From our recent whirlwind getaway.
Visit Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.
Visit Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.
And It Was Good.
All photos taken on iPhone with the Hipstamatic app... one of my favs.
Last night had us tucked back into the fluffy white of our giant bed, a feverish little babe sprawled out between us with the rhythmic in-out in-out of his breath lulling us to sleep between his raspy wearisome cries. But today we woke with a fever broken and smiles abounding, and it was good.
And as for the last couple of days, I was swept away in complete storybook fashion and whisked off to one of our favorite, amazing cities, and it was very, very good. The weekend played itself out like a really great movie trailer... the kind with a really great soundtrack, the kind where there's so much laughing and loving and colorful skies and friendly street vendors that just thinking about it makes me smile uncontrollably.
So, there will be more to come, but for now, here's the polaroid style break-down of the weekend:
Road trippin' it with fresh licorice, a long drive ahead, delicious restaurants with café tables billowing out onto the streets, outdoor dining with iced tea, crusty bread and oil & parmesan for dipping, an amazing hotel with a huge hot tub and steam room just feet from the bed, the bookstore and people watching, italian gelato by the fountain, making friends with the gelato "guy" and taking pictures of his cart, playing in the sand at the beach, the city against the beach, the best popcorn ever being made, our favorite popcorn place.
And now, my desk is overflowing with to-do's and a raspy little voice is calling me for some snuggles.
Happy Tuesday!
Sunday Citar... and we're off!
It's Sunday, and you know what that means... it's time to post your Sunday Citar! So round up a quote that you love, that makes you laugh or something new you've heard and share it with us. You know you want to join the fun and make some new friends in the process.
"No, life cannot be understood flat on a page. It has to be lived; a person has to get out of his head, has to fall in love, has to memorize poems, has to jump off bridges into rivers, has to stand in an empty desert and whisper sonnets under his breath...We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?"
~Donald Miller, Through Painted Deserts
And so... we're off! Today is my birthday and we're throwing a little of this and a bit of that into a bag and traipsing off to the crazy fun city of Chicago for a couple of days, just my favorite man and I. Our littles will have their own fill of fun stashed away with grandparents, while we find our way back into that smooth groove of strolling city streets hand-in-hand, of applying my favorite lip gloss just for him, of flirty smiles and stealing kisses, of spontaneously ducking into cute little coffee shops because we can and letting time escape as we read books in our treasured bookstore without the added amusement of having to change a diaper or play with the wooden trains. Our little cherubs I will miss, but indulgent time with the love of my life I will enjoy.
We love writing our story... together. And to spend the beginning of this new year of my life any other way than venturing out would be a crime. So, venturing out we will do because really living life is what we like to do... and we do it well.
"No, life cannot be understood flat on a page. It has to be lived; a person has to get out of his head, has to fall in love, has to memorize poems, has to jump off bridges into rivers, has to stand in an empty desert and whisper sonnets under his breath...We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?"
~Donald Miller, Through Painted Deserts
And so... we're off! Today is my birthday and we're throwing a little of this and a bit of that into a bag and traipsing off to the crazy fun city of Chicago for a couple of days, just my favorite man and I. Our littles will have their own fill of fun stashed away with grandparents, while we find our way back into that smooth groove of strolling city streets hand-in-hand, of applying my favorite lip gloss just for him, of flirty smiles and stealing kisses, of spontaneously ducking into cute little coffee shops because we can and letting time escape as we read books in our treasured bookstore without the added amusement of having to change a diaper or play with the wooden trains. Our little cherubs I will miss, but indulgent time with the love of my life I will enjoy.
We love writing our story... together. And to spend the beginning of this new year of my life any other way than venturing out would be a crime. So, venturing out we will do because really living life is what we like to do... and we do it well.
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I would love to have you join the Sunday Citar inspiration and have all of us come to your blog to read what quotes inspire you! Simply write your own post on your blog, link within your post to my blog, and sign up with Mr. Linky below, leaving your name and the link directly to your Sunday Citar post. Just click here if any of that sounds confusing. There you'll be able to get the complete rundown, as well as learn how to link back to my blog if you don't already know how. Take a moment a visit a few participants... you'll be glad you did!
I have a teenager
Except for the part about having a teenager, because I don't. She's all of three. Though sometimes I forget. Like yesterday when we were in the car talking about showing Moxie, our new puppy, to some of Aliyah's friends, and with head cocked to the side and hands flipping through the air she nonchalantly mused, "Unless maybe they already saw Moxie's picture on Facebook." Or the times that she asks to use my phone to take a picture because she want's to tweet it so that everyone can see it. Yes, she has a twitter account. And yes, she know's how to use it. (For sentences that include more than her name, she hands me the phone and tells me what to type.)
So anyway, last night, my three-year-old teenager spent the night with her aunt and uncle, leaving Brayden and I to slowly stretch our way into wakefulness as the morning light seeped its way onto the bed.
There we lay calmly, quietly drinking every last drop of the sweet serene until we've had our fill.
We breathe deep taking in the warmth of the sun's rays.
We gaze into each other's eyes and his round, liquid center baby blues melt me.
Once we've finally laughed and played and worked ourselves awake enough to head downstairs, we find this...
... a nest of shoes turned chew toys strewn haphazardly under the dining room table.
And now, I have to tell my oldest little that one of her precious possessions, her silver sandal, has been eaten by her puppy.
I wonder what she'll have to say about that.
So anyway, last night, my three-year-old teenager spent the night with her aunt and uncle, leaving Brayden and I to slowly stretch our way into wakefulness as the morning light seeped its way onto the bed.
There we lay calmly, quietly drinking every last drop of the sweet serene until we've had our fill.
We breathe deep taking in the warmth of the sun's rays.
We gaze into each other's eyes and his round, liquid center baby blues melt me.
Once we've finally laughed and played and worked ourselves awake enough to head downstairs, we find this...
... a nest of shoes turned chew toys strewn haphazardly under the dining room table.
And now, I have to tell my oldest little that one of her precious possessions, her silver sandal, has been eaten by her puppy.
I wonder what she'll have to say about that.
Baby Cole... a Sneak Peak
If you haven't noticed, I like to take photos. I love the way a great image grabs ahold of me, how it jumps off of the page, reaches out and gently grabs the nape of my neck and stares into my eyes while everything else fades off into the distance.
Wait, what was I talking about again?
Yes, photography... and love.
... And people, I love people. And to me, photos and people go hand in hand. Especially when I say people and I'm referring to a six pound eleven ounce little one with a head full of hair. Talk about making your ovaries dance. Every time I'd pick him up, they'd do a little jig and shout I'm ready, I'm ready. And every time I'd have to whisper back I'm not, I'm not.
I still have a six month old and a new puppy. 'Nuff said.
Back to baby Cole that we had the pleasure to photograph, and his beautiful parents and every ounce of his little deliciousness...
He was a joy.
And most importantly, he smelled like a baby, and I really love baby smell.
Wait, what was I talking about again?
Yes, photography... and love.
... And people, I love people. And to me, photos and people go hand in hand. Especially when I say people and I'm referring to a six pound eleven ounce little one with a head full of hair. Talk about making your ovaries dance. Every time I'd pick him up, they'd do a little jig and shout I'm ready, I'm ready. And every time I'd have to whisper back I'm not, I'm not.
I still have a six month old and a new puppy. 'Nuff said.
Back to baby Cole that we had the pleasure to photograph, and his beautiful parents and every ounce of his little deliciousness...
He was a joy.
And most importantly, he smelled like a baby, and I really love baby smell.
Weekends
Most of our weekends keep a steady beat as we dance along to the fast-paced tune of days spent splashing at our favorite beach or loadin' up the truck a hauling ourselves across state lines to visit a new-to-us zoo.
We planned the recent zoo trip for my daughter, the lover of animals, and still went after her proclamation of "but I've already been to the zoo, like, five times." To get her back on board, all it took was letting her know that we hadn't been to this one before... and, there were giraffes. And between the fun of animal spotting, watching and petting were the hidden treasures of carousel rides and face painting.
But back to this weekend.
Ahhh, this beautiful, melodious weekend. Which after a week of too much coughing, doctor visits and deadlines, we enjoyed a slower tempo and sank into the deep rhythms of day-long, in-and-out napping sessions as our stride mirrored that of a ballad.
An enchanting ballad that rang out memory-making high notes of teaching our oldest little how to climb trees, of having tea parties and playing "restaurant" in the new still-under-construction playhouse that daddy is building.
Of playing with our new puppy, which as of this weekend, is officially ours. We had her stay with us for the past week knowing she needed a permanent home... and now that permanent home is with us. And no, we didn't need another one to wake us in the middle of the night or another babe to take care of and clean up after, but we've been smitten and she's now a part of our ever-growing family.
So, friends, meet Moxie.
Our daughter and her new little buddy... the little duo gets up for early morning walks with daddy, haphazardly weaves their way through puppy superstores and romps through the backyard in the afternoon sun.
Of rainy mornings spent in rain boots under umbrellas and prolonged afternoons of lounging on soft blankets covering long blades of grass begging to be cut, of sidewalk chalk and impromptu games of hop scotch, of swimming like fish in the pool.
Oh my little sunshine, your smile is so much brighter than any ray of light the sun can give. You constantly melt me.
Our weekend had us singing summer's song. The last of it. The chill of the morning hums fall while the heat of the afternoon still belts out summer. And we're enjoying this little dance between the two with our toes dabbling in a little of each as September two-steps it's way to our front door.
And even now, the sun is beginning to peek it's way through the clouds and sparkle over the tops of our trees, and I am being beckoned by my divine littles... and a new puppy... to go out and enjoy a little more of August, this season's grand finale.
And so I shall, I hope you will too!
We planned the recent zoo trip for my daughter, the lover of animals, and still went after her proclamation of "but I've already been to the zoo, like, five times." To get her back on board, all it took was letting her know that we hadn't been to this one before... and, there were giraffes. And between the fun of animal spotting, watching and petting were the hidden treasures of carousel rides and face painting.
But back to this weekend.
Ahhh, this beautiful, melodious weekend. Which after a week of too much coughing, doctor visits and deadlines, we enjoyed a slower tempo and sank into the deep rhythms of day-long, in-and-out napping sessions as our stride mirrored that of a ballad.
An enchanting ballad that rang out memory-making high notes of teaching our oldest little how to climb trees, of having tea parties and playing "restaurant" in the new still-under-construction playhouse that daddy is building.
Of playing with our new puppy, which as of this weekend, is officially ours. We had her stay with us for the past week knowing she needed a permanent home... and now that permanent home is with us. And no, we didn't need another one to wake us in the middle of the night or another babe to take care of and clean up after, but we've been smitten and she's now a part of our ever-growing family.
So, friends, meet Moxie.
Our daughter and her new little buddy... the little duo gets up for early morning walks with daddy, haphazardly weaves their way through puppy superstores and romps through the backyard in the afternoon sun.
Of rainy mornings spent in rain boots under umbrellas and prolonged afternoons of lounging on soft blankets covering long blades of grass begging to be cut, of sidewalk chalk and impromptu games of hop scotch, of swimming like fish in the pool.
Oh my little sunshine, your smile is so much brighter than any ray of light the sun can give. You constantly melt me.
Our weekend had us singing summer's song. The last of it. The chill of the morning hums fall while the heat of the afternoon still belts out summer. And we're enjoying this little dance between the two with our toes dabbling in a little of each as September two-steps it's way to our front door.
And even now, the sun is beginning to peek it's way through the clouds and sparkle over the tops of our trees, and I am being beckoned by my divine littles... and a new puppy... to go out and enjoy a little more of August, this season's grand finale.
And so I shall, I hope you will too!
Sunday Citar
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive.
And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
~Howard Thurman
Riding carousels with my face-painted little wonder, realizing my life is full. The little moments with my loves make me come alive just as much as the big ones. And living life with my littles, that is something I can do.
What makes you come alive?
Thanks, Bri, for always finding great quotes and sharing them with me.
************************************************
I would love to have you join the Sunday Citar inspiration and have all of us come to your blog to read what quotes inspire you! Simply write your own post on your blog, link within your post to my blog, and sign up with Mr. Linky below, leaving your name and the link directly to your Sunday Citar post. Just click here if any of that sounds confusing. There you'll be able to get the complete rundown, as well as learn how to link back to my blog if you don't already know how. Take a moment a visit a few participants... you'll be glad you did!
Homemade Baby Food... Sweet and Savory
When it was time for my firstborn little love to start eating solids, Chris and I had the excitement of kids buckled in the car and already on the way to their favorite amusement park, summer vacation had begun! During the months where my belly grew just as quickly as my anticipation to meet this little one I'd spent my time loving from the outside-in, we scoured stores for the best baby-products, stayed up late into the night guessing what her personality would be, imagining what her sweet little voice would sound like, and planning her first meals... which we would prepare ourselves.
And we did it, and she loved it. Every little morsel, she ate it up. We were so proud of ourselves, and of course, we were proud of her.
So this time around, when our little studmuffin was ready for food, I hopped right back on that horse. This time, I spent my time picking the biggest and prettiest fresh vegetables from our garden. Yellow squash was the veggie of choice, since that's what was ripe and ready for the pickin'. I knew it wouldn't have the extra velvety sweetness of acorn or butternut squash, a couple of big sister's favorites, but with it being still attached to the earth and living just moments ago, I knew that the taste wouldn't compare with store bought varieties... or so I thought.
And even though my excitement and planning of this second long awaited vacation of sorts was through the roof, his first real meal was a flop. And by real meal, I mean something other than cereal, which he loves, probably because I make it with hard-earned breast milk, and he's already earned himself the title of boob-man with his zealous love of all things mommy-milk. And by flop, I mean after his first taste, he wouldn't open his mouth again for another bite... the few different times we tried it.
He didn't like it.
And I'll be darned if this summer vacation isn't as glorious as the last time, with my baby loving every ride of flavor and enjoying every penny game of airplane... so back to the kitchen I went. This time making something magnificent for my little man who sports a more refined palette. And this time, making something that I love the taste of.
So this time, I started with a dish of peeled and cored blush apples, very lightly sprinkled them with cinnamon and stuffed them with prunes, and then made a second dish with a few more apples and sweet baby carrots, with a teensy sprinkling of pink Himalayan sea salt.
Once everything was baked (at 350 degrees for about an hour, the carrot dish took a little longer) and soft, I blended it up to a smooth pureé... adding a little bit of water when necessary.
The result?
He loved it! It looks like we've hit successful summer vacation status after all.
In fact, he loved it so much that to set a dish in front of him and not bring a spoon with it, but bring a camera instead, it was torture.
And though I made a couple of large batches, put the leftovers into ice cube trays to freeze and then tossed those cubes into large ziplock bags to store in the freezer, those extra servings may not last all that long. Every time I prepare a dish for Brayden, big sister is under my feet, asking for her own bowl of sweet and savory.
And I have absolutely no problem with that, because I know exactly what's in the food I'm giving them, I know how healthy it is, I know there are no additives or hidden yucky things, and I know they love it.
And I know that I love them.
My own little mix of sweet and savory.
And we did it, and she loved it. Every little morsel, she ate it up. We were so proud of ourselves, and of course, we were proud of her.
So this time around, when our little studmuffin was ready for food, I hopped right back on that horse. This time, I spent my time picking the biggest and prettiest fresh vegetables from our garden. Yellow squash was the veggie of choice, since that's what was ripe and ready for the pickin'. I knew it wouldn't have the extra velvety sweetness of acorn or butternut squash, a couple of big sister's favorites, but with it being still attached to the earth and living just moments ago, I knew that the taste wouldn't compare with store bought varieties... or so I thought.
And even though my excitement and planning of this second long awaited vacation of sorts was through the roof, his first real meal was a flop. And by real meal, I mean something other than cereal, which he loves, probably because I make it with hard-earned breast milk, and he's already earned himself the title of boob-man with his zealous love of all things mommy-milk. And by flop, I mean after his first taste, he wouldn't open his mouth again for another bite... the few different times we tried it.
He didn't like it.
And I'll be darned if this summer vacation isn't as glorious as the last time, with my baby loving every ride of flavor and enjoying every penny game of airplane... so back to the kitchen I went. This time making something magnificent for my little man who sports a more refined palette. And this time, making something that I love the taste of.
So this time, I started with a dish of peeled and cored blush apples, very lightly sprinkled them with cinnamon and stuffed them with prunes, and then made a second dish with a few more apples and sweet baby carrots, with a teensy sprinkling of pink Himalayan sea salt.
Once everything was baked (at 350 degrees for about an hour, the carrot dish took a little longer) and soft, I blended it up to a smooth pureé... adding a little bit of water when necessary.
The result?
He loved it! It looks like we've hit successful summer vacation status after all.
In fact, he loved it so much that to set a dish in front of him and not bring a spoon with it, but bring a camera instead, it was torture.
And though I made a couple of large batches, put the leftovers into ice cube trays to freeze and then tossed those cubes into large ziplock bags to store in the freezer, those extra servings may not last all that long. Every time I prepare a dish for Brayden, big sister is under my feet, asking for her own bowl of sweet and savory.
And I have absolutely no problem with that, because I know exactly what's in the food I'm giving them, I know how healthy it is, I know there are no additives or hidden yucky things, and I know they love it.
And I know that I love them.
My own little mix of sweet and savory.
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