Graeagle 2008

Only one month late - but you can check out our photos from Graeagle 2008 at
wegodutch.shutterfly.com

Graeagle is a long-time family tradition on Erin's side. For almost 30 years, parts of my mom's side have gone to these 100 year old log cabins just north of Tahoe. When my brother and I were kids we spent the first week of August each summer getting into trouble with our cousins. The cousins picnic, mooning, swimming, excessive candy, soda, and Tastee Freeze, bodily humor, biking, Kraal Family death marches were all common place and the source of some of my favorite memories. Elena first trip to Graeagle was when she was three months old. This was her third trip (we took two years off for Europe). She had a blast. Grandma Joan and Grandpa Dwaine found a bike (with a baby seat!) for her and she took off on her first two wheeler (with training wheels) to the pool. She got to hang out with my cousin's baby son, Jacob (is that her third cousin or second cousin twice removed - I can never figure that stuff out). Baby Jacob was quite a hit and a nice preview of what our baby will be like in a year. Gram soiled her rotten with back pets and nap songs while little opa provided the fishing experience - which was very popular. She even got to bring her tackle box home. This was a special year since Grandma Joan was there and in good health following her 'miracle recovery' from three heart surgeries (rub her for good luck before you buy your lotto ticket).

For our part, Jake and I continued the Kraal tradition of a Death March (my parents were known for dragging us on long hikes with only Southwest Airline peanut packages for lunch because 'we had a big breakfast'). We took a trip up to Lassen Volcano. Elena and her school friends are obsessed with volcanoes. Jake and I had never been...I've never heard a better reason for a death march. It was great - we did have a long hike to the boiling mud pits, Elena did great and only needed a ride on poppa's shoulders for the last bit. We are already thinking of returning there for a backpacking trip. It was beautiful (though quite stinky as Elena will point out all the time if you ask her about it). The Lassen pictures are in a separate album on the site.