The Way Home via Various South Coast Tourist Stops
[Photos taken on 14 May 2017, posted online 6 September. Always fun to look back.]
On the way back home from the family reunion at Steig, we stopped by various interesting locations, both to stretch our legs, and to visit various Ingress/Pokemon GPS-located stops. We’ve found that be a good incentive to go to places we might otherwise drive right past! (53 images total)
The beach of Reynisfjara, seen from Dyrhólaey. There have been So. Many. Photos. taken of this beach!
Foster Family Reunion at Steig
[Photos taken on 13 May to 14 May 2017, posted online 2 September. I’m in denial about having a nasty head-cold. 27 August 2017. At a cafe, where a girl is doing her math homework, and her (presumably older?) boyfriend is being impatient and a bit obnoxious but still hanging around, occasionally helping. She’s telling him off though so they might make it. ]
Just like three years ago, we attended the family reunion of Finnur’s dad’s foster family. It was held at the Steig Guesthouse, close by the tourist attractions of Reynisfjara, and Dyrhólaey.
We drove there on Saturday, stayed the night at the guesthouse, and then drove back to town the next day, stopping at various places to let the kids out of the car, and, uhm, visit some Ingress locations/tourist traps.
Here are the photos from the family reunion (48 images total).
Saturday 13 May 2017
The view out the car window on the way to Steig. It was a beautiful day! That’s a glacier by the way.
Many May 2017 Missives
[Photos taken on 02 May to 12 May 2017, posted online 23 24 August 2017. School began today yesterday!]
The month of May brought with it good company, surprisingly warm days, endless sunsets, painting of walls, chasing down certain GPS locations for an Ingress game challenge, parties, spring cleanings, and a few jogs/walks as I tried to fix my deteriorating Achilles tendon (injured while jumping up stairs on that foot when the ankle broke on the other side a year and a half ago)!
Not much luck on the Achilles tendon, but Finnur and I both completed the Ingress challenge. Yay! (71 images total)
Tuesday 02 May 2017
Way behind schedule, I finally managed to host a sewing club for the ex-California ladies. It was a lovely evening!
A Tale of Two Trips (Laugarvatn & Paris)
[Photos taken on 28 April to 1 May 2017, posted online 7 August 2017. Bjarki’s room has been rearranged!]
In opposition to all the social research which indicates that looking forward to trips for a long time is good for the soul, we sprung Anna’s confirmation trip to Paris on her, giving her less than a week to anticipate it!
Mostly this was because we had the hardest time deciding what to give her that she would like, especially since mostly she wanted a horse! But, as it was becoming apparent that we would not be visiting Paris during our upcoming trip to France this summer, Anna was sad, so to Paris she got sent!
Now, as Finnur and Anna were going to be away, I decided to utilize our designated weekend at the Laugarvatn summer house, but worried about Bjarki and Emma arguing nonstop. Therefore I borrowed two kids as playmates, the middle kid of my oldest brother, and the son of my brother Pétur, who also tagged along, but avoided the camera somehow! (39 images total)
Friday 28 April 2017
Anna and Finnur stopped by my workplace to hand over some misplaced car keys.
Mom-Morning, Dinner, 2nd Birthday, and a Walk
[Photos taken on 24 April 2017, posted online 5 August 2017. Emma’s room has been purged of unwanted things and tidied!]
The week after Anna’s confirmation:
Emma’s daycare had a mom-morning, my dad and company came for dinner, we celebrated my nephew’s second birthday, and I went for a late evening walk. (13 images total)
Monday 24 April 2017
Daycare likes to ask the kids questions in preparation for certain days, like when moms or dads stay with them for an hour in the morning to socialize and look around. Here are questions regarding “mom”.
Confirmation Wrap-Up
[Photos taken on 24 April 2017, posted online 31 July 2017. Today I stained our decks!]
When we’d arrived home after the confirmation party, downstairs was in such a disarray (after the photo-shoot etc!) that I just had to tidy up before presents could be opened. That wasn’t done until 11 pm, by which time Anna was pale with exhaustion, so present-opening got postponed for a day.
She ended up getting lots of wonderful gifts, and a good chunk of money, as is customary. We thank everybody for their generosity!!
Anna had been too exhausted to open her presents the night before, so the bonanza got opened the day after.
Anna Sólrún’s Confirmation & Party
[Photos taken on 23 April 2017, posted online 30 July 2017. Since the last post we’ve spent 10 days in France, and a week at a summer house!]
Anna’s civil confirmation day was a beautiful one.
The civil confirmation, held by Siðmennt, the secular ethical humanist organization of Iceland, is a version of the religious confirmation/Bar & Bat Mitzvah/Rite of passage concept, and consist of a 12 week course where various topics are covered, while encouraging critical and philosophical thinking.
At the end of the course there is a ceremony where some of the kids perform, a speaker holds forth, and the kids get certificates for completing the course.
Afterwards there is traditionally a celebratory party! (A large majority of kids in Iceland still get religiously confirmed, but the secular group keeps growing every year.) For the kids, it’s all about the gifts, but for the parents it’s a chance to show off their awesome kids, surrounded by friends and family.
Here are 66 photos from the day. Click here to see ALL the 124 photos!
The proud parents outside Salurinn, the auditorium where the ceremony was held. It was the third and last such civil ceremony of the day.
Anna’s Confirmation Photos
[Photos taken on 23 April 2017, posted online 06 July 2017. It’s wet out there!]
Right after Anna returned from the hairdressers, and before we hopped off to the confirmation ceremony, I took photos of Anna in our living room.
As it happened, the sun had a direct line of sight into one side of the living room, meaning light conditions were wonky, but it sure made the colors pop!
Furthermore, these photos have only been manipulated by me in Picasa (mostly contrast and lighting, and a lot of backdrop wrinkle removal), but it’ll have to do for now.
On to the photos! (15 images total)
Anna Sólrún, about to be confirmed!
Confirmation Day Preparations
[Photos taken 17 to 22 April 2017, posted online 5 July 2017. The summer holiday looms!]
The week after Easter Sunday was in large part spent preparing for the big (80 person) confirmation party we were about to host the following Sunday.
We tried to keep things fairly laid back, but there was a test-hairdo appointment, old photos to sort through and get printed, finalizing decorations, finalizing food matters, hiring a helper, sorting out flowers, actually setting up the room, etc., etc…
I’m pretty sure we spent more time organizing this party than we did organizing our own wedding! But it was (mostly) fun, and nobody quite freaked out. (25 images total)
Monday 17 April 2017
(Second Day of Easter = Public Holiday)
That Monday I took off to a new cafe in Hafnarfjörður to finish picking out old photos of Anna. I think that’s Bjarki sliding down a hill on the screen though!
Easter Sunday (aka Chocolate Day) 2017
[Photos taken on Easter Sunday 16 April 2017, posted online on 03 July 2017. At my favorite cafe!]
Yet another year, yet another Easter Sunday, also known as The Day of Chocolate.
Now, because I can, here are links to the Easter Posts/Photos from previous years:
- 2016 – Feast at Finnur’s parents’ house in Iceland (Finnur wins the whist tournament again!),
- 2015 – Feast at Finnur’s parents’ house in Iceland (Finnur wins the whist tournament!),
- 2014 – Feast at Finnur’s parents’ house in Iceland,
- 2013 – Feast at Finnur’s parent’s house in Iceland, and Emma gets her name ,
- 2012 – Feast at Finnur’s parent’s house in Iceland (Google photos),
- 2011 – Feast at Finnur’s parents’ house in Iceland (Google photos),
- 2010 – Feast in our duplex in Mountain View, with August and Sarah (Google photos),
- 2009 – Potluck in our duplex in Mountain View, with the families of Edda, Sigga, Soffía, and Sólveig,
- 2008 – Hidden Villa Easter egg hunt in the woods with Anna’s daycare group, then candy-feast in our Stanford apt.,
- 2007 is missing!,
- 2006 – In Hawaii with Guðrún and Snorri (aka Finnur’s crab feast!),
- 2005 – Hrefna and Anna in Iceland. We ate eggs with Hrefna’s brothers, then visited Finnur’s parents,
- 2004 – Anna’s first Easter feast, held in our Mountain View apartment, with Kerri, Augusto and Sarah,
- 2003 is missing!,
- 2002 – Feast at Gunnhildur and Jón’s í Los Angeles,
- 2001 – Feast in our Stanford high-rise apartment, with Kerri, Todd, Tally, Viola and Carlo.
Good times! And now for some photos from this year! (49 images total!)
The kiddos with their Easter eggs.