Ryan's Wedding - Family Time

I went to my nephew Ryan's wedding in Yosemite. Left on May 6 and spent a night at my cousin Herman's house. Met his son David and friend Theresa - they are a great couple! I so enjoyed meeting David! Alo and Allie flew in as well and Stephanie too so we all stayed at Herman's (thanks cousin!)

Here are some photos of David, Stephanie & Theresa.

In the morning we left for Yosemite. We stayed in a great cabin! Tess drove up with Alo's friend Randy. Steve came up with Susie and family. Sam and Claudia got a cabin too. Bill came up with Paul too.

Our cabin for 6 people! - 2bedrooms/2 bath

The wedding was beautiful - Ryan and Megan looked so happy!

The setting was gorgeous

and it was so great being around my family!

I really am tall too - I was just standing in a hole.

We played Hi Henry - and Bill lost -

Flew home May 10 -just in time to spend a few Mother's Day hours with the fam!

Glimpses of Russia

Its really hard to fathom that we were standing in the Kremlin on May 1. On our short 4 day visit to Moscow we saw Red Square, St. Basil's, Kremlin, and many other sights. The cupolas on the churches were amazing - many made of gold.

Some church

St. Basil's

A grocery store - can you believe it?

Red Square

We saw many people - the young ones speak English. Everyone was kind - when a girl collapsed on the metro many came forward to help her.

We had a great guide named Ludmila who shared with us her love of Moscow as well as her knowledge of her country, city and people. She lived through Soviet rule, Perostroika and the current "quasi--capital" systems.

I'll post more in the coming weeks - but suffice to say - I never thought I would live to see the fall of communism - and I did! And it never entered my mind that I would travel to Moscow! What an incredible experience.

Greetings to Hannah & Michelle from California!

Hello Girls! Were you surprised to wake up this morning and see your cousins sleeping over? Vanessa and Sarah will be staying until May 18. Dean and Laura will be staying until May 13! You will have a great time with them. Maybe they will take you to the beach (you have to ask Daddy).

Hannah - thank you for sleeping on your mattress on my bedroom floor so that Laura could sleep in your room. Michelle - thank you for sleeping on the couch with Susan so that Vanessa and Sarah can sleep in your room.

Remember to not make too much noise in the morning so you don't wake everyone up.

I am in the Admiral's Club at the Los Angeles Airport. I will catch another plane to San Francisco in about an hour. Tomorrow I will drive to Yosemite National Park. I think I will see some animals like maybe a hawk or squirrels - maybe a deer if I am luck. I will take pictures.

Gabe has a Dance Concert this weekend. You can ask Susan to take you when she goes with Vanessa, Sarah, Dean and Laura and Jacob. Ask Daddy for $6 for tickets. You will need to remember to practice good audience behavior.

Be good for Daddy. You have Special Olympics practice on Saturday. And early Saturday morning there is a Mother's Day Breakfast at the Church - Josiah's dad is cooking it. I think Daddy will take you.

I will be home on Sunday night. I love you. Remember to be kind.

Love Mom!

California Here I Come

Heading to my nephew Ryan's wedding near Yosemite. Leaving tonight at 9:00 - arrive in SFO tomorrow morning and meet up with cousin Stephanie, Alo and Allie. We'll overnight at Herman's in Foster City then drive to Yosemite area on Friday. The wedding is Saturday.

We are staying at Homestead Cottages. Susie and family and Bill are getting cabins there too. It should be a fun time!

Never been to Yosemite!!

Back on Sunday night.

Windows on Russia

So my other obsession in Moscow was windows... and here are some of them...fascinating, don't you think? (I know, I'm weird)

Once upon a time in a land far, far away...

Moscow was a most fascinating place. I'll post different aspects of the trip over the next few days.

For some reason I was fascinated by patterns - I saw patterns everywhere...at cemeteries, palaces, along streets - whether I looked up or down - patterns.

Life in Moscow seemed to occur in patterns too. People descended and ascended into the amazing Moscow metro in lines remniscent of ants encroaching on food left overnight on the counter. They leaned forward and backward standing on long long escalators which took them into or out of the bowels of the stations. They sat next to one another on the metro car with nary a space between each body. They each got up in the same fashion - exactly one stop before their intended station and made their way to the metro car door where they stood in line waiting for the door to open for the brief 10 second stop...at which time they did what all Moscovites do...kept moving.

Almost Home Girls!

We are leaving Russia in about an hour.

We are happy we visited and happy we are leaving. Moscow is a very big city with many people. Everyone speaks Russian and the t.v. is only in the Russian language. I am glad I had my ipod to watch my shows and also my Kindle book reader!

We will fly to Chicago then Washington D.C. We will stay in a hotel in Washington D.C. for one night (Sunday night). I will leave Washington D.C. on Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. and arrive home at 2:40 p.m. so I will see you both after school. Daddy will come home at 7:30 p.m.

It will be good to see you both. I will show you all of the pictures we took and give you your dolls, candy and the special gifts for you classmates.

Be good at school. Be obedient and kind and try your best!
I love you and I will see you soon! Love Mom

Hi to Our 2 Smart Girls

Today we saw Russian castles. It was a holiday here so it was crowded everywhere. We did some shopping. They do not use dollars here. Their money is called rubles. It only cost 20 cents to ride the train all day. We bought each of you a russian doll. We also bought some small gifts you can give your classmates on Tuesday. We love you. Remember to be kind. Love Dad and Mom.