Rainy days...

Don't be confused. It's not raining here. It hasn't rained since May? April? At least. However, Stella is obsessed with all things rain gear. Like raincoats, rainboots, umbrellas. She wears her rubber rain boots around the house and yard quite a bit. Last week, it was very foggy in the morning and quite misty - enough that it sort of "felt" like rain. Well, not rain... but rain to a 2 year old. We decided to take Scupper on a longer hike along the flat Mesa near our house and Stella suited up. She insisted on wearing her rain coat, rain boots, and take her umbrella. I knew I would be carrying this umbrella most of the hike, but whatever, it wasn't worth haggling over.


We ran into some people on the walk who looked at her and were like, wow, she's ready. They laughed. Hey, what are you going to do with an independent toddler who lives for playing in water and doesn't get to have fun in the rain but 3 months a year? The fog was fabulous, the mist divine, and made the hike all the more enchanted because we couldn't see the end of the mesa.

And then I got stung by a yellow jacket and it was game over. But at least the "rain hike" was fun.

The funniest part (at least I think?) Stella, for some reason, can't say "UMbrella" but rather says "Sunbrella." Which couldn't be more to the truth, considering that she usually plays the umbrella during a sunny day.

In honor of...

A friend of mine has started a new blog that has short, sweet posts - basically a fun story from her day with her girls. This way, at least it seems to me, she can share what's going on, but not have to feel like she needs to write a tome about life. I wish I had the gumption somedays to be able to write long, introspective blog posts about our daily life. I really do. I read a lot of blogs whose writers are witty, funny, or thoughtful and have such ways of telling about the life we currently live - surrounding by the looniness of children, asking for advice, telling a story or two. I think I used to do that on this blog, but it seems as of late, time gets shorter and shorter. Maybe I should spend less time reading blogs and more time writing. Although when most mornings during the week are taken up with academic writing, the last thing I want to do in the evening is write some more. Zoning out reading other people's much more prosaic writing seems to do the trick. And in many ways, this blog will be as much Stella's baby book as a window on our lives for the few readers who read this (i.e. grandparents and close friends) so I might as well keep track of the fun, but brief moments in our day.

So here's a quick story from today, as over heard by me in the kitchen while reading through a recipe for dinner tonight:

Stella: (to Scupper)

Leab it. Leab it. Wait. ..... Okay!
 .... Again? okay. Leab it. Leab it. Wait.... Okay! Mama! Scuppy likes treats.

Yes, that was just Stella perfectly executing the "Leave it" command with parts of her snack that she didn't want to eat. Good girl.

To the Redwoods and Beyond!

In case you want to sift through lots of pictures about the Redwoods...
we survived - and the true test of survival included Stella asking about going camping 3 days after arriving home.

WIN!

By the end of the week, we definitely learned what we didn't need on the trip, how to most quickly and effectively pack and unpack a van, and I learned how to fight the dog for the right to sit in the front seat. (I didn't always win, I will tell you that). Stella did amazing with the amount of driving we did - and although we thought she would blissfully sleep through most of it, she did not, but still was a happy girl amusing herself most of the time. I only had to break out the laptop and the Beatrix Potter DVD on the last day (which, admittedly, was our longest drive of the trip).

Some highlights:

One night we stopped at a little Indian place for dinner since we were staying in a concrete RV park and knew we couldn't make dinner. Stella drained an entire mango lassi in 5 minutes flat. Then proceeded to inhale all of my basmati rice and my dal (lentils.) Guess she was hungry.

Stella noticed a state of California flag at one location and I explained to her that it was a bear on the flag. For some reason, I thought it was a golden bear (but then later realized that a golden bear is UC Berkeley's mascot and the state flag is merely a regular ol' bear). Stella then sang the song "Golden Bear" to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle" most of the whole trip. The lyrics, you ask? Golden bear oh golden bear, golden bear, a golden bear. Golden bear, a golden bear.... :) I have it on video somewhere. It will be the next post most certainly.

By mid-week, Scupper started refusing to get back in the van after we stopped for a hike or got out to explore an area. Think he was done with it?

We kept saying how huge the trees were. We felt rather dumb, but each time we would see another one, we would say to each other, wow, that's a big one.

Stella was very good with the potty and her underwear on the trip. She also has a fascination with going in public restrooms, much to my hygiene chagrin. Every time we came out of the bathroom, whether it was at the campground or out in about, she was shout to whomever was outside, "I just went on the big girl potty!"

We loved Northern California. If anyone has jobs for us up there, let us know. We are ready to move. Preferably Sonoma County, north of the Bay Area.

Camping Trip

The Digital Age

More about the awesome trip to the Redwoods and back later, but today so I don't forget it:

Okay Stella! Let's go take Scuppy on a walk. He's waiting. We'll take the long way so we see all the different horses on the way.

Stella: (picking up her play phone) Hello?

Who are you calling?

Stella: (matter of factly) The Horses.

Oh.

Stella: Lucy? Hi. We coming to see you!

Brilliant. Nice to know that Lucy the neighborhood pony is on AT&T wireless.

EDITED:
Stella has also been saying "Yes indeed" and "yes Ma'am" to us when we ask her things. It's rather odd. She draws out the Yes, so it turns into "Yesssss... (pause) indeed!" Steve has been trying to explain to her that he is not a "ma'am" but rather a Sir, so last night's respond turned into "yess..... sir ma'am." Ah well, at least she is inclusive.

Attempting to go where no man... oh who are we kidding?

So on Friday night, we leave for a week's vacation. This is weird for us, because since Stella has been born (and hell, let's be honest, since I think 2005?) our vacations longer than a long weekend have been to visit family. Not that this has been bad - it has actually been lovely, but the locations are still to places that we've been before - Southern Illinois, Delaware, Chicago. The other trips Steve and I have taken in the last few years have been solo flights - and either to conferences (oh thrilling) or interviews (even more thrilling). Our trip in 2005 was a week long trip up to San Francisco and back (funny enough, the first 2 days were in San Fran because of a conference!) but the rest of the week was spent in Napa, Sonoma, and the Big Sur and Central Coast.

We are attempting to revisit some of this coastline, but intend to high-tail it pass the Bay Area and make it to at least Eureka. (which is about 1 hr south of the CA/OR border). See, the Vanagon needs to go through the big Redwoods, snake through the Avenue of the Giants, and stop by some NorCal microbreweries that might have outdoor seating that will accommodate a TODDLER AND A DOG. (pretty funny, eh?)

Yep. I'm a little trepidatious. 9 days in the VW with a dog (who currently has the runs and we are hoping is better before Friday) and a toddler who, frankly, is really happy everywhere as long as she gets a nap and sleeps well. We are hoping for the best. I mean, it's not like we are planning on stealth camping (like that would EVEN be possible) and we are certainly not going away from civilization, as we have planned our route to hit the various campgrounds along the way, or as one VW forum member calls them "pay per view sites." We have no aspirations to do major hiking. We have no aspirations that we will sleep well every night. We have no aspirations that there will be no crying, or bug bites, or at least one crazy poopy blowout diaper.

But that's ok. We are adding a big trip to the already full "family vacation camping lore" that surrounds the Germonskis. And one little girl is VERY excited. In fact, today when faced with crappy choices at Kmart (our only box store for 45 minutes around here) she started to cry that they didn't have any camp chairs her size. "I want a geen one Mama!" We're working on it. At least somewhere along the way, there has got to be a Target, right?

So if anyone has a favorite camp meal (since I won't be doing my regular gourmet chefing on this trip!) let us know. And cross your fingers, say a prayer, or a thought of inspiration - whatever strikes you - next week when you think, god, I wonder if those Germonskis are surviving that crazy trip?

Stars Mama, Stars!

It has been a busy few weeks. And I dare say, Miss Stella is in love with the outdoors even more than she was before.

A few weekends ago (but sadly, it feels like months) we met some dear friends from San Diego at a campground about an hour away. We were rather nervous - it was supposed to be in the 90s during the day and the 90s with 2 dogs, 5 adults, and one toddler didn't sound great to me... but the weather gods looked down on us with pity and gave us a breeze, a fully shaded campsite - and the best part of all - a creek running through it. So Steve and I did something we have never done before on a camping weekend. We hung out at the campsite the whole dang day. Sitting/walking/wading in the creek keep the heat index from feeling like it really was 90, and of course, said toddler was happier than a pig in... well, happier than a toddler could be. I'm also happy to report that there were no real camping mishaps - maybe with the addition of other families we were saved from the camping curse we seem to invite.

Yes, that's a rubber chicken next to her - dog toys often end up as Stella toys at some point in the day.

Stella also helped contemplate the next repairs needed on Melanie and Apryl's bus:

And found a new friend in their dog... (about this she was pretty stoked as Scupper, although a very good boy, refuses to let Stella pet him)

Is that camping happiness or what? Actually, when we finally arrived in the driveway from the weekend away, Stella sat firmly in her car seat and wouldn't get out. Stella, we're home. "No, I don't want be home. More camping. More camping." Guess we made a convert.

********************

In other Germonski adventure news, we traveled up to Chico to visit Steve's extended family. Steve's mom is the oldest of 6 and 5 of the siblings converged on his aunt's house for a weekend of fun family stories, great cooking, and, the best part for Stella, lots of great aunties who wanted to snuggle, sing "Twinkle Twinkle," read books, and listen to 4-6 word sentence stories. Sadly, we forgot to take a single picture. Yes really. 

We did however drive to Chico in the dead of night so that Stella would sleep in the car and we wouldn't have to figure out how to entertain her for an 8 hour car ride. This involved lots of caffeine. To make Stella understand what we were doing, I explained to her that we were going to Auntie Gloria's when the moon popped up and the stars came out. "Baby stars too?" she asked, as we readied for bed, and Steve packed the car. Yes, sure, baby stars. We woke her up at 10pm and put her into the car, thinking that she would fall back to sleep. I wish I could capture the wonder on her face as we drove out of the driveway in the dark of night, the sparkle in her eyes as she marveled at the moon and all the stars (mama and baby ones) as we headed towards the freeway. She ended up staying up in the backseat for at least 45 minutes, just marveling at the night sky. To be that honest with emotion, to be that joyful at something that we tend to take for granted, to be so entranced with a late night getaway... I hope I can remember it and tell her about it when she is older.

That being said, since we returned home, she keeps asking about getting up in the middle of the night when the moon pops out and the baby stars come out. Oops.

Costumes... and a Grilling sort of Fourth

Don't remind me that we're both in theater and that it may run in the family, ok?

We have been doing, what I'd like to term, "Potty Training Lite" or "Potty Training Version 1.0" or as others might call it, "Mommy's version of Half-Assed Potty Training". Since it's easier for Stella to just wear the underwear and a shirt, she found some old baby legs that we had when she was an infant and has now since enjoyed wearing "leg warmers" all the time. With rain boots. And a fleece monkey hat. Because why not?

 Our friend Ali found this bargain thrift store find for her... and it finally fits. I like to call this shot "Waiting for Mr. Darcy."Because who wouldn't wait for him if he was played by Colin Firth?

Homemade smoothie Popsicles have also become a sort of costume...

And speaking of costumes, check out our TP owl family!

Fourth of July weekend for us was all about Steve and this "i found it on the street with a sign that said free" charcoal grill. We did stuffed mushrooms (shown here), salmon skewers, za'atar spiced chicken, and BBQ ribs. Along with carrots, green beans, zucchini, broccoli, grilled pizzas, and naan. All on the grill over the weekend. And let's not forget the orange creamsicle ice cream... and the malted milk with chocolate sliver ice cream. Yah, we went a little nuts. But it was practically a 4 day weekend for us, and since we had no where to go in particular, we cooked. It was a tasty stay-cation.

Stella had fun in the outfit that my aunt Melanie bought her last summer.

And, in the outfit of her own creation - she was so excited to go in the $10 Rite-Aid plastic pool that she put her swimming suit OVER HER CLOTHES, backwards.

Scupper was on hand to wait for rib pieces...

And possible ice cream that could have dropped on the ground.

(and check out the patio set that I got on craigslist for $30 - one layer of paint and we were good to go.)  After enjoying many dinner out there this weekend, Steve and I sat and laughed out loud that 1) we had a "patio set" and 2) we actually had a deck to put it on... It might not be ours but we are sure going to take advantage of it while we can this summer.

Now it's off to go camping this weekend. Let's hope we don't have any camping fails to tell about when we get back. It IS supposed to be 99 out there, so we'll see if we just end up submerged in a backwoods creek all weekend.