Hello again

I know things have been very quiet here at the Mosherboys blog. Our camera broke a while ago and I spent a long time in denial about that fact. The camera was relatively new and I felt it broke way too soon. Apparently this is just how it is these days- things are made cheaply and they break very easily, even if they are taken care of. Very frustrating. Especially for those of us with frugal natures, for whom a $200 camera is BIG purchase. Anyway, we are still without a camera. We tried to get our old one fixed, but that is apparently also some kind of racket. So, we are now, begrudgingly, back in the camera market. Any suggestions???

Here are a few cute, but old photos from the beginning of the summer to sustain you until a new camera comes our way.

Happy Birthday

to the sweetest husband and father in town!!

Back to the beach

The boys and I, along with Grannie spent a lovely long summer day at the beach last weekend. It is always so great to be back at the ocean. Even though I haven't lived on the coast in years, having grown up on one, it feels so right to be on the beach, hearing the crash of the waves, smelling the salty air and feeling the warm sand between my toes. And the boys just adore it- being wet, sandy and salty all day feels just right to them too. Hopefully this will be just the first of many beach days we enjoy this summer...especially since we are now a cast free zone!!! We had our last visit with the orthopedic doc a few days ago and they sawed that cast right off Sam's arm and gave him the green light for normal activities. Woo hoo! Let the swimming begin!

Atti the eater

Have I mentioned here how much Atti loves to eat? He spends much of his day sitting right here in this chair, happily consuming pretty much anything I present him with. And it seems he spends the rest of the day he walking around asking for food, specifically "Cracks!", his word for crackers, although any snack item will usually do. I hope he always be this agreeable, easy to please, and ready to eat!

Happy 4th!!

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend. Ours was fun and full of music and fireworks, just as it should be!

We started off with the annual Preservation Hall Jazz Band concert at the Mondavi winery. It was a gorgeous day, and the lawn was packed with fellow revelers. Grannie, Grandpa M., and the boys and I got there just as the music was starting. Jeff had staked out a perfect spot for us, where we able to listen to the fabulous music, sip some yummy wine, and watch the boys cavorting around. Once it was dark enough, we enjoyed the firework display, right over the vineyards in front of us. Awesome!! Jeff was busy working for most of the evening, but he did get to watch the fireworks with us.

Pre-concert shots.

My, how these boys have all grown since July 4th, 2009!!

At the winery.

We bumped into one of Sam's good friend. Such handsome young men!

Loungin'

I think Atti had a good time!

Yosemite III

Time for the next Yosemite installment. These are from the day we spent in Yosemite Valley, home to Half Dome, El Capitan, and most of the amazing waterfalls the park is so famous for. We started the day with a picnic beside a river. The water was freezing, but the kids managed to get pretty wet anyway (cast and all!).

Atti, getting his toes wet.

The gang.

Half Dome.

Patchie, trying to take it all in.

I want to live here!

This was taken on our hike to bottom of Yosemite Falls, the 5th tallest waterfall in the world. It was a HUGE waterfall, with unbelievable amounts of freezing cold water just pouring down the cliffside. Atti and I have just come across the foot bridge that passes directly in front of the bottom of the falls. It was windy, freezing, loud, and more than a little startling for our youngest camper. He preferred seeing the falls from a distance!

Here is a better shot of the falls, from a warmer, drier distance. These pictures can't really do it all justice. Everything was just too big to truly capture with our little camera. But, you get the idea...

We might not have braved Half Dome on this trip, but we did do a lot of rock climbing.

The perfect place for a little rest.

Yosemite II

These pictures mostly speak for themselves. The first bunch are from around our campsite, which was in the southern end of the park. It was a great campground, situated right on the Merced River, which was full and fast and cold. There had been some bear sitings around our campsite, but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) we did not see any. We camped with another family from Sam's school, which was great for everyone. The kids loved playing together and it was really nice to share all the work of camping with some other adults.

On our first full day at the park we hiked in a magnificent Sequoia grove, with our destination being the Grizzly Giant, which is the 5th tallest tree in the world. It goes without saying that this was one enormous tree. The pictures don't really do it justice- it is around 2000 years old and taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Here are all the kids, waiting to take the shuttle to the Sequoia for our hike. It is nearly impossible to get 5 kids to stay in one place, especially when one of them is only one and pretty much never stays still unless he is asleep.

These fascinating plants are called Snowdrops. They appear right after the snow melts and is nourished by the snow itself. They contain no chlorophyl and look like they belong in a coral reef, not in a forest.

Grizzly Giant, with Jeff in the foreground.

Patchie, in front of a root system of a gigantic downed tree.

Sam, back at our campsite, having a much deserved post hike lunch.