Second Spring

Fifi

2012-01-29T16:18:00.000-08:00

She getting so big, this girl of mine. Much more a toddler than a baby these days. Independent, sassy, rowdy and oh-so silly. She loves to keep up with the big kids and can too. But, every now and then I get to have her all to myself.

No brother, no daddy- just us girls. It's really fun to just watch her be her. I was inspired by Keli (Kidnapped by suburbia) the other day when she followed around each of her girls for 30 minutes or so while the other daughter was sleeping or out of the house.

I had a chance this weekend while O napped and Daddy ran errands, to do the same thing with Fifi. It was really fun to let her loose in the backyard and follow her lead. Thanks for the great idea, Keli.

So what is this girl up to these days? She knows just how to push her brother's buttons and get a reaction out of him, 1-2-3.

Telling me about the airplane she heard flying over head.

She is starting to use her words more and more, things like: car car, NO-dit-do (no thank you), peeeeese (with an entusiastic rub of her chest for please), hat, ball, byyyyyeeee, hyeeee (when the phone rings), maw-ka (milk), dast-da (Shasta, who is grandma and grandpa's dog), Ga-gaw (grandpa, which melts him every.single.time, btw) ba-t (bath). I am sure there are others that I am not thinking of right now. I love this stage when communication is just bursting out of them like a volcano.

She loves to be outside, but doesn't always like her hands to be dirty.

She eats really well, often better than her big brother. But when she is done, watch out- food is gonna fly. She thinks it's hysterical to chuck pieces of whatever it was we are eating across the room or to the dogs. That or she is spitting it out, which totally grosses me out, but she finds hystrical.

We are still working on sleep, but have found a nice evening routine that helps not just her, but her big brother sleep better at night. They are sharing a room right now, so if one doesn't sleep, the other one doesn't either.

She is up, down and all around as fast as fast can be. She climbs, tries to jump, and takes the curves with ease.
I can't believe she is almost a year and a half. It really does go by faster the second time around.

28:366, breaking the fast

2012-01-28T14:17:00.001-08:00

Everyone slept through the night for the second evening in a row.

To celebrate and because we were all refreshed this fine Saturday morning, we headed down town to try out Hash House a-go-go.

It was pretty yummy. The coffee was really good and the kids loved the giant booth they sat us at. Just wish you didn't have to walk through the stinky casino floor to get there.

One thing I like about going out to eat with kids in tow, they always give you a pack of crayons. Don't you think they should just give everyone a pack of crayons, regardless of age? The world would be much brighter.

insta-love

2012-01-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I got A. an ipod touch. I took it over the other day.

I have been sneaking in a photo with it almost daily since. Still trying to find the post processing I like the best with it, I think I like early bird. How about you, do you insta??

Nest. My word for 2012...

2012-01-25T14:38:00.001-08:00

It took me a few weeks, but I think I landed on my word for 2012. In some ways it's a strange word for our current situation, but in other ways it is just perfect.
I have chosen the word, "nest". With all the shuffling and changes that 2011 brought, (new jobs, selling of our house and moving in with my in-laws) I think the idea of finding a home (or settling into the place we are right now) and hunkering down with my little chicks is a fantastic goal for the new year.
Nesting into the family around us, to the house that my husband lived in as a high schooler, it's a little surreal at times, but I feel completely blessed that we have family who will take us in and put up with us for an extended amount of time.

I feel like I need to focus in on family, because it has become even more clear to me just how important we are to each other. When everything else goes down the drain, you have your family. Last year proved that to me in a big way. So I am going to celebrate this nest and hold it close to my hear in 2012.

I spotted this pretty little piece of artwork outside our new bedroom window when we were moving in to my in-law's house in December. I keep wondering if a family will occupy it in the spring. I think I will make a point to photograph the nest in the different seasons this year to help me reaffirm my word and intention.

Play

2012-01-23T11:38:00.001-08:00

how he played with the dough...
O made "pesto pasta" and kept busy for well over a half an hour rolling, smooshing and molding.
the verdict, the dough is a HUGE hit.

play dough

2012-01-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

It's the kind of weekend where there isn't much going on and the weather makes you want to sit inside, watch TV, play words with friends and drink hot tea all day long. Problem is, we have watched Cars about a million times and there isn't much else on the tube *until 3 or so when the football game starts*, there is only one iPod touch and I am over fighting with O about who gets to play it next and hot tea and kids just don't work very well.
So what's a mom to do?
I remembered a few months ago that I had pinned a recipe for play dough over on pintrest.
Supposedly, this is the best homemade dough recipe there is. Why not give it a whirl?

I didn't read the instructions all the way through and hadn't realized that you needed to actually cook the concoction after mixing up all the ingredients I started to get a bit nervous. I had a vat of goo that didn't seem to be thickening. One more quick trip back to the original post and I realized that you had to put the slop into a pan and heat it up until it thickens.

Good thing I have been working out because there was a heck of a lot of stirring involved. I was really worried the stuff was going to burn to the bottom of the pot. It didn't, but don't take your eyes or your spoon away for a minute.I also had it in my head that the boy would be able to play with it right away, but the finished product was almost to hot for me to handle and transfer into a ball and then into the bag.

O settled on three colors, red, green, and blue. I put about two cups of the mixture in each of the color batches. Each one filled a sandwich zippy bag perfectly. I think after nap time it should be at room temperature and ready for play.

18:366, Cloverdale Pesto

2012-01-18T20:54:00.001-08:00

Freshly clipped and knows how cute she looks.

black bean soup

2012-01-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

I have been craving this soup for a couple of weeks now. This weekend I finally had a chance to make it for dinner. It is a perfect winter time meal. Great for dinner and perfect left overs for lunch. It is a quick and easy recipe to make, and oh so good. We had french bread on the side tonight, I also like it with cornbread.

Gather your goods:

one onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

2-4 carrots, chopped

10 slices bacon, chopped

1 can diced toms, I like the ones with other goodies, the hubs doesn't

1 tbls katchup

1 tbls Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tea chilli powder

1 14oz can of broth, chicken or veggie

4 cans of black beans, not drained

salt and pepper to taste

For garnish:

limes

cilantro chopped

green onions chopped finely

shredded cheese

sour cream

hot suace.

Here's what you do:

warm a pan and add in the bacon, stirring occasionally until it starts to let go of the fat

add in the onoions, saute until translucent, about 4 minutes

add in the garlic and carrots,

add the toms, katchup, worchestershire sauce, chilli powder beans and broth.

bring to a boil and then turn temp down to a low bubble.

allow to cook for 10-20 minutes

While the soup cooks:

wash and chop the cilantro and green onions

grate the cheese and slice the limes (I like about 1/4 to 1/2 lime in my bowl)

ENJOY!

in the back seat

2012-01-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

Last year I started a series called "Back Seat Driver". It all started with this photo.

Which got me thinking about the stories our car's tell about us.
What we have in the back seat or on our bumper tells so many things that we might not even realize we are sharing.

I feel like each of these photos could be the start of a short story.

I am always so glad to have a red light and my camera next to me in the passenger seat when one of these opportunities present it self.

I usually get a big smile from what I see in front of me.

Thoughts on a year in photos

2012-01-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

I know we are a couple of weeks into the new year, but I have been really trying to process my 365 project. I have to say I am so glad I did it, so much so that I am continuing on in to 2012.
A few thoughts on my year.... In December 2010, I had been following quite a few people in their journey to shoot a photograph a day for an entire year. I actually attempted to do the same thing with self portraits, but quite about 1/3 of the way through the process.

I really wanted to push myself photographically in 2011. I wanted to become more brave with my camera and to learn more about how to use it and the post processing of my images. So on December 31 of 2010, I took my camera out and about with us and snapped a bunch of photos and you know what, I kept it up every single day, except for one or two, for an entire year. I had one day where I forgot my camera but took a photo using a friend's instead. I had days where I forgot to put my memory card back in after uploading them to the computer, but I still took a shot once I got back home.

I ruined more than one purse by lugging around my DSLR every day, but I always had my camera with me. I probably bumped the kids in the head more times than I liked to admit with my camera or lens, good thing I usually only had the 50mm on there. Speaking of the 50mm, it got broken just weeks before the end of my project. I had set my camera on the couch and O bumped into it and knocked it on the floor.

This wasn't the first time the thing had been banged around or even dropped (what?? if you have done this project, you totally know how easy that is to do.), but it was the last straw for my poor little nifty fifty. Good thing I have a good Santa Claus because I asked him if he could fix it and when he said no, I asked for a new one, upgraded please! I am loving my 1.4 50mm. It really is easy to see the better optics in the lens and I like being able to shoot in even lower light than before. It is especially helpful during the dark days of winter when not much light but the ones in the house are available.

So why did I do this and why am continuing on in 2012? Because I love what I have learned. Here is a quick run down of what the project gave me, taught me and why I am keeping on keeping on into the new year.

A few things the project gave me...

It gave me a reason to get out of my desk chair at work ,take a nice lunch time break to stroll around and get some fresh air.

It gave me confidence to shoot photos in public and not worry as much about what other people thought or wondered what I was up to.

It gave me time to myself to just zone out and see things, see the light, the shape the colors, the lines, and the textures in this world.

It gave me a pretty awesome documentation of how big and how much the kids have changed in just one year. I love being able to look back and see that evolution and growth.

A few things I learned...

I eased my way into shooting in fully manual mode. I started by moving to aperture priority and then around May or June I just went for it and put the dial on M. I think I started to understand more and more about what I was doing once I got over that fear. It felt really great to get to know my camera like that.

I played with editing. We had a very old copy of Photoshop elements, but I read and read, and found tutorials on editing using Elements and I pushed that old software as hard as I could. In May, I started to play around with Photoshop CS at work and really had fun editing and playing with curves and layers. I finally broke down in June and decided to get Lightroom and an upgraded version of Elements. I have been stumbling along in Lightroom ever since. It is quite the piece of software. I am getting the hang of it, slowly. I do hop over to Elelments every now and then, but I am wondering if I really needed it or not. While prepping for my slide show, I realized one thing Elements can do that Lightroom can't is make a slide show with multiple songs. I also like how it organizes the photos in an actual calendar format. Makes sifting and sorting a lot easier!

A few things I still am working on...

I really wanted to find a 'style' of photography. You know, a signature look and feel to my images that you could instantly see. I don't think I have it yet. I attribute this a little to all the post processing learning that I have been doing- I find something and play around and then find something else and play around with it. I am hoping the next round in 2012 will help me solidify my style a little bit more.

I still am not as brave as I would like to be with my camera in public.

I shy away from shooting people, even if I know them. I guess I worry about them not wanting to get their picture taken. As with any art, there is always, always room to grow and learn.

So here it is, the slide show...
ENJOY and THANK YOU!
Thank you for your support, your comments.
And if you were near me last year, for letting me stick my camera in your face.

hiarcut

2012-01-11T10:55:00.001-08:00

Look how sharp this kid looks with a fancy new do.
He sat like a statue for the entire 30 minutes

16 months...

2012-01-11T10:52:00.001-08:00

She is sooo busy lately. It makes me laugh and makes me tired.
We had a well check yesterday (shots included) and her stats are pretty crazy. She has grown 2 inches since her first birthday. That's a half an inch a month.
I haven't really given an update since her surgery, but she is doing really well. We have even gotten a few full night's sleep lately too.
Her words are coming slowly, but surely.
Growing fast little girl, growing fast.

3:366, a woman's work is never done

2012-01-03T19:46:00.001-08:00

I think the reflection is my favorite part, or maybe her vacuuming form?

Vacuuming and taking care of 'baby'.

It's a tough job..

But as any mommy knows, very rewarding.

365:365, the end

2012-01-01T19:51:00.001-08:00

I will have more thoughts on my year long project.... soon.

I haven't quite processed all my thoughts on it yet. But I am so happy I did it and I am going to go for it again.

A year in review....soon, soon.
But until then, here's to a very happy 2012!!!

moments...

2011-12-29T19:26:00.001-08:00

She pushed the bar stool over there all on her own, grunted and pointed and then tried to get up by herself.
Once I put her on the stool, she must have sat up there for a good 10-15 minutes re-arranging things.

She doesn't have a lot of words yet, but she sure does know exactly what she wants and how to figure out how to get it. atta, girl.

~~~~~~

Across the room, her brother sat perched on his own bar stool. He was dipping his pizza into ranch and honey and wearing his new cookie monster hat that is extra big and therefor, extra cute.

It is moments like these that make me so happy I have done a 365 projects.
Little moments that I will more than likely forget about next week, until I look back at my pile of photos and see it all again and smile.

Late December Sky

2011-12-29T09:42:00.000-08:00

Where is all of our snow???

Things don't really feel like December without snow on the hills and in the mountains. Perhaps Mother Nature is making up for such a long winter last year? Who knows, but it was down right balmy out today, almost 60 at lunch time. It sure is pretty out, but seems a little strange to not have any white on the hills surrounding our valley.

I am wrapping up my 365 project for the year.
I can hardly believe that it is coming to an end and I might be just crazy enough to go for it again.
How about you?
Any big plans or personal challenges for the new year?

What a Wonderful Weekend

2011-12-26T19:02:00.000-08:00

What a perfect holiday weekend we had. It was just the right balance of places to go and things to do. But most importantly, there was relaxation, lots and lots of relaxation, actually.

It was just what I wanted for Christmas, and I got it.

We spent time with family, friends and with each other.

The kids played and played and played with their new toys.

We tried to get outside and out of pj's, but it was pretty sweet to just hang out in our comfy clothes and not go anywhere.

The weather was almost warm so we did sneak in some 'football' and bubble blowing pre-nap time.

The kids got to play with all the grandparents and Daddy-O and I got our rooms cleaned up.
Guess what, there really is a floor in our bedroom!

The year is wrapping up wonderfully and I am looking forward to 2012.

Hope your holiday was a bright and merry as well.

Believe

2011-12-24T09:12:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas EVERYONE!
Here is to a beautiful holiday.

holiday crafting

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend in Greagle the kids (and adults) got to craft, holiday style.

It's really fun that the kids are old enough now to all participate in the making of gingerbread houses and puff ball pine cone trees.

Thanks Aunt Ra and Aunt Lo for getting all the supplies-
These are traditions in the making, I love it.

356:365, pre-op

2011-12-22T17:21:00.001-08:00

Fifi did great today with her surgery. She is snoring away in her room right now. I can't believe she was in such a good mood all day despite the fact that we couldn't feed her before the procedure.

She colored, read books, charmed the staff, listened to my ipod, pulled everything out of my purse a million times and only asked to nurse a handful of times- each time one of the nurses helped me out by distracting her with something or playing peak-a-boo. And you should have seen the glow when Daddy-O got there. It was all much easier than I thought it would be.

According to the doctor her ears will filled to the brim with gunk. With all that gone and her being more comfortable, I am hoping this means more sleep at night for ALL of us.
Thanks for all your positive energy, prayers and notes!

Winter Walk

2011-12-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Walking in the woods, by myself on a cold Sunday morning.

It cleared my head and I could just be.

I love that photography has given me the gift of time.
I have an excuse to wander aimlessly around an area, exploring like a kid
and truly see the world around me.

34

2011-12-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

A week and a half ago was my birthday.
That Sunday morning, my dad in law asked, "Well, you've made it around 34 times, how do you feel?"

My answer?
I feel pretty good.

The day didn't really pan out the way I had hoped, we were packing up the house in a last ditch effort to get it done. I had visions that I could kick back and hang out with my little family. I pouted for a little while in the morning and then decided to just suck it up and make the best of it- I did get to give my husband grief all day about having to lift heavy boxes and get paper cuts. And I made sure to tease him about how big he owes me for having to move on my special day.

We wound up going out for a really nice date that night, thanks to my sis-in-law for watching the kids!
I also made up for it by making sure to celebrate all week long. Dinner at my mom's house one night, drinks and eats with my girlfriends another spread out the celebration and made it all the more special.

This year has been a hard one. I have felt older this year. Mostly emotionally older. The stress of all that has happened can wear on a girl. I have realized the weight of being an adult, we have made some very big kid decisions over the past 12 months that have made me grow and stretch and reach in deep for things inside that I didn't know I had.

growth isnt' always comfortable, change isn't easy.

But both are a part of life that are guaranteed to happen. As I come out on the other side of the tunnel I realize that I am stronger than I knew, and that is a huge gift.

I have also realized the joy of being a kid again. I can't tell you how much I have looked to my babies for laughter and comic relief on a hard, hard day. Watching them discover, learn and grow helps me remember to slow down, to enjoy and to not take it all so serious.

As I look back over the year, at my goals, I feel pretty proud to say I checked many of my wishes off the list. Some of the wishes were granted in ways I never could have imagined, some snuck up on me as part of everyday life, so were more lessons than wishes, but you always have to be careful what you wish for, right?

Some were lucky and others sweet friends made possible.

I like having a list, I like that I can look back and see where I made huge leaps, tiny steps and where I want to try again this coming year.
I plan on working up a list in the next few weeks, sort of a birthday/new year plan, if you will.
I think this year is going to rock, in the best possible way.

addition and subtraction

2011-12-21T14:23:00.001-08:00

My silly girl goes in for the addition of ear tubes and the subtraction of adenoids tomorrow at 11am.
Please keep her in your thoughts for us. I am sure it will all go well and fingers crossed it will mean a better sleeping and healthier baby.

Kisses!

christmas blur

2011-12-16T09:14:00.001-08:00

It has started... the blur. You know what I am talking about.

That moment when you think, oh I have plenty of time to do all the things I want to do for the holiday:

shop, bake, decorate, visit, have a glass of wine...

(she sooo wanted to pull that beard off of him.)

That last one is especially true as I come to my senses and it dawns on me that:
a) we leave tonight for my husband's family gathering in Greagle

and
1)I haven't even stepped foot in a store with the intention of walking down the toy isle for gifts for all the cousins.
2)We don't have any clean clothes for us or the kids. Even if they were clean I really don't have a clue where the

h. e. double hockey sticks

they are since we have 3/4 of our life in a storage until and the other 1/4 strewn about my in law's garage and two bedrooms we have taken over in an otherwise quite house.
b) I really want to bake cookies and whip up a batch of peppermint bark wearing my holiday apron.

But again, I have no idea where said apron might be stashed or stored and I am not so confident in my mother in law's kitchen.

Every time I try to start the oven I inevitably just turn on the timer or the microwave, but don't realize it until beeps and bops start going off and when I put my hand in the oven realize it's colder than our refridge in there. Or I forget I am cooking on an electric range instead of a gas one and start to burn all sorts of things because I forget that the cook top remains hot well past the time I turn the nob to "off".

It's okay- we're gonna make this Christmas happen no matter what this year. We might have had a dooooozy of a previous 11 months, but what I have realized is that our love is stronger than ever, that we have two kids who make us laugh so hard every.single.day.

Last night by the fire O was singing, "Police Navidad, Police Navidad. Propeler anno and policy dod"

So you know what, it's gonna be an awesome Christmas, even if it is a little blurry....
And just incase you want to see the singing in action, here is a video my mom got from the show.
perfection.

342:365, piggy tails.

2011-12-09T08:36:00.001-08:00

I love that her teacher puts her hair in pig tails these days.

I smile big enough when I see her after work, but this just puts me over the top.

getting into the spirit

2011-12-07T20:44:00.001-08:00

With the move I wasn't sure how we were going to get into the holiday spirit. All last week O kept telling us that we needed to put lights up on the house and in the yard. "Why haven't we done lights yet Mommy?"

last year's antler appearance

We kept telling him that we weren't sure if we were going to do lights this year and I wasn't sure just how much of our Christmas box we would actually unpack. Grandma and Grandpa brought home a surprise last weekend and came back from Greagle with a fresh cut tree.
O could hardly wait to get it up and put all the ornaments.

And when I say all the ornaments I mean all the ornaments. We actually had to hide the box of them so he would stop pulling things out and weighing down the branches.

We also had to adjust the level at which the fragile pretties were places since we have Fifi around and mobile this year. She is like a magpie when it comes to shiny things and can hardly contain herself at all the sparkling glittery goodness of the season.

I was able to go through all our books and sort out the Christmas themed stories that I have been collecting over the past 30+ years. I am really proud of the collection and we have been reading one or two of these stories at night before bed with O, he loves it.

I had big plans for making some sort of an advent calendar this year, but I think I will keep gathering ideas over on pintrest and when I get the space to pull out my sewing machine or crafting supplies again attempt this task, even if it is the middle of June.

I hope your holiday prep is off to a good start. Do you have any favorite traditions for getting into the spirit?

ham and beans...it's not just for dinner

2011-12-03T15:46:00.001-08:00

My posts have been few and far between and perhaps a little more cryptic than I realized as of late. The things that are happening on this side of the screen are hard to share right away. I promise to catch you all up when the dust settles a little bit more, which I am hoping is soon, soon, soon.

I also realized that I haven't posted many photos or about the kids lately.
So here it is your O and Fifi fix.

These two have been so silly and fun lately.
They are our light and our laughter.

They are hard work and sometimes little sleep, but they make up for it in a big way by just being themselves.

O is either yelling at me to not take his picture with his hand in my face and tears in his eyes or demanding that I point the lens right at him and snap, snap, snap...

Case in point:

and then it starts to get silly...

wait for it...

Let the HAM begin.
Doesn't he look like such a little boy in these shots? I took these over a month ago and it blows me away to realize just how big he is getting.

I have decided that Fifi might grow up to be a hairstylist. She loves to touch, stroke, and even eat my hair. She has started to 'brush' her own locks (all of about one and a half inch of length) when I hand her the comb and loves to have me put a clip in just so she can take it back out again and grunt at me to put it back in.
rinse, lather, repeat.

She is also coming up with her own line of hair product, the main ingredient?

Heinz 57 Beans
brilliant, right?

Maybe it's the pretty turquoise can they come in-
Packaging can really sell a product you know?

yep, ham and beans-they aren't just for dinner anymore.

two months worth

2011-12-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe we are into December. The year is almost done and so is my 365 project!

(a busy-busy) Thanksgiving Weekend...

2011-11-30T21:30:00.001-08:00

Making a mess while making a chocolate stout cake, a pretty mess.

O had loved watching the trains from Nana and Grandpa's living room window. I am glad my mom prompted me to grab the camera.

The kids helped Jojo make an icebox cake. I think there was more taste testing than actual helping.

Grandpa Buffalo and Nana Val! Thanks for having us you two. It was a fantastic Tur-ham-lamb day.

I think Fifi ate her weight, hence the 'push back' .

On Friday we got down to business with the big move.

I fueled our morning by getting coffee and doughnuts.

We farmed the kids and the heavy lifting began. We filled box after box and hoisted the couches, the fridge and a few other big items onto the trailer. There were several moments when I thought I should be documenting the move, but we were just too busy.

Around 4 we stopped our work to help celebrate two very special little boys.

Happy Birthday F and L!

Saturday was a repeat of Friday and by the end of the day we found ourselves falling wearily into our bed, but in a under a different roof.

I am searching and learning the light in this new space, it's an interesting thing to notice.

Sunday was move box filling and then setting up and settling in to our new place. I can't tell you how blessed I feel to have family holding us up right now.
Again, so much to be thankful for, so much.

wishing...

2011-11-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

What are you wishing for this season?

Thank-full

2011-11-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

It's been a wild ride, this past year.

Lost job, gained job, commuting, moving, worrying and yet, through it all I am continually grateful .
Every box I fill, move or store I am reminded about how much we really do have.

The house was just a shell to hold it all.
Each time I crack up laughing at the kids or hug my husband after a long drive home, I am reminded that I can laugh and hug them anywhere.
The house was just a stage to set the scene.

Each time I sit down at my work computer, answer my phone or an email, I am reminded that I have been given not one, but two chances to start fresh in an economy where most people are happy to find even a part time paycheck. Loosing my job of nine years was the best kick in the butt I could have gotten in so many ways.
Every time I see my family or friends, I realize what a fantastic group of people I (we) have to hold us up, to support us and to love us.
And really, isn't that all that matters?

So on this day and every day I say, "Be thankful, because I have so much.
Be thankful,
THANK-FULL."

326:365, it runneth over

2011-11-23T14:33:00.001-08:00

I could be really in the dumps right now what with the house situation and having to move. But you know what, we are so lucky to have family helping us out with everything. So many people don't have that safety net.

Today I am so great-full that my cup does runneth over.

323:365, breathing light

2011-11-20T08:08:00.001-08:00

We were relieved to hear that their house was safe. The fire only got the back fence and part of their lawn, other families weren't so lucky. It was a scary night for them and worried filled day for all of us.

lots of...

2011-11-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

lots of thinking, wishing, dreamimg, hoping, and perhaps a little praying..

life is full, life is good.

baking prep...

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

We are headed into that time of year (or rather, we are there already) when there is a happy cake almost every weekend in celebration of someones birthday in our family.

My favorite cake to mix up for the occasion? Smitten Kitchen's, Chocolate Stout Cake. It so yummy, moist and just the right sweet.

What's your go to birthday cake?

306:365, between seasons...

2011-11-12T14:35:00.001-08:00

We are between seasons, both figuratively and literally.
It's a strange place to be. There are so many variables and decisions to make.
I cross my fingers (toes and eyes) and keep faith in our choices.

I remind myself that we are making the best ones we can with the information we have at the moment,
change is the only constant.

apples, apples, apples

2011-11-09T16:25:00.001-08:00

most people have to go to a special place to harvest apples. well, I guess we do too. We just head over to grandma and grandpa's house and walk out the back door.

it was a bumper crop this season. this pile doesn't even scratch the surface of all the apples they got from the trees.

Just the weekend before I took these photos, my mom and mother in law peel well over 30lbs of these green beauties for apples sauce.

And today, Daddy-O is down at the home brew store crushing and juicing three, overflowing camp sized ice chests full of apples. He will add some magic and soon we will have hard cider to enjoy.

Aren't we lucky?

Big Basin or Bust!

2011-11-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

Before it slips my mind and gets too far away for me to properly remember, I wanted to share my photos from our lastest camp trip, the last one of 2011.

We took advantage of the long Nevada Day weekend that occurs on the last weekend of October. Daddy-O made the reservations and we worked out our schedules so we could also take off Halloween, giving us four days to hang out and enjoy.

We hit the road and headed west to Big Basin which is located in the Santa Cruz hills. The trees are stunning and humbling, they have stories that I only wish they could tell. We set up camp, made dinner and took a nice walk around the campground and around to the neighboring campgrounds, then headed into the tent for an early night.

Saturday we spent the day in Felton where we hopped on the Roaring Camp train and took a ride through the redwood trees. I cold see this train ride being a regular part of our Santa Cruz camping trips. In the summer they run a train from Felton down to the beach and back again- what a fun way to travel.

After our ride we found a great playground and picnicked and let the kids run amok and tire themselves out on the slides, swings and grass.

There is an old covered bridge next to the park, and I got this photo of Fifi- a new favorite of mine.

The boys took a snooze once we were back to the campsite and so I put Fifi in the backpack, in hopes of her dozing off as well, and took a hike. There are all sorts of easy trails around and I it felt good to stretch and work my leg muscles and spend some quite time with my girl as she sang her sleepy song in my ear, but never did fall off to dream land.

Sunday was a very full day. We attempted the docent guided tour to see the "Mother and Father" tree of the forest, but the kids were a little too squirmy so we jetted ahead of the group and played on fallen redwood trunks and in burn scar tunnels.

After our walk, we opted for a tailgate lunch in the parking lot- I think we all needed the food, spirits lifted instantly.

Once our bellies were full of grapes and salami and cheese and crackers we headed further down the hill to Santa Cruz. It couldn't have been more beautiful on the beach.

The kids had a great time getting sand in all sorts of places and it was all we could do to keep Fifi out of the ocean. O is a bit more cautious, but of course got his footing loose and went in, much too his dismay.

After we showered the kids off and got them in dry clothing we headed to the boardwalk in search of the photo booth.
Even though they no longer have the old fashioned black and white booths, we still make it a point to stop every time we visit. A family of four is tricky to squeeze into that little space, I still love the strips we got all the same.

The sunset along the coast that night was so pretty. The light is so different on the beach compared to the high desert.

We wound up having dinner in a great little restaurant out on the pier. We were a little worried about bringing the kids into a place that looked like it catered specifically to adults, but they sat us in the back along with another group with 4 kids. They all played and had a blast and we didn't bother anyone with the noise of a 3 and 1 year old.

The kids were so funny the entire weekend. Fifi had a permanent dirt goatee and O was in search of all the acorns in the forest- they make a great sound when the heat up and POP in the campfire.

We only had one real run-in with the pesky raccoons- I haven't heard O scream that loud in a long time- the darn thing tried to swipe his s'more- I would have screamed too. We lucked out with good neighbors, the people on the one side were actually hard of hearing- I watched out of the corner of my eye when I realized how quite their camp was and noticed they were signing to one another- what luck- I didn't feel so bad about the late night crying from our tent.I feel so lucky to be able to spend this time with my little family.

We love camping!

304:365, Woody and the Cow

2011-11-02T20:52:00.001-07:00

Halloween was a BLAST this year. O was totally into it, and so was Fifi.
The idea for his costume came about one night like this...

Him: Mom, I want you to make me a Woody doll.
Me: Oh, I don't think I can do that.
Him, starting to cry: But I waaaaant you to make me a Woody Doll.
Me: I'm not sure I have a pattern to do that.
Lots of crying and tears.
In the middle of the night that he even woke up crying about it and asking me to make him a Woody Doll.
We got him to calm down and go back to sleep. A day or so later we were talking about it again and he says, "But Mom, you said you could make me a Woody vest. I want you to make ME a Woody doll."
It all clicked, what he had been asking was for me to make him into Woody for Halloween. Well, duh!

I love how his vocabulary is huge, but he doesn't always have the right articulation or word order for it to all make sense to anyone but him. It can be frustrating, but sure does make for a good story later.

For O's costume I pulled out the sewing machine, traced an existing vest and I made the vest. I had thrifted the cowboy shirt, and the hat a while back and found the boots and jeans at the store, which he can totally use this fall/winter, and stopped by the dollar store for a holster and star.
I was giddy as I pulled it all on him.

He looked adorable and was SO excited to be dressed up. Unlike last year, where we had to bribe him to just get into the two sizes too small pumpkin costume.

My girlfriend was nice enough to lend us a too small cow costume for Fifi and the theme was set.

We are lucky enough to live in a neighborhood where there are lots of trick-or-treaters and the neighbors are really excited to see the kids in costume. Almost all of the neighbors had 'special' treats for our kids. It was sweet, pun totally intended.

We did the loop around the cul-de-sac and called it good. The last thing we needed was a boat load of candy. That said, we still ended up with quite the bounty.
Let the sorting begin!

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween, and a great Nevada Day!

286:365, on the roof top

2011-10-16T10:39:00.001-07:00

Friday night. They colored and ate french fries, we shared nachos and a couple of beers.

the kids were both in bed before 8, it was a good ending to a very busy week.

On Saturday, Daddy-O let me sleep until 8:30. When I got up, I made waffles and muffins.

We ran to the store, ate lunch and took naps all afternoon. It was a perfect, lazy Saturday.

And, just what we needed since the girl is punky with the stomach flu....

golden oranges

2011-10-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

It must be the season, because a lot of my photos have had that pretty golden orange color to them lately.

backyard sunshine and marigolds (plus a little girl whooshing through the frame)

the leaves, the leaves... they are a changing.

downtown alley way, I love the bricks and the numbered garage doors.

golden morning light and art on the NMA rooftop.

278:365, yellow balloon

2011-10-08T09:24:00.001-07:00

He fell asleep with the balloon dancing above his head.

Like a dream, it glowed in the afternoon sunlight.

275:365, wheel, car, banana

2011-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy;
for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.
Anatole France

Perhaps, all the whining I have been doing lately is really just me getting used to the new life?

Whatever it is, my Wednesday off sure does act as a salve on my heart. I truly had the most beauiful day home with the kids this week on my mid-work week day off.

I got to hang with my boy as the girl slept and with my girl as the boy slept. I love soaking in that solo time with each of them. What amazing little people I have in my house.

277:365, a glimpse

2011-10-05T21:09:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, I really ,really love the random moments

that magically make it onto the memory card.

breakin' it down

2011-10-03T21:24:00.001-07:00

I loved this exhibit at the Exploritorium. It breaks down light and color to the basics.
green, red, yellow,
That's all you need, and a rainbow is at your fingertips.

(Plus, doesn't that little tuft of Fifi's cowlick make you smile, smile, smile?)

I am on a mission to work smarter not harder, to eliminate the excess but get more, to find joy in the simplest things and places.

starting right now, I'm breakin' it down...

a moment

2011-10-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

Note, I started this post yesterday, but wasn't able to finish it until today....

The boys are off watching football at a friend's house and Fifi is sleeping in the stroller downstairs. the two of us just got back from a huge walk where she dozed off only a minute before pulling back into the driveway. It was a much needed hour of outside, "stretch your legs and breathe" time, something I have been greatly missing over the month of September.

Somewhere along the path, she dropped her newest lovie. We did a u-turn and headed back the way we came. I was about to give up hope that we would find the blanket, when I spotted a man holding it. I yelled to him, and he was so happy to have found me to give it back. Probably not as happy as I was though to have found him. I sometimes wonder who is more attached to the kids' lovies, what is it about them that we hold on to so dearly as a parent?

I should be working on a job application that is due on Wednesday, but I needed this time to write. Time to journal and get my head clear of what has been happening over the past month. Life is whooshing past at warp speed. I hate saying that, and I really don't like living it. It is the reality of things right now. I am working (grateful to have a job, I should be), but working an hour away from home four days out of the week.

I know plenty of people commute this far all the time. But I have never had to go more than 15 minutes to get to my office or go to school. The longest regular drive was while growing up in rural northern Nevada- two hours to "town" once or twice a month to restock the pantry or squeeze in a doctor's visit.,That was different and canceled out by the fact that I could walk anywhere in my small home town in less than ten minutes.

I have never, save for the one month I spent abroad in Spain, have been this tired, I mean exhausted to the core. I have been getting up at the crack of dawn (often, with only a few hours sleep due to a restless, separation anxiety ridden, teething, gassy mess of a one year old) and leaving the house before anyone is stirring for the day. I don't get home until dinner is half way made and the kids and husband are patiently waiting for my return. I am hoping to find an adjustment to this new schedule, but better yet, a new schedule to this new schedule would probably be better.

I can't say enough about my husband these days. He has stepped things up more than I ever expected. I mean, I knew he could handle the morning routine and the nightly rhythm, but I never thought he would do so in such stride. He proves to me over and over and over again that I made a wonderful choice when I said, "I do".

I also have to give props to my mom. She has been helping out a ton with the kids. There have been a few evenings where neither of us could get home in time to swoop them away from day care. She has also helped with the dog when we have had a late morning house showing and needed to have the dog off premises while potential buyers look around the property. She has kicked it up a notch, once again, for us and I don't think I could thank her more for her help.

I am savoring the evenings I have with the kids as well as my Wednesday off with them. It is the break in the middle of the week that I need. Even though it is tempting, I usually keep the computer and TV turned off on this day. I try to keep us busy, but not so busy that we don't enjoy each other. But mostly I sort of dream of a time when "my Wednesday off" could be my "every day".

With all of this right now, we have been able to squeeze in some fun. There have been weddings, an amazing photography class and just last weekend we found ourselves in the heart of San Francisco soaking in views of the golden gate bridge and learning at the Exploritorium. The kids had a blast of a time and so did we.

I know nothing is permanent and everything changes, so I am going to try to take this chapter for what it is. I will continue to thank those that are supporting us, loving, listening and helping us with things right now. For not judging us for the situation(s) we are in with lost jobs, and a pending move to a new home.
Being grateful is the most important, and best choice I can make.

Much like the lovie-blankie that we lost yesterday on the walk, I know that 'normal' will be found again. Maybe all this is a little side-street turn off on the hunt for the comfort of normal. Maybe, all along, the thing I thought I lost along the way is really right there, waiting for me to recognize it. I just have to push through the fog and really open my eyes.

two turn tables

2011-09-21T17:57:00.001-07:00

At the Tea House

2011-09-18T14:15:00.001-07:00

Hula put on an incredibly informative and inspiring workshop yesterday.

I am still in a little bit of shock that I was able to attend and be a part of it all.

I had a blast and am so excited to get to give some life back to a few of my vintage cameras.

Thank you again to Andrea, as well as Stef and the gang at Tea House Studio!

What a wonderful space to learn and create.

257:365, film

2011-09-16T22:07:00.001-07:00

I started to get worried that it wouldn't show up in time for my class on Saturday.

When I opened that package, the smell of film brought back so many memories. It was wonderful..

Twins. One to shoot the black and white film and one to shoot the color.

Tomorrow, #11 will be marked off the list!

Head in the Clouds

2011-09-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

The late summer thunder storms are upon us and that means some amazing cloud formations in the afternoon.

And if we are lucky a refreshing cloud burst and a quick downpour of rain.

But the other kind of clouds around here lately are the ones found at the newly opened Nevada Discovery Museum.

What a wonderful place for kids of all ages to visit!

Birthday Week, 2011

2011-09-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Whew! The birthday week extravaganza is over, and I am pooped, pooped, pooped out from all the excitement.

My new work schedule has made it hard to keep up with things not just out here on the Internets, but in real life too. I miss the interaction and inspiration out here, but feel like I will find a rhythm to it all soon.

Here is a little recap of how we celebrated three years and one year...

I started prepping for the festivities over Labor Day weekend...

I got the cupcakes made and in the freezer.

And Fifi's birthday crown sewn up and ready to go.

Tuesday was O's actually birthday so we opted for take and bake pizza for dinner to keep it easy-
he actually wound up just eating his cupcake and barely touching the rest.
It was his birthday, so I let it slide.

He has been really into baseball lately, so I found a t-ball set that also 'pitches' the ball for you.
It was a hit (pun totally intended).

Thursday night was Fifi's birthday. Daddy-O had to be in work meetings that evening so Jojo stepped in to help me out with the kids and to celebrate.

It was pretty quite and without much fanfare, the girl was tired and a little cranky so we didn't push things much. She opened presents and I got her in her crown for her birthday photo in the chair, one quick smile and hings went down hill... oh well.

Friday night, my sister-in-law and her family came over for a sleep over.
The kids played like crazy and had a great time.

We prepped for the gang of people that were to show up the next morning for the "Balloon, Breakfast and Birthday Bash". It's hot air balloon time, so we thought it was a great way to get a celebration in and have people over. It was a fantastic morning.

Singing the birthday song, twice.

hot rod princess

Grandpa Buff and Mr. M and the other boy cousins hanging out in the street watching the balloons.

Playing in the back yard with friends and visiting.

Thanks to everyone who came over SO early to help us celebrate. It was a wonderful day.

One year ago today...

2011-09-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

...we became four.
Our hearts swelled even more with love and light and joy.
I became the mom of a beautiful, little girl.
We love you Fifi.

Thank you for bringing us smiles and joy each and every day of this past year,

you have no idea how much we needed them, and you.
Happy First Birthday!!!

3 years ago today

2011-09-06T20:05:00.001-07:00

3 years ago today, originally uploaded by NessieNoodle.

A star was born.
My life became fuller,
my heart exploded with love
and my baby boy was born.

Happy Birthday O, we love you more than all the stars in the sky!

Instantly, a winner

2011-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Guess what I won last week??

A free ticket into Hula's Instant Magic class at Teahouse Studio in Berkeley, CA.
Thank you lovely ladies from Shutter Sisters. I can hardly wait.

I am gitty and crazy-excited to be a participant in Andrea's class.
Oh, and to actually get to use one or more of my Polaroids, yep, that's pretty awesome too!

one week down...

2011-09-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

Whew, what a week.

After heading out last weekend for a girls get away. Complete with wine tasting, and bachelor-ette party fun, (one of my good friends is getting married in two weeks) I started my new job.

My first week of (hopefully) many at the new job, I am happy to say, went really well. And all though my vacation to Limboland this summer was starting to get comfortable, I am liking where I have landed.

I am diving right and and getting my feet, ankles and entire head into this new work, already digging through an entire county's dataset and picking up where someone left off, trying to make sense of their data and data organization is no easy task. It is strange to have new information to consume, new data to sort through and understand, but it is great to have a team of people who actually 'get' what it is you are doing, as well as to bounce ideas, problems and questions off of when needed. The team I am a part of seems really great so far and I think it will be a good fit for me.

The commute is the hardest part, as I knew it would be. An hour one way is a long haul. But the landscape in the early morning has me wanting to pull off the road and snap photo after photo... Maybe I will get brave enough and do that one day- I need to learn the road better first and spot out a good turn out point. It is a bit of a wild ride - 70 mph in some spots and 50 in others. I have been listening to podcasts and am hoping to get to the library for some books on tape to make the hour pass more quickly. Any good podcast suggestions out there??

Everyone on the home front seems to be adapting pretty well so far. Daddy-O has surprised me with his morning help and I think he is secretly really proud of his Super Dad-ness as of late. Getting the kids off to daycare and then picking them up and getting dinner started is no small feat, but he is doing great. I love that I have Wednesdays off- that helps to break up things, gives me time to soak in the kids and maybe get the house organized, errands run and veg out if time allows. I am still finding time to snap a photo every day, but I am hopelessly behind on the processing of them all. I am giving myself slack on that part since I just don't know how to squeeze it all in quite yet.

~~~~~~

I told myself I wouldn't do this on my blog, but I do need to apologize to any of you who have left comments and I haven't gotten back to- I am completely cut off from personal email and the like at my new job (as it should be, really) and by the time I get everything settled in at home, I want nothing more than to fall into bed. BUT, know that I appreciate all your well wishes. I really, really do! So thank you for taking the time to comment and wish me well on my new adventure.

235:365, a new chapter

2011-08-26T10:46:00.001-07:00

This summer has been full of change and new and scary things. It has been full of challenges and learning and standing my ground and waiting and hoping and wondering and a whole hell of a lot of worrying.

But on Monday, a new chapter begins. I start my new job for a new organization. I am both completely excited and totally freaked out, I feel like I am starting a new high school or something! I had been with my old job for 9 years, but with a reorganization and reduction in force my position was eliminated and I was placed on administrative (paid) leave until they could decide where to place me-seven weeks of going back and forth with HR about my qualifications, meetings with other departments to discuss why I thought I should be able to bump into one job and not another and even an hour with a lawyer to discuss my rights.
It was a vacation to limbo-land, and trust me, limbo-land doesn't include drinks with umbrellas or pool side service.

In the meantime, I was also applying for new work and scheduling interviews. It was encouraging to know that other offices liked what they saw on my resume and were willing to give me a chance to be part of their staff, even if my old place of work didn't see the value in what I did, it was clear to see that others do.
I was offered and accepted a new job a couple of weeks ago and last Friday gave my official resignation for my old spot. It was a relief, but also a real energy drain too. Saying goodbye is never easy, even when it is the best thing to do.

Wish me luck on my new commute (an hour one way),
my new schedule (three tens and one eight, with Wed. off)
and my new job!
If I'm not around much in the next few weeks, you'll know why!

amusement

2011-08-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Our weekend (last weekend that is) didn't just include a wedding. It also included a third birthday of a very special and important girl in our world, my best friend's little girl L. They decided to have a day at Six Flags amusement park and since we were headed back from the Bay Area anyway, we made the stop in Vallejo on Sunday.

The day started out cool and foggy (perfect actually), but warmed up nicely by the afternoon. The kids went on a ton of rides, ate ice cream, and watched the dolphins. Both O and L haven't stopped talking about the dolphins and whales. I love it.

It was such a sweet day, but boy did we wear out the kids. O actually asked when we were going home because he was tired. We hardly got them buckled into their seats before both of them were totally asleep for the rest of the ride back to Reno.

Thanks for being such an amazing little girl L and for including us in your life and special day!

sweetness

2011-08-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

If you have been following along from yesterday's post, you know we just went to a wedding over the weekend.
All that was sweet, but not as literally sweet as the fact that they had a doughnut man to serve dessert instead of the traditional cake.

Yes, you read that right, a doughnut man!!

do you love his hat, perfect, no?

It didn't matter if you were a little kid, or a big one- these little bits of fried dough were so melt-in-your-mouth yummy, it was hard to not go back for seconds, ahem.

I loved this idea (and the doughnuts too!) and am now hunting down a reason to hire a crew to come and make these sweet, bites of joy for us.

231:365, a wedding

2011-08-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

We haven't been to a wedding in 3 or 4 years, all pre-kids..which makes for a very different wedding going experience...but that is neither here-nor-there, this summer/fall we are making up for our break in assigned seating, bouqet tossing and aisle walking. We have three ceremonies to attend. This was the first of the batch and it was so very sweet.

I snuck a peak in the church after the ceremony while they were doing photos. I sort of wanted to stalk the photographer around and learn the ropes of shooting a wedding, but held myself back. I really do need to find a local photographer I can second shoot for...
I was in love with the stained glass work in this church and the pastor had such nice things to say. It made me cry, in a good way.

After the ceremony we blew caution to the wind and almost totally skipped nap time.
We let the kids sleep for only about half an hour while we checked into the hotel and then headed to the receoption. We visited with everyone out in the court yard. Drinks were served and horsdevours passed around.

Don't worry, his was just lemonade, though the amount of 'body art' he had on by the end of the night might have suggested there was something else besides lemonade in his cup.

The cousins all got to run around and play while the adults visited and enjoyed the wonderful Bay Area weather.

I was so excited to see they had an instax camera 'photo booth' set up.

It was a very sweet afternoon/evening indeed.

family photobooth 2

2011-08-19T08:56:00.001-07:00

It's been a LONG time since I posted a photobooth shot.
This one was taken in the spring at the Board Walk in Santa Cruz, CA. Sadly, the 'real' photobooth is gone and only the digital booths remain. But we jumped in anyway...

Happy Photobooth Friday my friends!

Hats Off

2011-08-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

Fif isn't a big fan of hats.

You wouldn't know it from these photos though.

I am not sure if it is because I didn't keep one on her all the time when she was an itty bitty or what, but she doesn't like them one bit.

Such mean mom for trying to keep the sun out of her eyes and off her sweet skin...

just hanging out...

2011-08-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

Today's blog post was brought to you by the color green.

Hot August Nights

2011-08-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's August.
It's hot.

It's Hot August Nights.

Every year in August, Reno and Sparks are taken over with shinny, shinny cars and big engines.

The annual Hot August Nights festival, it is quite the scene of fancy paint jobs and plushed out interiors.

I love that it is a mix of people of all ages and backgrounds showing off their cars and trucks.

On Friday night we headed over to Victorian Square in Sparks to watch the 'cruise', a parade of everything from a VW It to souped up GTOs with extra loud and giant engines.

The parking lots are full of chrome, hoods open to show off the goods and people ready and willing to talk your head off in the gear head fashion.

O was captivated by the 'car-cars', Fifi wasn't so sure of the noise but was a trouper and hung out past her bed time.

cubano sandos

2011-08-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was out to dinner, drinks and a movie with my girlfriends and I had a cubano sandwich. It was so tasty that I have been craving one ever since so I decided to make one at home.

Want to make one too?

Ingredients:

Sandwich roll, a sweeter style bread is preferable

mustard

Swiss cheese was on the original, but I only had mozzarella and it was just as good

dill pickles

sliced ham

sliced turkey

bacon, pre-cooked

Ready?

Get out the pickles, the sandwich sliced ones are handy, but you can easily slice your own.

Mmm, bacon. I like to bake mine off in the oven. If you want to do it this way, line a cookie sheet with tin foil then place cooling wracks on them and lay out the bacon. It makes for easy clean up and flat bacon. Just don't do what I did and spill the grease out as you take it from the oven.

I was SO glad nobody was underfoot at that point last night!

Spread mustard on the rolls and lay out pickles, cheese, bacon, and deli slices.

It's looking good, but there is one more step before you dig in!

Place the sandwich on the griddle or frying pan with some cooking spray then place a frying pan on top in order to smoosh and weigh it all down.

Let it get all ooey-gooey good and warm. Flip once so that both sides get toasty.

look at all that melty cheese! And there you go, your very own cubano-sando. Cut in half and serve with some slaw or other creamy veg. I only had some mango around so I sliced that up and it went nicely on the side.

Enjoy!

11 months

2011-08-10T12:48:00.001-07:00

She turned 11 months on Monday.

I am running late on her photo because she has been full of piss and vinegar lately.

I couldn't get her to sit still long enough or without snot and tears until last night.
This month has been all about mobility.

Fifi took her first steps on the 22nd of July and continues to test the waters with adding more and mores steps each day.
It's really more about bravery than anything at this point.
I also think it's about speed, she can get to her target a lot faster by crawling.

She loves to climb, climb, climb.

One afternoon I stepped away and hear shrieking coming from the play room to find her scaling the bookcase. Yes, Fifi is my wild child. Is it part of being the second child, or just who she is? Hard to say.

Other milestones including pointing and I swear this morning she pointed at the dog and said, "daw". She also sings this funny little song, "ling-aling-aling" and will dance her little booty off when you turn on music.

She doesn't blow kisses in the traditional way, but will smack her lips when you blow them at her.

She remains to be one of the happiest, smiliest kids you will ever come across. But don't tick her off or she will totally tell you off in her baby gibberish and possibly pinch you harder than a lobster. She is also a fighter when it comes to sleep, she doesn't want to miss a minute of action. I have to question what it is that she thinks is going down at 1-3am on some nights. It's been a blessing to not have to go into work lately with the newborn like sleep schedule she has been following.

She and O are so silly and fun to watch lately. He loves to pull her around in the wagon or push her in the little tike's car. One of our favorite afternoon things to do these days is to get O's balance bike out and Fifi on the tricycle and ride up and down the street.

It's been a wonderful month and I can't believe that we are coming quickly upon her first birthday!!

218:365, ROARRRRR!

2011-08-08T10:34:00.001-07:00

Totally blurry, but completely Fifi.

Things she is loving right now, peak-a-boo.

As well as de-organizing the kitchen for me...

nice booger-face

see, I told you she likes peak-a-boo.

This is why I call her Boomer. She is such a rowdy, spunky little thing. I love it.

I love you

2011-08-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

and for your listening pleasure....

212:365, promise

2011-08-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

There is hope in these little flowers. Ripe, sweet fruit that is much more candy like than healthy treat. I am finding glimmers of promise in everyday pieces of my life right now. Maybe it's just the simple things like seeing the garden swell with food or bigger things like watching my girl learn to walk and my boy balance on his bike. There are also the phone calls and emails I have been getting. Some from friends and family showing support and love and other calls and emails with hints of good news and new beginnings. I am keeping my fingers crossed and my hopes high for the road ahead.

Dinner Time!

2011-08-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

It' gets a little wild around here lately when the dinner bell rings.

omonomnom, i heart rice and chicken....

i want more, i want more, i want more

is this a bowl or a hat?
it's both!

Good thing it's summer and we can make our mess outside and not worry too much about what doesn't make it into our mouth.

where does it go?

2011-07-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

Time.
Where does it go?
It seems that I am busier since being away from the office than when I was there.
How the heck did I fit everything in to the day while at work 40 hours a week?

Our roommate's family was in town last week, and they wanted to make sure to squeeze in a dinner with us. So, last Monday evening we got to visit and hang out with them. It was really great and they keep insisting that we should move to Oregon- they love it up there! You never know, it might just happen.

On Tuesday, I had an interview for a new job. It went well, but why oh why must they ask questions like, "What would your current or previous employer say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses"?
Andy says I shouldn't take that question so literally. I have to admit, with the way I have been getting kicked around by my current employer, I almost cried when I had to answer the weakness portion of the question. I have been asking myself over and over again, what DID I do to make it so they wanted to get rid of me like they did? I know I have to stop thinking like that, but man, that question really did a number on me.

Wednesday I worked on a few emails to my current employer and did some real thinking about what our options are right now. To help clear my mind afterward, I headed up to Donner Lake with my mom for a really nice walk around Donner State Park and a toe dip into the lake. I love it up there and always forget just how quiet it is on the east end of the lake (and the water is a tad warmer over there too because it isn't as deep).

I've been getting to enjoy the moments with the kids so much more lately. We decided not to take them out of daycare while I was home until we knew for sure if I would be working or not. I like not having to rush so much in the morning to get them off to school and being able to pick them up early if I want to. I also like getting to make my own schedule and make plans like wandering around the thrift store mindlessly. This week I found a bit of color, just what I needed to help keep my spirits bright.

Thursday, oh Thursday. I had been holding off taking a photo all day since I knew we were going to go to the baseball game later that evening. Unfortunately, I had also taken some time to pull my memory card out and didn't put it back in, it is the first official day of not taking a photo this year, (I made it to day 208)- but if I had taken a shot, it would have looked a lot like this one:

Friday was another whirl-wind day. I walked with one of my girlfriends in the morning and then I had a third meeting with my office to discuss options and a possible placement for me. I am still not satisfied with what they are offering and asked them several questions that I felt needed answering before I would agree to show up to work with a new title (and decreased pay). It was the first meeting where ~~I didn't cry my eyes out~~ I felt strong and confident, almost as if I had the upper hand on the situation.
(hello, I do! I just have to remember that I have a boat load of knowledge that nobody else there has and leverage it.)

It was incredibly hot out all day. Thunderheads built up and we got some excitement in the late evening. After dinner we headed outside to play in the front yard to ride bikes and watch the storm.

A fire broke out to the west of us, the power went out, a rainbow appeared to the east and a bunch of the neighbors came out to visit since they couldn't watch TV while the electricity was off.

We decided to go out for ice cream while we waited for the power to come back on, it was a perfect way to enjoy the evening and the rainstorm.

Today has been extremely chill. We visited with Andy's parents, had lunch, and put the kids down for a nap. They both slept for 3+ hours which gave us time to hang out and enjoy the quiet.
I finally finished the first sleeve on my Tea Leaves cardi and watched the X-games skateboarding street competition on TV. It was wonderfully lazy all around.

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend and staying cool and safe where ever you are!

on a lighter note...

2011-07-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

When you have a Friday like this, you need to have a weekend like this....

We got this scoot bike for O at Christmas time, he is finally tall enough for his feet to touch the ground. He wants to take it everywhere, and wear that helmet ALWAYS, to the store, to the restaurant.

He was singing a great little song when I took this- I SO wish my DSLR had video, it was pretty priceless.

"Singin', eeeeneemeeneee, mine-eee-momomo, catch a whipper-whapper, but the toe-o-o-o. If he hollers, hollers, let him go. sigin', eeeeneemeeneee, mine-eee-momomo,"

Breakfast at the Gold'n'Silver.
A favorite greasy spoon of mine.
It's been around forever and was recently featured in "Dinners,Drive-ins and Dives".
The staff is always nice and they don't freak at loud kids or huge messes. Plus, the people watching is fantastic.
I was thinking it would be fun to do a photo project where I photographed the staff and clientele.

Mid-day, we split up and I went with Fifi to Truckee to hang out with family and Daddy took O to the GSR to play in the pool with his cousins.

The day was dotted with wonderful things. But, this part stuck out in my mind the most, Fifi taking some of her first steps. We decided to go to pizza and beer for dinner.
As we waited for our food, we let the kids run around.
She can only do one or two and then falls down, but she gets back up again and gives it another try. Everyone in the back patio was cheering her on, it was so sweet.

After dinner we loaded up the truck with blankets and pillows and lawn chairs and went to the drive in! I had never been and it was a fun way to spend the late evening. It might have been a little stressful when the kids were both screaming, but all in all it was a hoot. Of course, we saw "Car-car".

Sunday night we grilled corn and tri-tip and played in the back yard.

I am so glad he thinks pulling her around is as much fun as getting to ride.

These are the things that make it all worth it, really. I don't care how cheesy that sounds, it's true.

200:365, swim

2011-07-22T14:19:00.001-07:00

I sit waiting for the phone to ring, for an email to come in, for something.

Three full weeks I have been home, getting paid to test run being a stay at home mom.
I am anxious as all get out today, hoping to hear the final decision that my current employer will make.
My heart and chest periodically get tight- like the feeling right before the roller coaster takes you over the hump and down the enormous drop.
Perhaps it is a similar excitement that is building inside of me- I am on the roller coaster of life and this is just one of the drops that takes you into the loop, turning everything upside-down and your stomach inside-out.
Challenging my perspective, my point of view.

Challenging who I believe I am.

On Wednesday, as I sat on the edge of the dock looking across Donner Lake, I had the saying,
"Do one thing everyday that scares you." running through my head.
That is when I realized I had already done that, I stood up for what I think I deserve. I put out the facts and spoke even though my voice shook.
But after that, I knew I wasn't through with fright for the day.
So I went off and did a second thing that scares me.
The water that is made up of snow run off from Donner Summit.
Ironically, the lake is one of the only places I could think of that would make things seem normal and calm.
But the frigid water is a scary thing to plunge into no matter how 'local' you think you are.
What I really needed was to wash it all away,
to clean the mental slate from the mornings confrontation
and to snap myself out of the broken record that was running through my mind.

Finally, I jumped into that cold, mountain water.
You know what, it wasn't as cold as I thought it would be.
It was however, every bit as refreshing as I had hoped.
I am taking that as a signal of things to come.
All this stuff that is scaring the shit out of me right now won't be as bad as I am making it in my mind,
the waters won't be as frigid.
Heck, it might even work out to be a million times better and more refreshing than jumping in a lake on a hot summer day.

To the Library

2011-07-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Being home from work for the past couple of weeks has meant getting to be home with O on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These are the days he would normally spend with my mom while I was working. I realized that we need to get out of the house at least once a day, so I try to have some activities/outings planned for us. It could be just going to the post office, the grocery store or one of the many playgrounds in our neighborhood. But I think a change of scenery for both of us does some good- and if I time it right, he usually falls asleep for his afternoon nap on the way home- score!

One of the things he and my mom do is go to the library. He had some books to return and wanted to check out a few more, plus I thought they might have some new music that we could borrow to mix things up around the house. (Have I mentioned O is a huge fan of rasta music as well as The Beatles?) So on Tuesday we headed downtown. O had quarters in his pocket and was ready to feed the parking meter, he also had his library card in there too. We found a few books, a They Might Be Giants CD as well as the Remarkable Farkle McBride CD (John Lithgow is so silly and this is one of our favorite books).

The downtown library has all sorts of levels and twisty stairs and plants hanging from every where- oh and nice natural light. It reminded me what a wonderful asset the public library serves in our community. I need to go there more often!

Upright

2011-07-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ready,

Steady,

GOAL!!

over the weekend...

2011-07-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

The sky threatened and mirrored my emotions on Friday. It was a difficult day, filled with sticking up for myself and asking why my work doesn't feel I am qualified for a position I know I am qualified to do. I am on hold for another week until they can sort out what to do with me. It was emotionally draining and unlike the clouds, I burst as soon as I walked out of the negotiation doors...

On the bright side of Friday, I got to pick Daddy-O up from the airport. He was out of town last week for work, down in San Diego (or as O was calling it, Sandy-Eggo) for a software user conference. It was a tricky week for him to be away, but he had a good trip, was able to post my resume at the conference he went to and I got a bite from a company (here in town!) that wants to interview me (please cross your fingers for me!). This is good news...

I was so glad he was home, so was he (the kids were pretty stoked too, Fifi wouldn't let me hold her the entire evening on Friday, it was adorable).

Saturday we played around the house, took a ride on the train down at the local park and hung out in the back yard all evening. Fifi discovered the little tike car and played on, in and around it for a really long time that afternoon. We ate GIANT s'mores after a yummy grilled dinner, GIANT I tell you. The marshmallows Daddy brought home from the store were like 4 in 1. crazy, sticky, good.

We headed up to the lake (Tahoe) for the afternoon on Sunday. It was gorgeous, but we hit the wrong time with the kids' nap schedule and there were some trashy people cussing and swearing and chain smoking on the beach next to us that sort of ruined it for me.

We took a walk out on a small pier and let the pretty just soak in to our minds. I love that people are swimming and playing in a lake while there is still up on the mountains above.

We are so lucky to live so close to this place. I think maybe this week I will go back and jump in for a swim...

oh, and look who is practicing standing up! I know this isn't a great photo, but I caught her testing out her legs while we sat on the beach. It's pretty exciting...

artist in residence

2011-07-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

It's like art camp over at my mom's house.

I love it.

Coloring in Jojo's 'Plan B" studio, aka the camp trailer.

Finger painting and mixing colors in Jojo's back yard.

good eaters

2011-07-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

afternoon snacking on summer time fruit

re fried beans and cheese, she's totally into it.

b-sprouts, garlic, prosciutto and some lemon juice. Saute and serve.

don't forget something nice to wash it all down with.

Cheers!

Play

2011-07-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

There has been so much fantastic play happening around here lately.

O's imagination is really blooming and it is so funny to hear him as he makes up a conversation between a pig and train or listen in on him 'reading' his books.

We pulled out the Legos and I watched him build an airplane, I was totally blown away as I watched it take shape- how the h. e. double hockey sticks did he do that?!

He and Fifi have actually been playing really well together lately, as long as she doesn't destroy a tower or gum on a train track we are all good.

One of their favorite things to do is play around the couch.

Rolling, and leaping (O leaping, not Fifi).

At times I wonder if I am raising billy goats with all the head butting going on as of late.

I love the giggles that fill the air.

Hangin' Ten

2011-07-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ten months, that means she has been out longer than she was in and

we only have two months left until she is a year.
I just can't quite wrap my brain around how fast this is all going.

This month there has been lots and lots of babbling. She is definitely saying, "ma ma ma ma" and "da da da" and every now and then pointing at things. She loves to clap, clap, clap her hands and it seems to be a way she can communicate with us, she uses the clapping as a way to show how happy she is or when she is super frustrated ,she will clap her hands together extra hard along with a screech to let us know that she doesn't approve. One of the cutest things she is doing lately is to get a blankie and lay down on it and say, "ni-ni", then sit up and giggle at us.

Fifi is fast, she can crawl or bear crawl (sort of a moving down dog) across the house faster than fast. She is cruising around the furniture and doing so one handed more often than not. She has mastered going UP the stairs, but not so much the coming back down them.

She is even doing a few seconds here and there of, "look ma, no hands". I feel like this month she will figure out walking- you can tell she REALLY wants to and it is making her crazy. She loves to hold your fingers and tour you around the yard or the house, giggling the entire trip.

She and O are so silly together. He often plays pretty rowdy with her, but she usually comes up laughing and more often than not he is the one crying after she hits a little too hardly or pulls some hair. We really need to work on the gently hands with her.

We are still nursing, but she really loves solid foods. Beans are some of her favorites, pinto or black. She also likes eggs a whole lot too. My little protein girl.

As she falls asleep in my arms at night she often plays with my hair and I have found that twinkle-twinkle is one of the only songs I can sing to get her to calm down when she is in a totally hissy.
She is a total Daddy's girl. If he doesn't come to her right away when he gets off from work, she let's him know about it. I love watching her be in love with him.

This girl is still full of sunshine and mischief- and a ton of love.
xo Fifi! Happy 10 months.

Taking it to the bank

2011-07-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

In an effort to encourage potty training, I had O paint his car bank the other day.

Every time he goes on the potty he gets a coin.

On the days he is at school, if he stays dry all day, he gets two coins to put in the bank that night.

I am using it as a way to

a) avoid the candy bribes for potty use,

b) learn the different names of the coins and how much each is worth,

c) and mix things up a bit to keep his motivation going.

He really is doing quite well with the whole thing.

He does have accidents, but he also insists some nights to go to bed without a pull-up or a diaper on,
"Just my undies, Mom".

Number two seems to be more tricky to get him to do on the potty for some reason. I was reading that boy have a harder time because they have to learn two different methods in the bathroom unlike girls who just sit to do all their business.

Maybe it's because peeing on a tree is fun and easy (yes, we are those parents)
pooing is sort of scary with the threat of falling in the bowl.

I am really proud of my little man for the progress we are making on this milestone achievement.

I am also really excited to not have two kids in diapers!

red, white and (stop being so) blue

2011-07-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

I guess I couldn't have asked for a better weekend to be put on leave. It's hard to sit and feel sorry for yourself too long when the festivities for the Fourth of July roll around. It is one of my favorite holidays, there aren't a ton of expectations, no gifts to buy and stress like that. What there is though is good food, fireworks, swimming, parades, and family and friends.

Because the holiday fell on Monday this year, we were able to spend time with both family at the cabin and friends back here in town.
We also got to enjoy not one, but two firework shows and I think I have successfully eaten my share of ribs for the year (talk to me again when the Rib Cook Off comes to town though...).

Saturday morning we headed up to Greagle to spend time at the cabin.

We had ribs.

The cousins played and played together.

They decked out their bikes for the ride down to the field

where we watch the fireworks.

Sunday was more playing, sno-cones and bounce houses for O in the morning while Fifi napped,

and a dip in the Mill pond for Fifi while O napped in the afternoon.

Squirt gun fights and lots of baseball pitching, pulling each other around in the waggon and bike riding.

Grandpa made a fire in the pit and Grandma showed off her inner girl scout skills and showed the kids tricks for the best s'mores ever.

Monday, we packed up and headed home. The kids napped and then we went to friend's for dinner and fireworks.

Our kids happen to all go to the same daycare, but are about a year apart in age-
That didn't seem to matter much-
O and C got along great, I even caught them holding hands as C gave O a tour around the yard. s
ooo sweet.

After dinner we loaded up and drove up a giant hill,
a-la-Nevada style, and found an awesome spot to view the show.

It really was a great weekend and I am so glad it helped me take my mind off of things.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, too!

181:365, loafing

2011-07-06T15:18:00.001-07:00

It was my first day of Administrative Leave last Friday.
It's basically a two week paid vacation until the office can figure out where they will place me or not place me after the 'reduction in force/reorganization" process is settled.
On Thursday I had to hand in my keys, ID and parking permit, oh and walk away from the work that I have done for them for the past 9 years.
It was (is) really, really hard.

I sort of moped around and didn't get out of my slippers all day.
O and I did make cookies and play a lot of trains though- thank goodness for cookies and kids, right?

Happy Fourth of July!!!

2011-07-04T16:30:00.001-07:00

ice cream, you scream...

2011-07-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

I hope your weekend was as cool as a bowl of mint chocolate chip.

Reno is Artown!

2011-07-01T23:29:00.000-07:00

Artown opened last night- just a few sights from the afternoon.

This is such a wonderful part of the summer here in town. It is the sixteenth year Artown has been around and each year is full of so many awesome artists of all kinds.

I am glad I had the chance to make it down for the opening event yesterday afternoon and evening.

I was let out of work early (more about work later, it's a little crazy right now and I am off for two weeks until the dust settles.)

I met my friend Lisa and her two boys along with O.

(Fifi had just fallen asleep at daycare, so I opted to leave her there to rest.

It was a fun date for O and I)

The sidewalk chalk was a huge hit with the boys.

There was a mural you could help to paint.

Bubbles to blow and catch.

The Discovery Museum (opening in mid September) was there with t-shirts for the kids to color.

There were also several other groups with activities like making recycled milk carton pinwheel flowers, shakers, and newspaper hats.

All of these things were in preparation for the 7pm 'parade' from McKinnely Art's Center to Wingfield Park- music provided by the March Fourth Marching Band.

We marched along, but O was a tad freaked out by all the people and loud

(how can a kid who is so loud himself, not like loud? I don't get it.)

Needless to say my camera was in my bag while we followed along with all the excitement.

To see the fun click on this link and then scroll to the bottom of the page for a video.

Let art rule!!!

afternoon acrobatics

2011-06-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Oh this kid,
he is either upside down,
or attempting to get himself upside down as of late.
It started out with him doing somersaults around the yard

and has morphed into O attempting to do headstand,
everywhere.

In the back yard,
in the play room and
yes, last night, I caught him in the bathtub-
Flinging his feet upward, donkey style,
and coming down with a large splash.

I watch him partly in awe and partly in horror.

I mean, it hasn't been that long since he was able to find balance on his feet,

and now he is trying to find it on the top of his head?

sigh.

I am so worried he is going to hurt his neck as he flips over backwards.
The yoga instructor in me wants to go over all the correct positioning
and set up for such a pose.
I am not sure that my boy, who is two and three quarters
has the patience for that.

I'm not the only one worried.

Even his sister has a look of concern on her face.

What to do, what to do.
Maybe gymnastic classes are in my future???

You gotta frittata

2011-06-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

I made a point to do some meal planning before going to the grocery store this weekend. Part of this is in an effort to save money, part is so that my brain doesn't have to think too much when I get home from work. I have been fried by the time 5:30 rolls around and could easily have a glass of wine, popcorn and ice cream for dinner.

But that doesn't really set a good example for or work for the kids.

Speaking of what works for the kids, Fifi scarfed every little bit of this that I put on her tray.
I could hardly keep up with her!
The older kids (my best friend was over with her girlie) weren't so into it.
Two and half year olds don't know what they are missing out on most of the time.
That's okay, more for us!!

I was a tad worried that it was going to be too hot for me to turn on the oven, but a little summer rain storm blew in last night, so it wasn't pure torture to turn on the broiler to add the finishing touches on to this dish.

I like that the recipe is more of a template, allowing you to throw in what ever you might have on hand or is sitting in the fridge needing to be used up. I tossed in some mystery greens that my sister brought from her garden, in an effort to sneak some chlorophyll into our diet. I also like that there isn't a boat load of cheese in this recipe, just a 1/4 cup to the top and your good.
(Maybe that's the difference between a quiche and a frittata,
other than the no crust thing?)

Last night we ate our frittata hot out of the oven.
Today I threw it in my lunch box with a big handful of salad and ate it cold.

Here's what I did.....

Ingredients:

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

teaspoon dry thyme

9 eggs whisked

1/4 to 1/2 an onion diced finely

1-3 cloves of chopped garlic

1 pkg sweet sausage either crumbled or sliced small

(I used sweet because the kids were going to eat this, but spicy would be awesome too)

1-1.5 cups chopped greens, (spinach, kale, etc)

1 can cannelloni or other bean of your liking

1 cup cherry toms, halved

1/4 cup grated parm

What to do:

Beat the first five ingredients together and set aside.

Heat an oven safe pan (I used our big Dutch oven one) with a bit of oil

Add your onions and garlic until translucent.

Add sausage and lightly brown

Add chopped greens and allow to saute a bit so they wilt

Add can of rinsed beans and halved toms

Stir and distribute ingredients evenly in the pan

Pour the egg mixture over and cover

Allow to cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle parm on top, slide under the broiler, (uncovered) for 5 minutes or until set.

Serve and enjoy!

visitors

2011-06-27T11:36:00.001-07:00

My sister and her little dude came for a visit this weekend.

He has my heart,

one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen,

oh, and the family's signature blue eyes.

I have never seen my sister so in love.
Could you blame her?

First days of summer

2011-06-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

summer is here....

I love sleeping with the windows open at night.

Letting the frogs sing me a lullaby, as I drift off to sleep.

I love lounging in the back yard with my sweetie and two little goofballs,

I love sipping wine on my mom's back porch and giving the kids turns in the swing.

I love that shoes (and clothes for some of us) are optional,

I love that the wading pools are filled and emptied, filled and emptied.

And I love that the yard is full of color.

What do you love about summer?

reno rodeo

2011-06-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

I went to the Reno Rodeo with my girlfriends last night.

It's an annual tradition and one I absolutely love.

There was gossip and giggles.

There were (lots of) wrangler butts, cowboy hats and shinny accessories.

There was junk food eating,

and a Coors Light (or three) consumed.

A perfect night out with my girls.

play

2011-06-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Just this week my two little monkeys have started to play together more and more.

O seems to be lightening up (a tad) about the fact that Fifi is here to stay and in his space.

Fifi takes it for the team and is a rowdy little bugger as she giggles and snorts with every ounce of attention that her brother gives her.

Moments like these are what make it all worth it. Moments when I can see their bond and friendship developing. Their giggles make me giggle, no matter what kind of day I have had.

172:365, handle with care

2011-06-23T11:36:00.001-07:00

a reminder.

weekender

2011-06-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Father's Day weekend turned out to be a really nice one this year.
We originally had plans for Saturday afternoon that fell through.
That freed us up to take up another invitation to go camping at Frenchman Lake.

On Friday night (while we were still home), our housemate had friends over. We shared our home brew and they made us dinner.
It's great to have foodie people around!
The theme of the night was kebabs - these were delicious!
I can't wait to make these again this summer.
(recipe from Every Day Foods. I can't find the recipe over there, but it is in the latest magazine along with about 5 others.)
*note to self, "Self, use old bay seasoning more often, especially on corn."

Our menu sort of went downhill from there, however.

Super classy and healthy (HA!) camp food. Um, hot dogs, chips, smores, and of course, soft serve ice cream from the Chilcoot Frosty on the way home.
I wish I would have gotten my camera out for that part- but really it was better it stayed in the case.
I was covered in O's melting and mushy ice cream cone.
It is quite possible that I had more on me than he actually had in his tummy by the end of it all.
Thank goodness for baby wipes!

He ate not one, but two dogs with lots of catchup on them for dinner and then one for breakfast on Sunday, what? we don't eat like that normally, I swear.

Have you ever used dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate for your s'mores?

um, oh YEAH! good call.

All of the developed campsites were full by the time we got up there.

So we ventured out a dirt road and found a sweet little spot near a creek.

When we were getting unpacked O looked up at Daddy-O and said, "When are we going to the real camp spot?"

"O, we are at the real camp spot."

"No, Dad. This isn't a camp spot, it doesn't have a picnic table."

Oh man that kid. He makes the best observations sometimes.

We made up for some of the junk food intake by taking a nice walk up the road from our camp spot to hunt down wild flowers and burn off some energy.

Fifi and little H. hung out in the ergos.

(I shot the above picture over my shoulder, I couldn't love it more)

The big kids ran around like crazy, kicking up dust and enjoying

the last bit of sunshine for the day.

I love how kids just run to run.

Thanks to C and J for inviting us along for the quick over-nighter.
Next time we will try not to pick such a bumpy road for the Prius to drive down!

the past few days...

2011-06-17T11:22:00.001-07:00

This week has had emotional ups and downs. I am still in limbo with knowing what will happen with my job. I could be two weeks away from being unemployed or two weeks away from a new job. It's a really strange to not know what is going to happen. I have applied for the new openings that were posted and I now wait to hear if I will be given an interview. Once interviews have taken place, there is the seniority 'bumping' process that will happen- So even if I am offered something, a person who is qualified and has more years in can take my spot. Yes, government work is a little crazy like that. More than likely I won't have a solid answer until the last day of June (fiscal year)....

I can tell my mood has a strong pull on if I pick up the camera or not. If I am bummed, I have a much harder time looking through the lens. I want to change that, to find the joy. I need to find therapy in hitting the shutter...

Monday night was so beautiful. After dinner I got us all out of the house for a stroll around the neighborhood. This isn't the best photo in the world, but it was the moment I wanted to capture. All of us, even the dog out and about enjoy summer weather that has finally arrived. I love the long shadows that the evening sun has made, and the fact that O is in his under-roos and a t-shirt. He has been doing great with the potty training, I am so excited at the prospect of no more diapers for this kid.

Fifi, at the back slider, watching her brother in the backyard.

You can't tell me that the casualness of her stance isn't adorable.

I did a small photo-shoot for a work friend. Holding that 9lb-er was oh so bitter sweet. I played hookie from work on Wednesday. I needed the mental holiday and to focus on my photography. I also installed my new copy of Elements 9 and Lightroom. I am totally excited about this. Does anyone have any good references for books about Lightroom? I feel a little lost in there.
Fifi also had her nine month doctor's visit in the afternoon.
She is 18lbs and 28 inches long.

The boys played in the backyard while we ate a 'picnic' dinner on the freshly cut grass. It's a little hard to visit when four kids are running around, but we managed to catch up a bit with each other. I am so blessed to have mama's in my life who "get me".

could it be?

2011-06-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Summer might just be making it's way into the Great Basin.
I know much of the country has been sitting in heat,
but we were having snow just a few weeks ago.
Some of the local ski resorts will be open on the 4th of July
and we have had record precipitation this year.
It's been a long winter and at times,
it felt like summer was never going to get here.

There are little signs of it popping up everywhere.

The sweet smell of coals warming for the dinner time grilling.

Hands full of rich soil and the sent of tomato plants on your skin.

playing until you can play no more at the neighborhood park

laughing with the cousins

(well, that happens all year round, but it's especially right now)

Frogs and wading pools.

Kids who only wear sun hats, flip flops and sunscreen all day.

do something about it

2011-06-13T09:38:00.001-07:00

"All that you need to have all that you want, Vanessa,

will be provided, as if by magic, once you know what

you want and do something about it every day.

No matter what,
The Universe"

Thank you Universe...
I knew you were listening and would have the right words for me.
xo,
vanessa

...and thank you all for your comments and emails.
You people have no idea how much it means to me.
And you see that door up there?
it's opening wide- I just have to walk through it.

Change...

2011-06-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

Change, and I'm not talking about the kind you get from a cash register.

I am talking about the kind that rocks your world.
That rattles your pockets and your heart.
The kind that makes you have to breathe deep and long
and not take things personally.
(don't take this personally, I keep saying to myself)

It's the type of change that might domino it's way to even more adjustments, movements and places.
I can hear the rattling. Click, click, click by click, as the rectangular, white and polka dotted pieces tumble into their neighbor...
until all the bones are stacked in a diagonal lean.
Sandwiched against one another for support-
It's the support that keeps me going. The love, the 'no matter whats'.

My eyes are bloodshot, though I haven't cried today.
(don't take this personally, I keep saying to myself)
I want to cry.
What seems more appropriate and at the tip of my tongue is to scream.
I don't want to be a number on a page.
With a quick edit, a box on an organizational chart
is there one minute and gone the next.
I am a person, I can't be wiped out that easily.
(don't take this personally)

I have to re-apply for a
'new' job at a place where I am not sure I want to work at any more,
for people who don't really seem to care.
(don't take this personally, I keep saying to myself)

I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,
a door opening,
a clearing of space for new opportunities.
(don't take this personally, I keep saying to myself)
It's the support that keeps me going. The love, the 'no matter whats'.

Nine in, Nine out

2011-06-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's official, she has been out as long as she was in...
and man do we have our hands full with this little girl.

Last night I announced we were headed upstairs to do Fifi's chair pictures and O said, "Oh wait, let me get my camera! I want to help."
and off he went to get his Fisher Price digital.

As with most things in our family dynamic, O is
the organizer and the one calling the shots.
I think he might have a future as creative director, no?

But this little sister of his, she might just give him the biggest run for his money he has ever seen.
If there is anything that I remember from this month,
it is the fact that Fifi likes to test the boundaries and push things to the limit.

She is a flirt and a joker.
If you tell her no, she is going to head right back to the forbidden fruit,
with a "Tommy gun" laugh just to touch, taste or destroy (or should I say, "srcumble"?) whatever you just asked her not to.

May was a month of new adventures. We went camping and Fifi put her feet in the ocean for the first time. She helped us celebrate Jojo's birthday, our 8th anniversary and I got to not only be recognized as a mother, but as a mother of two. (It's official since displayed on the mantel is a dried clay hand print from O and a foot print from Fifi).

We hung out with friends and family at home and away. We went on a girl's weekend to the Bay Area and listened to a LOT of Katy Perry and Miley on the way. We also took her to her first Ace-ball game. She loved all the clapping (and the hot dog bun we fed her for dinner).
Other adventures, of the more domestic kind include pulling up on things to come to a standing position AND wandering around (sometimes one handed). She uses the couch, the ottoman, the dog's back, the wall, mama or daddy's legs or what ever is handy in order to get where she wants to go.

She has mastered the stairs (so scary for me) and can hardly be left alone for a second. She loves the water and if you set her down in the bedroom she is instantly in the bathroom pulling up on the side of the tub, squealing in delight at the running water.

Fifi got her first ear infection this month and we are all trying to shake "the cold" right now. There might be two more teeth popping through on the bottom very soon , but for now she is happy to chomp away with just the two she has. Ears and teeth could explain why she has gone from drinking almost 20oz of milk a day to just 8 or 10oz and takes on average, only one nap for about 2hours each day.
Night time sleep is hit or miss as well. Last night I was in her room for most of the night trying to get her to fall asleep. Let's just say the chair in these photos has seen a lot of use lately. Despite the small amounts of food and rest, this girl is full of smiles and giggles and silly.

Sometimes I have to stop and catch my breath at the fact that I have not one,
but two,
amazing, wonderful kids.

Fifi, you have fit into our world so well.
We love you to bits and pieces.

A look back, this is why I love this tradition. look at the change!

It's Ace-ball Season

2011-06-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Ace's home plate.

Ready to play.

He and Daddy-O caught that ball at the last game
they went to earlier this season.

Long afternoon shadows.

Fifi taking in all the excitement of the game.
She loved when we would all clap our hands.

We had box seats, for free!

We had a really fun time at the game against the Salt Lake City Bees (we won!).

Though staying up so late made for a very hard wake up this morning

for daycare and work.

Backyard Bubbles

2011-06-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

On Monday night O asked if he could go outside and blow bubbles. I told him I had to make dinner, but he could go by himself. I expected there to be a giant puddle of bubble juice, a boy with a bubble juice mustache and possibly some tears when he couldn't figure it out on his own. I gave it about ten minutes before he was back inside asking for a cheese stick or juice.

That teaches me to expect things from this kid... Once I opened the lid for him, I sat and watched in astonishment as he carefully and gently blew bubble, after bubble, after bubble.
I had no idea that he had figured out this tricky task. He held the wand at just the right distance, he puckered his lips and blew out just the right speed and pressure of air.
30 minutes later, he was still out there giggling as he blew and popped bubbles in the grass.

I asked him who taught him how to do that and he answered,
"Hhmmm, probably Chase."
Chase gets a lot of credit around here lately. He is O's bff at daycare and is the topic of many conversations these days...