My fingers are stiff and the tips still hurt a little bit as I type this blog post out on my computer. It's been a while since I felt this way, and I miss it. Climbing season for me is full on right now, and I made some serious progress yesterday on a climb that I've had in mind for years. It is a full two grades harder than anything I have ever done, and the first time I looked at it I couldn't see how it would be possible, even in theory. Well, I went down with a friend yesterday and came away not only having done all the moves, but having done the entire route in three separate "links" which each overlap the next. For the non-climbers out there, just know that this is huge. It means that I am pretty sure that I can do it, and that it is going to happen sooner rather than later.

There isn't much to say about climbing that I haven't already said. Every route is unique, and every day on the rock brings with it a different mix of experiences. It's almost always good. But it has been a couple years maybe, since I approached a route that required me to dig so deep to find my own potential. I love it.

*****

Evelyn took center stage again this week with the band. This event had several different groups, and they got the chance to perform two songs. They did the same one as last time (Zombie, by the Cranberries), as well as a new one they have been working on (Creep, by Radiohead). They still have some polishing to do, but it is fun to watch them, and the stage experience is hard to beat.

Here are some photos from the show:

So, this is totally a "dad" photo. They called the name of the band. The crowd went wild (for real). And then Evelyn, my daughter, who is better known to her friends as "Moth," leads the band onto stage with a stride that demonstrates so much confidence that it was hard not to feel just a little bit of dad pride. I mean, seriously- why couldn't I be this cool?

Evelyn gets two photos because she is in our family and this is my blog and I can do what I want :)

Guitars are cool too though, so I guess we'll get some close-ups of those as well.

The band has a stage presence that is very intentional, and they pull it off well. For a group of middle-schoolers, they seem very comfortable in front of an audience.  

*****

Here's a few more random photos from the week.

A park we went to. Can you spot all five kids?

Rachel playing around on Evelyn's skateboard

Maren is a sweetie. Jackson's friend came for a sleepover. Maren made a nice breakfast for everyone.

Also, I don't have a picture of it, but we got a large package in the mail this week addressed to Addy. Nobody was expecting it. When it was opened, Addy saw a scooter just like one she had been looking at (coveting) that our neighbor has. It turns out that Maren saw Addy's excitement over the scooter and decided to use her own money to order a "just because" present.

Maren is just one of the most thoughtful people ever. I love that girl!

Our family won a bunch of stuff this week. We never win anything, so it was sort of a big deal. First of all, we took the biggest prize at the school raffle, which includes lots of sweets for the kids, and lots of date nights/family outings for us.

Also, at the concert they had a quick trivia event during intermission. The winningest question: Where is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located? Well, it turns out that Addy happened to know that she was born just a few miles away from it. Cleveland, Ohio. She went home that night with a lot of swag, along a week of summer music camp.

It's kinda fun to win :)

Finding turtles down at the pond.

Alright- that's all I have. 

Have a good week!

For the most part, this photo summarizes my weekend:

I know I've mentioned "study club" over the years in the blog. I actually really look forward to these weekends. It's where a bunch of dentists get together and geek out over teeth and stuff. This year I have taken on the role of "IT/AV/Website Guy" for the club, which has actually been a little bit fun.

*****

Weeks ago, I told Rachel to clear her evening plans for us to go out to dinner with some of the doctors in study club on Saturday night.

Which was a lie.

After a little bit of covert planning, the timing couldn't have worked out better. Just as her and I were "leaving" for our date, the doorbell rang. Rachel opened it, and almost immediately burst into surprised and happy tears.  

Her two best friends, Kristin and Jamie, were standing on our doorstep dressed for an evening of fun. They were taking her out for an early birthday celebration. I'm not sure of the all the details, but I know it ended with them dancing the night away at a local club. It's good to have friends like these.

Fierce, Fabulous, and Forty!

*****

As for family stuff, nothing too wild this week. A group of us went on a hike that ended up being much longer than I think anyone was expecting. I should add that we all saw this as a good thing.

Also, there were some shenanigans around the house:

Sometimes our kids like to dabble in makeup artistry

*****

As for Rach and I, we got out on three different occasions. This is pretty par-for-the-course for us. We go on lots of dates, and I really like that. 

The first was our usual breakfast date on Mondays, followed by some gym time together. This happens almost every week.

On Friday night, we went to a cider house where one of our favorite local musicians was playing. He usually does solo stuff, but this time he had a band with him and I think they did great!

And then on Sunday we went to the screening of Reel Rock 16, a big gathering of climbers which is always a lot of fun. Climbing has a culture which is definitely influenced by, but separate from the actual activity of getting to the top of rocks and mountains. For the most part, I really like this culture, and I think the best parts of it come out during gatherings like this. It was a laid-back evening full of laughter and friends.

Alright, that's it. Have a good week!

This was a short week with a lot of good stuff packed in. I'll try to do justice to each event.

*****

On Friday night, Rachel and I celebrated our 17th anniversary. Sort of. Actually, our anniversary was on Thursday, and our real celebration will happen later in the month for a week on the San Juan Islands, but we did go on a date and we called it our anniversary, so there is that. Anyway, we saw the play "Lifespan of a Fact," which we both thought was very well done. It's central theme is a subject that I think a lot about- especially as I write this blog- and even though it was opening night the acting was on point. 

Seventeen years, and they just keep getting better. I can honestly say that with a straight face. The other day Evelyn made a comment that "You two don't even seem like a married couple- you just seem like two really good friends who make out with each other sometimes." If that is the perception, then I'd say it is accurate. Rachel is my best friend. And she's a pretty good kisser too ;)

I'd say we do life pretty well together

*****

We eased into the weekend the next morning- Rachel and I going to the gym together, and the kids lounging away in front of Saturday morning cartoons. Eventually we loaded the van and pulled out of the driveway around eleven. The sky was dark and an angry rain beat down on the windshield. 

No worries- we were headed to the desert. Vantage. Climbing. It's what we do.

I have to admit that I get a certain sense of pride when my kids lead and belay each other on things that other adults in the area consider to be challenging. Especially when a sense of humor, fun, and "childishness" is maintained throughout the process.

It was kind of a windy day :)

Besides climbing, there is also a lot of exploring that goes on at Vantage. Look closely and you'll see our kids jumping around on the cliffs, looking for little caves, and finding places with viewpoints. Watching them reminds me of when I was a kid, and we would ride our bikes to "the rocks" to do the same thing. 

After climbing, we went to a nice-ish little Mexican restaurant for dinner and stayed in a hotel. I think we watched a movie that night? I'm not entirely sure because I fell asleep pretty early. That happens sometimes.

*****

We awoke the next morning and had breakfast, followed by a short presentation of Mother's Day presents that some of the kids had prepared. We then made a short drive to our next destination: Palouse Falls. It's one of those places we inevitably end up visiting every now and then. Close enough to be easily accessible, and different enough geographically to inspire open-mouthed astonishment at the natural beauty. It's a cool place.

Ev will love that I included this silly picture :). If you hike down to the waterfall, you start out on top of these big cliffs, walking through rolling grassland. The wind forms waves in the grass that look really cool. These hills are one of my favorite features of the Palouse. Even just driving through them is a neat experience. Eventually, you descend into a deep canyon with a river running through it.

It's Mother's Day, so we took a picture

Actually, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better mom. Although neither of us conscientiously "teach" much to our kids at all, her example of what a genuinely awesome woman looks like says more than a thousand lectures ever could.

The little pools that form along the side of the river were teeming with tadpoles and other stream-life. It was like visiting a freshwater tidepool!

After walking along the river for some time, you arrive at the top of the falls. It's a pretty spectacular view, and I've never been able to capture the feeling in a photograph of staring down into the misty abyss. If you want, you can continue down to the base for a different vantage point.

Also, Evelyn really likes mushrooms. It's a thing.

*****

We arrived back home in time for Rachel and me to shower and make it to a nice outdoor concert at Arbor Crest. It was lovely. I would have to work the next day, but sitting there as the weekend slowly burned down, listening to music, dancing, laughing with friends, and watching the sun set over the valley made me feel like much more than two days had gone by. It was refreshing. 

Have a good week!

There is one person this week that deserves all the attention. Evelyn. What a kid. Seriously.

Friday night was "middle school night" at Triple Play. It's like a bowling alley/swimming pool/ropes course/go-kart sort of place. Anyway- we all went as a family because I guess part of the proceeds went to the school or something. As soon as we walked in the door, Evelyn was approached by a group of girls.

"Oh my gosh, you're Moth!"

They gushed. Ev (Moth) talked to them for a while, and then shrugged the whole thing off like it was just a day in the life of a kid who is able to define her own terms when it comes to "cool." She then walked off for the rest of the night to hang out with her friends with a sort of strut that, as Rachel put it, "takes up all the confident space in the room."

The next day was even bigger. A couple months ago, Evelyn and her friends had the idea to start a band. When this idea first materialized they all came over to our house for a jam session. It was fun. Their instruments made sounds. Every once in a while these sounds coincided in a way that might be construed as music. To be honest, they had a long way to go.

Yesterday. Crowded shopping mall- an innocent enough place to make a debut. Mostly, just an opportunity to get the feel for public performance. There were even a couple of other little acts that went first. From what I could tell, the only people really paying attention were friends and family. The pressure was low.

A guy got up and introduced the band. "And now, for the first time in public, a new band. Introducing...Minerva!"

Minerva? I'd never heard that name before. They always just referred to themselves as "girl band." 

Minerva. It's kinda cool. I like it.

They got up with their instruments. They looked the part. And from the first chord, people started to notice. They stopped. It wasn't just parents any more. And it was soooo cool. I felt an adrenaline rush just watching them! They weren't perfect, but they were pretty darn good for a bunch of middle-school kids doing their first gig.

As a dad, I was overcome with pride. My kid is the coolest.

PS: She also has a 4.0 GPA, plays in two different school bands, and is a National Honor Student. Just sayin'.

That's all.

There is supposed to be a video embedded here of their performance. If that doesn't work, you can also see it by clicking the HERE.

Here's a few photos that Addy sent me from our time at Triple Play. 

Have a good week!