After the great time at the reunion we hung out in Florida for a few more days then flew to Arizona to visit with my family for 4 or 5 days. The girls were excited to get back home but it wasn't long before Piper was asking when we were going on vacation again!
We picked up a map one day, decided on an approximate route to follow, packed up the car, and left a few days later! Those are my favorite kinds of trips! We drove north on Highway 395 stopping along the way to take lots of photos (Mt. Whitney is majestic). We landed at June Lake and luckily there were campsites open (with a view)! We camped 3 nights there and explored during the day. We explored Mono Lake, Bodie Ghost Town (which was fascinating), a volcanic basin, saw a lighting fire start, and my 3 crazies swam in June Lake...it was COLD! We were tempted to drive into Yosemite but we didn't really have the time we would have liked to devote to such a great place. The last time Joe and I were there was before I was pregnant with Piper. We decided that would be it's own trip.
About two weeks later, the week before Piper started Kindergarten, we headed out for one last trip. We drove north on Highway 101 and travelled the Central California Coast. It's one of my favorite drives of all time. We stopped at Morro Bay, watched the seals on the beach in San Simeon, took tons of photos of the coastal cypress trees, camped in Big Sur among the redwoods, explored the gorgeous Carmel Monastery, ate clam chowder on the Monterey Pier, drove 17 Mile Drive in Monterey Bay as our jaws dropped at EVERY SINGLE STOP, gawked at the artist nook that is Carmel-By-The-Sea, and drove in the middle of a huge classic car rally along the coast (by accident of course)! It was an amazing trip and we will certainly go back for more Big Sur camping. For next summer we are talking about Redwoods National Forest, possibly Lake Powell if the Boulters are up for it, and any other local camping trips we can fit in before school comes along and ruins it! (Just kidding of course)
Piper started Kindergarten at a local charter school the second week of August. She has a co-teaching class (two teachers share the duties and they each work part-time). She had a very rough first week trying to adjust to a new school and new kids. Mommy may have had an even tougher time to be honest! Within two weeks she was doing great, just like our angel teachers said she would! The co-teaching works so well and Piper is thriving. I am astounded at the knowledge she gained in just the first month and now over two months later she is reading and it makes me so happy to see her proud with each new success. Piper is teaching Fin so much and loves to read to her. Teaching is learning!
Finley is in preschool and LOVES it. She has such fun but is also happy to see me at pick up time, which makes me happy :) She loves reading, arts and crafts, and running anywhere she can. I don't think my child walks anywhere, which results in at least one band-aid a day! We are potty training and Fin seems to be doing well. We haven't ditched the diapers yet but I expect by Christmas we will be pretty darn close. That is exciting to me. No more kids in diapers will be a huge change for us, not to mention our landfills.
Both girls are still in gymnastics and as long as they love it we'll keep them in it. Piper is probably going to the big gym at the beginning of the new year. That is a huge step because that is where they turn all the basic training into the skills you see the elite gymnasts doing! Fin is only two but they want to put her in the three-year-old class where the parents DON'T participate. I told them to give it a try and good luck! We shall see. She has got the gymnastics skills to do it, but we will find out if she has the attention and listening skills.
Joe is back to filming "Zeke and Luther" for Disney XD Channel until probably April or May. He works long hours during the week but we get him all weekend. He likes his crew and everyone he works with which makes work less like work. This is most likely the last season for "Zeke and Luther" so it is on to bigger and better things next fall!
The photography business is still as fun as ever. I am shooting mostly portraits and weddings with the occasional marketing/model shoot. Joe stepped out and shot a wedding with me about a months ago and we had fun together. I am also back to making jewelry after a summer hiatus. The website and Etsy store are finally up (http://www.wendisolaridesigns.com). To keep up on our lives, the photography, and jewelry check out the blog: http://www.wendisolariblog.com. You can check in whenever you want or get email updates by clicking on subscribe.
I can't believe I am about to say this but have a fun Halloween, blessed Thanksgiving, and a wonderful Christmas. Time has just evaporated since the reunion but we had the most wonderful time and it was so fun to hang out and get reacquainted with so many of you. We really do look forward to the next one.
With Love,
Joe, Wendi, Piper, and Finley Solari
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