Warm Wishes from the Wild West

We got this Old West photo done at Kamice's Photographic Establishment as part of my latest L.A. Times travel story: Just in time for the holidays, a family-friendly weekend escape to California's Columbia State Historic Park. Happy holidays! 

Happy New Year

Hope 2017 is off to a great start. Here’s some photos from our holiday season:

Ediza and Gus wearing matching pajamas on Christmas Eve

During the week of Thanksgiving, we returned to the East Coast and covered a lot of ground.

Outside of the Dobbin House Tavern, where you can dine by candlelight in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Caught a ride with this whale on the beach at Ocean City, Maryland

We explored Baltimore’s Inner Harbor via water taxi for my birthday. Following lunch, we took a boat over to an outdoor ice rink and later rode back across to a historic tavern in Fells Point. Highly recommend checking out the city this way.

 

Season's Greetings

We returned this year to the Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade, which is held annually the night after Thanksgiving. This photo was taken at the start of the route near the Red Church. Amber made wreaths with lights for around the llamas necks, and Ediza was a pro walking her llama the whole way. Speaking of pros, thanks to Maggie Beck for the festive photo!

Earlier that week, we spent my birthday exploring Moaning Cavern (which we hadn't done before) and sampling beer at Prospectors Brewing Company (which we have done before). Also that day, my latest L.A. Times travel piece ran: Visiting San Francisco? Say yes to NoPa

We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and an incredible New Year ahead!

Happy Holidays!

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and have a New Year full of fun and adventure ahead. Our Christmas was sunny and spring-like, but this photo of Ediza and Maggie was taken earlier this month when we got record-low temps and low-elevation snow!

Winter Wonderland

We took a spontaneous trip to Yosemite Valley on Christmas Eve and the park was a Winter Wonderland as you can see...

We went to the Curry Village Ice Rink, where Ediza took a break to say that all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth:)

Merry Christmas and here's to an incredible 2013!!

Birthday Parade

My birthday was the day after Thanksgiving and that night we walked two llamas (wearing lights around their necks) in the 29th annual Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade. These photos were taken in the staging area before the parade started. The parade is a fun way to kick off the holiday season, and after a couple year hiatus we were glad to be back!

Cheers to 2012!

As 2011 comes to a close, we want to wish everyone a happy upcoming 2012!

Since I last posted, Amber has wrapped up another successful season of roller derby. She's now gearing up for the Hellcat's new season (first home bout is Feb. 25).

Ediza's lost two of her front teeth. Here she is on Christmas morning wearing some new clothes out in the yard.


As for me, I turned 30 and wrapped up my fundraising campaign. I raised thousands of dollars to help protect Antarctica and its penguins, but unfortunately I won't be going there to run a marathon.

I've learned a lot these past several months and I have some exciting ideas for the future. Here's some pics from last month's "Fire & Ice" benefit that helped raise money for research in Antarctica.

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!