picture me {im}perfectly: playing

I've been sensing something happening in my heart.

A melting.

An awakening.

A freedom that it took these summer days to find.

I'm breathing.

And I'm realizing more and more

these little people that are under my care,

they're fun.

And it's fun being with them.

Playing with them.

Listening to them.

Watching them.

Just hanging out with them.

So often I'm all about taking care of them.

Getting them fed, getting them ready, getting them here and there.

Bathing them, reading to them, praying with them, tucking them in.

You know, the routine.  

The day in and day out.

But somehow in that routine, 

I've become too much of a grown up.  

And I forget to have fun.

Yesterday we all jumped in the pool together

and through my goggle covered eyes

I see them clearly.

Submerged in water, we all circle round and face each other.  

Their fat cheeks holding air,

their wide eyes with flowing hair.

We pretend to sit and see how long we can stay.

And in this moment I feel like a child again.

Memories of summers long gone by come flooding in.

And I'm struck by what a blessing it is that they're

teaching me to play again.  

To be a kid again.

To step out of this world of responsibility.

And to see the gifts right before me.

"You have made known to me the paths of life; 
you will make me full of gladness with your presence."

Acts 2:28

super trip

Where to begin?  I just had to start with this shot.

That face.

Those little legs.

So much fun. 

The New Children's Museum in 

downtown San Diego was just awesome!

This was a superhero logo making workshop. 

Mommy helped with the grown up scissors, 

cutting out the shapes they drew and their masks.

It was an all day event with tons of hands on exhibits 

and art classes,

 like this print making lesson for the kids.

They all had a blast, sculpting with clay,

Love the Mexican Oil Cloth covering the tables & chairs

painting,

and playing.

The best part was meeting up with Daddy 

before his call time for Comicon,  

watching the crazies there for the convention.  My four year old kept asking if they were real superheros.  Um, no, not really.

Sea World was a treat too.  

We started the day late in order to stay til it closed.  

This is the new Turtle Reef exhibit. 

 They were breathtaking.

I think the dolphin show was a favorite.

It's new (at least new since we last went two years ago)

With a story about a girl's greatest adventure, following a dream.

What little one doesn't dream of swimming with the dolphins.

This was the first year we all went on the 

Sesame Street rides together.

They raised their hands and 
screamed their hearts out on the swinging eel.  

It was fun and a glimpse into what life will be like as they get older,

going on roller coaster rides as a family.

It was exciting staying to see the nighttime Shamu show.  

I never had before, 

it was a completely different experience.

And the perfect way to end the day was with their fireworks show.  My picture doesn't do it justice.

Most of all I felt so blessed that they were 

so kind to each other and loving throughout the day.

Especially these two.  

It means so very much to her

when her brother shows her his love.

happenings

around here...


this quote,


"I love swim lessons!"

Now that's a fast 180.


And I've been having more fun with my birthday presents.


I asked for a blender and a dehydrator for my birthday.  


I linked to a site that compared the excalibur and this one called the 


nesco.  Raw food purists would say the excalibur is the only way to 


go.  But I  went with this one due to the fact that the excalibur is 


just too big for my kitchen and this is just a fraction of the cost, 


while still drying just as efficiently.

I know some women would think I'm crazy to ask for such things as 


birthday gifts.


But I'm  in that kind of phase.


I made my first kale chips and as the raw cook books


warn, we couldn't stop eating them.

Sprinkled with olive oil, salt and garlic powder.  Yum.


I made a batch with cayenne pepper for my husband too.


And I'm very excited about this lady's cookbook. 


She's 70 years old.  It wasn't just her age that impressed me,


but her amazing sounding recipes.


I tried the arugula/fennel salad for lunch and then just had to make 


it again for some guests for dinner.  It was THAT good.  I added to


it, the chop chop salad.  As the title hints, there was a lot of 


chopping involved, but the sauce was to die for.  


And everyone actually felt full.  I told them they were my guinea 


pigs. I'm really excited about these recipes!

I'm off with the kids on a trip to visit my parents 


and Sea World.


Hopefully I'll have lots of pictures when I return!

he's home

We picked up our son today.


After five nights and six days away.


As I guessed, he showered, um once.


Oh boy.


He did write me though.


We got a very cute letter.


He smelled a bit like a homeless person.


You can see by his shirt, that he wore nearly every day.


Lots of fun, lots of stories, and lots of junk food.


He had just about every sugar loaded cereal he has ever wished for that mommy has never allowed.


He told me he checked ingredients and saw that there was corn syrup in things. 


A big 'no no' in our house.


And when I asked if he ate it anyway, he said, "Yea of course I did."


I guess at least he's honest, and at least he's aware of the fact that it's not good for him.


He's pretty bummed out that his five frogs are now four.  He has a little habitat for them.


He caught them at a stream where he goes to watch a friend's dog sheepherding.


We fed them while he was gone.


But this was the smallest one.


And apparently the frogs will eat the little ones if they can.


We looked it up online.  He's bummed for his little guy.


On another note...

The girls are both officially swimming.

Ava already had lessons, but now she's comfortable enough to dive off the diving board.

 You have no idea how huge this is, that Audrey is fully under water. 

Today was their fifth lesson.


For the first three lesson lets just say the protests from Audrey were very loud and very adamant.


She tried to control the situation.


Each day stressing about the next saying, "I will not go under water, you just tell her I will not.


Mom I will never swim. Never, ever." 


And the screaming and protests were so intense.  I had to walk out of sight, so she wouldn't see me laughing.


It was one of those things where you had to be there.

But that little nose in between those goggle eyes.  And the screams of protest.  It was just so darn cute.  I coudln't handle it.  She was bound and determined to not swim.


She told me and everyone who would listen how summer break wasn't very good because she was not liking swim lessons and she would never, ever swim.


But after the last lesson we turned a corner and she decided she was used to it now.


She actually said to me mom, "I'm used to it now.  What does used to it mean?"


And today, wa-la.. she is fully going under water.


Tonight she happily showed daddy over and over again how she can swim.


We went in the jacuzzi amidst the loud helicopters hovering to cover the shut down of the 405 to the 10 freeway.  They're calling it carmageddon here in L.A.  People are hunkering down and not going anywhere this weekend.


But we're taking a chance and actually having a pool party here.


Hoping that because most people won't be on the road, it'll actually be smooth sailing on the side streets.


I also got a new high tech blender for my birthday and made some chocolate mint smoothies 

that we also turned into popsicles.

We used 24 ounces of almond milk.
A handful of mint leaves from our garden.
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
A handfull of prunes (only because I didn't have any dates)
2 bananas
and 2 Tablespoons of cacao powder

The girls loved them.

My son wasn't so sure.

But his taste buds have been tainted by Trix, and Coco Puffs and such.


Happy Weekend Everyone!