tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486758372138925162024-03-05T19:39:12.558-07:00The Life and Times of Zach, Katie, Claire, and Norazdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.comBlogger220125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-7956332892270562782020-03-08T19:50:00.001-06:002020-03-08T19:50:41.114-06:00Nora is 6!Time is flying and Nora is already 6! We had a nice family dinner with Bonnie on the big day and a kids party at the <a href="http://www.wingscenter.com/">Wings Gymnastics Center</a> on the 9th with a bunch of her friends. Nora had a wonderful birthday, got spoiled with lots of awesome presents, and was one very happy 6 year old all weekend!<br />
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When it comes to birthday cake, she chose ice cream cake for her actual birthday, and a pirate ship (with not-mean pirates) for her kids party - both good choices! The gymnastics party was a blast, as always (we've had more than a couple of birthday parties there over the years!). The kids had fun doing obstacle courses, jumping into foam pits and racing around - Nora even got to go flying like a circus performer, which was the highlight of the party for her!<br />
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It's hard to believe that Nora's already 6 years old - how did that happen?? We're so excited to see what exciting challenges and fun experience this year brings for her!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/YMQLd1S2cVoJUqaZ6">Nora is 6 Photos!</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-85580161056790171212020-02-23T22:03:00.001-07:002020-02-23T22:03:54.485-07:00Christmas 2019!We decided to spend Christmas 2019 with our family in Vancouver. We opted for a road trip and left Boise on the afternoon of the 20th. The first day's drive to Richland, WA, was uneventful and we made it there in time for dinner at <a href="https://hubbyspizza.com/">Hubby's</a>. On the morning of the 21st it was 60 degrees in Richland and it did not feel like winter at all! With the mild conditions, finishing the drive to Vancouver was no problem.<br />
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Our week in Vancouver was a whirlwind! We watched a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRkbg-T3zGs">Canucks game</a> the night we arrived. It was a great time and the Canucks won handily. The girls got to spend lots of time with their cousins, including their first time ice skating! We continued our standard traditions, such as the Christmas Eve church service, Christmas Day brunch, Christmas turkey dinner, and the wacky gift exchange.<br />
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After a busy week, we headed home on the 28th. We again stayed the night in Richland and ate dinner at Barley's Brew Pub, a nice restaurant which was once visited by Guy Fieri. It was great to see many of our Vancouver family & friends - we had a wonderful (too short!) visit!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/hsS9UZgNR8eTxy9MA">Christmas 2019 Pictures!</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-2529067304249558672019-12-02T20:40:00.000-07:002019-12-02T20:40:30.574-07:00Minsk Business TripSince I started my <a href="https://www.cloudpassage.com/">current job</a> in 2016, we have worked with a team located in Belarus (mostly in Minsk). Over time, we have developed a deeper technical relationship with the team there however sadly we have generally neglected to visit and develop personal connections. Since taking over my team about a year ago, I became convinced that a trip to better understand the team and improve our personal relationships was appropriate. My manager agreed and it was approved. The timing came together so that I could visit before winter sets in.<br />
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On the morning of Friday the 15th I was off. My itinerary took me to Chicago, Frankfurt, and Vienna before landing in Minsk on Saturday afternoon. The flights went well and I met two of my team members (Michael and Volha) at the airport. Together we went into Minsk and Michael and I got checked into our Airbnbs. Volha helped us greatly during this process and it was very much appreciated!<br />
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After getting checked in, we had tickets for a <a href="https://scores24.live/en/ice-hockey/m-16-11-2019-hc-dinamo-minsk-hk-avangard-omsk">KHL game</a> so we were immediately off to the arena. On the way we met Dmitry and the three of us (myself, Michael, Dmitry) watched the game. The rules were quite similar to the NHL but the crowd was rowdier and more passionate than any I've seen at a NHL game. Sadly, Dinamo Minsk allowed a late goal in the 3rd which led to overtime. In overtime, Dinamo lost to Avangard in a shootout. Around midnight I got back to my Airbnb for some sleep!<br />
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On Sunday, Michael, Volha, and I visited the <a href="https://www.summitpost.org/dzyarzhynskaya-hara/1016364">highest point in Belarus</a>. While not an impressive summit, it was interesting to see the countryside and collective farms just outside of Minsk. There we met Val (a former coworker) and after summiting we then spent some time at the <a href="https://www.belarus.by/en/about-belarus/architecture/national-library">National Library of Belarus</a>. The library is a very unique building with an observation deck whose views were sadly limited by the weather. We spend some time catching at the library cafe before retiring for the evening.<br />
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The week was mostly focused on work and team meetings. This was very productive and justified the expense of the trip. In the mornings before work I ran along the river, which was good for some sightseeing. We did have a team event at an escape room one night - it was a unique experience and the three of managed to escape in 45 minutes!<br />
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On the following Saturday and Sunday I spent some time at a <a href="https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions/HappyBSTUCubingDays2019">cubing competition</a> held at <a href="https://en.belstu.by/">one of the universities in town</a>. The cubing competition was enjoyable the but the language barrier was more of a problem than I expected. While not cubing I did some more sightseeing and collected a few souvenirs for the trip home. On the morning of Monday the 25th I flew home through Vienna, Frankfurt, and Denver. I just barely missed a snowstorm in Denver and was happy to be home Monday evening! Jet lag after getting home was a little bit of a problem and it took me several days to recover.<br />
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In all, I really enjoyed my time in Minsk. My team was great to spend time with and the city itself has a lot to do in a very different cultural environment than I have experienced. The only negative was the language barrier but the people were always friendly and accommodating of my poor Russian language skills. There is a chance I will return in 2020 and I am looking forward to it happening!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/o7YbxPBtajNFbgM39">Minsk 2019 Photos!</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-91259953856808807592019-10-26T21:17:00.001-06:002019-10-26T21:22:43.045-06:00Claire is 8!Time really seems to be flying - in September, Claire turned 8! She had a great day painting pottery with her friends at <a href="http://www.ceramicaboise.com/">Ceramica</a> and enjoying frozen yogurt. Later, we had a family birthday dinner with Bonnie featuring Claire's request: burgers with roasted potatoes and caesar salad. Of course, Katie also made a beautiful cake in the form of a toadstool fairy garden! Claire really enjoyed her presents - thank you everyone for thinking of her. Happy Birthday Claire!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/hnqYMrt6u1FPsSzb9">Claire Turns 8 Pictures!</a></div>
zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-28413033395355371472019-09-03T22:21:00.000-06:002019-09-03T22:21:00.315-06:00Florida Trip 2019It has been way too long since our whole family visited Nana, Papa, and Great Grandma in Florida. With the kids in school these days we chose to visit at the peak of summer. We knew the weather would be hot but that also means it would be great pool weather! We flew to Florida on August 7. The flight was uneventful except for the technical delay on the <a href="http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2019/American-Airlines-Announces-Schedule-of-Final-MD-80-Revenue-Flights/default.aspx">soon-to-be-retired</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_MD-80">MD-80</a> flying from DFW-JAX. We are blessed that our children are such great travelers!<br />
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Once in Florida, we had a great time catching up with family, eating yummy food, and spending time in the bathwater-temperature pool in Nana and Papa's neighborhood. The water was almost too warm to stay in too long! For something unique, we decided to experience the dolphin encounter at <a href="https://marineland.net/">Marineland</a>. We spent about 30 minutes in the water with a trainer and a dolphin named Dazzle. Dazzle performed tricks, swam by all of us, and even allowed each person to come in for a kiss and a dance. We all had a great time and I'm very glad we went!<br />
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While in town we also visited the <a href="https://www.alligatorfarm.com/">St. Augustine Alligator Farm</a>, which is my favorite zoo anywhere. It was crazy hot but we were able to see all of the exhibits (and the alligator feeding!) before we needed to head home and cool down. We also took the girls to the beach one morning. It wasn't too hot at first and things were going well until Claire got sand in her bathing suit - then it was over! We enjoyed our time at the beach but we learned that Claire is a pool person!<br />
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Katie and I also celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary while in Florida! We had a delicious family dinner at <a href="https://www.enzas.net/">Enza's</a> to jointly celebrate both my parents' 43rd anniversary (belated from July) and our 15th. On the 12th, Katie and I had a "date night" and enjoyed a round of drinks in town before a nice seafood dinner at <a href="https://www.schooners-seafood.com/">Schooner's</a>. We would have liked to further experience the town on foot but opted to avoid the stifling evening heat!<br />
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It was a great trip and a true vacation. We were sad to leave on the 14th but we had a smooth flight back home. Thank you for the great times and hospitality Nana, Papa, and Great Grandma!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/2ue8V4Q1iGtY3vtV6">Florida Trip 2019 Pictures!</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-80453180174546365552019-08-27T22:11:00.000-06:002019-08-27T22:11:41.095-06:00North King Mountain ClimbFor a long time, <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/17326">North King Mountain</a>, or "The King's Crown" has been on my list of peaks to climb. It is accessed from a high elevation <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/scnf/recarea/?recid=76184">hang glider launch site</a> which makes it more accessible than most peaks of its stature. Sadly, the direct road from Moore, ID, washed out in 2018. Instead I took the back road from Arco over Beaverland Pass to the upper launch site. This drive was uneventful but does include some 4WD sections.<br />
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Once at the upper launch site, I checked out the launch ramp. After about two seconds I became convinced that hang gliding looks terrifying and it will not be added to my bucket list! The hike from the launch site follows a very steep use trail up a ridge directly to <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/33516">King Mountain</a>, an intermediate point before reaching North King Mountain. The trail is easy to follow and eventually leads you onto some class 3 terrain to bypass a tower near the top of the ridge. After about 2500' of elevation gain up a veritable staircase, the climb to King Mountain is over! King Mountain offers great views of the surrounding area and a good place to take a breather before continuing the quest.<br />
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The ridge to North King Mountain is much more moderate and makes for enjoyable hiking. A small class 3 section adds some interest to the traverse. On top of North King Mountain, there is an infrequently signed summit register (only three other parties signed this year) and even better views of the numerous surrounding mountain ranges and valleys.<br />
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Downclimbing was uneventful but the steepness of the ridge descent was tiring and led to sore knees and sore feet. When I got back to the vehicle, I knew I had to time to visit nearby <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/35482">Peak 8150</a> which is accessed from Beaverland Pass. A road leads most of the way up the peak. I followed the road until I felt like I abused the XTerra enough. I then hiked the last 500' of gain to the top. Peak 8150' has great views of King Mountain, the Arco Hills, and the Lost River Valley. I wanted to continue further to Peak 8082 but sore feet and a sinking sun caused me to head back to the vehicle so I could drive the 4WD road back to town in daylight.<br />
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In short, this was a great day in the mountains and a highly recommended climb. I saw two pronghorn and no other people!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/RVfVXMjXJPg4JjCF6">North King Mountain Photos!</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3986267376">North King Mountain GPS Track</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3986267415">Peak 8150 GPS Track</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-14567197055365305902019-08-06T23:05:00.000-06:002019-08-06T23:05:25.766-06:00Family Camping at Herald Provincial ParkIn mid-July, we embarked on another camping trip, this one to <a href="http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/herald/">Herald Provincial Park</a>, near a town called Salmon Arm, BC. We left Boise on Saturday, July 13, and drove up to Osoyoos, BC, a lovely little resort town on Osoyoos Lake which is known for being the warmest freshwater lake in Canada. We stayed in a <a href="https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-osoyoos/best-western-plus-sunrise-inn/propertyCode.62100.html">hotel suite</a> that had a separate (bunk bed) room for the girls, so they were happy, and we enjoyed a beautiful view of the lake from our balcony. The girls splashed in the hotel pool the following morning and then we were on our way for the final leg of the drive to the Provincial Park.<br />
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Unfortunately for us, it was the <a href="http://www.granfondoaxelmerckx.com/" target="_blank">Penticton Gran Fondo</a> weekend...which means that for miles and miles and kilometres and kilometres, we were stuck inching along behind approximately 459,347 cyclists making their way up the hilly highway. After what felt like our entire lives, we parted ways with the interminable clusters of bikers in Pentincton!! We stopped in Kelowna, BC for lunch at <a href="https://whitespot.ca/menu/bc" target="_blank">White Spot</a> because that's just what you do when you're in BC. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious.</div>
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We got to the campground and said hi to the crew - Liz, Cathy, Margaret Wells, Megan, Ben, Matt & Emily, Dave, Greg & Kristy. And Sydney & Kona, of course! We knew that the weather might not be awesome...but we didn't realize that meant thunderstorms and 2 hour long downpours! We were all a little worried that the tents would wash away at one point, or that we be sleeping on soaking wet sleeping bags, but luckily our tents all stood the test throughout the whole week of on again/off again rain.</div>
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We definitely made the most of the sunnier times, hanging out at the beach and swimming in the lake whenever there was a break in the weather. Dave & Ben got some fishing done and Zach took Claire to check out a big totem pole near the campground. We ventured into the town of Salmon Arm and spent some time at a cute little farm stand & petting zoo! We stocked up on some necessary rain gear, and tarped down our tent to protect against the rain showers. The kids had a great time hanging out with their cousins, swimming, smore-making & eating, reading and hanging out in Grandma's trailer! We got to hang with the family and really, truly catch up, which is always fantastic, even if it's raining!</div>
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On Saturday, July 20, we packed up the sites under threat of rain, but luckily it missed us! Everyone else headed back to the Lower Mainland, and we headed south to Richland, WA. We stayed at the <a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/rldwahw-homewood-suites-richland/">Homewood Suites hotel</a>, which is always great, and were all happy for showers and actual beds! On Sunday we finished the drive to Boise with a lunch stop at Nells-N-Out in La Grande, OR. We didn't get home until almost 6pm MT - it was great to be home!</div>
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We all had a wonderful visit with the Shepherd side of the family, and the rain this year just means that next year will be beautifully sunny and blue-skied! </div>
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We're about to head off on our next (last) summer adventure - we're going to visit Jan, Ron & Grandma Dow in St. Augustine, FL for a week! We'll check in with an update when we get back, in the meantime, here are some pictures from our trip!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/8cE9UiKExZavhWsQ6">BC Camping 2019 Pictures!</a></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14936806960083074964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-6981650418840307592019-06-30T23:36:00.001-06:002019-06-30T23:36:48.046-06:00Oregon Camping 2019For the 10th time, we met our friends the Pilons for a summer camping trip. This time we chose <a href="https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=26">Prineville Reservoir</a> just outside of Prineville, OR. This turned out to be a great choice as the weather, campground, and lake combined to offer a great camping experience! We arrived on Friday after a lunch in John Day at the <a href="https://www.outpostpizzapubgrill.com/">Outpost Pizza Pub & Grill</a> and quickly set up camp. Despite not seeing each other for two years, our girls hit it off immediately with Cecelia (10) and Mallory (7) and they were quickly playing in the tents and exploring the woods near our sites. We had a great night making smores around the campfire and enjoying each other's company!<br />
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On Saturday we woke up early (thank you to the chattering birds!) and enjoyed a nice breakfast. I went on a short kayak trip and hike to the nearby island while the girls watched a ranger presentation about hiking safety for kids. The camp host and Park Rangers had an amazing amount of activities for the kids to do all weekend, which was fantastic! Afterwards, we met up on the beach, where the girls went swimming for several hours. They had a great time other than Claire getting a fish hook in her foot. Luckily it was easily removed and she recovered after 30 minutes or so. After swimming, we had a relaxing evening until Nora crashed her scooter in the evening. Despite injuries to her head, lip, both elbows, and a knee, she recovered quickly and was cracking jokes about "Knee-asporin". But it was an early bedtime for the kids after a busy day filled with injuries!<br />
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Sunday was our day to depart and we had an uneventful drive home. We stopped in Burns for a late lunch and let the kids play at an old-school playground in nearby Hines. They had a great time and it was a great end to a great weekend!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/MUKCabWo9gVUhC3MA">Oregon Camping 2019 Photos!</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-42712939946293811222019-06-29T21:50:00.002-06:002019-10-26T21:19:25.029-06:00On Turning 41Back on June 18th, I celebrated yet another birthday! I was lucky to wake up to a beautiful sunny day, and I got to spend the morning watching the girls' swimming lessons, and end the day by having a great dinner with Zach and the girls, as well as some delicious cake. For dinner, I chose one of our favourite restaurants - <a href="http://gramercypizzagrill.com/">Gramercy Park Pizza Grill</a> - and then we went home for cake and presents! The girls chose the cake & they did an excellent job - white cake with raspberry filling, and it was a big hit with the whole family.<br />
All in all, it was a wonderful 41st birthday, and I'm glad I got to spend it with 3 of my very favourite people!<br />
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Here are some pictures of the cake, because as we all know, that's the main event!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/6w8jFNj7p1Sc5fju8">Birthday Cake & Silly Kids!</a>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14936806960083074964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-91782650933220330202019-06-29T20:51:00.003-06:002019-06-29T20:51:57.308-06:00Learning to Ride a BikeI don't know why, but learning to ride a bike without training wheels feels like a major life milestone. Nora has been riding a bike for awhile but she wasn't ready when we took the training wheels off her bike in the past. On May 14, Nora and I were walking to pick up Claire from school. She asked to try riding her bike without training wheels so I took them off once we got home. Sure enough, she had figured it out and no longer needed them!<br />
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Since then, she's been zooming all over the place on her bike with few incidents. She even completed a six mile ride on the Boise Greenbelt without issue just a couple of weeks later!<br />
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Also included is a video from when Claire achieved the same milestone on February 11, 2017!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/PfbufWkSLzy7Rh4o6">Girls Learning to Ride Videos!</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-45212801284402769512019-03-17T20:24:00.002-06:002019-03-17T20:35:16.191-06:00Florida VisitAs part of getting old, I decided it would be good to run my hometown running race, the <a href="http://www.1stplacesports.com/grr_index.html">Gate River Run</a> 15K, before I fall apart. I arranged a trip to do this and also see my parents and grandmother in Florida, who I don't see enough of!<br />
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I had a great visit catching up with family, eating delicious food, celebrating birthdays, visiting the <a href="http://www.worldgolfhalloffame.org/">World Golf Hall of Fame</a>, and putting in a decent performance in the River Run (1:22:02, for an 8:48/mile pace). The heat was a bigger factor than I expected - I can't train for that in Idaho in the winter! Overall I really enjoyed the race - it had a great route over two of Jacksonville's signature bridges and through some very nice neighborhoods. It was very well organized and featured unlimited free beer after the race. I may very well return next year!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/yp8svXcaPByYmMuc7">Florida Visit 2019 Photos!</a><br /><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3448406357">Gate River Run GPS Track</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-65121814489010033572019-03-03T20:56:00.000-07:002019-03-03T20:56:07.165-07:00The Year That Was: 2015We didn't blog in 2015 but here are some photos and videos to help remember this awesome year!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/tYoSQcvScAX7XPnw9">The Year That Was: 2015 Photos and Videos</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-47615093264528182982019-02-20T22:09:00.002-07:002019-02-20T22:09:58.922-07:00Becoming an Old ManThis year I had a "major birthday". I pondered arranging some kind of humdinger of a celebration. But with a winter birthday and kids in school it's hard to get motivated to do anything too ambitious. I instead opted for a relaxing day with some snowshoeing and family time!<br />
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After a late morning start I snowshoed two small peaks (<a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/39037">Peak 5443</a>, <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/38702">Little Camas Peak</a>) off of US-20 east of Mountain Home. This is all part of a grand scheme to summit 40 peaks this year (I'm already at 9!). Snow conditions were good with a few inches of powder over a supportive base. However conditions were brisk with temperatures around 20℉ and a steady wind. Views were pretty good however some low clouds were swirling around and the higher peaks were mostly shrouded. After about two hours of snowshoeing, I was ready to warm up and get home!<br />
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After doing just that I opened my awesome birthday gifts. Thank you everyone for thinking of me! Dinner was at the <a href="https://www.homesteadbarandgrill.com/">Homestead Bar and Grill</a> and consisted of a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and some <a href="https://northcoastbrewing.com/beers/year-round-beers/old-rasputin-russian-imperial-stout/">Old Rasputin</a> on Nitro (which was part of my last "major birthday" as well!). At home, we all enjoyed the lovely vanilla and chocolate cake that Katie made. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious!!<br />
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A final detail is that my birthday is also <a href="http://nationaldrinkwineday.org/">National Drink Wine Day</a>. To honor this occasion Katie and I shared a tasty White Burgundy I happened to have. While getting old is no fun, I had a great time doing it!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/hbVXZbUFD7Rh1via6">Zach Turns 40 Photos!</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3395186624">Peak 5443 GPS Track</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3395575419">Peak 5740 GPS Track</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-18395172727256976612019-02-11T21:57:00.001-07:002019-02-21T20:37:25.091-07:00Nora Turns 5!It's hard to believe, but on Thursday February 7th, Nora turned 5 years old! We have no idea where the past 5 years have gone, but suddenly our little baby is a big kid who will be starting kindergarten in a few months!<br />
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The day of Nora's birthday was a busy one - Zach & I got to attend a birthday celebration at her preschool and share birthday brownies with Nora and her teachers and classmates. When Nora got home from preschool, we were surprised by my aunt, Cathy, arriving completely unexpectedly! She drove 2.5 days from Miami, Manitoba to Boise to celebrate Nora's birthday with us! She got to pick Claire up from school that day, and Claire very nearly walked right past her because she wasn't expecting her Great Aunt from Canada to be at school!! That night, Bonnie came over & we all had a great birthday dinner of Nora's favourite - spaghetti, garlic bread and salad, and then cake and ice cream! After dinner, Claire & Bonnie hung out at the house & made pick-up-sticks, and Zach, Cathy, Nora & I all went over to Nora's school for Parent Open House, and Nora showed us some of what she's been working on at school - she started learning piano that day, so she showed us what she'd learned so far. She's <i>very</i> excited to get piano lessons at school!</div>
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Sunday afternoon was Nora's kids birthday party at a gymnastics club with a bunch of her friends, and everyone enjoyed running, jumping, tumbling and rope-swinging all over the place...and then eating cupcakes. Nora had a great birthday long weekend, and loved every minute of the celebrations! We're looking forward to the next year with this funny, goofy, super smart and sweet kid!</div>
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Here are a few pictures from all the celebrations, and a bonus picture of the girls with AC. Thank you again for the visit, AC!</div>
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/oKTAWe79seR8RiLU8">Nora's 5th Birthday Weekend Photos!!</a> </div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14936806960083074964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-14428829241115097392019-02-02T15:33:00.001-07:002019-02-02T16:00:27.819-07:00Cervidae Peak HikeI just climbed <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/39470">Cervidae Peak</a> for the 27th time. In late 2017 I decided to climb this peak once per month as part of a goal to get outside and hike more. I've managed to accomplish that and it's been enjoyable getting to know a single peak so well. Since climbing this peak regularly I've made a number of observations:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer">Cervidae</a> sightings are very rare now. I believe I've only seen animals on 3 out of 17 recent trips. 10+ years ago such sightings were almost guaranteed.</li>
<li>Some days the trail is very busy. In April I saw 43 people on the trail during a 90 minute hike.</li>
<li>Only once (a Fall evening) have I been the only person on the peak.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_cricket">Mormon crickets</a> show up in July and make a hot hike even more unpleasant. Later in the summer they get more lethargic and are less bothersome.</li>
<li>A brush fire from ID-21 burned the west slopes of the peak in July. Red fire retardant was dropped all over the upper slopes of the peak and is still visible.</li>
<li>Certain people like to write messages all over the rocks at the summit. They are apparently not fans of the <a href="https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles">Leave No Trace Principles</a>.</li>
<li>People hiking "up and over" the peak (climbing it twice on one trip) is pretty common.</li>
<li>My favorite time to climb the peak is just before sunset during the warmer months.</li>
<li>Snowshoeing the peak under a full moon is pretty great too!</li>
</ul>
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This time around I was able to enjoy Spring conditions in early February with mild temperatures and minimal snow. Green shoots of grass were popping up everywhere. I saw three other people on the trail, two dogs, one boat on the lake, and no cervidae.<br />
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In summary, this is a great local hike that can be done in under four hours from the time I leave the house. I'll try to keep up the habit of climbing it as long as I can!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZnYF7X41xVc5DiJM7">Cervidae Peak #27 Photos</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3348445042">GPS Track</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.splattski.com/2011/cervidae/index.html">Cervidae Peak #6 Trip Report</a><br />
<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/kJ1xoCsRjQxY678m9">Cervidae Peak #5 Photos</a><br />
<a href="https://vickeryworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/cervidae-peak-hike.html?m=0">Cervidae Peak #4 Trip Report</a><br />
<a href="https://vickeryworld.blogspot.com/2009/11/cervidae-peak-hike.html">Cervidae Peak #3 Trip Report</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-4989261465568898522019-01-31T21:29:00.001-07:002019-01-31T21:29:56.869-07:00Peak 3081 / Deer Butte / Pinnacle Point HikeI've been working a few nights recently so I took a Wednesday morning off and climbed some peaks. We've had really mild winter weather and the conditions were too perfect to pass up. The objectives were <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/85968">Peak 3081</a>, <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/85385">Deer Butte</a>, and <a href="https://listsofjohn.com/peak/85595">Pinnacle Point</a> along the Owyhee River outside of Adrian, OR (the home of the Adrian Antelopes).<br />
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I got to the base of Peak 3081 around 8:30am and the temperature was a brisk 18℉. Getting there required fording the Owyhee River in the XTerra which was fun to do, and a first since I bought the vehicle. At the base of the peak is the Malheur Siphon, part of a canal system from the <a href="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/pdf.php?id=217">Owyhee Reservoir</a> to the Ontario, OR, area. Peak 3081 was a very enjoyable hike over open terrain. I even spotted a few pronghorn from a distance.<br />
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After returning to my vehicle I parked at <a href="https://soakoregon.com/snively-hot-springs/">Snively Hot Springs</a> (about a mile away) and did the combo hike of Deer Butte and Pinnacle Point. Deer Butte has a cliffy face which made for some fun hiking over boulders with a few class 3 moves. Amongst the rocks were a number of chukars, which are always a nice surprise. The summit is flat and underwhelming but it did have good views of the surrounding country. Pinnacle Point was an easy hike from Deer Butte. It was the least remarkable summit but did allow for spotting more pronghorn moving across the open flats.<br />
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Once the sun came out the temperature warmed up to the upper 30s. It was a beautiful mild winter day and way better than a morning at work!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/kL6abuGHYansRsYM9">Peak 3081 / Deer Butte / Pinnacle Point Hike Photos</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3343582371">Peak 3081 GPS Track</a><br />
<a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3343587002">Deer Butte / Pinnacle Point GPS Track</a><br />
<br />zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-82628180321950400422019-01-31T19:04:00.001-07:002019-02-02T15:45:14.953-07:00Hiatus - over!Back in 2014 life was a little busy - a baby, a toddler, a new house, a job, and even an occasional lack of sanity. With everything going on, this blog was neglected. Neglect of blogging became a habit and suddenly four years passed.<br />
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However, things are more balanced now and we look forward to posting regular updates about the latest happenings. I also noticed Google has broken many of my old Picasa photo links, so I will be fixing those shortly. Finally, Google has even updated the blog with HTTPS and GDPR support since we've been on hiatus. Not only is this blog back, it is now technologically modern!</div>
zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-82903496131046577542014-12-20T01:47:00.000-07:002019-02-11T22:13:58.946-07:00Fall Update!Well, we've all had a pretty busy Fall! In September, the four of us flew to Florida to spend some time (and Claire's third birthday) with Nana and Papa. We all had a great time and wished we could have stayed for much longer. Halloween was a blast - Claire and Nora were both Ariel, the Little Mermaid. Nora was the mermaid and Claire was the princess (and Claire made sure everyone knew, if they asked what she was going to be for Halloween). Claire trick-or-treated around the neighborhood and really enjoyed herself! In November we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with Bonnie, Gary, and Frona.<br />
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We've also been in the process of buying a new house and moving - we nearly bought one house in October but the deal ended up falling through. We purchased another house on November 26 and are expecting to move in on December 22nd! More on that in another blog post!<br />
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Nora has been a busy girl these days, what with eating lots of different foods, crawling and starting to pull up on furniture. She's even taken a few steps while holding onto the couch, so we might be getting closer to having a walking baby on our hands...look out!!<br />
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Also, on December 2nd Claire started preschool at <a href="http://caspari-montessori.com/montessori-garden-school/">Montessori Garden School</a> - so far she seems to really like it! It's a small school with about 10 kids (all around 3-4 years old), and the teacher has 30+ years of experience in both Montessori teaching & also Montessori teacher instructing. Claire is definitely absorbing a lot and getting to know her fellow classmates - she's excited to go back to school after the Christmas break, so that's a good sign!<br />
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We're heading up to Vancouver for Christmas this year, and in addition to the usual suspects, my Aunts Cathy & Barb & my cousin Allison are all making the trek from Manitoba! It should be a great visit, and we'll post about it...soon...!<br />
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We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas - see you in 2015!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/1GA1YpqAR6kpLJSVA">Fall 2014 Update Pictures!</a><br />
<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/RPvubEMBCBVTmFkT9">Claire's Third Birthday Pictures!</a><br />
<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/4kJjnjXdaDwH4sRcA">Claire and Nora Visit Florida Pictures!</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VexkW3_HGzo">Nora Doesn't Want the Chair Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wBOdg3C5UQ">The Vickerys at Bono's Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQZveopRxCc">Claire at the Beach Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm5WeRzn3F8">Claire at the Beach Part 2 Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn5UIjgWHt4&noredirect=1">Claire and Zach at Rebounderz Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAKHTpM8DEI">Thank You Very Very Much Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZixF15eC7U">Southern League Champs Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37m87OskeIM">On the Swings at Palencia Park Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WKQpncg0ww">Claire Decides to Jump Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Np9zPMnT14">Nora in the Pool Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPUNiLjA2XI">Claire at Eagle Creek Pool Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQT3AnrfgCg">Birthday Presents for Claire Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN9DDRmkczE">Claire and Nora Ride the Carousel Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khxYIRKKFnE">Claire on the Roller Slide Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDsiREnkReU">Queen of the Trampoline Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWWwFc-QpBE">Swinging at Peppermint Park Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kplx8brZx78">JumpTime Enthusiast Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zVSsEspr2s">Nora Crawling Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni5YHVgsOds">Nora Tries the Scooter Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsjOPuwRu1U">Leaf Monster Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fggoqrYf3wE">Nora Gets the Green Stick Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtOszC8gPGY">Sisters in the Leaves Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVVCePMgVe8">Vickery Family Walk Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwbgKRXCFfs">Nora Tapping Blocks Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iwLAifSyU8">I'm a Famous Preschooler Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_e_TXRhRgg">Claire in the Box Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMO13hxYc9k">Nora on the Scooter Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtoP65z6v5Y&list=UUxwWVaZi8BqZ06EpzxBAJdw">Nora Dinnertime Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE0iKaUizCI&list=UUxwWVaZi8BqZ06EpzxBAJdw">Nora at Little Gym Video</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-77360951212795735012014-09-07T22:10:00.000-06:002019-02-05T22:08:20.592-07:00Playing Catch-up, Part DeuxYep, that's right, folks - 2 blog posts in a week!! We can't believe it either...please don't get used to it!<br />
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So, when last we blogged, we were heading into Summer & looking forward to lots of nice weather. This summer has been a great one, both weather-wise & otherwise, so let's discuss, shall we? Great.<br />
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We kicked off the summer at the beginning of July by driving up to Vancouver to spend the July long weekend with my family. We headed out of Boise on the Thursday night (July 3rd) and drove through the night, arriving in Vancouver around breakfast time. The girls did really well on the overnight trip - Nora slept through a lot of it, and Claire slept off & on, but at least when she was awake, she would just talk quietly to herself & look out the window. No complaints from us!<br />
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The visit in Vancouver was great - the weather was gorgeous (and hot!), so we spent lots of time with Auntie Megan, Emily & Matthew at pools and playgrounds, which Claire loved of course! We also headed out to Cultus Lake to visit Uncle Dave & celebrate my birthday. Dave has a truly beautiful place to call home - the lake is practically at his doorstep, and is absolutely stunning! The water was amazing & even Claire splashed around in it after some serious coaching & coaxing from various family members. We were able to coordinate this visit with a cross-country visit from my Auntie Cathy who lives in Manitoba, so it was wonderful to see her & introduce her (and the whole family) to Nora!<br />
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Zach drove back to Boise & Claire, Nora & I spent another 10 days hanging out with everyone. It was so nice to just hang out at the wading pools & parks while the cousins played together. The girls & I were sad to leave, but had to head back to Boise so Zach wouldn't forget what we looked like! We flew to Portland & then to Boise, and both girls did very well. I was quite worried, flying with both of them by myself, but luckily the flights weren't long (1hr 15mins each leg), and Nora slept for a lot of the 2nd flight so I was able to keep Claire busy.<br />
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Our next adventure came in mid-August - camping with an almost-3 year old & a 6 month old! Such fun! No really, we had a great time. We headed out to<a href="http://www.parks.wa.gov/539/Lewis-Clark-Trail"> Lewis and Clark Trail State Park</a>, in Washington State, to meet up with our friends Joey & Sam and their daughters (Cecelia, 5 & Mallory, 2), and Tracy & Dan. We spent 2 nights at the campground, which was just lovely - the sites weren't big, but they were nice & right close to a small river. The girls played really well together & kept each other entertained for long stretches, which allowed the adults time to visit. Both Claire & Nora did very well sleeping in the tent with us - Claire was so worn out by bedtime on both nights that she'd just pass out cold & not even bat an eyelash if Nora woke up & cried! Yay for tired kids!<br />
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So, those were the two big trips of our summer, and now that we're heading into Fall, we're very excited to be flying down to Florida this Tuesday to spend a week with Jan & Ron! More about that trip in our next blog post...until then, here are the pictures from the rest of our summer...Enjoy!<br />
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Love,<br />
Katie, Zach, Claire & Nora<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/zvzveJvCHsf3v7By6">Late Summer Update Pictures!</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/OJWttxZjG5Q">Nora Tries the Jumperoo Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/secB0BeLm2o">Nora Getting Used to the Jumperoo Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/i0sfs6ZfV3Q">Nora in the Jumperoo Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/7yHXSnun6Qw">Splashing Claire Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/4M3i6asH-j4">Nora Splashes Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/_82yxnXEX2o">Grass Fed Baby Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/KhwZ9vtpXxM">Nora Eats Rice Cereal Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/0Riw-es70dI">Pool Slide Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/TabPXqBhvk4">Nora Jumping Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/OnnH9HGsL3E">Nora Tips Over Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/eCHRRsG9JyI">Nora Reaching Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/FHXIgPWs2O8">Carousel Ride at the Fair Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/YueVLvr-L3U">Jeep Ride at the Fair Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/aZb7i5k29K8">Boat Ride at the Fair Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/JdWYa_2jbiY">Train Ride at the Fair Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/q21vHXn9ehY">Camel Ride at the Fair Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/U6tryE5qCVg">Nora in the Yard Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/B0WyjQqiqQ8">Claire Pushes Nora Video</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/B0FFsHfYCDo">Labor Day Dinner Video</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-20783266759586327982014-09-01T00:29:00.001-06:002019-02-11T22:12:39.390-07:00Blog? What blog?!Let's just pretend that it hasn't actually been 6 months since we last updated this blog, OK? Great, thanks...moving on...<br />
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We've had a busy time in the past little while, getting adjusted to being a household of 4. When Nora was born, my Mom was able to be here both before & after her arrival, which was great for everyone, but especially for Claire, since she had some awesome one-on-one time with Grandma Shepherd during a very transitional time. It was also wonderful to have Grandma here for the first days of dealing with both a newborn & a 2 year old!<br />
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After that, our next visitors were some of my family members on their Spring Break in March. My sister Megan, brother Dave & my niece & nephew, Emily & Matthew, drove down to meet Nora & hang out with us for a week. It was so nice to have them here, since Claire is pretty much obsessed with her cousins, and Nora had her dreams come true by being held by someone basically 24/7! We also got to celebrate Emily's 10th birthday with her (WHAT?! When did that happen??).<br />
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Our final visitors were Zach's mom, Jan & her friend Susan, who came at Easter to meet Nora & celebrate Easter with us. Again, Claire had a wonderful time showing Jan & Susan around & going swimming in their hotel pool. We hosted Easter Brunch with Jan, Susan, Gary & Bonnie and Claire absolutely loved colouring & hunting for Easter eggs with everyone!<br />
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Thanks to everyone for some fantastic visits, and for coming to visit us!<br />
And we promise we'll try not to go so long between blog posts in the future...<br />
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Love,<br />
Zach, Katie, Claire & Nora<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/soScRzpUPUGwQBZL7">Mid-Summer 2014 Pictures</a><br />
<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/yhPY7ccFyeDPh4E36">Pictures from Nana and Susan's Visit</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaohMP4-I30">Claire Sings Her ABCs Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxgeJyEb2n0">What Dis Called Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQx047VCxFs">Nora on the Floor Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L27YcplWF3E">Nora Swings Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmF2rlsEIhE">Claire Climbing Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grd2nrz_DLU">Nora's First Bath Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMxRg2qlrs4">Off the Beam Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3zz84NUrNE">Flying a Kite Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K99IqGq883E">Claire at Manitou Park Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WiXuUwMNi0">Nora Playing Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jgJ8p6bbCM">Nora Talks Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_MTnL8CBjU">Easter Basket Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw6w7tFzy8o">Baby Nora Swings Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX-gVGaOLkg">Baby Nora Close-up Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2aa79zrvw0">Claire Swings Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwiKt648VbM">Claire at Jabbers Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC_crI9m4wU">Claire Dyes a Lavender Egg Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbie5r5___Y">Claire Rocks the Turtle Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ1L-7k-AVQ">Nora on the Play Mat Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4nuOpXZ-C0">Claire Plays B-Ball Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC5X_VHriXY">Claire's Tutu Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8LlJoIKfiU">JumpTime Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhQIGibzBYA">Claire at Little Gym Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZwMtkVtCg8">Nora Gets Some Help Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEmzwkQqTu4">Nora on the Mat Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onk_I0fnjiI">Kleiner Splash Park Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xir6t2h2BUk">Claire Loves the Fountain Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEC2jy1mLE8">On the Trike Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZhFLKXni88">Nora Rollin Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0x3b-HC2yo">Sliding Into the Pool Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLGlgXLhhNw">Nora on a Swing Video</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npyOa-qgay4">Claire Makes a Pizza Video</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-14968473052306255902014-02-10T00:17:00.000-07:002019-02-05T22:06:08.446-07:00Welcome to the World, Baby Sister!Yes, that's right folks, we are officially a family of four, as of Friday, February 7, 2014!<br />
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Nora Jane Vickery was born at 5:08pm, weighing in at 8lbs 6oz, and measuring 20 3/4" long. She is a very sweet little girl with a solid set of lungs, and Claire is totally in love with her (so far - we'll see how long this lasts!)<br />
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Because of the fact that Nora was already 1 week overdue, my doctor scheduled me to be medically induced on Friday morning. After a lovely overnight snowstorm, Zach & I went to the <a href="http://stlukesonline.org/meridian/">hospital</a> at 7:30am and Claire stayed at our house with my Mom, who has been here since last Tuesday, Jan 28th. Claire has been over the moon about having Grandma here, so was more than thrilled to spend a couple of days with Grandma!<br />
Once we got to the hospital, I was admitted & they got everything organized for the induction. I was induced at 9:05am, my water was broken at around 3pm & after some great coaching from Zach and our awesome Labor & Delivery Nurse, Aubrey, Nora made her entrance into the world!<br />
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So, from induction to delivery, I was in labor for about 8 hours. Thanks to the wonderful nursing staff & doctors at the hospital, St Luke's Meridian, everything went as smoothly as possible, and we truly have nothing but good things to say about the nurses and doctors we worked with!<br />
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Claire & Grandma came to see us & meet Nora that night, but we're not sure if Claire was more excited to see Nora (and us) or hang out in a hospital room with lots of awesome new stuff to mess around with! She is definitely a big fan of her little sister so far, though, which is very cute to see. She tells us all the time, "I LOVE the new baby!!" and always wants to hold her or give her a kiss. Our fingers are crossed that the feelings continue!<br />
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We were released from the hospital around noon on Sunday and spent the rest of day adjusting to our new lives as a family of four! Bonnie and Gary also stopped by for a bit to meet Nora and while they were here we had a nice Skype call with Nana Vickery too!<br />
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All in all, it was a very exciting weekend, and we are so thrilled to finally meet Nora & get to know her! Welcome to the family, Baby Nora! We love you!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/f9QkbgBwsNdp216w8">Nora Jane Vickery Pictures!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2E-csb0BxQ">Claire and Grandma Meet Nora Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyw87A2NVLM">In the Recovery Room Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdCQM7b3YN4">Claire Gets Legos From Nora Video </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-48673744618439110202014-01-27T21:52:00.003-07:002014-01-27T21:53:27.011-07:00Minivan OwnershipSince we learned we were going to be parents of two last summer, we've been thinking we will need a bigger vehicle for hauling around double strollers, portable potties, and making the occasional trips elsewhere. Katie and I agreed that a minivan was more practical for us than a three row SUV. For several months we've been spending parts of our weekends looking at minivans, which surprisingly, is not the most fun thing to do. Especially when there is a toddler involved who wants us to buy every one she sees!<br />
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Pretty early in the search the <a href="http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey/">Honda Odyssey</a> EX-L emerged as the nicest possible choice. The only problem being that it was the 2014 "refreshed" version that had everything we (OK, moreso me) wanted. Meaning that the ideal option for us was not available used. Just before New Years the search was resumed and it was time to make a decision - no more wasted weekends at car lots for a long time! Instead of compromising on a less appealing vehicle, with the end of year incentives we decided to take the plunge and buy a new 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L!<br />
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The new vehicle is definitely newer and nicer than what we were initially thinking of buying. But so far we've been super impressed with the vehicle! My personal favorite feature is the keyless entry and push button start. Shockingly to myself, I am now of the belief that taking car keys out of one's pocket is an old-fashioned 20th century act of drudgery. All of the other bells and whistles - Bluetooth, satellite radio, trip computers - are pretty nice too! It is also nice to have so much room, even with two car seats installed. Oh, and Claire loves to nap in it too, which can either be a good or bad thing.<br />
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The coda of this tale is that our trusty 2001 Ford Escape is no longer a member of the family. It was a great car and will be missed - especially if/when the next hiking trip comes about!<br />
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<br />zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-72458721942910971602014-01-15T23:54:00.000-07:002019-02-05T22:04:31.530-07:00Playing Catch-up (Part 2)When we last left you, our loyal readers, we had just finished up a great visit from Nana & Papa Vickery, back in October. Since then, there have been a few notable happenings, including Claire's first time Trick or Treating on Halloween, as well as (American) Thanksgiving & Christmas.<br />
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Claire was a dinosaur for Halloween (a blue & green one - there's a picture or two of the Claire-osaurus Rex in the Picture link at the end of this post). She loved shaking her butt to wag the tail of the costume, which was pretty entertaining! We decided she was old enough to sort of understand the idea of Halloween, so while Zach gave out candy at our house, Claire & I went to about 10 houses in our neighbourhood to Trick or Treat. Every time we walked up to a house, I asked her "What do we say when they open the door?" and she was very good at saying "Twick or Tweat!"...but as soon as the door opened, she was mute! She did manage to say "Thank you" after she got candy, but it was a little overwhelming, I think! That being said, she did tell us that it was the "Best Halloween...EVAHHHH!" multiple times that night (and since then!), so she clearly had a good time! She also got to give out candy with Zach when we got home, and loved saying "Happy Halloween!" to the Trick or Treaters!<br />
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For American Thanksgiving this year, we were lucky enough to be invited to dinner at Gary & Bonnie's, where we had a delicious turkey dinner with all the fixings. Not only did Claire get to hear Uncle Gary play the guitar, but she was also entertained by Bonnie & Gary's two Dachshunds, Maggie & Cudjo - they were a little worried about her, since they aren't used to a crazy toddler running around, and she was fascinated by their barking - they'd bark at her & she'd laugh in their faces! Poor dogs! Thanks again for a delicious dinner, Bonnie & Gary!<br />
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This year's Christmas was different from past years, since we didn't travel anywhere. We stayed home (I couldn't fly & wasn't comfortable driving 11+ hours each way to/from Vancouver in potentially nasty weather, especially at 8 months pregnant!) We went to a Christmas Eve church service at <a href="http://www.spcboise.org/">Southminster Presbyterian</a> - they had a good mix of traditional carols & hymns, a candlelight portion at the end of the service, and some more contemporary aspects like a puppet show (Claire loved them - they sang "Bethlehemian Rhapsody" - a nativity song to the tune of, you guessed, Bohemian Rhapsody!). The minister's sermon also included <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qniwI2hNhDs">this Youtube video of Extreme Sheepherding</a>!<br />
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On Christmas morning, we opened our stockings & Claire opened her present from us - the dollhouse that my Grandpa made for Megan & I when we were kids (which Claire's cousin Emily also played with). We did some renovating, repainting & re-wallpapering/carpeting, since the 30+ year old flooring & wallpaper was starting to peel & show it's age. I also found some cute dollhouse furniture & a family of four...Claire seems to really like the dollhouse!<br />
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Bonnie & Gary came over for Christmas morning brunch, which included eggs, home made cinnamon buns, fruit, some different cheeses & bacon. We loved having Bonnie & Gary over, it was great to sit & chat. After Gary & Bonnie headed home, we opened presents (it was a wrapping paper explosion in our living room!) - Claire loved this part, it's amazing what a difference a year makes when it comes to Christmas present unwrapping! She was excited about all her gifts & I promise Thank You cards are coming shortly! We loved our gifts, too - it was a great year & we were all spoiled!<br />
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Our New Years was also quiet - no partying for us! Now that 2014 is here, we're in the throes of getting things ready for Baby #2, as well as painting our guest room (which will become Claire's new room in a few months). Everything's going well on the baby front - only 2ish weeks to go until my due date of January 31st, so...wow! My mom will be flying down a few days before my due date, which will be MUCH appreciated! Then Jan will be coming out to visit & meet the new tyke once she's fully recovered from her knee surgery (which was December 18th) - she's doing great on her recovery!<br />
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So, I think we're all caught up now! As always, sorry for the lengthy novel...there was a lot to talk about! Here are a whole bunch of pictures & videos for your viewing pleasure. Next time we'll try not to wait so long, and we'll be sure to post a quick update when the new baby arrives!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/L7vVoSvNh2yRVUGU8">Claire New Years Update Pictures</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtW4wdsgA1c">Climbing at Gordon Harris Park Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buDwZy2PIU4">Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lobvVxE6dUo">Uncle Gary Plays the Guitar Video </a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1ZSaOjYmc">Claire in the Snow Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnFbbf2hkc0">Snowstorm Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wag-Xtfm5I">JumpTime Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzF9akUyTlg">I Want a Hug Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap4t5k7CAII">On the Rings Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyamm__OX-o">Claire Dancing Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS0qsEF5irk">Christmas Morning Video </a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Squ44pQqGl8">Claire Opens Lego From Grandma Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trVTFDbqYvw">Claire Opens an Ornament From Nana and Papa Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQPFHJdbAq0">Claire Opens Her Doctor Kit From the Aprims Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOK3GvoGiWk">Claire at Chickalay Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfrxZlYh9fI">Claire Plays With Markers Video</a>zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-698842750683682402014-01-03T00:18:00.002-07:002019-02-11T22:10:58.542-07:00Nana and Papa Visit BoiseIn Oc<span style="font-size: small;">tober (yes, we are behind!!) Nana and Papa Vickery came to Boise for a visit. They arrived on the 10th and got to spend a week with the three of us - it was a great visit! Claire was very excited about having Nana & Papa around for so long (not long enough!). Highlights included going to the park, showing Nana & Papa around Boise, lots of book reading, and going to <a href="http://linderfarms.com/">Linder Farms</a>. The Linder Farms Pumpkin Patch was a big hit with Claire, especially the Corn Box (which is exactly what it sounds like...a box..filled with dried corn!) and the petting zoo. All in all, we had a wonderful time with Jan & Ron!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Nana and Papa did a much better job than us taking pictures and videos so here they are for your enjoyment!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/trcUmu39289XboWP9">Nana and Papa's Pictures</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGUGm1QfbXE">Claire Does Donkey Kicks Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TXjLpDt7ts">Claire Does the Corn Dance Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKxXVbZ5omk">Claire in the Corn Box Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z0sQmKHhI4">Claire Loves Stickers Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CqB--DGhvk">Claire Puts on a Bracelet Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTd805ElmEE">Do It Now Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6NDF7Rq17w">More Upside Down Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXdlIZo5hhQ">Claire Reads Curious George with Mom Video</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J107yxY81pY">Swinging at Peppermint Park Video</a></span></div>
zdvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211709449003348803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048675837213892516.post-1172042332620113872013-10-08T23:11:00.000-06:002019-02-05T22:02:47.493-07:00Claire's 2nd Birthday and a Trip to Vancouver!It's hard to believe, but Claire just celebrated her 2nd birthday on Sept. 14th! It definitely doesn't feel like it was 2 years ago that she came into our lives - what an awesome ride it's been so far for all of us! She's such a little ham, and makes us laugh every day. This is a really fun age, and it's been especially exciting to see how she's becoming her own person & learning new things all the time!<br />
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Claire and I headed up to Vancouver on September 4th to get some extra visiting time in, and then Zach drove up on Friday, Sept 13th. The plane trip from Boise to Seattle, and then finally to Bellingham where my Mom picked us up, was pretty uneventful. Claire even got her own seat on the flight from Seattle to Bellingham, which she was pretty excited about! Mainly she was just happy eating a bunch of snacks, reading books and playing with stickers...which is pretty much the perfect day in Claire's world!<br />
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We spent the majority of our time in Vancouver hanging out with family, which was perfect. Both my sister Megan, and my brother Dave recently moved, and we were able to get the grand tours of their new places. Megan, Ben & my niece & nephew, Emily & Matthew now live about 10 minutes from my Mom, and have a fantastic back yard for the kids to run around in! Dave moved to a cabin at Cultus Lake, about 1 1/2 hours from Vancouver - he's in a beautiful spot that's a very short walk to the water's edge - so peaceful!<br />
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Claire also got to spend lots of time playing with (and harassing) my Mom's dogs, Cassie & Sydney, and loved taking them for walks & playing on the playground by my Mom's house. She had a wonderful time playing with her cousins, Emily & Matt - Emily was an excellent big cousin/babysitter, and Matt & Claire had a great time horsing around!<br />
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Claire's birthday party was on Saturday, Sept. 14th, and we had a great party at my Mom's, complete with lots of family including my Auntie Cathy, who made the drive all the way from Miami, Manitoba to deliver the family heirloom cradle to us & a wardrobe to my Mom. It was so nice to see everyone, and especially great that AC could be there!<br />
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The birthday dinner menu consisted of Claire's favourite - noodles - with meatballs, sauce and veggies. She scarfed her dinner and when cake time rolled around, she inhaled a big piece of cake, too! My Mom & I made a Mickey Mouse birthday cake, and some cupcakes. Claire loved blowing out the candles, multiple times!<br />
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When it was time to open presents, it was like Christmas all over again - for Claire, Matt & Emily! Claire was very lucky in the present department, and in addition to the awesome tricycle that she got from her Grandma & Grandpa Vickery in Florida, she got a whole bunch of amazing presents from the Vancouver side of the family, too! Thank you very much to everyone who was able to celebrate with us in Vancouver, and to the Vickery/Dow side of the family who sent presents separately - it is all very much appreciated & Claire is one lucky 2 year old!<br />
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All in all, it was a fabulous birthday weekend, and a wonderful visit with the Vancouver side of the family! We drove home on Sunday night with a car packed FULL of presents, a cradle, suitcases and three people...oh, and possibly a bunch of stuff from the Trader Joe's in Bellingham - we have to stock up when we can...I'm so excited that we'll be getting a Trader Joe's in Boise next year. It's about time!<br />
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The next big event we have to look forward to is coming up this week - Zach's Mom & Dad are flying up from Florida on Wednesday to visit for a week! We can't wait to see them! Zach's also running a marathon while they're here, so send him your Good Luck vibes for next weekend!<br />
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Oh, and everything seems to be moving right along with Baby Vickery #2 - I had an ultrasound last month & the baby's right on track, size-wise! Keep it up, Baby Vickery!<br />
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Here are some pictures & videos from the past month or so - Enjoy!!<br />
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Love,<br />
Katie, Zach & Claire<br />
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<a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/TAdsAurk7ppqd4Dx8">Claire is 2 Pictures!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5knsBx3BLQY">Claire Eats Cake Video </a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neS-AYgs2RY">Claire Opens Presents Part 1 Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJU6MPQ8wDg">Claire Opens Presents Part 2 Video </a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qXkGcJCzKA">Claire Bathtime for Baby Video</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk96wOVkdQ">Claire on the Rings Video</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1