Archive for the ‘Parents and Kids’ Category

Why Did You Bring Me Here?

Posted by julie on Monday, 3 September 2018, 14:55

“Why did you bring me here?” It’s what every parent wants to hear after she’s dreamed of moving to Italy for 16 years; packed up the house with her husband (and ultra-helpful mom) and put literal tons of books into storage; found a charming school that she thinks is the right fit for her kids after dozens of hours of on-line searching plus actually visiting the school (yes, in Italy); tried for 27 days to get an apartment; and finally felt frustrated and unsettled because she’s still living in temporary AirB&Bs with unhappy kids and without the amenities she wants in her kitchen, (or, this time, a washing machine), her own pillow, or simply a routine that would bring tranquility, time for thoughtful consideration, or healthful eating.

But back to the question: “Why did you bring me here?” Well, lots of reasons, actually:

  • Adventure: The world is wide and exciting. How can I not demonstrate to you how amazing I think that is?
  • Second language acquisition: Yes, it’ll be difficult. Some day, though, you’ll whisper sweet nothings to your future partners in Italian. I mean, really, you’ll thank me later.
  • Great jumping-off point for exploring the rest of Europe: See “Adventure,” above.
  • Beautiful Dolomite mountains—along with hiking and skiing and via ferrate and…: Yes, it’s true, you come from a land of beautiful mountains. The Cascades are one-of-a-kind. But if you’d just look up from your books to see these old ocean floors, thrust up and eroding away into jagged teeth and plateaus. Stunning, I say.
  • Appreciate home: Sometimes it takes being taken away from the comforts of home to appreciate them.
  • Strengthen our family relationships, both our nuclear family and our Swiss cousin relationships: We’ve already visited Switzerland once and had cousin fun, and, as a family of four, we’ve played cards, games, and had plenty of laughs. Now, if we could only be kind to each other all of the time…
  • Resilience: Doing difficult things and succeeding builds resilience.
  • In a big, vague sense, it’s an experience worth having, one you will appreciate later. I know; that’s such a parent-y thing to say. It’s sort of my job.

So I was frustrated when that question was lobbed at me. It seemed like it was time to sit down and brainstorm what we appreciate about being in Italy. Just so you know that it’s not all bad, this living in Italy business, here’s our list:

  • Lots of cats to greet (E, but all of us, really)
  • How many bikes there are (S, but all of us)
  • How many solar panels there are (S)
  • How much public transportation there is (S)
  • Not having to drive (C)
  • Swiss cousins are closer (E and S)
  • Cars stop for me when I’m a pedestrian (S)
  • The fire tower in Colle (S)
  • Fresh eggs and milk straight from the cows and chickens (E)
  • Fanny the horse (E)
  • Learning Italian (C)
  • The bugs (S)
  • The combination of walking trails to trains to funivias to buses to playgrounds. You can get nearly anywhere! (J)
  • Nice playgrounds, easily accessible (S)
  • The mall (E and J)
  • Playing games together (J)

Hopefully, this list will grow as we navigate our year abroad.

Tamolitch Pool Hike

Posted by julie on Monday, 23 June 2014, 10:39

To celebrate summer, yesterday we hiked up to Tamolitch Pool, also called Blue Pool, where the McKenzie River comes back above ground after disappearing as groundwater for a bit. The two-mile hike to the pool—mostly in shade except for the last half-mile or so, which is over lava flows just beginning to grow shrubs and trees big enough to offer shade—was the perfect length for our family on a day with temperatures in the low 80s. The kids parkoured all the rocks and down trees for the first mile, then they settled into a hike. Everyone was ready for a break when we reached the clear, cold water of the pool (of which I have no photos; a Google search will probably give you some good ones). The pool is difficult to reach, so we opted out this time. We’ll climb down next time. At least one of us was brave enough to enter the 36°F river on the hike out. I know that my feet were numb in about 11 seconds.

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Mid-hike meditation

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Ooh, that’s colder than I expected

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The bravest one of all of us (always)

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“This … is it.” or: A post-mid-life birthday present for Dad

Posted by jonesey on Wednesday, 24 April 2013, 17:31

This is how I remember it, anyway.

Once upon a time, when my father was chronologically younger than I am now (but more mature than I am now, since he inflicted offspring, a mortgage, and a lawnmower on himself at a much younger age), he decided to check the mid-life crisis box.

Sports car? No, he had already owned a 1972 BMW 2002 (named Fritz, of course), picked up from the factory in Germany. No mere sports car was going to top that.

Trophy wife? He already had one of those, and still does.

No, my dad has always been a rational, reasonable, sensible person, even in a crisis. He went out and got one of these:

Dad has always liked a little go in his cars, so when it was station wagon time (gotta have something that can hold two kids and a bunch of trash and recycling on the way to the town dump, after all), he bought a brand new 1986 Volvo 740 Turbo wagon. That thing could GO, and it didn’t complain at all when you really pushed it. I once took it up to 90 (sorry, Dad) just for kicks while merging onto the empty D.C. Beltway late one night. I think the RPMs cracked 3500 when I did that, but they might not have. The car sure didn’t mind one bit.

I looked for the ad above for years. I finally found it a few months ago. In the meantime, I found it that Ferrari really did make a station wagon. And it was ugly. Take a look:

http://www.pestalozzi.net/sb/ferrari_venice/index.html

http://www.geekologie.com/2008/09/just_plain_wrong_a_ferrari_sta.php

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3200.asp?id=10779

The last link above has the best explanation of the hideously not-as-atractive-as-it-should-be Ferrari station wagons that were built for a couple of Really Rich People. They look like a toned-down Ferrari front end mixed with a Subaru back end, resulting in an early-1990s Saturn or Honda wagon ambiance. Definitely not a Ferrari look. I’m sure they drive nicely, but blech.

And here’s a reward for those of you who read all the way to the end. Well done.

Celebrating 30 Years of the Volvo Turbo 1981 – 2011

Happy birthday, DYD.

Long Hike Thoughts

Posted by julie on Tuesday, 5 March 2013, 8:30

I met the bearded man just after I’d skied over the bridge, topped with about three feet of snow, piled to the top of the bridge’s railing (I didn’t do the math, but I wondered how much extra weight was just sitting on that bridge all winter long). I planned to explore a new ski trail for me, along the north side of Gold Lake. As a Backcountry Ski Patroller, a large part of my “job” is connecting with the public and helping them have great, snowy, winter experiences, so I stopped to chat as this man awaited his companion.

As I figured out how many miles they had already snowshoed that morning (about 5, down from the South Waldo Lake Shelter), then found out what they were training for (hiking the Continental Divide Trail), it suddenly dawned on me that I’d met Sunshine and her Dad (trail name: Balls). I first read about the duo on the Backpacking Light website in 2011, when they were completing their Pacific Crest Trail journey. Last year, they hiked the Appalachian Trail. So, this year, they’re going for the Triple Crown with their CDT hike, completing all three long hikes by the time Sunshine is 13. This 12-year-old has more experience with bear hanging, sleeping on the ground, trail food, and pushing herself through challenges than most people will ever have. As I considered the school that Sunshine has missed in the past three years, I kept coming back to what she’s gained in self-confidence and outdoor skills from her experiences.

Earlier that morning, I’d talked with my friend Walter about adventures with kids: living abroad, rock climbing, and, yes, even through-hiking. A couple of things have been pointing me toward more serious adventures with my kids. First, I just started a book, Before They’re Gone by Michael Lanza, about a family’s year-long quest to visit National Parks imperiled by climate change. Although I’ve only just begun reading it, it’s easy to see that this family had what most people would consider “grown-up-sized” adventures. In the first chapter, they’re heading out for an early spring, 4-day, 29-mile backpack with a 7- and 9-year-old on icy Grand Canyon trails. That’s believing in your kids and their abilities!

After meeting Monkey, who turned nine while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail last summer, I’ve been considering how feasible it might be to complete a long hike with one or both of my children. The PCT was Monkey’s idea, by the way. She wasn’t coerced. Last summer, when we gave Monkey and her Mom a ride to their campsite after they’d inhaled 1200-calorie meals of pizza and milkshakes, I asked Sylvan if he’d like to try a long-distance hike with me. He balked. The little one, though, seemed interested. With her constant singing and smiley demeanor, she’d be the perfect companion, too! Sunshine to balance my native grumbles. I asked her yesterday if she’d like to try some backpacking this summer. Without looking up from her art project, she said, “Yes.” As she shapes up as a hiker, we’ll see if she enjoys pulling off long days (with enough Jelly Bellies) and is driven by the challenge of a good, long-term goal. I hope so!

This is why I’m on the Backcountry Ski Patrol (and why I can’t imagine leaving Oregon, even when I wish we lived much closer to grandparents). Look at that sunshine!

Helping Daddy Run Too Far

Posted by julie on Monday, 20 August 2012, 0:04

Chris ran the Waldo 100K yesterday. It was more than 100K; you’ll have to ask him about it.

The kids and I supported him, but only a little. We really just wanted to get out of town and go swimming in a beautiful mountain lake. We succeeded.

We thought we might have missed Chris when we got to Charlton Lake, after some road construction and VERY slow trucks. Made it, though, with time to spare. I almost missed this photo, though.

Mostly cloudy, drizzly, with brightly-colored children

The Outdoor Program was out of rental kayaks and stand-up paddleboards on Friday, since the weather has been so utterly delectable. So, on a whim, I bought an inflatable kayak at REI. I hope it lives up to its great start. The kids and I took it to the island in the background, both kids inside and me pushing from behind.

By the time we'd found the Shadow Bay swim area on Waldo Lake and inflated the kayak, it was 80 degrees and sunny, perfect for boating or swimming in remarkably clear and cold water. This beach is great, because the water reached my chest only after I'd walked out 150 feet. Perfect for new paddlers.

Found this little amphibian swimming near shore

Had plenty of time at the finish line to ask repeatedly to ride the gondola, drink lemonade, eat veggie burgers, drink hot chocolate, and only watch about 15 runners come in (in 3 1/2 hours; 100Ks aren't really spectator sports)

"Who wears the pants in this relationship?" Or, perhaps, "How does he wear the pants?"

Families on bikes!

Posted by jonesey on Friday, 13 July 2012, 6:37

The Sightline Institute’s Daily Score blog posts thoughtful research about transportation, land use, economics, climate change and other environmental topics, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest.

Today’s post is about transportation. And cute kids. You may recognize a couple of them.

Some of My Favorite Things—14 February 2012

Posted by julie on Tuesday, 14 February 2012, 21:47

A photographic list:

Two of my favorite vehicles, one ridden my three of my favorite people. Xtracycles rock! And they're even better when you get them from a nice guy on craigslist.

The photo is a few months old, but the sentiment is quite current. Elena is an expert hugger, and I love it!

Bracelet made by Claudine, beader extraordinaire. A lovely necklace completes the set, but the bracelet secured my decision. I loved the memory wire, smoky beads, and thumbprint stone.

My husband is silly.

Time-saver or time-sucker?

This is my favorite Harry Potter book. We're reading it with Sylvan right now. I don't want to miss any on Chris's nights to put Sylvan to bed!

What a great organization and a great group of people.

And one of the reasons I love the Patrol so much: I get to see this, my favorite mountain, Diamond Peak, every time I patrol (unless it's overcast, which it hasn't been this winter—which means there's less than 3 feet of snow on the ground, but that might change this weekend!).

 

Spencer Butte and a Skate Party

Posted by julie on Sunday, 6 November 2011, 22:01

We got off to a slow start, but the day picked up, with a hike in the afternoon followed by an evening birthday party at Skateworld!

Our forest fairy.

When we started off on the Spencer Butte trail—a one-mile trail to the top of a mountain south of Eugene with fantastic views of the city—a forest fairy played a panflute somewhere in the woods above us. We never saw our musician (perhaps because, as Chris noted, when forest fairies stand still, they camouflage themselves as trees), but her notes wafting through the yellow leaves added a general magic to our hike. Elena searched for forest fairies in any likely hollowed log or hole in the ground on the way up.

Both kids reached the top with no (very little?) whining. I’ve been avoiding taking both kids up here alone, because I didn’t want to have a whiney melt-down (or deal with the kids having one), but they were both troopers. Skittles helped (four each on the way up, two on the way down).

Smiles and yogurt-covered raisins (or raisin-covered raisins, if you're Elena).

Mr. S looks so tall and thin in this photo. He took the slippery rocks like a pro. He naturally got low to better balance and slide if necessary. Time to take this one rock climbing.

After a quick hike down, which included a troll under a bridge (Sylvan the troll chasing some college girls [wouldn’t you have thought I’d have at least another six years before that happened?]), a family of five hiking with seventeen dogs (okay, seven), and a feral chicken, it was on to Skateworld! Okay, Tecnu showers and then Skateworld!

Our addition to the 70s-themed potluck. This and tater tots. Did you know that Easy Cheese is actually mostly cheese? I didn't mean to disappoint you.

Yes, that's a My Little Unicorn with a disco ball atop Rachael's cake. And Jiffy Pop on the table.

Sylvan trying out the skates. Chris confident in his 70s shirt. Sylvan was actually way better on skates than he was last year. He was slow, but he didn't need a hand. He didn't skate long, but he tried it out. Kindergarten's changing this one, and all for the better!

Elena's frustrating game of air hockey. Did you know that air hockey's really hard when you can only reach eight inches onto the table?

Lots of skating fun! Rachael’s skate mix was superb, and included Stevie Wonder’s Superstitious, Summer Lovin’ from Grease, Barry Manilow’s Copacabana (which is somehow inexplicably linked to Carvel ice cream with rainbow sprinkles in my brain), the Gambler, and Take Me Home, Country Roads. Passing on roller skating to another generation! Sylvan’s going again on Friday with the other school-age children who don’t have school on account of my Mom’s birthday (don’t tell her it’s Veteran’s Day; she knows everything shuts down for her birthday).

Eugene street scene

Posted by jonesey on Thursday, 6 October 2011, 20:42

Traveling from school to home. Two kids, two bikes, one bike trailer.  A little rain, and lots of sun. Stopping to check out lacrosse practice across the street from Agate Hall, where the Vaux’s Swifts nest in the chimney during their spring and fall migrations.

Also, I took this picture WITH MY PHONE. My PHONE. If you're over 30, stop and think about what the word "phone" used to mean. Not to get off topic, but thank you, Steve Jobs.

Springtime in Eugene

Posted by julie on Sunday, 15 May 2011, 22:22

Because She-who-shall-not-be-named gave me a hard time about not posting anything but granola for nearly a month, here are some photos of our recent days.

The chalk drawings before the addition of potty words

Wishful thinking: Pahd Thai for dinner (that happened), playdate with Robbie next Saturday (we'll probably be at the beach...)

Snacktime on a bridge!

Master Young Raccoon was attempting to enter our garage when Chris spotted him