Yosemite Glamping

The Howells went glamping in Yosemite for 4 nights, with 3 kids under the age of 3.  The kids ate dirt, we crammed into a small trailer, and spent our days freely roaming the park with no schedule, no rules, just fresh air.  The babes are all happy campers and I know we are lucky for that.  We hiked and biked and fed squirrels.  (sorry wildlife, but you like crackers.)

One of my favorite parts of camping is cooking food.  I love the challenge of making something yummy and unexpected for camping.  This time we made pie!  over the fire!  We grilled pizzas and drank our own homemade Pinot Noir, the Patience Potion.  (seeing if the name sticks, good one Jen!)

Quinn and Jade really began to connect on this trip.  They (Jade) insisted on holding hands and if Quinn peed in the dirt, so did Jade.  It was really lovely watching the cousins spend time together and move beyond parallel play.

I want to visit Yosemite again.  In the fall, winter, spring, and summer.  It is an amazing place.

xoxo,

rmh

We live!

Hi!  Hello.  Howdy.  We are still here.  I was listening to a talk radio show that discussed how we grossly underestimate how quickly things change and how rapid time passes.  If that is the case, I am in trouble because I feel that time is going so fast and our lives change daily.  Some days I just look for something that is a constant so that I can hold on to it for just a little bit longer.  Does that even make sense?  Probably not, but I am sure you know what I am saying.

Since we use this blog as a journal, I need to jot down a quick update.

~2 molars have broken through!  I am not sure how many teeth Jade has now, but I think it is around 10-12.  It is getting progressively harder to feel around in her mouth, as well as progressively more painful for mom and dad. (mostly mom)

~Jade started taking steps before her first birthday, but it was a few short weeks after that she really got the hang of it.  She runs in circles around the house.  We love watching her explore, except when in ends in a bumped head and tears.  I am pretty sure having a child is both good and bad for your heart.

~Jade is starting to mutter a few words.  Mostly unrecognizable, but every once in a while I hear something familiar.  On the flip side, she can moo, hoot, woof, roar, and quack like she belongs in the jungle.

~We traveled to NJ with a toddler!  We traveled back to CA with a toddler!  Phew!

I have been feeling crafty lately.  I want to paint rooms and things.  I want to learn how to take a good photograph.  I want to try a new recipe. As someone who generally enjoys routine, I am antsy to do something creative and inspiring...even if it is just for myself.  I feel like a better mom, a better wife, when I get to have 5 minutes to stop thinking about being a mom or a wife and just focus on something creative.  My goal this month is to find this time.  Make something or things.

It was HOT!

Whew, hold on; let me wipe the sweat from my brow so I can type this all out.  I am still radiating heat from this trip. 

So the crew:

Fearless Leader: Grandpa Dick

Attendees: Aunt Melinda & Uncle Bill, Leslie (mom), Lee & Debi Siegel (Ricki’s Parent’s), Bryan, Jenn, Quinn, & Audrey (1^st timers with the babes), Ricki, Geoff, and veteran Jaden. 

We had a great time though.  We all drove out Friday afternoon, probably a little late, might have packed a little more than could fit and needed some help from Grandpa and the rugged yet elegant Sportsmobile.  But once we were on the road, it was easy driving.  We headed out towards Borrego, went through the town and out on to the desolate dirt highway.  And then, Grandpa found a place he would like to turn off the road and head out in to… well nothing.  We drove along the dirt road for about a half hour and we were somewhere in the Borrego Desert Wash.  We found a cozy place up against some cliffs and set up camp.

We cooked dinner, we had a fire, we had stars, and we had little babies so we all went right to sleep.

The next day we cooked up some breakfast and then headed off to find a Slot Canyon.  It was actually pretty cool.  We were in a very bare, dry, and HOT desert and not a lot of landscape.  But if you follow the path back in to some hills, you come in to some rolling hills that eventually turn into a bit of a canyon which eventually gets so narrow I couldn’t fit through it with the baby on the back.  It was very cool.  We saw a pretty good size scorpion, dead thankfully, some jack rabbits, and Grandpa pointed out some amazing plants and facts about them.  We headed back to camp for the day where we huddled in the shade and just enjoyed the family.

We waited for the sun to get a little lower in the sky and then amazingly enough, there were EGGS, eggs everywhere.  The Easter Bunny found us.  Quinn and Jaden went to town and had a great time doing it.  Although if you ask Quinn, ALL of the eggs were hers.  

The next day was a short but very interesting hike to a place Grandpa knew of.  It had a plethora of these very interesting geological formations that were thousands of years old… I think.  Very cool, very interesting.  The earth is one crazy place and Mother Nature is no joke.

That was our weekend, very hot, great time with the family, always fun to get away for a quick trip.

Love, 

Ricki, Jaden & Geoff

one

Jaden turned one this month.  March 5 at 1:09 pm to be exact.  She grew from a teeny tiny 6 pounds, 15 ounces and 19 inches to a teeny tiny 16 pounds, 29 inches. She is nearly walking and babbles quite a bit.  Lots of pointing going on and then shakes her head no as we go through the options of what she desires.  Her smile brightens our day.  She keeps us laughing and reminds us to just be present each day.  I never regret leaving the dishes or laundry until tomorrow to lay down with her for a nap.  I never miss 'being productive' because I spent time reading the same book six times.

If I could give my new mom self any advice it would be: everything moves fast so live in the moment.  do what feels right to you and not what other people feel is right.  hug your baby and hold them when they reach out their little arms instead of folding laundry or making the bed or even sometimes peeing.  just be.

we love you baby girl.

mamamamama & DA DA

just keep swimming

Eleven months and Jade is a fish.

She doesn't feel the same way about the snow.

poor kid.

Boston

It was cold. 

Xoxo,

The Howells