MKHKKH

Goodbye Dad

2022-10-31T21:51:00.001-06:00

My biological dad passed away on October 29th, 2022.

My sister Sunny called to tell me. My parents divorced when I was seven and my dad and his new wife soon moved to Michigan where he ran the security department for GM.

They moved quite a bit. So much that we only went back to the same place to visit him once over the next 5 years. He also welcomed my youngest sister Sunny during those years.

My dad was always a loner who loved animals. The best part of visiting was that he lived on a farm with chickens, kittens, dogs, cows, and horses.

I got an abandoned calf one summer, a Labrador puppy another, then a baby foal, a flock of baby chics for Easter, and a litter of kittens each time we visited.

This was the last summer that I went to visit my dad. My best friend Debbie came for two weeks. Because nothing is more important than friends in middle school.

My dad was the "fun" parent. Since we only saw each other a few spring breaks, at Christmas and for the summer, it was full of presents and days on the lake or playing with animals. He taught me to drive a stick shift at 12 years old out in the pasture. I would get to drive the flatbed while they loaded hay. It was a completely different life that the one I was being raised in California with my mom and Snork.

He steadily dropped out of my life after that summer. He didn't make it to any of my high school events, volleyball games, or graduation. I was surprised when he made it to my wedding and college graduation. He came by to meet Hailey when she was 18 months old, and that is the last time I ever saw my dad, nearly 20 years ago.

He never had the money nor could he leave the animals to come visit or pay his child support. When we were doing the Family 50 I reached out to him when we were in Memphis because we were only 30 minutes away from where he lived. He never responded to my text.

My dad was my world when I was a little girl. He hung the moon and the stars. Over the years the lies and disappointments slowly destroyed that. He had so many wonderful qualities that were overshadowed by the promises that never panned out and the lifetime of lies. He was very charming and charismatic. If you met him, you would never believe he was not a man of his word. He had a huge heart and loved to give gifts. He easily spoke of love and was very affectionate. He was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam war, was part of Rocky Flats security, and went on to be part of the SWAT team in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kerrie and I got to watch him repel out of a helicopter for a family day expo one summer. He understood animals better than people. He always had a dog or a horse by his side. I know I got my love for animals from him. His love of country music is ingrained into me as well. I will always think of him when I hear Amarillo by Morning and On the Road Again. He was also extremely athletic and excelled at track, basketball, football and swimming during high school. He briefly played football for the CU Buffalos before being drafted. Unfortunately, I don't know much about the man he was. All I have are the memories of my early childhood. He never met Karlie, Kaitlin or Hank.

With his passing I am most sad at all he missed. He missed my teenage years (lucky for him), being there while we struggled through college and getting on our feet as newlyweds. He missed being apart of his grandkids lives and knowing two of his daughters as adults. As a parent now, I can't imagine not doing everything to be a part of your kid's lives.

The little girl in me is sad. Sad there will never be a chance for him to hang the moon again. I pray you found peace with our heavenly Father. Life was not easy on you. I hope you are reunited with grandma and love and light surround you. I have missed you since I was 12 and I will continue to miss all that could have been.

Goodbye Dad.

80s Dinner Murder Mystery Party

2022-10-30T09:05:00.001-06:00

Magnum P.I. and Jane Fonda decided to throw an 80's themed Murder Mystery Dinner Party.

I decorated with snacks and drinks from the 80's and included a little trivia about each one.

White Zinfandel was at its peak and Squeeze It was born in 1985. Before this type of squeezable drink all drinks came in glass or cans.

Corona was first imported to the US in 1981. The slogan for Miller was Less Filling! Everything you wanted in a beer and less! Can't imagine why that didn't stick? For Coors it was Silver Bullet Won't Slow You Down. The Right Beer, Right Now!

Fireball was born in 1984. Tastes Like Heaven, Burns Like Hell!

Fruit Roll Ups were born in 1983.

Twinkies were the number one snack food until the late 80's.

Table decorations with jelly bracelets and mini Rubik's cubes.

Bright colored drinks with sexual innuendos were all the rage of the 80's. We opted for Blue Lagoon. It went so fast! LOL

We have such a fun group of friends that were willing to go all in on their costumes.

It was a little difficult to keep the game going with such a large crowd.

However, we did make it to the end!

We had Tina Queen and Dicky Dorkus along with Beetle Juice and Lydia Deetz.

We had Mavrick and Charlie along with our 80's punk kids.

Miami Vice and Dynasty rolled in with Sir Mix-a-Lot and Madonna.

Thomas Magnum and Jane Fonda, however, the group unanimously voted that I was channeling Olivia Newton-John more. Our 80's surfer and Madonna stayed in character all night!

After the murderer was found, we ended up doing Instagram challenges. Max and John did the tortilla challenge while the ladies did the wine plank challenge, hence how we ended up on the floor.

What a fun night being back in the 80's!

Bubbus B-day Bash

2022-10-24T08:37:00.009-06:00

My sister Kerrie (lovingly known as Bubbus) and her fiancé, Cliff, came out to celebrate her birthday.

We took them to Orange Sky for dinner. It was fun to get all dressed up and watch the sun sink behind Camelback mountain.

Cliff treated Kerrie and me to a blow out. I have never had one before. I felt a little like a lioness at first, but my stick straight hair fell out pretty quickly. By the time we went out on the town, it was a faint curl.

We went to the nightclubs in Old Town Scottsdale. We ended up feeling like really old people. We got there WAY too early. We were the first ones there at 8pm. We had to ask if they were even open. LOL - It didn't really start getting packed until 11pm when we were ready to go home. We were also shocked by the outfits, or lack of outfits, the waitress in the clubs wear. It was like a Victoria's Secret runway show complete with garter belts, stocking, and thongs. Max was saying in another 10 years, they will just be naked. It was very dystopian feeling. But we managed to have fun being silly together.

The next morning we hit the Hash Kitchen for brunch to have our favorite Build Your Own Bloody Mary.

Our final night we went the Salt and Lime festival. We got to sample 12 margaritas and get tacos. After that much tequila we were ready to ride the hot pepper!

They really gave Max a whirl!

I think Cliff has a future as a cowboy!

We loved having Kerrie and Cliff visit. Made us all wish we lived closer. Although, I think our livers are safer a 1000 miles apart. :)

South Beach

2022-10-17T20:42:00.001-06:00

Our final leg of our Florida trip was to stop at Robbie's Marina on our way back to Miami.

They are famous for being able to feed the giant Tarpon.

Of course we all had to give it a try.

My mom was the only one to get bit!

Kaitlin won best photo!

Hank and Gramps were really close to the water so their Tarpon didn't have to work so hard.

We stayed at a nice hotel on the beach. If it is considered South Beach, it is the very most North part of South Beach.

It rained in the morning but the sun came out in the afternoon. We thought we were being safe under the umbrellas but Max and I ended up getting one of the worst sunburns we have had in years. You would think coming from the valley of the sun that we would know better.

Before the storm Max and I got up at sunrise to do some yoga.

I think I prefer to watch the sun sink into the sea. It must be the California girl in me.

However, it was really nice to start the day this way!

We all had such a great time in Florida.

A Day to Remember at Dry Tortugous

2022-10-16T10:02:00.001-06:00

On our Florida National Park tour, we had to see Dry Tortugus.

The only way to reach the park is by ferry, private boat, or seaplane. It is 70 miles west of Key West and 90 miles North of Cuba.

The ferry ride is 2.5 hours each way. After our ferry ride to Channel Islands National Park, we opted for the seaplane.

My mom and I are both very afraid to fly. We discussed the pros and cons heavily before booking the flight. We decided we would be brave and take a once in a lifetime adventure!

At the end of September, Hurricane Ian hit the Keys and southern Florida causing mass destruction. The dock at Dry Trotugus was damaged so badly that it closed to all boats. The entire park was closed for a few days. When we arrived in Florida, the only way to visit the park was by seaplane. There is only one company permitted to land at the park, so the amount of visitors was scarce. The park reopened to the ferries the day we had booked to visit. However, we were the first flight out, so we had the island to ourselves for 2 hours!

While initially I was so scared to fly, it was more smooth and peaceful than any flight I have taken. Both my mom and I loved it!

Once we landed we found a spot on the beach and went to explore the Fort.

About 80,000 people visit Dry Torugus each year, making it the 9th least visited National Park.

According to Yankee Freedom, "Ponce de Leon discovered the Dry Tortugas in 1513 when he caught over 100 sea turtles there. Subsequently the islands were referred to as the “Tortugas” (turtles). During the 1600s and 1700s the area around these islands was used by pirates as a base for attacking merchant shipping in the Gulf."

"Fort Jefferson was built to protect the southern coastline of the United States and the lifeline of commerce to and from the Mississippi River. The fort was planned to be the greatest of these. Fort Jefferson itself is a six-sided building constructed of 16 million handmade red bricks. In 1825 a lighthouse was built on Garden Key to provide warning to sailors about the dangers of reefs and shoals surrounding the Dry Tortugas."

"The design of the fort called for a three-tiered six-sided 420 heavy-gun fort, with two sides measuring 325 feet, and four sides measuring 477 feet. The walls met at corner bastions, which are large projections designed to allow defensive fire along the faces of the walls they joined. The heavy guns were mounted inside the walls in a string of open casemates, or gunrooms, facing outward toward the sea through large openings called embrasures. Fort Jefferson was designed to be a massive gun platform, impervious to assault, and able to destroy any enemy ships foolhardy enough to come within range of its powerful guns."

"The Army employed civilian machinists, carpenters, blacksmiths, masons, general laborers, the resident prisoner population, and slaves to help construct the fort. By 1863, during the Civil War, the number of military convicts at Fort Jefferson had increased so significantly that slaves were no longer needed. At the time, there were 22 black slaves employed on the project."

"Fort Jefferson was also used as a prison for criminals and deserters during and after the Civil War. The most famous of these prisoners was Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was imprisoned for his involvement in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. During its time, Fort Jefferson held over 2,500 prisoners. After its use as a prison, Fort Jefferson became a quarantine station for the Marine-Hospital Service from 1888-1900, during which the location was also used in the Spanish-American War. With its rich historical background, Fort Jefferson finally received its designation as a National Monument in 1935, and then upgraded to National Park status by President George Bush in 1992."

My mom has to have knee replacement surgery in December, so she was not able to walk through to Fort with us. It was fun to see her down on the beach!

Too picturesque to not do some acroyoga. My dad laughed because he had no idea how ungraceful we actually are. He was laughing at my bright red face and how I almost rearranged Max's face when he let me down. Instagram shot for sure! :)

Handstands are a lot easier this way.

Our final place to explore were the coral reefs. There are 200 miles of reef around the 7 islands and over 250 ship wrecks. In 1622 a fleet of Spanish Treasure Galleons were struck by a hurricane. They all sunk near Dry Tortugas. While the Spanish recovered some of the their treasure, much was lost until treasure hunter Mel Fisher found the Aocha ship in 1982. He continued to find more treasure in 1985, making it the largest underwater treasure find in history. His family continues to look for treasure to this day. More than Just Parks. Our Capitan pointed out the treasure hunting ship as we flew over.

Max really loved our flight to Dry Tortugas. One passenger had to sit up front. I asked the Capitan if Max could sit co-pilot on the way back. Max was like a kid in the candy store. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face. I think I might have cerated my worst nightmare. After we landed, he told me he is definitely getting his pilots license. I told him he will ned to get a new wife! While I loved our trip, I am not sure I am ready to fly in a tiny little plane to my death. Time will tell. I never thought in a millions years I would take a seaplane, and there was no chance that I would enjoy it. But I did.

Key West Fishing

2022-10-15T14:46:00.001-06:00

Kaitlin loves to fish! More than any of our kids. Maybe even more than Max. As soon as we planned our trip, I knew fishing was going to have to be part of it.

We went with Live Action Sportfishing. I wish I could give them 100 stars!

Our guide Jagger worked his tail off to make all our fishing dreams come true. We first went after sharks!

Max reeled in the big daddy at 7 feet long. His arm was wasted the rest of the day. It was so exciting!

Next up was Hank. He fought with a 5 footer for quite a while before he gave up. Jagger thought by the way the shark fought that he had never been caught before. They use a hook that will quickly rust out of their mouth so they don't have to try and get near the mouth.

At first Kaitlin wasn't quite sure sharks were what she wanted to fish for, but after watching the boys reel them in, she cast her line and nabbed one. She quite easily pulled in a 5 footer as well.

He even smiled for the camera. ")

Captain Jagger offered me to catch one, but I said I would rather move on to where we could fish for something we could catch for dinner.

My parents were counting on us brining home some fresh seafood for dinner!

Once again Jagger did not disappoint. He kept moving from spot to spot. If they were not biting, he moved on until there was some action.

Hank had the biggest fish catch of the day with this big Yellow Tail. He was quite proud. After his day out with Jagger, he decided he actually might like fishing.

We had more Snapper and Yellow Tail than we could eat in one night.

My mom cooked it up beautifully. It was the best fish we all have ever had.

Live Action Sportfishing's main species they fish for is Tarpon. I think we will have to take a return trip to try for the Tarpon when they are in season. It was an unforgettable day on the water!

Biscayne National Park

2022-10-14T17:19:00.001-06:00

As we worked our way toward Key West, our first stop was Biscayne National Park.

Ninety-five percent of the park is underwater. It is part of the third largest coral reef system in the world. There are numerous snorkeling and diving opportunities within the park. We decided to take the historical cruise.

The notorious pirate, Black Caesar made this area his headquarters. According legend he buried 6 million worth of gold in the sandy shores.

Divers can explore any of the 44 sunken ship wrecks.

We learned so much on the historical cruise, with the story of Lancelot James being the highlight.

The South Dade News Leader wrote this article describe the amazing life of Sir Lancelot and his ability to achieve the American Dream.

Israel Lafayette Jones, born in Raleigh, NC, 1858, most likely born a slave. This can’t be proven through slave schedules, but at that time only one percent were freemen. He worked as a farmer and later moved to Wilmington, NC where he handled small boats and worked at the docks as a stevedore.

If he were a slave, it is believed he was freed and moved to Florida in 1892. Due to a freeze, he was unsuccessful raising oranges in Orlando and headed to Tampa. He searched for work as he continued south.

He found work as a caretaker for several properties in CapeFlorida. In 1893, he took on a foreman’s position at a pineapple farm. For nine years his caretaker and foreman positions taught him the skills needed to grow pineapples and key limes. During this time, Israel also worked for the Peacock Inn, Coconut Grove, as a handyman where he met his wife, Mozelle Albury. They married in 1895.

Israel purchased Porgy Key, an island on the southern edge of Ceasar Creek from Fletcher Albury for $300, in 1897. In 1898, he purchased Old Rhodes Key, of which Porgy Key was a part. Two years later he moved his family into the existing two-bedroom house. He and his brother, Samuel built a four-bedroom, two-story home. The family cleared the land of mahogany, gumbo-limbo, palmetto, and thorny vines to plant their key limes and pineapples. They also produced fruits and vegetables to supplement their income.

March 1897, King Arthur Lafayette Jones was born. Sir Lancelot Garfield Jones was born October 1898. Both were delivered by Dr. Henry Jackson (Jackson Memorial’s namesake) and a midwife. King Arthur and Sir Lancelot are believed to be the first black Americans to be born on Key Biscayne.

In 1911, Israel purchased Totten Key, a 250-acre pineapple plantation. King Arthur and Sir Lancelot were given ownership of Totten Key in 1929. Their mother’s health declined and she died shortly after. Their father died in 1932, age 73.

The Jones brothers carried 250 bushels of key limes to Miami weekly with their 32-foot boat, the Lone Star. Their farm became the largest producer of key limes and pineapples on the East Coast of Florida and the largest key lime producer in the state.

In 1935, the Jones brothers began fishing for bonefish and started a fish guiding business. In 1938, due to the 1926 Hurricane damage to their farmlands and Mexico’s ability to produce greater quantities of pineapples and key limes, they decided to leave the farming business. WWII stopped their guide business for a few years.

They supplied a private club, The Coco Lobo Club, with stone crabs and lobster. Sir Lancelot’s reputation as a guide provided him with the opportunity to guide such notables as Herbert Hoover, Lyndon Johnson, Charles “Bebe” Rebozo, Richard Nixon, and others.

Islandia, Miami-Dade’s smallest municipality, of which the Jones property was the second largest, was declared a National Monument in 1968 and a National Park in 1980. By 1985, Sir Lancelot and one other citizen were the only residents, along with park rangers, to live within the boundaries. October 23, 2013, the Jones property, The Jones Family Historic District, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sir Lancelot King Arthur died February 1966, and his sister-in-law, Kathleen, sold the property to the National Park Service, 1970. Sir Lancelot believed the area should be preserved and the more than 277 acres was sold for over a million dollars with Sir Lancelot granted to live the remainder of his life in his home.

His home’s electricity was provided by solar panels and he used rain water for washing. He spent his retirement relaxing, reading, and sharing his ecological knowledge, often with children visiting the Environmental Education Center at the Adam’s Key Ranger Station.

The family home burned down from a propane tank fire, 1982, moving him into the caretaker’s shack. Hurricane Andrew destroyed the shack and forced him to permanently leave the island. He lived the last years of his life with family friends, the Adderly’s. Sir Lancelot Garfield Jones died December 22, 1997, age 99.

We also learned we were lucky to be in the off season. For one, the weather was perfect. Second, the guide told us usually this island is covered with boaters coming to BBQ and hangout, often having to park the boats two abreast of each other. We had the island to ourselves. While I worried the historical cruise might be boring, we all really enjoyed learning so much about Biscayne National Park. Next time we will have to snorkel.

Our next stop was Key Largo. We went to the famous Caribbean Club bar, where the movie Key Largo was filmed.

It was a nice spot to have a cocktail and break up the drive.

I highly recommend sitting outside.

Our last stop was in Tavernier, which is about 2 hours from Key West.

The Blonde Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory has been voted the best Key Lime Pie in Florida, so of course we had to stop. It was very good indeed. We were full and ready to get to our hotel in Key West!

Everglades National Park

2022-10-13T08:43:00.001-06:00

After leaving the art museum in Tucson we headed straight for the airport in Phoenix to take off for Florida!

The next morning my parents met us at Everglades National Park. We invited them to spend fall break with us exploring southern Florida.

We warned them that it would not be a relaxing vacation, but a typical states style vacation where we do and see as much as we can.

They were ready! Our first adventure was to visit Everglades Safari Park and take an airboat ride through Everglades National Park.

None of us had ever been on and airboat. We had the best guide who taught us so much about the Everglades and had a clear passion for what he did. He is also part of Florida's python removal program. Pythons have become invasive and are destroying the ecosystem. Our guide showed us the nearly 19 foot python he caught.

It was such a thrill to glide over the water.

He found a gator nesting spot where we saw tons of babies. He pointed out adults as well, but I was not quick enough to get their photo.

We learned so much about the Everglades.

That night we ordered take out and played cards before crashing to bed.

U of A Family Weekend 2022

2022-10-11T08:06:00.001-06:00

It was so awesome to do family weekend with both our big girls!

The best part might have been everyone excited about being matchy-matchy!!!

Our first stop was at Hailey's sorority for brunch.

ChiO has delicious food and we all feasted. We had toured her house last family weekend. It is such a beautiful sorority house.

Next we visited Karlie's sorority. She is a Sigma Kappa!

Since we had just eaten, we just toured her house.

Karlie couldn't wait to show us the frat scene.

We walked around campus before hitting frat row.

We ran into some of our good fiends at Kappa Alpha, which was Colby's frat when he attend U of A.

Its hard to put in words how crazy this day is. There are parents and kids of all ages drinking up. Dads doing keg stands and moms doing beer bongs. This never happened when we were in college. LOL

After getting our fill of the frats we went to the family tailgate to get some dinner before the game. They planned poorly and the food trucks ran out fo food by the time we got there. So we rounded up some dinner and went to the game.

It was a lovely night to all be together.

While we were down for the weekend Max and Hailey got a chance to go to her favorite bar the Buff. I was too bushed and stayed with Kaitlin and Hank. They had a great night.

On Sunday morning before we left we were able to go to the University of Arizona Art Museum. Hailey works at the front desk and as a security guard. Family weekend was the big Weekend to unveil the return of the stolen Willem de Kooning painting "Woman-Ochre." It was stolen 37 years ago from the University. It is an amazing unsolved mystery that you can read about here. Everyone we met at the museum raved about Hailey and how much they love her. It was so neat to see her in her element. Family weekend was the best!

Homecoming 2022

2022-10-06T09:47:00.001-06:00

Hank's first and Kaitlin's second (due to COVID) Homecoming!

I can now say boys and girls do Homecoming a little differently.

There was much shopping and planning for Kaitlin's outfit. Hank used a shirt and pants he had from the basketball season and ordered a hot pink bow tie, belt, and matching pink sunglasses off of Amazon.

Karlie came home to see them on their big night.

Aunt Anna was visiting and got to be a part of the chaos too.

Of course their group photos were at the same time in opposite directions so we had to divide and conquer.

Max went with Hank and I went with Kaitlin.

Kaitlin's group did pictures at the fountain in Fountain Hills.

These girls have been besties for a long time.

The party bus picked them up and took them to dinner and the dance.

Hank was in a giant group. One very generous family hosted a catered dinner in their backyard and then the party bus took them out for the night.

Before we let for Canada, Hank asked his girlfriend of 5 months to Homecoming with a sweet poster. They attended different schools so he said, "It would be Twice as Sweet to get to go to Homecoming Twice with You." However, while we were in Canada, they broke up.

By the time Homecoming rolled around the next week, he had a new date and girlfriend. She is a sweetheart.

The dynamic duo. These two goofballs have been by each other's side since Pre-K.

They might also be double trouble.

Love they are getting to do all of those special high school milestones together.

Auntie Anna Visit

2022-10-04T08:36:00.001-06:00

We were so lucky to host Anna and Bob for the weekend. The kids were crazy busy with homecoming but Max, Anna, and Bob managed to fit in a lot of crafting time. In Anna's last visit, she and Max did some epoxy resin pours for coasters. It was not cured by the time she left, so this was the perfect opportunity to finish the project. They also wanted to show Bob the epoxy resin process so they had to do a few more pours!

One highlight was showing them how the wood planer works. Such a fun machine for wood working.

A coaster made from a hexagon from Michales.

Diorama epoxy resin pour for rubber duckies in a pond.

This one turned out great. The light pink epoxy with the pink bougainvillea looked great after planing the wood base off the bottom.

Karlie surprised us with a quick visit from Tucson to see Anna and Hank's first Homecoming!

Anna pranked us by hiding over a hundred mini rubber ducks all throughout the house. We sent a boat load back to her with the finished resin projects but are still finding them from time to time :)

It was such a fun visit. Looking forward to the next one.

Wrapped In Love

2022-10-02T08:58:00.004-06:00

Last October when my nieces' father passed away, I asked them to each pick out a bunch of their dad's T-shirts so that I could make them a memory quilt.

I have been using my mom's sewing machine that my grandmother gave to her as a wedding present since shortly after Max and I got married.

The machine is older than I am!! It needed a serious tune up. When we looked a the cost of the tune up, you could buy a new sewing machine with far more features for less. So crazy.

Max surprised me and got me a new sewing machine for my birthday. I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't start working on the quilts until September. I wanted to have them ready for his one year anniversary.

Finn was by my side the entire time making sure I lined everything up just right.

It was really hard at first to cut up the shirts. They had been in plastic bags, so when I opened them, they smelled like Clayton. It was heavy to be handling his clothing knowing that he is no longer on this earth. My heart aches for the girls. They are all too young to lose a parent.

I found some super soft backing to make it snuggly.

At least the pool table is getting used for something.

My sister had her girls open them the morning of Clayton's one year anniversary.

She said they were really touched.

Clayton has an older daughter from a prior marriage. I sent Brandy hers and she too loved it. My hope is when they are missing their dad, they can wrap up and feel his love. And maybe a little of Aunt Katie's love too.

September Speakeasy

2022-09-30T20:54:00.001-06:00

For September's MNO I made reservations at The Beverly, which is a speakeasy style bar. You would never guess from the outside that it a chic bar with fancy cocktalis on the inside.

This night was MUCH more tame than our last one.

Always nice to get out with the girls and try out a new place.

Larch Valley

2022-09-29T09:32:00.001-06:00

Sometimes you plan and research and things just don't go according to plan or the weather does not cooperate, like our attempted hike in Ireland.

Then once in a while everything goes to plan and it is magical.

We had been watching the weather for weeks before our trip and it was supposed to be raining/sleeting for most of it. We were very disappointed that another hiking opportunity would be wrecked by weather. But as the trip got closer more and more days started to improve. Even at the start of our trip the last few days were supposed to be raining. But the winds changed and we ended up with a glorious fall day to hike up the larch valley.

It was overwhelming to read about the logistics to get a spot to be able to hike here. People get to the parking lot at 4am to get a spot and wait for the trail to open. This is another reason we opted to stay at the Fairmont.

They have a private shuttle for guest that drop you off at the trail head and take you back to the hotel. Priceless!

It was easy to see why this is such a sought after experience. Since it only last for one week and this particular valley is full of Larch trees, it feels like you are walking through a forrest of gold.

The early morning light lit up the trees so beautifully.

We found a little trail off the main path that led to an open place to try some more poses.

We don't like to interrupt other people's experience or embarrass ourselves in front of other people. LOL

While we usually get a nice shot, there are many flops and out takes.

He certainly deserves a beer!

I love the Larch trees. It was like a Charlie Brown tree made of gold. :)

It was a magical day hiking through the Larch Valley.

At the base is Lake Moraine, which rivals the beauty of Lake Louise.

We had some time before the shuttle bus pick up, so we rested lakeside. After 7 miles and a few too many yoga poses, we were bushed. Spraling out on rocks felt lovely and Max cooled his feet in the glacier lake.

We still had to drive back to Calgary for our flight the next morning, so we grabbed a coffee to keep us chugging. I am so grateful we got to experience the awe and wonder of the Larch Valley and lovely Lake Louise.

Lovely Lake Louise

2022-09-27T09:47:00.001-06:00

Once Max's conference was over we headed for Lake Louise.

We decided to splurge and stayed the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. It is the only hotel next to the lake and just like all other national parks and wonders it has become more of a Disneyland experience than quiet retreat into nature.

Social media has encouraged people to travel. When Max came 13 years ago he drove his car on a Sunday parked and walked around. Now the parking lot fills up at 7 am and there are shuttle buses from overflow lots and it gets pretty crazy busy around the lake with visitors.

Often social media filters things so that you are disappointed when you see it in real life. I am thrilled to report it is all true with Lake Louise! It really is this magnificent teal! We were at the lake at 9:30am and the buses had not shown up yet. There were only two other couples taking photos. We took photos for each other. It was indeed lovely!

One of the perks of staying at the hotel is you get VIP access to the red canoes. We were able to skip the hours long line and got a reduced price.

The wind was behind us making going to the end of the lake a breeze.

However, once we got chilled and were ready to return we really had to put our back into it to get back to the doc.

After our canoe on the Lake it was time to do the famous hike to the Lake Agnus tea house.

I had visions of getting some hot tea and taking in the views. But it was too Disneyland. The line was so long and the area around Lake Agnus was swarming with people. Thus far the hike had been very crowded.

Originally we were just going to do the hike to the Tea House, however we decided to keep going and do the Little Beehive hike to the top to see if we could find a quiet place to take in the amazing scenery.

We found couple spots but just kept going because the people started decreasing dramatically with each step up we took. The views also kept getting better! This was our lunch spot.

We even found a spot for a pose. :)

The biggest treat was the Larches at the top. They had just begun to turn. I had never heard about Larch trees until we began planning this trip and I read that there is only a week that they turn golden in September.

We were blessed to be visiting that one magical week.

According to the USDA, Larches "are conifer trees like pines because they have needles instead of leaves, and their seeds grow in cones. Unlike pines they are not evergreen; they are deciduous. In the autumn, the needles of larches turn golden and then drop off the branches."

It felt like we were in a fairy forest land.

We must have taken 1000 pictures because each time you looked, it seemed more beautiful.

What started out as not our favorite hike grew into one of our all time favorites. It just shows you have to keep pushing higher.

After 6 miles of hiking with 1800ft of elevation, we were ready for some wine and dinner. This room was worth the splurge. When and where can you ever has this view out your window?

We ended up with a pretty nice view for dinner as well. We had the fondue. I am embarrassed to admit, I had to unbutton my pants under the table because I was so full! When it was time to leave, I could barely get them re-buttoned. It was worse than Thanksgiving! We didn't leave an ounce of cheese or chocolate in the pot. Good thing we hiked all day. :)

While we were exploring and seeing some of the most beautiful views in the world, Kaitlin took this picture at home and sent it to us. What a wonderful world...

Oh Canada

2022-09-26T13:00:00.001-06:00

The following day Max had to be at the conference very early but then had a few hours off before he had to return. The conference was held up on the North end of town and we stayed in the heart of town.

We decided to meet at the trailhead to hike to the summit of Tunnel Mountain. On my way I ran into a mama deer with twins.

You can see one in the lower left and just the head of the one up in the right corner by the trees. She came so close. I don't know much about deer but they seem really skinny for September. I hope they will be ok through the winter.

We hardly saw anyone starting so early in the morning.

We found a couple cute spots to take a rest.

It is hard to find a better view or seat on a mountain!

We tried a quick pose, but I was absolutely freezing, so this was the best we got. Have to keep working on this one.

After our hike up, we then hiked down to the Bow River falls.

Max didn't get a chance to do this hike last time he was visiting Banff, so he was stoked to get to this time.

The mountains, the valleys, and the glacier rivers are just so breathtaking.

Being in nature with him and the kids is my favorite place to be.

We had to hurry back to the conference so Max could finish the day. While he worked I got some shopping done. A win-win! :)

We decided to try a roof top Mexican restaurant. While I love Canada, I do not recommend Mexican food while there. They had a "wet" burrito so I asked if it was red or green sauce and she replied it is gravy. That should tell you how good the "Mexican" was. LOL. I will just have to stick with the Corona while in Canada.

Banff Gondola and Upper Hot Springs

2022-09-25T12:16:00.001-06:00

Max had a half day at the conference so we tried to pack in as much as possible.

By pure chance our friend Monique from Canada, who has moved to Panama, was back visiting family and friends. They happened to be taking a trip to Banff the same week we were! We were able to meet up for some play time at the park and a cup of coffee. It was so wonderful to see her and and meet her partner and sweet baby boy. Mo is pure sunshine.

Next we hopped on the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur's summit, which is only 5,194 feet. It was great to be able to hike and not be out of breath like we usually are in the mountains.

The views were breathtaking.

We climbed the ridge top boardwalk to the very top and were rewarded with sweeping views of valleys and nearby peaks.

We found a spot to do a mountain pose of our own.

It was a Rocky Mountain high kind of day!

Near the base of the gondola is the Banff Upper Hot Springs. They are the highest elevation hot springs in Canada.

While soaking in the natural hot springs you have views of Spray River Valley and Mount Rundle. It was a lovely way to end our morning.

After Max finished up for the day we met for some beers. I will find my beach anywhere, even in a parka!

Twister

2022-09-24T08:06:00.001-06:00

Max was invited to monitor a conference in Banff, Canada. I was lucky enough to get to tag along!

Max went to the same conference 13 years ago and he told me then that one day he was going to take me back with him. He said the mountains there made the Colorado Rockies look small.

He was right! I couldn't believe how dramatic and steep the prominence of the Banff mountains were. I used to think Telluride was the most beautiful mountain town.

While Max was at the conference I decided to go for a horseback ride along the Bow River. My horse's name was Twister. I should have recognized the foreshadowing.

As they were going over the general safety rules and how to lead a horse, I was thinking to myself - like we would actually need to know how to ride. Trail rides are always just follow the leader and the horses move at a slumbering pace until they can see the barn on the way home. I looked judgeingly at the people in my group. There was a group of Asian tourist dressed to the nines in Gucci and new, white tennis shoes. They seemed more interested in taking selfies than listen to the instructors. I mentally sneered thinking I would be the most experienced rider in the group and hoped to get at the front to not get all the dirt kicked up by the horses in front.

As we strolled along everything was going as I imagined. Nice, simple, slightly boring trail ride. Then the leader's horse spooked out of no where and took off for the trees. The guide had to jump so as not to be clotheslined. At that moment my horse decided he wanted nothing of whatever was up ahead and did a quick turn and a buck just for good measure. I managed to hold on for the spin around but then my face was at my knee and decide to jump for the trees so as not to get trampled! I landed hard against some branches and had the wind knocked out of me for a few breaths. The guide at the end of the group was able to catch my horse and the lead guide had rounded up her horse and came back to check on me. After making sure I was ok she offered to have someone come pick me up. I just smiled at her and said, "you have to get back in the saddle!" I dusted off the dirt and she bandaged up my finger that got little cut from the reins and we continued on our way.

The lead horse was too spooked to continue leading so the two guides switched spots. Twister was also very nervous so they decided to tie him to the lead horse for the rest of the ride. These were my bruises that night! I can tell you they got much uglier and I still have a knot in my calf. I learned y lesson. Don't get so high on your horse or you will get knocked on your bum!

Boots in the Park

2022-09-19T15:39:00.001-06:00

When I heard Tim McGraw was going to be playing in Tempe, I knew we had to go!

My good friend Cherilynn is a die hard fan of Tim as well, so we always drag our husbands along for the show. After having so much fun at the concert in the coliseum last year, our friend Krisse wanted to go too!

At first we had a hard time finding each other because we all came in separately and there was no cell service by the stage. I found Dave and Cher and Max found Chris and Krisse. We were all so excited to find each other in the big crowd! Luckily Max, Dave and Chris are very tall so we could spot them in the crowd.

Tim is such performer. He sang almost all our favorites.

We were having quite the night! :)

Then as he came back out for the encore, he fell off the stage!

I happened to be videoing.

He came right over to us and held Max's had to steady himself. So fun and crazy to see him so up close!

There is nothing better than getting to watch one of your favorite singers perform while in the arms of your favorite man. Boots in the Park was one of those nights...

Desert Dudes 2022

2022-09-13T15:43:00.001-06:00

Hank and Max were able to fit in a Fall 2022 Desert Trip with the usual gang at Cuddeback Lake.

As always, it starts with lots of motorcycling in the dry lake.

Always fun to have Uncle John show up on his restored Suzuki 125RM.

Hank on the pump track next to camp,

Checking Max's crash site. He bailed early on the first day which kept them all a bit safe and timid for the weekend.

A rare pic of Max racing across the dry lake.

They did the standard long ride from the small dry lake to the northland of Cuddeback Lake. They love racing at speed across the wide open dry lake, 3 abreast with Pops in the Red Car.

Stark beauty of the desert.

Hank always likes to take a passenger out in the Red Car to see just how dirty he can get them.

Max was the tribute this trip.

Dust everywhere! So glad that was not me!

Filthy! Glad they took the camp shower!

They grabbed Uncle Dave and tried to make the circuit around Fremont mountain. Unfortunately, one wrong turn had them off course and they had to retrace their course. Next time!

Desert trips are not complete without target shooting.

And throwing clay birds.

They mixed it up a bit this time and did group dinners which was fun. Seven steaks on two barbecues was great.

Max has been taking this pic of Hank right before heading home from the dirt road on each trip. My how he has changed over the years. So happy all the boys get to get out together and play in the dirt. :)

Labor Day Weekend

2022-09-09T09:08:00.001-06:00

Labor Day weekend is the opening day for dove hunting.

Max and Hank have been going out with our friends Reece and Bob for a few years. The boys got up at 3am to drive to the hunting location.

There were not as many doves as usual. Luckily Bob and Reece are pretty good shots. They brought in 5 and Hank brought in one. Max was feeling under the weather with a bad cold and even fell asleep on his chair.

We had a nice feast of dove tacos over at Bob and Cahterine's.

While the boys were away the girls went homecoming shopping. Aimee and Bill had plans to go out of town and her parents were going to watch Juiliana but they came down with Covid and were too sick, so we had girls day out!

She is like Kaitin's little sister.

We had the usual suspects over for a pool party.

It was a pretty relaxed and quiet Labor Day weekend for us.

It is always nice to hang out with all our buddies.

Sink or Swim

2022-09-07T08:08:00.001-06:00

Much to his dismay, Hank made the varsity swim team. Last year when all he could dream about was getting a motorcycle we asked him if he would join the swim team if he got a bike. Getting a bike seemed so out of the question that he said, "of course!" So, I had him shake on it. If somehow we found him a bigger bike, he promised he would try out for the swim team.

Hank is a natural swimmer. His body is built for swimming. Without putting much effort or having good form, he is able to beat boys his age and older. If he wanted to, he could be really good. My dad was an All American swimmer, so the genetics are there. However, the heart has to be in it and Hank's heart is not in swimming. He loves motorcycles and basketball. LOL

He made the team and I convinced him to go to the team meeting where you buy all the gear and learn about the season. While we were there, he told me he really didn't want to do it. I said ok and we headed for the car. The coach came running after us yelling Hank's name in the parking lot. We went to talk with her and she begged Hank to give it a try. She said she would work around his basketball schedule and take whatever of him he could participate in. I could see Hank did not want to but she was saying how much potential he had and she wanted him for the next four years! He reluctantly agreed to join the team.

I regret not standing up for him again such pressure. It is hard to turn down a coach that so clearly wants you to be a part of the program and a mom that wants you to give it a try so badly. I thought once he saw how good he could be, he would like it. Hank hates getting up for 5:30 am practice but he does it anyway because he is trying to be a man of his word - even if he is horribly grumpy. There are terrible mornings where I am pretty sure he hates my guts. But once in a while he has a good practice and comes out with a smile.

He went to the first meet and did well. But I can just see there is no fire in his eyes. So he will finish out the season splitting his time between fall ball and swim. It has seems it is a bit of a sink and swim. I sunk when I coerced him into it and he is just keeping his head above water for 8 weeks. You never stop learning as a parent.

Fat Man's Pass

2022-09-03T09:10:00.001-06:00

On the last Sunday of August we managed to squeeze in Fat Man's Pass hike just in time to make 8 out of 12 new hikes this year.

Finding hikes that we have not done near us is getting more challenging. We drove as long as we hiked for this one.

Fat Man's Pass is in South Mountain along the Mormon Trailhead to Hidden Valley Loop. It is about 4 miles round trip and only 1000 ft of elevation gain.

Most of the trail is wide open with views of the surround Phoenix valley.

However, there is the Fat Man's Pass, which we thought should be called Skinny Man's Pass, that you have to squeeze through to continue.

August is still a little too hot for hiking. We were glad as we were leaving that we had gotten up so early to start the hike at sunrise. It was getting really hot by 8 am.

We had just enough time to hike and strike a pose with the Saguaro before heading home.

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends...

2022-08-29T09:16:00.001-06:00

I tend to overestimate how much we can do in a day, a weekend, and on vacation.

The weekend we moved Karlie into her dorm, I thought we could host one of the stops for our neighborhood progressive dinner. I didn't realize how emotionally and physically drained we would be.

I was thinking it was just appetizers, no big deal. When am I going to learn?

I think many husbands would get angry with their wife for always packing os much in, but Max jumped in and started making the bruschetta and crafiting the Aperol Spritz.

Everyone brought their electric bikes, golf carts, and scooters. Max figured we could hop on the Honda to ride a few doors down. If Hank ever does this I will kill him! Do as I say, not as I do. Or he can do it when he is 45! We may or may not have done this at 16...

This progressive dinner was Italian themed. Monique and I thought it would be fun to start an around the world theme. We had capresse, bruschetta, antipasto platter and Aperol Sprits.

Monique and John had the main course of pasta, meatballs, cesear salad, and wine.

Lydia and Chris has dessert with Terrimasu and chocolate martinis. Lydia has an extensive tea mug and tea selection so I had to finish off the night with tea in the unicorn mug! We got to meet three new couples in our neighborhood. We have seen each other but have just waved, so it was great to finally meet everyone. I wish we had started doing this 10 years ago!

The following Tuesday was our monthly Mom's Night Out. This one was a boohoo happy hour for all of us that left a piece of our heart on a college campus somewhere. I am grateful to have mamas like these in my life as we navigate the good, the bad, and the hard parts of parenting.

In the span of a week after dropping Karlie off we hung out with friends three times. That is like three times more than in a normal month! Our good friends Brian and Felice are sending off their son next week. We went to dinner and talked about how hard it is to become 50% parents. They have two kids and will be down 50%, we have four kids and are now down to 50%! LOL. It is universally hard for all of us to close the childhood chapter despite how happy and excited we are for our kids. Letting go might be my biggest challenge, but I am gettin by with a little help from my friends...

Hailey's Back to School Date

2022-08-26T08:49:00.001-06:00

After moving Karie in and getting her all settled, we said our goodbyes and with weary bodies and cried out eyes we went to Hailey's house.

We shared a bottle of wine before reseting and heading out on her back to school date.

I will admit it was a quick turn. It was a little difficult to move from the space of leaving Karlie and then getting pumped up to party with Hailey. But a girl has got to do what a girl has to do!

We went to Obon sushi. It was frustrating because we were starving and ended up waiting over an hour for our food. But once we were not hangry we cheered up and went to the roller skating rink.

Hailey loves to roller-skate and thought it would be fun to show us her rink. Max and I tried to remember the last time we went roller skating and think it was nearly 15 years ago. We have not gone since we lived in AZ, so at least 11 years!

After a few laps around I was feeling pretty confident and decided to go fast. Dumb! I went around the corner and next thing I knew my skates were parallel to my face and bum hit the ground so hard I thought I broke it. I had a giant bruise show up immediately. I am pretty sure I will have this bruise to last me another decade.

The rink was starting to get crowded and we decided to call it a night before one of us really got hurt! It was of fun skating with Hailey. I felt like a kid again.

The next stop was to go to Hailey's all time favorite bar! How crazy go to a bar with your kid. When did we get old enough for this nonsense??

The Buff is the oldest bar in Tucson. When we were moving Karlie in, her roommate's parents are U of A alumni and they couldn't believe the Buff was still standing because it was a dive bar 25 years ago!

It was like a dirty Cheers. Many the partrons knew the bartenders and each other well. Hailey's honorary has a tradition of opening the bar at 6:30 am! So she knows the morning bartenders. LOL. It was such a special night getting to see Hailey's scene and some of her favorite places in Tucson. None of us can believe it is her senior year!!