Carmel Valley, CA

Grandma Randi's house.  Ava's first plane flight was successful.  Erik's cousins Dara and Renee are visiting with their husbands and children.  All three of us had babies this year.  It's chaotic fun getting them together for the first time.

Cousin foot high-five

Miner's lettuce salad

Asilomar beach.  First experience touching sand, and then, of course, putting sand in mouth.

Hiking in Garland Park with kiddos in Ergos.

Monarch butterfly sanctuary grove in Pacific Grove.  Migrating monarchs over-winter in large groups on the trees in a few groves along the West coast, including this one.  Nobody knows exactly why.  

 Breastfeeding on the butterfly bench.

 Ava and Erik looking up at the butterflies.  The butterfly clusters are on the cypress above Erik's head.

Diaper change joy