On 2 Wheels

Sanjay's training wheels back home are broken, so I decided that he would learn to ride a 2-wheeler while we were in Maryland. I worked with him a bit in the grass the other day and he got the hang of it, but would only pedal like 2 revolutions after I let go of the seat. Although he figured out quickly how to put his feet down to stop from falling when the bike started tipping, he lacked confidence for some reason and was ready to stop soon after we began.

Today we went back out to show Pappy and this time things just clicked. We went to the pavement which he found easier than the grass. He mastered going down the driveway and coming back in a straight line with me giving him a push start. Then, he threw me to the curb and wanted to start by himself. It took about 3 tries and he mastered that. So, then he added turning to his repertoire. It was like every new trick was coming easily to him. He tried riding on the narrow sidewalk and he even started doing "wheelies". No kidding... they were tiny, but he was indeed getting the front wheel off the ground.

Here's a small video of the action:


Sanjay is a great learner for many reasons... and I love being his teacher. He almost always has a fantastic attitude. He isn't shy about trying new things and doesn't give up easily. Once he picks up a skill he will challenge himself to something a bit harder, to do it a little faster, to be a tad stronger. Whatever it is, he tries to do it better. I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out as he grows up.

Family Reunion

We try to hook up with the family on our annual trip home. This year I left my camera inside. Can you believe it? I have personally taken no pictures of the event. Fortunately, my cousin Dana had her digital camera and she was snapping shots like crazy because after two years of ownership, she finally learned that the camera has a zoom function. :) Before she left, I snagged all of her pictures and here are the highlights...

She got a really cute picture of Sanjay and Sam (my youngest cousin, starting 9th grade this year). It's rare that you get either one of these boys looking at the camera, much less with a smile on their face.



You're more likely to end up with a photo like this when these two are your subjects.



She also got this lovely one of Priya... can you tell she just loves having her picture taken?



Among all the photos, I found a LOT of blurry ones and some great candids where no one is looking at the camera and some people are even picking their noses. Just kidding, but Dana is kind of known for walking around with the camera and just snapping away. You have to be careful. This has to be the best one from today... I cracked up when I saw it. What the heck is my Dad doing with that bungee cord? :)



Actually, I did have my camera out when our first guests arrived. Here they are: Cuteness Squared.



Let's do it all over again next year!

Deep Creek Lake

We spent a couple of days this week with my Aunt Weezie and her family on the lake in Western Maryland. Great weather, great company and great fun. We took the boat out every day and although the anchor didn't do a great job of holding us in place, after cruising around a bit on the lake, we'd look for a cove to go swimming and just cut the engine and enjoy being out there. Neither Sanjay nor Priya much enjoyed their tubing rides at a snail's pace (you can see the fear on Sanjay's face), but they did have a fun time overall. Here are the promised pictures of the tubing, my cousin water skiing and the extremely hot firepit where we roasted marshmallows at night. :)

Four Days...

at Nana and Pappy's house will do this to a little boy in the late afternoon.



We've been picnicing with old friends, biking, swinging, pony-riding and swimming in between all that. Tomorrow we're heading to western Maryland with Aunt Weezie and family to bask in the sun some more and maybe do some tubing behind her motorboat. Come back for photos of those adventures.

The Girls Who Knew Me As Sandee

Way back in elementary school we were on the same bus route, we were neighbors, we had slumber parties at each other's houses in the small town that was Frederick in the late 1970's. Everyone knew each other. The "thanks for letting me pass" wave on the one-lane bridge off Shookstown was often received by someone you knew. A lot has changed around here since then with the suburbs of DC sprawling to accommodate all the people that live and work down there trying to escape the dreadful traffic that has made the I-495 beltway famous.

After high school, I lost touch with these girls. Again, it was Facebook that brought us back together and sparked this mini-reunion at my parent's place. They all remember our house before the renovations (in 1997) so it was a lot of fun to show them around and watch their reactions to the extra square footage. While sipping on Mojitos and Gin and Tonics, we talked about the good old days. We reminisced about the kindergarten big-wheel trek that landed me grounded for the first time in my life at age 5. We talked about playing fast food drive-thru by circling on our bikes around the trailer parked in my parent's driveway. We discussed our childhood phone numbers and how they are still ingrained in our brains. These were the days before cell phones when you had to memorize phone numbers or - egads - actually grab a phone book to look them up. We remembered the time we had our first taste of beer by sharing one can of Coors between several of us and those days at Prospect Hall dances where we hid drinks in our trench coats to sip on between singing along to "Blister In The Sun" and "Dancing With Myself". Then, we followed up with how we hope our children make better choices about certain things than we did. It was fun to see the personalities of "the next generation" and how, for example, Kristen's oldest is not-at-all like her. She may look like her Mommy but is so much more outgoing and talkative.

It was so much fun that we're already planning what we'll do different next year, and we are hoping to see some more of the girls and their kids before we head back to Colorado. Here's a shot of us on the deck. Unfortunately, I don't have one where everyone's eyes are open. :(



Besides swimming and eating, we threw in some pony rides. Karen still lives within walking distance of my parent's place so she brought over Cassie (who was not thrilled with the plan) to take the kids for a ride.



For more photos of the day, check out the album on Facebook.

Hiking Lily Pad Trail

We like to take the Lily Pad trail from Wildernest into Frisco, then bus back. The hike takes us about 2 hours with kids in tow, but it's mostly downhill so that keeps the complaining to a minimum. If the weather is warm enough, reaching Frisco promises a paddle boat ride on Lake Dillon.

Here's a brief four minutes of our two hour hike in the mountains. Enjoy!

Silverthorne, Colorado

It's like every other American city... only with better backdrops.