travel Archives - and then they...

October Camping… err, “camping”

Posted by Carolyn on October 21, 2015 Leave a Comment

Last Christmas, Alma’s gift from my mom and step-dad was a camping trip with her cousin Liam and their dads. They decided to go to Silver Fall State Park. Of course, it turned out to be the first rainy weekend in months. They went anyway, and decided to play the camping part by ear.

When they got to the park, it was sunny and warm. They hiked around the waterfalls, in the woods, and had lots of fun. They had a picnic lunch in the lodge and hiked some more. Alma and Liam are just a few months apart in age, so it was fun for them to get to spend so much time together. One of the stories they came home with was from the caves. Alma said to Liam, “Will you protect me?” and Liam replied, “I AM SCARED.” Alma has been looking forward to her camping trip for months. She would tell me, “I’m going camping with Grams and Grandpa. You are not coming. Harriet is not coming. Daddy is coming.” She was very clear about this. There was no way I was going to sneak into the car. Of course, the rain showed up. They embraced the water and got soaked. At this point, it didn’t matter if the rain was falling, or the creek was splashing. It was warm enough that it was still fun. It was so wet, though, that everyone decided to head home. They realized they would have just spent the whole night in their tents as a fire would have been impossible and everything would be too wet to sit on. I don’t think Alma was too disappointed. They got to do all the fun things of camping without sleeping on the wet ground. I can’t wait for this to be an annual tradition. Maybe next year Grams and Grandpa will take Alma and Liam without their parents… maybe they’ll take Harriet, too!

The photos in this post were all taken by Jesse. He did a great job, didn’t he?

Sweet Creek Falls

Posted by Carolyn on May 1, 2015 Leave a Comment

I love where we live. The coast is an hour away, the mountains are an hour away. We have rivers in our town, and creeks right outside.

One of those creeks is Sweet Creek Falls, and it has some dazzling waterfalls along the way. We have been meaning to go there forever, and we finally got a chance this past week. We went with my parents, who had been there quite a few times before.

On the way there, we came across a herd of elk. I have never seen this many, in the wild, all together, before. It was awesome. They stood and looked at us for quite a while, then all took off across the meadow and over a fence. Awe-some.

The kids did such a great job. It was Harriet’s first time on a real hike, outside a carrier. She just about lost her mind, she loved it so much. She pointed at everything. Waved at the creek and said, “Hi-ya,” whenever we had a new view of the water. She signed water all along the way. She almost made it to the end, but my mom turned around with her.

It started out kind of rainy, but that just added to the beauty. Alma got to use her umbrella, which is always cause for celebration.

Everything was so, so, so green. I love this time of year, when the leaves and young and fresh. Before summer sets in and everything gets covered in dust and dirt. The forest is alive with critters and magic.

The kids got to explore, and marvel in the outdoors. The hike was pretty short, only about 3 miles round trip, and mostly flat along the creek. Alma made it all the way to the end with Grandpa and us.

I can’t wait to do more hikes this summer with the kids. I have a long way to go before I get to my 35 miles before my 35th birthday. So far, I think I only have about 5!

35 Things to do Before I Turn 35

Posted by Carolyn on February 26, 2015 6 Comments

Yesterday was my birthday! I am now proud to say that I have made 34 trips around the sun. Pretty cool journey we get to take each year, flying around in outer space. For my 35th years, I decided to make a list of 35 things to do before I turn 35. Here’s my list:

Read a book a month. This should be easy since I have book club every month. If I keep up with the club, this will be complete! Note to self: must get this month’s book!
Sign up for life insurance. Not to be morbid, or anything. But, yeah.
Try a Barre3 class.
Get a monthly massage. I would love to complete this goal, but I think it might be one of the less likely.
Try acupuncture.
~~Get a haircut. I’m pretty much on a once yearly schedule, and my last haircut was last March.~~ I did this right before my trip to California! I love it how the stylist thins out my hair. Feels so much lighter!
Try 5 recipes from my new cookbook!
Spend a weekend at the beach.
Spend a weekend in the mountains.
Can something. Maybe tomatoes, pizza sauce, green beans? What do you think, friends? I know I have some amazing canning friends!
Get our garden going again. It has been sadly ignored since I’ve either been pregnant or living with a small baby for the past 3 summers.
Focus on getting my Etsy shop going. Note: It has a new name and address – CaroMade!
Post one new listing on CaroMade every month.
Do a creative retreat – either an organized one, or organize my own!
Get more chickens.
Get back on my daily chore schedule! Our house neeeeeeeds it!
~~Go to Disneyland!~~ Yes! We took Alma there with my cousin and his family. So perfect.
Go to a Broadway musical – it will more than likely be on tour, but it will count and it will be amazing.
Hike 35 miles. Or maybe 35 kilometers might be more attainable.
Get the trailer set up and go on bike rides with the girls.
Rent a limo. I’m thinking wine tasting, or Christmas lights?
Make and sew a huge cushion for our hearth.
Get chairs recovered.
Get estimates to get our house painted.
Set up some good seasonal capsule wardrobes.
5 Days of Christmas crafts on the blog.
Get going on a creative, relaxing morning routine.
More author interviews on the blog.
~~Plant a tree,~~ or lots of trees.
Take a class. Sewing? Cooking? Writing?
Sew some clothing for me.
Make art of Alma’s and Harriet’s rooms.
~~Go to the Country Fair.~~
Go camping.
Build a sandcastle or a snowman.

And…. GO!

San Francisco!

Posted by Carolyn on February 4, 2015 Leave a Comment

Jesse’s beloved grandmother passed away in January, so we headed down to the bay area for her funeral. We decided to extend our trip a night and take in some of the sights in San Francisco. We didn’t really know what to do in the city with two small kids, but we ended up having a pretty amazing day!

We stayed at the Argonaut Hotel which was, quite frankly, incredible. When we arrived, the bellhop instantly became Alma’s and Harriet’s best friend. He told them all about the area, and showed them a treasure chest. The lobby of the hotel had a treasure chest full of toys that the girls got to dig through and choose a toy. We don’t travel much, so maybe this is normal, but I was totally blown away. After we were settled in, we headed out to fishman’s wharf (but first got the girls complementary hot chocolate in the hotel lobby).

It was an incredible day in San Francisco. On our way into the city we stopped and bought some sun block. These Oregonians weren’t prepared for a gorgeous blue sky day in the bay.

Our first stop was the Musée Mécanique. What a fun, cool place! It is full of old arcade games and other coin operated mechanical things. We didn’t have any quarters, but just looking at the machines was fun.

We walked down the museum’s pier and saw some big ships and a submarine and Rosie the Riveter (whom we love dearly thanks to Rosie Revere, Engineer).

We kept walking around, saw live lobsters, crabs, street performers, and lots of boats.

On Pier 39, Alma and I rode the carousel.

Halfway through, Alma asked me to let go so she could do it herself. Her independence is increasing these days. I love it in moments like this – I hate it in moments when she decides to run away from me. Luckily her dress is easy to spot, and she still doesn’t go far.

We had lunch at Boudin, and went through their factory tour. We got free admission since we ate at the restaurant, and figured we might as well go in. It ended up being really, really cool! I love watching things being made. Factories are pretty amazing.

After lunch we went to ride the cable car. The station is literally across the street from the Argonaut, right new Ghirardelli Square. We had to wait for about an hour. But it was an hour in the sunshine, with live music, great company in the line. No complaints from me, and the kids did a really good job, too!

Alma was excited to ride Trolley. I understand the difference, but with Alma’s affection for Daniel Tiger, we just called the cable car Trolley. We rode across the city.

Harriet fell asleep (seriously? It was so loud and so much was happening…) and stayed asleep when we got off the cable car, got back in line, and rode the cable car back to Ghirardelli. Then we waited in another line to get ice cream sundaes to share.

We walked down to the beach for the sunset in the sand. After dinner we walked around the wharf some more. Does this even sound like a January day?

From My Journal

Posted by Carolyn on September 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

March 17th, 2008

I’m on a train at it’s still light at the first stop. It’s a beginning of a journey I’ve been on for a long time already. We stay at the first station until dark – the train daring my new found light and inspiration to get off in Hajigabul, and stay stunted and frozen like the village itself. We start moving again, the light still sitting in the seat next to me.

Are we going backwards? No. It is just an illusion in the darkness outside the train. I begin this journey of discovery on a strange ride across Azerbaijan. Other trains go by backwards, making me blink, dizzy.

There are times in life where the inspiration strikes. It is lightning. It flashes. It burns. It is gone, but it leaves a scar.

There was a time, on a train, at night, in Azerbaijan. I was sick and didn’t know it, but felt it. I was living in a country far from home.

I felt the greatness of being.

The greatness of my being.

I can still feel that greatness. The feeling of flying backwards on the train. The feeling of time-traveling as we passed villages so old and dark that they were in the past. The dizzy feeling of passing lights and smooth turns. The feeling that I was put here, on this earth, with a purpose.

There was another time, in the day, on my way to the mailbox. The lightning struck, and the ordinary moment of my life is permanently scarred in my memory.

There are more moments like this. Moments where the lightning strikes, leaves a scar, a reminder of the greatness I can have. The greatness I can be.

And, so.

I am in the mundane moments of my life, trying to find the sublime.

I make choices every day to ignore the scars from these life giving moments.

I am here. I resolve to feel those scars, live in those scars, give thanks for those scars. Be those scars. Those fingerprints of inspiration left in my mind. The light in the seat next to mine. The memories of promise.

Coronado, the Enchanted Vacation

Posted by Carolyn on September 1, 2014 2 Comments

We got to spend a couple days in Coronado with some of our favorite friends. Tyler and Leia were amazing to invite us to spend some time at Tyler’s dad’s house. We thought it would be fun, but had no idea how wonderfully beautiful it would be. The house is literally across the street from an incredible beach.

And down the street from the beautiful Hotel Del Corondo.

Did I mention we were there for the Super Moon?

We spent two nights, and just spent our time relaxing. We had grand plans of seeing the pandas, but didn’t. We spent our time on the beach, in the yard, having drinks, eating amazing cheese sauce, playing, and just enjoying everything. Thank you Leia and Tyler! And Mark and Jenny! Let’s do it again!

More Fun at Avalon’s House

Posted by Carolyn on August 28, 2014 Leave a Comment

Alma really loved spending time playing at Avalon’s house. We all really enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of Michael and Michelle. They are such a lovely little family. We love them all.

We were also happy to get to spend some time with our dear friend Elvin. We met him in Azerbaijan when he was a teenager. Now he’s a brilliant young man studying in California. It’s been so great having him on the West Coast this year. He loves our girls so much, and honestly, the feeling is mutual.

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