New Year's Resolution

1. Update the family blog more often. I think Aaron asks me daily if I have abandoned our blog. The answer is no. Just taking a short hiatus. The main thing that has kept me from updating (Facebook) is the problem I am having with my computer and camera. You see, they are in a dysfunctional relationship right now. The computer just will not pay any attention to my camera. Looks like I might need to find my camera a new partner. For me that means no pictures to download and that just takes all the fun out of posting anything.

And there is no number 2 resolution. See y'all in 2010!

Kindergarten!!!!

We made it! Yay for kindergarten!

Today is the day that Chloe will start her school career. I will admit I was a little nervous for her. New school, new schedule, new teacher, new friends. But just like when we dropped her off at preschool 2 years ago, she didn't even look back to see if we were still there. When I went to pick her up you should have seen the gaggle of parents hanging off of the fence waiting to pick up their kindergarteners. I know they were ready to assault their kids with thousands of questions about their first day. Remember, it was only 4 hours long, half days here in the great state of California. I asked Chloe about her day and all I got was, "It was boring. We had to sit in boring desks." Yikes. After asking a few more questions the day did seem to get better. She ate her lunch in the lunchroom!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Pretty in pink.
Posing with Ryder.
Outfit completed with Hello Kitty backpack.
What careless parents we are! Where the heck are her sunglasses!
After her first day with her friend and classmate, Gavin. Notice her new specs?

Better than Chinese Water Torture

A few weeks ago I did the unthinkable. I broke our portable DVD player. GASP! OH, the horror! I know, I know. At first, well at first I panicked because we were in the middle of a road trip longer than 3 hours long and I wasn't sure if we could finish the trip. Might as well turn around now I thought. As it turns out, the kids did amazingly well. They, if you can believe this, look out the windows. Yes, they did. So, Aaron and I were feeling quite cocky about this discovery and decided to take another long road trip. A seven hour road trip. (and I don't want to hear from you people who take longer trips that this. This is my story, not yours! :) )

Anyway, we left this last weekend for another camping trip in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. It was another great camping adventure. And for you followers, the canoeing was the best. We were there for 4 days and 3 nights. We saw lots more wildlife, including a deer that walked right thru the campsite next to ours. Plus as an extra bonus, we had a bear visit us, or our trashcan I should say, during the night. I guess he smelled that yummy chicken noodle soup we ate and wanted to taste test it himself. Good times!

Now you ask, "What can be better than Chinese water torture?" How about driving home with our little Motormouth and Mockingbird! For almost seven hours, there was a constant stream of questions coming from the backseat. It went something like this:

Mama, what's a radio tower?how does it work?are Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift friends?why does Miley Cyrus wear a wig?I'm hungry, can i have something to eat?daddy, why are there cars?why do we drive on roads?how long is 2 hours?is it like a week?can we eat now?where are the Indians?why don't they live in tee pees?mama, do Indian girls play with Barbies?are Indians poor?what's a casino?mama, can I have an orange now?where's the Miller family?are they behind us?are they in front of us?are we in front or behind?where's the elk?what's an elk?daddy, mama, why do I have toes?why was Eden born first?why was Ryder born last?mama, can you have another baby?what did I eat when I was a baby?

And yes, my space bar does work. I am only illustrating the fact that my kids don't require air therefore, no pauses between questions. The only way I can describe this experience is like sitting for a 7 hour exam filled with life's most mind-numbing questions. Honestly, those kids can fire off questions faster than a Gatling gun. By hour 4 of our trip, Aaron's and my brain had turned to jello. Our brain cells were dying off faster than they were being replaced. I found myself praying, "Dear Lord, make me small enough to fit inside the glove compartment!" Of course, Ryder didn't fall asleep until 2 hours before we got home and Chloe hung on until the last hour. I believe her last question was something like, "are there judges in Yucca Valley?" I am sure that if the question session went on any longer I would have been willing to divulge every secret I've ever kept in order to have a moment of silence. So if Homeland Security is recruiting for interrogators, Chloe and Ryder are available. Chloe will ask the questions and Ryder will repeat them until sufficiently answered. Homeland Security may submit a list of questions but these questions may or may not, probably never be used. However, all the people on the FBI's Most Wanted list will be located within 24 hours.

*pictures to follow*

August Already???

So, yeah, we haven't updated our blog for a few weeks. But I have an excellent reason! We recently had to wiped our computer clean because of an awesome malware program Aaron found and downloaded. He still can't give me a good reason why and he is certain that he didn't do it. Although, I am 1000% sure he did. Anyways, I have to download our camera program again and I just can't seem to find the time to do it. Takes away from my Facebook time. Maybe next week.

Well, we are getting ready for yet another camping trip to the eastern Sierra Nevadas. But this time we are bringing our newest acquisition, thanks to our good friends, a canoe. I am super excited about it. It will just add one more activity, other than hiking, to our camping adventures. Look for pictures next week. Possibly. Maybe. :)

School starts for Chloe in 2 1/2 weeks and I can't be more excited. The kids are so burned out on summer. Lately, I have had to referee one too many spats. And it doesn't help that it's ridiculously hot outside. We manage to go outside long enough to eat our popsicles then it's back inside before our skin melts off.

That's about it. See ya soon!

Sierra Nevadas

We just returned from 4 nights and 5 days up in the Sierra Nevadas. WOW. Water falls, wild flowers, beaver dams, starry nights, lakes, and streams. It was like something out of a Backpacker magazine. We all had a blast and can't wait to return. Below are some of the photos.