Christmas time is here..... 2017

Before Christmas break the 1st graders put on a performance.  Teresa took the day off work to go watch and papa Grover was able to come since he lives up here now.  After the performance the kids were allowed to leave early, so we got to spend the afternoon with just Aiden until it was time to pick Zoey up from school.

Can you spot an Aiden??

This is our 2nd Christmas in our new house and our tradition that we started last year continued this year. We started off Christmas morning (being awakened at 6:30) at our house.  The kids came out and saw their Santa presents and looked in their stockings. Then we made coffee (for the adults....because it is 6:30 after all) and hot chocolate for the kids.

Santa did a joint gift this year for both kids since it was a pretty large request....an Xbox.

The haul.  Santa brought the x-box, mom and dad got the tv to play it on. 

Coming out to see the loot. 

After some beverage was consumed we moved back into the living room to do the rest of the presents.

Zoey got make-up, hair coloring wands, nail polish pens to make designs, new boots and a Barbie vet center from Grandma and Grandpa Cheney, new Pj's, Dork Diaries book, a flip a zoo from Aiden, and a gift card for an Xbox game.

Aiden got a Green-Bay Packers hat, a remote control helicopter, a Pokemon book, a gift card for an x-box game, 2 xbox games and a Snap Circuits Jr. kit from Grandma and Grandpa Cheney, and a Hot Wheels Monster Slam track from Zoey.  They both got the Simon game.

Ryan got an REI gift card from Mom and Dad Cheney, a new grill brush from Aiden, a new flashlight from Zoey, Possum down gloves and a Madden NFL X-box game from Teresa. 

Teresa got 2 new trash cans from mom and dad Cheney, a new refillable water bottle form Aiden, 2 new shirts and hand made coasters from Zoey, and 2 picture frames from Ryan that she can put the kids school pictures in as they grow. 

After presents we made our traditional big Christmas breakfast.  Bacon, Creamed egg, and waffles for the kids.....yum.......

In the afternoon it was time to move the party over to the new Grover residence (only 15 min away!!).   We had a 2nd Christmas over there and ate dinner.

Even Sammy got a new toy!

From Grandma and Grandpa Grover and Aunt Cori Aiden got a Star Wars light saber set, a new fishing pole and tackle box, a pokemon extension pack, a set of Magic Tree House books, a new Pokemon shirt, beanies, gloves and slippers. 

From Grandma and Grandpa Grover and Aunt Cori Zoey got a Barbie limo and 4 new Barbies, a flower crown making kit, a new fishing pole and tackle box, a set of Diary of a Wimpy kid books, a new shirt, beanies, gloves, and slippers.

It was a great Christmas.  It is so nice to have mom and dad so close. It makes holidays so much easier to have together. Cori is now also only about an hour and 15 min. away which makes seeing her more often easier as well.  The kids like Aunt Cori's new apartment in LA so much that they even helped pick out her Christmas present .......new PlayStation games so they can play with her when they go to visit :)

Merry Christmas from our crew to yours!!!!

Year of the Ryan Part 4 Part 1.

So,
    Lastly, Mt Langley. Dylan and I have been Scheduled to do Mt Langley for 3 years now and wether fires, snow, or too late in the year we never managed to get there. This year we finally got a late season chance to do it. We set out from Cottonwood lakes trailhead the second week in October. It was chilly and we had the whole place to ourselves. The first night we camped near lake #5. Since it was so late in the year the nights we long and cold.

I brought the Holga (plastic camera) again.

Selfie/ camp photo.

The next morning we decided to go up Old Army Pass. A little used, non maintained old "route" up into the high country. We were planning on summiting Mt Langley from there.

Old Army pass is up there on the Left. From below it's impossible to pick out and looks like suicide.

Once you get up there it's ok though I would never try it early in the year or in poor conditions.

From the top of old Army.

When we got on the Langley Plateau it was freezing and really windy. We sheltered behind a rock, had lunch, dropped our packs and set out for the summit.

Dylan at the top of Old Army.

It was freezing.

The climb to Langley was pretty straightforward. The Parks service built HUGE rock cairns to mark the trail. It only got "climber-y" one time. The rest was pretty much trail. We made the summit and it was freezing. My 3rd California 14'er!!! 14,026ft!

Views for days and 60 mph winds so we had to yell to hear each other. Summit Marker below Dylans Hand.

We made it down Langley happy to be out of the super cold and into the regular cold. Our destination that night was Lower Soldier Lake. We made it there after a few hours and made camp as the sun was setting early.

Alpenglow on the Miter General.

Tent and Camp

Soldier Lake Selfie.

The night was long and FREEZING. When I woke up I brought out my water bottles and they froze in 10 minutes. It was crazy cold.

Not wanting to come out.

Ice ribbons. Water in the ground freezes and expands out of the dirt making these shapes.

We left our stuff and set out for the Miter Basin. One of the more difficult places to get to in the Sierra. There is no trail just a "route" We climbed into the sunlight happy to be warming up. Once we got to the basin it was spectacular. We hadn't seen anyone in 2 days and it felt like we were seeing something people rarely ever see.

Ready to feel sunlight.

The Miter Basin and me.

We hung out there and explored a bit then on our way back we spotted a bighorn sheep coming up the route we had to go down.

There are only an estimated 600 Sierra bighorn left. It was impressive and cool to see. Once he left we made our way back to camp and headed for New Army pass. The plan was to camp at Lake 4 this time and that was closer to New army.

We made it to Lake #4 easily saw 2 more bighorn sheep from a distance and as is our custom decided to hike out, get hot food and sleep in our own beds that night. This meant a 20 mile day but the nights were so cold and long it seemed like a better idea. We made the miles, ate mexican food in town and made it home by bedtime.

It was another great trip. The first time I'd been out in the sierra that late in the year. I learned that mid week in October is great for solitude but that comes with tradeoffs.
 
This ends the "year of the Ryan" posts. Until next year anyways.

Ryan