire), so it was just Colin and Warren this time. They took their mountain bikes up for a morning outing.

Many good friends from our Ward (unit of the Stake church congregation) attended as well. Everyone had a good time, especially the little boys who collected feathers and broken clay pigeon pieces to bury as treasure.

They came home dirty and tired. Just as it should be after a good camp out.

Bedroom Shuffle, Part II

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Hallelujah, Colin and I finally got our bedroom back. It had been nearly a year of sharing our quarters with Jake and Joe. They weren’t bad roommates, per se, but having them in there with us was not my idea of a swell plan. With the adoption complete, we could finally put the babies where we saw fit.

So, we did. We moved them and Maddie into Warren’s room to create one big Sleeping Room. Maddie’s former bedroom is now dubbed, “The Play Room,” although her giant bunk bed still takes up half the space.

Everyone seems happy with this arrangement. The first few nights they were all too excited to be in there together, so sleep was put off longer than normal. Once they settled in, we could tell that they were glad to be all together, especially Maddie. She had spent the weeks prior to the change bunking with Warren while on vacation and then sharing with Tami and Joe’s kids while they visited. She wouldn’t know what to do with herself sleeping alone again. And why should she have to when she’s got three brothers to help her feel secure?

Despite a few kinks, like Maddie waking up in the middle of the night and going back to sleep in the doorway, I think everyone has settled into the new set-up. Just don’t mind the disaster you see on the floor! Ugh.

Hooray for getting our own space again!

P.S. Yes, that is a cardboard box you see on the top bunk (Warren’s bed). He decided he just had to have a bed for the teddy bear he got from the judge on adoption day. I’m just trying to remember that this request is a sweet gesture as I attempt to block out that nasty chemical cardboard smell that’s permeating the room.

Tami and Joe Visit Again

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When we told our good friends, Tami and Joe, that we had a date for our temple sealing to Jake and Joey in mind, they started making plans to come down here to attend. We go back many years, back to the days of newly wedded-ness, and no kids, and late night cookie and ice cream study breaks. They’ve been there for us for so many ups and downs. They’re like family. Having them with us at the temple meant the world. And the fact that they’d be bringing their darling children along for a family vacation made the idea even better.

As usual, we spent long hours at night talking and eating delicious food, mostly cheese. 10:52PM on the microwave clock. We were just getting started.

We took a night out on the town to eat tapas after tapas at Milk & Honey, until we stuffed ourselves silly. But not enough that we couldn’t enjoy the Louisiana Bread Pudding Soufflé for dessert at the Palace Grill. To. die. for. I can’t remember a better evening.

And the rest of the time we looked for simple adventures.

We went to the Santa Barbara Mission. The kids ran around in the rose garden and enjoyed the warm sunshine.

We had them join in our Family Home Evening Easter Egg Hunt where the plastic eggs are filled with symbols that explain the purpose of the holiday. (Don’t worry, they still got some candy!)

Most walked away satisfied, except for Jake who felt slighted by a chocolate-less egg.

The big kids even planned their own activities. Like a backyard carnival, complete with popcorn, lemonade, games, and prizes. Below are the signs and tickets they created. These are imaginative kids, I tell you.

We’re so glad you came down for a visit– all of you this time. Come back soon, friends.

Spring Break in Solvang

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A year ago, Colin’s mom asked if we would spend Warren’s spring break with them in Solvang, a little Danish town about 40 minutes from our house. For all you Washington State people, think Leavenworth of Coastal California, except with a Denmark heritage.

Little did we know then that this vacation would overlap with finalizing the adoption of Jake and Joey. So, instead of spending lazy days as tourists, there was quite a bit of back and forth between Santa Barbara and Solvang. Especially since Colin still had to show up to the office most days. Thankfully, we had two cars to make it all work.

Despite some scheduling challenges and the general discomfort of traveling with children under the age of four, we enjoyed spending time with Grandma Tuki and Aunt Melissa.

We took a leisurely walk by some shops and saw one of the many windmills in town.

And we even peeked through the window of a motorcycle museum, which was closed much to Warren’s dismay.

Another day we took a drive over to see the lavender fields that weren’t there. Well, a tiny patch was there still but the majority of the farm had moved to Santa Rosa. The kids still had fun digging in the driveway gravel of the lavender essential oils shop.

Melissa spent time knitting hats, a new skill she absolutely rocks. She made a hat for each kid in our family. Yes, she’s that awesome.

We did do quite a bit of lounging, especially in front of the television. And Grandma Tuki’s iPad-like device. Spring Break is all about vegging out.

Thankfully, the kids slept well, except the first night when Maddie waited for Warren to return from an evening movie and fell asleep by the door.

Warren definitely had the advantage being the oldest and a legitimate swimmer. He was able to spend many afternoons at the pool with Melissa and Grandma. It was hard to tear them away.

What a trip! Grandma Tuki and Aunt Melissa, we’re so glad we could be with you for a whole week. And we’re extra glad that you could be here for Jake and Joey’s adoption and temple sealing.

And thanks once again for allowing Colin and me a night away. We’re so glad to know that our kiddos were in loving fun hands.

Snowboarding

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Colin grew up skiing. Besides soccer, it’s what gets his blood pumping. However, it’s a passion he has to keep at bay living here in beach country. He misses it terribly and begrudgingly takes yearly trips to Mountain High or Bear Mountain just to satisfy his cravings.

The lack of mountains with snow makes it difficult for our children to get exposure to such downhill activities. But Colin decided to take Warren up to Bear Mountain this year and give him the opportunity to try it out for the first time. He let him choose between snowboarding and skiing. He chose snowboarding, “So I can get practice for skateboarding,” he said. What a California kid.

Colin and Warren left at 4AM on Saturday morning and drove the 3.5 hours to the resort by Big Bear Lake. Colin reports that Warren chatted the entire trip down. Nothing like an excited 6-year-old to keep you alert in the wee hours of the morning.

Wanting to give him the best chance of success, Colin enrolled him in a day class for beginning snowboarders. We weren’t sure how he’d take to the adventure, especially the chair lift, but he did surprisingly well.

He got up on the board and had some moments of downward momentum.

He also had quite a few moments of sitting around, thanks to a full class.

But despite some boredom waiting his turn, he had a really good attitude. He tried everything and had a good time, especially when Colin took him up by himself during the second half of the day.

Even though he was clearly worried about the chair lift, Colin said he grabbed on when told and made in onto the seat without requiring the operator to stop it. He held on super tight to the bar across his lap, but didn’t freak out. He even dismounted without problem. Better than I had anticipated!

He threw snowballs and tasted the snow and generally enjoyed the day. Colin called the trip a success. Considering Warren wants to go back again, I’d have to agree.

Maybe next time we can make it a family event at Whistler.