Noah Cardiel Holt | My life according to other people

Quick trip to Governors Island. Just because we can.

Not New Hampshire.

You want to know how to be a really popular Aunt? Make this the first thing you do in the morning.

As a present to Noah, Kate and I borrowed Grampa’s MG and went hiking, leaving him behind to be wildly spoiled by everyone around.

I won’t bore you with a bunch hiking photos, but I got a few.

Nancy Cascades.

WARNING! The following contains stats!! – 89% of NH has forest cover, that’s the highest percentage in the lower 48. And on the trail up to Nancy Pond you can find “one of the two largest remaining areas of virgin spruce-fir forest in the state” (peep) where “the median age of trees is about 254 years” (peep).

Meanwhile, back in Milan, the hero of our story was dealing with challenges of his own.

Noah’s main challenge, which new gun to play with.

Zach and Dillon helping with his new Legos.

Aunt Mindy’s theme appropriate chocolate lollipops.

Borrowing one of Grampa’s “juice” koozies.

Aunt Mindy’s cake.

The Aunt Mindy/Noah collaborative cupcakes.

Then the entertainment showed up.

Opening a few presents before bed.

Audience encouragement.

A whole box of animals!! (Sharks, a turtle, penquins…)

Good day.

Yurt life!

I never want to leave.

Leaving.

Story Land!

Where kids can run, play, and learn to be frustrated by pens that don’t work.

After staying up too late, looking at too many stars, I wanted to take a nap so I sent Noah and Nana to find me a bed that wasn’t too hard, or too soft, but just right.

This went to lil’ dudes head.

Fair maidens.

Dictatoring.

Grampa Holt stealing a photo of us on the balloon ride.

Noah stealing a hug.

Kate, telling some kid to squirt the guy with the camera.

Story Land’s secret water ride.

Seconds later…

Back at the pond.

Noah’s telling me a story about the one that got away.

Nana Holt giving us a lesson in determination.

Solid times.

A day at The Flume while we were still up in NH.

Spiders are taking over the world. You heard it hear first.

A b-b-b-b-bear cave!

Youth, falling through the cracks.

Noah called these shelters “theaters”, each time we got a “show”.

Into the wolf den.

Noah wasn’t into climbing through the old wolf den, but he found some other caves to call through.

Back at the compound, playing around with the cars that Uncle Gerry and Aunt Paula gave him.

Way back when we were in NH, still living the relaxed vacation life.

WILD LIFE!!!

Wash the paws.

Frustrated, wondering what we are trudging so far for…

Around the corner…

A pretty great lunch spot.

The descent.

Drying off.

The reward.