adventure day

Just after school started last fall, Sage took us up for a fun adventure day in the White Mountains. You can see here that the girls were all about it. Sage and Kurt signed up to do the ropes course, and the girls and I had a terrific time doing lots of other activities.

I took both girls down the alpine slide. I remembered how much fun it was when I was a kid. Ava preferred to have me ride the brake and take a very cautious pace down the mountain. Zsa Zsa, on the other hand, was a speed demon who had me zooming down three times and repeatedly told me not to use the brake. Ava took this photo and the next one, showing the start of the course.

This giant wooden penguin welcomed us to the mini golf area. It was less than challenging and some unattended boys actually hit me with a golf ball. It didn't end well for them.

Here's the ropes course with Sage ziplining back to it.

Can you make out that Kurt is waving as he zips? I bought him a zip line to install at our house a few years ago. Still not installed, but I think he may be inspired to after this ride.

Sage on a platform in the trees.

Ava surprised me by asking to go up the chair lift. I was surprised by the lack of safety features. Zsa Zsa could've easily slid right off, so you'll note I'm holding her (perhaps a bit too) tightly in my lap. It was a gorgeous view of the White Mountains on the way down.

lisa's wedding

A few days after we returned from Istanbul, I headed down to Maryland for my friend Lisa's wedding. Lisa and I lived together for a couple of years in college. She's wicked smaht and spends her days figuring out all kinds of things about birth defects and complicated kids' brain stuff.

Lisa always told me that she'd be forever single. But then she met Carlos.

I love this photo because it shows just how happy Carlos is. And I love that he truly "gets" and appreciates Lisa. So happy for them.

I had so much fun with both their families over this weekend. They were all ready to celebrate this union! This is Lisa and her sister, Kimberly. I can only hope that my girls will care as deeply for each other as these two do.

And here's Lisa and Kathy, long time friends who know how to shuck a crab (do you shuck crabs?), drink cheap beer, and sequence DNA.

This was definitely a wedding weekend where a good time was had by all.

z in the woods

weekend in the kingdom

While Ava and I were in Turkey, Zsa Zsa and Kurt took a weekend trip up to visit friends in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

the cabin

the VW bus that came with the property

in front of the beaver dam

Ivy was happy to see Zsa Zsa

at the top of the sand pit

at the bottom of the sand pit

they look so innocent from this angle

but not from this one - they slid down into the sand pit

Z & Ivy & Chloe

she just loves to pose

this was before the party really got rolling

thwarted by Irene when attempting to visit Bread & Puppet

spoon on nose

Oh the various and sundry skills my children have.

the only exception

Found this video from last year. They so enjoyed Nina singing this song that they decided to try out singing the chorus themselves.

turkish kahvesi

Before I left for Istanbul, I asked Kurt what he'd like me to bring him back. His initial thought was coffee, but second guessed himself, thinking that there wasn't "Turkish coffee." Turns out there is. In Turkish it's called kahvesi. So I spent part of the trip putting together an authentic Turkish coffee experience for him. I found a copper coffee pot near where I bought the coffee at the Spice Market. Ahu walked me through the process of how to make the coffee.

You start with a heaping teaspoon of coffee and a teaspoon of sugar for the number of people you're serving. One teaspoon each for one person, two teaspoons of each ingredient for two people. Put the coffee and sugar in the coffee pot and mix together thoroughly. Then take the demitasse/little coffee cup, fill it up with water and pour it into the coffee pot (again, once for one person, twice for two). Do not mix - and the not mixing is essential. Put the coffee pot directly on the stove over low heat. Allow the coffee to rise and bubble, but not boil. Be patient. Pour it slowly into the demitasse. It should be a little foamy on top. Let it settle before you drink it.

After you're finished, when you're down to the grounds, you put the saucer over the cup and flip them. Be sure to have a true Turk read the grounds that land in the saucer. You're sure to hear something about a mysterious stranger and something important that's about to happen. Ahu is a skilled grounds reader.

We saw these nazar all over where we were in Turkey. They are amulets used to protect you against the evil eye. Zsa Zsa said she knew exactly what to do with them.