We are currently on vacation in California. We spent the first week with my brother's family and took a few trips into Los Angeles. Of course, my sister-in-law, the native Californian, did all the driving. Sadly, they had to leave for their own vacation, and I stayed on longer. The question was, do I stay in my comfort zone of the Santa Clarita Valley? Or, do I venture on my own and continue going on outings with my boys? Doing so would require I drive the L.A. freeways.
I could feel myself resisting. At the same time, that sense of fear was also challenging me to prove to myself (and the world!) that I can do it. I am strong! I am capable! I can be independent! So I drove myself into Los Angeles twice this week--once to the aquarium in Long Beach, and once to the Griffith Observatory. Both were successful trips.
I hope that I am teaching my boys not to be timid about doing the things they want to do. Their dad showed them in a big way to follow their dreams by hiking the Appalachian Trail. I have my own smaller travel dreams that I drag them along to enjoy with me.
I want to be fearless, but I am not quite there yet. I almost always travel to be with family. My family lives in some of the most beautiful places in our country: coastal California and New England; Utah, and its beautiful mountains and geography. I also have family through Brett who live in Bavaria, Germany. I absolutely love enjoying these areas with my family. It is so easy to travel when I have family greeting me off the plane, and coming along on outings.
But I am also determined to enjoy outings with my boys without the comfort and security of my family. I have done it before, both out-of-state and closer to home. However, this summer I am trying some new things (like driving through L.A. traffic).
The last time we visited California, my brother's family took us on the train into downtown Los Angeles. My boys wanted to take the train again. I decided to combine that with my desire to take them to the LaBrea Tar Pits.
The MetroLink (train) doesn't take you directly to the tar pits, so I had to do some research and plan a route using additional modes of transportation, like the Metro buses. We took the MetroLink train from Newhall to Union Station, walked a few blocks to the stop for the Metro bus 28, rode that for a good half hour, and walked a few more blocks until we reached the museum. Success! The only problem was that I forgot to coordinate my return travel plans. Without Wi-Fi I was stuck having to ask for help. Fortunately, a kind museum employee looked up my return route online for me. We couldn't go back the same way, because the bus we had used only ran in the morning. For our return route we walked a block to the bus stop, took the bus to a subway station, rode the Metro purple line to Union Station, and took the MetroLink from there back to Newhall. Again, success!
A few notes about our experience using L.A.'s public transportation. First, a complaint. Where is their customer service? I was disappointed that it wasn't easy to plan my route. I (and the helpful museum employee) was able to find most of the necessary information using their web site. However, without Internet access I was stuck with no tools to find my way. If there was a Metro help center or tourist information center in Union Station, I never found it. The first bus had a few paper maps/schedules, but not one for the line it was currently running! When we had to purchase our fare for the Metro subway line, there was no one available to answer my questions. I thought I could use the same TAP card (a reusable money card that you are required to use for your Metro train fares) for me and the boys. After I got through the gate and my boys couldn't follow, I was in a mild panic until a kind stranger helped me sort it out. In the end, it all worked out and I suppose I am more prepared for the next time. I will learn from this experience, and I hope my boys will too, but it would have been nice to have some on-location resources.
I think using public transportation ended up being more expensive (even if I had used my brother's gas-guzzling SUV) and took more time than if I had driven myself. (I hesitate to disclose the total cost . . . $50!) But I do feel it was worth it. My boys wanted to ride the train--check! And I want my boys to experience using public transportation so they will be comfortable navigating the system when they are older and traveling on their own. Todd is already well on his way and was a help to me yesterday working the automated TAP card machines. We have now ridden the bus and underground rails in Montreal, Boston, and Los Angeles. I hope I am preparing them well to travel with courage and enthusiasm.
I also don't want my boys to be afraid of being with locals who use the bus regularly. Certainly, I want them to be cautious and safe, but not afraid. Yesterday, Todd was the only blond-haired, blue-eyed person I saw riding the bus and the metro. The majority of the people we saw did not speak English as their first language. We rode though Chinatown and Koreatown where most of the business names and advertisements were written in a language that we can't even begin to pronounce, though some of them did include smaller English translations. We saw skyscrapers and the city, with all its graffiti, up close. And it was great. Great, in the sense that I was able to show my boys a little of the world outside of their homogeneous hometown. I love our hometown, but I know that the world is a big place, with people whose experiences are vastly different than ours. We can be kind and respectful to all people. We can also be grateful and mindful of how fortunate we are.
So far this summer I have faced the challenge of driving in L.A. and the adventure of using public transportation. Now I am ready for my next travel adventure--going to a national park and camping for two nights on my own. Tent, fire, hikes, s'mores and all!
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Monday, April 7, 2014
Best Birding Season Ever
Our family has long enjoyed backyard birding. It is an activity that the whole family follows. I love that my boys are growing up enjoying this activity with us. They are getting better and better about being able to identify the birds that are regular visitors in our backyard and common birds in our area.
Brett has built a number of bird houses over the years, and always cleans them out, fixes them up, or replaces them as necessary each spring. This year Brett was surprised to find that two of our houses were already inhabited by flying squirrels. Though not birds, we do enjoy watching the flying squirrels when they visit our feeders. Brett is always the one to discover when they come. He will hear them when he is out working in the garage after work. It is fun to take a few quiet minutes watching them glide from one tree to another and find their way to the feeder.
We have three tray feeders, one of which is on the outside window sill of our kitchen window. We also have two hanging feeders right outside the kitchen window. The boys are looking forward to putting up the hummingbird feeder. In the middle of the summer they are pretty much guaranteed to see the hummingbirds come to the feeder while they are eating breakfast--and lunch or dinner, for that matter. We always see the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, but I'm pretty sure I saw an Allen's Hummingbird last year!
This winter/early spring has been one of the best backyard bird-watching seasons for our family. It started with a brown-headed nuthatch who came to our feeders before Christmas. We have been thrilled that a pair of them stuck around all winter and are still here this spring.
We have had our usual visitors: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird (a few times this year--we'll see them more regularly soon), American Robin (they've moved on already), Mocking Bird, Brown Thrasher (at the feeder, even!), Northern Cardinal (or a "Red Jay" as one of my students called it, much to our amusement), Chipping Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch (more this winter than ever before), and House Finch.
We had a surprise visitor during a rainstorm this weekend. We have heard the Northern Bobwhite before, but this was the first time what we actually saw one--and on our back porch, no less, around 5:00pm. We assume he was trying to get out of the rain. I had to leave the house, but Brett said he hung out for at least an hour before moving on. We also saw him the next morning in and out of the bushes in the front of the house.
One of the most exciting visitors for me has been a pair of Indigo Buntings that showed up last weekend, and have been back to visit every day since. They are a beautiful blue.
We have also had some occasional sightings of a Mississippi Kite, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, and a Rufous-sided Towhee (also this weekend).
Around town we regularly see: Osprey, Herons/Egrets (I especially love seeing a roost of Snowy Egrets in the middle of town off the main highway), and Wild Turkey (especially in the spray field).
Bonus sightings around town within the last month: a great view of a beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite (in Creekside), two Bald Eagles (White Point Rd. and Mossy Head), and a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers (Bluewater marina).
Post Note: Immediately after publishing this post, I walked over to the kitchen sink and saw a Mississippi Kite perched on the corner of my neighbor's chain link fence. Awesome!
Brett has built a number of bird houses over the years, and always cleans them out, fixes them up, or replaces them as necessary each spring. This year Brett was surprised to find that two of our houses were already inhabited by flying squirrels. Though not birds, we do enjoy watching the flying squirrels when they visit our feeders. Brett is always the one to discover when they come. He will hear them when he is out working in the garage after work. It is fun to take a few quiet minutes watching them glide from one tree to another and find their way to the feeder.
We have three tray feeders, one of which is on the outside window sill of our kitchen window. We also have two hanging feeders right outside the kitchen window. The boys are looking forward to putting up the hummingbird feeder. In the middle of the summer they are pretty much guaranteed to see the hummingbirds come to the feeder while they are eating breakfast--and lunch or dinner, for that matter. We always see the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, but I'm pretty sure I saw an Allen's Hummingbird last year!
This winter/early spring has been one of the best backyard bird-watching seasons for our family. It started with a brown-headed nuthatch who came to our feeders before Christmas. We have been thrilled that a pair of them stuck around all winter and are still here this spring.
We have had our usual visitors: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird (a few times this year--we'll see them more regularly soon), American Robin (they've moved on already), Mocking Bird, Brown Thrasher (at the feeder, even!), Northern Cardinal (or a "Red Jay" as one of my students called it, much to our amusement), Chipping Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch (more this winter than ever before), and House Finch.
We had a surprise visitor during a rainstorm this weekend. We have heard the Northern Bobwhite before, but this was the first time what we actually saw one--and on our back porch, no less, around 5:00pm. We assume he was trying to get out of the rain. I had to leave the house, but Brett said he hung out for at least an hour before moving on. We also saw him the next morning in and out of the bushes in the front of the house.
One of the most exciting visitors for me has been a pair of Indigo Buntings that showed up last weekend, and have been back to visit every day since. They are a beautiful blue.
We have also had some occasional sightings of a Mississippi Kite, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, and a Rufous-sided Towhee (also this weekend).
Around town we regularly see: Osprey, Herons/Egrets (I especially love seeing a roost of Snowy Egrets in the middle of town off the main highway), and Wild Turkey (especially in the spray field).
Bonus sightings around town within the last month: a great view of a beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite (in Creekside), two Bald Eagles (White Point Rd. and Mossy Head), and a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers (Bluewater marina).
Post Note: Immediately after publishing this post, I walked over to the kitchen sink and saw a Mississippi Kite perched on the corner of my neighbor's chain link fence. Awesome!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Developing a Vocabulary
Ryan: You use all of those big words (in this case, "recollection", which I don't think even qualifies as a "big word").
Mom: That's because I want you to learn them.
Ryan: I just want to learn the basics.
Mom: That's because I want you to learn them.
Ryan: I just want to learn the basics.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Christmas Letter - The Punchline
I mentioned in my last post that I am terrible at corresponding. I haven't been able to get myself to send out a Christmas letter in about 7 years, much to my dismay. I was talking with a couple of friends about this problem and came to the conclusion that perhaps I am overwhelmed by having to sum up our life in a one-page letter. Trying to sum up 7 years is nearly impossible! Or, is it? This is probably all you really want to know. The basics haven't changed.
Still married.
Still in the same house.
Still have just the two boys.
Still active in church.
Still happy.
The end.
Still married.
Still in the same house.
Still have just the two boys.
Still active in church.
Still happy.
The end.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
What a Wonderful World
I have been thinking about this Louis Armstrong song for quite a while--as in every year that goes by when I don't get around to sending a Christmas letter yet again. I can hear his voice as I sing along, "I see friends shaking hands sayin' 'How do you do?' They're really saying 'I love you.' ... and I think to myself, what a wonderful world."
I am terrible about keeping in touch with some of my favorite people. I wish I could see each one of my family and friends face-to-face and say "How do you do?" I hope they would be able to see that what I'm really saying is "I love you ."
I feel so grateful to have become acquainted with so many wonderful people. Each of you has blessed my life and made me feel that this truly is a wonderful world.
I am terrible about keeping in touch with some of my favorite people. I wish I could see each one of my family and friends face-to-face and say "How do you do?" I hope they would be able to see that what I'm really saying is "I love you ."
I feel so grateful to have become acquainted with so many wonderful people. Each of you has blessed my life and made me feel that this truly is a wonderful world.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Books Read in 2013
Why didn't I start this list earlier, instead of the last week of May? I didn't realize how much I would enjoy looking back at the books read.
P.S. Just because a book shows up on this list doesn't mean that I recommend it. Just that I read it.
A Scoop of Desert: Lessons From Being Baked on Deployment by Travis Stephensen (Non-fiction/Memoir?)
The Importance of Bing Earnest by Oscar Wilde (Fiction/Play-via iBooks)
Swim by Jennifer Weiner (Fiction-via iBooks)
The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson (Young Adult Fiction)
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction)
Drops of Gold by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via Deseret Bookshelf)
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (Fiction-via audio)
Airhead by Meg Cabot (Young Adult Fiction-via audio)
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson (Juvenile Fiction)
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (Juvenile Fiction)
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Fiction-via iBooks)
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (Juvenile Fiction)
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (Fiction) 6/7/13
Unbroken: A World Ward II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (Biography 92-via audio) 6/7/13
Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus by Kate O'Hearn (Juvenile Fiction-via audio) 6/14/13
Rules by Cynthia Lord (Juvenile Fiction-via audio) 6/15/13
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (Young Adult Fiction) 6/16/13
Invaluable by Holly J. Wood (Religious Fiction) 6/21/13
Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack (Fiction) 7/2/13
The Report Card by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction) 7/2/13
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 7/15/13
Jangles: A Big Fish Story by David Shannon (Easy Fiction) 7/16/13
John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire by Josephine Nobisso (Easy Fiction) 7/16/13
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale (Fiction) 7/18/13
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction) 7/23/13
The Host by Stephanie Meyer (Fiction) 7/29/13
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 7/31/13
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Non-Fiction 646.7) 8/2/13
Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 8/4/13
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (Juvenile Fiction) 8/8/13
Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 8/11/13
Second Hearts by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 8/12/13
Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin (Inspirational Fiction-via iBooks) 8/22/13
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell (Non-fiction 649.1) 8/25/13
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Fiction) 8/30/13
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella (Fiction-via Overdrive) 9/13
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden (Inspirational/Historical Fiction-via Overdrive) 9/13
Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio) 9/13
The Magic Horse of Han Gan by Chen Jiang Hang (Easy Non-Fiction 398.2) 9/13/13
Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Fiction) 9/19/13
Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown (Easy Biography 92) 9/20/13
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Juvenile Fiction) 9/25/13
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (Easy Fiction) 9/30/13
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road by Various (Easy Non-fiction 741.5) 10/2/13
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (Fiction-via iBooks) 10/11/13
The Third Sister: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility (Fiction) 10/20/13
Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction) 10/21/13
Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 10/23/13
Wonder by R. J. Palacio (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive) 10/30/13
Zen Shorts by on J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 10/30/13
Longbourn by Jo Baker (Fiction) 11/8/13
Pros and Cons by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Fiction-via iBooks) 11/12/13
For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson by Peggy Thomas (Juvenile Biography) 11/22/13
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (Juvenile Fiction) 12/13/13
Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City by Janet Schulman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 598.9) 12/16/13
Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction) 12/28/13
Storm Shells by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 12/30/13
P.S. Just because a book shows up on this list doesn't mean that I recommend it. Just that I read it.
A Scoop of Desert: Lessons From Being Baked on Deployment by Travis Stephensen (Non-fiction/Memoir?)
The Importance of Bing Earnest by Oscar Wilde (Fiction/Play-via iBooks)
Swim by Jennifer Weiner (Fiction-via iBooks)
The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson (Young Adult Fiction)
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction)
Drops of Gold by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via Deseret Bookshelf)
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (Fiction-via audio)
Airhead by Meg Cabot (Young Adult Fiction-via audio)
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson (Juvenile Fiction)
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (Juvenile Fiction)
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Fiction-via iBooks)
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (Juvenile Fiction)
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (Fiction) 6/7/13
Unbroken: A World Ward II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (Biography 92-via audio) 6/7/13
Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus by Kate O'Hearn (Juvenile Fiction-via audio) 6/14/13
Rules by Cynthia Lord (Juvenile Fiction-via audio) 6/15/13
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (Young Adult Fiction) 6/16/13
Invaluable by Holly J. Wood (Religious Fiction) 6/21/13
Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack (Fiction) 7/2/13
The Report Card by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction) 7/2/13
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 7/15/13
Jangles: A Big Fish Story by David Shannon (Easy Fiction) 7/16/13
John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire by Josephine Nobisso (Easy Fiction) 7/16/13
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale (Fiction) 7/18/13
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction) 7/23/13
The Host by Stephanie Meyer (Fiction) 7/29/13
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 7/31/13
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Non-Fiction 646.7) 8/2/13
Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 8/4/13
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (Juvenile Fiction) 8/8/13
Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 8/11/13
Second Hearts by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 8/12/13
Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin (Inspirational Fiction-via iBooks) 8/22/13
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell (Non-fiction 649.1) 8/25/13
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Fiction) 8/30/13
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella (Fiction-via Overdrive) 9/13
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden (Inspirational/Historical Fiction-via Overdrive) 9/13
Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio) 9/13
The Magic Horse of Han Gan by Chen Jiang Hang (Easy Non-Fiction 398.2) 9/13/13
Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Fiction) 9/19/13
Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown (Easy Biography 92) 9/20/13
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Juvenile Fiction) 9/25/13
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (Easy Fiction) 9/30/13
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road by Various (Easy Non-fiction 741.5) 10/2/13
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (Fiction-via iBooks) 10/11/13
The Third Sister: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility (Fiction) 10/20/13
Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction) 10/21/13
Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 10/23/13
Wonder by R. J. Palacio (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive) 10/30/13
Zen Shorts by on J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 10/30/13
Longbourn by Jo Baker (Fiction) 11/8/13
Pros and Cons by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Fiction-via iBooks) 11/12/13
For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson by Peggy Thomas (Juvenile Biography) 11/22/13
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (Juvenile Fiction) 12/13/13
Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City by Janet Schulman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 598.9) 12/16/13
Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction) 12/28/13
Storm Shells by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 12/30/13
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