Monday, November 29, 2010

Snow Bound in Big Trees

This last weekend Sarah and I drove from San Diego to Sequoia National Park.  We drove from white sand beaches to feet of snow in a matter of hours.  We drove from summer vacation to winter vacation and back again over the course of autumn’s biggest holiday (that’s Thanksgiving, not Halloween).

When I was in the eighth grade, my family and I went to California on vacation.  During that vacation we went to Sequoia National Park.  We saw the big trees, we stood inside a big stump, and we took pictures with the tree you can drive your car thru.  So, I knew exactly what to expect when Sarah and I went to Sequoia this last weekend.

Turns out I have never been to Sequoia National Park (as my mom indicated on the phone the first night – we went to Redwood National Park)… And I have definitely never been to Sequoia National Park during winter.

When we made it to the park entrance, the park ranger informed us that we wouldn’t be allowed in the park without snow chains.  This was surprising to us since the entrance to Sequoia looked like this:

A little bit chilly, but otherwise a very nice day
So, we rented those unnecessary snow chains (twice, actually, but that’s another story).  When we reached The Giant Forest, 3000 vertical-feet later, we were glad we had the unnecessary snow chains.

That is our Xterra at the Four Guardsmen in Sequoia NP
Sequoia National Park is like no place else.  Certainly, everybody knows that there are big trees there, but words cannot do justice to how big these trees actually are.  I think perhaps the figure below, does better than most in showing their ginormity.

Sarah and a Sequoia height comparison


Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving (part 2)

Today we had a "homeless" friends Thanksgiving for friends who, like us, weren't able to go home for the holiday.  

Sean and I got all of this cool stuff from our wedding, making us feel like real adults.  As I was counting our silverware, I realized that despite our breadmaker, our KitchenAid mixer, our huge stock of wineglasses, and our plethora of dishes, we only had five forks.  Nine people coming over...five forks.  So, ashamed, I had to text my friend Jessica and ask her to bring (in addition to my earlier request for butter of which we also had none) some more forks!  

All in all, a huge food-coma inducing success!  

Our first Thanksgiving as a married couple...CHECK!

Thanksgiving (part 1)

It wouldn't feel like Thanksgiving to me without the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Katie, Madison, and I always choose which floats we would want to be a part of.  This year, for me, it was an not an easy choice.  After agonizing over it for countless hours (or minutes) it has come down to:


The Minions from Despicable Me 


OR 
The Dancing Penguins!



And now, THE DOG SHOW!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Fame and Earthquakes, All in One Day

I'm famous!


Click here to see...


I heard the emergency broadcast system on campus for the first time today.  I thought there was an earthquake--one of my greatest fears about moving to California concerned the possibility of death by earthquake--but, no, it was a broadcast saying, "The threat is over".  (The threat being a bomb scare).  


Is it weird the message saying the threat was gone was scarier than the actual warning broadcast?  


Yes.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Hello World Wide Web!

So, how did this all start?  

Sean sent me a funny blog talking about dogs.

I said, "We should start a blog!"  
Sean said, "Okay."