Category: Family

Family stuff

2014 Easter Egg Hunt

It has become an annual event for Gramps and Nana to have an Easter Egg hunt out on our property, and this year was great. Gorgeous weather and a really fun time for all. Molly, Neil and our grandkids Atticus and Ollalie, plus our friends Jeff and Laura with their sweet kids Jacob and Shasta. We must have had more than a hundred eggs spread out over the property. Luckily no poison oak was tread upon this year. The food was plentiful with all kinds various hors d’oeuvres, way more than we all could eat. The dogs didn’t eat any chocolate, no kids got hurt, and no significant bugs… oh except for the bungee jumping oak worms who kept dropping down from the trees and landing on peoples heads, spreading their silky webs everywhere. Cocktails were margaritas, bourbon, rum or bourbon and coke (and any other conceivable mixer), vodka and soda, and of course PBR. Also the frogs (Fred and Ethel) in our water tubs were quite a hit with everyone trying to locate the little buggers with huge voices. They are about he size of a thumbnail but check out the photo of one below. Eggs held candy and coin. Atticus managed to trade all his coin for candy from the others and had a huge bag of sweets when he left. We look forward to next year when we all are another year older.

Atticus
Neil, Shasta and Jacob
Olallie
Atticus and Olallie
Shasta, Jacob, Atticus and Ollalie
Fred the frog
Aticus
Neil, Atticus and Jeff
Molly, Laura and Kate
Molly and her mom
Molly
Laura and Jeff
Atticus and an oak worm

Family Thanksmas 2013

This year the Stewart part of the family met up in Portland at Joe and Nat’s house for Thanksmas.  Nat did an awesome job decorating and making some amazing food for all of us.  Joe had the house loaded with all kinds of great beers and let Kate and I stay in his office above the garage.  Nat even moved a full bed up there so we were away from all the noise.  Generally we go to bed much earlier than the rest.  The grandkids were awesome as usual and so fun to watch.  Ace and River were so excited to be with their California cousins.  Ace was so sad to see them leave come Sunday.  All the little kids are so upbeat and happy, especially little River, only 15 months who walks around with a big smile on his face, getting into everything.  These kids are just a joy to be around.

One day we went to the mall and everyone but Kate, me and River went ice skating, or at least tried to skate.  Olallie did the best. Molly did the worst. We visited Powell’s bookstore in downtown Portland, the largest book store in the world.  It was like going to a library except all the books were for sale.  The farmers market on the college campus was packed with great organic foods and a fun place to stroll thru, even though it was a bit chilly and overcast.   A lot of monopoly and chess was played. Oh and charades, if you can imagine trying to do the movie Avatar, quite the challenge.  Seemed like a game was constantly going on.  Everyone loved their gifts, I know I did mine.  The thanksmas dinner was vegan, vegetarian and dead animal meat for us normal people.  Main course of meatballs (or mushroom balls), fantastic mashed potatoes, cranberries, squash, and much much more.  Kate made a couple pecan pies which were devoured over the 4 days.

Overall Portland is a great city and I certainly wouldn’t mind living there.   Although the tv show Portlandia satirizes it, I found the consciousness there to be at a high level, seemingly much more than here in Placer county, CA.  A very environmentally green city.   I also really appreciated the interested architecture.  Many craftsman style homes.

My photos weren’t so great, somewhat out of focus as I was avoiding the flash, but Jamie’s B&W photos turned out quite good so I have included them below.

Atticus, Ace, Olallie, and River
Me and those cute kids
Atticus and Ace
Nana with the boys at the farmers market
Jamie, Angela and my sweet Kate
Ace in our bedroom getting us up to play
Kate and I
Neil and Molly
Gramps
Molly and Kate
Joe and Natasha on the left, Monopoly night
Atticus and Ace, two goofballs
Joe and Jamie got matching tattoos
Spoon to nose contest
Angela was awesome at this
Molly at the skating rink
Kate with River while the rest tried to skate
Our four adorable grandkids, my photo not Jamies (his were better)

 

Atticus’ First Taikwondo Tournament

My grandson Atticus had his first Taikwondo tournament last saturday. He was tied for second place and did an amazing job. Very tight and focused especially for an 8 year old. He just turned 8 this week. We all went out to Johns Famous Pizza in Roseville afterwards. A rather loud family entertainment center with tons of games and rides for kids, and lots of “all you can eat”, unhealthy foods. I would probably rate the food a C-, only because the salad bar was fairly decent. Here is the video.

Kate as a painter

My lovely wife, Kate, woke up this morning to find one eye would not open, a snotty nose, and lots of aches and pains.  The sick eye apparently has something called “pink eye” and finally did open after being coaxed with a little warm water.  While  her cold, that she has been nursing for a week now,  has decided to rear its ugly head.  Quite a way to start the day.

She did not, however, let any of these  setbacks cause her to deter from her plan to paint one of the bathrooms.  Not only did she do that but in between  the first and second coats, she went in the kitchen and made me hordourves for the superbowl!  Fantastic clam dip and a very special hot cheese, cauliflower, spinach, garlic and jalepano dip.  Am I a luck guy or what?  I sure love that woman. 🙂

Go 49ers!!!!!!

katepaint

Snow day sledding

Kate and the grandkids (Atticus and Olallie) took a day off and we went into the mountains looking for a nice place to sled.  It was the day after MLK day so the normal spot we go was quite worn down, very icy and hard.  We found another place near Rainbow lodge area that had nicely groomed hills and after a small charge of 10 bucks to park we were all set.  Here are some of my favorite pics of the kids.