Yosemite: Day 1

Stace has been itching to get back to Yosemite National Park since our first family trip in 2018. In April, we purchased an annual national parks pass when we visited two parks in Utah. So, when I  knew the girls had a random three-day weekend in October, I wondered if we could put together a quick trip to Yosemite. 

On Friday, we drove up after work and school to hotel in Fresno, so we were more than half-way there when we woke up Saturday. Plus, we were all packed with clothes and food, so it was quick to get off on the road. 

We arrived to the park by around lunchtime - here is the famous Tunnel View, when you come around the bend and first see the glories of the Yosemite Valley.

After we got checked in and got keys to our tent cabin, we wandered around Curry Village, where the eateries, shops and amphitheater are. This fat squirrel grabbed our attention thanks to his girth.

We got our stuff settled into the cabin, ate a late lunch/early dinner, and then took a nice walk. We started off going down to the Merced River, which was much more shallow than our June 2018 trip.

We even spotted a deer - see it across the river from us?

We carried on until we walked to the Ahwanee Hotel, a fancy 100-year-old hotel built to bring in the rich people who then would advocate for Yosemite.

We walked around, admiring the splendor, and enjoyed a Women of Yosemite museum exhibit. on our way back, we stopped for a photo. We couldn't get one with us all smiling, and then this happened. 

So many "WOW" moments in Yosemite!

We were heading back during the "Golden Hour," that perfect time for photos, and many photographers with huge lenses were setting up for artsy pics of Half Dome.

 Queen of the Mountain!

We also had fun looking around the shop as we picked out treats to eat back at the cabin for dessert. Cora found a book that was right up her alley. ("Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite") 

We then returned to our tent cabin, had dessert, and played card games. It was a great day together!

Week in Review

 These girls have grown to be such good friends. It's a delight to see. Stace and I are fortunate parents.

Stace and I snuck out for a drink Friday night - we love Pocock Brewing Co.! They have an amazing selection of brews, and great pizza and soft pretzels too. I always enjoy a flight of tasters.

I was really excited when Violet said she'd like a haircut, so I immediately booked it. She has so much thick hair! Very pretty.

You can see that it was plenty long before, and with a bit of curl, making it hard to keep tangle-free.

I always have ideas of our family playing games together, rather than staring at screens after dinner. Every now and then, I get my wish fulfilled. 

Cora always wins. Always. 

I was able to get to a Dodger game with my parents on Tuesday! Always good to be back.

Lovely Day Out

My lovely friend Jen turned 50 this week, and we were able to celebrate together with a day at the Huntington Library, an estate with a superb art collection and variety of gardens.

 

Jen is an art history expert, so it's great going around a museum with her. Here, we're admiring the Huntington's showpiece, the Blue Boy.

Thomas Gainsborough's masterpiece "Portrait of a Young Man" was painted in 1770 and was sold to Henry Huntington a hundred years ago for the most ever spent on a piece of art (at the time). 

We perused the portraits (and more) and then enjoyed snacks.

The estate features numerous gardens in various styles. We enjoyed the Japanese garden especially, with the water features and bonsai trees.

Tidbits

With the end of an age upon us - the transition from Queen Elizabeth to King Charles - Stace had a friend at work give him a mug produced in honor of her coronation.

What a special gift!

Violet has been interested in cooking lately, and is always cool with making her own meals if Stace and I are going out. The other day, she wanted to make chicken curry. Yum!

She also has enjoyed harvesting and eating some of our pomegranates.

Stace still plays indoor soccer most Friday nights, in an over-30s co-ed league. Last week, they won their championship game!

For my mom's birthday, she wanted us all to meet up at MB2 in town, the former Mountasia Family Fun Center, where we had Violet's 6th grade graduation party. 

It was a great idea! 

We all played mini golf together, even Ellie, although I didn't get any photos. (I was too busy trying to add up my scores.)

And Stace and Cora had fun in a friendly axe-throwing competition.

Stace won the first game, and then they were going back and forth, until in the final deciding game, the score was tied.

Cora won!

I promise Stace isn't trying to slice her neck.

We also played a family game of laser tag. Who was playing as Gold Eagle, getting the top score? Violet! All that archery must be paying off.

Week in Review

 I started the Labor Day holiday weekend with an unexpected night out - Christina was going to a concert by a local band that does classic rock cover songs, and ended up with extra tickets. I was able to tag along, and it was so much fun!

When it's 5 million degrees out, this is how we have to enter and leave the house. DON'T leave that door open too long!

Our anniversary was this week, and we celebrated with dinner out at a very yummy sushi place. 

I babysat Eloise over the weekend, and brought her up to our house. She was such a good girl, and had fun on the slide.

She also enjoyed her favorite game, of throwing her animal friends over the little opening to the kitchen, from the hallway. Her screeches of delight were fun to hear.

Ventura Cooldown

We had a very hot Labor Day weekend, so we headed back to cooler Ventura, where we met up with Colleen and Rigo, and a few other friends.

Stace and Liana worked on sand castles.

It was a beautiful day!

Violet took a nap, and then got out the boogie board. (Cora stayed home for some quiet alone time.)
 

Prepping stones for skipping...

Stunning sunset

The close of a lovely day!

Back To School!

I saw a deal for a half-off popcorn maker - just $15. Seemed like a good deal since the girls have been enjoying microwaved popcorn lately.

You put butter in the top measuring cup bit, and it melts from the heat.

Violet was quite excited about our new toy, and has made several rounds already.
 

This week, we've also attended Back To School nights at both of the girls' schools. Here, Stace worked up all his bravery to get close to the science teacher's pet boa constrictor, Taz.

And here is Violet's name poem, up on the wall in her English class. With five or six different groups of kids meeting in each class, it was a nice surprise to see her work up on the wall.

While in Cora's Advanced Placement World History classroom, I thought I'd helpfully photograph the assignment whiteboard to text her, in case she'd forgotten to do her reading.

The girls seem to be in some good classes, with good teachers. It was fabulous going around all the classes for the first time since 2019.