Pedal, pedal

Lucky kid. He gets to say he learned how to ride a bike in Italy. Thanks to his balance bike back home, Mac picked up riding a real one in five minutes. So cute!

Shower for the little lady

Last month our dear friends threw us a lovely co-ed shower down in Portland. It was so much fun to see friends and their kids as well as have Macadam and baby girl Faw's grandparents to share in the special event. Mac had a blast running around with all the kids and the adults, well we just let them run around:). We had a great time spending a night downtown and celebrating with friends from Seattle for a delightful Mother's Day too!

Here are some pics, the first few being from Macadam's morning time at Friendship Farms. Can't say no to a tractor!

Flying south

With a last minute flight deal, Macadam and I were able to tag along to San Diego and while we didn't get to see Rob who was busy with work until the evenings, we got some great quality time with Uncle Justin, Aunt Tristan and sunshine!

Macadam loved getting to be out in the yard playing baseball and napping (even one alongside Uncle Justin) each day. We even got to check out SeaWorld which was a huge hit with Mac. Shamu delivered as did the seals.

It was the last flying trip Mac and I will take until after the baby arrives which made it even nicer to make it to a warm and sunny destination.

Fun eastward

We recently returned from a very fun trip to Michigan. I've never gone somewhere where so many people leading up to the trip ask, "Why would you want to go there?!" Well, we just happen to have lovely cousins and friends who live there and thankfully, only an hour apart from each other. While it was chilly chilly, it was very sunny, which made outings and packing much easier.
Macadam had an absolute blast and so did Rob and I. Getting to see John, Tracy, Miles and the newly minted Benjamin was such a treat. We had plenty of laughs, late nights and good times watching the toddlers play and getting drunk off the new baby smell of Ben:). We learned that the best way to get away from people is to go to the Detroit Zoo on a 30 degree day. Not only did we have the whole place to ourselves, they let us close it down an hour late. Miles and Mac had fun checking out all the animals and while the photos below would say otherwise, no, the guys and boys were not going for a bloods and crips theme in outdoor attire:).

After Rochester Hills, we headed to Ann Arbor to visit Shannon and Bobby who are living there while Bobby, or Silly Guy as Macadam called him, is in his PhD program at Univ. of Michigan. For several years I have wanted to go to a deli and store there called Zingerman's. When we found out the Yuens were moving there, I was excited that a future visit would mean getting to try it. I can say now that it was worth every minute of Rob and Bobby standing in line for an hour:). Seriously though, best sandwich and cold brew coffee ever! The food and fun didn't stop or begin there though. Macadam's still asking about where his cousins and Shannon and Bobby live, which we point to at night on his globe.

Shannon and Bobby also gave us a mini urban ruins tour of Detroit. It is one of the most haunting cities I've ever seen. The mass exodus has definitely left its mark and while part of you wants to go buy a building for dirt cheap, it also makes a strong case for how lucky you are to live in a place where people want to be and, for the most part, thrive. However, there are definitely some areas where renewal is around the corner.

Mostly, the trip was a wonderful reminder about how distance definitely makes it hard to see each other but the bonds of family and friends surpass it all. We came back relaxed, refreshed and thankful!

Of course we took a bunch of pictures so it's a slideshow. Definitely some keepers!
If you can't see the slideshow in the box, click here.

Snowy getaway

It's taken me way too long to get this post together but at least I am caught up with photos on Flickr. Last month, we went on a trip to Whistler with friends and although the snow was wetter than we'd like, it was a very fun-filled weekend with three pregnant women, their men, two little ones and four dogs. Can you say full house? Luckily, the place was spacious and the kids and the adults got out to play in the snow. Macadam was way more into building a snow fort and snowmen than sledding. Now that we're back home, he just wants to make frosty snowmen with barkdust since we don't have snow. The cold weather tour continues this month with a trip to Michigan and then Denver for me and college friends. I think warmer latitudes will be in order very soon!

Weekend away

We recently had our first weekend sans our little man (little men if you count Buster). It was fun, relaxing and very strange to not have him with us for two days. We're still not sure why it took us two plus years, but timing was finally right. We stayed at one of our favorite (okay mine) hotels, shopped, went out to dinner, and saw wonderful friends of which we don't get to see nearly enough. Our camera battery was on the fritz so photos are few.

Macadam had a fantastic time playing inside and out while at the farm. He may have missed us at some point, we still can't be sure.

Thanksgiving part II

After celebrating up north here in Seattle, we traveled south for a three day tour of Oregon to see family. Friday we spent at the farm in Gobel with Grandpa Terry and Grandma 3/Dinah as well as Rob's brother and his fiancee and her family too. It was fun, festive and Macadam's love for the farm grows each time. He had a blast walking the grounds and getting see the honeycombs. Saturday we spent the morning with my family, not only seeing Grandma and Grandpa Fox but also Macadam's aunts and uncles and all six cousins! The newest addition, Olivia, is just a beauty and was only two weeks old. Mac had so much fun with his older cousins, they loved entertaining him too. That afternoon we headed to Grandma Karen and spent some much needed time with the Kullberg side of the family. Macadam's cousins are even closer in age to him and there was plenty of fun. Uncle Justin put in the hard work of chasing the kids, which kept them running, laughing and screaming for more.

As a kid who grow up with no cousins (that weren't my aunts' pets), it's so fantastic to see Mac play with his. While it was a tiring weekend of travel, it was a joy to get time with family.

Here are just a few shots from the weekend:

Backtracking

While I was getting caught up on our Flickr photos I realized I never posted photos from our trip to San Francisco back in October. One of my dearest friends from college, Kathleen, married her fantastic man Chris and we were there to celebrate the beautiful occasion. One top of that, we had an extra day or two in one of our favorite cities, saw Pat and Megan as well as more time with college folks.

Macadam had a blast chasing the birds at the Ferry building and waterfront, sampling our favorite bakery Tartine, as well as exploring Golden Gate park and hanging out with his new friend, Anna Badger who was just three months old when we were there. Since there are a ton, but many great, of photos, I've put the link to the slide show below.

Bonjour, we're back!

In addition to taking trips, redoing a back yard and enjoying the summer, we (I mean me) took a break from blogging. After more than two years of being rather diligent about posts and photo uploading, I just had to take a breather. Now, with new schedules and a new season upon us, I'm back and hopefully on track to share more happenings with our little man.

To catch up, we went and returned from one amazing trip! Rob and I wanted to get in one last big trip before we had to start paying for Mac's airfare and we'd long wanted to go to a small, quiet corner of the world and just relax our own way. We realized it hadn't been since our honeymoon that we'd gone on a trip afar without a wedding involved! Where did we go? We went to a region in Southwestern France called the Dordogne. It was magical. Macadam loved it and so did we. The hope is to return in a few years when we need another relaxing holiday.

We took more than 2000 photos but I've uploaded about 200 of them, which you can see via Flickr slideshow below.



We cooked, we ate, we swam and we saw a lot of medevial structures and towns. We made day trips to Bordeaux, Cahors, Bergerac and had just a day in Paris. What makes me smile, is that Mac still remembers so much about the trip. He made friends with many animals there, and still talks and asks about them. And he'll still say bonjour and merci if you ask him. He also expanded his flirting routine to a whole new level.

Setting up camp

By the time most of you read this, we'll be on our way here, here and here ( I know, I know - it looks awful:)). Since it may be awhile before we post again, I wanted to show a little of what Mac's been up to lately.

This last weekend, I rigged a little tent with a piece of twine and some fabric. After being a little hesitant, Macadam loved it. Here's a series of shots from our little rainy afternoon fun.



I've finally caught up on our photos so click on the flickr link if you have some time to kill and want to see the latest and greatest. Oh and we'll be back in a couple of weeks. Hopefully with plenty of fun photos of Mac living the good life abroad.

Seventy-five days

That's how long it's taken me to get photos uploaded from our very fun trip to Ocean Shores back in February. Our friends, the Martins, were nice enough to invite us for a weekend in a perfect place for six adults, three toddlers and three dogs. It was a weekend full of happy and small feet going pitter patter, good food, the beach and quality time with friends. The weather was equal parts stormy and sunny. Still not sold on the Washington coast over the Oregon coast but maybe it just depends on the company you keep...
The slideshow is long but there are some wonderful moments between Mac, Lila and Natalia. Watching three toddlers interact is something else.

The big apple

Wow- where to begin? Our last big trip of 2009 was to New York (Rob and Mac's first time) and it was fantastic. While tiring for most of us, it had a little bit of everything and went off without a hitch. The first few days we didn't get to see much of Rob since he was working nonstop at the marathon expo but by Saturday night we were three once more. Mac and I spent the first couple of days getting settled, walking around and preparing for the big race with Erin and Lila. The New York marathon was an incredible experience and was actually not as brutal as I had imagined (but then again we aren't hardcore runners who needed to compete). I was honored to run for such an amazing organization, Jack's Fund, and want to thank all who donated to Jack's on my behalf! I truly couldn't have done without you who donated's support - it meant more than you know and is making an impact to help fight against such a deadly disease.

Here is a selection of pics. We were so busy that we didn't have too many opportunities to take pics. Also want to thank Erin and Michael, and their families for helping us have such a great time while there and being partners in crime as we trained for the race. Mac's Mr. T costume worked out really well and he loved having the Mr. T in Your Pocket, which helped him say things like, "Quit your jibber jabber," and "Don't make me mad, errrr!" Unfortunately, we didn't get picture of our celeb sightings either, but then again, maybe that's best. Speaking of celebs, we also got to see our dear friend Shannon (who moved to Michigan in the summer) for lunch on Monday before we flew out. Couldn't have asked for a better trip and here's to staying home for a few months!

The big Bay weekend

It was the final stop on the vow train of 2009 and it did not disappoint. We had a fantastic time reuniting with some of my dearest college friends and well, it had a little something of everything - afternoon traipsing the city with girlfriends (and Mac), running 20 miles along the San Fran waterfront and the Golden Gate bridge in the fog (me), jetting up to wine country to stay in a cute, rustic cottage with the Badgers, wine tasting and celebrating at an amazing wedding for Louis and Jaye. It was hot, hot, hot on the day of the ceremony, but that didn't distract from the beauty and emotion of the day.

Comparing the weddings we have been to this past year is like comparing fireworks - impossible. They've each been amazing, beautiful and wonderful representations of the two people uniting in their life together. We feel so fortunate to be able to travel and be a part of the big days and are happy that we can take a breather for a few months. Okay, well that is until New York at the end of October, but you know what we mean:).

Here are a few pics from what was an amazing weekend:

The Canal

Each year, Rob's cousin Kirsten and her family throw this fantastic event of camping, eating, cribbage and oyster shucking at the family cabin in the Hood Canal. With the exception of two years, we always miss it due to travel schedules. However, we were finally able to make it for a night and it was so much fun. All of the Finke-Faw cousins and their kids were able to see each other in one place. We also loved getting to see the family friends of the Finke-Hansen clan. It's startling to see how the kids are almost outnumbering the adults. On Friday night there were 21 adults and 14 kids! All age ranges and all fun!

I think this trip also marked Mac's first ferry trip and he liked the windy deck and definitely was checking out some ladies (you'll see in one of the pictures). He also loved getting to sit on the table and look out the window. I think we could have left him and he may not have noticed until he was hungry again:).

Guess what? It's a slide show! I am hoping that as we enter fall and things calm down for us, I'll be caught up enough with photo uploads that I won't have to do it this way as much.

Midwest Tour 2009 - Madison (go now)!

Our last stop was Madison, WI and it would have been perfect to have another day there. We did what everyone who's ever been to Madison told us to do - go have a beer (or a pitcher) on the terrace at the University of Wisconsin Student Memorial Union. We did it and everyone's love for it makes total sense, it's wonderful. We really didn't want to leave and I think if he could have told you himself, Mr. Mac didn't either. The setting is gorgeous, the people are so friendly, the beer is good and people watching makes time fly.

It was a nice way to wind down from the four days of wedding festivities and I think if we can swing it in the future, we'll definitely be making a return trip. The rest of the city is beautiful and the drive from Milwaukee is green, pretty peaceful and pleasant.

Here's Mr. Mac enjoying the MU, making more friends (including one of Madison's top musicians), and loving every minute of it!

Midwest Tour 2009 - Milwaukee

We had a really nice train ride from Chicago to Milwaukee. From the minute we entered Wisconsin, we were struck by how friendly everyone was. It didn't matter who, where, what or, when - every interaction we had was a positive one.
After a yummy lunch and beer in the historic Third Ward (Milwaukee's version of the north Pearl District) along the river, we got camp set up at our hotel and preceded to spend four days of celebrating two wonderful friends, now John and Jen Nelson. In between events we played and walked with Mac a ton.

Here's a slideshow of the first day and then I'll try to add some photos from the wedding, which was absolutely incredible and beautiful!

Midwest tour 2009 - Chicago

After learning more than a year ago that our good friends John and Jen were getting married in Milwaukee, WI, we decided to plant the seed for a mini-tour of some midwest cities. Chicago was our first stop along the way and we were so happy that the Lomax-Finke cousins were willing to drive from their home in Rochester Hills/Detroit, MI home to see us in Chicago.

We walked, and we walked and we walked so more. It was great fun to get to see John, Tracy, Cailin and have Miles and Mac go head to head once again. Between Lincoln Park, the waterfront, the Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, Navy Pier and a few different neighborhoods, we made the most of our time. Some people don't like the less than pleasant smells that come from being in a big city, but the moment I stepped into the transit area of O'Hare and took in the aromas that come with too many people, humidity and other elements, I felt at home. I hope we get to go back again soon since there was much more we wanted to see and do.

After Chicago, we took the train to Milwaukee for four days of wedding fun. More on that soon!

SoCal and the living's easy

It continues to be busy around here. We're home for just a couple of days between trips and then off again for the rest of July. We went to Ojai, CA this past weekend for one fantastic weekend of wedding celebrations. Our dear friend Chris married his truly wonderful match, Nickie, and we couldn't be happier for them. There were three days of events and each was fun and delightful. The trip started out rough as Macadam ended up catching the bug I had (on my first day back in the office no less) on the plane. That's right, it's every mother's dream. Sick baby on a plane - luckily his projection only hit me and the floor. He continued to be sick the rest of the day up until the rehearsal dinner, which was fortunate but running LA around trying to clean a car seat out that many times is not so much.

While we weren't able to see Santa Barbara and much of Ojai itself, we saw plenty of good friends and family (Grandma Karen was there too!) and plenty of the beauty that is the Ojai Valley (go now!).

I don't think many want to wade through our 200+ photos, so here are some highlights:

Up next for Mac? He is camping this weekend, drops Buster off at Grandma and Grandpa Fox's, flies to Chicago to see his cousin Miles, then Milwaukee for his honorary Aunt Jen and Uncle John's wedding, a quick tour of Madison and then back to get Buster before heading to Leavenworth for the weekend. Anyone tired yet?

It's going to be a whirlwind of the rest of the month, but hopefully we'll have some updates here and there. August marks my return to work (part-time) and we feel pretty fortunate that we've found, what we hope, will be a great situation for all!

Mexico is for babies

We've shared with most that our trip to Mexico for Pat and Megan's wedding was beyond expectations. We're not ones for resort travel usually but it was a pleasant surprise to be treated graciously each day, be served drinks on the beach, wake up to the Caribbean Sea, take walks in the sand and watch Macadam basically grow by leaps and bounds socially while we were there. The wedding was a huge success and being able to spend a few days with friends and their families is a rare treat.

I think the saying, "it takes a village," really rang true while we were on our trip. For four days Macadam was surrounded by a very loving and doting group of people. He's not deprived of attention by any means at home but to be constantly surrounded by a big group of people that pay attention, well, our little man couldn't get enough of it. By the time we were back on the plane, he was not sure why fellow passengers weren't loving on him. I wish I had video of him trying to get the attention, it was so cute. His flirting has hit a whole new level of shamelessness as well.

The resort was super family friendly and even had a room that was sponsored by Fisher-Price, I don't think he knew what to do with so much plastic and loud toys (or maybe that was us). We were able to use a floatie and Mac enjoyed the water so much, both in the pool and the ocean. He even fell asleep when he was in the floatie in the ocean. Something about the waves lulling him to sleep. The beach cabanas were perfect cribs and allowed us to enjoy the sun, read and relax while he took naps. Hard to ask for more!

There are a ton of photos so there's a slideshow below.

And a video of wave skepticism and eating sand:)

And we're back

More soon from our trip to Mexico and the Sherman wedding! For now, here's one of our favorite pictures from the trip - in short, Macadam thrived in Mexico.