smiles

Pike, Great Grandpa & Great Grandma
This picture is priceless.

in a nutshell

Wow. I did not realize time could fly so quickly. Everyone says the older you get, the faster time flies and it is so true. I don't want it to fly any faster though. So maybe I should just stop here. Stay 24 forever. Keep my babies as babies forever. Hmmm, if only it were possible.

Stephen and I are happily insane. Well, maybe it's only half of the time that we are insane... Our kids keep us this way. You see, kids bring this balance of ultimate joy and love and sheer chaos and insanity. One moment they play together quietly in their room, skip down the hall to give you a kiss and say they love you and the next moment they are yelling at you from the other end of the house while kicking and screaming because their arm is stuck in the neck-hole of that dress that must go on or because one sister took the toy that the other wanted to play with.

Pear will be 4 in February. She loves to dance and sing. She loves to dress up, have her hair fixed, go shopping and pretty much do anything girly. I caught her shopping on Gap.com the other day. I must have left my browser open and sure enough she managed to find the girl clothes and was sitting at the computer shopping. Yep, that's my girl! She is currently learning to read and is doing very well. She can read short stories and I find her reading words and signs when we're out and about. Other than her daily reading lesson, we don't have a whole lot of structure to her schooling yet. We are just using everyday life and situations to encourage learning. Pear loves to color pictures and she makes the most adorable, alien looking Backholm family. She colors a picture for Stephen to take to work almost every day. He's taken one or two and put them on his office walls but I'm afraid she might be disappointed if we go and visit him and she doesn't see all 50 of them. Pear is continuing to grow in kindness and gentleness. She loves her siblings and will often greet Jovie with a hug after Jovie wakes from her nap.

Speaking of Jovie, this little 2-year-old girl is a kick. Her most spoken phrase is "I'm hunger mommy." She never tires of eating. In her mind, she runs just as fast and jumps just as high as her big sister. Jovie is Pear's little sidekick and they will play and play and play. Jovie loves her little brother tremendously. Unfortunately, sometimes she expresses that love in ways that aren't as enjoyable for him. She has a certain obsession for Pike's binky. Jovie hasn't had a binky since she was 1 but ever since Pike came along, she has to have it. Not in her mouth, not to suck on, simply to have it in her control and hold it. Jovie will hear Pike waking from his nap crying and she'll run in the bedroom, grab his binky through the crib slats and run back out of the room with it leaving Pike awake and crying longing for the said binky.

Pike, our biggest blessing this year, is probably close to the best baby I could have asked for. He is always happy and content. He likes to snuggle and give me kisses. He loves to go for car rides. Ahhh, a breath of fresh air! He has made life so much more fun and I am so thankful for him. He loves to laugh and play. He loves to roll across the room. He is a momma's boy but he is much more friendly to others than either of the girls have been.

Pumpkin Patch

It's been almost a month but I just came across the pictures from our trip to the pumpkin patch.

The wagon ride to the pumpkin patch.

The Dude and his daddy.

The girls with their pumpkins.

Daddy giving the girls a lesson on how corn grows.

A trip over the mountains...

Stephen's sister, Claire, just so happens to be engaged to a farm boy. And, not just any farm boy but one from a wonderful family who runs a cherry, apple and blueberry farm. On July 3rd Bill's Berry Farm held their first ever Blueberry Daze Festival. The festival sounded like so much fun that my family decided to take the 4 hour drive and make a mini vacation out of it.

We stayed in a hotel in Yakima on Friday night. Pear was so excited to see the pool upon our arrival. We immediately went to our room to put our suits on and headed down to the pool. The girls swam, and swam and swam some more. They were also very excited to sleep in a big bed. "This is the best room ever! They've never had kids here before because they don't have kids beds," Pear said with excitement. I think Pear's highlight was "making" her own waffle at the continental breakfast in the morning. She has been telling people ever since that morning that she made her own waffle at the hotel.

Jovie sittin' pretty in the pool.

Isn't my mom beautiful? She's blesses me.

Aspen.

Libbi.

Racer.

Stephen and Jovie.

Pear.

The Blueberry Daze festival was so much fun! There were pony rides, train rides pulled by a tractor, they had tire swings hung from big trees and the best tree fort. Wonderful antique vendors from all over Washington set up camp to display their beautiful treasures. They grilled tasty burgers and hot dogs, sold ice cold lemonade and mochas, ice cream bars and sodas. It was a blast! It reminds me of something you'd see in a Country Living magazine.The menu.

Some of the antique vendors.

Stephen's mom, Therese, and Pike.

Taffi, Pear and Libbi. Do you like Libbi's dress? I made it with recycled t-shirts!

Stephen's brother Warren with the J-Jove.

She really was having fun.

Need I say anything?

Yes, she really is as sweet as she looks.

Real life: overall, this first mini vacation with all three kids was a success. Sure, the girls fought for an hour or two in the bed before going to sleep. Sure, all three kids were awake at one point in the night and it took another 45 minutes to get them back to sleep but that's life with kids, right? The drive both there and back was fairly pleasant. Pike decided he didn't want to be in the car for some of it and we had to pull over a few times to console him but overall, I was very happy and deemed this trip a success. Oh, did I mention that having my parents and siblings there was a HUGE help? Yeah, that probably contributed to the success of the trip. And then at the festival, Stephen's family was also there. Family is WONDERFUL!

Slumber Party!

It had been a few months since our last girls sleep-over and the girls were diligent in reminding me that we needed to do another one. For the first few weeks after doing a sleep-over, Libbi asks me every time she sees me, "when are we going to do another sleep-over?" And, since Pike is now due anytime, I figured I'd better do a "girls sleepover" because once he's here, can I really call it a "girls" sleepover? I guess the for the next one, we'll need to include Racer and Jia Tai so that Pike doesn't feel outnumbered.

So, we started out Monday afternoon by going to Starbucks where we each got our own treat. We sat at Starbucks and enjoyed each other's company while sipping our Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino, Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino and the simple Milk and Chocolate Chip Cookie option. After our coffee break (or un-coffee break) we went to the park and got a bunch of energy out! The girls weren't ready to leave until I told them that when we got home we'd do our craft. Then their feet went straight for the car.Jovie, playing like a big girl at the park.

The girls getting a ride from Aspen.

Best Friends.
Libbi Lu.

Aspen and Pear.

Poor Jovie, she tried so hard to be big but just couldn't quite make the cut! She helped by stringing ribbon across the kitchen, spilling buttons on the floor and throwing pom-poms on the table while we used our creativity to make our fabric scrap pictures in frames I picked up from Goodwill. I think they turned out super cute and I think the girls were pleased as well.

The lovely artists with their crafts. (Pear wouldn't get in the picture.)

Pear's craft.

Stephen made us dinner and then it was time to dip our strawberries in chocolate, do make-overs on each other (Pear had fun putting eye-shadow on her cheeks,) and then it was time for pedicures! I wish I had more pictures but I was a little busy. After everyone got their toes all dolled up, we settled in for the night and wound down by watching The Princess and the Frog while eating popcorn, our strawberries, and drinking milkshakes. What a day!

Wiped out!

Did I mention that Pear was the last one awake and the first one up the next morning? On top of the fact that she was awake for a good hour or two in the middle of the night, keeping Libbi awake by her chattering! She dozed off by 9:30pm and was awake at 6:00am ready to go and get donuts! Ah, the energy of a three year old, (and the schedule that allows for a nap.)

Merry Christmas!

For a family who loves eating, baking, shopping, cooking, presents, decorating, crafts, hot chocolate, lattes, bundling up in the cold, reminiscing old times and gathering with family and friends, could there possibly be a more wonderful time of the year?

To say that we like food is an understatement. We love food! In our spare time, Stephen and I enjoy baking: a decadent chocolate cake with a creamy milk chocolate frosting or vanilla bean croissants (my new favorite) which take 3 days for the entire process. Stephen bakes Danish puff at least once a month and it makes it easier for Pear to go to bed if she knows she gets to partake in Danish puff in the morning. Stephen cooks up good food of all different ethnicities. He has a knack for melding herbs, spices and pairings within a meal. I don't especially enjoy Asian food, so any time I'm gone, that's what he makes for himself and the girls. I prefer to cook Italian, French, Mexican and of course American dishes. Stephen does all of these as well, (and usually better than I do, although he would never admit to it.) The bottom line is- we love food. We love having people over for meals. We love including our girls in the process of making food. We even enjoy watching geeky shows like Iron Chef America! The love for baking doesn't cease in this home. And we see this love for buttery goodness being passed down to the next generation. If you haven't been around Jovie recently- her cheeks do not lie. Her world revolves around food, especially sweet food. The excitement and joy seen on her face as a cookie appears in the room is enough to make everyone in the room stop and watch her enjoy the delectable bite she is about to take. Although Pear ingests half the quantity that Jovie does and is much more picky about the types of food she eats, her sweet tooth is almost as big and her desire to be in the kitchen baking, cooking and cleaning is very evident. It is a very familiar sight to see Pear pushing a chair up to the counter to help wash potatoes, make daddy a latte, mix a batch of cookies, frost a cupcake, salt the meat, smell the herbs, unload the dishwasher or whatever else we may be doing.

It's amazing to me that we've been in Olympia for 1 1/2 years now. Our duplex and the gift of owning a home continues to be a huge blessing, while at times causing us much grief. That may sound worse than it actually is. I guess a better way to put it is this: every time we start a new project or remodel another room, I begin to hear Pear saying words she normally wouldn't say. Words or phrases like: "piece of junk" or "freakin' dane-it". Stephen has done an amazing job remodeling, especially given the fact that he constantly has a little helper or two that he so graciously welcomes. Over the summer, he gutted our bathroom. Let's just say it was disgusting and now it is gorgeous, probably the nicest room in our house! We now have a nice front yard and an entry way with nice pavers. Our kitchen is halfway complete and we hope have it finished by spring. And the list goes on. The life of a homeowner!

Did I mention that Pear is a princess? If I didn't, take note. You may call her Pear or you may call her Princess Pear. If you mistake her for anyone else such as stinker, googly bear, pumpkin, cupcake, monkey, etc., you will get one of two things: a glare and short retort, "I'm not _____ I'm a pwincess!" or a devastated child that cries as if you are trying to shatter her beliefs and tell her that she might not be a princess, "but I thought I was a pwincess." And Pear seems to have it figured out, if she is a princess, Jovie is also a princess. Although we can get away with calling Jovie other endearing names, we will often hear the same remarks if Pear is in her complete princess mode, "but mom, Jovie is a pwincess, not a chunky monkey!"

Either I have been eating far too many doughnuts or I have a baby growing in my tummy! I think the latter to be true for two reasons: One- there isn't a good doughnut shop within a 15 minute radius. And two- I can feel the kicking of little feet right now. We are 18 weeks along and due May 13, 2010. We find out whether we'll have a little boy or a little girl on December 23rd.

Stephen and I are so blessed. We are happily married. We have 2 children (Pear will be 3 in February and Jovie just turned 1) and another on the way. We own a home (the rent from the other unit in our duplex sure does help out with the mortgage!). We upgraded Stephen's junky VW Jetta to a new Toyota van. Stephen has a great job as an Enterprise Technology Architect for DSHS. We have good health. We have wonderful parents, siblings, family and friends. As you may have guessed, having food on the table isn't a problem in this home. We have a God whose grace is sufficient and who sent his son as a baby so that we can be saved. And that same God chose us to be HIS children. Could we ask for anything more? I certainly don't think so but as the years go by the list just gets longer and longer.

Merry Christmas and may you too be blessed in Christ!

Paige, Stephen, Pear, Jovie, and baby.

A note from Stephen:

As I was reading Paige’s letter above, I kept wanting to interject my highlights and thoughts. So instead of mucking about in her sentences, I decided to throw in my notes as an addendum. Paige really did highlight the 3 major areas of our life: kids, food, and our house. Outside of that set, there were several activities that I would like to call attention to. I went on a fantastic backpacking trip in May with 12 good friends. We hiked to Toleak Point and camped on the beach. The weather was sunny in the low eighties with no wind, I had to keep reminding myself that I was sitting on a beach, on the Pacific Ocean, in Washington State, and I wasn’t wearing a parka and mittens or being pelted in the face with sand. It really was a special trip. If you want to see pictures of the trip you can visit my blog http://sbackholm.blogspot.com. Secondly, THE highlight of the year for me was going to Maui for 5 days in November with Paige. We left the kids with Paige’s parents, and did nothing but snorkel and lay on the beach the whole trip. I now see why people go to Hawaii.


Regards,
Stephen



Thanks to Michelle at Candid Reflections for the wonderful photographs.

Imagination vs. Reality

I imagine having dinner sitting on the table, the girls sitting patiently, Stephen walking through the door and greeting us and we have a wonderful dinner.
Real life situation: I'm scrambling with dinner, Pear is chanting "I'm hungry", Jovie's rubbing olive oil across the ENTIRE kitchen floor, Stephen walks through the door and greets us only to receive a harry eyeball from me, an "I'm hungry" from Pear and Jovie wants to give daddy a hug with her oiled hands but he's in his nice dress slacks.

During the girls' nap time I clean the kitchen, organize the toys in the family room, fold all of the laundry and am refreshed as the girls awake from their naps and we read a couple of our favorite children's books.
Real life situation: I get the dishes done. I fold most of the clothes Pear and Jovie wake up happy. They then decide that the freshly folded laundry is the perfect pile of leaves to jump in. I frantically try to put them away before they are all messed up only to come back to another pile of scattered "leaves" every trip back from the closet. 1 hour later- done. We didn't get to read those books. I'm not quite feeling completely rejuvenated.

Saturday morning arrives and we sleep until a leisurely hour, perhaps 6:00 am isn't too high of an expectation. We get ready and leave for a morning in Seattle at our favorite bakery, Cafe Besalu. Pear and Jovie enjoy their pastries and allow Stephen and myself to enjoy ours. We sip our coffee and cocoa and leave with a feeling of great satisfaction and there couldn't possibly be a happier family out there!
Real life situation: Jovie sleeps terribly. She decides that 4:00 am is a better hour to wake. We rush to get ready. Leave the house just a few minutes later than estimated and arrive at Besalu just in time to enjoy fresh quiche, pastries and cookies. Upon receiving our goodies, Jovie decides it's time to have a bowel movement. (For those of you who do not know Jovie, this is a HUGE ordeal.) I take my screaming child into the restroom to allow her a little privacy and 20 minutes later, cleaned, changed and much relieved, we return to our cold cocoa and finish our pastries. It could have been worse but let's just say upon leaving, I hardly felt I'd sat down and wasn't feeling ready to face the rest of the day.

I sit down to write a blog post. The girls play and I'm able to complete my writing within 30 minutes. I move on to do other things all while the girls play happily together.
Real life situation: I sat down 2 weeks ago to write this post. Pear and Jovie had a tizzy over a toy that I should have bought 2 of but only bought 1 and within minutes Jovie is crying on my lap. Once she stops crying, she begins banging on the keyboard. I then give up trying to write a post and move on to the next task. This repeats itself over the following days until I finally get the post done. (You'd think I might decide to give up blogging or decide to only do it during nap time. I guess maybe I'm crazy.)

The bottom line is, being married, having kids, serving God, living life- it isn't always a bowl full of cherries. In fact I often feel it's more like poop (you'd be surprised how literal this is for me at this point). But the fact of the matter is, for some strange reason I find satisfaction amongst the chaos. I enjoy these girls. I love my husband. And I revere God. At the end of the day as I'm laying in bed, I don't think of how terrible my day was. What comes to my mind makes me smile; I think about how I called Pear a stinker and in a devastated state she responded, "I'm not a stinker, I'm a pwincess." Or the way that Jovie lit up as I read Animal Sounds (currently her favorite book) and tried to repeat the animal sounds which in all actuality all sounded the same "uh-uh-uh". I think about how Stephen treasures me and saves a kiss for me before he leaves for work, when he comes home for lunch and again in the evening. I serve a great God who blessed me with a beautiful family. I take comfort in James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

the joys of autumn...

I love the crisp air, watching the rain while inside a nice warm house, drinking hot cocoa, eating chili and watching the leaves change colors. There are so many wonderful things about fall. One of my favorite is bundling up and going to the pumpkin patch. That is just what we did the other day. Pear and Jovie loved riding in the wagon as we walked to the pumpkin patch. They also really enjoyed seeing all of the animals (pigs, goats, donkeys, llamas and turkeys). We had so much fun!

a home education and social deprivation

It seems that one of the biggest problems people have with homeschooling is the whole "socially deprived" idea. Yes. I agree, that can be a problem. So how do you prevent social deprivation from kids that spend the day at home with no peers other than their siblings? You participate in the world around you! When there is a community project, go as a family and participate; pick up trash with the community, throw a neighborhood BBQ, go to the park and encourage your kids to be friendly, play sports with other families or friends. This is just the beginning. There are so many ways to introduce your kids to the world and prepare them to venture out on their own. You see, I think that teaching my kids from the home will provide so many more opportunities to be a part of our community. We won't be tied to certain hours of the day being at school or homework at night. We will have our own schedule and routine and be able to jump on more opportunities around us because of that.

I think that parents can communicate with their kids things that are going on in the world; over sheltering can be a huge disadvantage to the child and we have to be sure to keep that balance in check. I also disagree with the thought that a grade-school or high-school is a good environment to introduce my children to the world. Why would I want my kids to be in an environment that my child is influenced by kids with little parental guidance, very little mature discussion and very much immature talk of all sorts of trash? In my opinion, placing kids in school with the intentions of it being a place to learn of the world is like teaching a kid how to play catch by throwing a ball at their face. Sure, they will learn, they'll catch on, but at what price? Does it not seem more logical for them to learn of the world under my supervision and guidance. Should I not be the one to explain the dangers and effects of drugs. Should I not be the one to explain the purpose of sex? Even if your children are in public school, you can be the one to talk to them of certain things but who knows what else they are hearing or at what age.

Another thing I consider when thinking of my children's social skills is that I want them to learn to communicate with all ages. I want them to be comfortable discussing with and entertaining infants, children, teenagers, adults and the elderly. I want to prepare my children for college, the workplace and their future spouse and family. I feel that when they are in school and mainly interact with kids only their own age it puts them at a disadvantage for this. So, what is my plan? James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. I hope to help my children keep themselves unstained by the world, yet prepare them to live life on their own. I hope to teach them what is going on in the world around them without pushing them into an environment that makes the said task extremely hard for a child who isn't yet mature enough to face such an environment. We will serve together, talk together, play together, eat together and learn TOGETHER.

I want to end with this: Home schooling children and teenagers is not for everyone. If you are not passionate about it and or ready to take the selfless commitment of time and energy, I don't recommend it. Your kids may stumble, they may have to go through the boring classes in high-school and forget half of what they learned but they'll make it and you can still be a big part of their lives and education. However, if you are willing, your kids will reap the benefits of a home education.

A home education...

Do you have kids? If so, you undoubtedly desire for them to be smart, confident, disciplined, kind, respectful, obedient, unselfish, and blessed. I desire all of these things and more for my children. This is why I am staying home with them. This is why I take my kids to the grocery store with me and teach them how to pick a good ripe peach, the smells that the fruit gives, the colors of the vegetables. This is why I let them make a mess in the kitchen so that they can learn to bake a cake and measure ingredients. It is why we sing songs in the car, read before bed and count things throughout the day. Being well educated, in my opinion, is not about textbooks, how early you start school, or even whether or not you go off to college. To educate children well begins with giving them a desire to learn.

I am in the beginning stages of educating my children and I am beginning to realize what a huge task I have on my shoulders and at the same time what treasures I have in my hands and how vulnerable they are. To send my children off to childcare or preschool isn't even a question. Why would I send my children off to learn basics that I can teach? Why let other kids habits rub off on my vulnerable little girl that is soaking things up like a sponge? Why let other men and women, who don't know my child like I know my child, try to teach and train them? Not only can they not prevent accidental or purposeful disagreeable behavior, but they also can't train my child the way I see fit to have her behave in a kind, unselfish, polite way. And then, once the basics are taught and my child behaves, then what? Do I want to send them to school to spend time with one teacher and 25 kids? Do I want my child to face peer pressure prematurely? No. I want to raise my children to be grounded. To stand for what they believe and at what point they are ready for this will probably vary from child to child, some might not be ready to face peers and decisions on their own until they are 18 while others might be ready at the age of 14. Some may say, "you are preventing you're child from being used by God." Or, "they're going to be socially awkward". With this, I would have to disagree. My job, as a parent, is to teach, train and protect my children. I do wish for my children to socialize. I do want my kids to have friends and have opportunities to bless this world and those around them. I do want my children to be witnesses of Christ. But is a schoolroom or high-school hall the most effective and best model? In my opinion, the answer to that is no. Stephen and I hope to always be welcoming people into our home, those who love Christ and those who do not. I never want to shelter my kids to the point that they are socially awkward. We hope to entertain, serve our community and share God's love as a family. Under our guidance, our children will get to communicate and spend time with other children, of all ages and stages. Yes. I have decided that the best place for a child is in the home.

If the best place for a child is in the home, how do I ensure that she is properly educated? After all, I didn't even go to college! I honestly do not think that you have to have a college degree to teach children and inspire them to learn. Education begins first thing in the morning and ends when your child lays down to sleep. It's not a matter of "okay, let's start school now," or "it's time to go to school so you can learn." We count, identify colors, read books, identify letters and most importantly discipline and train in character all day. This is our education. Now as my children get a little older (Pear is only 2 1/2), we will move on to do more things, different things. But the core of their education will remain the same: in the home, throughout the day, in all we do, both work and play! (Kinda corny, huh?)

Why do you have to "do school" for so many hours a day, days a week and months a year? Why is it that we feel we must complete the text book in order to ensure a decent education. Do you think it would be better to read a chapter in a history book full of dates and numbers and facts that the child is really not interested in or would it be better to read through an intriguing book on a historical figure, invention, war, etc. Let's say your child is really intrigued with dinosaurs, science inventions, wars, cowboys, whatever it may be, captivate him through that interest. Make learning fun and something that isn't just a bore. Play games that help with times tables, State capitals and spelling. Have your kids dress up and act out a historical moment. There are so many creative outlets for teaching and learning. I am so excited to be a part of my children's education. Not just a part that helps with homework and listens to them talk about their day. I am going to inspire, be creative, have fun with and BE a part of their day.

This all sounds good and it's easier said than done. I have no doubts that there will be many days that I will want to throw in the towel. I'm sure there will be times when I feel my children are lacking in one way or another on the education front. However, I don't think that I will ever regret it once it's all said and done. I will create memories, build character, and inspire my children to learn, more than would ever be possible if I sent them to school.

I was home-schooled. I was slightly stereotypical. There were days that we didn't "do school". There were weeks that I should have devoted more time and energy into learning. I graduated at the age of 17. What this means is that I completed enough "school" to take a test and obtain a high school diploma or rather the GED which is equivalent. I have never stopped learning though as my curiosity about life, history, science, health, English, and more (basically everything except for math) has been spiked because I was encouraged and inspired to learn. My parents taught me that I can figure out, learn and do just about anything I put my mind to. I hope to inspire and encourage my children even more and hopefully, the tradition will follow from generation to generation.

a trip to Victoria

Earlier this summer, our men went hiking/camping for a guys getaway. Ever since, us girls have wanted to have a girls getaway and my sister, Tara, made it happen. This last weekend we took the ferry from Port Angeles, WA over to Victoria, BC. Although the trip was in no way relaxing for me with a very mobile 10 month old who is very vocal and screams (not cries, just screams) for everything she wants, it was a lot of fun.

Our girls' weekend consisted of exactly what it should have: pedicures, face masks, coffees, good food, shopping, movies, late nights talking, and lots of laughing. It also consisted of some things that I would recommend you try to avoid on a girls' weekend: middle of the night wakings by a screaming baby, 5:30 am alarm crawling on top of you, spending an entire movie in the theater lobby due to a noisy baby, leaving every meal at a restaurant early due to a food loving baby who screams between bites.


This is my mom. And yes, she is squishing her face against the window on the ferry. She gets so silly when she is getting away! She really made the trip.

Our hotel, the famous Fairmont Empress.

Delicious Fish & Chips from Red Fish Blue Fish on the Inner Harbor waterfront.

This is across the street from our hotel, we stood here for a while people watching and listening to the band pictured above play some fun tunes and have a good time.


In the garden of the Fairmont Empress

Can you tell that I adore her?

Our beautiful toes after our pedicures.

At The Keg, enjoying dinner. The noses- my mom's funny side coming out.

Me and my adorable sister, Piper, enjoying some stylish glasses we found.

I think this was my favorite meal on the trip. Blue Fox cafe, breakfast.

Jovie, enjoying the noses. Maybe she'll have my mom's sense of humor.

This is us, the majority of the trip, walking, talking and me taking pictures.


Face masks. We attempted to go down to the lobby to get something for my mom with our masks on, however, we chickened out in the elevator.


The girls. From left to right: Aspen, my mom, Piper, Tara and Rebecca.