We met up with George and his family this weekend. The rendezvous point for this part of the day was a place called Maverick’s. If you’re any kind of surfer, I’m sure you’ve heard of this spot. Normally you don’t think of Half Moon Bay as a surf mecca, but some of the biggest waves on the planet roll in here and it attracts only the most fearless. There’s even a book on the place. ...
We decided to meet up with George and his family a little further north this weekend. Low tide at at the James Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at Moss beach is a great adventure. We first had lunch (from the Garden Deli of course) at the picnic area and then headed down for the beach. There’s also a very popular restaurant nearby called the Moss Beach Distillery. It’s a pretty interesting ghost story if you want to check it out. Anyway there are some good shots of Lindsey, Zachary, and Caroline as well as our kids Nick, Monica, and Gabe. ...
Winter is a pretty brutal thing in the Upper Penninsula, but there’s actually a lot less snow up there than usual for this time of year. Rose’s cabin and the clubhouse look great with their new yellow trim. We still call it Rose’s even though it’s now Valri’s. Grandma’s cottage and the main house have gone through a whole lot of winters. We usually stay at Grandma’s cottage when we’re up in the summer. ...
Toodles is Valri’s cockatiel. It’s really a very nice bird and he gets along great with the kids. He even whistles the theme to Ed, Edd n Eddy. Here he is hanging with Gabe.
An always popular destination when family or friends are in town is Carmel. There’s loads of shopping, art, food, and great beaches. I normally would have to include golf, but given the scarcity of anyone that can play in the family prevents me from mentioning it. There are a few very cool trees at the top of the hill above the beach. A few of these are great shots. ...
While my dad was in town, we filled our days with a pretty good variety of trips. We weren’t ready for the long trip up to Napa, but the Santa Cruz area is home to a few good wineries. Here we’ve stopped at the Boony Doon Vineyards tasting room. They have a very large variety of wines and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. We definitely need to head up to Napa the next time they’re in town. ...
It’s pretty common for us to have Christmas dinner at our house. Valri, Kim, and their family joins us as well as George, Ellen, and their family. This year we have the great pleasure of having my dad(Ira), Karen, and Max in town also. Ellen and Kim enjoy some conversation before dinner is ready. George hams it up for the camera. My dad has got a big smile on his face. Max is playing it pretty cool. Charlotte is happy having so much family over even if it’s a bit overwhelming. Hey, that’s what Christmas is all about. ...
Time to get all dressed up for Gabe’s big singing performance at school. Here’s our crew posing in front of the Christmas tree. It’s one last huddle before going on stage. All the performers are prepped one last time before the big show. Time for one last question. Monica and Nick patiently wait for a glimpse of their brother Gabe, the star. The room is packed and we never get seats up front for these events. I think you have to get there the day before. Look for Gabe in the front row, to right of center in the white turtleneck. ...
Charlotte and Valri head up to Bootjack early this year. Charlotte’s mom isn’t feeling well, and the girls head out to cheer her up and visit their dad. Winter is an incredibly beautiful time of year in Bootjack. It seems practically like being at the north pole. The sun sets very early and way out of the position we’re used to in the summer. You can always count on fantastic sunsets up north. ...
We’re over Val and Kim’s house for Joe’s birthday. Joe, Doug and Nick crowd around the birthday boy while he opens presents. You gotta love how Doug wears his hat the same way as his older brother.