April Weekend in the NorthWest

Laurie came up to Bellevue this weekend.  Friday, the girls went shopping and to lunch....

Shopping at Nordstrom's... so much fun!

How cute is she!?!?  Lunch at Bellevue Square.

How can you shop without raiding Grandma's purse?

After a long day of shopping, it was time to head home.   Saturday morning, it was time for a walk.  Note the matching headgear... Daddy and Daughter!  Spring has sprung, and the flowers are starting to arrive.

After a few minutes of walking, headgear and jacket quickly came off.  Kayla doesn't really walk that much... mostly running or standing still.  Walking simply is not part of the repertoire!

We did manage to get her to to stay still for just a few pictures.  Mom and Dad overlooking the lake.  And resting on a stump, both offered a chance to rest from the 2 mile hike.

When she was walking, she found some sooo cool things to do... like stepping into the mud puddle,

or finding a walking stick, or is that a sword?

Yikes!  She's even coming after Grandpa!

We were still able to find a nice place to take a breather, and enjoy another photo-op!

On the bridge with Mom, Dad and Grandma.

Just can't let go of the tree.  A real nature lover!

Grandpa and Kayla... Late in the hike, Kayla was getting a bit tired!

After a hard day of hiking, everyone went home and took a nice nap.  That evening, Laurie and I stopped by Braden and Tiffany's.  Kayla picked her outfit.... pink, pink and more pink....  What a girl!

I LOVE PINK, and LOVE to have my picture taken!

I don't know how I got so dirty?

Tahoe in April

There is still plenty of snow in the Sierras.  Laurie and I decided to spend the weekend in Incline Village with Ken and Janet.  We arrived Friday night, late, and found snow all around the cabin.  Looking out, late at night, we saw snow through the windows.  The following morning gave us a better idea of just how much snow fell this winter:

Waling down the stairs to the family room

Along the side of the house - 15 feet of snow?
Futon room window is below the snow line.

Yup - this is the view out the kitchen - snow where no snow has come before!

While the driveway is clear, a major pile of snow is on the front yard.

After breakfast at Wildflower, we headed up for a few hours of snowshoeing.  What a wonderful time we had.  Gorgeous scenery, friendly wildlife, and a storm blowing in from the west.  We had sun, wind (50 mph), and snow.

Lake Tahoe in the spring.  

Ken and Janet BEFORE we head out over the snow

Beautiful sunny day in the meadow

Only a quarter mile in, the Chickadees asked for food.  Everyone had the chance to feed the local wildlife!

At the top of the ridge, it looks quiet.  Looks are deceiving.  It was blowing very hard just 20 yards behind us.  No Chickadees on the ridge today.  They were all hiding out lower, where the wind is calm.  We ran into two couples and three dogs on our journey.  They were kind enough to take this picture of the windblown party.

Chickadee in it's natural habitat - looking for food.

Chickadee in it's foraging mode - finding food in the palm of Ken's hand.

Coming back down, we paused on the trail for quick pictures.  Storm was blowing in, and we were racing to make it back to the car before we were caught.

A little way's further down the trail, we came to a tranquil little meadow, where we paused for yet another photo-op.  It was snowing here.

Terrill - this one's for you.  Look, no lift lines.  Once he got started,  he was all over the meadow.  There was plenty of wind to keep him snowboarding all afternoon.

Coming back from our little trip.  A spring day, complete with snow clouds, at Lake Tahoe.

Half Moon Bay to Carmel

As we drove down the highway, you can't help but appreciate the beauty of the California coast!

This weekend, Laurie and I decided to celebrate our birthdays... with a road trip on the coast.  Laurie picked me up from Oakland airport.  Just an hour later, we were at the beautiful Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton!  We had a cottage room for the evening.

Laurie and I, with the golf course and Pacific as our backdrop

Posing for a picture by the firepit was wonderful.  Posing for a picture near the waterline can be a bit more thrilling.  Laurie and I were about to get kissed by a wave.  Of course, I was closer to the waterline, so was a bit more worried than my fun loving better half!

Friday evening, we walked around the grounds, had a wonderful meal, and enjoyed a spectacular sunset.  The next morning, we got up at a reasonable hour, had breakfast, and then posed for a few pictures, before heading down the coast toward Monterey and Carmel.  Our cottage had a nice deck, with a firepit that we both really enjoyed. 

The picture we wanted to take - sans the worry of impending wetness!

Classic picture of the California coast along 17-mile drive.

Have to love the coast - another gorgeous day!

Just can't seem to get enough of the sailboats.

And finally, I want to offer a small tribute to a family friend who passed away on Friday.  Raja has been with us for 17 years.  He added joy, laughter and companionship to our family, and will be missed.

Halloween

Devil's Temptress, Sorcerer - That is how Laurie and I went to a neighbor's Halloween party Saturday evening, after our trip to/from Incline!  We had a great time catching up with folks we have not seen and talked with in a while.  Terrill - I chatted with Steve Stock at the party... he told me he knows you and worked with you at Symantec.  He is now working at Kaiser.

Today, Laurie and I had to run an errand up to Tahoe... had to pick up our generators and snowblower from the repair shop. They were in for their tune-up. Now that they are back at the cabin, we are really ready for winter. And by the looks of things, this could be a really good winter.

This picture is from the west side of the lake looking east. Note Diamond Peak ski runs in the background. They already have snow on them!

And this is Boreal on the way back from the cabin - only 2 hours later! Boreal opened for the season yesterday. Boarders are already coming down the slopes. Usually, resorts are thrilled if they can open by Thanksgiving. This could be a really good snow season.

Laurie and I celebrated Laurie's birthday tonight... after meeting at the Oakland airport, we drove to San Francisco. We got there in time to enjoy an hour long birthday shopping trip at Macy's (sunglasses, shoes). Then we walked over to her favorite eatery... Morton's Steakhouse. Rib-eye on the bone for Laurie, Filet on the bone for Rudy. Awesome! Waiter even took our picture.