Living Life and Loving It

August 8, 2015

Summer in California, Part 1

We were able to spend the bulk of our summer at my mom's house in the foothills of Northern California. It wasn't really planned. But my mom's memory is having challenges and when she went through a period (about a week) of extreme memory loss (and other issues) we bit the bullet, paid a lot of money, and bought tickets to visit. The most economical way to travel was to stay 6 weeks, so we did. It ended up being too long for me, emotionally, but we were able to do a lot of fun stuff without completely wearing us out.

Here are a bunch of things we did during the first half of our stay:

Reading the safety card on our flight out.

The first morning there we woke up extra early (with the time change) and watched the sun rise over the dry earth.

Morning walks with Grandma.

Kayle's boat.

We were only able to go out on Folsom Lake a couple of times before it got so low (because of the drought) the lake was closed off.

More morning walks with Grandma.

Isabella enjoyed having little girl cousins to play "big sister" to.

Rope swing at Grandma's.

A favorite photo!!! Isn't it gorgeous?! Picking wild blackberries.

I was so impressed with my brave girl for trying this. We were at a church picnic where she didn't know anyone, but she was so willing to hop right in and get involved.

This splash pad was very fun!

Drying off in the intense sunshine at the splash pad.

Swimming!

Isabella and Kate helped me make a simple baby quilt for Mary's baby. Or, I guess I helped them! I love how involved they got.

Kate helped by deciding where to put certain pieces.

I know I'm the one that *looks* pregnant, but this is at Mary's baby shower.

Summer perfection!

Isabella adores babies and loved helping with Claire.

Despite the intense heat we tried to get out and run around as much as possible.

And catch baby lizards.

I love that Isabella got to spend time with her big girl cousins.

silliness.

More running!!!

Aunt Annie working her magic massage fingers. I couldn't believe how long Isabella just sat there, completely relaxed.

Picking Tokay grapes with cousins outside the Folsom Zoo.

My cousin, Tori, and her cute kids on a little steam engine outside the Folsom Zoo.

This was at a Relief Society (church) get together for the women. I didn't have anyone to watch my kids so I brought them. Isabella got permission to swim in the host's pool, but she didn't have her swimsuit...that didn't stop her!

We got to spend a day at my Aunt Evelyn's home in the Bay Area. My kids brought a lot of crazy to her home, but she loved them/us anyway and treated us so well! I love my Aunties!!!

November 7, 2014

Halloween 2014

Halloween was quite lovely this year. Some of the fall leaves are still hanging on and the weather was pretty good, until a few houses into trick-or-treating when it started to rain. Which was fine, since the kids really didn't need to go to more than a dozen homes to beg for free candy.

These first few photos are a walk we took the day before Halloween. I wanted to go on a drive through the hills just north of us to enjoy some of the last of the beautiful fall colors and I dragged Brian away from work to join Simon and me. The road we were on wove in and out, past the estates along the Bedford, NY and Greenwich, CT border. We happened to find the Greenwich Audubon Society, which isn't very far from our home and is a gem in our own backyard.

When we set out on our drive we weren't planning on going on a hike, but when life shows you a beautiful trail on a beautiful day, you have to go exploring.

A cemetery in Greenwich.

Jack-o-Lanterns

Halloween

Ready for school.

Kindergarteners do a little parade and sing along on Halloween.
This is the moment when Oliver spotted us in the crowd of parents.

My little Halloween getup.

Trick-or-Treating

with about 20 cousins in Connecticut...

It was a little crazy.

Isabella as a "fashion vampire".

Oliver as a pirate.

Simon as a dragon.
This photo was taken after the 4th house.
He was ready to munch on candy not chase after more!

October 30, 2014

Time Flies

It is really, really incredible how quickly time flies. I've been glancing at photos of just a couple of years ago and I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the enormous changes that have happened to my kids. They are growing up so very quickly. I am so glad I take as many photos as I do because those memories, those moments in time are frozen for the brief second and I can revisit it and love that moment all over again. I hold those moments in my heart. They are so precious perhaps because they are so fleeting.

I spend a good portion of documenting our bits and pieces of daily life on instagram. But I'm hoping to do a better job of chronicling a bit more of the details here again. I miss the greater depth blogging can add to a story.

Here's a bit of a look at October this year. Halloween is tomorrow, so perhaps it will deserve it's own post.