We introduced Molly to Oreos.
She wasn't dissapointed.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Oreos
One of the great things about camping is the food. I've heard some say that Chips Aoy are their standby for camp cookies. I think of Oreos when I think of camping as a kid.
We introduced Molly to Oreos.
We introduced Molly to Oreos.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Molly Montana
For years Trina has been telling me how she wants to go camping and hiking in Glacier National Park. So, with a wedding in northern Idaho as the impetus for getting us out of town in July, Trina and I planned a week of vacation that included a few days in the Glacier Park. On Tuesday we embarked on the 3-hour drive to Montana's version of the Tri-Cities (Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls). We stopped for food, a few supplies (coffee press), and a full tank of gas in Columbia Falls.
It was early afternoon when we swung through the mayhem of Apgar, where the visitor's center and icecream shop are located, and quickly chose to "save that for later", and moved on for finding a camp site. Not so fast. Everything was full, except for the one that was 25 gravely miles North. Since Molly was voicing her desire to get of the containment of the car seat, and we were frustrated by not being able to camp and the sheer numbers of people, we backed out of the Park toward Columbia Falls. We swung into a KOA, complete w/ teepees, but it was full too.
Drat. It looked like a hotel for the night. Blah.
I called Chuck Roady, a long time friend from Bonners, now living in Columbia Falls. We got directions, which after eight years of living in the city seemed overly simple - turn at the road - no left or right, just turn. After a fine Mexican dinner in town, we retreated back to their log home in the woods and played in the yard with Molly and the dog. Incredibly, the Roady's have huckleberries growing beside their driveway. We picked some berries for breakfast the next day. We gave a couple of berries to Molly and she loved them - no supprise given how she devours blue berries. Trina set her down and she quickly started picking her own berries and eating.
The next morning we debated our options for the trip over huckleberry pancakes. Retreat back to Idaho or try the Park again for some Combat Camping. Since we had made it that far we gave the Park another try and sought out the Two Medicine Lake area in the south east corner of the Park at Chuck's recommendation.
We arrived at the Two Medicine area at around 11:00, early enough to get one of the last two camp spots available, and to watch and smell chip-sealing of the campground roads. This "first day" in the park we weren't too abitious after being steadily on-the-go for our whole vacation to date. We kept it mellow - set up the tent, ate lunch, and wandered around the campground area and played with Molly on one of the gravely beaches on the lake. We also signed up for a ranger lead hike to Upper Two Medicine Lake for the next day that included a boat ride on the Sinapah to the upper end of Two Medicine Lake (where we were camped).
The next day we caught the boat at 10:30 and the three of us quietly enjoyed the 20-minute ride to the end of the lake. The boat pilot served as an interpreter and provided some background on the surroundings (the water is cold, and it is deep too).
With Molly on my back we strolled up the trail to our first stop at Twin Falls. Similar to many kids on car rides, Molly also experiences hiking narcolepsy when in the backpack. At least she got her naps in - one othe way up to the lake and one on the return hike.
The glacially carved scenery was grand and hard to capture with a camera. At 5,000 feet in elevation and surrounded by 9,000 foot peaks it is a stunning place. The mellow pace of the hike allowed us plenty of time to stop and enjoy were we were.
I really felt relaxed and at home in the wide-open country. I would have loved to have hiked off-trail for an hour and just sat in one of the mountain-side meadows and just watched and listened dusk.
After returning to the campground we took Molly back to the lake to play in the water, which also gave us an opportunity to wash of the layer of food, juice, grime and other accumulations from the last couple of days of travel and camping. 
It was early afternoon when we swung through the mayhem of Apgar, where the visitor's center and icecream shop are located, and quickly chose to "save that for later", and moved on for finding a camp site. Not so fast. Everything was full, except for the one that was 25 gravely miles North. Since Molly was voicing her desire to get of the containment of the car seat, and we were frustrated by not being able to camp and the sheer numbers of people, we backed out of the Park toward Columbia Falls. We swung into a KOA, complete w/ teepees, but it was full too.
Drat. It looked like a hotel for the night. Blah.
I called Chuck Roady, a long time friend from Bonners, now living in Columbia Falls. We got directions, which after eight years of living in the city seemed overly simple - turn at the road - no left or right, just turn. After a fine Mexican dinner in town, we retreated back to their log home in the woods and played in the yard with Molly and the dog. Incredibly, the Roady's have huckleberries growing beside their driveway. We picked some berries for breakfast the next day. We gave a couple of berries to Molly and she loved them - no supprise given how she devours blue berries. Trina set her down and she quickly started picking her own berries and eating.
The next morning we debated our options for the trip over huckleberry pancakes. Retreat back to Idaho or try the Park again for some Combat Camping. Since we had made it that far we gave the Park another try and sought out the Two Medicine Lake area in the south east corner of the Park at Chuck's recommendation.
We arrived at the Two Medicine area at around 11:00, early enough to get one of the last two camp spots available, and to watch and smell chip-sealing of the campground roads. This "first day" in the park we weren't too abitious after being steadily on-the-go for our whole vacation to date. We kept it mellow - set up the tent, ate lunch, and wandered around the campground area and played with Molly on one of the gravely beaches on the lake. We also signed up for a ranger lead hike to Upper Two Medicine Lake for the next day that included a boat ride on the Sinapah to the upper end of Two Medicine Lake (where we were camped).
The next day we caught the boat at 10:30 and the three of us quietly enjoyed the 20-minute ride to the end of the lake. The boat pilot served as an interpreter and provided some background on the surroundings (the water is cold, and it is deep too).
With Molly on my back we strolled up the trail to our first stop at Twin Falls. Similar to many kids on car rides, Molly also experiences hiking narcolepsy when in the backpack. At least she got her naps in - one othe way up to the lake and one on the return hike.
The glacially carved scenery was grand and hard to capture with a camera. At 5,000 feet in elevation and surrounded by 9,000 foot peaks it is a stunning place. The mellow pace of the hike allowed us plenty of time to stop and enjoy were we were.
I really felt relaxed and at home in the wide-open country. I would have loved to have hiked off-trail for an hour and just sat in one of the mountain-side meadows and just watched and listened dusk.
After a short lunch of PB&J sandwiches and some gold fish crackers at Upper Two Medicine Lake we set off back down the trail to catch the boat again at 2:30 for our ride back to camp.
After returning to the campground we took Molly back to the lake to play in the water, which also gave us an opportunity to wash of the layer of food, juice, grime and other accumulations from the last couple of days of travel and camping.
At camp we settled in again and just like at home, Molly wanted to read her books. Walter the Farting Dog remains her favorite at the time, and no other will do.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bookworm
We now have a bookworm on our hands. Molly loves for us to read her books, especially anything with an abundance of pictures and only a few words. Hop on Pop, by Dr. Seuss is by far her favorite.
The first thing every morning when she wakes and the moment she gets home from daycare (or anywhere) she finds a book (usually Hop on Pop) and brings it to us to read. She will dig through the bin of books until she finds "the one", walks over and hands it to us, and then turns around and toddles backwards so that she can sit in our lap as we read it. She has begun to say "Pop Pop!" if Hop on Pop is in her hands as she brings it over. She is completely engaged as we read the book to her and often turns the pages for us.
She closes the book as soon as we finish reading it, walks half-way across the room, turns around, and repeats the process. This will go on as long as we are willing to read a book, and there is no switching. She knows, and it doesn't go over well.
I am sure I read Hop on Pop 10 times consecutively last night:
The first thing every morning when she wakes and the moment she gets home from daycare (or anywhere) she finds a book (usually Hop on Pop) and brings it to us to read. She will dig through the bin of books until she finds "the one", walks over and hands it to us, and then turns around and toddles backwards so that she can sit in our lap as we read it. She has begun to say "Pop Pop!" if Hop on Pop is in her hands as she brings it over. She is completely engaged as we read the book to her and often turns the pages for us.
She closes the book as soon as we finish reading it, walks half-way across the room, turns around, and repeats the process. This will go on as long as we are willing to read a book, and there is no switching. She knows, and it doesn't go over well.
I am sure I read Hop on Pop 10 times consecutively last night:
UP PUP
Pup is up.
CUP PUP
Pup in cup.
PUP CUP
Cup on pup.
MOUSE HOUSE
Mouse on House
HOUSE MOUSE
House on mouse...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Ears
This image of Molly was captured on April 29. She, in a rare moment, had surrendered to the application of ear drops. Usually she fought them, crying and squirming. Early on, she wouldn't take oral antibiots easily either. It has been nearly a month since we last dealt with an ear problem. I had nearly forgotten about the previous six months of ear infections. They were an every day thought; if she didn't have one, you were curious if she might be getting another. I think she was on antibiotics as much as she wasn't.
Although she handled it well and nearly never indicated she was in pain, we felt deeply for her. At times, the frequency of the infections made one wonder if they were missing some signs. However, the doctor's statements like "You'd never know by the way she is!" were both comforting in our lack of identification and disheartening knowing that she was undable to tell us. We felt quite a bit of frustration through this stage and moments of surrender as well.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Linkin' Park
Robert and I went fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout, a.k.a. "the SRC" today. Although the South Sound is known as the best area to fish for the SRC, we chose to drive a little less and try out the beach at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Much less driving, great views of the Olympic Mountains, and we may even catch a fish.
We didn't catch a fish, but saw many salmon fry swimming the shoreline. I think my flies are too big for this time of year. Fear not, as I whipped most of them of on my old leader, which after some discussion and thought I realized was 10 years old. Best replace it in case a fish actually bites.
We enjoyed a nice day on a stereotypical "Henry Weinhard's" gravely NW beach. Even after several years of it, it is quite surreal for us inlanders to fish for cutthroat trout amongst the crabs, jelly fish, and sea anenomies (which I caught Robert inspecting).
We didn't catch a fish, but saw many salmon fry swimming the shoreline. I think my flies are too big for this time of year. Fear not, as I whipped most of them of on my old leader, which after some discussion and thought I realized was 10 years old. Best replace it in case a fish actually bites.
We enjoyed a nice day on a stereotypical "Henry Weinhard's" gravely NW beach. Even after several years of it, it is quite surreal for us inlanders to fish for cutthroat trout amongst the crabs, jelly fish, and sea anenomies (which I caught Robert inspecting).
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Nap
I was perusing through the photos from our trip to La Paz in January and this one caught my eye. Trina, Chuck, and I were walking to the coffee shop at about the time that Molly would take her morning nap.
She managed to fit it in.
She managed to fit it in.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mom's Day
For Mother's Day, Molly got dressed up to go see the Mariners hopefully win a rare one against the Angels at Safeco with Grandpa and Grandma M.
At the game, Molly ate lots of Pirates Booty, thanks to her awesome mom packing it in her bag. It took a few innings for the sun to get to us, so Molly had to wear her blue sweater.
After the game we strolled back to the car. Molly and her doll hitched a ride on Grandpa's shoulders.
Mariners won: 8-2.
At the game, Molly ate lots of Pirates Booty, thanks to her awesome mom packing it in her bag. It took a few innings for the sun to get to us, so Molly had to wear her blue sweater.
We enjoyed most of the aftenoon sitting in the sun watching the boys of summer. Molly chased down her Booty with some lemonade.
The Mariners hit back-to-back home runs, which Molly was pretty fired up about.
The Mariners hit back-to-back home runs, which Molly was pretty fired up about.
After the game we strolled back to the car. Molly and her doll hitched a ride on Grandpa's shoulders.
Mariners won: 8-2.
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