Only in California

Last weekend we went to the beach and this weekend to the snow. This is why I love this state. I know technically you could get both ocean and mountains in Oregon and Washington and maybe even some of the eastern seaboard (if you consider those real mountains), but the beach wouldn't be as sunny at the same time that the mountains were getting dumped on with ten feet of snow anywhere else but California.

The beach was Asilomar, which was a nice escape from the rain that was innundating the rest of the bay area, while mommy and daddy took turns networking at the EcoFarm conference and hanging out with Jack. It was the first time our professional lives have actually overlapped like that and it was pretty neat. Jack enjoyed going for stroller rides out on the sand dunes, and just kicking back admiring the view of the crashing waves and pointing out every seagull that passed overhead.



The snow was at our cabin in Tahoe, of course, organized by our friend Dunagan as a "family cabin" for the first time, marking the transition from our post college years to parenthood. This weekend was just the four of us, or rather just the six of us, with Jack and Anna, or just the seven of us if you count the dog.



I love the snow, especially when it's this powdery and sparkling white against a crystal blue sky, but this weekend what struck me as so great about this cabin was that it allows new parents to hang out together over a leisurely dinner and late into the evening long after their babes have gone to bed. Without such a retreat we would never be able to hang out like this, unless we both paid expensive babysitters and then we'd undoubtedly be too preoccupied worrying about how things were going back home to really enjoy each other. I'm so thankful that while everything seems to have changed for us in the past year, with the cabin at least some things stay the same. Except even better! Because now we get to watch our old friends become parents and we get to watch our kids grow up together.

Also, Jack loves their dog. I think he wants one. For now he will just have to be satisfied with chickens.