Kauai'....Aloha and Mahalo.

Not sure what to say about things other than how RAD they are.  Ok, ok...not every moment in life is super fun but most things, even the not fun times, turn out to be excellent learning moments that all make the fun possible in one way or the other.  That is groundArt philosophy 101, a course that is no longer being taught. 

In other news....the GroundArt trio just got back from an epic week on Kauai'.  It was glorious in so many ways...but mostly the memories of Katie, Frances, and I exploring the island and the beaches and playing with Sohrob, Hannah, and Alma in our snug little south island apartment just steps from baby beach....all of it..... I guess looking back....it was all fun.  Even all the 'challenging' moments of traveling with 2 beautiful, fairly 'spirited'  just under two year olds.....it was all great.  All of our faces were 'lit' with excitement at one point or another and each moment was a blessing.  Oh yeah...the surfing was really fun too....! Hee hee...

Fun trip up north

Thank you!! to all those who sent out Bday wishes. Aside from practically an entire day of surfing on my birthday....and another great family/beach/surf day out at Bolinas last Sunday...this past weekend was spent at a beautiful nook up north.....SURFING! I love Mendocino county and the northern coast of California. Today however was delightfully spent with the Fran.....as Katie needed a well deserved break and time to herself. Enjoy the following new pics of our tribe the beautiful fall 09. GroundArt says peace and God bless.

long time much talk now!!

Wow!!! so much happens in the journey of living life...( riding waves, literally and figuratively)...especially when you have a pistol like FRANCES! Our daughter is a wild one, I tell ya. The past few months have been difficult to say the least....but filled with great blessing too. Sheash..it has been some time since I updated the blog so here it goes.

Grampa Craig and Grandma Karen visited around labor day....we had fun and spent a short stint in the pool. That was when the pistol turned one year of age. Fran began to walk around that same time. Then came time for full on bay area September...waves were fun...we went to the beach often and the weather was great. Cousin Annie was born. What a babe! Frances loves the beach and went several times in Sept. Katie...the beautiful 'MOMMA' turned the big three-one toward the end of Sept. and too began a difficult sleep/teething pattern for Fran. Seems like for the last 2 month plus she has wanted to stay up extra long for her 'awake' periods at night making it super hard for momma and dada to get good sleep. Then great grandma Bev and aunt Pam came to visit...unfortunately Fran wasn't feeling so hot...but we did spend some quality time enjoying great food around San Rafael. Soon thereafter, Fran came down with a gnarly temp. Dada escaped the house from time to time to enjoy probably the worst fall surf in some time. Although, he did really enjoy one super foggy fall morning in 8-10 foot great fun surf at ocean beach watching the dolphins explode out of the back of the waves. Now here we are in mid Oct. and the waves look like March....but sure feels like Fall around town. Frances is getting better....slowly..Momma too....but soon things will be cruising right along like normal. I love the fall.....mostly because it signifies the turning of another year...good friends show up around Holloweenie.....and better beers begin to arrive on the shelves. Should mean good waves too....but those have truly yet to come. Love you all....peace and God bless! GroundArt. enjoy the pics.

Too hot...too cute summer days!

Camping with the Groundart Trio

This has been a difficult/exhilarating and hot week!!  But very fun.  Katie and I took Fran out on her first camping exploration to Lake Pillsbury in the beautiful Mendocino Natnl. Forest.  It was challenging but sooo super rewarding!  Fran experienced many firsts' and loved being outdoors all day long!  To slightly complicate our arrival...we made it to our destination...aka love-bar-point via kayak and canoe.  What a treat!  Here are a few photos of our journey.  Enjoy.  The last one in transport home was a clear...."Why are we going home?"

Everyday activities...

Some fun times are going down around here.  Although Frances has her difficult moments....she loves getting outside.  Here are a couple pics of us getting ready for a ride around town on another beautiful afternoon.  There is a link on the left to see more of what is going on with Yuba Bikes.  I think they are about the best thing on earth next to my family and the tools I use to ride waves in the ocean.

Fran says:  "Dada...bike?"

Papa says:  "Yeah you wanna go on a bike ride?"

Fran responds:  "Si"

Newest in new....fun times

Hey all:  life here in San Rafael is great.  South swell pulse just leaving .....beautiful foggy skies at the coast and warm Marin temps keep us happy.  Frances is doing splendid!  She has soooo much to offer our world and the people who live in it.  She was super happy to meet her grandma Patty from Montana.  And although grandma Patty wasn't able to take her windsurfing or golfing yet...I think she too was super happy to meet her grand-daughter.  Pictured above is the families new ride into the good life.  My new friend Ben at Yuba Bikes was extremely generous in handing over this beast....hopefully I can help the company sell them as I ride it with Frances and Katie all over San Rafael.  Oh yeah....by the way, if you need a 'certified by the state of Californian' bonefied Journeyman electrician....you can now call me.  No longer an apprentice.....well, I guess we are all apprentices in a 'forever- learning' sort of way.  Peace out and God bless.

leeroy

posting is pics right now...

love you all....here is the babe and her first bike ride ever!  She loved it.

long time no post....Fran keeps us busy!

Here are a couple new pics from Francini's 'best-friend forever's birthday party....and from a recent super warm day at the beach.  Life is great!  She is starting to really sign...(communicate with her hands) and crawl very fast!!  She crawls to things in order to stand and try to walk/do things she isn't quite ready for...but it seems as though the inevitable is around the corner.  I have only seen one other girl that can keep up with her....and that is Oceanne.  She can be seen at a link from the Princess Fanny surprise site...and she is a new friend of Frances'.  I enjoyed finally meeting her parents.  Get me a Yuba cargo bike folks!!!  I would get rid of everyother bike toy I own to have one of these!

Life in Groundart world remains the same...great!   I mean to say that life for Katie and I is challenging right now, but we are healthy, and getting out and exercising when possible....gettin to the pool or the ocean to cool down as we have had quite a warm winter and spring, and feel as though we are blasting into summer.  Bring it on!   Soon we will be seeing Grandpa Craig and Karen...then off to a trip to Yosemite.....maybe a quick weekend extension trip to Pillsbury a lake in Mendocino.....then comes the much anticipated visit in July from Grandma Patty!  We are looking forward to a fun one.  Love you all!  Keep in touch as I am rather bad at that.  Oh and sorry for the repeat pics folks...Katie momma just informed me that these are on PFS.  Leeroy

thankful

o9 is really movin.  seems like yesterday when Katie and i were hanging with friends on new years ...thinking and drawing up our personal posters for the year..verbalizing to an audience of accountability what changes we'd like to make in our lives...and how we'd be able to help others fulfill theirs.  Feb. just rained- on- by literally...atleast here in the bay.  March however has been marvelous.  Temps in the 70's plus....super mediocre surf..but who cares when spring moves in because it always brings a momentum of change.  The above new photo was taken in Baja....a few years back when Katie and I went on a two month road trip down the eastern sierras and all the way to Pescadero...close to Cabo San Lucas BAja California Mexico.  Man I love Baja.  Of all the places I have been blessed to visit...it ranks next to Chile on the most next most wanted to visit list.  We look forward to planning a winter with Frances on the beach and in the dunes of southern Baja.

On the home turf...i was recently granted the aok by the state of Cali to take my state Electrical exam...wooohooo...  Another goal near completion..and one I will likely utilize to carry us through the following months and years of this recession.  I pray that the work continues in our little bubble of the universe.

Katie and Frances are doing supremely awesome.  Each one growing daily with the newness of an ever changing life and super mother.  I enjoy very much living and growing with them.  Even though I still crave to plunge myself into the ocean as much as possible...I too crave coming home and spending warm afternoons with my daughter and wife...walking the beautiful streets of San Rafael and watching our babe grow so FAST!  We are looking forward to some camping trips this summer....and climbing again....along with trips to our gym and long days at the pool. Speaking of pool...Frances and her bff Soleil took their first swimming lessons this past week and loved it.  My good friend Danny's wife Anke teaches infants how to swim, and although it was a sick day for me...i felt very fortunate to be there to witness my baby's first day of plunging herself.

love yourselves and your neighbors peoples.....surf if you live near waves and if you don't well then....do something you love and have a beer on me.

leeroy

cool new pics

Last of the bunch...of beautiful winter days..

Here is a family shot in downtown Mill Valley after a great afternoon hike/walk up the Dipsea stairs.  We have had a wonderful string of 60-70 degree days all through January.  Finally today the rain is back and boy do we need it!  Frances and Katie are doing great..although we are trying to teach Frances some important sleeping lessons early in life and it requires much of our energy!

Gotta love life with these two babes to look forward to after a hard day at work.  Hope all is well out there for fellow GroundArt blog checkers.  Feel free to drop a comment from time to time to let me know you are checking in on us.  Also...don't forget to check up on Frances' blog on the left at Princess Fanny Surprise link.  Peace and God bless all.

new and old stuff from Groundart...

what can I say?  Life is great!

Leeroy  Jan 09

Quite Inspired

I enjoyed very much being able to witness the inauguration of our newest president.  I was running MC wire between 2 three way switches...watching through a door into a living room...but nonetheless I felt inspired and present.  It was relieving to me to see a diverse group of people speak, pray, sing, and share including Obama's speech itself.  Id like to think that we will see quite a change and feel more of a spirit of humility and respect for hardworking/hard living peoples all around the globe.  I thought his speech embodied a true Christian spirit in offering peace to a broken world.  Simultaneously, he did a good job at appreciating those that drive our own country and paid tribute to its foundations and heritage.  All in all his speech offered a much needed difference to that of the war monger, fear driven Bush era that has now, thank God, come to an end.  For those that do not share these same opinions, I would urge you to listen carefully to the words of his speech with an open mind and try to see that what he stands for is what every person on earth longs for in a deep way.  Peace and God bless.

one New years resolution

Use the bike more!