2010 Walsh Family Road Trip Day1: To Fargo we go!

Preface: Each year Joe embarks upon a wondrous journey helping coach the Milaca Speech team and judging at Speech meets while I embark on an equally wondrous but more whine-filled journey of having no Saturdays as a family from Jan. through March. As a result the money earned from judging is mine to spend.

Last year we bought a bike trailer for Truman to ride in (remember everyone tripped on it at the State Fair?). This year I dreamed bigger.

This year we headed on a 10 day road trip to Yellowstone National Park. This the true story of the 2010 Walsh Family Road Trip to Yellowstone.

You will also find tons of pictures here, but the really stunning pictures worth mulling over in photoshop will be posted on www.spellboundjungle.com, and a few stories related to our potty training adventures while camping will be posted over on www.spellboundbaby.blogspot.com.




June 3rd: After Joe got off work he came home and we finished up packing. I had almost everything packed already, but you know how it goes prepping a house to leave for over a week — turning everything off, asking my neighbors to water my garden, double checking that things were unplugged/off, running back in the house 5 times to grab various items.

Then we hit the road.

We picked up sandwiches (and cookies) in St. Cloud then made our way to 94. Then we ate said sandwiches and had a cookie party. I had a total mom-win the day before when I realized his highchair tray could be used as a car seat tray.







We stopped at this rest stop with newspaper boxes for such periodicals as "Country Singles," "18-wheel Singles," and "Diabetes Cure 101.com."

Truman spent some time ever-so-carefully crossing the 3-inch divide between two benches and then leaping off the end to land 2 ft. below. I didn't bring my camera out at the time, so later I channeled Demetri Martin and drew a diagram:




Then we got to James' and Nikki's house in Fargo, ND and spent a lovely night sleeping in their guest bed (Thanks again J&N for having us!).





As Truman fell asleep he hugged Joe tight, telling him over and over again "I love you."

I had been telling him for weeks that daddy would be with us every day for 10 days on our vacation and I think he was really looking forward to it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We're having a family get together over the weekend to celebrate a multitude of things, so I'm posting my little Cupid today. Have a great weekend!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! I hope everyone is surrounded by love, family and warmth as you celebrate. We're snuggled up in our house with family watching feet of snow pile up (well, Joe has been shoveling a great deal of it, too).

Here are a few pictures from last night's celebration. We hosted family and then headed to "midnight" mass at 9:30, where Joe cantored and Truman slept in his stroller/my lap.

I have to thank my family for letting me get in some off-camera flash practice. I set my Vivitar up on lightstand pointed at my white ceiling triggered via pocket wizard and wandered.




















Joe's stunt double — err, brother — James playing Wii with his own doppleganger-nephew Josh:






And the gift-giving:







These slippers Kellie gave Truman are made with recycled sweaters, how cool (and they fit his giant feet):





I did a big knitted Christmas this year, making everyone I thought would enjoy a knitted goody a hat or scarf:






















(p.s.: For those wondering, no, my son is not wearing pants. But when not wearing pants he is potty trained. We accept the trade off. Can you guess what my project in the new year will be? We'll just call it Project Pants.)

By the Light of the Moon

Joe went outside to get something from his car when he spotted this moon configuration hanging eerily surrounded by clouds.







Out in the chilly fall night photographing our quiet suburb I was thinking about the moon and my father, who died a little over a week ago. For a long time I have felt a closeness to my father while on nature-photo expeditions because he was the person who first inspired me to fall in love with the night's sky, lugging out his telescope and pointing out the constellations, Mars, Saturn and comets when they were near.

When we camped my dad would set up cots and we'd sit gazing up past tree tops at the magnificent show in the sky. A few days ago I found a sheet of paper on the ground on my landing. It containing an old memory I had written down while I was in college those nights camping. It reminded me that I often stayed gazing long after others had moved closer to the fire to talk or roast marshmallows. While my dad got me interested in the stars, I new my desire to observe quietly surpassed his. And so it is in nature that I recollect the ways in which he and I were the same and different.

And I carry him with me, as I always have, in moments like this. And although the memory of his death is new, I don't see these moments as sad. There is peace in having that kind of connection with a person that exists outside of physical existence. I am lucky to have had that relationship with him.

I am sure I will write more about him as I remember things. His memorial service will be held at his California ranch on Oct. 24.

Ed Fest 2009

This weekend our church held it's annual festival (Ed Fest) and Joe and I did our part as gate keepers of the Bounce Castle. Joe also cantored during the preceding outdoor mass during which time Truman explored another child's wagon and a tree, then made friends with a dog (who ended up making a little too good of friends with me).

Truman then found a series of different sticks and had a blast with them, went in the Bounce Castle three times, danced, played the drums for a minute, ate lunch, then promptly fell into a deep sleep.

It was fun to get back into shooting straight photojournalism. I miss covering events like this for a newspaper; but it was fun to actually enjoy a festival instead of just observing.

Adventure Tuesday: San Diego

For our San Diego style adventure we headed to the New Children's Museum, which puts a modern art slant on museums for kids. Truman had a blast with his Nana, though much of the stuff was geared toward older children.







My mom pretending to be a rock-throwing giant in the toddler area:








They had a giant room filled with old mattresses to jump on and these pillows shaped like tires My mom took these lovely photos: