Cities

We started the New Year off with a trip to Baltimore to visit my friend who lives in the Federal Hill area of the city (where the above photo was taken). We all walked down to the Inner Harbor for dinner and a trip to the Maryland Science Center.


The next day we headed back up to Pennsylvania so Ediza could have some fun in a ball pit. She's been in search for one of these since New Zealand.



And yesterday we braved freezing weather and stinging wind to walk around the National Mall in Washington D.C. Amber and Ediza had never been there before. I think it's important that they (and all Americans) see it. We did the best we could given the weather. All major attractions — the Washington Monument, White House and Lincoln Memorial — were visited. Ediza even got to witness her first official protest!

Surprise!

We have been on the East Coast for a week now. Our visit was a surprise so we didn't tell anyone we were coming. We flew from Oakland to Las Vegas, where we had a surreal layover (they have slot machines, oxygen bars and vending machines that sell iPods there). Once we arrived in Baltimore, we took a taxi all the way out to my parents house and trekked through the deep snow in their front yard to ring the doorbell at midnight — the official start of Christmas Eve.

It took my mom a few days to get over the shock. I've got to visit with lots of relatives I haven't seen in awhile (this includes checking out one of my uncles new Grinch tattoo — no joke). Ediza has gotten to play with her cousins who live in Pennsylvania, and last night my mom took Amber to get a pedicure.

We woke up this morning to a fresh dusting of snow and Ediza tried out her new bear-claw snowshoes that Santa brought her. A year ago, Ediza was on my back during a snowshoe trek to a cabin in Yosemite. Things were a little bit different this time around.


For New Year's we went to Gettysburg. The night found us meeting a man on stilts dressed as Abraham Lincoln, having coffee and dessert at a diner and sipping champagne in the streets while watching a fireworks display. We wish everyone a happy, healthy and adventure-filled new year!

Holiday Photos

This year we went unconventional and decorated a piece of manzanita as our Christmas tree. Going this route has a number of practical benefits: it was free, it doesn't need watered and it helped clear the brush from someone's property. Aside from those reasons, it is very beautiful. The white lights paired with silver and crystal ornaments seem to give it a special glow.


During the past few weeks we have been attending many holiday parties and events. Earlier this month, I was an elf at a Christmas dinner for senior citizens. The following day we walked llamas in Twain Harte's charming Winter Wonderland Christmas Parade. Ediza preferred to be carried rather than ride on Mac.


Just the other day we participated in the 30th annual Pop Hudson Memorial Christmas Sing in downtown Sonora. The newspaper organizes the event, where community groups stand on the courthouse steps and lead Christmas carols. Everyone standing in the park below joins in. The newspaper's staff always starts the festivities by singing "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful." I got to sing a second time (with Ediza's preschool). Can you guess what song we sang?

One parade down, another to go

This photo was taken the other night at the 26th annual Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade. We've walked Mac and Golden in this parade for the past three years (since Ediza was just a little baby). This year, we're also participating in Twain Harte's Winter Wonderland Christmas Parade later this week.

As you can see, Ediza continues to grow. She is really enjoying her preschool, which is a cooperative run by parents. At the school, parents work directly with the children. Parents also help cook, attend meetings, perform maintenance and complete fundraising. For our fundraiser, Amber and I helped put on a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament. The event was a huge success and raised more than $1,000 for the school.

A few days later I celebrated my 28th birthday with a bowling party. That celebration led to Thanksgiving parties, which have quickly turned to Christmas cheer. Indeed, there's much to celebrate!

Pumpkin fairies

This Halloween Amber and Ediza are pumpkin fairies. Amber made the wings out of wire, panty hose, paint and lots of glitter. She tried to get me to be a pumpkin fairy as well, offering to make me a pair of "manly" wings. Once she showed me the tights she wanted me to wear, I knew that I was going as a pirate again. Arghhh.

This morning we went to a nearby shopping center where Ediza and tons of other kids paraded around to all the stores collecting candy. Ediza won third place (and a $10 gift certificate) for her costume!

Within the past week, we've been to two Halloween parties, and I got to hang out with a gravedigger for an article I wrote. Tonight we're going to the Sierra Waldorf School for their elaborate celebration. Happy Halloween to everyone!

The third year's a charm

The big news around here is that Ediza turned 3 on Friday. After cupcakes and a pumpkin hunt at preschool, she had a birthday celebration with Amber's parents and sister. We then went to see "Where the Wild Things Are" -- Ediza's first indoor movie. The movie was artistically done and had good music, however, the plot needed some work. Ediza has the book so well memorized that she can read it to us now.

The next day Ediza and six of her girlfriends painted pottery at her birthday party. Amber made festive party hats and the girls painted everything from tiny teacups to ceramic snakes. Here she is blowing out the last candle of her ice cream cake.


We ended the day with a family walk where bats flew around us at dusk. Today, after I finished working around the farm in the morning, we went up to the high country to visit the family ranch of our friend. It was a beautiful autumn day and everyone got into the Halloween spirit by carving pumpkins (check out the final creations).




Ediza ended her birthday weekend with a stroll around the mountains on a horsie named Luna.

Strawberry Hideaway

On Labor Day we returned from another Strawberry Music Festival and after a busy week of work, preschool, etc., I'm just now getting a chance to blog about it.

This time around our friends from Monterey, Maggy and Karen, came to stay with us a few days before and after. We camped with them in our usual spot hidden in the trees. Amber decorated the camp with butterfly ornaments to give it a whimsical feel.

What made this festival extra special was a beaming full moon that lit up the night. Musical highlights of the festival included Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, the Avett Brothers and the Del McCoury Band.


Here's Maggy and I at the Sunday morning revival, and below is Ediza taking a bath -- Strawberry style.