The Grove

Our Journey Through a Supervolcano

2008-07-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Yellowstone!

It may seem strange, considering some of the places I have been lucky enough to have visited, but I was more excited about this vacation than any previous. It was our first true, road trip, family vacation. I planned for weeks, I had a map of Yellowstone in my head and I had memories from my last visit when I was only 6 years old. The ghosts of that visit have wandered through my memory ever since, which is, undoubtedly, what has inspired such excitement about returning and sharing that wonder with my children.

The plan went off wonderfully. We were in no hurry. We had places to stop along the way. We were journey oriented. In order to take the leisurely route we spent the first night in a KOA in Bozeman, Montana. We arrived at 11pm and set up our new tent in stealth mode.

We soon learned that the street lamp closest to our tent had a horrible work ethic. It blinked on in a fluorescent white glare and within about 18 seconds took on a twittering yellow pallor. Only 30 or so seconds after that it would blink out and only a shadow of light clung to life in the lamp. In the morning Paul informed us that this shadowy light lasted about 1 minute and 37 seconds before the cycle would repeat. He is an interesting human.

A short drive away from our KOA penthouse was The Museum of the Rockies. What a gem! We all are looking forward to visiting again on our next trip to Yellowstone.

Almost There

Only 80 miles from Bozeman was our next stop, West Yellowstone, MT. We checked into our Hotel and spent the rest of the evening wandering through the inevitable black hole that is the tourist trap center of town. Our favorite store, go figure, was a very non-Barnes & Noble bookstore. It was a labyrinth of shelves filled with the widest variety of books I had ever seen in such a small space. It was entertaining to see the excitement in my family's eyes as they wandered through this maze of information and imagination. I realized that one of the greatest things is the sound of your child in a bookstore quietly yelling, "Mom! Come 'ere you gotta SEE this!"

Just outside the door of "our favorite bookstore ever"
we found our first and, we later decided, favorite West Yellowstone Buffalo.

The next morning at exactly 8am [ opening time ] we went across the street from our hotel and in to a small world of bears and wolves aptly called, The Bear and Wolf Discovery Center.

The bears are those that had to be removed from the wild due to an over-familiarization with humans. The wolves were born in captivity. The pack at the center were an Alpha male and female, Hayden and Lakuna, and a beta male and female, Granite and Naia . The photo below, taken by Reid, shows Hayden anticipating a breakfast of elk steak. [ Reid found it a bit emasculating that Hayden was whining ... I reminded him that if the fence weren't there he might be the one whining. ;o]

In the Park

Our first day we drove the Grand Loop. I was driving when we had our first Buffalo encounter. Not knowing what to do I just eased the car to the right and put my flashers on, yielding to the horns and dimension. He kept looking at us with a sort of mafia henchman attitude ... like a Buffalo Joe Pesci from Goodfellas.

"Do I amuse you?"

This photo courtesy of Paul.

"Little World"

One of the most beautiful sights during the week was that of the Lower Falls of Yellowstone river in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The views of this fall inspired our government to, thankfully, preserve all of Yellowstone, as well as much of the surrounding geography, for the enjoyment not only of U.S. citizens but the world.

Yellowstone should be on the 100 things to do list for everyone in the United States. I believe many non- U.S. citizens must have it on their list as well. In the same vein that major U.S. cities have sections called, "Little Italy", or "Chinatown", Yellowstone can be called, "Little World". In the week we were there I heard 8 languages I could identify and about 5 others I couldn't.

Mmmmm S'mores ...

We made S'mores almost every night we camped. We are of he mind that it really isn't car-camping unless you make S'mores. We got these great rotating campfire skewers that made killer, flame roasted, golden brown marshmallows. I think we only had 3 or 4 marshmallows during the week that had 5th degree burns which required instant carbon dioxide extinguishment [ is that even a word? ... spell check says, no. ]

Mmmmm Hot Dogs ...

Mmmmm Camp Kids ...
wait ... eww! They would taste like bug spray.

I did get a chance to write a Haiku while we roasted ... everything.

White of ashen fire
a summer night spent laughing
in Yellowstone Park

A Particular Aroma

Sarah had major issues with the loverly sulfur smell [ and variations on the sulfur theme ] that wafted all across Yellowstone. Eventually she and her less elaborative brother got used to it. These are our "wee inedibles" at Mammoth Hot Springs visually expressing their opinion.

Throughout Yellowstone there are numerous awesome [ literally ] vistas. Heading towards Tower Junction we decided to stop and shoot the family. We survived. Barely.

Naturally, of Course.

I'll take Answers that elicit, "Duh." for $1000, Alex.

The thermal event most readily associated with Yellowstone.

"What is: Old Faithful".

"Duh."

It is reassuring that out of the several hundred people who joined us to watch this magmatic icon, there were several sincere "ooohs" and even a few "ahhhs" of note. One small child even started crying. This act of nature may not be able to visually compete in our Multi-Media inundated world but for those still connected to reality Old Faithful is a unique reminder of our powerlessness against nature. Making babies cry is pretty neat too. :o]

Lamar Valley
The Serengeti of North America

In all of my research on Yellowstone the most intriguing area to me was the Lamar Valley. It is here that you are supposed to be able to see the densest population of animals in the park. It is even nicknamed, The Serengeti of North America. How could we resist? The best time to see all of these animals is either at dawn or dusk. So I wrangled the family [ with minimal grumbling ] out of their sleeping bags at 0400 hours [ 4am for normal folk and Oh-Dark-Thirty for the "special" peoples ]. Of particular interest was the Druid Peak Wolf pack which I hoped we would have a better chance of seeing if we got there early enough. This valley does live up to its nickname and Reid and I agreed it was the most beautiful and engaging area in the park.

By the middle of the week we had become professional turners out ... turn outers??? ... we pulled over "real good". Cruising through Lamar Valley Reid pointed out a large entourage of people who were obviously looking at something interesting. About 8 scopes and 10 cameras were trained behind a bluff that flanked the road. We pulled over and made the short trek up a rocky hill. There were coyoté pups, there was an Osprey or two, there were two wolves ... Wolves??? Hmmm??? Yes wolves, though they were about 1000 yards away. Even Reid could only see a small black shape through his camera. The small dot in the photo below is a black wolf.

As we strained to see the distant canid I heard a quiet exclamation from a fellow watcher and put down the binoculars to see a coyoté approaching from about 50 yards. He passed by only 15 feet from us. Amazing. He was large enough that we were confusing him for a small wolf until he got closer. He proceeded to hunt down and eat a small ground squirrel, upon the eating of which Paul squeaked more than the victim. [ He had developed an affection for the gregarious ground squirrels ]. I have not posted a photo of the event so as to make up for enjoying the distress of small children at viewing Old Faithful. :o]

On another pull over opportunity we saw a sight that would make any respectable hunter yearn for non-government land ...

The photo below is of a bacterial mat. At the Museum of the Rockies we learned that these were the first life forms on the planet. We were all excited to have foreknowledge of these amazing structures.

The kids gave their token, "That's cool!" comment but I could see that they were truly interested, perhaps imagining that where they stood was not now but then; that they beheld something rare and inspiring that helped shape the world they now inhabited. Which is what I was experiencing while watching their reactions and seeing their interest ... rare and inspiring, people who might shape the world of the future.

Yee HawwwOw!

One of the highlights of the trip was our Saddle & Paddle trip. On another early morning we drove to Gardiner Montana to Wild West Whitewater and outfitters. As we started out on the trail my horse eagerly took the lead and left the rest of my family in the dust. The only decent photo I could get was of our guide, Cody. Two hours of riding left our saddles sore and we were eager for the water of Yellowstone River.

Saddle

Paddle

Our guide on our Class III whitewater trip was Mike, who, Reid told us, was South African.

Mike immediately assigned the two biggest, strongest men to front oars, Reid being one of them. When he asked who wanted to get the wettest Sarah almost dove in to the boat. Although I wanted to row I tried to decline [ I had stabbed my hand the day prior ... another story ] and offered the oar to another of the women in our group. They flat out refused so I took my oar. Mike asked for another woman to row but none would so Paul, of course, eagerly volunteered. Mike was hesitant but Paul convinced him, if not of his strength, then of his determination. Off we went.

We're still in the boat, honest.

The Aftermath

This is how we all felt on the trip back to camp. It was a good "tired" and a very good trip.

In the End

Yellowstone is a feast for the senses. Unexpected smells, melodious and unfamiliar sounds, fire smoked, gamy tastes, steam and stench from geysers and abundant color and texture surround you at all times. We plan to return as often as possible.

New, New York

2008-06-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

It would be easy to say that New York lived up to all of it's popular clichés but I was not there long enough to see them all. The few I did see were of the more lighthearted and quirky sort. In the two days I enjoyed there New York lost its popular glitz, glamour, and extravagant stereotypes and gained a more complex personality, and an ironic sense of the ordinary.

I have heard many people describe being overwhelmed by New York on their first visit. Even though I would not describe myself as the big city sort, "I did Love New York".

I tittered like a metropolitan virgin
on her first trip to New York [go figure] upon unwrapping the view
of Times Square from our bedroom window.

I saw my "Idol's" face plastered on the board of an unexpected Broadway show; Taylor Hicks in Grease ??? After taking in the view we considered rolling the bed over to the window but, even though we were on Broadway, decided we didn't want to put on a show.

We went on several crazy cab rides. Our first cabby, a communicative Uruguayan, gave us an education on the finer points of New York driving etiquette and a brief and abstract description of a close encounter with a Bison … or Yak … at Six Flags Great Adventure park. "Welcome to New York!", he said.

I was a quick study at crosswalk jumping, learning by example to speed walk across intersections against the light. It initially had a bit of an amusement ride feel until I watched a young man yank a boy back to the curb who had slipped into the street. The young man then proceeded to curse at the cabby who had screeched to a halt just before hitting the boy. I was very thankful not only for the reflexes of a "stranger" but those of the cabby as well. It was one New York cliché I was happy not to witness.

I spent two days immersing myself in the art of a world I once feared I would never see. I realized that as much as that world was all around me, it was also within. Ironically, it was as perceptively out of reach within me as it was geographically out of reach without. I simply had to go there.

I walked 30 blocks from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to meet Reid at the Oracle office on 520 Madison Ave. In 35 minutes. In flip-flops. Reid didn't think I could do it but he wasn't aware that I had band-aids.

On my trek I smiled at a trio of young Jewish women, all variations on a theme, with the same Fran Drescher laugh and demeanor that you would expect. They smiled back.

I saw a small, unmanned motorcycle get maimed
by an ignorant, old Saab [ or SOB as another witness
called the driver of the Saab ].

I stood in front of the emptiest store front in the world
in one of the most consumer/financially driven cities on the planet
and smiled. [ You can see my iPhone in my pocket ]
I love the Apple brand/product confidence that screams,
"We don't have to show you what we got 'cause you already know!"

Reid and I walked further through Central Park than we had expected
and enjoyed how very little we knew about it.

There were parts of the park that reminded us of Europe. The architecture of the East Coast benefits from being close to Europe not only geographically but temporally as well. We in the west have younger architecture and, arguably, a younger heritage.

I was reminded of the importance of the upcoming election
through simple, bipartisan, 35th floor signs
stating, simply, "VOTE!".

I ate some of the best Japanese food I've ever had and marveled at the speed and efficiency of the billboard crews in Times Square. On our last night we went out on the town and had authentic New York thin crust pizza via serendipity. We met up with one of Reid's friends and he said he knew exactly where a great pizza place was. He was wrong. We got out of the cab and decided to wing-it. Turning around we saw a sign 30 feet ahead ... "Vezzo Thin Crust Pizza". Serendipity! [ And excellent pizza].

I was propositioned by a random, frustrated, new Mom in a bar, and I was laughed at when I asked Bussers-On-Break the make of a certain car [ it was only the second Maybach Mercedes I had ever seen, they could have cut the out-of-towner some slack ? ].

I took 450 photos and deleted most of them,
finding the rare, accidental gem such as ...

... the ramparts of a cathedral reflected in the front of a building
addressed, 666 5th Ave.

No one was rude [ aside from Bussers-On-Break and even they tried not to laugh ], and I frequently saw displays of courtesy and respect. Walking my epic, flip-flop shorn 30 blocks I heard a street vendor yell and watched as he chased down a young dread-locked man who had just left his cart. I expected to see an altercation but instead the vendor left his cart unprotected and ran 20 yards to give the young man his change.

One of the most deceptive and obvious aspects of New York is its complete and total lack of visual minority and its diverse demographic of social minority. Barring social inequality and the presence of our past, New York is a city of the world, it is the foundations of what a utopia might be if discrimination, and history could not intervene.

We Always Thought So

2008-03-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

Every year, children in Spokane County are nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the area; the Chase Youth Award, named after former Spokane Mayor James Chase [ 1981-1985 ]. These awards honor and highlight the character and efforts of individuals and groups in our area. I have found little information on the internet to better help you understand who Mayor James Chase was and how this award came to be.

Sarah with Principal, Mr. Mike Stark, and 7th Grade Counselor, Mrs. Jennifer Hardt

As for Sarah ... about three months ago I received a call from Middle School Principal, Mike Stark and he asked me if it was alright with us that he nominate Sarah for a Chase Youth Award. Mr. Stark has a unique phone conversation style that I actually greatly appreciated that day. He spoke quickly and virtually bombarded me with all of the reasons that he, and all of Sarah's teachers, believed made Sarah an ideal nominee for the Personal Achievement award. I appreciated his energetic flow of words because I started crying, not weeping, mind you, but I was choked up enough that I was happy to have to only squeek out a, "Certainly!" and, "Thank you!". Mr. Stark told me to keep it all a secret so that he could tell her at school the next day. I am happy that the children of that school have such a well respected, young-spirited, and caring Principal.

Three weeks ago Mr. Stark called again, with his same energy, to tell me that Sarah had actually won the award for Personal Achievement in the Middle School division. Now it was a BIG secret that we had to keep until the night of the awards ceremony, last night.

When we finally took our seats in the auditorium I was glad that she was so nervous about possibly winning otherwise she would have noticed that almost 2000 children had been nominated and there was no way that 2000 people plus families would fit in that auditorium. She also didn't suspect that she had won even after almost every one of her teachers sat down beside us.

It was an inspiring evening. There was a story about a child, a very young boy, who had escaped an abusive family, putting the past behind him and embracing a new future. There was a young man, probably 14 or 15 years old, who, when his father collapsed, had administered CPR to him for 7+ minutes until the paramedics arrived and took over. His efforts saved his father's life. There was an elementary school class who organized a fund raiser for the "Invisible Children" of Uganda and another young man who had made great headway in educating his schoolmates and local community about environmental issues. These were just a few of the awards handed out last night. It is heartening to have it reaffirmed that our children are not without purpose and drive, that they will be active and passionate about making their future, and ours, a better one.

Then there was Sarah. I watched as the night went on. She fidgeted and worried, she applauded and smiled at the others who walked up to get their awards. Then a young woman took the podium, a member of the Chase Youth Commission. She started speaking about a girl who had endless determination, a positive attitude, and a selfless heart. I looked at Sarah and she was listening intently, still fidgeting, but the next words really caught her attention. The young woman at the podium spoke of the girl who played volleyball and baseball, never complaining about the occasional, limp-inducing pain in her prosthetic leg. She told about the baseball game this tough young girl had played; 3 innings at first base, three innings as catcher, 3 hits and 3 stolen bases, all with an injured and painful "stump" inside of her prosthetic. The girl who always smiles, always helps, who is always an inspiration to her peers, her teachers, and especially to her family. Sarah Oakes.

Sarah with Mayor Mary Verner and Spokesman Review Editor, Steven A. Smith

Sarah stood and smiled down the row at the long line of her family and teachers. She started out walking to the front of the auditorium but excitement got the best of her and she ended up running across the front of the stage to the stairs. As she crossed in front of us I heard a man behind us say, "And look at her running!". When Sarah stepped onto the stage there was a piercing whistle from a rearward seat that Sarah later told me could only have come from her Language Arts teacher, Mr. Ware. Good for him! I was too teary-eyed to try and would have only ended up spitting on the people in front of us.

Sarah took the stage and the first person to greet her was the young woman who had introduced her. I think this was the first time Sarah noticed that the girl was missing her right arm. Sarah shook hands with the other various representatives, including current Spokane Mayor, Mary Verner and the editor of the Spokesman Review, Steven A. Smith.

All of the winners were seated on stage and Sarah sat next to a young man [ about 8 years old ] with whom she immediately made friends. Later she told us that the poor boy didn't even know why he was there. He and Sarah won the same award for Personal Achievement in different divisions. She spoke to him off and on as the ceremony went on. Afterwards, as we were leaving, he called to her and she went over and they gave each other a big ol' hug. It was the first time I had seen the boy smile all night. And that is who Sarah is; she takes people as they come and she welcomes them, wrapping them up in her smile.

A Note On Parenting

2008-03-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Being a parent is a horrible, prolonged and,
ironically, voluntary torture.
[ I love this job ]

They come into the world wailing
[ a most beautiful sound ]
and then maintain an odd dichotomy of stench and sweetness
[ mostly sweet ... you little stinkers ]
until you can teach them that the round bowl in the bathroom
is NOT a swimming pool for dolly
[ "Sarah! That was a nice arm-stand, forward somersault,
pike, back, one-and-a-half somersault, tuck from the toilet seat...
~ INHALE ~ ... dive that Barbie did there!" ]
nor is it where we wash Daddy's tie.
[ "Wise choice, Paulie, that tie always did make your dad look girly.
Or ... MORE girly. ]

Then they start talking
[ what wonderful stories ]
and you wish you could go back to the wailing.
[ not so much ]

At last they get to go to school!
[ Already ! ? ! ]
I had several years to get used to "5 years old",
those poor teachers get all of those 5 years in one day!
[ can't they stay 4 forever? ]

I actually thought of homeschooling!
But the pain in my side from the uncontrollable laughter
drove that straight out of my mind.
[ they'd graduate at age twentyyyy ...... 2 ]

And who said they could have an opinion!
[ They grow so fast! 5 and 3 are long gone ... now I'd take 10 and 8! ]

Parenting is hell!
[ my most precious privilege ]

But sometimes
[ every day ]
I see who they've become
[ amazing ] ...

and I think it might have all been worth it.
[ beyond compare! ]

There is nothing in this world that will ever compare
to being "Mom" to my Sarah Doodle and Paulie Wog.

Hina Matsuri Festival

2008-03-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

Sarah came home from school last week and mentioned that she was going to go with 35 other class-mates to a doll festival at the Japanese Cultural Center at Mukogawa Fort George Wright Institute here in Spokane. I asked if parents were allowed to come and she came back the next day and said yes. I had to fill out a security form because of the rampant [ and sometimes justifiable ] paranoia that has come to dominate our school system.

This morning I learned that these 36 kids had to write an application to be able to go to the doll festival. It was at this point that I said, "So it's an all girl trip then?". Surprisingly, Sarah said there were 5 boys who applied as well. Well shut my mouth. I wondered if these boys would survive tomorrow.

So I drove the kids to school, dropping Paul off way too early and picking up a treat for Sarah and I at Starbucks™. As I walked through the halls of my old Jr. High with my daughter memories swarmed me. However, I became distracted from my time travel when I came to realize that my head was the only one [ aside from the teachers' ] that could see over everyone else's head. I was the only parent tagalong. Woohoo!

The Hina Matsuri festival is an ancient tradition in Japan and both Sarah and I found the tradition very interesting in it's complex simplicity. In 1927 there was an exchange of dolls between the U.S. and Japan. Among others, we received 58 dolls all the size of small children [ 32" tall ]. The doll below is called Miss Tokushima and her current home is with the Spokane Museum of Art and Culture. I played with the photo a bit to make it look old. :o] For more info on this festival see the links section on the bottom right of the sidebar.

The doll you see below is the one that Sarah decided to bring for display. It was the favorite of the dolls brought by the children. It made Sarah smile.

I left after the presentation and Sarah stayed and had lunch with the Japanese college students. It was good day and a nice reminder of how beautiful and unique our world and the cultures that span it truly are.

Under the Knife

2008-02-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

Reid is now a two-time veteran of soulder shurgery. No. Sorry; shoulder surgery. The whole event was quite acceptably uneventful. Doing my duty as the quasi-superstitious wife, I quietly kept in mind all of the horrible things that could go wrong within the walls of any medical facility so as to minimize their probability. In other words, if I at least thought a bit about those bad things that could go wrong, e.g., spontaneous gurney combustion [ especially considering the nature of His Hotness ], mistaken procedures [ possibly resulting in two Mrs. Oakes' ] or even a short gurney-ride's journey into night, then it would keep them from happening.

His gurney maintained acceptable temperatures, he is still my "Mr.", and ... he liiiiives!, though he does so with a good bit of whining.

The surgery went quickly and we were told that the damage was considerably more extensive than first suspected. Dr, Kody, who is the surgeon for many major league baseball players, has now placed Reid's surgery on his wall of fame for being his first, fully detached labrum subject. As for what a labrum is; in the shoulder sockets of each normal person there is what could be described as an O-ring. It normally runs around the edge of the scapula, deepening the depression into which the humerus fits. To figure all that out you will have to Google it yourself like I did.

When he got out of surgery he was decidedly groggy. I felt that this would be a great time to ramble on about any old thing I wanted because I knew that I would likely be unknowingly retelling him later. In this way I would have a few less re-tells counted against me. Reid did his drugged-up hubby duty and stared at me, smiled lopsided smiles, nodded and said a few uh-huh's and really's. He dozed in and out all while munching on cold wheat toast and drinking as much water as possible to speed our departure.

After reassuring the docs that he was a big boy we were able to leave and get something warmer and, per Reid's request, saltier to eat. Zip's hamburgers fit the bill perfectly.

Unfortunately, due to the extensive damage and the subsequent work to rebuild his shoulder, Reid's pain has been much greater than that of the first surgery. This has required that he adhere more strictly to a pain management regimen. When we got home he wanted to go into the office and get some work done. Knowing the importance of the job he was working on I suggested he sleep for several hours and start work with a clear head. Of course, seeing him walking like he shoulda had a V-8 was all I needed to know that he would be down for the count at least until the next day.

It is now day 4. Reid has been initiated into the wearing-of-the-pajama-bottoms-away-from-home club, showered and can even play Halo3 once more. Below you can see the only physical evidence of the surgeons blade. He must bear with the sling for a full month, which he has promised to do. Stay tuned... ;0]

The Hospitality Paradox

2008-02-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

I seem to have an affinity for defining things. What I have learned however, is that as much as using numerous words helps define another word, it takes a person's perception to give that word meaning. Take the word hospitality for instance ...

hos·pi·tal·i·ty: [hos-pi-tal-i-tee]

1. the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers.

2. the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.

That is the definition provided by dictionary.com. In contrast, when I searched the internet for quotes on hospitality I found what could be considered a vast desert. What quotes I did find were like small oases, yet even in oases the water is sometimes rancid. Most of the quotes regaled hospitality as a chore to be suffered and [ light-heartedly ] villainized guests as potential thieves and blessedly temporary nuisances.

Of the quotes I found my favorite is:

The ornaments of your house will be the guests who frequent it. ~Author Unknown~

One of my favorite anti-guest quotes is:

Visits always give pleasure - if not the arrival, the departure. ~Portuguese Proverb~

Sadly, from personal experience, I know this quote holds truth. :0] But not in the following instance.

Yesterday our friends Marvel, Amber, and their son, Zach drove up from Oregon to finalize Marvel's move. They were planning on staying in a hotel but Reid offered them our guest bedroom. Entertaining and welcoming in friends and family was one of the main reasons we bought this house. After their visit I realized how much I love welcoming friends and family into our home.

To me hospitality is opening the doors of your home and welcoming those who want to share it with you for awhile. A place of good spirit and caring hearts. A time of comfort and memories.

Didn't Even Need an Ironing Board!

2008-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever snowboarded was when I was about 14 years old. This was, of course, before the sport became the craze it is today. I often wonder how many inventions are thrown by the wayside due to blunt force trauma. Such was the case with my first "iron-boarding" experience. Funny how we can get so excited about things without really thinking them through. It was one of the last times I ever went sledding with my brother, Scott. We were a sled short and I saw Mom's old ironing-board at the side of the house. On the hill I fully extended the legs on the board and decided I would stand on it like a jet ski as I sledded down. I have to say it was loads of fun! Up until the point when the nose ran into a snow drift and my stomach slammed into the legs and I went flying over the handle bars. My brother did not fail to laugh at me when he caught up, which seems to be a recurring theme in my family. Jo hurts herself, brothers laugh. I did try again, dropping the legs this time, and went scooting down the hill, but the thrill was gone. Ah, if I had only had a better experience I could possibly have been the originator of the modern snowboard!

As for our snowboarding trip it was "wicked cool"!

Reid planned a three day weekend for us at Silver Mountain Ski Resort. The kids were "so stoked" to go. We were all pretty stoked to go. The drive there is insanely easy. Our hotel, The Morning Star, was about 80 feet away from the gondola. That first morning we put on our gear, walked to the gondola and started the 15 minute ride to the top. What a view! I am always a little leery of heights but the gondola never got more than maybe 60-70 feet away from the top of the snow. Sarah, normally leery herself, kept hopping up and down in the gondola and I Reid and I both wished there were seat-belts.

The first day the kids and I took classes. Sarah and Paul were initially a part of a 6 kid group. However, after lunch they had their instructor all to themselves and they had a blast! Both of them have a natural talent for snowboarding. My class was good, but I felt rushed. And I am SO out of shape. I think it was the first time I ever had so much difficulty with a sport. My calves were both bruised from the boots. By the end of day one I was wiped out.

Reid didn't stray from his M.O. however; he went and hammered at the slopes until he figured it out. He has a natural ability to pick up new things quickly. [Though usually at the expense of a limb or two.] This trip I think he was more cautious. Perhaps the pain he puts himself through has finally registered in his brain despite the cold.

When we got back to the hotel that night it was nice to thaw out in the hot tub that was just 30 feet from our door. It was outside so it was interesting to have the super-warmth of the water and then ice crystals in our hair. It was fun to shape Paul's bangs into ice-spikes. I brought out a towel and got it wet and draped over my head but I couldn't resist growing my own ice farm on my head! So far ... no colds! 0((:).

On the second day we rode up in "style" on the VIP gondola which just happened to swing around as we stepped up for the trip to the lodge. In its heyday the gondola would have offered a radio, cup- holders, and swank, red leather seats. The radio was busted and the consoles holding the cup-holders had been transformed into trash receptacles. Kinda sad. But we still had the swank, red leather seats!

We were very glad to have purchased Turtle Fur neck covers the night before day 2. We then had plenty of shielding against the -15 degrees wind-chill on the slopes. I decided the day was far too glorious a day to be spent writhing in pain on the bunny slope. I became "base camp"; the mother ship, you might say, and snagged the best table in the lodge for my intrepid and highly talented family. I am so proud of how quickly all three of them took to snowboarding. Paul especially. Mr. Fearless. And yet he managed not to hurt himself! [ OR anyone else ].

And so they were off. While I was sweating on the top floor of the lodge, Reid, Sarah, and Paul were sweating, boarding, and collecting stories. There was one wreck I observed from the windows ... Sarah made a rather violent face-plant into the snow and then just lay there. Reid was standing with me at the window in the lodge and he ran/hopped out to see if she was ok. She lay there for a full 5 seconds [which is a loooong time if you sit and count it out, thinking that your daughter is down there hurting, melting the mountain with her face]. But she popped up and waved her hands. "All good, Mom!"

Monday morning and it was time to go. We awoke to a beautiful, clear, cold, sunny day and decided we would go to breakfast at the Mountain Cafe. There we met Tom, the border collie and his tiny human, Anna. Tom refused to stay in the back room and ended up guarding the legs of Momma human's chair. Anna was in training to be a waitress though she was too shy to take our order. I regret that I did not take photos in the Cafe.

Sarah got a piggy-back to breakfast due to all of the boarding. It made her left leg swell a bit and she couldn't get her leg on. It's a good thing Dad was not wore out from two days of boarding! Nope, not at all. He was a stanchion of strength and fortitude! :0]

Back in the room we lined up the boards and bade them farewell.

After the short trip back to Spokane, we picked up the harriest members of the family from Oma & Opa's house and headed home with great memories and sore bodies. We are definitely going back next year! And I have to say it was nice not having ironing board tread marks across my belly this time!

Christmas This Year

2007-12-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

Already it has passed. Two months [at least] of anticipation and disorganized preparation and ... over. In two days time. For me it inspires a rethinking of the Holidays in general.

Our tree this year was the most beautiful tree we've ever had. We found it within moments of getting to the Spokane Boys tree lot. It is a Frasier Fir and survived with minimal needle loss from December 5th to January 1st. Some of my best memories of the Holidays revolve around the Christmas Tree. This year was no exception.

One of the most memorable, peaceful, and Christmas-like moments for me this year was when Sarah & Paul performed music on Christmas Eve. They love to organize performances throughout the year, coordinating their skills and usually coming up with thoroughly entertaining ideas. The name of their production company is, Toes Up. For an explanation you will have to ask them! :0] Paul has been playing the saxophone since the beginning of this school year and is very good! Sarah has been playing the flute for almost 3 years now and has a natural talent for music. She seems to also have a talent for playing the drums as we saw when we played Rock Band at Rob's house recently. The girl can knock out a impressive xBox guided beat!

We were also very happy to have Carl play a movement from his recent concert for us. Perhaps it is he who inspires so many members of our family to learn an instrument and bring more music into their lives. Thank you so much for that inspiration!

Our house was the most full for Christmas that it has ever been. Reid's brother, Jason and his wife, Moani were able to visit and their presence made our Christmas very special. We were happy to have them spend part of their visit in our not quite finished guest room downstairs. They were very kind not to point out that they had to climb two flights of stairs to take a shower in the morning. Next visit will be better! ;o]

My brother, Scott & his daughter, Maddy also visited us this Christmas. It was the first time I had seen Scott at Christmas in probably 18 years. Maddy, Sarah, & Paul get along so well and are an example of how we should all get along ... laughter, honesty, selflessness all while truly enjoying each-other's uniqueness.

Also ... I know the kids will be happy if I share a winter keyboard face that we came up with ... o((:). Find fun where you can!

There were other adventures that I was not able to share in this year; sledding on Mt. Spokane, and a caroling carriage ride in downtown Spokane. Perhaps Reid can post these events for you. ~hint~ ~hint~

Our plans for New Years Eve and the new year are simple ... movies, games, & food, laughter, honesty, & selflessness while truly enjoying each-other's uniqueness. I wish the same to you and yours.

Dictionaries Can Be Fun

2007-12-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

Some know it as Balderdash! Others, The Dictionary Game! Or ... as we like to call it... Ways to make Rob cry! Last night the family traveled one more time over the river ( in the Spring that river may be a torrent ) and through some heavily populated woods to Grandmother's house for a casual Christmas get-together. Very good friends ( who are family ) and family ( who are very good friends ) got together to nibble, chit and chat, yell at the kids, drink mulled wine and knock-you-on your rear hot buttered rum while generally enjoying each-other's company. Good times were had by all, though the fun didn't really start until after Marvel left. Go figure. ;0]

As the kids sat down to watch tv, a.k.a.; wrestle around and ignore the latest Harry Potter DVD, the adults gathered 'round the large table to play "Dictionary". Many were skeptical as they had not yet experienced the magic and wonder of this simple game. For those of you who are also skeptical, this game is much like Mad Libs. If you don't know what Mad Libs are I fear for your humanity.

Passing the dictionary around we experienced such words as; Keitlao, which does NOT mean: a person with a speech impediment saying "Gate low". Taeche, which, quite simply means: a catch, and NOT a french word for purse. Indiarubber: which is NOT pronounced, In-Die-Ah-Roober, thank you so very much for that Kathy, we love you!

As for how to make Rob cry. There are times, in the playing of Dictionary, that you simply cannot think of a plausible definition for the word. This was the case for me when the word "Cowpilot" was chosen by Rob. In the Dictionary game, when all convincing options fail, the best strategy is to come up with the funniest definition you can. I went with the obvious. In my dictionary the definition for Cowpilot is: Slap some wings on a cow ... the guy who flies it ... that's him.

This moment in time is particularly memorable for me because, finally, I made Rob laugh, and cry, with glee. Truly I haven't seen him laugh like that before. Now, it may be the effects of Ginger's killer hot buttered rum that oiled the gears of Rob's Glee Machine, but I at least have the distinction of helping my dear friend and "brother" to shed a tear in laughter.

Happy Holidays!

Golden Compass Sneaky Sneak Peak

2007-12-01T22:27:00.000-08:00

As it turns out there are some movies that are available waaay before their release dates to unwitting passersby. Tonight we went to Riverpark Square in Spokane intending to have dinner, wander about and then go home. The roads were horrible and the drivers were worse but that's what we do, you know.

The pleasant surprise was when Reid bought movie tickets even though it was 5 pm and verging on his circadian hibernation time. The chances of him lasting through the film were slim. He walked up with a funny smile on his face and showed the kids and I the wee paper treasure he held in his hands. When the kids saw "Golden Comp" printed on the ticket their eyes' gleamed more brightly than I had ever seen them gleam, even on Christmas morning. However, that could be an unfair comparison as, in the past, they are usually so sleepy when we wake them on Christmas morning that we have to practically carry them to see the tree and gifts. I believe there was one year, Paul was about 3, when Reid had to carry him out to the living room and Paul slept on, drooling all over his dad's shoulder. Reid danced around trying to wake the poor little guy up. Good times. Where was I?

So the show we went to was not advertised and yet the whole theater filled with our fellow lucky passersby. By the end we were all cheering. It was an excellent movie if only for the fact that Sarah and Paul were totally enchanted with and engaged in the story. About 3 weeks ago we started reading the novel. We are still very interested to see / hear how the rest of the book goes as it does vary quite a bit from the film [ as most movies do ].

So for those who are interested in seeing it, our recommendation is ... DO! If you have read the book, please be prepared for this to be a movie and not a recitation in screen form of the novel.

Watch the trailer!

Tryptophan is Our Friend

2007-11-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

As we are about to travel over the river [ there is a small one ] and through the woods to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving I must pause to reflect on the many wonders of tryptophan. It was only few years ago that I learned that this amino acid is the reason why people, after consuming large quantities of Thanksgiving fare, almost immediately lapse into a pre-comatose state in front of the television. [This is especially true of males]. I say pre-comatose for, if they were to slip into a true coma, they would not then be able to return to the kitchen to re-dose themselves after a mere 30 minutes of sleep. It seems the nature of the roast beast to keep it's victims placated yet not annihilated.

After referring to a bevy of sources Tryptophan can be described as: one of the 20 standard amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins, and an essential amino acid in the human diet. Or, put simply, "The Holiday Sleepy Potion". To help validate this assumption I submit the following photo:

It looks as if they are awake only because Solo kept rousing them from their stupor to watch a dog show on TV. I get the feeling he was trying to show how far superior he was to all those "purebred" snobs who would not know how to properly stick their tongue up their owner's nose if they were trained. That being said ...

We had a very fulfilling Thanksgiving celebration. In the future, however, we will have to strive to host Thanksgiving at our home. I have found that if I am cooking all day I am less likely to hork down quite so much at dinnertime. This way I can think of Thanksgiving as exercise!

We hope your Thanksgiving was as seam splitting as ours ... really.

Well, hello.

2007-11-18T23:00:00.000-08:00

I write this first post while listening to a new song that is symbolic of my craving for simpler, truer things. The song is "Tribe" by Luka Bloom. To me, it speaks of how your "tribe" can be wherever you are. Though your family is strongest at its core, it is made stronger by your extended family, your close friends, those people who by lucky chance [ or perhaps careful planning ] became members of your tribe.

This is my tribe ... the members of my "Grove".

This photo was quite an accomplishment. In the 13+ years that Reid and I have been married it is the second family photo we have had taken. The first was when Sarah was about 8 months old. So I suppose I should take this moment to welcome Paul to the family, photographically speaking that is. :0]

Now I need to go read up on how to properly blog. Knowing Reid, he will be a natural.