Mondays in Balboa Park

Olivia takes ballet on Mondays in Balboa Park.  Usually Mike takes everyone over there for an hour so I can get supper ready.  It is a great little routine we have.

 So weird looking at this picture.  Joseph no longer has those front two teeth now.

 Sun grins

 This kid has got some abs!

In the words of my friend Donna...

...(not quite used in context), "You never know what's going to look good to ya."

For most of you people, rain is no biggie.  Happens all the time.  Maybe you dread it.  Maybe you love it.  Here, you can go the entire first year of your life and never see it, particularly in a drought year.

Wait, the baby is in his pj's and shoe-less in the cold rain. 

That's better.

I hear music when I look at the pictures.  I'm just not sure what the music is.

Hand me down

Our neighbor, Carlos, gave Greta his grandson's old trike.  Come to think of it, the tricycle may have actually belonged to his kids.  It's old.  So not safe.  The center of gravity is super high, so it tips easily. Greta loves it!  She calls it her "vehicle."

 Can you see Joseph trying to surf the wagon.

 He made the wise decision to sit down.

 And she made the wise decision to slow down...

 ...just after she hit the tree.  This vehicle definitely requires a helmet.

The Sand Man

I used to say, "Don't sit in the sand box."  I don't say that anymore. One less thing to nag.  I wish I had learned that earlier.  I wish I really understood how to practice it now.  Who cares about a little sand in the crack.  

 He thinks she is hilarious.

He thinks life is hilarious.

Urban romping

We love living in the city, though I used to bemoan my children missing out on romping about in the woods like we used to as kids.  I remember this one house on our street (feels funny to say street and not block), where a huge wooded area backed up to their back yard.  Her (AJ was her name) dad had hung a rope swing about 40 feet up in a tree back there.  I remember the day the rope broke and AJ was on it.  I think that was the only time I ever saw her cry.  She was tough.  They also had a huge pit back there where people from all over the neighborhood would dump their leaves.  There happened to be a tree that arched over the pit - perfect as a high dive of sorts.  I remember the day my step sister jumped of the tree into the leaves and held her nose.  I think I laughed until my stomach hurt.

Anyway, once I quit moaning and started looking around, I realized there are plenty of romp-able places in the city.  You just have to be creative.  Canyons are the best.

 We don't always romp in our Sunday clothes.  The just happened to be a "Hey! let's go to the tunnel!  Okay!" kind of moment.  So we went.

 And sometimes, in urban settings, nature bumps right up against...nurture?  Or, the golf course.

 The tunnel!  This runs under the Switzer Canyon bridge, connecting the two sides of the canyon.  It's just long enough, so that it is just dark enough in the very middle, to be just scary enough.

 But she ain't sceerd.

Family photo compliments of August.  I suggested Mike grow a mustache for Christmas.  He obliged.  I always say 2 things about mustaches: 90% of firemen have them and most guys (except firemen) who have them look shifty.  While he had it, I didn't think Mike looked very shifty.  Looking back in pictures, he definitely does.

I'll get you more pictures of the actual scenery next time.  Clearly this post is a little people-heavy.  But they're my people and I like takin' their pichur.

Mammoth

I said a few days ago that I was going to try to be up to date on the blog by the new year.  I'm almost there, but it is 10:50 on December 31st and I am drinking a glass of wine that is making me sleepier and sleepier, and I am still in September.  That's why I am not a big fan of resolutions.  Just general categories.  Things to be intentional about, think about.  No need to DECLARE anything really.  

So, probably won't be up to date, but I will think about it.

We went to Mammoth in September and it was beeyootiful.  Going in the off season, we got a condo for a decent price.  Actually, we could have slept in the van for the amount of time we actually spent in the condo.  The first day we hiked to Devil's Post Pile.  This amazing post-like formation formed when volcanic rock cooled quickly.

 Becoming Junior Rangers

View from the bottom

View from the top.  It was crazy - like octagonal pavers.

The kids really turned a corner on this outing.  And by "turned a corner," I mean much less whining and a lot more exploring.  

 Top of Rainbow Falls

 Bottom

 Watching the guys from above

 Yes, she is half naked.  At least she has underwear on here - they finally dried out.   You can fill in the blanks...

 He will not be left behind!

 It got chilly the second day when we hiked to several mountain lakes.  This was breath taking.  Coming from TN, where all the lakes are low, it was amazing hiking higher and higher to more water.  And the wind was whipping!

 And there was snow!

We must go here again.