Play Ball!

Sage has been having a lot of fun playing baseball. Its nice to see him enjoying sports.

Suicide Rock w/ Michelle

Hiked Suicide Rock with Michelle. Six miles roundtrip, shorter than the 10 milers I've been doing with David, but still a great workout. It was a nice sunny, but not too hot day. We saw a sign saying the San Jacinto Peak is 7 miles from the Suicide Rock turnoff. Would be about 9 miles one way. If we leave early enough, and rest a bit while we're there, and head back, maybe its do-able. 18 miles in one day...hmmmm. Maybe something to shoot for at the end of summer if we're strong enough.



































Here's Michelle trying to take a nice scenic picture without falling off the rock.

Devils Slide with Emi

Emi and I hiked up 2.5 miles, uphill miles, to Saddle Junction to pick some ferns. I let her lead, and to my surprise, walked at a pretty brisk pace. Picked ferns for a good 90 minutes before heading back down. She has developed an interest in hiking and will starting hiking with her more during the summer. Nice little alone time with Mommy.

Sage's Lego Creation

Devil Slide Trail

Walked Devil Slide to Saddle Junction, did a five mile loop and back down for 10.2 miles. Halfway through the hike, started to feel weaker and felt a headache coming on. Possibly heat stroke or the altitude. The hike took us halfway up the trail we would take to go to the Palm Springs Tram we're planning for next Friday. Once we passed Saddle Junction, the trail got mellow, which was nice since we just walked 2.5 miles uphill. We saw a deer along the way, and a huge field of ferns. Going back to go pick some for my parents! Again, a beautiful hike taking many pictures along the way like a "Japanese tourist" (according to David.)















Deer!

































Playing around with the B&W feature on my camera. (Suicide Rock)

Emi's Honor Roll

Emi was recognized at a district assembly in Hemet for being on the Honor Roll, by having a 3.5 GPA or higher. She was one of 30 from her school (4th & 5th graders), and of 500 district wide. Pretty cool.

Taquitz Peak, Again

Hiked to Taquitz Peak Lookout again. This time with my buddy Michelle. It was a nice hike, seemed quicker this time. The weather was cooler, which really helped. It was Michelle's first time up there, she remembered how nice it was to go hiking. Next week we'll walk to Suicide. It was nice hiking with a friend, having good conversations along the way.

The peak is 8828', we walked about 2000' gain in elevation in 1 1/2 hrs. It is the second highest lookout in California, and the only lookout located inside a Wilderness area. Still hard to believe we walked all the way to the top of that mountain!

Painting

I painted for the first time in several years. A small 5x7 painting of a beer label. Planning on more beer label paintings to create a series. Since this was David's idea, they will go on display in his bike room. Hoping for many more paintings to come...

Birth Order

There are days when I wonder why my kids act the way they do. You try to treat them all the same, hoping they all feel loved and secure, and be good, understanding people. But I know if I ask my kids, they will probably say they are treated unfairly. Their different personalities have different needs. Times like this I think about birth order, and how although they seem stereotypical, the kids somewhat fit the mold. They say the first born is generally more confident, born leader, determined, organized, eager to please, and likes to avoid trouble. Emi is definitely the most independent, and tries her best to be the best. She is the "good girl." I think she hides her needs, which makes it harder to see what she wants from us.

The second child is said to feel invisible, not having a defined place in the family, and often reach out outside of the family for significant relationships. They are often influenced by their peers. Since less is expected of them, they tend to have a more relaxed attitude towards life. They're supposed to be good negotiators since they are able to see both sides. Sage has been acting out lately, acting irrationally sometimes, even being mean, especially to Abby. Sure, siblings fight, but I sense he has something against her. I'm sure he feels she gets the most mommy-time, something he wishes he had more of. He's sensitive, and seems to be looking for approval and acceptance. He needs someone to connect with. It's gotta be tough being surrounded by girls. He has been the hardest to deal with lately.

The youngest child often crave the spotlight. They'll often work hard to be the center of attention, and go against the norm. They are often very persistent, affectionate, and good storytellers. Yes, Abby is VERY persistent, she will not stop till she gets what she wants. She is the biggest bug. Non stop. But she is the most expressive and the goofiest, sometimes without shame...

Imagine having the power to shape three lives in your hands...scary...

Abby's Self-Portrait

Abby's been enjoying taking pictures. Here's a couple of her self-portraits. Man, she cracks me up.

Miso

Made my first homemade miso. I'll know in 3-4 months how it turned out. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Thinking about making my own cheese and shampoo down the road...

Spliter Peak

Hiked Spitler Peak trail to the PCT connector. 10 miles round-trip. Wasn't as steep as the Taquitz Peak hike, but longer. David laughed at how much my legs will hurt tomorrow.

The flowers were blooming...its amazing how my flowers at home die, yet these survive with no water.

The view from above was amazing. That's Palm Springs on the left.

Hiking to Taquitz Peak

Last week, hiked to Taquitz Peak with David. Seeing the peak from afar, I was really surprised we walked that far. It was about a four hour hike, 7 miles around trip. It makes you re-think distance. Things that seem far really aren't. We'd like to walk to the Palm Springs tramway from Idyllwild soon before the kids get out of school for the summer.

Part of the World Wide Web

I have now joined the intricate web that connects me to all the weirdos and freaks in the world. Now everyone can see what our family do. Enjoy!