Fall Beachy Days 2013

and this little video shot and edited on my phone shows the crazy amount of sea lions at the wharf this anchovie-filled fall.

September 2013 - December 2013 Photos and Videos

Many photos and a video of Neli's first lost tooth. 

School Photo First Grade

Last year we bought the full photo package and ended up throwing away all the photos since they didn't look like Neli. They were horrible. This year is a different story. Cute kid!

Soccer 2013 - Fall

Tour of Neli's Legos

Probably less suitable for all viewers - watch Neli talk about his Legos for 8 minutes straight.

June - August 2013 Photos

Steep Ravine Cabin Camping

Neli's 6th Birthday

Photos from Neli's Tie-Dye Birthday.

Neli Giving Tour of Dollhouse for Sale

Neli wants to cash out for a Lego Helicopter.

Little trip to SF and Oakland

May Camping Swings at Little Basin

First Season of Soccer 4-6 Year Old League

 

 

 

Capoeria Batizado

Batizado - graduation from Neli's first year of Capoeria class. Neli was nervous about going, but when he "played" with the master teacher he did great showing off his kicks and ducks. He received his name of Ohlo d' Agua which means Eyes of Water.

Big Basin Camping 2013

January - May 2013 Photos

Big Sur Camping March 2013

A song neli wrote after a major tantrum

This is a song that Neli dictated to Nadine after he had a major tantrum before going to bed. He said it was a song and asked Nadine to write the musical notes.

neli 2013 blue bus

Click here to view this photo book larger

Neli has been taking hundreds of photos. I edited down the lot to viewable shots and he selected these for this book. Many are his shots mixed in with some other shots from his camera. We had fun adding filters and effects to some of them. 

Neli's first poems from kindergarten

2012 in Review - Whew that was fun!

Nadine is working full time making maps of the sea floor for the USGS and creating a online data library of the western coast. If she could do anything she wanted too everyday she would be at dance class breaking a sweat while smiling. She is the best 5 year old cook as she has incredible ways to get Neli to eat his greens and is the one who has taught Neli to read!
Neli  turned five in August and is enjoying kindergarten. It is incredible to watch him learn to read and write. The brain is incredible! Some of his favorite things are drawing, cutting, tape, playing with his toys (leggos, playmobile, and hotwheels). He tolerates being in the school choir and enjoys his Capoeira class. After a slow start he is now enjoying riding his bike and he is like a fish in water in the pool. He keeps us busy expressing his will to do what he wants to do and has no problem telling us when something is not fair. 
John I decided to end my UCSC job of 14 years and now work 75% time with Life Lab promoting school gardens and doing website/communications work. I love what I do and it is great to see the whole nation so into school gardens these days. I am at Neli's school or with him during the time I cut at work. I am still trying to keep up the task of over photo documenting our family and from time to time squeak in making a video here and there. Our hens, garden, and fixing things that break also keep me over occupied with life. 

Like all good new years wishes I will start with saying we are happy for our health and family. 

The Golden Family Thanksgiving

Neli Started Kindergarten

After playing the Santa Cruz public school lottery, Neli started kindergarten in another public school district a bit out of town that is a hybrid home school program. He goes to school three days a week and we juggle work hours to spend the other two days a week with him. Friday homeschool day is field trips with the other families in the program. I am having a great time being the garden teacher every Monday, and the school has a great community and the best meal $3.50 can buy.

First day of school.

Neli winnowing wheat which we planted and will make bread with in the spring.

Horseback riding field trip.

If they pick they will eat it.

Making stone soup on garden day. I liked Neli's carrot arrangement

Halloween Fun

My favorite holiday! I dusted off my disco ball hat and threw together a disco robot costume complete with a sound system and light show. I was a hit at a school Halloween festival with my lights and pop songs "Dynamite", "Fireworks", and "Party Rockers". Funny how pop songs just appear in your kid's head. I had small flocks of pre-pre teens following me around for spontaneous dance parties. 

Neli came up with the idea of being a professional ship builder. Funny how things just appear in your kid's head.

 

We Camped Often

I sold my pickup truck and bought a mini-van. It is the ultimate camping machine. With three-day weekends for Neli and I every school week (I reduced my hours to 30/week) I look forward to more adventures this spring.

If you haven't seen the redwoods come and vist us this summer.

Bi-level huckle berry picking team.

Neli's second backpacking trip. We had a great time as documented in one of the few videos I  finished in 2012.

 

We have had much fun playing with David and Aviva.

Once again much fun was had in Mammoth with my cousin and her family.

 

We Are Santa Cruz Board Walk Season Ticket Holders

I really love having an amusement park a ten minute bike ride away. I went on a behind the scenes tour of the boardwalk where I learned a lot about the history and how the place is run. Made me appreciate it even more. Just try not to go on a peak summer day or weekend. Neli can now reach the rings on the Carousel. If you don't know what that means you need to go find a good Carousel and have a ride.

 

Neli Turned Five

We had Neli's annual Life Lab Garden Classroom birthday party with a bee theme this year. Nadine made some honey beehive cup cakes and we had honey tasting and bees wax craft, some ideas I got from researching the book I wrote. 

 

 

 

The Beach is Getting to be More Fun

We are enjoying boogie board skimming and Neli is becoming more adventurous in the water. 

Welcome to the Pacific.

 

Vacationed in Hawaii

I was asked to present in Hawaii on school gardens. This was the perfect motivation to meet friends for a fun warm water experience. We stayed in Kona for a week and then over to Hilo to stay at some college friends who have made a jungle paradise home! I wouldn't hesitate to go back. 

This was the year of going far places for work. I was also asked to go to Norway and Denmark to present. There is something to say for more socialist systems. They seemed to really have things working well. They pay 50% taxes and get free medical, university, clean streets and trains. After my taxes and paying the premiums on medical I am pretty much paying the same 50%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Co-Authored a Book

My co-worker and I published a book called The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids - 101 way to get kids outside, dirty and having fun. One reviewer on Amazon said 

What is wonderful about the pictures and the ideas too; is that they do not show gardens that are perfect - they look real and attainable. Stakes and strings are crooked, kids have muddy hands.

 Who has time to keep your garden perfect when you are writing a book and trying to take pictures of your kid every time you are in the garden. I think Neli equated gardening to photo shoots since for half a year I wouldn't go in the garden without taking photos of him. As you can see in the image below he is well documented in the book.

Friends and Play

 

 

Making Pie. See the Play Date.

Bike to Work Day.

 

One benefit of having a large mouth.

We were gifted an old train set. I had fun putting it together. Neli liked setting up the scenes.

 

Neli made his own planter box.