Sunday, June 28, 2015

Heading to the UK and Ireland

Wei, it's time to take off on another adventure across the pond!  My first stop will be Edinburgh, Scotland, where I'll meet Thalia and Joshua!!!  Thalia will be going on this People to
People journey with me, something we talked about for so many years.  I'm putting the link to the blog I hope to update as we travel.  I'll also try to keep up a Facebook page, but you have to ask to see it.  For that, on Facebook, type in Northern California coast Celtic cultures ... And request to join...

I'm looking forward to it!

Here's the link:

Http://p2p2015celticcultures.blogspot.com

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Bike ride to the park

 On June 13th, we took the boys to the Hammond Trail and went on a walk(for Lindsey and I) and a bike ride (the little guys)!  Benjamin had to check out the map to see exactly where we were, and where we were going.
 This trail is beautiful...
 a great place for riding bikes
or walking
or jogging...


 You can see the ocean from parts of it
and from other parts, 
your shadowed by trees...
it's all beautiful!
 We stopped to sit on the bench for a few minutes
and watch the waves...
 and we were off again...
like I said, Lindsey and I were walkers...
we couldn't keep up with Benjamin
or William
but they stopped at each crossing and waited for us...
 We ended up at this little park...
 Oops!
Benjamin decided to stop the car from rocking...
 and, somebody wasn't too happy...
 They worked it out
and all was well!
 Off to more equipment!
This was impossible for me..
it turned...
I'm not sure how Benjamin was able to get on it...
 These moved...and there were 3.
You moved from one to the next to go across from one piece of equipment to the other...
 William attempted it...
but decided he'd prefer his mama to grab him...
 I guess he thought about it for a minute...
and tried it again...
 Off to the slide...
 The boys thought it would be a great idea 
to sit at this little table and have a picnic..
only we had no food with us!
a slight issue for a picnic...
 back to the slide for William...
 If you look at Benjamin's hair, 
you can see how windy it was..
VERY windy
and it was a COLD WIND!
 It didn't seem to bother the boys..

 Linz tried out the swings for awhile
and the boys went back to the car...
After I was close to frozen,
I told them we needed to head back
so I could check my roast that was cooking...

A bicycle ride along the train to the park...
it was a fun day!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Thalia running track...and throwing discus!

Living in Bangkok, Thalia started running track.  I actually don't know what made her decide to do this...I need to ask.  Anyway, she ran track and was on the track team. 

In January, they moved to London...new school...new friends...new climate...new everything.  She started running track, did the hurdles, threw the discus.  Her second time throwing the discus, she almost beat the school record.  Recently she was in a track meet and won the silver medal in the 100 meter sprint!  In discus, she won a gold medal!

Today, she traveled by train to Birmingham for another track meet, the Nationals Track Meet.  All the gold medalists from all over Europe traveled to Birmingham for this. Thalia was just throwing the discus as part of the London National Team...and...
How amazing is that?  Thalia!  I'm so proud of you!!!

"Stay" by Gabe & Thalia



Thalia has always loved to sing...and her voice and musical abilities, in my opinion, are amazing.  She and her friend, Gabe, who also goes to the same school in London, just recorded this together. 

Wow! is all I can say! 

Monday, June 15, 2015

May 25, 2015; Benjamin's 6th Birthday party!

Benjamin loves Legos..
so his party was done in the colors of legos...
basically, the primary colors!
This trampoline always seems to be a hit...
party or no party!

 Carla and Nicholas
Emerson and William
Aria
Alan and Nicholas
Opening gifts was definitely fun!




Back to the trampoline...
this is definitely a jumping bunch of kids!


Opa, Oma, Emily, and Gabe


It was Memorial Day...so Donnie hung up an American flag!

Emily, Emerson, & Gabe
Emily and I with our kale
Brandon and Benjamin

The birthday boy with his dad, brother, and mom!
Opa...aka Jean Marie
UG,  Uncle Gabe
After things had settled down, William was looking at the things in his gift bag.

6 years old...Wow!
I remember 6 years ago so well...
Benjamin was early...
and I was there when he was born...
that was definitely special!

Happy birthday, Benjamin!