Its Not Dead Yet!

(Er, the blog I mean... sorry 'bout the last 9 months...)

So we got to do a house swap with our renters in Tahoe this past weekend, and got to be reminded just how much we love the place...

There were scenic but kiddo-able hikes:


Boulders to attempt to budge:


Snowballs to throw in Lake Angela:


Snowballs to throw at Dad:


And Tank Boy's first mini-golf!


Not pictured is: poor Tank falling in the pond at Monika's going away party, countless hours of kiddo fun at the Smi-bach residence, a blissful hour beside Lake Tahoe, double Wild Cherries helpings of quiche, TWO trips to the Woah Nellie Deli, and quality family time reading aloud in the car. Happy summer folks, hope you're getting yours!

Unemployment Schmunemployment

Due to the recent notification that I will be unemployed in about a week, and a HUGE boulder that fell on the road between home and the office, I stayed home today and did almost nothing. But the crafter in me has been itching to do something, so I pulled out the rest of the orange roving I bought on etsy and spun the remainder into some sort of yarn... Pics of that after it dries from its little bath, but here's the process...




Oh, and yeah, we just got back from Hawaii, did I forget to mention that? During our eleven days there was quite a bit of rain...



but there was some glorious sunshine too...





So, yeah, I'm not complaining about anything!

A Bit Sad

As of last Wednesday, before Thanksgiving, I was 10 weeks pregnant. Sadly on Thanksgiving (after a lovely dinner) I suffered a miscarriage. I was in very capable hands, with an obgyn cousin of the Hub's at dinner with us, and another emergency room doctor cousin at the hospital 7 miles away. I did end up at the hospital, but was discharged after a few hours and sent home to rest (relatively) comfortably back at Aunt Madeleine and Uncle Matt's house.

So we're all okay now, albeit a bit sad. One remaining hurdle will be to explain to Jackson that the baby that was growing in mommy's belly is no longer there. So, because of the situation, all I can say is that I am especially thankful for my wonderful husband, the amazing family I married into, and my sweet little son. Wishing everyone a cozy weekend of quality family time.

Let Me Count The Ways!

Oh county fair, how I love thee...





Way to go Hubsand! First place Children's Portrait and some other crazy rainbow Special Award thingy too!

That there is that wacky sweater that I done-did knit, with all kinds-a crazy rainbow colored ribbons on it too! You could have knocked me over with a feather! And the Tarnay's clean up at this year's county fair! I ask you, what is not to love?

Glossy Highlights

So we have friends visiting from Spain, along with their two kids, and Tank Boy is in seventh heaven!

He is also quite pleased with his NEW SOCCER UNIFORM, because evidently my son is already on his first team!

There has been much romping about the park, Strider Bike riding, and river splashing. That is until about four days ago, when it abruptly went from summer to fall in one night!


And you know what fall means to those who get a weekly veggie box?

FIGS! Yumm!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Last weekend the Hubsand and I got a surprise weekend away in Tahoe without the tot! Auntie Rena and Grampa teamed up to give us a weekend out of town. So we hotfooted it over to Lake Tahoe to revisit our youth. And by that I mean we went mountain biking. Together. Whee! We hit up Stanford Rocks and my former back yard ride Hole in the Ground. The biking was awesome, the camping was lovely, and we ran into tons of great folks from the old days. (Especially nice when I broke my chain and realized I'd forgotten the chain tool!) As a matter of fact, the whole thing was so great, I spent the next week wondering why the heck I'm not still living there. But then again, Yosemite is pretty dang awesome too...

So the point of this story is that while Mom and Pop were out of town Tank Boy got to go to Merced with his Auntie and see "Despicable Me" in 3D. He really loved the glasses, and they're flattering on him, no?


And speaking of awesome Yosemite, the YosGirlz did Cathedral Peak this last Friday. My camera these days is a bit bulky, so it did not come out at any awkward times during the climb (almost all of it) but I did get in a few snappies. There is a ginormous ledge before the last pitch of the climb, so Publina graciously got a shot of Vicki and I getting the gear organized.


We were a group of five total, but split into two groups for the actual climbing. From the top you could see three alpine lakes, Bud, Cathedral and one more. Here's two of our party chillin' (literally, it was chilly!) partway down the hike off the back side, with Bud Lake in the background.


From the same spot looking the other way you could see Eichorn and Cathedral Lake as well.


I have no pics of the actual climbing, but it was so lovely. There are innumerable ways to go, most of them fairly mellow. I got to pick what looked fun and then head off! The classic chimney pitch in the middle was a highlight of the day, a tiny bit exciting, but ultimately doable and very well protected. So. Much. Fun.

That evening we had a campsite reserved in Tuolomne Meadows and the Hubsand and Tank Tot got to join us. Being high elevation, its pretty cold at night and in the morning. But there's no need to freeze when you can wear what amounts to a sleeping bag around camp.


We rounded out this weekend with Saturday at Tenaya Lake, reading books and dipping gingerly into the water. (Oddly enough the water was warmer than the air, but the breeze was so brisk that swimming was kept to a bare minimum!) It was achingly beautiful, and the perfect family time counter point to the previous day's Girlz activities. And you'll never guess what we did on Sunday... actually got the towel racks up in the guest bathroom! Photos soon!

The Fine Line Between Fun and Over Scheduling

Hi! So quick monthly recap here:

Went on a 9 Bride Bachelorette weekend at a lovely vacation rental house on the river in Guerneville CA...

We squeezed in a ton of stuff like redwood hiking, spa treatments, wine tasting, and late night drunk hula hoop making and mehndi temp tattooing...


I got weirdly crafty before the event, and asked each bride for her fav color and attempted to make earrings to match each gal. At the event itself it became one of those goofy shower games where everyone tried to match the earring to the woman. Whee, geeky fun!



Since then The Hubzand and I took a wee Staycation, and kept the kiddo in daycare whilst we lounged about the house for a week! Highly recommended! We also spent two nights over at Bass Lake (where I used to backpack guide), got our mountain bikes all fixed up, and took a lovely ride here!

Then the next week the SKOOGS came to visit, and there was good food, hand knit hats, mountain biking, toddler biking, and a general lovely time!






And of course Auntie Rena was here to spoil Tank Boy silly! Yay Auntie! Sorry 'bout the lack of photos!

And then, in some sort of scuffle slash tug of war over a tonka truck, Tank Boy managed to knock out his best friend's two front teeth.

Yes, he's doing fine, no they won't let us pay their dental bills.

And then there was this music festival yesterday (With the always lovely Lusetta and her ever adorable Toby), and today yet another head cold for Tank and myself. And I'm spent!

And next time the bittersweet update on Sunny and Share...

Who Put the Douche in Fiduciary?

Despite the fact that doing this feels like amputating a small but mighty part of my very person, I am deleting this blog post to protect the innocent. I am also horrified that our legal system is such that a person must fear to explicitly state her own opinion. I am crying. But I am leaving the title, because I am a fighter, and that's how it goes. Thanks for your kind words of support, I really did need to hear them.

Happy Halloween!!

Roar!





Cute yet fierce! I could just eat him up!

Tasty Autumn With A Hint Of Spring

Due to an unusually forceful and prolonged rainstorm here a week or so ago things have, again, taken on the rosy tones of Shangri-La. The fall colors are coloring, but the air is clean, crisp, and dust free. The waterfalls are flowing again and the grass is growing. The past two weekend have been painfully pleasant, that aching sweetness that only fall can conjure.










If you're wondering why this entry is filled with so many fantastic pics, its because they were all taken by the Hubsand. He got a new camera, and is up to his old (and fabulous) tricks!

I'm still working away on the dinosaur/dragon costume, here's the latest addition, scary claw fingerless mitts! (Note the lack of flair in the pic, it was taken by me...)


The Women's Thursday Evening Climbing Club has come to a halt for the season, that pesky darkness just kept interfering. It has, however been moved to the Friday Day Women's Climbing Club for all those who are interested! Last week a gal and I did the (CLASSIC) Nutcracker. I led all 5 pitches (yay me!) and was WORKED by the end of the day! Today is the first day I got out of bed without creaking!

And yet again the world reminds me why I love the savoriest of the seasons. I keep reminding my self to breathe, absorb, and enjoy.

Kill 'Em With Cuteness!

So Halloween is coming, and I have a newly set up craft room at my disposal. Therefore I have challenged myself to take this pile of ingredients...

And make it into a SCAWWWY DINOSAUR for the Tank!

Day one got me here...


Day two of laboring got me here...



Poor Tankboy, so far its just dang adorable, but not very scary at all! Claws, he's gonna need some claws!

Home Improvement, Schmome Improvement!

So this past weekend was much more relaxing than last weekend's evacuapalooza. And to top it off the County Fair was in town. Now Tankster loves himself some fair, but I hate to admit that I might love it even more! The farm animals, the snack foods, the knitting on display! The live bands, and cowboy stuff! Balloon animals! Juggling! Eeeegads! Too much good clean family fun to resist!

Did I mention the $3 giant slide?



The impossible to win ping pong ball games, set up for toddlers so that you get a prize just for playing?


And tired loopy toddlers boogying down in the dark?


Ack! I can't stand it, I LOVE THE FAIR! (Despite the fact that I entered the knitting contest and came in dead last! That is how much I love the fair!)

Oh, and speaking of knitting, I did finish that sock I started last week...

Tadaa! One more to go and I can actually wear them! (Yes, that is a super lazy picture of the sock sitting in my lap. It is dark, artsy does not happen here after dark.) G'night!