Yes, this really the blog about the Holidays 2009. Starting with Thanksgiving which we spent in Corpus. William and I went out for a 62 mile bike ride the day before Thanksgiving. Here is a picture that we took of ourselves crossing the ferry in Port Aransas.
Here I am with my new bike!

Aunt Claire helps to prepare the delicious Thanksgiving meal!

Bill and Gail put the finishing touches on dinner.

And of course, if it is Thanksgiving in Corpus - we go to the beach. Here is Ethan's sand castle.

Ethan and dad have some fun in the surf.

Moving on to Christmas morning. Here is Ethan trying out his new skateboard that santa brought him.

Ginger is tired from all the Christmas morning excitement and uses her new toy as a head rest.

Biscuit got the same toy and has the same idea ....

What time is it anyway?

Ethan shows off his cool new t-shirt from Grandpa Bond and Grandma Leanna.

Ethan loves Monopoly City!

Here he is standing on his skateboard holding the video on how to do tricks.

Family game night with Aunt Claire!

Here we are by Bill and Gail's Christmas tree

Father and son ... Ethan is looking so grown up (especially in that shirt).

This is at our house in Cedar Park. Ethan and his best friend Zane who helped us trim our tree.

Dad gives Ethan a lift to put the star on the tree.

Here we are at Ethan's school just before his holiday show (Ethan is dressed like he is from Australia for his part in the show).

Ethan and Grandma on Christmas Eve

Ethan and Grandpa Ed

Me, mom, Ethan

On New Year's Eve - we went bowling to celebrate! It was lots of fun!

Me and Ethan at the start of the hike - The sign is for the Continental Divide Trail Head.

This Summer we went on a 22 mile hike in the San Juan National Forest in Colorado. We split the hike over three days camping each night. We did the most hiking on our first day 9 miles - which was also the toughest day. We started around 13,000 ft. at the continental divide and got caught in two brief but scary hail storms on the the top of the divide. After that, the weather was perfect, and we all had a great time. Ethan was a trooper, and we can't wait to do it again next summer. Here I am the day before we started hiking. We were checking out the place where we would end our hike and meet our car.

SCENES FROM DAY 1 - Ethan checks out an abandoned mine site.

That is me with my 32 pound pack!

Descending from the Continental Divide Trail to the Elk Creek drainage area on the Colorado Trail. This section was the most amazing part of the hike.

On the trail along Elk Creek

Near the start of the hike on Day 1

That is ice ... on the mountain in August.

Ethan is ready to start his adventure!

This is just after passing through two hail storms - we are sitting at the point where the Continental Divide Trail intersects the Elk Creek Trail.

This is the stream near our campsite for the first night - William is filtering water.

Night 1 - home sweet home.

Sun setting against the mountain.

Our kitchen area -William and Ethan start a fire.

Dinner is served!

SCENES FROM DAY TWO - Animas River - Where we will make camp for the second night.

Ethan soaks his feet.

SCENES FROM DAY 3

A chilly start to the morning.

Looking down over the Animas River valley - we hiked up 44 mountain switchbacks this day.

Big Molas Lake

We ended our hike at our car at Little Molas Lake. We did a point to point hike as we got a ride to the start and left our car at Little Molas Lake at the end. It was an amazing experience, and we are already planning our backpacking trip for next summer - a longer one!

BEAR CREEK CABINS (Near Telluride - DAY 4)

For the next several days we stayed at Bear Creek Cabins between Delores Colorado and Telluride. We spent our days hiking and taking trips into Telluride.

Some resident humming birds.

William bringing our bags to the cabin.

Our day hike to Hope Lake - which was amazing.

We had someone on the trail take a picture of us.

Hope Lake - a hidden oasis.