2001 on Multer family website

Fun at the beach by Maverick's

Mon, 31 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Lunch and tide pools in Moss beach

Mon, 31 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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 and snowmobiling in Bootjack

Fri, 28 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Gabe and Toodles the cockatiel

Thu, 27 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Going to Carmel with Ira and Karen

Thu, 27 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Having fun with Ira, Karen, and Max

Wed, 26 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

The big Christmas dinner, and what Santa left for everyone

Mon, 24 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Gabe's singing performance at school

Tue, 18 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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 in Bootjack

Fri, 07 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Joe's birthday

Tue, 04 Dec 2001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Gabe and Doug sitting with Santa

Fri, 30 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe and Doug look very happy hanging with Santa at the Capitola mall. It’s a pretty rare thing for us to be at the mall, let alone do the Santa’s lap routine. I have to say though, that it made a big impression on Gabe. Doug looks like he’s enjoying it a whole lot too. Gabe’s also sporting his favorite spike hair style just for Santa. Not a lot of snow outside though.

Ellen's birthday

Fri, 23 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

George really outdid himself for Ellen’s 40th birthday. We met up in San Francisco at Hawthorne Lane. He invited a large group of people who were clearly happy to be there to join in the celebration. George spoke eloquently about Ellen, and was followed by a number of their friends and family telling private stories about Ellen. Both the food and the company were outstanding. George and Charlotte enjoy one of those great moments. It must be good having a twin. The paintings on the wall are quite a story, but this is a family site so I can’t go into detail.

Thanksgiving at Valri's

Thu, 22 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

We had Thanksgiving at Val and Kim’s house this year. George, Ellen, and their family came down for the night as well. Here Kim and Gabe enjoy each other’s company for a moment. Then Gabe collapses from the effort.

Meanwhile the girls work hard on getting everything ready. Val, Charlotte, and Monica are a great team.

he kids get to eat at their own table in the kitchen. It works out best for the kids and the adults this way. Everyone is being remarkably civilized. I guess they really like the food. Gabe, Doug, and Zach are having fun checking out Toodles the bird. Lindsey and Caroline are so well mannered.

Gabe's spike hair

Thu, 08 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s Gabe showing off his spike hair. He always sees his Peyser cousins sporting this attractive coiffure, so of course he can’t resist. I can never do it right, so mom gets all the credit.

Monica and Nick square dancing

Wed, 07 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

It was a big day at Brook Knoll today. All the classes were performing a variety of dances for everyone. Here Monica is a cowgirl doing more western dances than I had ever heard of. She was occasionally having a little trouble with her clogs falling off, but she did fantastic as usual. We never get tired of it of course.

Nick did a great job with his dancing too. As you might expect, at this grade the boys are a little less enthusiastic about dancing with girls. Give him a few years and let’s check again on what he thinks.

Welcome Annabel Multer

Wed, 07 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s the latest addition to the clan, Annabel Multer. She’s about 2 months old in these pictures. It’s good to see Scott and Bridget as parents. I’ve been bugging Scott about it for a while. Their dog Joe has got some competition now.

Monica's birthday

Sun, 04 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Well it’s Monica’s birthday again and the real treat is that grandma Phoebe is in town. Of course that awesome looking cake was pretty good too.

Gabe is anxiously awaiting his serving of cake, but he’s gotta get past grandma. Nick managed to get a piece and is chowing down. Gabe is trying to wait, but he might lose it at any moment. It might show grandma a side of him that she’s never seen before.

Gabe painting pinecones

Fri, 02 Nov 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe is having an awesome time painting pinecones. It’s a beautiful day and there’s nothing finer than making pinecones even more beautiful. It’s kind of like doing a coloring book. There are so many little facets you can paint all different colors. Gabe wants to be an artist one day like his uncle Scott.

Halloween

Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

It’s that fun time of year again for the kids. There’s always something fun at school for Halloween. Kind of a warm up for the big event this evening. Gabe is the black kitty if you couldn’t tell.

At home, everyone gets into their real costumes. Monica is some kind of tiger woman, Nick is a skeleton, and Gabe is Zorro. I loved that show as a little boy. Good to see the tradition being carried on.

Nick's Komodo dragon

Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Nick’s all time favorite stuffed animal was this Komodo dragon. Not quite its natural home in Indonesia, but it looks happy in our garden just the same.

Disneyland with the Mishkys

Fri, 26 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

This time we’re off to meet our friends Lynn and Peter and their kids at Disneyland. Everyone is all excited as we take the shuttle bus over from the hotel to begin the day.

Time for the group shot in Tomorrow Land. Looks a whole lot like the opening shot at Universal Studios. Now I remember, we’re in LA so it all makes sense.

There was some kind of indoor fun area with lots of areas for kids to experiment with various things. We also enjoyed hanging out in this strange car. I think this was in Tomorrow Land too.

Having fun at Universal Studios

Fri, 26 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Another road trip for the Multers. This time we’re off to Universal Studios. We’re a little concerned about Gabe and some of the more exciting rides. I’m sure he won’t suffer any real permanent damage.

The Mummy Returns was not a good first attraction. It was way too scary for Gabe. We tried to not bring him in, but of course he had to beg for it, and he sure got it. Lots of mummies popping out and scaring the heck out of you. The maze of tunnels was cool though.

Gabe and Dominique

Fri, 12 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe loves to have friends over just like anyone would. Today Dominique is over to play. I could say a lot about these pictures, but I think they speak for themselves just perfectly.

Preparing the garden for the winter

Fri, 12 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte’s trying to stretch the harvest time in creative ways. We decided to experiment with PVC and plastic sheets. I’m not sure how well those binder clips are going to work. We spread out a few techniques across a few of the planting boxes. Anything to get a few more tomatoes.

Nick's birthday

Sun, 07 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

No, Nick is not 56 years old. Just a small birthday at home this year.

And you know everyone really enjoyed the cake. Well at least the icing on the cake.

The pumpkin kids

Sat, 15 Sep 2001 00:00:00 +0000

We had a huge crop of pumpkins this year. The kids wrote their names on them while they were still small. As they get big, the writing scars over and it gets larger. A very cool trick. Selecting your pumpkin while it’s still on the vine is a big deal for each of the kids. With the corn stalks it looks almost like Sukkot.

George's trip to Bootjack

Tue, 04 Sep 2001 00:00:00 +0000

George and his family headed up to Bootjack later in the summer, after we had left. Valri and her family were still up north when George arrived. Charlie takes the jet ski out for a spin, and then gives Doug and Valri a ride.

The clubhouse is still looking good. The golf cart is a very popular toy that everyone likes to take for a spin. It tends to be involved in at least one major accident every year.

Nick and Monica try Kuk Sul

Tue, 04 Sep 2001 00:00:00 +0000

For a short while, Nick and Monica took lessons in Kuk Sul in Scotts Valley. We like to encourage the kids to put in enough time with a particular sport and then stick with it if they enjoy it. Monica enjoyed it the most from what I could tell. Ultimately it lost out to tennis.

Hoyems over for play

Mon, 03 Sep 2001 00:00:00 +0000

It’s tough to make out, but trust me, George and his family are visiting. Caroline, Lindsey, and Zach are down on the playground playing with our kids. I’m down there talking to Gabe about something. Abby is the only one that noticed she should pose for the camera. Smart dog.

Charlotte's gardens

Sat, 01 Sep 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte has been putting a ton of work into both the front garden and the vegetable garden in the back. She restocked the river bed and put in a bunch of new plants and mulch. It’s nice to see things looking so good.

Meanwhile the vegetable garden is really kicking into full gear. The tomatoes are rolling and the corn is looking very tall.

Charlotte's vegetable garden

Wed, 08 Aug 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Check out this garden! You can pretty much see everything Charlotte planted this year. Tons of tomatoes, Gabe enjoying sugar snap peas, and lots of pumpkin vines. See what else you can make out. There’s lots more.

Bootjack

Tue, 31 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gordon and his family joined us up north this week. Here’s a whole pile of cousins hanging out in front of the clubhouse. Gordon is doing something with note cards, while Nick seems to be listening attentively.

Gordy is taking the kids out on the pontoon boat.

Monica and Kayleen have some fun swimming.

Grandma, Valri, Kim, Doug, and Gabe do the rounds in the golf cart. Gabe shows off with a very cool pair of sunglasses.

Boat trip to Houghton

Wed, 25 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

It’s a really fun, short boat ride over to Houghton. We typically tie up right downtown and then hang out and maybe have lunch. The ride can be a bit cool, and you have to keep an eye out for the weather. The kids of course love the ride. On a warm day it’s fun to jump off the boat and go for a quick swim in the middle of the lake. You can get a glimpse of one of the MTU buildings on the south shore of the channel.

The big pond

Wed, 25 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Valri owns a big chunk of land on the other side of Bootjack Road. We go up there occasionally to enjoy the big pond. They’ve got a bunch of beavers that keep themselves busy knocking down trees and keeping the pond full. Makes for good frog hunting. The challenging part is dealing with the mosquitoes. They grow them really big up north, and this far from the lake they’re really bad. It’s pretty tough making your way around the pond, so we tend to bunch up at this particular spot.

Doug's birthday

Tue, 24 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

It’s birthday time for Doug. We all head over to Rice’s for the party. Lots of balloons, presents, and hanging out time for Gordon and Kim.

Boating and swimming on a windy day

Mon, 23 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

I try to take one of the boats out on the lake everyday. The little metal boat is always good for a quick trip for fishing, driftwood collection, or just a ride. Sometimes we take the canoe if it’s not too windy, and other days it’s the Sailfish if the wind is just right. A bit of wind today.

Meanwhile the wind makes for great fun swimming in the lake. Nick, Monica, Charlie, and Joe play in the waves. Hopefully the wind will keep picking up and then it’s really a blast.

Gordon and Charlotte off for lobster

Thu, 19 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gordon and Charlotte are off to the annual lobster feast. I’m sure they’ve been looking forward to some time with their friends and a little grown up time. Camp has been run over with kids for many weeks now.

Trip to Redridge

Wed, 18 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

We headed north today to check out the old town of Redridge in Houghton. There’s a very cool old dam, though I didn’t get any pictures. We hung out at the site of part of the old copper works. Lots of fun and dangerous stuff to climb all over.

The beach and cliffs along here are incredibly beautiful.

There’s also plenty of old mining garbage like this tangle. I thought it was kelp like back in Santa Cruz, but you certainly won’t find any seaweed in Lake Superior. Turned out to be a tangle of wire. Pretty interesting.

Bootjack clubhouse and Monica swimming

Sun, 15 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

The clubhouse is so cool looking, we can’t get enough pictures of it. Nick and Joe spend most of their day in there doing things behind locked doors. They load it up with soda, videos, and snacks and then lock the little ones out. It looks so friendly on the outside.

Meanwhile Monica enjoys swimming in the lake. No doors here.

The little pond

Wed, 11 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

The little pond is at the edge of Valri’s property by Bootjack Road. We often ride our bikes, or the golf cart over for an easy adventure. There are loads of frogs, tadpoles, and small fish in there and we never tire of catching them. It’s messy going, but Valri looks very prepared in her waders.

Monica shows off some of the booty they’ve collected on this trip.

Fun with the jet ski

Mon, 09 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Kim takes the jet ski out for a spin with the kids. Someone takes a turn riding on the back and watching while the others hold on to the raft for their lives. Monica is out there hanging tough with Chris and Charlie.

Gabe's spike hair

Tue, 03 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe gets the Santa Cruz look going for school today. He’s sporting the Hawaiian shirt and the spike hair. The girls better watch out.

Nick's poison oak

Tue, 03 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Back east the stuff to watch out for is poison ivy. Out here in Santa Cruz, the nasty stuff is poison oak. All you have to do is rub up against a leaf or branch and the oil gets on you or your clothes. From there you can spread it all over the place without even knowing it. We’re not sure where Nick got it, but he clearly rubbed it into his face. Time to break out the cortisone. Poor guy.

Visiting with Debi and Jared

Tue, 03 Jul 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte’s friend Debi is in town with her son Jared. Here they are hanging out on the deck catching up with Charlotte.

Charlotte visits the Mishkys

Sat, 30 Jun 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte headed down to San Diego to spend some time with our friends the Mishkys. We both have known Lynn since our days in Boulder long ago.

Charlotte and Lynn headed out to Palm Springs to spend some quality time at Merv’s Place.

Soccer camp

Wed, 27 Jun 2001 00:00:00 +0000

This summer the kids all attended soccer camp. It really was a lot of fun even with the huge number of kids all playing at the same time. Nick, Monica, and Gabe each played in separate groups. There was a fair amount of waiting on the sidelines for your turn.

Once a group was called out, there was no shortage of running around. The coaches did an awesome job coordinating this many kids.

Monica's cherished teddies

Sun, 03 Jun 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Monica has quite a few collections going. She’s got the stuffed animals, dolls, rock collection, Pokemon cards, and figurines. She’s particularly fond of these teddy bears that are on proud display.

Family fun at the drive-in

Sat, 19 May 2001 00:00:00 +0000

It’s double feature night at the drive-in and time for some family fun. We load up the car with pillows and blankets, and swing by Pizza My Heart for some dinner. The place is crawling with families. People are playing football, soccer, and making plenty of trips to the concession stand. It’s pretty clear that the actual movie is secondary to the whole drive-in experience. Families have really taken over, so I’m not sure how much teenager action will be going on. Guess they’ll have to wait until it gets dark.

Teacher Kathy and Nathan from preschool

Mon, 14 May 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Nick, Monica, and Gabe all attended Parent Participation Preschool (PPP) in Scotts Valley. They all went for one or two years before kindergarten. We all built great memories of the times spent at school, but the best memories for the kids were clearly their friends and their teachers Kathy and her son Nathan. We’re very sorry to see that the school has closed, but it was a great time while it lasted.

Monica's school biography

Thu, 10 May 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Monica had a school biographies project where she played the part of Hellen Keller. She looks so pretty with her hair up. I’ve also included a number of her friends: Colleen as John Muir, Heidi as Pocahontas, Hudson as Lincoln, Justin as Edison, and Ocea as Eleanor Roosevelt.

Monica's 2nd grade class

Thu, 03 May 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s Monica with her 2nd grade class at Brook Knoll. In order following Monica they are: Mrs. McDermott, Alex, Caitlin, Case, Coleen, Daniel, Danielle, Heidi, Hudson, Jessica, Joey, Jonathan, Justin, Mitchell, Ocea, Regina, Shane, Taylor, and Terry.

Coleen and Jeff join us at Sunny Cove

Sun, 22 Apr 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Monica’s friend Coleen is joining us today for fun at Gordon and Charlotte’s place in Sunny Cove. They get all suited up for playing in the very cold Pacific ocean.

The ice plant behind the house is looking especially beautiful this morning.

Before we head to the beach, we’ve got to make a stop at the tide pool behind the house. This is better than any playground.

Kim and Pete join us at Sunny Cove

Sun, 15 Apr 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Our friends Kim and Pete and their kids Lily and Jack join us for fun at Sunny Cove. The basin behind Gordon and Charlotte’s place is a big attraction. Occasionally we have to take cover when a big wave comes over the cliff.

We amass a very cool collection of creatures from the tide pool. We make a nice temporary home for them for the day. I’m sure they’ll be happy when it’s time for us to go.

Visiting grandma and grandpa at Sunny Cove

Fri, 13 Apr 2001 00:00:00 +0000

With grandma and grandpa staying at such an awesome beach, we have no trouble getting the kids to visit frequently. Nick, Monica, Gabe, and Joe explore the beach and the rocks. It’s a little cool today, but that’s Santa Cruz.

There’s a basin carved into the cliff behind their house. It’s a great place to climb around. It fills with water at high tide and is home to all kinds of great creatures.

Gabe's birthday skate party

Fri, 30 Mar 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe chose to have his birthday at the local skating rink in Scotts Valley. The birthday boy works the wall. He’s a blast to watch. He only pushes off with his right foot, never his left.

Monica, Nick, and Charlie look like they’re enjoying Gabe’s party also.

Gabe’s friends are having lots of fun also. Some are shown here: Dominique, Jack, Doug, Jacki, Kayla, Maia, Timmy, Trevor, and Wyatt.

Gabe's birthday

Wed, 28 Mar 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Gabe turned five today. It’s a school night, so the party is small, but he can’t wait for the weekend. He’ll be joining a bunch of his friends for fun at the skating rink.

Gordon and Charlotte at Sunny Cove

Sun, 18 Mar 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Charlotte and Gordon are spending a month or so in Santa Cruz. We arranged an awesome house to rent at Sunny Cove. Valri, Renee, and Charlotte swing by to see how things are doing, and to catch a few rays.

I think Charlotte is saying thank you, but I’m fine. Meanwhile Gordon looks like he’s settling in very nicely. I bet he’s thinking about when it will be time to go fishing. I’m ready when you are Gordon.

The many faces of Gabe

Sat, 17 Mar 2001 00:00:00 +0000

I never tire of looking at the faces of my family. Every little detail and expression is worth a thousand words. Posing, forced smile, concerned, and hard at work. The faces of my Gabey.

Gabe and Zach playing chess

Wed, 07 Mar 2001 00:00:00 +0000

The Hoyems are over for a visit and Zach has challenged Gabe to a chess game. Gabe makes the first move and can’t contain his glee. Zachary looks very concerned about Gabe’s move. He tries hard to recall that particular grandmaster opening. There’s nothing quite as impressive as the ability of these young champions to look dozens of moves ahead.

Long Marine Lab

Sun, 25 Feb 2001 00:00:00 +0000

There’s a local marine lab we like to visit when we don’t want to do the drive down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The UCSC Long Marine Lab is a quiet little place in west Santa Cruz with a nice selection of displays and interactive exhibits. Another nice day in Santa Cruz.

Charlotte, Valri, and Karen in Big Sur

Sun, 14 Jan 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Karen’s in town and the girls head off to Big Sur. Karen is a birder and she always enjoys heading to California to check out different birds as compared to the ones she finds in Wisconsin. The group gets lots of shots together.

Needless to say, the scenery is as impressive as you can imagine. They look like they’re enjoying the day together.

After a long day outside, it’s time call it quits. Must be just like the old days growing up.