On the road again,
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
Wallace, Emily, cute Ecuadorian boy and beautiful llama
Sarah, Max, Emily, cute Ecuadorian boy and beautiful llama
Emily loved this animal
We had a difficult time dragging her away
Baby Sheep
Emily doesn’t hesitate to introduce herself and she’s in that Christmas dress again today!
Then we headed to the Otavalo Market for some serious shopping. Clearly the kids are absolutely thrilled to be here! It was a quick stop ’cause it was raining and the kids were NOT having it!
Back on the bus to head to lunch to make our 3:00pm’ish lunch reservation at the Hacienda. 
I bought Max & Emily a baby alpaca stuffed animal. I think I was more excited about them than they were. Oma bought Emily this adorable hand-knitted kitty hat & Max got an adorable green frog hat!
FINALLY! Lunch @ the Hosteria Hacienda Pinsaqui.
Now for the tough part. What to order for these finicky eaters?!?!
Dorian, David, Vicky (our lovely tour guide) & Fernando (our safe, steadfast & loyal driver) enjoying a peaceful lunch
Need I say that the atmosphere was a little different at the other table …
Mark & Claudia having a romantic, candle-lit lunch. Not really, Alex & Charlie are off harassing the Hacienda peacock.
Dorian & David heading back to the bus after lunch.
We are off to Cotacachi, also referred to as the leather capitol of Ecuador, to buy a new leather jacket for Wallace
Dad enjoying a little shopping before we headed to see the weavers in a small nearby town
Arrived late evening at our hotel, “Cabanas del Lago”, overlooking the magnificent San Pablo Lake.
Browsing Posts tagged Sarah
The next day we jumped on the tour bus again and headed to Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World)
Check it out! 0 degrees-0′-0″
The Krasnoff Family straddling the equator
David, Norma, Wallace & Max straddling the equator
Mary & Sean straddling the equator
Wallace & Sarah straddling the equator
Emily thrilled to be holding a rhinoceros beetle
Max a little freaked out about it which is kind of funny because he is having a reptile/bug/beetle party for his 6th Birthday next month!
Happy Emily
She wasn’t phased at all
She even touched & petted the beetles.
David was the first to attempt the “beetle thing”.
Emily wanted to do this too, but her face was smaller than the beetle
John & Dorian — a quick stop at a scenic view after Mitad del Mundo
Max at the scenic view
Solar Museum
Here we are as a group on the equator at the Solar Museum
Mark successfully balances an egg on it’s small end on the equator. Yeah Mark!
Then we headed to Maria Elena’s house for what they refer to as “lunch” at 4pm’ish.
Max & Emily had fun on the teeter totter
Alex, Nick, Sean & Max all on the teeter totter!
And, there was a rope swing here too!
Emily loved it!
Max did too!
Charlie too!
Sean too!
They even had a white pet rabbit which was a big hit with Max & Emily
Emily fell in love with the bunny rabbit!!
We went to Donner Lake (Tahoe) this past weekend with the Kensler-Iversen Family
We rented a pretty home with two sets of bunk beds & a spiral stair case to a secret “kids only” hideaway. Kid’s Paradise to Erik’s angst.
Max @ the Donner Lake Mountain House
Emily @ Soda Springs Ski Resort where she went tubing
Sean @ Soda Springs Ski Resort
Alex @ Soda Springs Ski Resort
Sarah & Sean @ Soda Springs Ski Resort. Sean tried some skiing and was quite successful.
Wallace carrying Max to the tubing hill. He was too tired to walk.
Wallace & Erik in the kitchen on Saturday night making a fabulous meal for me & Sarah!
Potato, Green Cabbage & Leek Soup with lemon creme fraiche as our starter. Life is Good.
Alex, Sean, Max & Emily chilling in the downstairs livingroom watching “Harry the Dirty Dog” after a long afternoon at Soda Springs while we enjoy wine & adult conversation upstairs.
Wallace reading “Silly Sally” to the kids on Sunday morning before getting ready to head back to the Bay Area
You know Emily
and Max,
and Kedryn
and Brynn,
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,
But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it,
You could even say it glows.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah …
We had a wonderful Christmas in California this year with my dad, sister Suzanne, niece Brynn & nephew Kedryn. This was the third Christmas without my mom and the first Christmas with us all together since her passing. The chaos & craziness of 4 little munchkins running around certainly provided diversion and prevented us from sitting down for a minute & dwelling on it. No time for sitting with these crazies. Nonetheless, her presence was there and she certainly was on our minds during the holidays as she is every day.
One of Emily’s requests from Santa was nail polish! Boy was she thrilled to find it in her stocking and Papa Dave was happy to paint her fingernails and toes!!
She also received a pretty lavender long sleeve Ariel shirt from Aunt Denise, Uncle Paul, Kyle & Alexis
And a beautiful doll named Marianne from The Oma & Grandpa Dale which Brynn quickly took an interest in
Another highlight for Emily were princess & castle decals for her room from Auntie SuzyQ & Papa Dave. SuzyQ & Brynn took the time to put them up for her and she was thrilled to walk into her new Princess Room!
Max’s only request from Santa was a marble track!!! He was over the moon to receive not only one, but TWO marble tracks!!! He couldn’t get enough of playing marbles!
Papa Dave showing Max & Kedryn how to use the new race car track. The boys loved it!
Brynn was happy to receive a pink Hello Kitty purse and a pretty scarf from The Oma! She actually wore the scarf while ice skating in Tahoe! It was more of a designer, decorative scarf than a winter scarf, but Brynn didn’t seem to care! She wore it with flare!
Brynn with her new panda pillow pet from Emily & Max which she named “Oreo”
Perlar Beads were plentiful and also a huge hit with the kids! Kedryn with a fish that I made for him which he named “Q” after his mama! Ahhhhhhhhh!
Papa Dave, Max & Emily with a gift of Petit Fours from Uncle Frank. The kids were anxious to try their first petite four.
We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with family & friends. Here’s to a fun & fabulous 2011!
Max celebrated his 5th Birthday at SilverCreek Sportsplex in San Jose today
Peeking out from his balloons as he impatiently waits for his guests to arrive
His buddy, Brennan, was the first guest to arrive!
Sweet Christian has been a friend since Max was 4 months old. They met in “Music Together” class at Los Gatos Rec.
Will, Brennan & Max take a quick rest before bouncing again on the inflatables
Wallace laying in the middle of the bounce house getting pummeled with balls by wild children
I think he is calling for a truce, but nobody is listening!
An attempt to get a group BD shot of all the kids
Lining up ready to enter the party room for pizza & cupcakes
Max blowing out his candles
Family Photo in the party room: Emily, Mommy, Max & Daddy
Will & Max after devouring a yummy cupcake
Happy 5th Birthday, Max!
Wallace wheeling out the presents, Max & Emily to the car
Max opening “Slinky Dog” from Alex & Josh
Slinky Dog was a real hit!
Happy Birthday Max!
I remember my mom every day, but on this day in particular. This was the day, two years ago, that she was freed from the pain of ovarian cancer that inevitably took her life. Although I feel immobolized at times with sadness, it also brings back incredibly strong wonderful memories of a person that lives on through me, my dad, my sister, her sister and many many others.
Mom & Dad
Mom & Suzanne
Mom, Brynn & me
Grandma Jane & Brynn
Grandma Jane, Kedryn & Suzanne
Nana & Max (she asked for my kids to call her “Nana”)
Meeting Emily Luisa for the first time (July 2007)
Mom, her sister (Margie), niece (Kim), & nephew (Jeff)
Uncle Tom’s Cabin in Lake City, Colorado
Emily Jane celebrating Emily Luisa’s 1st Birthday (July 22, 2008) in Los Gatos, California
She traveled from Pennsylvania to California even though she wasn’t feeling well and put up a good front
In memory of a wonderful mom to me & Suzanne, a loyal & loving wife to my dad, a generous & giving Grandma/Nana to Brynn, Kedryn, Max & Emily, a kind & caring sister to Margie, a special Aunt, an honest, true friend to many and a best friend to those lucky few. Today and every day you remain a strong presence in my life and will always remain in my heart.
We went to Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills today for a Farm Tour
Sarah, Alex & Sarah’s mama, Gwyneth joined us. Gwyneth is visiting from Wales.
The first part of the tour was the garden which didn’t hold a lot of interest for Max! He just wanted to see the ANIMALS! He’s not much into trying out the fruits and vegetables.
Emily enjoyed petting the sheep
She even said to me, “Take my picture, mama!”
Max really enjoyed the sheep too
He obviously got very comfortable with this particular sheep. Max was tickling the sheep’s hind legs. I told him that he could get kicked. The tour guide explained that he was in the right spot to get peed on and that would be much worse than getting kicked so he went towards the front of the sheep and just leaned on her.
Emily gets a little kiss from this sweet sheep
Couldn’t seem to capture Alex petting a sheep, but she sure did look pretty in her hot pink ruffled shirt, matching hat & necklace
I did however capture her taking lots of pictures of the chickens. She enjoyed using Sarah’s camera!
Cock-A-Doodle-Do! One gorgeous rooster!
SOME PIG
All and all, it was a great time for the kids & adults too. Hidden Villa is, in my opinion, a hidden gem!
Emily getting ready for the Ariel Tea Party
Princess Alex (Cinderella) being carried into the Tea Party by her Grandpa Bee
Princess Alex & Princess Emily
Cinderella & Ariel
All the pretty princesses watching Ariel sing songs & entertain them
Princess Abby puckering up!
Princess Emily
She just got a pink butterfly painted on her cheek by Ariel herself
Princess Alex all made up
Coloring a princess
Alex & her beautiful mama, Sarah
Emily showing off her pretty pink butterfly
All the girls had a great time at the Ariel Tea Party this afternoon
We went to Winter Lodge in Palo Alto to try a little first time ice skating with Sarah, Erik, Alex & Sean on Sunday night
Max REFUSED to try ice skating so Wallace took him out on the rink in the stroller. As a former hockey player, he was tearing around the rink … sometimes so fast that the wheels of the stroller were catching air! Max was laughing hysterically the whole time!
Emily was keen on trying ice skating so we rented a pair of ice skates for her
Sarah & Sean having fun!
Wallace & Emily
Emily holding onto the railing
After seeing Alex, Sean, Emily, Sarah, Erik, Mommy & Daddy on skates … Max decides to give it a go!
Max pushing Alex in the stroller to get comfortable on the ice
Max was running on the ice instead of sliding.
Max holding onto the side of the rink. He feel down several times, became frustrated and wanted the ice skates off ASAP.
So, back to the stroller he went … Erik & Alex pushing Max around the rink!
Wallace & Emily taking a break.
All and all it was a great first experience! Emily, Sean & Alex seemed to really enjoy themselves. Max … so-so, but at least he gave it a try! We’ll try again next season!
