brown bobbin

HEARTS + ARROWS

2012-02-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

It was just my type of day yesterday.

Our day was filled with lots of love and time together mixed in with some delicious food and just the right amount of creating and photographing.

In the morning Julian and I worked on a somewhat Valentine's day shirt for him before heading over to Ella's school to help out with her Valentine's day class party.

After a sugar overload we headed home so I could finish up with my painting for Andy.

We made heart shaped pizza's and one of my favorite dishes,

linguine with shrimp scampi, for dinner.

I used this recipe.

For dessert we enjoyed brownies a la mode...YUM!!!

Andy and I topped off the night watching a movie together after the kids were in bed.

Definitely my kind of perfect day!

Valentine's Day outfit

2012-02-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Ella wears a uniform to school and there are only a few free dress days here and there,

so you know what I had to do on a free dress day for Valentine's day, right?

That's right...stay up super late making something for here to wear because I started at 10pm. Ugh...why do I do this to myself? I can't help it.

Anyways, here's what she got:

a headband with felt hearts on a stretchy trim.

I have seen similar ones all over so I'm not exactly sure who originated it but I like it and that was a quick 2 minute job.

I bought this black long sleeve tee and sewed this big lace heart to the front with a couple of buttons.

Recognize this fabric from the last post?

I blocked out these pants from a pair of stretchy pants and just made them a little bigger.

The boots...oh, the boots.

These are Julian's 'moto boots' but these guys are constantly battling

over who gets to wear them.

Julian showed a little love and let her wear his boots today.

Ella was enjoying her special treat of Apple Jacks that daddy slipped into her grab bag of goodies.

Have a love-ly day all.

To my little lovies and my one big LOVE

you have my heart!!

LOVE you!!

DIY: mini chalkboard and chalk pouch

2012-02-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

Ella and I were trying to think of a little gift we could give to her classmates that wasn't candy, easy to make and was fairly cheap.

I had been wanting to make a little something like this for the kids for road trips. It's small, the chalk hopefully won't get lost and the felt pouch works as an eraser.

I knew it was going to be easy

so this is the little Valentine's gift Ella and I made for her classmates.

1. GATHER SUPPLIES - yarn, wood slats ( I got mine from Michaels and they were only $2 for a pack of 6) it measure 7-1/8 x 2-3/4 x 3/16 in., felt, chalkboard paint, a paint brush, scissors and chalk.

2. PAINT wood slats with chalkboard paint - 2 coats and let dry.

3. CUT a 3X4 in. piece of felt.

4. CUT a small scoop out of one end of felt as shown.

5. CUT a piece of yarn about 15 inches long.

6. FOLD felt in half lengthwise. Loop yarn in half and stick in where you are going to sew at the top. SEW side and bottom close to edge making sure to sew over both pieces of yarn.

7. DRILL a small hole in any corner of wood slat and remove splinters.

8.PULL loop of yarn though hole.

9. FEED pouch through loop of yarn and pull tight.

10. PLACE 2 sticks of chalk in pouch.

GO GIVE SOME LOVE!!!

almost heart day...polaroids

2012-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

heart pancakes

i heart this girl

big heart pancake

with a little coffee...perfect

working on v-day cards for classmates

ella's v-day card drawing

sweet cards from friends

new slippers for ella

v-day present for classmates

(a tutorial coming a little later today on how to make this)

my heart is heavy...

2012-02-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

Yikes, I love that smile so much!

I have had such a heaviness ever since the start of this year thinking about this boy.

He will be starting school in the fall and although it is months away, it is already coming way too fast for me.

I'm dreading it.

It makes me want to just hold him and never let go when I think about it.

He is my little shadow and helper.

He makes me laugh.

We have so many amazing adventures together.

I realized once Ella started school just how much of the day she is away

and I miss her every day.

Some days are hard when I am trying to get things done and he wants my attention,

but I want to enjoy every day I have with him.

They really do grow up way too fast.

I love you my sweet little mister!!

New Project !!

2012-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

We went on a short little road trip this past weekend and brought home

a new project for Andy!!

This car was used on an apple farm for carrying crates of apples way back when.

With anything vintage and antique I always try to imagine the life of that object.

Then I start to imagine what Andy is going to turn it into.

He has an eye for these old cars and all of the details that go into them.

I wonder if this one will stick around until this little guy is old enough to drive it.

These guys had fun relaxing under a tree and getting a whole bottle of gatorade to themselves...this was a real treat because this never happens.

We also went to a snowman birthday party this weekend and the kids had so much fun with all of the creative games and craft. I forgot my camera and was recruited to take pictures with my cousin's camera so I only got a couple of pics with my phone. I really wish I had my camera. My cousin always makes all of her kid's parties so fun and magical. The kids had a snowball (white sock balls) fight complete with forts (big cardboard boxes) for each team, and a game of pin the carrot nose on the snowman.

There was also snow cones and a marshmallow snowman craft.

I think the birthday boy enjoyed his snowman themed party.

I know my kiddos had a really fun time!!

A couple of extra pics just because...

Glow sticks make bath time so much fun!!

Chevron Tray - DIY

2012-02-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

Supplies needed: old tray, painter's tape, and paint.

I forgot to take a picture of my tray before I started painting but mine looked pretty much like the one pictured except is was really old and scratched up. I'm sure you can find a thrifted one pretty cheap.

This is how I made this one:

I painted the entire tray 2 coats of white. Let it dry. Then I taped off the chevron stripes. Make sure you use painter's tape so that you don't accidentally pull up your paint. I just used the width of the tape to space the lines but it might also be fun to have the stripes different widths. Paint 2 coats for the stripes. Remove the tape before the paint is completely dry.

Enjoy your new tray!!

2 days old

2012-02-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

meet Van - 2 days old

this little guy was pretty comfy in his mama and was in no hurry to meet us all.

his mama was sure ready to meet this little hefty 9 pounder...she had him all natural.

i knew she could do it.

good job, Christie!!

whew, 9 pounds, 4 ounces!!

i went over just to meet him, but i couldn't go without my camera.

he sure made it easy to get some really cute ones of him.

he eventually got sick of my shenanigans.

i can't wait to hold him again.

no words...

2012-02-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

i had the privilege of shooting this sweet little bitties 1st birthday party last week and i have been going through pictures like mad.

she is seriously too sweet for words.

it was such an amazing party and aside from the lighting i had so much fun photographing all of the amazing details that went into this celebration.

these are a couple of my favorites so far.

i mean, come on, look at that face!!

i'm also super excited about my new photography site i now have up and running.

i have quite a few pics i want to add to the site but for now i am just excited to have started it.

you can check it out here.

have a good weekend!!!

cinnamon

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

cinnamon eyes

velvet ears

tiny crooked teeth

and a cold damp nose

she nudges my leg

it's those eyes...they melt me every time.

another busy week and not much time to even stop and give this girl attention.

this weekend i want to take some time to slow down and relax just a little.

iris!!!

2012-01-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

i blinked and a whole week went by...

last weekend we were finally able to steal a night away and celebrate our anniversary. we didn't have any concrete plans, but we had tossed around the idea of just getting away for a little overnighter maybe just a couple hours away and the kiddos were going to spend the night at grandmas. at the last minute we noticed noticed that IRIS from Cirque du Soleil was playing at the kodak theater. a million years ago before kids we went to a cirque du soleil show and it was amazing, so we thought it would make a perfect date night.

IRIS was beyond amazing!!! it is a journey through the world of cinema. everything about the show was perfect for me: the costumes, the artistic journey through cinema and of course the breath taking acrobatic feats...perfect!!

this review sums it up nicely.

if you are in the area, go and see it!

we happened to score seats right in the middle in the orchestra level. they were perfect!

it was a perfect night...

thanks babe!

green food...polaroids

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

last week flew by just a little too fast for me.

so it's another monday and this is the second week of my polaroid monday series.

this one again has a colored theme...green.

it started out just food themed, but as i was going through the pics i noticed that green was in every picture...so here we are with green food polaroid monday.

the colder weather always makes me want soup.

this tortilla soup is one of my favorites.

it usually consists of :

chicken

black beans

rice and

whatever veggies i have on hand

(carrots, celery, corn, tomatoes, etc)

onions and garlic

the toppings are what really make this soup oh so yummy:

cheese

cilantro

lemon juice

chips

diced onions

and diced avocados

a couple years back my brother gave me a salsa recipe that consisted of tomatillos.

before that i had never seen or used tomatillos.

now i can't make salsa without them.

if you have never used them you should give them a try. they come with a thin paper like skin that is easily peeled off. i usually put them in boiling water just long enough until they change color. they start out green then change to a lighter yellowish green.

andy is the real salsa king in our house but i really enjoy making salsa also...and i especially love eating it!

i never really measure or count what goes into my salsa but this is a loose recipe of this super easy salsa:

10 tomatillos

2 avocados

2 garlic cloves

1-2 serrano chiles

salt to taste

boil tomatillos. blend all ingredients except salt in a blender.

add salt and pulse.

taste.

then eat about half of a bag of chips with your yummy salsa.

i told you i love me some soup. i had never made this soup before but i will definitely be making it again.

i tried this recipe for these sticky buns.

i grew up eating pull-aparts at my grandparent's house. oh my!

so when i saw this recipe i wanted to give it a try. it sounded pretty easy with the frozen dough. mine didn't come out looking like hers...i think because my package of frozen dough came with three loaves instead of two so i made two different trays. mine came out a little dry and just a little burnt.

still pretty yummy though...it's probably good they didn't come out like hers or else i probably would have eaten the whole tray.

i'm kind of liking this colored theme, i think i might stick with it for my polaroid mondays...we'll see.

happy monday!

mittens in the making...

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

'mom, i want to make some mittens'

she was holding up a ball of yarn and a crochet hook.

i have tried to teach her how to crochet a couple of times but it was always a little too difficult and she didn't last too long.

mittens, hmmm...

we started with just a simple chain.

i showed her once and she figured it out.

love it!!

she decided to just make me a bracelet and next time we would work on the mittens

next time...

Pink...polaroids

2012-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

i love the look of polaroids

so i wanted to make some of my own pics look like polaroids.

i'm going to start a little series making polaroids hopefully every monday...

today is the first in the series...PINK

i just happened to notice that there was quite a bit of pink in my pictures over the weekend

1. pink dress
2. gathering hearts
3. pink dried flowers
4. ella already getting ready for valentine's day.
5. first time riding the big red bike

i like it messy

2012-01-14T22:30:00.000-08:00

i want to try this double knot tomorrow...love it!!!

i'm not the perfect hair, not one hair out of place kind of girl...

i like it a little messy and a little bit imperfect.

go here for the tutorial.

sun rays

2012-01-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

this is what i say when i'm cold and i am trying to warm up...

i find the sun rays and soak them in.

yesterday the kids wanted a snack when ella got home from school. i set them up at the dining room table and within 2 seconds of sitting down ella said, 'can we go outside and

eat the sun

while we have our snack?'

of course...it was a beautiful day

i love you sun rays!

embracing this little miss...

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

and her tongue in my eye

what more can i say?

linking up here

supplies

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

most mornings if we can't find ella in bed she is in the play room drawing.

when i first set up their play room i put most of their art supplies on the shelves and it was kind of hard for the kiddos to get to them.

a couple of months ago i set up the craft table with just a couple of supplies and that was all she needed.

everything is now easily accessible.

in a basket on the table there is also a stack of paper.

the trash bucket is just a large coffee canister with a patterned paper taped around it.

i love this little gift she made for yoshi...our sweet little pooch.

yoshi couldn't wait for her special gift...can't you tell

the note read:

'heart' EK to Yoshe

girl. it is jus a list

for you Yoshe

girl.

I brot u a gift

I hope you wil lik

it Yoshe girl.

too sweet!

i love that she loves to give most of her drawings away to someone.

i like to use them on homemade cards when we give a gift.

this 'rander show' drawing is one of my favorites

i set up above the craft table a spot to display some of their drawings.

most are just taped to the wall with pretty washi tape.

pencil, pen, brush

2012-01-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

i sketch, i doodle...
i, like most kids, filled the margins of my notes in school with doodles and sketches...filled!

some things haven't changed.
i LOVE school supplies and i think i have finally realized why...
a brand new pencil or a brand new pen with a fine tip that writes perfectly, sigh...love it!

i don't have a lot of time to just doodle away the way i used to during school, but i do find little blocks of time here and there.

these are just a couple of my recent sketches.

this is a recent painting i did for my grandparents...they celebrated their 65th anniversary!!
65 years!!
it doesn't get much better than that!

never too late

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

i love that there are no rules to blogging...if i want to finally post a little bit of our christmas cheer, i can.

i blog for many different reasons...

a creative outlet,

somewhere to put the thousands and thousands of pictures that i take,

but most of all because i want to be the memory keeper of our lives.

i skipped out on blogging during most of our christmas season so that i could enjoy our crazy busy time a little more.

ella had three weeks off of school and we filled pretty much every hour of every day.

there were probably way too many late late nights but we had a whole lot of fun.

here are a few pics from our christmas day.

christmas morning

vintage comic books

christmas evening

oh so many presents...

playing the ornament hunt game...we lost...i think we had the worst time

next year, guys, watch out...

it was a good day!

Summer in january

2012-01-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

january is a fresh start for the new year.

the last couple of days i have been reorganizing and cleaning out little areas in our home....i'm attacking one cupboard and one closet at a time.

i think the bug started with packing up christmas decorations.

i have quite a few things on my list for this new year and repainting pretty much every room in our house is where i am going to start.

this summer weather we are enjoying is definitely helping with my big plans!

2011 recap

2012-01-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

for christmas i made a calendar for all of the grandparents and great grandparents.

they love pictures of the kiddos and i knew they would love seeing these cute faces every month.

i had fun going through pictures from the past year, but as usual i was running low on time and i didn't even go through about half of our pictures.

i did make a a couple of variations for each month because i couldn't decide.

i thought i would share it as a fun recap of the past year.

downtown fullerton

a cold beach day

(pics by my friend anji)

panama

catching tiny frogs - julian's b-day month

camping trip with the family

ella's photo booth b-day party

end of summer beach bonfire

corn maze

falling leaves

hiking on a cold cold day

i think i will have to make these every year...

all of the grandparents and great grands loved them!

to us!!!!

2012-01-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

yesterday was our anniversary!!!!

you would never believe how long we have been married...a long time.

we were young when we got married

and i love that we have spent about half of our lives together.

we have grown up and experienced so much together and

through the years we have grown closer and not apart.

we didn't get to have a proper celebration because i was super sick all day yesterday.
(i'm pretty sure it was some bad frozen yogurt from the night before, ugh...i don't think i can do frozen yogurt anymore)

we will have to have a 'do over' soon...hopefully this weekend.

we are also trying to plan a long weekend away we just have to try to plan around work.

i found some vintage cards a while back and this one makes me laugh.

i'll kiss the fellow!!

here's to us babe!!

christmas quiz!!

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

(an outtake from our christmas pics from year...don't ask about the gun)

christmas quiz

i've seen this quiz on a couple of different blogs and thought i would join in. originally from here.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? EGGNOG...and hot chocolate, love them both!!!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? wrap them...this year i forgot to use a different paper and i'm not changing it now. let's see if they notice.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? white.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? no, i always forget.
5. When do you put your decorations up? the weekend after thanksgiving.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? cheese tamales...YUM!!
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? hmmm,i guess just being together with all of my cousins and family.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? never believed in santa.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? some gifts because we usually spend christmas eve with andy's family and christmas day with my family.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? white lights, a lot of different hand made ornaments and a few store bought ones.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? love it for a day or weekend. i don't think i could ever live in snow..i'm always cold as it is...luckily for me it never snows here.
12. Can you ice skate? kind of, if you count staying on my feet and not falling ice skating.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? getting engaged!!!!
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? time with my family...for sure!
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? cookies!!! i'll take one of each!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? driving around to see christmas lights
17. What tops your tree? a star.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? giving...i love making gifts for other people and it's definitely about the kids for me.
19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? neither...i'm not really a candy person but they aren't yuck.
20. Favorite Christmas show? elf, it's pretty funny.
21. Saddest Christmas song? is there a sad christmas song?
22. What is your favorite Christmas song? hmmm, drummer boy, i think mostly because i love hearing julian sing it.

tamale factory

2011-12-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

yep, it was a factory...and we were only getting started.

last weekend i had so much fun helping make tamales with my family.

our family is BIG, so it's an all day affair in order to make enough to feed everyone.

we don't mess around...or i should say my grandma and my aunts don't mess around.

i showed up and production was already underway.

some of the lovely women: my grandma, aunt mary, aunt monica, and my mom.

these pictures are not the greatest because i just had to do a quick drive-by photography, click, click, back to work...ha,ha...i told you they are serious about the tamale making.

even one of my uncles got busy...i think he was the fastest masa spreader.

my cousin crystal, my cousin daniel and myself were the only ones representing our generation.

i love traditions and i want to keep this one alive in our family.

the best part about this day is that i actually got a copy of the recipe.

my grandma didn't really want to give it out, but i was sworn to secrecy to keep it in the family.

i have already had one or two (OK who am i kidding, i have probably already eaten close to a dozen) and they are super delicious.

forget the tripod...

2011-12-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

it was late afternoon going into evening and i, in my always last minute fashion, decided we needed to go take our christmas card pictures...right now!!!

quick, quick the sun is going down.

i grabbed the camera and tripod and kind of glanced at everyone to make sure we were somewhat decent.

i wanted to take pictures out in peter's canyon but the sun was slipping away too fast.

i love train track pictures but i couldn't remember if there was even any access to the closest train tracks.

we found a little spot where there wouldn't be too many people to see us and freak out.

i went to mount my camera on the tripod and ugh, the little screw was missing.

we were there and it was now or never so the camera went on the tracks and a little rock angled it up...

i love the angle...i think it turned out better than if it had been on the tripod.

this is the card that went out to family and friends...

MERRY CHRISTMAS all!!!

diy: sewn envelopes

2011-12-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

so i made our christmas card a not so common size.

when i was making it i knew it was going to be hard to find an envelope but i wasn't too worried because i had just finished our advent envelopes and they were super easy to make.

i checked a few stores with no luck so i drank some coffee, ate a chocolate bar, and washed it all down with some jolt...ha, ha.

i actually just worked on each step whenever i had about 2 minutes

so here is how i made them...

i measured out the size to be about double the length of the card plus about 2 inches and about half an inch more than the width...don't get confused.

so long rectangles...make one first to make sure you have the right measurements.

yea, i used my fabric rotary cutter...it's pretty dull anyway.

trim two of the corners.

this is going to be your flap.

this will make it easier for the recipient to get the card out.

i kind of just winged it with that curve...hey, it's handmade right?

i sewed it pretty close to the edge...maybe 1/8 of an inch from the edge.

i also used a little glue also.

hopefully you have all of your cards mailed by now, but next year if you feel the need to add one more thing to your plate...maybe not...i may be the only crazy one.

i will probably be using this quite a bit because we like homemade cards..usually they go without envelopes but sometimes it's fun to open a little something.

here and there

2011-12-19T23:30:00.000-08:00

just some randoms...

swinging in trees before the death chill made it here
daddy's workers
making popcorn garlands
a little artwork
trying on a popcorn necklace
beautiful
tamale factory
damage after the gail force winds
envelope making
wind damage clean-up
a new painting
mrs. claus love
lights...a lot of lights
a birdie cape
nutter butter reindeer about to meet his match
big girl on little trike

1 more week...eek!

2011-12-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

next week is christmas...i'm in big trouble.

i have quite a few things things left on my to make list

meanwhile we have been enjoying a new tradition...

opening one little envelope each night from our advent calendar.

this is the first year that we have actually had an advent calendar and it will hopefully stay with us every year.

it has been super simple things that we would have probably done without our calendar,

but the calendar has made it a little more exciting...

hot chocolate with marshmallows

making candy-cane reindeers

watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas

reading a christmas book

making paper chains...

it has also been a good visual to see how many more days until christmas

i love traditions and i hope the kids will look back and have great memories of our advent calendar activities

making the calendar was a little last minute so i just made simple little envelopes out of brown craft paper and stamped the numbers with paint.

i went a little crazy with the sewn envelopes this year...i will share a little more this week.

happy sunday!

candyland

2011-12-14T21:30:00.000-08:00

would you believe i forgot my camera today when i went to help out in ella's class today?
yea, i did. so no cute pictures of the construction of these little edible houses, but the final product came out pretty cute.
julian even got to join in the fun...so now we have a small village.
twice as much candy was consumed as was utilized on the houses...for sure...i'm sure a couple kids went home with an aching belly.

goats, waterfalls and marshmallows...

2011-12-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

we had a little special day trip planned for this weekend and it turned out even better than what i had expected. we ventured into nature and took a little hike to a beautiful waterfall.

the air was cold and crisp so we warmed ourselves by the fire before we headed out.

these two just wanted to hang out with this guy.

we were not disappointed when we finally made it to our final destination...

it was beautiful!!

we could have the spent the rest of the day there racing stick boats in the water but we knew we still had quite a hike back to the nice warm fire.

we made it back and were treated to big fluffy marshmallows and a toasty fire.

back in town we had a nice hot meal. i think ella was a little zoned out after hiking the 4 mile hike.

both of the kid's did so good on the hike.

i am so proud of them.

we finished off the night with a drive through Christmas Tree Lane.

it turned out to be the perfect little day trip.

we will definitely go back.

cheers!!

2011-12-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

can't have enough christmas cheer!!

i made (actually andy sprayed them for me) these bottles a little while back after i saw some similar ones on craft gawkers. i hadn't really drawn anything on them, but the other night they were begging to be drawn on.

i think they have a little more christmas cheer...especially with the two new little reindeers.

here are a couple of things that i think will bring a little more cheer...

love this video...the music, the breeze, the clouds, the open space...beautiful.

this little paper village...i want to make one right now.

aw...this picture...perfect

this artist...love it all

have a great weekend...i know i will...

IT's MY B-DAY weekend...

woo hoo!!!

her wish list

2011-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

her wish list is short

you would think that a little six year old girl would have a whole host of items on her wish list....nope not my girl.

a hamster
that's it.

i have probed and prodded and her list remains the same...a hamster.

sadly that is not going to happen.
we have two dogs and that is enough animal for me right now. on our someday farm i would give this little animal lover pretty much any animal she wants, but we aren't on our farm.

i'm stumped.

christmas sprinkles

2011-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

it's a little more than a sprinkle.

i think it is raining christmas already...

and i love it.

yep, christmas is my favorite holiday.

love his heart

2011-12-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

most people in the world do not live the way we do here.
we have traveled enough to see first hand the conditions some people live in.
it's heart breaking...it's shocking...it's unforgettable...

we are so fortunate...
returning from trips i always feel so torn...thankful for what we have yet all we have just feels like too much in comparison.

we have tried to raise our kids with this awareness.
it is frustrating to hear the kids complain about food or what clothes they are going to wear. we try to remind them of those who don't have a choice of what they are going to wear or what they are going to eat.
it's always a good reminder for myself.

most of the time i feel like the kids just don't understand, they don't get it.

there are times when they pray for our two kiddos, sandine and claudine, who we support in africa. they pray for their safety, for them to have food or that they will have a warm bed and i think, maybe they do understand.

sometimes they remember some of the kids they have seen first hand on our travels.

sometimes i hear them reminding each other not to complain.

this weekend we were driving and came to a stop where there was a homeless man with a little dog and a sign asking for food. he was very disheveled. he was on julian's side of the car. as we were pulling up to the light, i pointed out the man to julian and told him he probably doesn't have a home. i saw him glance over and then he just kept staring at me. i tried to use it as a time to remind both the kids about how fortunate we are and to be thankful.

i saw julian's chin begin to quiver and his eyes start to tear up. uh oh. i told him it was okay, we could pray for the man. i saw him try to give a quick smile to stop his tears. it didn't help. big alligator tears came rolling down his cheeks. i tried to hold his hand and help him talk about what he was feeling. he felt sad for the man. the tears didn't stop...he was sobbing.
at this point i started crying.
i love this little guys heart.
i wasn't happy to see him crying but i was happy to see how sensitive he was to this stranger.

he couldn't explain any further about why he was crying, but i knew exactly what he was feeling.

later as andy and i talked about what happened, it made us realize that maybe they do get it...a lot more than what we realize.

i hope his heart for others never changes.

we have been trying to think of ways to help those in need here in our own community, other than just donating items. i want to do be able to do something physically with the kids. it will not only be good for the kids but also for myself.

i want to make just a small goal to start.
do something with the kids for others in our community once a month.

i think we can do it.

DECEMBER!!

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's December!!!!

One day has already slipped by.

So many reasons to love December :

Ella in this hat...

she has worn it to school and to bed...I don't think she will ever take it off

eggnog

baking Christmas cookies

hearing Julian sing Little Drummer Boy while going potty

decking our halls...done

pretty Christmas lights on houses

making Christmas presents

my birthday!

did I already say eggnog

(I already drank one whole carton...by myself...I'm in big trouble)

watching Elf with the kiddos

planning a day trip to a little Christmas town

giving

wrapping presents...yea, I actually love it!

enjoying family times together

my lists can go on forever but I need to finish my little advent calendar

I know I'm just a little behind

Happy December!!!

diy:party favors

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

For my friend's shower last week, I put together these little plant jars. I used them to decorate all over the house and each guest got to take one home as a party favor. They were super easy to put together and with the ones I have left I have moved around to pretty much every room in the house.

I love them!

Here is how I made them...

Save all those little jars...different sizes and shapes add more interest.

Soak them over night in hot soapy water and in the morning the labels will just peel right off. I used a rough sponge to get off any last bits of glue.

I planted all succulents so I filled the bottom with some small stones for drainage then planted away. It was a little difficult planting the really narrow bottles, so keep this in mind when buying your plants.

Now put those babies all over the house or use them as a sweet little party favor.

I added this little bow to dress this one up for Christmas...now I just need to do it in real life...sometimes I just wish I could photoshop real life..ha, ha!

his wish list...

2011-11-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

For the past month or so, every time we would pass Big 5 Julian would beg me to stop. At first he didn't have an explanation why he wanted to stop...

he just wanted to stop.

After probing a little more he said he wanted a sleeping bag.

Ha, ha.

He already had the one he wanted all picked out. It had to be blue and from Big 5.

So here is his list:

a blue sleeping bag

star wars legos

a crown (not exactly sure?)

and

hex bugs

The sleeping bag will for sure be under the tree this year.

He wants to be prepared for a whole lotta camping this coming year.

Love this boy!

a leafy recap

2011-11-28T09:48:00.001-08:00

this holiday weekend went by in a flash.

we now have christmas on our minds.

this morning julian shouted

"it's christmas eve!!!"

whoa, not quite, but i'm sure it will be before i know it.

here is just a little recap of our super relaxing thanksgiving. usually we have about 2-3 different places that we go on thanksgiving, but this year it was just one. this was the most relaxing thanksgiving i have had since having kiddos. i really miss seeing the family that we didn't see this year on thanksgiving but it sure was nice to slow down the pace.

we started the morning off with a late pumpkin waffle breakfast.

i thought it would be fun to make little indian headbands for the kids.

they were super easy and fun and the kids were able to help a little. ella sewed some of her feathers.

right now julian is wearing his and shooting his little toy bow and arrow...love it!

then we headed outside and played...for hours.

i'm thinking for christmas all the kids need is a new rake.

ha, ha!

this pile of leaves kept them entertained for hours and hours.

somewhere in that time i was my typical last minute self and i turned out a quick thanksgiving dress for ella.

then we headed over to my grandparents house for a not-so-quiet thanksgiving dinner.

i secretly love the loud din of family enjoying time together.

the kid's finally quieted down to watch a movie.

we went home with full belly's

and very thankful hearts.

today i need to

finish decorating the house for christmas,

edit way too many pics,

alter ella's christmas dance costume that is way too big and could probably fit me,

try a new recipe for dinner

and

have a tree decorating party tonight

(love our fake white tree)

happy monday!

relax and enjoy!!

2011-11-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

i had good intentions of making a nice list of all that i have to be thankful for but i will just say what ella said this morning...

i'm thankful for the whole world and ummmm...my family!!

easy vase makeover

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

i was doing a little spring cleaning (in fall) and this vase ended up in my pile to go to the thrift store.

it's a nice vase but just a little too dark and I have been trying to lighten up our living room.

it is a really dark room.

as i packed it up to go, i had a little idea...

i used my little acrylic paints and painted it all a mixture of mostly white with just a little bit of yellow.

oh, i should say my little helper did most of the white.

then i just added a few stripes of a couple of different colors.

lastly, once it dried, i sprayed it with a gloss clear coat...

such a quick easy project.

i really like little projects that can be done in pretty much less than an hour.

baby shower weekend...

2011-11-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

this weekend i hosted my sweet friend christie's baby shower at my house.

i had so much fun planning it and it definitely kick-started me into sewing and digging into some projects again...just the push i needed before christmas.

the beautiful christie...glowing with baby number 2...it's a BOY!!!

this cake didn't come out looking so pretty, but it sure was super delicious. i think i ate about have of the leftover cake in less than 24 hours. it was a spiced angel cake with a penuche glaze from this book.

so bummed these were the only pics that i got...no food pics, no gift pics, no game pics...ugh.

at least i did get more pics of the guests for christie.

such a fun time!!

rain drops and sand

2011-11-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

last weekend we went to the beach even though it was cold and about to rain. it was nice to get out and get some fresh air even though we had to bundle up.

we finished off at a candy store as the clouds let loose and it started to pour.

julian was there with us i just don't know why he wasn't in any pics.

next time big guy!

jig-sew love

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

what to do on a rainy day????

we gave this jig-sew gift to ella for her b-day and we finally had a chance to play with it.

i love the illustrations

and both ella and julian were able to do it with a little help.

we loved them so much they are now in their room next to the big map

(that i now want in the living room)

jig-sew found at cost plus

thrifty finds

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

i hit a couple of estate sales and one thrift store late last week and found a couple of things that caught my eye.

the fan cover...i don't know...yet

loved the color of this little stool.

i didn't really have anywhere in mind to put it,

but once i got home it found it's way straight to my sewing table.

i will probably have to make a nice comfy cushion...that thing is cold and super hard.

i'm a sucker for metal stands and i especially like this vintage circular shaped one.

i can never have too many wooden boxes.

the step stool...well, i just needed one.

the fish bowls will become terraniums

like this one.

the wine corks, well, these are just so many fun possiblities

(last 5 photos found via pinterest)

is it thursday yet??

the reading nook

2011-11-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

when i moved ella into julian's room and made the playroom,
i envisioned a play area that was a little more
open and user friendly
for the kids to play in.

since the move, there have been a couple of changes.
the reading nook has evolved just a bit.
the teepee has been packed away and more pillows have been added.
the space is comfy and a little bigger.

just recently, this space has really turned into a reading nook.
since starting first grade ella has really progressed with reading. everyday she is reading more and more and i think she is even surprising herself. i found her reading a book to julian the other day when i snapped these pictures.
you don't even know how happy that makes this mama.
i think the change in weather has also had a little to do with cozying up in this space.
unloading our new library books has been a big draw also.

i still want to make a nice thick mat like one i saw in my friend's house.

i really love this little nook...

mix and match - dining rooms

2011-11-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

i have been making little mini makeovers in different parts of my house and as of late i have been wanting to do a little something different with our dining room...mostly with our dining room chairs.

our table was a thrifted find when we moved into our house. it's a sturdy wooden table with clean lines and it works. i like that it is pretty big and can easily seat six. our chairs are wooden ikea chairs that are getting a little wobbly and need a little update.

i have a few ideas...

this whole room is perfect!

love the turquoise at the far end of the room.

we recently got a huge map and put it in the kid's room, but i think i might need to steal it back out to our living room...love the mix of these chairs.

love this!!

love the light fixtures!

(all pics via pinterest)

i love the candids...

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

here are a couple of my favorites from one of the fall mini sessions my friend Anji and I shot.

fall love

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

it feels like fall!!

i'm loving...

1. that there are a few trees around here that have leaves that are changing into all of the magical fall colors

2. big beautiful storm clouds against a blue sky

3. hot dogs...not the ones you eat, haha, this costume gave me a good laugh.

4. little boys who dress themselves in fur scarves...i think he commented about 10 times that night about how soft and warm his scarf was.

5. rainy days

6. warm socks

7. bundling everyone up and going on a bike ride.

embracing the craziness

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

my friend anji snapped these pictures of us a couple of weeks ago and i love them. i could have done without my messy hair but i still love them. they display exactly how my life feels most of the time...a little crazy and hectic, but usually i can still smile at the end of the day.

these two little monkeys think i am a human jungle gym and crawl up and down me everyday.

they're wild!!!

how do people with ten kids do it??? my grandma had ten. she would be a good one to ask.

for now i am trying to embrace the craziness.

pippi and mr. skeleton boy

2011-11-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

(costume details: wig, pinafore, and bags made by me, green t-shirt thrifted, skeleton costume,pippi's socks and boots- Target)

i love making costumes for these guys, but his year julian broke my heart and really wanted this store bought costume. ugh!! i had to ask myself if this is really about me or them?... julian got a store bought one, but it was super painful for me to buy it. i still have hopes for next year and the years to come.

ella is the one with big plans and her confidence in me and what i can make is just a little too much. her first choice for a costume this year was an ostrich....what?!! right? i love her creativity, but WHAT? she is just way too funny and quirky...hey that sounds just like a little girl named pippi.

i was finally able to drop enough hints and get her convinced that she really would make a great pippi.

she is just like pippi in so many ways.

if you haven't seen any pippi movies in a while, do it...she is pretty entertaining!

next year i want to plan something for all of us to wear like when most of us were the little rascals.

i better start planning now!

not the biggest corn maze

2011-11-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

this past weekend we visited some really good friends who we hadn't seen in a while and had so much fun. we considered going to the biggest corn maze in california, but opted for the free one. there was a little bonus at the one we went to and i 'm pretty sure it made up for it not being the biggest one.

warning- there are a lot of pics

you would never guess what these guys were waiting for...

our surprise bonus...

that's right - pig races!!!

such a fun time!!

pumpkin carving and football helmets

2011-10-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

we did a little pumpkin carving this weekend and ended up with some pretty creative pumpkins. i think my favorite is the football helmet...ha, ha...my nephews put those pumpkins on their heads without anything on their heads. that's what i love about boys.

i also love the skull andy carved for julian. i'm not a big fan of skulls, but that's what julian picked out and i think it turned out pretty good, especially since it was free handed. it kind of reminds me of a dia de los muertos skull.

i didn't finish mine so i worked on it for about another hour at home...this is so typical of me. i made the haunted houses on the hill one, but i had never carved one that is just carved on the surface. it turns out the pumpkin is really thick and you have to scrape half the pumpkin away from the inside so that the light can even shine through.

so much fun!!

well, i'm off to the thrift store to get a couple of things to finish ella's costume.

julian's smoothie recipe

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

ella was off to school and daddy was off to work and julian had a plan.

'can we make a smoothie?'

'oh sure, honey, we just need to go grocery shopping because we are all out of fruit.'

'ok, i will make a recipe.'

he can kind of sound out words and he can write most letters, but i know he can not write a recipe, but i thought, oh how cute, as i busied around the house unloading the dishwasher and cleaning up breakfast dishes.

he sat at the table so quietly working on something.

i was so busy i didn't even notice that he was still there at the table...and i had definitely forgotten all about the smoothie

'ok let's go, i have my recipe.'

ha, he did make his recipe.

the yogurt tub is the best...see the Y on the side...obviously it's yogurt.

so off we went...recipe in hand.

so here is:

JULIAN'S SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 banana

1 apple -cored obviously

1 cup milk (about)

1 cup yogurt - we love Brown Cow's Maple flavor

1 tsp vanilla extract

a dash of cinnamon - he insisted...we made pumpkin bread a couple of days ago

1/4 cup of crushed ice

blend

it was really good.

we faltered just a tad away from his original recipe only because i don't really like oranges in my smoothies and we didn't buy any peaches because the were super pricey and hard...so there is julian's smoothie recipe for you.

he drank his and then half of mine.

setting his mind on a smoothie was easy...

deciding which wizard of oz record to listen to was a lot tougher decision.

some days are hard...

2011-10-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

some days are really really hard as a mom.

some days everything the kids do frustrates me...i know my patience is wearing thin, the day is coming to a close, but bedtime couldn't be soon enough and i try to to remind myself that i need a little more patience, a little more grace, a little more love in my words...but ahhhh!! sometimes i feel like screaming and some days my volume creeps up...but how can i teach them about self control when some days i obviously haven't quite learned this lesson. the never ending arguing and whining is just about enough to drive me crazy. i pray for patience, wisdom, grace, love, compassion and anything else that will help me get to the end of the day.

today was one of those days. ella was tired. everything and anything brought about the dramatic flow of tears. i was a little more on edge today. i was frustrated and feeling like a complete failure as a mom. out of nowhere i tried a little something different. i had wisdom not of myself. i had grace and compassion for a frustrated little girl. my prayers were answered in such an obvious way. God gave me the patience and compassion to hear a little heart out and that was all she needed. she needed to be heard. we talked and hugged and everything wasn't perfect but God's presence was there.

i sat here looking for a picture to throw in and i looked at these little faces and my heart swelled.

these guys are my heart, my love, my joy...

tomorrow is a new day and i'm trusting God to equip me with what i need to raise these little ones that He has entrusted to me.

the new love-ly wall

2011-10-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make a little something for a photo shoot I had this past weekend and I remembered this.

I thought it would be perfect.

I made it with some pipe cleaners and even added a little floral wire that I had on hand for a little more stability.

It still turned out a little too wonky to be held.

We didn't use it for the photo shoot but

I pinned it up in the kid's room

on the wall that has been blank for way too long.

It's simple, but I like it.

It will work for now!

embrace the camera

2011-10-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

i let the kid's use my camera once in a great while...

julian took this one the other day right after we

finished our

swing.

i had to test it out first, right???

i didn't want to get up

it was pretty

relaxing

i'm linking up here

my dirt magnets

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

there is one patch of dirt in our front yard where my planter boxes once stood...you would never guess the kid's favorite place to play.

ah, you're good!

i have heard mom's here and there talk about how their kid hates dirt or sand and i just couldn't imagine. julian used to eat sand by the handfuls and both of these guys can't get enough of the dirt. the other day they were out there for hours. they were playing so good together without fighting i knew they were up to something so i grabbed my camera. it wasn't anything too exciting, but they were having so much fun. they were trying to stuff dirt under the tire and then they would peddle and try to shoot the dirt out in a spray.

eventually someone got upset

who teaches them to cross their arms like this when they get mad?? i have to hold back a smile every time i see one of them do this...it's hilarious to me.

man, julian was really dirty.

he even had marker on his leg from earlier in the day.

yep, these guys are my dirt magnets!

embroidery hoop hopes...

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

i have so many embroidery hoops that have been hanging in my craft closet just waiting to be used. actually, i have quite a few things begging to be used...

i have been in a little bit of a crafting funk.

i'm going to blame the weather for that.

i think part of my problem also is that i lost my little notebook that i use to jot down ideas or to sketch out little projects.

i just need to start a new notebook. it really makes a difference for me.

recently i came across a couple of amazing creations that just might pull me out of my funk.

this is just one of the many incredibly beautiful ones found here.
where is our cold weather??!!!
i want to snuggle under a quilt.

and this one from this etsy shop makes me crave a cold evening out.

for some odd reason this reminds me of an awkward night long ago when the jr high group from our church went on a hay ride...i don't remember any thermoses, but then again my memory isn't the sharpest.

now I just need a quiet evening in to make something pretty...maybe tonight when i snuggle up with andy and rub my cold feet on him, with a hot beverage at arms length while we watch a movie i picked up at the library today.

it's never too late...

2011-10-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

all summer i had planned on making a swing in the back yard for the kids. well, it's never too late, right???

last week we had summer weather (the temp was in the 90's) which reminded me of my swing making wishes, so the kids and i got on our swing making project.

they love helping with the power drill...

(don't worry babe, we were super safe...promise).

i used a couple of different ideas from a couple of different sights on the how to and this sight for the knots...all super helpful.

here is my basic design.

totally makes sense right? ha, ha.

once the kids got tired of helping me they decided to make a little family out of the wooden plugs that came out of the holes that we drilled.

when we finally hung the swing and made our stand-up loop rope swing (or whatever it's called), the kids were beyond ready to try them out.

ella is my little acrobat...

she makes me a little nervous.

they have been on those

swings

so much since we made them.

i'm so happy we didn't wait until next summer to make these.

I carry him...

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

photo taken by ella

there isn't a day that goes by

without this sweet boy reaching up

and asking me to carry him.

most of the time i can't. either my arms are full of all the things a mom must carry or else i am just physically not up for carrying this big boy.

he is a big boy...

a big solid boy.

my neck and my back feel every ounce of him.

but there are those times that i can.

i carry him.

his eyes light up and that gap toothed smile spreads across his face and my arms gather him up with ease. he almost always lays his head on my shoulder even if it is just for a second. he snuggles into my neck.

i carry him.

there will be a day when he doesn't raise those little arms up to me anymore.

where are their eyes???

2011-10-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

me: hey this is a great wall. stay here, i'm going to grab my camera.

them (i think): when mom gets back don't look at the camera.

me: hey guys.

me: andy, it looks like you are peeing.

them: ........(nothing...at all)

these pictures made me laugh when i looked at them later. i wasn't really thinking anything about it at the time...the sun was blaring right behind me and i think they are just so used to me always having a camera aimed at them that they just go on like i'm really not even there. i'm good with that because i like candid shots way better than posed, but there was not even one picture of half an eye even glancing in my direction. pretty funny.

me: hey this is a fun wall also.

ella disappeared somewhere and julian only wanted to jump off the parking curb the other way.

finally a pair of eyes.

the wild youth

2011-10-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

our fall weather has disappeared on us again.

boots or flip flops?

yesderday was a flip flop day. no rain, no clouds, just warm buttery sunshine.

as much as i really want the fall weather to be here to stay, a sun filled day at the beach is one thing i can't get enough of. i thought it was going to be a little chilly so i didn't even take swimsuits for the kids...they figured it out.

luckily i did throw in the sunscreen at the last minute.

they lathered themselves up and chanted in unison, 'ready, set, go' and that's exactly what they did.

their only stop was to create sand angels which were admired as they ran by to catch a ball.

i sat and soaked in the moment trying to remember every sound and smell that would help solidify the memory of these two wild children living their youth to the fullest.

i was pulled from my thoughts and my warm sandy seat and we drew 'the world's largest face' in the sand, complete with a mustache and boogers. man, these guys sure love talking about boogers.

we made up our own games throwing the ball around and counting to 20. i wasn't too sure of the rules, but somehow it worked.

i finally pulled myself away so that i could watch the endless running and jumping through my viewfinder.

eventually all clothes were tossed in the sand and real freedom was experienced.

there are so many days that go by and i know i wouldn't have remembered them if i hadn't had my camera in hand, but then there are others when i know that memory was burned into my heart...

yesterday was one of those days.

Apple Farm

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

Last week I went on Ella's school field trip to the apple farm. I loved it. It was one of the most beautiful days of the week. It was the same day that I shot these pictures. The day started out cloudy and crisp, perfect for a fall field trip. The sun later came out and warmed us up.

Ella said this was her favorite field trip so far...it was mine too.

Johnny Appleseed was our tour guide. C'mon, it doesn't get much better than that.

This packing building was so beautiful.

This part of the field trip was my favorite.

We made apple cider. Fresh apple cider...it really doesn't get better than that.

This apple cider grinder press thingamajig was seriously so cool. I wish I had one at home. I voluteered to crank this sucker and let me tell you, it was quite a workout. Luckily one of the other parents stepped in so that I could get some pictures.

This is how it works...the apples go in the top and are ground up with a couple of turns on the crank handle...

the ground up apple falls into this mesh bag lined bin...

then the bag is tied over the apples and the bin is moved under the press and cranked until all of the apple cider is squished out.

It tasted even better than it looks.

Love all of the crates everywhere on the farm.

I'm already planning our next trip as a family to the farm.

broccoli-cheddar soup recipe

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

OK let's talk about soup.

It's cold and raining today so I feel like it is officially okay to have this talk. I started a couple of weeks ago with my soup making. I couldn't wait. Well, let's be honest here, I actually make soup year round sometimes even when it's hot...not too often though...but it is a lot more enjoyable when it's cold. So now it's cold and my family can't complain.

I tried a new recipe the other day and it was pretty tasty.

I always end up changing recipes so here is my adaptation of the recipe from here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 large russet potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4-5 cups chopped broccoli florets
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Croutons, for topping (optional)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, half-and-half, potatoes, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add broccoli and simmer for another 8 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, transfer about 3/4 of the soup to a blender, this will probably have to be done in batches. Puree until smooth, leaving the filler cap slightly open to let steam escape (or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender).

Return to a simmer over medium-low heat and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cheese and croutons, if desired.

WOW, I didn't realize how much I altered that recipe. It turned out really yummy.

A couple of reasons why I love soup...

it's never dry...if it is, you have made a really big mistake somewhere along the way.

it can usually be made in one pot (less dishes)

it's usually very flavorful...i like flavor, bland is just too bland for me, haha.

i can usually get in a lot of really yummy veggies and the kids will eat them...usually is the key word. (they weren't big fans of this recipe)

A couple of my other favorite soups are here and here.

What is your favorite soup? I need some ideas.

the surf mobile...

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

I found these pics from when I was a kid...

no not really, but looking at them they totally could be.

Growing up we had a big station wagon with wood paneling named TED (it was in the license plate or something, ha ha)...but it wasn't as cool as this one. This one is the ultimate surf-mobile...too bad it's worn a little too thin.

It even has a Trestles sticker on it...

We couldn't help ourselves...we had to get a few pictures with it.

i can't get enough of you...

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

1. weekend barbeque's with this guy on the grill

2. ella's homemade b-day cards...seriously heart eyes, way cute!!!

3. books and reading with the kiddo's

4. tabbouleh...and trying to perfect the recipe at home.

5. board games with the family...and the kids love for games

6. bike rides with this young fellow.

7. pumpkin anything...can't wait to try this

8. his love to help and his love for his monkey (George)

9. these two rascals even though they drive me crazy.

10. red man's weird little habits...like sneezing and rubbing his nose when he is nervous.

let's go!!!

2011-10-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

The other day the clouds and the light were just so beautiful,

I told the kids to jump in the car

and I grabbed my camera.

...so glad we did.

super man and pixie dust...

2011-09-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

This boy is so entertaining to observe when he is playing by himself.

Most of the time he wants me right next to him playing, which is not always easy when I have things that need to get done. On those rare occasions when I can just listen and watch, I find myself constantly giggling.

Here are a couple of things I heard:

(talking to superman)'I need to sprinkle more pixie dust on you so you can fly faster'

(a minute later) 'I can still fly faster than you'

'you need to crawl because you are an army man and you can't walk'

His obsessions with guns is a little scary, but this picture makes me laugh...he has two holsters on his belt with guns(which he put on all by himself)and he is loading another gun.

(after crashing superman into the garage door) 'he probably has a headache now' he says with a little giggle.

Fall Mini Sessions!!!

2011-09-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

I am beyond excited!!!

My friend Anji asked me to shoot this fall mini event with her. She is a-mazing and I have so much to learn from her. I mean, come on, look at this beautiful shot she got. So this is a great opportunity, if you are in the area, to get some great pictures of you and your family...or just the kids...the kids in costumes...or forget the kids and just get great pictures of you and your main squeeze.

This is a good time to think ahead about getting Christmas card pictures out of the way so your holidays can be a little less cluttered.

This is a great deal because you will have two photographers clickin' away...bonus!!

You can contact Anji with her info above or email me.