Suresh Elias

Last Stop, Morocco !!

2010-11-30T10:48:00.000-08:00

Our last stop on an amazing journey...Morocco. There we were met by our good friends, Sue and Jon. Suresh was so excited to see them I thought he might explode! Here is Suresh taking a self portrait with Sue.

We spent most of our time hanging out at surf camp with our friends. Suresh hopes that some day he will be as cool as Jon!

After some surf sessions with his Dad, Suresh can now hang ten with the best of them!

The surfing turned out to be only part of the adventure....the Moroccan markets were an experience too! The monkey made us both a little nervous!

Suresh also rode his first donkey in a desert oasis!

And a camel on a beach!

What a wonderful place to end our grand adventure. We are sad to leave Morocco but look forward to home sweet home....where everyday seems to be an adventure!!! Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible!!!!

Sporting Portugal

2010-11-24T09:51:00.001-08:00

It would be hard to summarize all that we did in Portugal but it is safe to say that we were a sporty family!

Suresh spent some quality hang loose time with his Dad.

He bouldered a ton with his Mom. This is him on a first ascent! Watch out Chris Sharma!

Elmo even got in on the climbing fun.

No sporty vacation is complete for a four year old without some serious sand time!

Suresh with his signature body launch. That pool of water is only 6 inches deep...ouch!!! We loved Portugal and will miss its sunshine, pastries, port, surf and rock. Next stop, Morocco!!

The Charm of Sintra

2010-11-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to spend a month in the beautiful town of Sintra. Our house was a ten minute walk down cobblestones to the historic center of town. The area was filled with museums, palaces, castles, monastaries, and plenty of charm.

This is the Moorish castle that looms over the town. It adds to the mystical feel of the place.

One of the nicest things about Europe is all the bakeries. This was our favorite. Suresh and I came here many times for quejadas and hot chocolate.

Many days were simply filled with walks in the park. What could be better than watching Suresh feed the pigeons for hours.

Rick hooked us up with the last trolley ride of the season. We rode with Grandma and Grandpa from Sintra down to the coast and back. Suresh was in heaven!

A Little Portuguesa

2010-10-31T04:47:00.000-07:00

The next stop on the european tour....Sintra, Portugal. We settled down in an authentic 18th century house for a month. We did so much...surfing, climbing, and exploring a beautiful old part of Portugal.

Perhaps what made this part of our trip so special was the company. Todd spent a week with us. Between the surfing, climbing, and playing with Suresh...I think we wore him out. Thanks Uncle Todd!!

And of course, Grandma and Grandpa were there too. We enjoyed some fantastic family time in some of the most beautiful settings. Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa!!

A Few Days in Rome

2010-10-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

We had a few days to waste between Greece and Portugal. Where do you go when all of Europe is right there? The decision was tough but we agreed upon Rome and it was absolutely amazing!!

We discovered the bus tour of Rome. If you know Suresh's love for buses then you would understand how truly perfect this was. We road all around for three days, seeing the sights and eating gelato.

When the city got to be too much, we took a train to a village. There we visited the castle where Tom Cruise was married! Well, actually it was closed but we walked around it and had a gorgeous picnic of proscuitto, bread and cheese!

This is Suresh gone wild in an urban Roman fountain...his favorite part of the Rome trip. Luckily I packed dry shorts!

The sights and sounds of Rome were amazing....not to mention the gelato and pasta! We will be back. Next stop.....Portugal!

Next Stop, Kalymnos !!!

2010-10-16T13:39:00.001-07:00

After two weeks on the sailboat we found terra firma on the island of Kalymnos. There we met up with Todd and Libby, and Meghan. Kalymnos happens to be home to not only stupendous rock climbing but also sponges !!

We spent a week rock climbing on some of the most amazing crags. Suresh hiked up there every day by himself. He was easily entertained by hours of race tracks!

In between car racing, Suresh insisted on climbing. He climbed high enough to make us both impressed and pretty nervous! (Note the friendly goat in the background)

He is almost as serious as me when I climb! Just look at that focus!

In truth, we think he just climbed high to be able to swing better on the way down! It was our first family climbing holiday. Thanks to a little help from our friends...we pulled it off!

Exploring the Greek Islands

2010-10-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Our adventure to Greece was not all waves and wind. We anchored in some amazing places and saw some amazing things. In the end, we explored 7 of the Dodecanese islands. This is the top of a very old chapel on top of a castle on Astypalia.

The castles in Greece are very old and very rustic. They were the kind of places that conjure up images of pirates and moors. There is Suresh catching some air time outside the castle.

Our favorite island was Astypalia. Oddly enough, the guide book didn't recommend it! Suresh and I are navigating the winding streets leading to the castle on top.

Many of the islands had not only castles but also the remains of old windmills. They sat prominently on ridges and hilltops ready to catch the "meltemi" which is Greek for "really strong and scary mediterranean wind"!

Sailing the Aegean Sea

2010-09-29T07:04:00.001-07:00

After a few days in Kos, we were united with the Kalos Manolis. She was the trusty sailing vessel that we would call home for the next two weeks.

Suresh is a natural sailor. Although he did get the pukes once, for the most part the big seas never bothered him. I wish we could say the same!

This was Suresh's favorite spot on the boat. As a result, I often had to brave the precarious bow. Notice that all the pictures depict calm seas...thats because it is hard to take photos when the wind is blowing 35 knots and the waves are 6 feet!!

Eventually Suresh did take over the boat. He donned his pirate gear and his pirate snarl to take over the helm....Rick didn't have a chance!

Although Libby did encourage the pirate take-over, we were so glad when she showed up to be first mate!!!

So the Adventure Begins!

2010-09-20T11:42:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, our family has set out on a 4 month travel adventure. We left Anchorage on August 31 and flew over the pole on a Condor flight to Frankfurt then on to Kos, Greece. Suresh pulled his first all nighter! This is him at 4:00 am Anchorage time in the Frankfurt airport.

As soon as we made it to Kos, Suresh just couldn't wait to swim. I think he is half dolphin!

We spent the first few days exploring Kos. That is an old castle in the background. Greece is covered with them...

It didn't take Suresh long to find the sheep down the street from our hotel. We made a trip each morning after breakfast to feed them.

The islands have so many ancient ruins! They are set up like public parks and are free to explore. We played hide and seek in this one. Suresh pretended he was Mogley, I was King Louie, and Rick was Belue.

The boys posing for me in front of more amazing greek ruins.

An Evening of Flying

2010-08-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

We got a last minute offer from a friend tonight to go for a flight in his cessna. So Rick and Suresh seized the opportunity and off they went. Suresh has mentioned once or twice that he wants to be a pilot...I wonder if he is hooked??

They flew around Pioneer Peak, landed next to the Knick Glacier for a quick walk, and flew right over our house...thats it right in the middle!!

Suresh Discovers Bumper Cars!!

2010-08-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

We took Suresh to opening day at the Alaska State Fair. He discovered that you don't get in trouble when you crash in the bumper cars! I think Rick looks worried.

Bumper car ecstasy !! He did not, however, have the same look on his face while riding the roller coaster.

Family Sailing Adventure

2010-07-18T23:21:00.001-07:00

The sailing boys enjoying a moment below the deck.

Suresh doing his happy dance.

Our first silver caught from the sailboat!
The next one will be bigger than Suresh!

Suresh Loves Smores!

2010-07-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went camping. It was a little chilly and rainy but Suresh didn't mind. He discovered he is almost as tall as the fireweed!

He also remembered how much he loves smores!!

Yummy!

Sailing Season is Here!

2010-07-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Sailing season is here! Rick, Chip, Gina, Lu-lu, and Suresh went out for a windy adventure. There were blue skies and skinny dipping!

The Leinickes Come to Alaska !!

2010-07-13T11:53:00.001-07:00

We finally got my sister, her kids, and my Mom to come up for a visit. We had some great adventures too! Here are the kids at the Spencer Whistle Stop.

We took a train into the backcountry and then got off in the middle of nowhere. A few mile hike and you are face to face with the Spencer Glacier and all its beauty!

Maggie and Katie hamming it up with Suresh.

A movie night is always a hit!

Winter Fun

2010-07-13T11:34:00.001-07:00

We had a great winter this year, lots of snow, ice, and fun! Rick's brother Greg came with his daughter, Migo, for a snowy visit.

Suresh learned to ski. He rides the chair lift and cuts turns all by himself. I am pretty sure he is already better than us!

We even got out to watch the Iditarod Race this year. It is a uniquely Alaska tradition and Suresh loves it!

Go dogs, go !!

Some Snuggle Time

2010-07-13T11:22:00.001-07:00

I will miss it when Suresh stops all the snuggling!

Spring in Hawaii

2010-07-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

In March we made the annual flight to Hawaii. Five hours later we were on sandy beaches! Rick's family met us there for a bit of a Navitsky family reunion (Lynn and Andrew came too!). Here are Kayla and Suresh getting into trouble.

Migo and Chloe keeping Suresh in line.

Suresh learned to surf a bit too...following in Dad's footsteps!

Rick's Birthday

2010-04-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Suresh surprised his daddy with a hydraulic rocket launcher for his birthday. There have been hours and hours of launching ever since!

More Holiday Pics

2010-04-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Suresh got really excited about the presents this year. he also had his first slumber party with his best friend Lu-Lu.

Holiday Memories

2010-04-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

These pics are tardy but they are still worth it! Christmas was so much more fun with Suresh this year. He was truly in the spirit, surrounded by friends, family, and fun.

East Coast Extravaganza !!

2009-10-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

At the end of October we took a family vacation to the east coast. We travelled by plane, train, and automobile to see family and friends. This is us with Lynn (by now she qualifies as both family and friend).

First stop......Virginia. There we saw Scott, Ping, and Suresh's new cousin, Lydia. As a bonus, Suresh picked his first apple at an apple orchard.

No apple orchard is complete without pumpkins and apple doughnuts!

I would say Lydia has the advantage here !!!

We even took a train to New York City. Suresh is definitely a city boy at heart. He has a special affinity for the Empire State Building.

Last but not least, we visited Suresh's cousin Kayla and her family. Kayla and Suresh are DEFINITELY related !!

Driving the Denali Road

2009-10-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

At the end of September we won the "road lottery" for Denali National Park. That means you can load up the car and drive all the way down the Denali road to the end....a rare treat. Suresh liked the sights but I think he mostly dug the camping in between!

Suresh leading the charge down a trail.

Denali is never complete without a good bear sighting!

Thanks Mom and Dad Navitsly for coming along !!! It was a great way to say goodbye to the summer.

Scenes from the Summer

2009-09-03T10:30:00.001-07:00

The summer was busy for sure. So we got a little behind. Here is Suresh learning to drive a "digger" with Big Jon.

Suresh learned how to ride a bike this summer. Soon he will lose his training wheels. Watch out Fireweed 200 !!

And, of course, we made brownies. Suresh loves chocolate.....can you tell ??

Grandpa Leinicke Comes North!

2009-09-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

More pictures are on their way, but for now.....Suresh and Grandpa L. did some salmon fishing last week. We didn't catch anything but it sure was fun!!

Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away with Me!

2009-06-22T23:45:00.000-07:00

The First Sail of the Year !

2009-05-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

We took the "Champagne Girl" out for the first voyage of the year.

She is sea-worthy maties, arrrgh!

This is Suresh's best sailor pose.

Resurrection Pass

2009-05-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

The company for the 7 mile hike couldn't have been better.

And the weather was perfect.

I think Suresh is admiring Julian's hip rockstyle hair!

Well, at least one of us went in style.....

can you hear Suresh yelling "faster Daddy, faster!!!

Extreme Sledding and Some Easter Egg Dying

2009-04-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Two dozen eggs and six colors.....

15 minutes later, 2 dozen orange eggs!

Now let the real fun begin!

The Hawaii Vacation

2009-04-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

Last month we had the wonderful opportunity to join some old Albuquerque friends for their wedding in Hawaii. So much for sneaking in the romantic smooch at the wedding....

Rick's folks joined us for the vacation. Everyone got along great and Suresh got to experience his first Navitsky family vacation!

There is nothing better than beach time.

The boys, hard at work building the sand castle.

Suresh Does Disco - Underoos Style!

2009-03-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

Its amazing what a kid can do once given the power of Underoos!

Somehow Suresh has found Heman powers and can suddenly lift the twenty pound firetruck above his head....and have the momentum of the lift tumble him over backwards!

And of course, all smile and giggles!

Suresh and Yeti hailing support to Snowzilla

2008-12-28T13:27:00.001-08:00

In solidarity to the Snowzilla cause, Suresh and Yeti throw up their arms to support their brothers! Snowmen of the world Unite!

Suresh the Ham !

2008-11-24T16:13:00.000-08:00

Suresh has more energy than us in the morning !

If I could only train him to make coffee.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

Suresh wanted to be Curious George for Halloween. He never noticed that the costume had 6 ears! He was too busy loving his tail, "my tail, my tail!". He had his first Trick or Treat escorted by all of our friends' kids and loved every minute of it!

Three Generations of Navitsky Boys go Camping to Cresent Lake Cabin

2008-10-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Suresh in the chariot, sleeping like a prince.

Early morning fishing with Grandpa, however, the fish were very safe.

Of course after the hike we had car beers and a juice for Suresh.

2008-10-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Lynn, Suresh is now jamming on the guitar.

Will he be a rocker like his Uncle Roger, or a little bit of country ?

2008-09-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

ARRG Maties ! Suresh Goes Sailing !

As many of you know, Rick is quite the sailor. Well, he is busy passing it along to Suresh....who is a natural. We sailed to Blackstone Bay last week with our friends, Libby and Todd.

The first day was sunny and unbelievably wonderful. The glaciers were gorgeous and Suresh even got to lick some glacier ice !

Suresh is a born adventurer, for sure. The second day was not so sunny.....actually a bit of gale. There wasn't a tear from his eyes.

Dinner with the Natvisky's....

2008-08-19T02:15:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share this evening as one giant slideshow! Enjoy!

Suresh Bikes to Seward....

2008-08-18T02:10:00.000-07:00

Lynn here, so this is actually from my blog....but there were some good photos of tanya and rick so I thought I would post it here as well! Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!! VLP

We could not have asked for a better weekend for this years
Ride for Life.
Ride for Life is a two day bike tour from Anchorage to Seward
to help raise money for colon cancer screening....
It's an event that attracts a variety of riders - from experienced to inexperienced, from the young to the youngest....

It was a pleasure to assist Larry Holman, cancer survivor, and the back bone of Ride for Life over the summer
to coordinate this event.....

Weeks prior to the event the weather had been cold and rainy....
my biggest fear was to host an event
where everyone became hypothermic!
Our morning was a bit overcast, but as the riders moved forward the clouds lifted and the sun warmed us up!

Rick, Tanya and Suresh make their way down the arm....

Of course for me it was an interesting experience being on the "other side" of an athletic event....And I have to say, I enjoyed it 1,000 times more than I ever thought I would. It was just amazing to see people pushing themselves to their limits, to see the support offered by friends, relatives and volunteers. It was amazing to see folks cross the finish line in Seward with huge smiles on their faces...to me that is when I knew the event was a success.

A HUGE thank you to all the folks who volunteered their time and energy to helping making Ride for Life such a success!

Check out this site for next years Ride for Life http://www.rideforlifealaska.com/

Suresh's Kodiak Adventure

2008-08-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Here is Suresh hamming it up in his new rain slicker.

Classic...Dad teaching Suresh to fish. He reeled in the BIG one !

Enjoying a few days of sunshine on the big island.

Today Suresh Turns Two....

2008-06-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

Today Suresh has turned two! And if you ask him, he will tell you so!

Happy Birthday Suresh, it is truly a treasure to watch you grow.....!

2008-06-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

Love, Love, Love!

2008-05-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

I love my mom and dad!

I just love this kid!

2008-03-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

I love my Sippy Cup!

2008-03-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

2008-03-12T23:38:00.000-07:00

Rick and Suresh Taking a Tour!

2008-03-06T00:37:00.000-08:00

Back in Katmandu!

2008-03-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, believe it or not, I have not been taking photos lately,,.,,so until I track down some recent ones, I'll continue to post some from the Nepal trip!

Isn't he a cutie!!

2008-03-03T00:04:00.000-08:00

What else is there to do at 2 AM?

2008-03-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Well, our first night in the US went pretty well.....except the waking up ~wide awake and full of energy~ But at least we had some left over pizza for the little guy!

If you start to feel sick, use the barf bag!

2008-03-01T23:57:00.000-08:00

Felt it was important for Suresh to know that if he was going to get sick on his first airplane ride he should use the provide bag.....!