Grand Canyon

We had such fun here. We had lunch at the Bright Angel Lodge and then walked down the Bright Angel trail a short way. We didn't take many photos, though.


Alana saw another girl getting her photo taken in this tree, and she wanted a similar shot. This is the Desert View lookout, where Larry and I got engaged in 1993.

Flagstaff fire still smoldering

It's hard to tell in this photo, but there was quite a bit of smoke still coming off the east side of the mountain.

The Rock Fort

When I was growing up, my brother and I would go down to the end of street and play in a small strip of woods between our house and the road to the west. We had the Rock Fort and the Hay Fort (really pine needles). Here, we're perched on the Rock Fort - a pile of rocks that formed several natural cubbies and "rooms," and offered excellent protection from attacking Indians (very un-PC, but it was the late 1960s).

We also walked around Buffalo Park, also near my house, and saw several small lizards sunning themselves - the kids got a huge kick out of that.

Slide Rock in Oak Creek Canyon

It was so poignant to be here. The entrance has changed a lot but the rest looks exactly the same as it did 35 years ago. Gorgeous as ever. The kids and I walked along for quite a ways and the kids seemed to get a kick out of it (Cal wanted to come back and swim another day, but we'll have to save that for another trip).

Sedona

Scenic splendor


In one of many gift shops that we visited


Matt with public art


I was really sad that the Sedona Ice Cream Parlor is no more. This is what took it's place. I didn't even order anything - I had my mouth all set for a Dusty Road to honor my dad, anything else would have been pointless.

Lunch in Cave Creek

I found a great burger joint called The Hideaway

Phoenix hotel

Had a great experience at the Comfort Inn. Here's Matt enjoying their nice pool.


Here's Alana enjoying their nice breakfast.

On the airplane

Cal on the plane


Alana as mini Matt


Asleep

Alana's boo-boo

Who knew that badminton was such a dangerous sport?! Don't play doubles with someone a foot taller than you - it means their raquet is swinging right at your head. (It actually looks much worse than this in person! Quite a "goose egg.")

Hotel pool in NJ

Cal and Matt


Alana reading after swimming

50th anniversary party

A really nice event. There were several people taking photos, so I didn't take a lot myself. Here's Larry reading during the ceremony.

This one came out so cute.

Alana after class play

Alana dancing around with leaves after Jack and the Beanstalk

PARP reading awards

Both kids got "medals" for doing at least one online book report every month during the school year (mommy gets credit for nagging them, sometimes quite a bit, to get this done). The parents got bookmarks with the kids pictures on them - a really cool gift!

Snack time

Matt and Caleb went to see The Karate Kid with Jake and Jim, so Alana and I swam at the YMCA for awhile and then stopped at the store to get a few things. She didn't have much lunch, so she wanted a snack. While she ate, she read the newspaper comics that someone had left on the table. So cute.

Cub scout swimming badge

Cal and about 10 other scouts spent almost an hour at the YMCA pool to earn their Aqua badge.

Caleb's BD party

I'm so proud of Caleb for being willing to spend his birthday at this charity basketball tournament rather than playing lasertag. They played HARD, but all the other teams in their division came from the Basketball Academy and they were just better. The last (of 3) games was the closest, but they still got bested. Cal made a 3-point shot, but his foot was over the line, so it didn't "count" . . . except to those of us who were watching! Special thanks to Tim Wheeler, Jonah's dad, for being the defacto coach - I couldn't have done what he did to keep the boys motivated and focused.

Afterward, we went to Friendly's for ice cream and that soothed the disappointment.

Temple Concord Bar B Q

Israeli scout

After the Caravan performance at Roxoboro Middle School, with "our" scout, Yaniv.

Family ice cream

Alana got a cherry milk shake


Roxy had a small dish of Hafner's best vanilla soft serve (you can see the doggy biscuit they put in it!)


She wanted more!

Family Fitness Night

The school district sponsored this great event. Cal ran in a short relay race 3 times and his team won twice! He also shot baskets for almost an hour. And we all did square dancing (no photos of that!)


There was a whole room devoted to stacking cups. Here Alana gets help with the MINIs.

SILLYBANDZ!

Finally, the sillybandz we ordered online arrived! We got 6 paks (24 in each). You can't tell from this photo, but the kids are ecstactic.

Glen Park in Buffalo (Amherst)

We had a nice lunch with Frank and Betsy, and then walked down to these gorgeous falls very near their house.

Swimming at the Yorkland Hotel

Continental breakfast in the hotel

Alana tried almost everything they offered!

Dinner in Chinatown

Toronto Zoo

Just inside the zoo entrance


After we saw the real komodo dragon

World Oceans Day mural

Outside the gorilla habitat

Cal's BD dinner at TRH

RIBS!


He was much happier than he looks here

At Allen Rd

I visited Alana's class to help with "centers" - one station was free reading


Ciera, Alana, Haley