Northern California Trip

This spring we went to N. Cal for a sad reason - the funeral of Barry's Grandfather - Papa Haskins.  Despite the somber occasion, we were able to see family and friends, and spend some time on Aunt Margo's walnut farm.  Here are a few pictures. 

Christmas 2012

I'm trying to do a better job of posting my pictures closer to the time in which I actually took them.  I'm still working to get caught up on pictures from, ahem, 2 years ago.  But you see,  I have a hard time processing some of my most favorite images because I find them a bit intimidating.  So forgive me when I post age-old pictures, but this post is only one month old!  I was going to post pictures from this past weekend (shocking, I know!) but when I uploaded them, I found pictures from Christmas which I had completely forgotten about.  You can see more on my tumblr blog (you have to go back a few pages) but here are a few that I took with my real camera :)

Christmas was absolutely wonderful, but absolutely too short.  The more time we spend here in Loma Linda, with the stress and intensity that comes from full time medical school for Barry along with his many other commitments (Street Medicine, a Masters in Bio-ethics, grant writing, etc...) combined with my full time work as a nurse, plus part-time Masters work, it really starts to get old after a while.  We don't mind being busy, but when you're so busy that you can't stop to truly enjoy each other, when friends grow fainter because you are always studying, then you start to long for a slower pace.  We got to enjoy a blissful week of that slower pace over Christmas and it was just wonderful.  We're here for a reason and we don't regret that, but we are oh so thankful for family and true warmth that Christmas brings.

Ice Sledding

We're home in New England for the holidays!  Instead of snow this year, we've had ice.  It makes for great sledding!  Check out the video at the bottom of the post.

White Coat Love

Picking blackberries with the Howe women :)

Just missing Petra :(  Wish you guys were here!

J&M Married!

The nuptials have occurred!  Because I was the decorating lady and was also a bridesmaid the ONLY pictures I got of the whole weekend was the following few shots, captured only because I whisked the bride and groom away from their adoring fans for a few minutes during a beautiful Sabbath picnic lunch.

Congrats John and Martina - looking forward to your soon arrival in SoCal!

Braided Rug

My awesome Mom has gotten into rug braiding lately.  We were the joyful recipients of a beautiful rug for Christmas.  It is now cushioning the floor beside our bed, reminding us both to kneel and thank God for our wonderful family.

Wakesurfing on Hayden Lake

After leaving the Ellers, Barry and I met up with the rest of my immediate and extended family in Northern Idaho, the home of my youth.  It was good to be home, surrounded by evergreen mountains, rushing rivers, clearwater lakes, and the familiar memories of old.  I didn't take very many pictures except when wakesurfing with the cousins.  Here are a few takes.

Here's my cousin Andy, the pro. 

Barry gives it a whirl.

Cousin Justin showing his stuff.

In handsome relief :)

The release...

Joel caught on ultra quick.

He even had time to smile!

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What can I say?  I'm goofy, not regular!

Home: New York

Yep, still catching up from our time back East.  Barry and I spent some incredible days with my family at Camp Cherokee hiking Mt. Regis in the rain and canoeing up to Polliwog Pond.

Overlooking Saranac Lake from St. Regis

Now for Polliwog Pond

Swimming and swinging in the rain!

Haven't found a better spot yet!  Rope swing, sandy beach, beautiful views, silent waters - doesn't get better!

Elissa and Joel's version of canoeing!