October 18th, 2016
We’ve made a few trips up to Flag this late summer/early fall to kick off our winter bouldering season. Feeling strong! Woohoo!
Paul on a quick tick of Luke Cockstalker, v10
Ivan on a first ascent (and despite the concerned look on his face, I can assure you he is having fun. Immediately after this was snapped he got in trouble for impatiently trying it again without a spotter)
Silas’ own variation of Bat Roof
Michael on Carnivore, v8
“the race”
Raquel styling The Hermit, v5
Me on The Hermit, v5, which I came back and sent next trip, first try.
The kids using ‘rock walkie-talkies’
Paul on The Egyptian, v11
Send!
Ivan sitting a time-out, not at all contemplating the massive amount of dirt on his hands. Gross!
Paul working out the moves of his next victim, Chandler Dub All-Stars, v9
Ahh, autumn.
posted by arr
August 29th, 2016
Our next and final stop on this two week whirlwind was my hometown in upstate New York. Just another short 3 day visit here, but jammed packed….with….COUSINS, COUSINS, COUSINS! My parents had all 7 of their grandchildren together during our stay. The kids were wild with swimming, biking, fishing and playing ‘school’ in the playhouse.
Mmmmm, worms!
Ivan determined to catch a fish with cousin Jeremy looking on
Silas getting some pointers from cousin Lily
Whoa. That’s a lot of fisherkids.
Jacob hooks a big one!
And finally, after all the other kids have long since left the pond for another round of ‘school’ in the playhouse, Ivan catches one. He gives it a kiss and tosses the little guy back in “to be with his family.”
posted by arr
August 28th, 2016
This year is a big year for Paul’s Aunt Jude. She not only turned 65, but also retired, as well as got another book of poetry published. To celebrate these momentous achievements, her partner Ann coordinated a surprise party with all of Jude’s close family and friends. A great excuse to drive east, right? 🙂 It was a lovely visit. We spent our short 3 days just hanging out and catching up with everyone. Paul’s Uncle Bob and Aunt Marilyn flew into town all the way from Seattle, which was a real treat since they’d never met the kids.
Aunt Jude on the left, rockin’ the red shoes
Party time
The surprise was a success
…months in the making and Jude had no idea. Nice job Ann! (standing, starting the toast)
Paul’s family from left to right – Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Bob, Aunt Jude, Ann, father (Regis) and mother (Marian).
Uncle Bob and Aunt Marilyn joined Paul, myself and the kids on a bike ride on Pittsbugh’s portion of rails to trails
A 6 mile ride!! And Ivan’s cute little legs peddled the whole thing!!
A sunset story time with Grandma
Gorgeous summer night in Pittsburgh
posted by arr
July 5th, 2016
This stop was a spontaneous decision. We were driving right past it anyway and the kids and I had never been. And the last time Paul was here was 23 years ago! We loved it so much we stayed two nights.
Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde – the Square Tower House
A good sign for a rock climbing family
Ivan and Silas with Cliff Palace in the backdrop
Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in North America
The 32 foot ladders one needs to climb to get a tour of Balcony House, the “Most Adventurous” tour at Mesa Verde according to the nice docent behind the ticket counter
The view from Balcony House looking down at the approach ladders
Inside Balcony House
Exiting Balcony House…
…first by crawling through a tunnel…
…and then by ascending the ancient “staircase.” (Which I was disappointed to learn from our guide that the carved steps we had ascended are today much larger than the hand-and-foothold trail that was originally carved by the ancient ones so long ago. The steps were enlarged for tourists)
Back at camp and getting ready for bed. Should we wash these things or just tuck them away in the bottom of a sleeping bag?
Watching the sun set over camp
While Paul caves in to the urge to go run up the mesa that we’re staring at
A view from the trail, back down at the campground. Good night Mesa Verde
posted by arr
July 4th, 2016
We’re on the road! …climbing, camping and visiting friends and family. First stop is Priest Draw in Flagstaff with the intent of finishing off the boulder problems we had tried a couple weeks prior. Paul succeeded. I need to go back.
Early bird gets the worm (or The Anorexic Roof all to themselves)
Paul sending Cosmic Tricycle, v10
The Anorexic Roof
Me NOT sending Meateater, v7
posted by arr
May 16th, 2016
Here is a peak of what we’ve been up to all spring, featuring Mr. Birthday boy himself. Happy Birthday Ivan!
posted by arr
March 31st, 2016
Today is my birthday. 38 years young, baby! And this morning I got one of the best birthday gifts EVER. EVER!! It all started at breakfast. Silas mentioned his loose tooth hurting more than usual while chewing.
This is Silas’ first loose tooth – a much anticipated event. He’s been eager to lose his teeth for about 2 years now. I’ve heard him ask many of his older-kid friends when they started losing their teeth. About a year ago, apparently feeling that he was behind schedule, Silas asked his dentist when his teeth would finally start getting loose and begin falling out and was utterly devastated when she told him that girls typically loose their teeth before boys and he still may have a while to wait. I watched him visibly deflate with her response. Devastated I tell ya, completely devastated. Over the course of the school year Silas has kept track of every classmate that has lost a tooth – their age, gender, what time of day the tooth came out, if there was risk of swallowing it with their food, etc. (details, details, details).
So finally, Silas’ day arrived. Smack dab on my birthday. At the breakfast table I ask him to show me the tooth’s wiggle status. Whoa! Significant progress from our last check a couple days ago. This tooth is ready to come out. I don’t make a big deal about it and simply say “Ooooo. It’s getting’ close!” We finish getting ready for school – get dressed, brush teeth, come hair, wash faces. At the end of this morning ritual Silas always gives me a big smacker of a kiss after I’m done washing his face. After the smacker, I move my face in real close to his and say with a bit of a hushed mischievous tone “What d’ya say we try an give that tooth a ‘lil tug?” I grin. He practically jumps out of his pants with excitement and before I can blink takes his pointer finger and yards the tooth right out of his mouth! It goes flying and we lose it momentarily (it somehow got stuck to the bottom of his sock), all the while the both of us yipping and cheering ecstatically. Ivan comes running into the bathroom and joins the celebration.
It was freakin’ awesome.
We finally contain ourselves and pile into the van to go to school: Silas gripping his ziplock baggy with the still-bloody tooth inside so he can show his teacher and classmates, Ivan shaking his head in disbelief in his adult-mannered way, and me grinning ear to ear with joy.
How the loss of a little tiny baby tooth can make a birthday mama so fulfilled with a sense of achievement? …..I’m not even going to try to understand, let alone explain. We might as well have summited Mt. Everest this morning. 🙂
posted by arr
March 9th, 2016
A few weeks ago Tucson celebrated its annual Rodeo Days. This is such a big deal here in the southwest that the kids actually have two days off from school during which time the rodeo is happening! City pride I suppose…kinda like the Pittsburgh kiddos getting the day off when the Steelers won the Super Bowl, haha.
Silas’ class had their very own rodeo celebration. They made stick ponies and learned all about cowboy / cowgirl life. Then had a “shindig” out back behind the school in the wash, where they built a campfire, sang songs, ate flapjacks and had a barrel racing competition with their stick ponies. Silas is now officially the cowboy of the family 🙂
Silas’ class riding their ponies down to the wash. (A 13 minute ride by stick pony!)
Ponies in their corral at the wash
Around the tissue-paper campfire. Flapjacks being cooked by the parent volunteers in the background
click here to listen to Silas playing ‘Home on the Range’ on his harmonica
Our cowboy displaying his record barrel racing time on his pony, “Summer” – 15 seconds!
The cowboy teams up with a sidekickposted by arr
