Chata, 19, our resident food enthusiast, has officially extended her final Farewell Tour.
She celebrated her 19th birthday with a visit to Santa Claus (that’s not a euphemism); who knows the wishes she whispered to him.
Most of her time is spent napping or counting hexagons on the kitchen floor. Forever circling. Circling in on the meaning of it all.
Iola, 10, now adorned with a set of braces, has become a wizard at folding origami paper cranes and cooking up the best french toast this side of the Mississippi.
Besides collecting & reading books, Iola has started a collection of snow globes from Torre del Mar, Spain and Montreal, Canada this year.
In a heated rooftop pool, overlooking Quebec City, Iola celebrated turning 10 years old.
Her passions span a spectrum—adoring manatees, relishing the flavors of tacos, and embracing everything yellow.
While residing in Montreal, she delved into ukulele lessons (in Spanish), complementing her ongoing dedication to piano.
This Christmas, Iola is hoping to find art supplies under the tree.
Frida, 7, our nature-loving seven-year-old, thrives amidst the wonders of the great outdoors. Whether she’s scaling trees, exploring hiking trails, or scouring the beach for treasures, her happiness finds its purest form in these natural settings.
Her pet cockroaches have created a dynasty that would make even monarchs envious: seven generations and counting.
She has continued taking piano lessons. In April, Frida had her first piano recital and performed two duets—”Ode to Joy” and “Catch a Falling Star”—accompanied by Iola, marking a milestone in her musical journey.
This summer marked another triumph as Frida conquered the swim test at the pool, reveling in the exhilaration of leaping from the diving board.
Frida usually keeps us inline reminding us about budgets and questioning us, “do you really need another one of those?”
If you are lucky, Frida will throw you a wink.
Fleur, 5, is eager to lend a hand in any way she can. Fresh mangos hold the key to her heart. Whether she’s crossing her eyes, belting out tunes, or bursting into contagious belly laughs, these “Fleurisms” never fail to bring a smile to our faces.
As an aspiring paleontologist, Fleur celebrated her birthday with a dinosaur-shaped cake, perfectly embodying her fascination with prehistoric creatures.
Her knack for discovering even the tiniest pieces of sea glass astounds us, revealing her keen eye for treasures hidden in the sand.
This summer marked a milestone for Fleur as she fearlessly ditched her arm floaties and fully embraced the joy of swimming in the pool.
Fleur loves games, with Rat-A-Tat-Cat currently reigning as her top pick. This fall she discovered Bocci Ball and didn’t want to ever stop playing.
She loves chocolate of any kind and visiting playgrounds.
Ryan & Carrie are content.
Here are some photos from our 2023
And, it may be that you are wondering about that Christmas booklet story? Perhaps it was too small to even read? Here’s the story, in a larger font, complete with pictures:
As we were driving on a dusty, isolated road amidst freshly-blooming almond trees on top of a plateau headed to explore the Gorafe desert, a figure emerged on the horizon. A solitary man, with a twinkle in his eye, appeared almost magically. His silhouette beckoned us, waving in a manner that was both welcoming and curious.
Curiosity piqued, Ryan gently eased our rented Citroën SpaceTourer to a halt. As we approached, the man’s warm “Hola!” greeted us, accompanied by generous handfuls of freshly plucked rosemary from the folds of his coat. The fragrant herb perfumed the air as he shared its myriad uses, his eyes dancing with enthusiasm. “For cooking, for your car, your home – endless possibilities!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine delight.
Grateful for his unexpected kindness, we bid him farewell and continued, the scent of rosemary infusing the car with its refreshing aroma. Not long after, a dusty RV rumbled past, heading in the opposite direction. Ryan flagged down the driver and passed on the gift of some of the rosemary, a token of the stranger’s warmth and the serendipitous encounter in the desert.
Our story unfolded further as we encounter a third individual on our journey—a genuine shepherd diligently tending to his flock of sheep. The shepard pointed out a good path forward for exploring the area to us. And then, amidst this pastoral scene, as it should go, one rebellious sheep decided to run off, prompting the shepherd to chase after her.
We continued on the drive in awe of the landscape. And life.
Here’s to a happy 2024! And we will leave you with this quote:
“May you always look upon the moon and the stars and the sun with wonder. May you journey out into the great wide world. And wherever you go, may you love without regret – for that is the greatest glory there is.”
Kate DiCamillo, Puppets of Spelhorst
Thursday night Iola lined up our boots by the back door for the Kings to leave gifts in – similar to Santa leaving gifts in stockings hung up by the chimney. We woke up to our boots filled with gifts! Iola received a pair of socks, orange jello, M&M’s, and lemon gum. Frida got a dinosaur balloon and a pear.
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