Wrapping it up in fine style

We were able to wrap up our summer with one last camping/boating trip with our good friends Doug and Becky. Bullards Bar was as warm as bath water which made up for the half-baked preparations that Ben made for the foray. We came out smelling like a rose however and we went home happy, sore and sun roasted.


Elias overcame his trepidation from his first soggy attempt on skis, and got up with Ben on the wakeboard.

No tricks for old men. Ben managed to clear the wake a few times but woke up the next morning feeling as if he had received a caning to every major muscle group. Aging really stinks sometimes.

Elias and Haven are certain to get spankings for growing up too fast.

Summer is such a joy. We're happy to be home and getting some rest for a change.

Next big hurdle, transitioning Simeon into his big boy bed. Look out.

A River Runs Through It

Water being a constant theme in Counihan doings, we spent the summer soaked.

The Yuba river. A definite family favorite. Warming up on the smooth rocks before another dip.

Scotts Flat reservoir, boating a playing with Dann-Dan and Grammie.

Dann-Dan and Grammie's pool

Papa and Grandma's pool

Ben did a trans-Tahoe relay swimming race with a group from school a week after classes started in again. You can see the crowd of escort boats mobbing the harbor before the race began in the morning.

Lassen National Park

What is summer without a camping trip!?

We enjoyed an all too short trip to Mt. Lassen and the surrounding volcanic lands. The drive up the through the endless orchards and fertile lands of the Sacramento valley was both gorgeous and mouth watering for all the fresh fruit stands only yards away from the trees that bore the fruit.

Lassen boasted some breathtaking views. The hot pots that were easily accessible were rather ghetto to be generous. Snowy trail conditions and preggers bellies limited our hiking capacity, so the more impressive vents remained unexplored. The kids display their lackluster response to a mud pot.

This glacial lake just below Lassen's peak had the most beautiful blue pools standing atop the melting springtime snow. Key opportunity for Ben to throw caution to the wind for a photo op.

What hiking was had, Simeon showed promise.

We were able to spend some hours canoing on Manzanita Lake with the peaks in the background. All in all, it was a great trip with wonderful memories, but altogether too short.

Some things remain the same

Elias at 11 months old. Steering wheel jockey in the RV.

Simeon 15 months. Steering wheel jockey, same RV.

Elias, same trip as above, horsing around in the tent.

Simeon horsing around outside the tent.

Genesis 5:3 reads "And Adam...begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth"

Although beautiful differences exist, our sons were cut from the same mould.

Casualty of summer

Elias kicked off the summer with a bang. Jumped into the pool onto his uncle Levi's head. He knocked his already loose front tooth and bit nearly all the way through his lip.

The final product after Ben's extraction and prior to sealing up the lip with super glue.

The Storming of Stowe Lake

As our time grew short with dear friends from dental school, we were able to squeeze in a fun outing into the vastness of Golden Gate Park with our friends the Lakes. We rented two pedal boats and one row boat and turned the normally tranquil and stoic scene into a screaming, splashing and boat ramming/racing madhouse. Quite surprisingly no one went into the drink and we managed to return with all of our kids and no damages to the vessels.

As seen by the distribution of rascals among the boats, there was ample opportunity to tempt disaster.

Dad=32, Haven=5. Haven wins.

During the June birthday celebration, Haven soundly beat her father to the punch with a quick underhanded pre-emptive candle blow out. You can see the big bad wolf all puffed up and ready for a team effort, meanwhile Haven is gloating over having already taken care of business.
Not to worry, all things were reconciled. Ben got a bigger piece of cake to console his bruised ego.

Breaking the Silence

I can't take credit for the latest posts. Ben was as sick of our unupdated blog as the rest of you. He took matters into his own hands, which I'm extremely grateful for. Why am I such a blogging loser? Let's explore the options: 3 kids is not as easy as I anticipated, Simeon is king busy-body, LAUNDRY (need I say more), oh yes and that one big reason, I'm expecting #4. I should probally mention that we're having a girl and that I'm 29 weeks along, teehee!! I'm sorry I have kept this on the down-low so long. We are sooo excited to have another little lady. Haven flat out told me we could give it back if we were having another brother and that we could just try again. Our new little Miss by far has made me the most sick and tired, but she is going to be worth every bit of nausea and 12 hour slumbers. To save you doing the math, yes Simeon will be 19 months older than his younger sibling. YIKES!!

Dressing up

The school had a gathering which brought family to town. Not often you can get us all dressed up and smiling for the camera. It was a nice night out.

We managed to glean one of our few pictures with all the family together.

Grandad was looking pretty hip by the end of the night. Simeon wanted some of whatever he was having.

Springtime family

At the Counihans, we enjoyed bubbles, evening whiffle ball with the fat bat and heaping bowls of strawberry shortcake.

At the Hancocks we ran through the sprinklers, wrestled the uncles and saw the new kittens.

At home we found the joys of swinging...

Got a first haircut...

Went on some walks...

Found some hidden treasures...

In various places.

Crawdads and Rainy Greens

Elias was the only one up for crunching on crawdads this year with dad at the annual UOP alumni crawfish boil. Ben also had a last minute chance to play some golf when he had to fill in for a friend in the school's golf tournament.

Simeon turns 1 (March)

Our exuberant little fellow somehow reached his first birthday. Simeon personifies the term 'jolly giant'. He is by far the most robust installment of the Counihan children. His stature belies his true mass. While large, he is also densley packed. He has been a mystery from the beginning. He good-naturedly causes constant havoc and destruction. There is no guile or malintent, simply directionless energy and an appetite for the new. Once we find his direction there will be no end to the good he might get himself into.

Traditionally the first birthbay has been significant for the miraculous survival of the first year of life. Simeon nearly ate himself into the grave upon turning one. He took full advantage of the ample cake supply.
We have great hopes for a bright future. One of his very few quiet moments (possibly due to the restraining belts). We are delighted by his simple enjoyment of life as it stands. He is thoroughly wonderful and exhausting.