greta at two

it's crazy, but greta's second birthday has come and gone (although it has managed to be extended through this week as well). this has certainly been a fun and busy year of her life. she went from taking a few steps and having a few words last year to running, jumping, skipping full steam and talking in sentences this year. she's managed to cram in quite a bit, and amazingly (so far), we've been able to keep up with her.

we waited to really celebrate her birthday until both sets of grandparents arrived to help complete the party. they arrived and we shuttled up to tahoe the next day. we had three beautiful, sunny days of skiing and on friday night, we had the big party.

this year, greta was very aware of the party, wanted a piece of cake and while she enjoyed opening presents, was more interested in what was inside than the wrapping paper. She loves singing happy birthday to anyone around and has been singing it on a regular basis over the past few weeks.

all in all, it was a fun birthday, complete with mimi & poppy (aka evan's parents) and grandma & grandpa (aka my parents), lots of fun new toys, parties and learning to say "2" when asked how old she is.

tour of ca

although it's still wet, windy and cold out as this storm moves out of here, it did not stop many people gathering in downtown san jose late this morning to cheer the crowd of riders in the tour of california.

i didn't know where exactly they were riding in the city, but as i stepped out to go grab my lunch, i walked half a block and saw the start line for the race. better yet, the announcer came on and gave the 10 minutes to start countdown. so, i grabbed a spot at the crowd fence and watched the festivities in the rain. they introduced the top riders, levi leipheimer and lance armstrong included, and then let them go. i got a couple of pictures on my phone as they started and passed by. a nice little perk of working in downtown sj (even if it was in the rain).

a little love

while we don't go all out for valentine's day, it is a fun day to celebrate and share the love. this year, we had a bit of a different approach since the storm door opened in the pacific and started dumping snow on the mountains. so, we decided to head up to tahoe to catch some of the fresh snow.

greta shared the love with carson on valentines day...

for valentine's day, evan and i took turns skiing in new snow (28 inches new friday night following several days of storms that came through this week) and then packed up to come home since the crowds were steadily building throughout the day. on the way home, we passed massive amounts of cars going in the tahoe direction and we knew we made the right choice.

next is some festivities for greta's big 2 and visit from both sets of parents (oh, and more snow and more skiing).

another book review of sorts

drum roll please... i finished reading the alchemist by paulo coelho this weekend. yes, that's right... two books in the past several months. i believe i am officially on a roll.

so, i suppose i should mention that it is an easy read and not terribly long (~150 pages), but still, it's nice to get the sense of accomplishment from reading it.

i had heard of this book (and others by paulo coelho), so i knew going in that it has had an impact on many people who read it. i can't say that it changed my life or view of the world, but it is a good read with some classic messages and themes. i was reminded of all the wonderful literature classes that i had in high school (and i'm stretching my brain to remember the proper descriptors - i used to be so smart....). circular themes and events, the necessity of journey for the protagonist, the not so subtle symbols of nature as forces in the world, and rising up stronger after being beat down - phoenix, anyone?

the story is a simple fable that follows of a shepard who departs on a journey, both physical and mental as he tries to reach the pyramids and find the soul of the world in search of a treasure he has been pointed toward. there are many different characters along the way, each teaching him a lesson or two that helps him continue his journey.

while i can see where people who are in a particularly contemplative mood may read this book and have the lessons speak to them and their live/situation, it struck me more as a good (quick) read and i enjoyed it more from a critical eye for classic literature themes. whichever way it may strike you, i'd recommend it.