Sumpter's - 2nd Weekend

When we got back from Canada, Karen and Miranda had already claimed squatter's rights in our house.  Steve still had one more week in Reno.  Sorry Steven and Karen... Miranda is still the star attraction when you guys come.

Miranda thought Brady was a hoot when he was sliding cars across the floor.  There is a video at the end of this blog entry that shows her laughing at him.

She reads the newspaper like a pro.

Miranda is becoming a convert to the beach.

She couldn't figure out why the sand kept slipping through her fingers.  (The thought just occurred to me that some people have touble that way with money.)  Notice the seagull in the background.

How could we go to Santa Cruz without going to Stagnaro's, our favorite seafood restaurant on the wharf,  and eat dinner as the sun is setting.  We were in the corner by a window and Miranda was facing a blank wall.   She spent most of the time there turned around in her high chair watching the people behind us.  Brenna does the same thing.

Remember the Weebles tree house?  We've still got it but there is only one Weeble left.  The "airplane children" work just fine.

Brady entertaining Miranda

Miranda sticking her toes in the Ocean

I almost forgot.  When Steve came back from Reno, Miranda was so excited.  She let out one of her deafening (but happy) screams.

Sumpter's in California - First weekend

Sumpter's were in the California area recently so they made a trip to San Jose.  While Steve was doing a "rotation" in Reno on Sports Medicine for two weeks, how could they not come another 4 hours to see us.  They actually came the weekend just before mom and I scheduled to go on our Canadian Rockies trip we had planned earlier this year (more on that later).  Miranda is growing so much (9 months old now) and a very happy baby.  Whenever someone makes a noise like a panting dog, she does a good imitation.  Watch the video to see a sample.  More to come in the next blog.

 

Theriaut's in California - June 2008

These blog entries are out of order but I'm sure you can handle it.  Janet and Steve and family came to visit in June.  Talk about party time...  Emily even stayed a week with us after the rest of the fmaily went home.  She had a different kind of adventure by herself on the airplane back to Texas.  But I think we spoiled her.  She probably thinks all we do is party around here.

We did the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad trip at Oak Meadow Park

We played at the park but here is Afton and Emily resting

We ate back yard meals

Went to Castle Rock

The Children's Discovery Museum

Geocaching

And a couple of videos at the Santa Cruz Beach

One is Steve, Austin and Noah on the Log Ride.  The other is Emily, Austin and Steve in the surf

Fossil Beds and Crater Lake in Oregon

On the way back from the Banks in Spokane we stopped at the Fossil Beds at Kimberley, Oregon

This is one of two huge logs of petrified wood found in the area

One of the displays of fossils inside the museum

And we stopped at Crater Lake.  Last time we visited Crater Lake, the snow was so high we didn't get to see very much but it was spectacular.  This time it was spectacular, too, but in a different way.

Landon Banks Born

After the Christensen Sibling Reunion, we headed over the mountains on a dirt road in the wilds of Idaho to Riggins and then headed north to Spokane to see grandchild #22 Landon Banks.  The road over the mountain was full of switchbacks and not well travelled but some beautiful scenery.  We picked wildflowers to take to Shannon and Aaron.

Baby Landon was just adorable.  Everyone loved to hold him

While in Spokane we just had to take advantage of some of the attractions... 

Maggie Moo's Ice Cream

Acres and acres of beautiful flowers at world-famous Manito Park

 Mobius Kids (childrens museum)

Cat Tales (small wild animal zoo)

and Mirabeau Park (near the Spokane River) just to name a few places we visited

What fun it was to be with the Shannon and Aaron and Sydnie and Wesley and Landon.

Christensen Sibling Reunion July 2008

Since the last update on our Hawaii Trip we's had lots of stuff happen.  In July we went to Idaho to Mike's cabin above McCall for the first-ever Christensen Sibling Reunion.  

Three days in the wilds of Idaho was fun with nothing to bother us.   Good food provided by Tawana (and Mike's BBQ'd tri-tip).  Good conversations about lifes challenges.  Hike to the local pioneer cemetery with Aunt Jill's stories about one of her friends who is buried there and her horse trip to Loon Lake (the site of a 1943 WWII bomber crash).  Swimming in the Burgdorf Hot Springs.  Games and movies.