Star Wars Yoga: The Video

Star Wars Yoga: The Video

Oh Matthew Latkiewicz, you are a kindred spirit! Also, how dorky is it that I ALREADY have "star wars" in my label list?

CA part I

We had such a fabulous time in Cali! In a few parts, I'll post the highlights:

Highlight #1: seeing cousin V, Uncle Nick, and Aunt Lauren of course!
#2: We met up with Mark's cousin and his family at Paradise Cove beach in Malibu. The water was FUH-REEZING!!! The kids played until they turned blue and shook uncontrollably. I preferred my cold temperatures for the beer I was drinking.
#3: Seaweed!
#4: La Brea Tar Pits, where we found a Grinnell eagle (who knew?! um, not me) in the Page Museum.
Poor mammoth. It was supposed to be the mom, of course. How very Disney.

I don't know why...

...I love this photo so much. I just do! M3, cousin V, and M4 in Cali.

And a new bike...

We are just back from vacation and school started yesterday, but I'll get to that soon, I promise!

As M3 began mastering the bicycle, we realized the blue bike was just too small for him! He looked like a hamster on its wheel. So to the local bike shop we went and lo and behold...the perfect used bike!

Taste of Freedom!

Yay!! M4 has finally conquered his fears and started riding his bike without training wheels!! He has gone round the block several times without stopping and has gotten only a few scrapes. He is very determined. Not only is it freedom for him, but it is freedom for me!! He was getting darn heavy on the Trail-A-Bike!

Camping!

After we left Madtown and our friends, we made our way to one of our most favorite places to camp, Wyalusing State Park, where the Wisconsin river meets the Mississippi (official term: confluence). Since we are forgoing our usual big summer camping trip for California this summer (whee!!), we got in two quick nights during this Wisconsin visit. At Wyalusing, we lucked into a bluff campsite and got to watch fireworks go off in the distance on Saturday night.

Here are M and M at a scenic spot overlooking the rivers.

On the way to Treasure Cave.

There is a big storm just to the left of M4 in this pic. We left just in time and drove home through some torrential downpours.

A short trip, but sweet. Maybe we can get in some camping weekends this fall. We did discover that one of our air mattresses has a leak. Boo!! And also that one must have s'mores even if it takes two hours to get your wet firewood going!!

Friends...

The subject of friends has been on my mind a lot this summer, so it was particularly great to meet Pete and Paula and the girls in Madison last weekend. Let's just say I am missing my old friends, particularly with Jenn's move to Carlisle. So we spent a gorgeous summer evening on the Terrace (of which I only got a few, terrible pictures--just go see Paula's beautiful pics here and here):
Then we met up again the next day for Art Fair on the Square, African food, the Capitol, the Zoo, and of course, Babcock ice cream! Geez, we did a lot!

Kids cooling off and checking out the capitol dome.

A fine looking quartet. S and N were particularly awesome about hanging out with M and M, keeping an eye on them, and letting the parents catch up and reminisce. Thanks, ladies...Oh, and M and M got a picture with this high school girl who had made her prom dress out of duct/duck tape. She and her date are among the top finishers in the nation in a Duck Tape sponsored contest!