as good as it gets

waiting for santa

the halls are decked,

performances performed,

Santa visited (well, for Brynne, anway...)

snow received (well...trace amounts : )),

snow created,

cookies baked,

holiday classics watched,

field trips enjoyed,

lights admired,

stockings hung,

church hymns sung,

obligatory new pajamas opened,

cookies and milk left out for santa,

and now we wait.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

hilarious!

It is no secret that I loooove IKEA - and that our house looks like a showroom. This website is so funny - they have filmed little Melrose Place type episodes inside the IKEA without anyone knowing what they are up to (except for a moment in episode 3). Check it out! The bad acting and stares from real shoppers wondering what the heck are classic.

http://www.ikeaheights.com

officially eleven

Garrett's birthday always comes right at a crazy time of year: school is back in session, soccer is in full swing, and somehow we can't quite get our act together to have his party right away. He's never quite sure whom to invite... friendships can sometimes shift right at the beginning of school.

This year was especially lame as I was out of town on a business trip until the afternoon of his birthday and made it home just in time to pick up mud pie ingredients and greet Garrett at home where he was already buried in homework. Rich and Brynne had soccer practice, so it was a skeleton crew at home to celebrate. I considered just taking Garrett out for a birthday dinner, but he had too much homework even for that. So I dashed out and got him Taco Bell, which he ate while doing his work. Ah, the tough life of a middle schooler!

We finally had a party for him this weekend. We only sent invites out on Tuesday so we weren't sure who would be in town. But it worked out perfectly. Three friends could come and they were the most compatible foursome. I was expecting kids swinging from the chandelier, but they were calm, polite, and super fun. : ) We went to the aquatic center for fun in the water for a few hours, then came back where Garrett had requested that Rich grill his famous hamburgers. They ate burgers as big as their heads, then washed it down with birthday cake that looked like a hamburger too. : )

They watched movies, played Wii and battled with their Bakugan 'til the wee hours (or so they tell me. I went to bed at 10) and I never heard a peep. This morning they were all sacked out and it was neat as can be in the family room. I tell you, these boys can come over any time.

I have reminded Garrett that he has about 350 days to get it together for the next party... tune in next year to see if we do any better with our time management!

 

hello, september

I know I have been scarce around here. It's lot for a lack of things to write about. Will be back with stories of muffy coming to stay indefinitely, a summer recap, our trip to Camano Island, how I almost killed my camera, a 40x40 update, the kids' first day of school, how project 365 is going, and more. : ) I promise. Until then, a photo of my sunflowers in the sunrise this morning:

quality time

The other day after many requests from Garrett, I got each of the kids their own email address. I thought it could be a good way for them to keep in touch with family and practice their reading, writing and typing skills. I sent each of them their first email so when they logged into the account they'd have something waiting for them.

I wrote:

Hi Brynne!
You have your very own email account now so you can write to people and they can write you back. How fun! I am excited to send you your very first email. I love you!!!

Love, Mom

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

: )

She wrote back:

Thank you Mommy for the e mail . I love you mommy . Tomorrow can we spend some time together?

Yes. Yes we can. Life gets so crazy around here and with work and my commute and soccer practice it's hard to find time. But I canceled my plans and we set out for a lovely little nature walk, just she and I. She packed us a little picnic of carrots, wheat thins and clementines - adorable. We walked, and talked, and explored, and she kept exclaiming, "This is so fun!!"





We found the ducks and she fed them the bread that she had packed for them. She was hilarious, talking to them and calling out their names like she had always known them. Names like Flapper, Sir Eats a Lot, Nimbus 2000 and Lumberjack Jimmy were just rolling off her tongue. She cracks me up.



We were probably gone less than an hour, but it was a good reminder that quality time beats quantity time any day.

reunion!!

OK, I am rededicating myself to posting. There will be a lot of catching up but for now, photos of our super fun reunion BBQ last weekend in Pleasanton! The last time we all got together, Brynne and Nick were newborns and Brianna and Evan weren't born yet. That is waaaay too long to not see each other! Since Lynn and Jose and crew were down from Oregon the time was right for a get together. We had a blast at Dan and Cyndi's amazing pool and enjoyed catching up. Here are a few photos from the day:

Isn't the backyard amazing? Do you think they'll mind if I move in?

Theresa, Lynn and Cyndi trying to stay cool. I of course am not in any photos because I was always behind the camera!

The men, trying to stay cool. Except for Jose, who was slaving over a hot BBQ to bring us a wonderful lunch.

I was so thrilled to get a shot of all the kids. It wasn't until a minute ago that I realized, where is Andy?? This must be a constant question when you have more kids than two. They are quick little suckers and it's hard to keep track of them all! So, I bring you a shot of almost all of the kids:

You can see the grownups trying to stay cool all huddled under this umbrella. Note Jose's expression: this is the face of a dad trying to make sure his youngest doesn't drown. He takes his job seriously.

I love this shot.

Such a cutie : )

I can't get over how grown up these girls are!

I remember Rich and I taking care of KC one night when she was a newborn so Brian and Theresa could go out. And now she is this beautiful young woman. I used to always hate it when my parents' friends would go on and on about how grown up I had gotten, but it just has to be done. : )

Mr. Handsome!!!

In happier times before Brynne's near back-breaking dive into the innertube...

This shot is on here because there's a sliver of Andy in it. I have to prove he was there!

I love the hairdos!

I wish you could hear the screaming when Rich would spin them around on the innertube. Look at those open mouths!

What a fantastic day. We absolutely can NOT let 8 years pass by again without us all getting together!

sorry...

I have heard from "people" (ahem, Elizabeth, that would be you) that I am a serious blog slacker. And that would be true. Are there any excuses that will let me slide? Uh, I was... trapped under something heavy? Abducted by aliens? Abducted by aliens, then trapped under something heavy? You're not buying it, are you. Hmmm. Well, somehow I blinked and months and months went by. And right now I need to get ready for work tomorrow (Mondays are the worst) and get ready for the kids and I to go on a little vacation later in the week. So for now, I leave you with a random yet adorable photo from somewhere in the giant internet world: hamburger cupcakes. I am dying to make these!!! Maybe for Garrett's birthday?

40 by 40

So... I turned 39 a couple of days ago. And before any more of it goes by, I made a list of some things I'd like to do or experience in this 39th year. I found this great idea on this blog. So without further ado...

1. launch my photography business. For real.
2. visit the ocean.
3. stand in a field of sunflowers.
4. get a family photo taken by a real photographer.
5. learn to make Mom's famous spaghetti sauce.
6. complete the kids' school scrapbooks.
7. ride a zip line.
8. learn to shoot and process my photos in RAW.
9. get a bike.
10. go camping.
11. take a photo every day.
12. plant an amazing garden.
13. take up tennis.
14. make a hallway gallery.
15. try a yoga class.
16. explore a new city.
17. take each kid on their own day trip, just them and me.
18. by my dream camera.
19. hike to the top of Half Dome with Isis.
20. lean to play a song on the guitar.
21. do something creative every week.
22. go on a photo safari.
23. try Thai food.
24. take the kids to the snow.
25. go on an adventure with i.
26. take a photography class.
27. have an organized closet.
28. purge the house of the unnecessary and have a giant garage sale.
29. read 5 great books.
30. splurge on a good pair of sunglasses.
31. organize all my photos.
32. create a scrapbook of the Panama trip.
33. print canvases for our family room.
34. understand exposure.
35. paddle a kayak.
36. see the leaves in New England.
37. run a half marathon.
38. sew a quilt for Brynne.
39. master Photoshop.
40. orchestrate something awesome.

the year of why not

I have just watched the sliver of moon set in the purple sky. Now pink smudges and a warm yellow are chasing the darkness off into the distance. This is the first day of my new year. While I have marked the occasion of my birthday before, I don’t believe I’ve ever really **celebrated** it. This is my year; the year to fly. This is the year of why not.

you can't always get what you want

i thought this was funny. : )