learned love, learned life, became brave.

Yosemite. Oh, Yosemite. It is magic.  It really is... as you might be able to tell from the video. I've gone there six years in a row... lived there for two whole summers. They were some of the best summers of my life [thus far].  The first summer there was the one where I grew…

reinstated.

When I lived in Yosemite [the 2008 time], we instated the "One Song Dance Party".  It was only one song, and it had to happen every night.  It was glorious. Some people would just be sitting at the kitchen table, watching... laughing... And then there we'd be... dancing, smiling, laughing... sweating... It looked something like…

welcome home.

Yosemite. The incredible mountains, the hilarious people, the climbing in mass amounts and the mass amounts of people climbing. I love how it is always the same and I'm the one that changes every time.  I do love that so much. Last year the change was almost tragic.  I didn't want to be faced with…

we can drink bottles all night.

Today is my amazing niece's birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMERSON!! Four... WOW... FOUR YEARS OLD! She is such an amazing light in everyone's life. And if you need someone to scare away bears for you, she's your girl... I love you, Emerson. Can't wait to see you and dance to our jam...

discarded.

The deodorant I recently bought smells like Yosemite.  Or, wait... no, it smells like the kind I wore in Yosemite.  Either way, it brings me back almost every time I put it on. Also, I saw a discarded bouquet this morning.  It brought me back.  Again, to Yosemite. One day I came back to my…

learning to climb, love, live.

I have so much love for a certain place.  Many places, actually, but maybe the most love for Yosemite. Our access to climbing and camping in Yosemite is in danger, though.  Check it out. The Access Fund encourages us to write a letter to the park. I wrote a letter, thinking that it would just…

i am done.

It was a hard year.  The hardest yet. Last fall.  Leaving Yosemite in a blur to try and soften the blows of a family emergency and my sister's divorce.  The darkness of that. Fresno.  The tears of family, the delicacy of a two year old in question in your arms.  Hard. The frustration of uncertainty.…

…and then lied about it for the next two years.

After a long day, I came home to this... It reads... "Ray-Ray- Sorry I ate your dinosaur cookie from Bishop and then lied about it for the next two years.  I got you this replacement from Pendl's*.  It's technically a tea cake, but it's the best I could do. Looove You, A." You must be…

i got nothin’ to worry about.

There are some random things in life that I love more than I can explain... but I'll try to convey this one... Scratchy radio. I love it.  Listening to good songs on a station that sounds like you're just barely getting it... like you're lucky to have this listen... like it's telling you, "Remember the…

i’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life.

I heard a song this morning and it took me back to a glorious Yosemite morning... All packed up, Nic and I headed to his truck to drive to our climb.  Walking down the path, Nic realized we forgot our food... - Oh crap, we forgot our food. - It's fine... I'll run up and…