Tag Archives: Traveling

Everyday Life

Geocaching and Mario Karts

3 Comments

This is my first post, a while ago Molly asked me to explain more about geocaching. Somebody once defined it as using multi-million dollar satellites to find tupperware containers in the woods. That really sums it up pretty well. A geocache is some sort of container such as a Lock&Lock container, an ammo can, a pill bottle, or some other container that somebody has hidden. It might be in a park, on the side of the road, on a hiking trail, in a crowded city, anywhere that they want to place it that is legally allowed. After they’ve hidden this container, they post the coordinates on geocaching.com and the coordinates can then be downloaded to a GPS. Once they’re in your GPS, it tells you which direction to go and how far away it is. From there you just follow the arrow, and once it gets close to zero then the geocache should be close, most of them are within about 30 feet of where the GPS puts you. A lot of the containers in the woods are larger and covered with rocks or pieces of wood, the ones in urban locations are usually smaller. Once you’ve found it they contain a log that you can sign and some of the larger ones also contain toys that can be traded. More information is also available here.

I’ve found that what works best for the kids is to look for ones in parks that are larger containers because they can find them much easier and they also like to trade out little toys. I also prefer walking in the woods to a crowded spot in the city. Winter is really the best time to go because there’s not all the bugs and growth. We’ve been doing this for almost five years now and we’ve found over 1000, but we haven’t been that active recently. Last year we found 71, and we’ve found 85 this year, you can see our profile here. This is a picture from February when we went to pick up our dog from Texas:

Also, here’s a video I took last night of our kids and their cousins in the basement. We were using their plasma cars, and it reminded me of Mario Kart. The video is a little hard to follow because I was trying to hold the camera and steer with the same hand. Look for the crash around the 10 second mark:

Everyday Life

First Road Trip

6 Comments

We took the kids on their first road trip this weekend. Our dear friend Amy has been taking care of our dog Josie since late October. She and her family have been giving Josie lots of love and the best care possible. I really can’t thank her enough… it means so much to us to have someone take on that ball of energy for three months and love her like their own dog.

Well, this weekend, we went down to Texas to pick Josie up. I was looking forward to seeing Josie, Amy and her family, and enjoying the warm weather! It was a longgg drive down to Texas– 10 hours of driving time, which translates to 12+ hours with two kids and 2-3 dogs. Everyone was very well behaved. We had some crying over potty breaks and being bored, but they were very good overall. They had a great time at Amy’s house, even though we were there for just 16 hours, 10 of which were sleeping time. They learned about nerf guns and trampolines and tractor tricycles. I did not take ANY photos at her house, because I am terrible like that. And distracted, making sure that Cache, one of our other dogs, does not pee on her curtains.


This is how we burn energy and pass the time in the car… dancing to Paul Simon.


We had to drive through “Ok-la-co-ma”.


Lena is showing you all of her signs. She was being quite funny in the car, “telling” me stories about birds and cats flying in the window and “telling” me about a train taking a bath in the rain.


This is how we roll. (Thank you, Babushka Lola!)


Talking to Babushka.


We learned that if she is upset, you can just get my mom on the phone and that will cheer her up.


She does much better in the car with her shoes off, so she can play with her socks and toes.


Trying to pet Josie.

Josie is settling back in nicely. She seemed a bit shocked that we were there, but she seems happy to be home. We did not have enough room in the car for her crate, so she is crate-less until Amy brings it up. So, tonight, she wandered into the bathroom as the kids were taking their bath. Lena said “Josie!” And then Ilya said “Iz okay. We’re takin’ a baff.” Ilya cannot say Josie very well at all, so he calls her “Zosie” or “Zogie” or even “Zo-zee-ce.”

First Adoption

Overwhelmed

6 Comments

I was overwhelmed the second we stepped off the plane in Washington D.C. So glad to be off the long flight and so glad to be back in the U.S.

….the second that someone started singing “The Christmas Song” (“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”) on the PA system in Dulles.

…when we pulled into our driveway and even more so when we saw a package under the mat. A package from a dear friend who lives far away.

…when I stepped into our kitchen, food covering the countertops. Fridge stuffed full. Packages all over the kitchen table.

…when I went into the dining room and saw a beautiful table cloth, big enough for our huge table, two sweet scrapbooks, more cards and candy.

…when I went into the living room and saw the beautiful tree, and all of the other awesome decorations. Saw presents under the tree, ready for tomorrow.

…when I stepped into the bathroom, needing to give Lena a bath that very minute, not even thinking about where I had packed the shampoo. Set her into the tub, look down and there is a basket of bath goodies, including shampoo. And lotion, another thing that I had been needing for them.

I am so overwhelmed that I haven’t even gone upstairs yet to see my dogs, knowing that seeing them (and whatever surprises lie upstairs) will put me over the edge.

I have always loved Christmas, found it magical. I think this is even the first Christmas I haven’t been at my parents house, with my sisters and all. It is sad to not be there with them… I miss them a lot. But I am very grateful to be here in this moment, surrounded by so many wonderful people and spending it with Aaron, Ilya and Lena.

First Adoption

Last Day Here

7 Comments

Our flight will hopefully be taking off in 5 hours. I cannot wait. Well, actually, I am not looking forward to the whole flying with kids thing, but I cannot wait to be home. About 26 more hours and we will be home. Home the place with all the foods I love, medicines in abundance, a washer and a dryer, a big bed, and of course, my dogs. Well, two of the three. The third is still off having special adventures with Amy, Milo and co.

We made the kids take a nap today. Neither of them wanted to, but Lena has not thrown a single tantrum since. Ilya has actually been worse. So, Lena not throwing a tantrum sounds great, right? Well, I’d really like it if she slept tonight. 9, 10, 11, 12, 1… still waiting.

We also discovered something else which makes Lena happy, quiet and well behaved… videos of babies. I had the idea because she gets so excited when she seems my sister and her baby on Skype. Yesterday, she was being bad, so my sister showed her my nephew and she was just mesmerized. Well, they both loved the videos of babies laughing, but Lena especially can’t get enough. It’s pretty adorable, she just puts her head on her elbows and smiles. We have had no success with any other kinds of videos, so I am glad this works. We need something which they’ll sit calmly for.

Well, I need to go finish packing. I hope that all of our flights will be on time.

This is the video I wanted to show you yesterday, but had some trouble with…