Sequoia National Park

Did you know that Yellowstone was the first National Park established by the United States? We covered that one in August so it was time to hit the second established National Park in September. We made the 3 hour drive from LA to Visalia the Friday before school started and after a 30 minute drive, covered as much of the park as we could on Saturday.
I've heard about the giant Sequoia trees and Kirt had been pushing for us to get up there for a few years. Nothing could have prepared us for these incredible giants. Below, Kirt and the kids had a great time with a few family friendly hikes to some beautiful view points.
Same area as above, but different angle - looking west toward the Central Valley of California.
Another one of Kirt's crazy poses. The kids were more than happy to go through his little tunnel.
This was an upshot of The General Sherman. The largest, oldest tree in the park. I guess because there's nothing to give perspective to the size the picture doesn't do much justice, but it's a little overwhelming. This was a little long for Tess to hike, but she made the mile hike in and out all by herself. She and I were behind the boys by quite a bit because I am just as stubborn as she is and I was determined to not pick her up and carry her out.
Just for a little perspective on the trees. Did I mention that they were big?
The three little monkeys about to embark on the mile hike out of General Sherman. They handled it as well as most of the tourists. We were just about back to the car (maybe 1/10 of a mile to go) I heard a girl (mid 20's) whine to her husband, "We're going to have to walk ALL the way back too." I hope she survived.
We've really been talking about this trip since our friends Rod and Hil moved to Visalia. As soon as we finalized our plans Rod's employer asked him to head to Utah for a few months. We'll be making this trip again and hopefully they get to show us the charm of the Central Valley first hand.

August 2010

We made our annual pilgrimage to Utah this summer and had 2 weeks full of great activities planned. Our first week was occupied by a benefit concert for a dear family friend. It was an amazing experience that I will always treasure being a part of. Natalie died just 7 days after the concert and we were all grateful that we were able to show her how much she meant to everyone.
As quickly as the concert was over, we packed up and headed out with the Petersons to Island Park, Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. Kirt has been dreaming of putting this vacation together for years. I think everyone had as great of a time as we did. We started out by stopping to see Kirt's aunt Jaime in Idaho (not a picture? what's my problem?) and then on to Island Park.
Owen and Tess got to try their hand at fishing. We didn't catch anything, but the kids had a blast. In Island Park we stayed in my uncle's cabin. It was amazing with room for over 20 people - he rents it out if you're looking.
Then on to Yellowstone National Park. A place I have visited plenty of times, but it's a place that I appreciate more as I get older and as I get to share it with my kids. I don't know what Kirt is doing in this picture. He's weird...and I like him.
Cal and Owen at Old Faithful, which wouldn't be complete without the giant ice cream waffle cones. The kids had about 6 bites and I probably finished them all off.
I don't ever remember hiking around at Old Faithful or realized that there were a ton more geysers and hot pots right there. I'm sure my family took me there when I was younger, I was probably too busy complaining about the walking to notice.
Pictures are completely out of order, because that's how I roll. I think the below pic is at breakfast by the river in Jackson Hole. This little chica is a sucker for Grandpa Peterson. I think he might be a sucker for her too.
Back in Yellowstone at the Upper Falls - I think. I don't think Bonnie or Bart got anywhere near the fence and I'm pretty sure Owen and Tess got a little too close to the edge. On the hike back up I got my first look at a deer inside the park, eating just off the side of the trail.
Who let this kid do this? (My favorite part might be Bart's face in the truck.) We were just heading through a herd of Buffalo, some of which were just inches from the car. It's a little weird now to think after our 2nd day in the park, we were cruising past the buffalo in search of something 'interesting'. They were incredible creatures.
The whole group from the first half of the trip. A few more joined us a few days later.
Tessa Jane and Reddy Bear with Grandpa P.
The fam in Yellowstone. I can't believe how much I took this place for granted when I was younger. I never remember seeing beauty in 'a bunch of trees' and I'm in awe just looking at the pictures.
After leaving Yellowstone, we headed to Jackson Hole where Bart's wife Andria joined us and Kirt's brother Jake and his wife Lisa arranged a huge raft for us to all float down the Snake River. With such a big raft, the rapids were fairly manageable and we even took Tessa on the 2nd run, she had a blast. Uncle Jake likes to yell at the other rafters as we pass them. My kids are still quoting him, "Are you ready to go back to work?!?" I don't quite know what was so funny, but it makes me smile to think about it. Thanks Petersons for such a great trip. We had a great time and I think we even still liked each other at the end of 6 days together.

San Fran July 2010

Earlier this year I talked Kirt into running a half marathon. Some friends of mine were doing it and I thought that Kirt would really enjoy it. He's always liked running, he's just never done longer than 5 or 6 miles and he hasn't run a race since high school track. I had no idea what I was getting myself in for. Within hours of getting home from his first race he was online looking for another - which took us to San Fransisco the end of July. It was a beautiful course that ran along Fisherman's Wharf over the Golden Gate Bridge and ended in a beautiful park. It was a crazy morning with the race starting at 5:32 am! My mom came with us (on her birthday!) and slept in with the kids that morning. Just as we got back to the hotel they were up and ready to head out on our daily adventure.

We had been meaning to get to the Exploratorium in SF for years, but this was the trip and it did not disappoint. We were there for several hours and didn't even see half of the exhibits. The kids LOVED it - and we adults enjoyed ourselves too!


Below - This was a "mind trick" section. There was a drinking fountain on the bowl of the toilet. The sign next to it explained that even though the toilet had never been used as a toilet and was every bit as clean as a drinking fountain, people still refuse, or at least hesitate to drink from it. Cal went right in for a drink and Owen screamed in disgust. Case in point.
The fam on the wharf. (Cal has grown a wax mustache.) I've told you once and I'll tell you again. It is always cold in San Fran.
Luckily for my mom - and everyone other tourist - they sell jackets and sweatshirts cheap on the wharf. Everyone is walking around in shorts, sandals and SF fleece.
Thanks again for coming and celebrating your birthday with us. We could get used to traveling with a nanny!

Owen's Conundrum

Last week as the kids and I were shuffling through Target and in an effort to get them a little something without buying a lame toy or candy, I let them each pick their own toothpaste. It was a no-brainer for Cal - he's used the same toothpaste for years, kind of a creature-of-habit. Tess was equally as easy: Disney Princesses. Done. Owen took just a second to decide between Toy Story and CARS and quickly settled on the latter.

The real dilemma surfaced at each brushing time over the next few days. Owen quickly realized that Tessa's princess paste was bubble gum flavored and he was instantly jealous. She was fully willing to share, but that would mean that he would have to ASK to have the PRINCESS product placed on his toothbrush. The first few brushings, it was just too much and he would resort to Lightning McQueen. After about a day and a half he finally whispered for the princesses. It only took 1 time and he was a convert. There were a few sad looks at his old toothpaste, but the choice was clear: bubble gum was worth the teasing for using Cinderella to clean his teeth.

As lame as it is, I'm pretty proud of Owen. It's impressive to see him make a choice and stick to it even if it means catching some crap from his big bro (or me). You can be sure that I'll be reminding him of this story years from now when he's making teenage choices.

Get Ready...

...for all the facebook, email and blog blasts. You may have heard about this already, but it's worth repeating. Natalie is a dear family friend. At just 19 years old she was diagnosed with cancer and now at 22 she is preparing to leave this earth. (Can you see my tears just typing that?) You've heard my rave about Brooke White before, and now she's coming to North Ogden and I promise it will be a show you don't want to miss.
Spread the word...post this on your blog, facebook, myspace, etc. Email me at kirtkadycal@yahoo.com or send a facebook message with questions or info on tickets.
To read more about Nat: http://www.SweetAndSassyAsNatty.blogspot.com/
If you can't make it to the show but would like to help out you can donate at any America First Credit Union location or by mail at PO Box 9199, Ogden UT 84409. The account name is Natalie Jolley's Last Wish.

Happy Birthday Tess!

Tessa Jane turned 3 (almost a month ago) and had a weekend of celebrations. 2 days before her birthday we had a party with a bunch of family that was in town. Tessa slept through the pre-party preparations, but awoke to a great fiesta. Grandma got her a panda that cries when it's hungry. Owen was intrigued by the idea. He declared a few hours later, "Mom, we're raising a panda!"
(We're all decked out in Dodger gear for our double-header that day. Cal's Dodgers played earlier that morning and we were on our way to Chavez Ravine later that day to watch the LA Dodgers.)
Not to be left out, Grandma Bonnie got Tessa her first Dodger shirt. She asks to wear it at least once a week.
On Tessa's actual birthday we met some of her friends for ice cream and a little couch jumping.
After a pizza party with our little family at home it was time for round 2 of pink cupcakes and presents. We all had a great time celebrating our sweet little sis.
I can't believe our little princess is already 3. When she was born life was a little insane. We were moving, Owen was a busy 18 months old, Cal was having surgery, endless workmen doing work on the house and plenty of other every day life craziness. It's all going by so fast, I wish I could freeze these little moments. I guess that's what this blog is for. We love you Sissa J.

Bye Mom and Dad!

A few weekends ago our kids had a special treat - the best babysitters ever. Dave and Brooke were crazy enough to volunteer to watch these monkeys. The kids introduced Dave to their new favorite activity: google-ing "weird animals" and laughing hysterically.
We were left with evidence of their fun on the camera. Lots of funny faces, sweet feet and jumping pics. Owen has got some vertical skills based on some of the pics. Cal was with his friends for most of the night, so he missed out on the photo sessions but made it in time for movies and popcorn.
Looks like the kids got a turn at the camera too.

Mother's Day

The day before Mother's Day Kirt took the kids shopping for a gift. Cal came home, jumped out of the car and ran up to me, "Mom, we got you the BEST present ever! You are never going to regret becoming a mother!" I had no response, but I have laughed every day since thinking about his comment. Side note: Have you ever been to the mall on the day before Mother's Day. I love seeing crowds of dads toting a bunch of kids around in search of something special to honor their moms. I also find it slightly entertaining that the dads look a little freaked out - it's a big job taking kids to the mall! And on that note: Kirt came home from their shopping trip and reported proudly that Owen only got lost once and it was at a stand-alone sporting goods store rather than at the mall.
And because I have a mom too - let me say something about her. She's awesome. On her way to Hawaii for Mother's Day she stopped over here to watch Cal's baseball game, shuttle my kids around, take them for slurpees, help with my church fundraiser and clean my house. See, awesome, right? And that was just 2 days!
And because I have a mother-in-law - here's some food for thought. I love her. We moved 750 miles away 9.5 years ago and she's never gone more than 3 months without seeing the kids. She has a super-human ability when she visits to read my mind and start/empty the dishwasher 10 minutes before I was planning to get to it. My Thank You's begin to sound trite when she's around because every time I turn around she's doing something for which I am grateful. Oh yeah, and she raised a pretty amazing son that I am proud to call my husband.

Libby and Colby got hitched!

We made it up to Utah for Libby and Colby's beautiful wedding in April. Weather in Utah has been anything but "springy" this year, but they managed to pick the only day this year for a beautiful wedding and outdoor evening reception. I was more than skeptical about having the reception outside, but did my best to keep my opinions from Libby or Mom. When I got to the reception early to get ready it was windy and chilly, but by start time the wind had died down and all was well. As the reception ended and we were cleaning up the wind started up again, but for just over 2 hours, the weather could not have been more perfect. Hopefully Libby will blog about it soon because it was a beautiful event. My mom made thousands (literally) of cookies and cupcakes and orchestrated all of the decorating. It was amazing.
It's just a waste of a good fountain if some poor kid isn't threatened with being dunked. Every time I look at this photo I'm amazed that he didn't slip right out of his pants into the water. Half of him bum has already escaped!
(Bailee, Redd, Owen) The day after the wedding Jon and Bonnie hosted both of our families for Sunday dinner. I am forever grateful for the relationship between our two families. We love it when everyone can get together. I just wish I had been better with the camera, I didn't get a single pic of Gage, Kaden or Chase.
I had to do a double take when Redd showed up in this shirt. Cal had one just like it that Owen had just grown out of, but I think Redd got it from another cousin. Redd's used to being the only little one at Grandma Peterson's. It was funny to see him dance with the other kids and follow right along when they took their shirts off. My favorite was when our kids tried to "rescue" Redd from Joni and Redd freaked out because he thought they were hurting Joni.

Opening Day 2010

This last Saturday was Opening Day for Cal's baseball league. This has been an eventful year even before the season started. We have always played with the same coach, but this year it didn't work out. Cal was pretty upset and asked me repeatedly to call the league and ask them to trade him to Coach Mike's team. I convinced him to at least try this new team out and try to make some new friends. By the end of the first practice, he was sold. His new coaches are great and he loves his teammates . He was the starting pitcher for their opening game against none other than Coach Mike's White Sox. It's always nice to start the season with a win!
Opening Day wouldn't be complete without the parade down Victory Blvd. Cal's team won a trophy for their truck decorations in their division. The coaches had lined the truck bed with sod and spray painted home plate and a pitcher's mound on it. Cal is playing for the Dodgers this year and Owen loves that he can wear a Dodgers shirt to Cal's game and be like the other kids on the team.
Cal and Jason have played together with Coach Mike since t-ball. This is the hardest part about changing coaches is not having an appointment several times a week to hang out with his friends (oh yeah, and mine too.) Jason's mom is just 40 and has survived 2 bouts with breast cancer as a single mom. She is an amazing woman and we always have a good time together.

Crazy Hair Day

Last night Cal informed me that today was Crazy Hair Day. I knew what was coming next - "Can I have a mohawk?" I am not morally opposed to a mohawk, but I feel like it's a project that once you start, there's no turning back and there was no time for a test run. Then I remembered 'the hairspray'. Last fall I decided to treat myself to a decent hair product and ended up purchasing worst hairspray ever. The second you apply even a little bit you can forget about it ever moving again. I knew I should just throw it out, but I paid $11 bucks for it (a far cry from the $2 I usually spend) and I just couldn't pull the trigger to put it in the trash. Anyway, it was worth every penny this morning. We pulled this baby off in just 20 minutes and not nearly as much product as you would expect.
The tongue sticking out was necessary for nearly every picture.
Side view. I just took the little ones and drove by the school to see Cal at lunch recess. He was playing volleyball and the 'hawk is still sticking straight up - it's not going anywhere. I'm pretty sure we'll have to wash it at least 9 times to get that crap out of his hair.
Happy Crazy Hair Day!

Easter Day!

Every morning last week Owen would ask,"Is it Easter Day today?" He knew that he had new clothes that he had picked out all by himself, but they were being saved for Easter. He was so excited yesterday that he was dressed in about 12 seconds. That kid is a shopper and he always wants to try everything on. It makes me crazy, but Kirt loves to take him shopping even if it means hanging out in the dressing room for half the trip.

Now, on to Easter:
Our neighbors have some serious egg-dying skills. How cute are these personalized eggs that they sent over for the kids. Owen was sure he wanted to eat his, but after one bite it was evident that he is not a fan of hard-boiled eggs.
My uncle and his family were in Newport Beach for Easter, so we took the opportunity to spend the holiday with family and crashed their Easter dinner. Owen, Tess and Henley (their 2nd cousin) scored plenty of candy on their Easter egg hunt that I have already sent to work with Kirt so the kids (and I) won't eat it. This was a big year for Cal - he decided to help hide the eggs and let the little ones do the hunting on their own. He's a pretty good brother.
Sweet Henley and Tess. Two hours before this photo they didn't even know that the other one existed, but just 5 months apart, they were best friends in minutes. The two of them spent the entire afternoon chatting about princesses and begging for cupcakes - soul sisters.
Pretty handsome guys, right? I seem to be getting fewer and fewer pics of Cal lately. He used to be such a ham for the camera. He seems to be growing up right before my eyes.

Thanks to the Ozmuns and Huntsmans for letting us share Easter with you. I just wish I would have gotten a picture of Mason and Owen. Mason was so sweet and patient with Owen. The two of them played legos all afternoon while Owen talked Mason's ear off.
Remember my last post when I talked about the best way to see a Dodger game? I stand corrected. We gladly shelled out the $15 for parking when we got free tickets this close to the field that included as many Dodger Dogs as you could eat and foul balls being tossed to our kids from the field. Thanks again Andersons!

Baseball is Back!

It's been a long winter with no Dodgers, so we started the season early and made a trip out to Phoenix for a couple of Spring Training games. It was awesome. Mid 80 degree temps, nothing but sunshine, free parking ($15 at Dodger Stadium!) $10 lawn seats. Out on the berm we just set out a blanket and let the kids roam. Hands down the best way to watch a baseball game.
The trip was also a great excuse to get to visit the Memmotts. They let us take over their house for a few days, treated us to a great bbq and introduced us to a great new restaurant. Just one more reason to make this an annual tradition.
I think this was supposed to be Kirt's frozen lemonade, but he just got to drink the melted left overs when the kids were finished with it. They look like a bunch of vultures. Cal figured out that Tess was more interested in having a spoon than eating the slush, so he got Tess to feed him every bite that she scooped out. She's such a mom.
On Saturday Kirt took the boys early. They got to see batting practice and get a few autographs including Tommy Lasorda. I don't think they appreciated the magnitude of the moment, but someday they will.
One for the books. Who's in for next year?