This Thanksgiving, rather impulsively, we booked a cabin with a river view in Northern California and invited some Army friends along. Original plans involved camping, but weather reports were shaping up to be very cold. A pivot to a VRBO rental was the right move for a gaggle of kids and some dogs. Our riverfront accommodations weren’t exactly close to the National Park, but it had a big kitchen, space for two families and two dogs. And a hot tub. Driving a little further out to the Redwoods was worth it.
Meeting equidistantly with our Southern California friends made the most sense, and how lucky we all are to have the most beautiful National Park between our respective cities.
Thanksgiving cooking was a breeze in the fully stocked kitchen, and kids were never underfoot with 5 acres to explore. Imagination led them to build their own fortress out of found wood and mossy materials. Eating, walking, talking and relaxing filled the day.
Black Friday was spent outdoors exploring the Grove of the Titans. I am still falling short on words to describe the sense of awe brought on by Redwoods the size of 10 school buses standing end-to-end (we estimated as much). Growth beyond any reasonable expectations, these trees towered over the forest, blanketing and darkening the forest floor. Ferns sprawled across the ground like the prairie grass of the Plains States. Green beyond imagination, with sagging moss and fallen trees, the Grove of the Titans (aptly named) showed us the truest grandeur the Earth offers.
Words cannot describe, and photos cannot capture the scope and magnanimity of this forest. Though I tried. I implore one and all to visit this incredible place to restore your sense of wonder and appreciation for the vastness of the world around us.
Hello! It’s been a while since I last posted. I hope you all know how to find your way back to my poor, neglected blog.
Our vacation to Oklahoma and California is long over, but not long forgotten. I will never in my life forget how Woods vomited all over Isaac during our connecting flight from Dallas to Los Angeles. Twice. We arrived to LAX, and headed over to Venice Beach with a half dressed baby (that’ll teach us to forget backup clothes), and an incredibly cranky toddler. I distinctly remember a very bored Margot slipping out of her seat belt and into the narrow airplane aisle, refusing to sit back down because she wanted to do Yoga instead. Why am I harping on the travel, and not the destination? Maybe because during our 10 day vacation, we spent approximately 24 total hours en route to our destinations. Living in Alaska has its downfalls; the distance from the lower 48 is #1 on the list of grievances. 
Venice Beach. Margot’s first warm-weathered beach experience. The poor Alaskan kid tried to build a snowman with the sand. It was so darling to see my beautifully sheltered child experience an entirely different climate than she’s used to. She’s a beach person, it turns out. I can foresee the UCSB college applications in our future, already.
Our time in Venice was short — we headed to Bakersfield the same day we arrived from OKC. Day after day we ate our way into day food comas (Mexican, Basque and Chinese food galore!). I hardly recognized my hometown; I was surprised by the solar panel boom, wasn’t sure how to conserve water beyond my normal usage, and didn’t exactly remember how to get from downtown Bako to the NW side (it’s been ten years, people!). I somehow expected the city to slip into a post-apocalyptic downward spiral, but the gang violence, tribal warfare, and robotic armies hadn’t taken a hold of the city like I imagined they would. I’ve seen too many movies, I know that now.
Yea Yea Pueblo 