Last day of 2010

The better part of New Year's eve was spent like this.

The end of the trip. The trip can be summed up in 5 words: "When can we go back?!"

We didn't get any photos of Anu actually sledding down the dunes because we were having too much fun to stop and document it!

You can walk at the way to the sea if you want, but just seeing it from a distance is refresing.

There are slopes for all sizes and weights of people. Little Anu was fearless as long as he was in a lap of some sort. I was not fearless but the medium slopes were fine with me. Walking back up carrying Anu was the hardest part. Made me sound quite older than I am.

There are some good quad workouts on these dunes.

At first sight of the dunes, the kids took off in amazement!

Mana's very tall shadow on the sand, but couldn't help color it aquamarine for her.

We had so much fun at the dunes on New Year's Eve thanks to our friend Linda for showing us this spot. Directions to this place: Take Highway 1 south from Grande Ave in Grover Beach past butterfly trees, etc. Turn right on 22nd Street. It winds you through an agricultural field. Turn right at next dirt road (there are not other choices anyway) and drive through ranch. Park at first dirt parking lot on left near huge sign sayng horseback riding lessons. Walk up the road through an RV campground, and near top you will see trail that takes you immediately to these most beautiful most amazing dunes. No poison oak, not much of a hike. Splendid. Bring sleds.

Merry Christmas Eve

We got to go to the carousel at the Mission on Christmas eve just before it was going to close. It was such a beautiful day after all that rain. The kids were so happy just to run around in the sunshine. Anu liked riding the carousel, as long as Daddy was very close to him. Alani wanted mormor to stand with her.

Christmas is in the Air

Christmas seems to be coming awfully fast this year, but the kids can hardly wait. We love stopping at this house in SLO, they always decorate it differently each year. Last year you could actually play mini golf and other games there.

We made it to the Fresno Temple in December. The kids loved this life-sized nativity that was set up outside of it.

Little Musician

Red Dirt Reggae

Mana's Nativity

Thanksgiving in Phoenix and Hohokam huts

We got to drive to Phoenix for Thanksgiving to see Tutu and Lanndyn and Grandpa Lorenzo. The girls had fun visiting the Pueblo Grande Museum in downtown Phoenix. It is an archaeological museum which contains the remains of real Hohokam ballcourts (the Hohokam were the only group outside of Meso America who had such large ballcourts for a game they played). It just so happened that I wrote my senior thesis at UCSC on the Hohokam Ballcourts, so I like to visit them in real life.


The girls are standing above a ballcourt. Thousands of people would have been lined up along the edge of this court to watch the games.

Everyone loved spending time inside a reconstructed Hohokam apartment. In fact they said they'd prefer to live in that apartment than our condo! They are following after their mother's heart - I always wanted to go back in time and live in prehistoric conditions.

Me and my clan outside the Hohokam apartments.

Anu loved the Hohokam artifacts such as this bowl, but especially the gourd and seedpods.

If only we had some marshmallows, the girls would have wanted to make s'mores here.

Daddy and Anu standing in front of one of the ancient Hohokam irrigation canals. They had extensive and impressive irrigation system which allowed them to grow cotton among other things in this dry desert.

Uncle Lanndyn surrounded by some of the kids including little 6 month old cousin Blaze from Tacoma Washington.

Tutu with her 4 grandkids from SLO outside their house. And Tutu, your hair looks beautiful.

Kawai begged for cornrows, so I did them on thanksgiving day. Little did I know they would last over a week! It was worth the investment of time since no brushing was required for a whole week.