The Beach

I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to be on this thing.
Which makes it my favorite new thing to take pictures on!
Did you guys know that Cousin Rachel and Auntie Jess are coming to visit this weekend?
So yeah, I can just already see the three cousins up there now.




Every once in a while, a storm washes these
little guys up in bunches to the shore where they die.
Jellies.

Bad bad jelly.
You put vinegar on a sting if they get you.
Or meat tenderizer.
We found out the not-so-fun way.


But we still had a lot of fun!

Dad

He's so cool.
And his smile just melts me.
How much fun do they have?

Dad jumps SO big.
And he inspires little jumpers.

To make BIG jumps.

Dad is always cool for wave jumping.
Even when Mom's not.
Even on jellyfish days.

These are his girls.
They love their Daddy hard.

Lucky lucky little girls.

Hoops

Part of the girls' fascination with the ice cream parlor is the friends and the hoops.
There are just so many things to do with unlimited hula hoops.

E's pulling it off.
At least in this picture it sure looks like it.


My kid can curl her tongue. Any time, ANY WHERE.

YAY!

Where are they heading to now?

You'll find out tomorrow~

Surf Cream

It's what's for dessert. This is like Madee and Eden's "local bar". They love to walk up and hang out here. And the guy who scoops the cream calls them "The Dolphin Sisters".

And this is going to go down as our favorite new neighbor.

It's hard to find the ice cream through all that hair!


My girls, on the verge of being covered in ice cream.
So, duh, HAPPY.

"E doit all by mySELP!"


Everything in this picture is just YUMMY.

Airstream Family Portrait

This little trailer lives near our house.
I want it.
I can just really see our family in it.
On weekends.
Holidays.
Winter nights in the driveway.


So we went to get our picture taken in its reflection so we can even better visualize our family in this little jewel.


I want it.


And I spend my free time staring at this blog post thinking what I will do with one when I get it.

My Heart Swells

There is just something about seeing my kids with my parents. Something that just makes sense, feels right, gives me warm feelings in my heart space.

Do you get that way?

Watching my parents with these little beings, who they have SO MUCH love for, and the kids? well let's just say instead of saying "cheese!" for pictures, these two say "GA-MAMA!"


Spending a week at the lakehouse with them was a huge bonding time for all of them, and it really touched me to see them start to make the kind of memories that they will keep in their heart forever. Memories of family, and fun, and figuring out the places that ultimately they come from, even if they aren't there everyday, or haven't really even been there before.


Tonight is our first attempt at an all-nighter at GA-MAMAs house. I am a little nervous, mostly for my mom, but also for Eden, who is a little young to understand what we are talking about here.

Madee is ready (so ready) to have a night out of my house - she is SO EXCITED to spend the night away.

So cross your fingers people, because this is definitely a trend I could make myself get used to...

Happy Anniversary

Blushing bride.

You bet I do.Us against the world.


I'm more concerned about the world if that's the case.

That time I broke my face smiling so hard.


Still crazy (about each other) after all these years.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life, my light in the tunnels, my chicken soup on the sick days, my love, my hero, my bestest of friends.

Wedding Day Eve

Here I sit with Ono the night before my wedding, 4 years ago today, at my super mellow bachelorette party, where we filled little goody bags with kettle corn for favors for my guests.

I can't help but notice how young we both look.


In lieu of a rehearsal dinner, we had a cookout with all of our family and friends who had traveled into the remote woods of South Lake Tahoe to celebrate our union.

We aren't really a "practice" kind of couple anyway, so we just winged our wedding day without concern for who would stand where, or who would say what.

I love this picture.

My best friend, and maid of honor, Lisa. She is a most prized friendship and she is one of the few things I miss back West.

And I miss her DEARLY.

Seriously, there should be way more Lisa's in the world. Not generic Lisa's, but clones of this particular one.

Thought I would clarify.


Funny how I used to look at my grandmother's wedding photos, thinking she looked so young and vibrant and beautiful, and I can already find myself getting all misty and nostalgic while flipping through my own wedding album now.

I really wish I still had these upper arms.


I am still in disbelief that so much time has weathered my person, yet it still seems like a blink of an eye. So much has changed. So much beautiful.

And tomorrow I celebrate - WE CELEBRATE - that day we decided to change the course of our lives to follow the same path.

Til death do us part.

Bubbles

It never ceases to amaze me the joy that is bubbles and children.
I have, in fact been known to hide bubbles from certain people just so I don't have to hear anybody screeching about "BUBOOLZH"!

But on vacation, anything goes.

Look at that form. Those are bubbling lips for sure.

POP!
A better look at the bubble lips.


They really work, too.


Oh and do I even need to draw attention to that curly little pony tail?
I want it on my own head.

Serious concentration.

Happy heart.


BUBOOLZH

I think that last one is a double bubble.

Sleepy Beauty

We should all be so beautiful when we sleep...