Cute Guy with a Puppy

A CUTE puppy.
::sigh::

This is Charlie before I met him, years before, in fact. With Zoie, our good friend and awesome doggie.

Oh, Zoie.

1. might I mention I would have been all over this Mr. Hot.
B. this same Mr. Hot asks where Eden's curly hair came from.
Third of all, GUH what a cute guy with a puppy.


So this is him once I had met him, with my very own cute puppy..

GUH. What a cute guy with a puppy.

Meant to Be

This week while we are moving to the new house, I am putting up a few pictures I came across in the move and then took pictures of. (so meta)

Anyhoo, Here is a double whammy, a side by side of Charlie and me at similar ages in similar outfits.

Clearly we were made for each other.

Countdown

Less than 24 hours until we officially move in.

And guess who won't be having any internet for a while?
So I will try and set up something fun for next week, and get back to this space as soon as happens.

Meanwhile, Eden went to the doctor for her 2 year old check up.
In short, she's ahMAZing and also quite an impressive specimen of girl child.

And her kisses will melt your FACE off.


You guys have a great Memorial Day.
We sure will!

Saturday is just around the corner.

Happy Birthday Neener!

We LOVE you!

Packing Up

Somebody wants to make sure we don't leave her behind.


Moving is a HUGE change, for anybody and everybody, and sometimes things can get a little tense. We've known we were moving for 3 months almost, so until now, the hardest part of of the move was the waiting.

We've talked about it ALOT with the kids, in fact, 97% of the conversations Madee strikes up lead into a new house song from her heart.

(She's a singer!)

Anyhoo, now we are down to the next hard part, them watching things disassemble and disappear as we move it all to the new place. Which, of course we aren't doing in just one day, so they have time to really freak out.

And so do I.

So I am trying to remain super calm. And flexible. And supportive.

So I just keep looking at the pictures so I know exactly what I am looking forward to.




My new happy place.


What are YOU looking forward to lately? Got vacation plans? Family Reunion? Any weddings to celebrate?

***May is a special month for mothers, and I have teamed up with 29 or so of them online for a "May Mom Blog Hop". As such, I would like to introduce you to The Animated Woman whose blog is the next step on this AWESOME mommyblog tour.

She isn't just a cartoon, people, she's a bacon lover. Need I say more? Go visit her now. HURRY!

Busy Busy Busy

But not too busy to share...

Here are some shots from Sea World last week.
This one of the dolphins is WOW.


Hey, buddy.


My girls ALWAYS find a friend to play with, no matter where they are.
Even under the sea...


Hello, little mermaid!


Hanging with a manatee.


Littlest "big girl" with her dad.


Flower.


I eat her.


I love to take the kids to this "picture spot"

and watch them run when the log ride comes down behind to splash them.


Run, little lady, RUN.

My Inspiration Station

Remember when I went to that cute little beachy store? And I threatened spray paint and a hot glue gun? Well it has begun.

I got "aqua".

And although everything is being carefully packed* and so gingerly placed** into a moving trailer, I have set up a little piece of our future life on this credenza to inspire us of our new future life.

Or future new life?
You get it.

These are the prints I got for mother's day. I cannot begin to tell you how important it is to have large, awesome pictures of your happy children doing happy things in full view of every spot in your house.

It helps remind me of the joy during the more trying parts of a day with toddlers.

Once I brought home the spray paint, I didn't really know where to start. Our new landlady has painted the entire interior of the home, and I don't even know what colors she picked for more than half of the house.
But this lamp? Perf for the paint. And that shelf. And that frame.

In fact, I am starting with dark or raw items, since I actually have alot of furniture/accessories painted whitewashy, ivory beachy colors, that fit the new design bill, I will worry about those pieces last.

Don't you love this green candy dish? I do!


We got this wall plaque for our wedding from some old friends, and I love it as much today as I did the day we got it. It is SO us, the nutshell of our mission statement.

It says:

Walk in the rain
smell flowers
stop along the way
build sandcastles
go on field trips
find out how things work
tell stories
say the magic words
TRUST THE UNIVERSE

Teeny tea lights made from teeny found sea objects.

All actual beach finds (other than the jar from Penzey's)
My cousin Broday (HI BRODY!) in San Francisco found 2 abalone shells (unheard of to find even 1!) last time Boom Boom went surfing with him.

He sent one to me.
I love him.

The white shell collection, and the sea glass and Lake Superior Agate collection.

Another GREAT tea light holder.


And I couldn't resist finishing off this simple little robin's egg blue vase with some shells around the rim.

Ahhh.
* tossed into laundry bins
**hurled with wild abandon

Girls

They grow up SO FAST.

I love pictures like this one.
It illustrates how soon they start to run away from me and towards their own futures.
I want the best for them.
I also wish they could have stayed babies a little longer.


I mean, this bracelet? not a baby bracelet.

Oh, E. Don't grow up. Mommy needs you here, cuddled up to her middle and playing with her hair.

"Why ME? What did *I* do?"

Ha. First vacation picture at a whipping post!


They are really becoming a "team". Often an opposing team to the parent team.
Cute and annoying - their specialty.


Eden puts this little fairy crown on her head and says, "Wook at MEEE! IMMA PWINCESS!"
Then I die of the cuteness.
Again.


Shhhh. This is not a REAL shark. But the kids don't know.


Pwincess and the Daddy.
Too much cute for one mom to bear.


Thank GOD they get tired and revert to being my babies again. For NOW, at least.

Oh Madee. Don't ever stop being Mommy's baby.

Totally Beachin'

You know, in 10 days, it will be Memorial Day Weekend, and we will be making our first memories as beach residents.

10 days.

::head pops off::

The other day I found the cutest (way too expensive) second hand store that is EVERYTHING that is beachy keen.

It really put me in the mood, and I just thought I'd share the inspiration I am having for our new space.

I just love all the white washy weathered paint.


pretty mosaic mirror


I want to make these little starfish garlands as seen in the windows. I really can't live without a few of them.

I love sea glass. And things that emulate the colors of sea glass.
These lamps are gorgeous.
I want to put our collected shells in that box.




Pretty little dishes.


When we secured the house, we bought the dining table that was already there.
I love it.
But I might love THIS one a leetle more.

I may have to blow up this picture for my wall.
Madee is really into starfish.


Get me some spray paint, because I'm about to go hog wild and EVERYTHING in our house.


And don't you worry about my little hot glue gun. I might have to upgrade to some bigger and better for the "glue shells/sea creatures on it" rampage that is about to commence.

Even the birds are gonna go beach crazy.


Because, DUH! How cute is THAT!


What do YOU think I should glue shells on? Any recommendations for some cute decor ideas on the web? Link me your pictures!