Happy Love

Happy Lover's Day. May you share your love with those close to you.

These images are from a light painting expedition with my brothers down at the beach. Great fun!

Perpetual Calendar

I love this perpetual calendar! What a great way to capture the main events of the day. I try to record a daily journal and track what was big for that day; something funny someone said, an amazing life changing epiphany, or just something notable. Truthfully I can't stick with it. This may just be the streamlined approach I need.

So creatively simple and what a great gift idea. You can use postcards. pictures or anything that might be special for your recipient. There are so many possibilities.

Images and more DIY details from Design Sponge.
Found via The Violet Hours.

Archiving Christmas [Photo] Cards

There was a time, long ago, when I thought I wanted to be a scrapbooker. I'm crafty and I love all the supplies, but really I think it was more drawn to the archival aspect of the craft. My luke-warm commitment can most certainly be linked to my lack of patience for the detail that yields just one page. My visions far surpass my results. I peter out before I complete my grand plan. Not surprisingly, I have plenty of albums started but not too many completed.

My Christmas Album however, is a mark of pride. Not because the pages within it are awe inspiring but because it is filled with Christmas cards from our friends and family since the beginning of our marriage and theirs. Our 'peeps' shared the highlights of their lives and as we flip through the pages we go back to some of those forgotten moments.

Each year I start with our family photo card and letter and thoughtfully group together the photo cards we receive into a set of following pages.

It was a small enough project for me to accomplish in one sitting, and now, ten years later I truly appreciate the time I took to put those cards into the album. My style has changed significantly but that is part of the charm. Recording it, as it is 'now'.

When we are raising a family, building a career or just getting by, we don't often stop and cherish the moments. But over time, when we look back, we recall how much things have changed or how some of the most important things have remained the same. Pulling the album out each year and remembering the folks we have shared a season or more with helps make our micro world a little more macro.

As our family grew and the album reached it's capacity, so did my scrapbooking. Instead of adding a second volume to the collection, I now capture all our photos, hole punch them and add them to a ring--with our photo and letter leading the pack. It's the best I can do these days and while it may not have all the extra borders or stickers or labels, it is a doable means for me to still archive photos that we can bring out over the holidays and remember....

The simplicity and pureness of this level of archiving speaks to me and where I am now-a-days. I'm glad I did more when I had the time, but I'm just as happy with these too. The intent and results are the same. If you have made the effort to send us a photo card over the years, chances are good you are in our pages and we think of you each holiday.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Serendipity

Serendipity: an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

And that's exactly how I would summarize our recent road trip adventure.

So many treasured serendipitous moments.

954 images
2,664 miles
11 days
5 amazingly bonded adventurers

Peace Be With You

Just a typically peaceful moment in our day.
For real, I did not say a stinkin' word to these zen masters.

A Boy and His Grandpa

My Dad has been visiting us. He lives in the midwest and we live out west. Our visits are not frequent enough for my liking but we cherish the time we do have together. Now he is retired and considering a move closer. (Yay!)

My youngest, who shares a middle name with my Dad, has had his mommy time threatened and isn't exactly thrilled with it. I catch him glancing at Grandpa side ways with a bit of skepticism coupled with intrigue. Deep down he knows Grandpa is his kind of people and they could have a lot of fun together.

But, for me, having the lessons of my Dad's life passed down to my kids is completely invaluable. This I know.

Snow Day

We made it to the snow for a fun day of play with family. The weather was great, the kids had a blast and traffic home almost sucked the life out of me. But, it was worth it. Here's the highlight reel....

Uncle starts us off with a lovely back flip demonstration.

For some very odd reason I felt compelled to try it myself but since it was the beginning of snow play I didn't want to be the party pooper who gets hurt in the first five minutes of arrival. Boring, I know. But, safe. And sometimes, we must control our completely irrational impulses and live vicariously through fearless little brothers.

Christopher

Anna

Lil P
Our little 'sea otter' samples the snow...NO, it's not yellow snow!

Sledding with Dad is the best--even Liz wants in on the action.


Lil boys take on (and trash talk) the big boys with a snowball fight.

This was a much better option, in my opinion, since up until this point anyone (including Mama) was fair game.

The Great Pumpkin Tradition

Years ago, pregnant with our first babe, we got a sample of true autumn--the way the northeast experiences the season. There is nothing like fall foliage and crisp temps. We enjoyed the most fabulous afternoon wandering and tasting apples at a charming orchard. And there began our family tradition of an annual trip to the apple orchards and pumpkin farms.

While we don't always get to wear fall clothes (most years we're in rainbows) or even have a chill in the air (what's with 87 degrees in late October?!), we still enjoy the spirit of the season. We're big on tradition around here and this is one of our favorites.

Care to wander down memory lane with me?

As with any tradition, some years are better than others. This year's crop must be experiencing the recession along with the rest of us. Slim pickin's. Plus my crew is a little worn for wear.

Last year's visit to this same farm was quite different (remember my posts here, here, here and here?). But that's how traditions go. As wrote and compulsory as it may seem to drive out to a pumpkin farm, the experience is always a unique one and I'm grateful for each and every one.

Day Tripping Makes Us Happy

That's part of my crew on the bikes. My little helper rides with me

as we are usually the caboose of this party train.

We are big trippers, day trippers that is. We love a good excuse to break things up and get a fresh perspective. Time together in the car can be a great chance to reconnect and take a break from the daily grind (or rut). We are so fortunate living in Southern California to have so many places to venture off to for a day; sometimes without even having to travel far.

I love discovering something new about our own community or a neighboring community and just getting out. This shot is from Saturday's visit to one of our most favorite spots, Balboa Park. We were there for some fantastic culture, which I will share soon, and absolutely had to cruise the park. I love this picture and how everyone else is taking in the koy pond (a must-stop spot for us every time.) in their own way.

And for those of you who are traditionalists and love nostalgia, it's especially sweet for me that I can take my kids to a place that is so near and dear to me; some place I used to visit with my Nana, and now see how it is becoming special to them. I love that their favorite spots were some of my favorite spots and together we are finding new treasures in this gem of a park nestled in my favorite city.

That's the beauty of getting out. It gets us into other things, other than just ourselves.

Where do you like to get away to?

Sick Day

My sweet girl isn't jumping for joy today. She's a bit under the weather and home with me and my little helper. While I don't want her to feel badly I do kind of like playing hooky with her. I feel a movie marathon in our future. (It's the closest I'll ever get to a sick day. I might as well take the benes while they're on the table, no?)

{Update: She got the sick day memo. Although she is legit with a fever she also knows how to milk it. Breakfast in bed, please. Movie marathon, please. I can't tell you how jealous I am that she pampers herself. I need more of that! See, we are always learning from our kiddos.}

Bidding Adieu to Summer '09

I am bound and determined this weekend to archive my favorite photos from this summer. Too frequently I am on to what's next and don't get to processing my pictures like I want to.

This year I will. I really will. Our summer was wonderful with so many cherished memories of family. I see a beautiful linen photo book in my future. Perhaps I'll share some highlights next week (Maybe that will make me accountable to my project.)

I hope you enjoy your last official weekend of summer '09.

Cousin Time

Last hurahs at the beach before Cousin Lauren heads home means....

Treasured moments

One more wave to catch

Playful annoyances

Near trauma

(and shorts that Daddy didn't know are actually big brother's--but who cares?)

And me trying to capture it all.

Balboa Island

What do you do with four kids (14, 7, 6 and 2) that is fun for all? I'm not sure I really have the answer to that question but I'm on day nine of trying. One of our recent activities was to Balboa Island in the OC. Charming and sweet and fun to get to.

Beginning with a ferry ride in our car (big hit for seasoned boaters)


Walking the block


Sweet treats at Balboa Candy

We have plans to return (maybe even this weekend) and bike the island. If we make it I will be sure to post some of the most adorable cottages you have ever seen.

Manhattan Beach

Just like snowflakes, no two beaches are created the same. And so, with this in mind, and Cousin Lauren visiting Southern California, we took our friends up on an invitation to visit Manhattan Beach, from a local's perspective. And the charm of this beach community was not lost on us.

Daddy surfs with dolphins










Beach exfoliation is the best


Partial crew at the beach house