tiny humans

Today I am thankful for my kids. 

Seems like such an obvious thing to be thankful for, right?

It's just so true.

I love these tiny humans. 

When they are born, they are adorable chubby little blobs. 

They don't do much--just lay around and eat and look extra sweet. 

They grow and laugh and babble. 

They toddle around. 

And it all goes by so quickly, let me tell you.

They grow and

first day

this post is cheesy. bring your own crackers.



In late spring we noticed a little barn swallow hanging around our old porch, and 

not long after that we also became acquainted with her mate. 

We never named them, just called them The Birds. 

The Birds got right to work.

They had chosen our gaudy old porch light to build their nest on. 

My instincts told me "NO". 

"Get The Birds out of

beach babies

For the past 10 years, we have been lucky enough to have met up with Robby's family in Ventura for the perfect celebration of summer: the beach.

waves crashing

salty air

sand between toes. 

....and lots and lots of cousins. 



Ten years ago when it all started.....we'd been married for a year at our first visit to
"The Beach House".

It was my first time playing in the ocean and we spent

it's coming.....

....SUMMER. 

can you feel it?



we are ready.

eight.

he requested blueberry pancakes.



Eight. Years. Old.

I am such a lucky mama to have spent eight years with this little guy.

He was born with lashes that reached out to his nose.

In his first few months we'd walk and walk and walk around our little neighborhood.

Well.....I walked, and pushed. And he loved it.

Big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. 

Happy and content. Always.

Taught me how to

all I see

playing hooky from school on Monday



I have been walking around in a fog ever since Friday's terrible events in Connecticut. At first is was a fog of sadness and fear and worry and tears and all kinds of uncontrolled emotions, which I'm sure you all felt as well. YOU know the numbness I speak of if you have little ones in school.



The fog is still here......but it's changed.
I see my little

Christmas Cheer

my baby lost her first tooth!



happy weekend!

all mine

What a good and happy thankful month we've had.

I have to end it with being completely cliche' and saying how thankful I am for my little family. 

We have so much fun together, and this silly little picture makes me so happy inside. 

I wanted a quick snap of us together in Montana--proof that we are actually a family, and capable of taking a photo together. 

The wind was blowing exactly 1007

my two

best of friends (....most of the time....)



I have deleted this post about 37 times 

(give or take a few).



I have tried to post about other things today......and each time I've failed.

These words just keep coming back to me, and I can't seem to shake them.

It's annoying.

You see, I hadn't planned talking much about this--not because I "can't bare too", or because it's "too personal"...

in the morning

this week I am blogging my Real Life Joys, read more here



her.




Today I am thankful for mornings.

Her school doesn't start until after lunch, so we have the mornings to ourselves....and we love it.

I try to hold off on errands so we can have quiet, slow mornings at home.

We check the garden (things are slowwwwly) still coming. Sometimes we have to hunt.

Lots of art--coloring, painting,

she

she has been waiting. 

and waiting and waiting. 

for her turn. 

she has been asking, over and over,

how many more days?

she has picked out all her own clothes

(tried them on a million times).

had to start out the year with the leopard shoes. 

(of course).

kindergarten. 

(tears)

mine....not hers. 

oh no--she was ready. 

we spent the morning at home, quiet. 

how many more hours?

how

second.

second grade......

.........what?

how?.............

IT HAPPENS.

beware.



I've been taking almost the exact same pictures on the first day of school since his very first day of preschool. 

I absolutely love seeing how much he's grown. And I love that when he is 80 years old he will remember that he ALWAYS requested waffles for his big day.

first grade

kindergarten



the end. 

worth 1000

Isn't that what they say? 

A picture is worth 1000 words. 

words.
feelings. senses. memories.



I love that one simple shot can tell me so much. 

little girl

all mine.

pajamas

morning light

messy braids

my helper

stirring

mixing

measuring 

birds out the window

late summer

music playing-iron and wine

she's growing

growing

growing 

too fast.

 




If you took ONE picture today

happy weekend!

get out and do something weekend-y!

a glimpse

Something has happend in the last few weeks. 

My kids have grown....

.....and grown.....

.....................and grown. 



Not just UP. 

But they're...

...smarter

....cuter

............older. 



That's the one that gets me. 

Older. 



These are my babies! They aren't supposed to get older on me....right? Isn't that how it works? 

Babies are babies forever.....I thought.



We went

friday senses

this post is GIANT.



eating: Last year I posted about raw oats. With all the fresh berries available right now I am back to eating raw oatmeal non stop again. I love them for breakfast, pre or post-workout, or a bed time snack. (yes, I have bed time snacks)

To make raw oats you need 

-raw rolled oats

-any kind of milk (I used vanilla almond)

-any kind of fruit (I used strawberries)

-any

summer is here

and so it begins....



well.....I guess to be all "official" we have about another week until summer. 

but for us, it's here.



this is what summer means to me:



swimsuits. all day. 

popsicles.

new freckles.

no shoes

dirty feet (see above)

staying outside to watch the sun go to sleep

homemade ice cream

mountain picnics

early early morning runs

s'mores

sleeping on a mountain top

motherly

me and mine. mother's day 2012.



A mother. 

I have one. 

You do too.

I am one. 

Maybe you are too.....

We may have similarities, 

and differences. 

I have two children. 

Maybe you have four. 

or ten. 

or one on the way.

Do you have teenagers? 

Babies?

or inbetweens?

all of the above.

Maybe you drive a minivan. 

Maybe you walk.

You may dress your kids in all the latest trends.

how we weekend

This weekend was made of up everything a weekend should be made of. sleeping insunshinea perfect trail run through the stickiest of mudfiring up the grillstaying out until sunsetbike ridingskate boarding(both resulting in skinned knees)staying up too lateadorable Littles dressed up for churchan Easter feast!egg huntingchocolate cakekite flying over snow melting on mountains...this weekend just

tying her shoes

I have 10,000 beach photos to go through, but excuse me as I take a moment and stand up on my tiny little box in my tiny little house, and preach for a minute.stop reading here, and just enjoy the adorable ballerina, if you don't like being preached to.
My camera is always on the counter/table/dresser--loaded and ready to go. (bonus of having a tiny house--the camera is always close)I keep it out