It's a Duck's Life

Memorial Day Weekend brought a day trip up to Jackson, NH to experience some nature and enjoy the Duck Races. 

We were so surprised to be able to hop into the river to wait for the ducks. 

Theo is in a major Daddy phase. Loves all things Daddy.

Here come the ducks!

What a treat to be able to help the ducks along!

Yow! That's a New England tan you're seeing on Gabriel's back. 

Monday brought another family first - a hike with me hiking the whole time and not carrying anyone! Gabriel ran, hopped, and skipped up the mountain (and down again). Nathan and I realized we'd best stay in shape to keep up with the kiddos. 

Fun in New Hampshire

Oh, blog, I only need one big event to throw me off. And what a challenge it is to back blog especially when the scenery out our window is now so, thankfully, different! That said, we had an amazing February vacation week in New Hampshire.

Our plan was the same as last year, we rented a house near Jackson and would ski for five days up at Wildcat. I figure I'd ski for three days like last year and then have Gabriel adventures the other two. Maddie and Theo jumped into lessons with excitement. Theo started off in the beginner group barely able to stand on his skis. To say his progress was remarkable is an understatement. He quickly moved up the levels until he was in Maddie's blue group, earning his poles alongside his sister. He flew down the mountain, easily conquering blacks, doing jumps, zipping and zagging without fear - so much so that I will be buying him a race helmet for next year that provides even more protection. He loved it which was such a relief as after last year, he spent all of spring and summer telling me he never wanted to ski again.

Now Maddie was no slouch either - just more cautious. She was confident and skillful on the mountain and really enjoyed her time learning. She has a natural finesse on skis.

And my dear sweet Gabriel - the Kitty Club he did not embrace. The second day I had Nathan drop him off so that he would understand why I changed my plan to ski for just two days. That said, he did much better on the second day, laughing, making pictures, and having fun at the club. But, we decided he'd have even more fun with Mommy! And I'm not sure we pulled him out before the "damage" was done as he still tells us every so often that he doesn't want to go to the Kitty Club today.

It was frigid - negative windchill at some points, nary a bit of skin could show. It was so fierce as we whipped down the mountain that I would have tears streaming down my face from the pain of my freezing fingers. (This is sounding like a super vacation, isn't it - freezing extremities and an unhappy two year old.)

The ski family pic - I think I need to find some more slimming snow pants for next year!

Day one - Theo's first ride on the lift.

Our resident snow bunny.

And relief - released from the Kitty Club, we spent the morning at the Children's Museum.

Day two, the train museum was closed so we headed to the Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm, a neat peak into the life of a country doc. We kept trying to get into the train museum but were unsuccessful. This is another thing that Gabriel continues to ask - when are we going to the train museum!

Happy as can be having coffee and a treat with Mommy.

We went on a story walk on the third day.

He'd run from page to page on the story walk.

I really liked the house we rented this year. It had a great layout for us with a fantastic media room in the basement, huge improvement from our sorry media situation at home. And a hot tub was fantastic after the ski days. Though it was so cold one evening, when I reached over and felt Theo's hair, I realized it was frozen! I quickly scooped everyone out of the hot tub and deposited them inside. Stepping into the house, I placed my wet foot on a metal footplate! Luckily I grabbed it up before it froze (and lucky that I had carried the kids in). I had visions of the boy with his tongue stuck to the flagpole.

Like this?

A view of Mount Washington from our bedroom. We yearn for the mountains of the West and New Hampshire is the only state around that offers something close. Honestly, we like the state of Vermont better but it's simply rolling hills.

And no Sanders' vacation is complete without a trip to urgent care (have I written that sentence before?). My poor little boy was up all night the night before and I felt he had an ear infection. Unfortunately, they had to irrigate his ear in order to see the swollen eardrum to confirm the infection.

Nathan and I both agreed that it was a very restorative vacation. It's such great fun to see the kids embrace a new sport and succeed at it. Only a few more years until we are zipping down the five of us - and no more Kitty Club!

Thanksgiving Week in Salem

We converged in Salem for Thanksgiving week this year. What a fantastic trip! Cabrini and family came in as well making for all 9 cousins together. It was a fabulous week with a special baptism of our newest niece, Isabel, time with all the grandparents, a trip to Portland, amazing dinners, wine tasting, chilly bike riding, swimming, meeting Rob's girlfriend, Rachel, a yummy lunch made by Lulu and movie afternoon with Grandpa B, a special "kid free" sibling dinner out, and quality catch up time. Oh to be closer to everyone!
I left my camera in my kitchen and thus have no photos. Hopefully I'll be able to post some soon from the other photographers in the bunch.

New York, New York!

Hello New York City! What a treat to spend a weekend with my parents and brother in New York City to celebrate my cousin, Jess' wedding. It was amazing! Mom and I took a bus trip down to NY and met up with the guys. After dropping off our bags at our "cozy" apartment, we hit the streets.

Though the leaves were gone in Boston, Central Park was alive with color.

Pondering a carriage ride in Central Park.

We spent some time at the Met. This picture cracked me up.

The rehearsal dinner at the University Club was top notch. You felt like you were stepping back in time.

Saturday morning, we were thrilled to have a visit with Sister Peggy (Mom's cousin). Nathan and I first met Sister when we lived for a few months in New York 11 years ago. We still joke about her leading us through the streets of the city. Two bumpkins from out west trying to keep up with a nun on the streets. We once had her over for lunch to our studio apartment. She arrived an hour and a half early with a bottle of wine triple wrapped. She laughed and said that she'd be the talk of NY if she tripped walking up the stairs of the subway and the bottle of wine broke!

We had the restaurant to ourselves. It was a lovely lingering lunch.

We then explored NY including a taxi ride past the World Trade Center site and a stroll through Chinatown. Jonathan and I dashed into an Asian massage parlor (not what you think) and questioned ourselves as we were riding in a dark elevator up to the massage room. It was all legal and we emerged relaxed though our parents weren't thrilled about us leaving them on the streets of Chinatown. A frantic subway ride trip uptown and a dash to get ready for the wedding gave us a enough time to relax while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

The wedding was something else. It was glamourous, beautiful and a lot of fun. It was a weekend to remember. And the best news, Nathan did fantastically with the kids. He said that had he not just returned from Hong Kong and had to deal with jet lag, the weekend would have been perfect.

Plimoth Plantation

How lucky are we? A visit from my mom in November! She headed east for a family wedding next weekend and added on a week at our house. Yipee! We initiated her into the craziness of our weekly lives with drop offs, meetings, classes, etc. Nathan missed the fun as he was in Hong Kong or as Gabriel calls it Honk Honk. Mom even got to have a dinner with the Rupps!

We spent Veterans' Day in Plymouth with a visit to the Mayflower and Plimoth Plantation. Everyone on the tiny boat and plantation is in character. It was amazing to talk to them and walk their life - what a life!

It was frigid on the Mayflower. And what a journey it was for the pilgrims. I cannot even imagine making it across the Atlantic with the smells, crowds and rocking of the boat.

We enjoyed the Wampanoag village.

Always the clown.

As the temperatures drop each winter, I think about the pilgrims. It's no wonder 1/2 of them perished. Thank goodness for the kindness of the Wampanoags.

40th, Sunshine and Mountains

Ah, Phoenix in August! Everyone looks at us like we are crazy but the family, pool and cabin beckon. After getting back from the airport, I proceeded to urgent care to get medicine for yet another sinus and ear infection. As I like to say, it's not a Sanders' vacation without a trip to urgent care.Who needs 110 degrees when you can cool off in the pool. The kids love warm Arizona swimming.

Nathan hiked up Camelback a few times.

At the Science Center, Maddie and Theo had a blast. Maddie was so proud to pull herself up to the top of the hardest pulley system.

Such focus!

We, of course, need to have a trip to the Railroad Park. Another benefit of Phoenix in August, the park is practically empty!

But, the main reason for our August visit, a 40th Anniversary! What a celebration.

We had a special brunch at Aunt Philly's house.

Reading cards and doing the 1970s trivia contest.

We displayed pictures from the early years. Theo loved the star confetti.

The happy couple!

That night we enjoyed a dinner at Vincent's bistro. Delicious french food, lovely toasts and a fun evening with the whole gang to honor Mom and Dad.
Nathan even went back to the kitchen to chat with Vincent. He returned after closing to share a glass of champagne with Vincent and talk about the past decade.
Nathan left to go back to reality and we headed up to the mountains. One morning we went to a park and were thrilled to watch a big boy practicing baseball. The kids could have sat there all day watching him hit balls.
Puzzle time! Maddie and Theo were a great help putting together some challenging puzzles.
And fishing. They couldn't wait to fish! We weren't as successful this year but it was a valiant effort!

I love the big Arizona sky.

We went on a girls hike along the mogollon rim.

Last time we'll have a kid in the sink. Pretty cute, no?

Somebody loves to clean - hooray! He was very intent on scrubbing the shower. Grandmommy would be proud.

Fishing take two. No luck.

The mad hiker

A stop at the Pinetop jail.

And our annual dinner at The Christmas Tree. Unfortunately, it was also our last dinner as the restaurant closed shortly after our visit. So sad to lose the Pinetop institution.

Looking very fine and handsome in a suit.

Helping Pop Pop clean up outside makes for a necessary water break.

Scrubbing the sand toys.

Goodbye mountains. We did have one more trip to urgent care to put Maddie on antibiotics for her ear infection.
For our last night, we stopped at the Sugar Bowl for dinner, ice cream and games. This is another highlight of our Phoenix trips.
And in the most amazing toy claw grab ever, Uncle J was able to get each child an animal out of the machine. And each toy fit the child perfectly - a frog for Gabey, robot for Theo and pink glitter elephant for Maddie. I'm still in awe.

Goodbye Arizona! Until next year...