More Elena of course

These were sent by proud mama Serena. There were 20 pix, these were my favorite. Note the pigtails in the top pic. I haven't asked if Serena did that or Erich. I bet it's Erich.

Last of the TG Pix

The first is a better pic of cousin Richard. Lee is not looking as happy as he actually was--it was a great getaway with family.

More Thanksgiving Pix

Top pic: Christine, Jessica's husband Tim, Sarah, and Jessica's 12yo son Ben. Middle pic: Bill & Audrienne (Old friends of the family) Ben, Loni, Richard (shiny pate), Rose, Jessica barely seen. Bottom pic: Ben, Christine's boys--Jake 4yo, Luke 8yo, Will 6yo (not a flattering shot--they were goofing around, they're really handsome sweethearts)

Missing in the pix unfortunately is their dad Michael, he was off "protecting and serving" at his law enforcement post.

Thanksgiving in Virginia

This is my cousins Richard and Rose's daughters: Christine on the left together with Jessica on the right. Below is Emma, Jessica's 15yo daughter, and below that, her twin sister Sarah.

Elena Loves Her Cottage Cheese

This was the best way to get her to stay still for a photo. I didn't get any smiles--cottage cheese is serious business, ya know!!!

Grandpa Lee with Elena in Colorado

Lee thoroughly enjoyed baby Elena, now 19 months old--especially her kisses and saying "Grandpa." She loves the swings and was quick to sign "more." The slides were a favorite also.

Idyllwild Hike

This is our 30th Wedding Anniversary month. So we had to start it with a quintessential Lee and Loni fun day. We took the Palm Springs tram up to do a five mile hike. It was wonderful. The pic of me holding the wilderness permit signifies my "ticket" to joy.

Steve's Jacket

This was our summer project together. It took four full days to complete, believe it or not. We took a jacket he had, then Steve drew the design of what he wanted to make. I helped him translate that into a pattern, and worked with him on embellishing the jacket. I was finishing the last touches in the car on the way to the airport taking him back to the UK. Pretty crazy, but lots of fun. It's missing the foulard at the neck that will go with it.

Elena and the Froofy Cape

This is the picture I described in the http://enke.dyndns.org:81/posts blog that Erich made. I read my post and yeah, it sounds like the picture should go with it. So here it is!! She was "helping" me while I unpacked my suitcase after my cruise. (That's my excuse for all the stuff on the floor of my room, and I'm sticking to it!!)

More pix from the Alaskan Cruise

These are ice sculptures and a pic of our table with (from the left going around) Charles Chen, his wife Maria Plodkowski, me, Lee, Judy Rentschler, Bob Rentschler, John Marais, Ryan Marais, Dottie Marais, John Williams and his lovely wife. Missing are Steve and Sandi Yegge. We had tasty and plentiful food, including special Indian cuisine done special for us by our head waiter who was delighted we liked a random dish on the menu--he got us custom food for two nights following.

July Alaskan Cruise Hubbard Glacier

We went on an Alaskan Cruise in late July-early August on the Royal Caribbean ship The Radiance of the Seas. This is the Hubbard Glacier--the first pic is of ice chunks in the water. The photos really don't do it justice.

More Ensenada pix

The first is my cousin Richard and his lovely wife Rose in a shop at a winery on the Ruta Vinicola--wine country on the northern edge of Ensenada. The next is our group at Celia's at the Bufadora. The last is us listening to a local street minstrel right at the Bufadora "blowhole."

Elena in Ensenada

Actually the first pic is from when we got back--the camera case isn't very photogenic, but I needed something to keep her occupied. We got to witness her learning to walk, which was great fun. The second one is my cousin Richard Adolino feeding her. The last one is her playing in a turned over chair--we were blocking the stairs. Typical for kids, she managed to make that into a fun play space.

Birthday Party

These are only some of the kids at church that fight over who gets to hold/play with Elena next. The middle picture is Elena eating her healthy vegan cake. Since her birthday fell during Lent, Serena baked a marvelous cake that actually tasted great! Very moist too. I got to do the writing on it thanks to my Palmer method (NOBODY will remember what that is) penmanship. Gosh, is that word even in the English language anymore??? Serena did the cute flowers on it. I was happy there was no icing, since I remember Steve pushing the "eject" button with his "Cookie Monster" cupcakes on his birthday one year. Lots of blue icing everywhere. Not pretty. Not your fault Steve, that icing was way too much, cute but not to be eaten in toto. The cake on the left is a cake for Father Mark Haas, whose birthday is close to Elena's.

Brilliant Baby

My cousins Richard and Rose Adolino sent Elena a lovely fork and spoon set from Williamsburg, VA. Elena took right to that spoon with some oatmeal, secure as always in her Papa's arms. (He did later say laughingly that her dumping oatmeal all over him was "disturbing his peace.") Excellent food gathering skills! Of course, her UCLA sweatshirt, a gift from Crystal Kazmierski, portends her academic future.

Elena in Serena's dress

This is the little munchkin in a dress of Serena's that I had saved. I only wish I had saved more!

One year old!!!

This is Elena with her daddy Erich's beautiful chameleon hazel eyes looking quite green in her little lizardesque sleeper. Serena and I couldn't believe it looked so big on the hanger, but it's just an 18 month size. The second picture shows her spontaneous joyful grin. She is a very happy little soul. Behind her are her new shelves for her books, playthings and Montessori tools. She putting the old phone to good use. I just came back from a marvelous almost week- long visit. Lee was very jealous, since he didn't get to come, so we are flying back for a weekend soon.

Dinner in Whistler, BC, Canada

This is Lee and me with Mark and Lia Robinson at Trattoria di Umberto, a wonderful restaurant right in the Mountainside Lodge where we stayed. We were up at Whistler for a week on a timeshare trade. We had great skiing, sunshine, and a wonderful time at the restaurants and shops. I did another snowshoe trek too, this one a guided uphill 3k hike. We all managed to dine so sumptuously that we packed on a few pounds despite all the exercise, so we're home now doing "penance."

Snowshoe trip in Tahoe

This is my cousin Pat Bossert from NY and me at Spooner Lake on a snowshoe trek in mid January. Now she has a timeshare up there too, so Lee and I flew up to visit her, her husband Frank, and their grown sons Tim and Dave. We all skiied together except Pat, then she and I enjoyed a peaceful snowshoe trip.