It's Working!

travel+travel+travel+travel+travel

travel+travel+travel+travel+travel

People comment to Joey and I all the time how good this life is that we're living right now, mostly for the kids.  We've experienced this first hand as we watch them soak up history lessons at the Vatican with cousins or ski in the alps with close friends.  It's really exciting sometimes to think about all they're experiencing at such a young age. But I often wonder if THEY know how cool it is or if are REALLY absorbing what we're serving them.

It wasn't all that big of a deal but I felt a little payback a few times over the last couple of weeks, a little restitution, and maybe even a little gratitude from the kids themselves.

For starters, when Juliet and I stopped by the kids school during recess the other day (we do this almost every day because I pick up Juliet from her school across the street at 1pm, just as Georgie and Isaac are coming out for recess )I spied Georgie and a small group of girls in a tiny huddle, engrossed in a very serious conversation, one that Georgie seemed to be in charge of.  When they saw me coming a few of them very somberly announced us to Georgie.  They were very dramatic about their seriousness;)  When Georgie arrived to meet me at the gate she was quite sullen.  "Today is the anniversary of World War II."  I was confused?  What anniversary?  But there was no time for the questions, she cut to the chase.  "You know, the one with the concentration camps.  We're learning about that today and Jenifer ( a girl in her class) started laughing.  I got really mad at her and told her that she shouldn't laugh because it is VERY sad.  I am telling all the girls about Dachau..you know, how we went in the real room where they...you know, the burning."  She went on to telling me more about all that she told them.  As we talked all the other girls stood at the gate with drawn looks on their faces.  It was kind of funny, actually, all the drama they were getting off of it. But as I drove home and thought about what had just happened I realized that this traveling was paying off.  She remembers places like Dachau and they mean something to her. It's working!

This week we've been working on Thank you notes.  IN Isaacs note to Gaga and Papa he wrote goodbye in 5 different languages, completely of his own accord.  On a smaller scale, that was pretty cool.  ANd when I took him out to lunch for his half birthday the chef, a sort of friend of ours, came out with a "mystery" puree as an appetizer.  He wanted us to guess what it was.  I was completely perplexed...I had no idea but I was thoroughly enjoying it.  It had a mysterious savoriness but a familiar bite that I couldn't quite put my fingers on.  After several seconds of mulling it around on his tongue, Isaac announced, "It's fennel."  Darned if it wasn't!  I was so proud!  

Anyway, with all this money we're throwing down, all the things we're NOT doing so that we CAN live here and travel, sometimes I wonder if we're just telling ourselves its good for them because Joey and I like it so much.  In the end, I feel pretty confident, this is the peak of our lives (mine and Joeys:)  But hopefully not theres!  Not to end cheesily or anything, but in all seriousness, I hope this is just the beginning of their international lives!  

xoxo

Ash

Italy ♥: September Grape Harvest

Last weekend we experienced one of those Italian things you just have to do at least once in a lifetime. We harvested grapes!  At an Italian vineyard. 

It was more than a little work but well worth the pay off of good Italian family fun!

Isaac was particularly gung-ho!  

And Juliet wielded those sheers a little better than I had expected:

But she spent most of her time plucking the grApes from our busily shearing hands and putting them in the crates beneath us...or...sitting back on her heals underneath the vines, looking out at the vineyard and talking to herself. Even without understanding the cultural romantic significance of grape vineyards (Italian ones at that) the whole field and activity held some sort of magic even for her. 

Georgie also enjoyed the ambiance quite a lot.  She and I spent a lot of time discussing our future "farm"/ orchard;) 

We are convincing the boys as well:

Joey was the last one to drop his sheers;). And Isaac jumped right in to Georgie and my future homesteaders discussion;). He want to be sure we have lots of grapes!

Future farm family right here:

And if our future farm could come along with the chef of our 6 course meal that followed the harvesting I'd be in fat heaven. The goods this vineyard dished up had us rolling ourselves out the door. Prosciutto, pancetta and salame with bread, Crispelle with cream sauce, cheese and pesto, vegetable risotto, roasted potatoes and beef filet, mixed salad, frico (fried cheese...you don't even know)  and lastly panna cotta with fresh berries.  Sweet dreams!  

Xoxo

Spring Break 2011

Spring Break 2011

With a title like that you think I'd break into pictures of babes in bikinis;)  

But no, we're fully covered here...all the way down to our fingertips!  

These two kiddos were amazing skiers!  As the Mom, can I say that?  Seriously, so impressed.  Georgie picked it right up, this being her first time on the mountain.  The Edgie Wedgie became her best friend (she swears she's not taking it off until she's the same age as mommy...after all, it did get her down a blue:}!!) and Isaac QUICKLY got right back to where he left off 1 1/2 years ago.  He was the first one to ask in the morning, "Mom, MOm, when are we going skiing?"  Now these are the kinds of questions we like to hear!!

We drove up through Moab this year and hiked delicate arch which, by the way was an AWESOME idea.  I felt several pangs of regret as we drove through Moab that in all my years at BYU, this was my first visit!  3 miles round trip to the arch was about the limit of our 6 and 4 year old!  But Joey effectively explained the importance of this arch and they both feel pretty cool about having been there. 

No, you can't have her...sorry.

Our first day on the mountain we brought Juliet, hoping to ski with her in a backpack.  After a few "you're totally irresponsible parents hell bent on killing your baby" looks and a few Canyons workers telling us that we weren't allowed to do that, Joey and I took turns hanging out with her in the lodge.  For the next 3 days one of us stayed at home with this sweet baby.  And I'm not complaining about that!!  Sitting in bed reading books for as long as my little heart desires was no problem for me;)

Ski Bunnies!

Just the 3 of us...

kissing...

on the mouth....eeewww

ANd don't think we didn't get on the mouth ones from this sweet face;)


Joey built the kids the most awesome snow cave/tunnel/house.  He dug and dug and dug until his arm was screaming at him.  And the kids played and played every night until dark even after long days on the slopes.

The Entrance

The back side/Georgie's house

The Tunnel



Inside the big cave part/Isaacs house;)





The best thing about my parents cabin is it's location.  There are no homes on any side of it and it's nestled down in a ravine that is totally shaded by tall pine trees.  When you're there you feel completely alone.  You can hike and sled right from our back yard.  This sledding hill is the same one that we use every year with the kids.

  It's just steep enough and long enough to thrill a 6 and 4 year old.  And not bad for this 30 year old either.  











Cary, Kregg, their kiddos, Bob, Laurie and Jenny all came up for a visit on Sunday night.  The kids hiked up the steep hill behind the house for hours, some of them without snow pants OR gloves even....not a single complaint.  That's when you KNOW they are having fun.  Here's a shot of Isaac and Kaymie:





Hannah, the lone ranger:



It's always a treat when you get to see a moose.  We see one pretty much every visit, winter or summer.  But this time the moose walked right onto the front porch.  He came to munch on the tree you see to his right.  The kids and I watched him for 3 or 4 minutes and I hurriedly snapped a picture. 



On the Friday before we left we took the day off of skiing and went to the children's museum in Salt Lake.  

The kids loved the helicopter on the roof the very most.  They played on it for nearly 45 minutes.



Joey and Jenny....I like this picture of them!

I dream of this place when my life gets hectic.  It IS peace to me.  I thank God for the day my parents decided to make it ours!  Thanks Mom and Dad!

xoxo

Ash

p.s.  I didn't cook a dang thing while I was there and It. Was. Glorious!!

Laos: Where I MUST take my kids

Southeast Asia:

Laos

Bryant and I flew into Luang Probang, Laos on a propeller plane late one afternoon.  Here's my weak attempt at photographing our airplane:

This is Na Na...a half Belgian half Laotian 2 year old girl and the daughter of the owners of our guest house.  Na Na was running around in the middle of the guest houses quaint little street when she saw our shuttle bus coming.  She ran right up to the passenger side door, grabbing the handle to climb herself in.  The bus driver knew her by name, opened the door for her and helped her into the van.  It was then that I snapped her picture.   

Na Na couldn't keep her hands off of Juliet.  She greeted us every morning and she cried every time we walked away.  

The Dining Room/Hang Out of our guest house.  

We met some REALLY cool travelers at this breakfast table, mostly late middle aged couples from Europe and Australia traveling for 6 months to 2 years at a time.  I was struck by the generosity and open mindedness of all the travelers we met.  Their smiles were so deep (and that's probably because they were on vacation;)I wished I could have traveled with them for the remainder of their 2 year trip!  Europeans know how to live, man!!  

A typical street in Luang Probang

Another more narrow back street

Local ladies, swapping beer and rice

Barefeet...90% of people here don't wear shoes

This well dressed kid was just one in a group of several boys playing a game in the street with their flip flops.  They were throwing their shoes at a rock.  Without toys, TV, video games or even balls really the kids get creative with what they do with their time.  These boys are probably some of the more privileged kids in town because most kids as young as 4-5 years old spend their day working.

One of the many (many) temples in this fairly small town

Luang Probang sits right on the MeKong River and across the river the way people live looks totally different...shacks on stilts, no electricity, no running water etc.  One morning Juliet and I woke up early to see the goings on of the locals.  We saw this boat crossing the river from the poorer side...on their way to work.

Tuk Tuk

The Morning Market

This is where the locals do their grocery shopping.

I'm not quite sure what these are..??  But they were everywhere.  It looks kind of like flattened dried fish but I'm not so sure.

Fresh, yummy organic vegetables

Honeycomb with "maggotty" baby bees

These were AMAZING little tiny pancakes that we only saw at the morning market in Luang Probang.  

They are made from rice flour and coconut milk.  I found a doable recipe that does not require the special pan here and a more authentic recipe here.

Best bananas I've ever had....YUMMY!!

and I'm not a HUGE banana lover.  I ate three for lunch one day.  They're not like plantains although their texture is somewhat similar to a plantain....they're slightly more pasty/less slimy than the bananas that are common here and the flavor, in my opinion is to DIE for!!

mmmm..nothing like a good horse hoof in your soup!!  Notice the recycled water bottles used to sell food, spices and salad dressings in.  How do you think the FDA would react to that??

The next day this woman was selling these poor toads roasted on skewers....

Na Na...naked on the street:)

A country side farm

A little girl from the Hmong village.

This Hmong girl was probably only 6 or 7, selling bracelets that she had made AND 

caring for her very young brother.  She was feeling pretty care free at the moment 

I met her as he was asleep strapped to her back.  

Once again, someone loving Juliet!

Hmong Village

That's right...no diapers

Future boyfriend...

Asiatic Black Bear on a reserve up in the mountains

A Gorgeous waterfall hike  

it kept on going and going and going as we hiked higher and higher.

The water was this strange creamy turquoise color.  Absolutely beautiful.  

I've never seen anything like it before.  

I swam in it...hoping it was the fountain of youth

Kiz...a young girl (13 actually) that we met across the river.

Sivone, a 15 year old monk that Bryant and I chatted with for a while.  We got his email and address so that we can send him a package or two.

I ♥ Laos