European Travels

  We started our trip in Paris with iconic and triumphant sites

 

 

 

Not shown:  our run in with the metro police after mistakenly throwing away our paper ticket moments before the ticket checkers were checking them...

We got to see our dear friends in Brussels and Aachen, Germany (which involved many pillow/cushion fights) -- and also completed a labrynth where 3 different countries meet (the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany)

 

We rode several forms of public transportation in London, Milan's favorite tourist activity (plus:  high speed trains through the chunnel)

 

Kirin acquired a pair of binoculars at the London Eye that also allowed him to examine the tube up close

 

The Bank of England museum offered a nice illustration of how monetary policy impacts inflation

We timed our visit to the Tower Bridge to see it open for a boat below

 

More London sightseeing

Springtime Adventures

 Bike ride with some Coupa spicy iced chocolate, and field trip to the new Tunnel Tops Park

 

 We got to spend a Mother's Day with my mother this year!

 

 

 

Sunset in Pacifica

 

Kirin created a model of a computer that was featured at the Palo Alto Art Center, and Milan played the tuba at his spring concert (no photos from the actual concert since he was hiding behind the tuba the whole time)

 

Last day of 3rd and 6th grade

 

Beaches, rainbows, skiing and the desert

We had an unseasonably warm January weekend at the beach with our family visiting from Virginia

Two of the many rainbows seen from morning walks on the dish trail

Skiing in Tahoe for the second year - Milan and mom conquered all of the blues!

Kirin and his coding science project

Mom, Milan and C nani made a special trip to New Mexico (state #49!)

We took a hot air balloon ride 

More science experiments, this time in our front yard

Staycation spring break in San Francisco!

Winter holidays in Southern California

We started our winter holidays at home with presents

 

But quickly joined family in Southern California for some good eats..

and gaudily decorated beach houses.

 

We spent the next several days hiking and bouldering in Joshua Tree National Park

Here is Kirin blending in with the rocks

See if you can find Kirin below..

The amazing night sky from Joshua Tree (through the lens of an iPhone)

Thanksgiving in Visalia and Sequoia National Park

 We spent Thanksgiving with friends in Visalia and Sequoia National Park

Our only requirement for the house was that it would have a hot tub, which we made frequent use of

We also saw some tall trees though were a bit unprepared for the cold!