there was this one time...

HI :)

I've been a fan of Christine Herrin (EVERYDAY EXPLORERS) from WAY back! Like teaching classes at the Scrapbook Oasis in Irvine back when Elsie was one year old?!! Crazy. I love her work so much, she's beyond talented. She kindly sent me some stamps of the 2 things I love. Boba and Hawaii. Here are my projects :) 

It's summertime in LA and though we've been busy on the weekends, the weekdays are mellow and it hasn't been crazy hot. I'm happy. I know I haven't posted personal things on this blog in forever. Kira has graduated COLLEGE and now works full time. CAM graduated high school 3 years ago. And CALEB graduated high school a month or so ago. Els will be in 8th grade and loves all things beauty :) Chris and I celebrated 21 years of marriage this year. <3 Mind blown... I know.

19 years together

Funny how Instagram has taken over blogging. At least for me :) I know there's still a big blogging world out there, I mean, look- this blog is still around, I keep paying for it each month and I rarely post! I got burned out on sharing my family's personal life but really it's good to celebrate. I was thinking this morning how many times we get to find reasons to celebrate, not only for the 6 birthdays in this house, but the other milestones, anniversaries, graduations, etc. And to think I've gone through it all with HIM. I was scrolling back when this blog first started in 2005 and saw our 7th anniversary post.   I mean I'm totally dating myself by posting that photo with the filter frame on it! Ha! Some things haven't changed- our love, our desire to grow and adventure, our dedication to our family and the laughs we've shared together. Unfortunately even the heartaches this past year that have helped us grow together too. I'm forever grateful for this life he gave me. Never taking anything for granted. Happy anniversary to us <3

So many lessons

There are so many things I would like to teach my four children. How to cook, how to clean, how to learn, love, let go. So many that I can sometimes find parenting overwhelming and need to crawl under the covers for a little to let it all settle down. I know that after doing this for nearly 21 years that I'm doing my best and even some days, I could have done better. One of my favorites is to let it go. Chin up. Get back up. Don't stay on the ground. Mentally, emotionally, everything. I made this little page in my traveler's notebook using Kelly Purkey Bushwick stamps.    One of my favorite quotes I have come across is from Scott Cormode, "I want to prevent my children from pain, but I also want my children to have the resilience that only comes from pain." Sometimes, harder said than done! The lessons we learn from hurting are always so powerful a few years after the fact. My goal is to be there for my children while they're weathering that storm and of course, the time of celebration after it passes. 

xo

goodbye summer 2015

With everyone's busy schedules this summer, we opted to stay somewhat close to home and escape the heat of Southern California. We stayed at an airbnb and drove between San Luis Obispo and Big Sur. Here we managed to spot some whales along the coast. We wish we were closer but we felt fortunate to see them at all! Such a treat. The beaches in Northern Cal are different than the ones we are used to in So Cal and Hawaii. But we did get a chance to see some seals, dolphins, whales and the boys went kayaking. We were spoiled by some amazing sunsets! 

View from the Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur. We were there early so the fog hadn't burned off, seemed a bit more magical that way, though. Also had the best pizzas of our lives at Big Sur Bakery later that day. Must go back! Sometimes traveling with 6 opinions, thoughts, expectations and feelings can be a bit tough. It seems like there's always someone who had something else in mind, a different agenda, a different meal. It's hard to please everyone. I've accepted that not everyone will be happy all the time which helps alleviate the pressure for me. This time together is rare and precious. I realize it won't be long til family trips with all 6 may dwindle to perhaps 4 or 5 of us. I tried to just take it one day at a time, storing little pockets of happiness in my heart, as I knew summer would quickly be coming to an end, and the routine of school and life would be knocking at our door. Thank you for the memories, Big Sur. 

I've been missing my DSLR

This is going to be a photo heavy post. I haven't taken my big girl camera on a personal outing in a very long time. I have been getting by with my phone for convenience. Sometimes I get good enough phone prints and I'm glad. This last big round of photos I ordered I was heavily disappointed. Disappointed in the quality and just bummed that I missed out on really having a good print of that moment. This trip, I knew I was going to take my big camera, and I am soooo glad. I got so many little gems I am sure I would have missed.   Ate a delicious dinner at Industrial Eats.   So proud of our little fire :)  Top of our 6 mile hike overlooking gorgeous Santa Barbara County.   Caleb got this one. Sigh! One last day at El Capitan Beach.  Spring Break 2015. :)Though I got some really good photos with my phone (see post below) and I will continue to use my phone for picture taking, I'm going to try and be mindful of grabbing my 5d more often. I never regret it!

el capitan canyon

We went glamping last week for Spring Break. Kira was still in school so she wasn't able to join us. Which I think was okay as she's not really a camper :) Neither am I, but this was about as close as I can get to camping, which makes it the perfect compromise as Chris loves camping! :) We didn't stay in a yurt but I had to get a pic of it!  I Iove the idea of the yurt but unlike the cabin we stayed in, you don't get your own bathroom. That's a little too rough for me! :) There was a queen bed and then the 3 kids were in the loft above.  Some of the cabins were in more populated areas, we weren't in this specific area but off to a side that was more secluded. I liked that a bit more. This seemed a little too much out of that period in the LOST TV series where there was that creepy community existed in the middle of nowhere. 
 El Capitan Beach just around the corner. 

 Hills on the other side of us. Family bike ride. They had the adult bikes there for use and we just brought Elsie's bike with us. So proud of her riding down this downhill! Very Miyazaki to me. Love it. 
Dinner out in town. The market offered barbecue kits that came with everything you needed to cook what sounded like a tasty meal! But I just didn't have faith in our "meat being cooked enough in the dark" skills so we didn't risk it. We did make smores though. Yay us! 
Very Sound of Music to me. Love it. Top of the 6 mile hike! That view! Hike hair. 

 

Walking to the canyon market to you know, get coffee and cinnamon rolls. Roughin it. 
Last morning of the trip. Thanks for the memories, El Capitan! These were all taken on my iphone. I have a whole other post on pics with my Canon 5d and why I chose to bring it along and why I am so happy I did! 

Elsie at 9

I used to share so much on this blog, from the time we found out we were pregnant with Els, til when she was born and then I tapered off a bit as she got older, around 4. This month, she turned 9. I cannot believe how much time has passed so quickly!   and now:  She is interested in so many things, all at once. She's a bundle of energy and ideas and questions. It's hard to keep up. Right now she's into becoming an actress, dancing, basketball, her friends and cooking. She's a little ray of sunshine. We are savoring this last year before she hits the double digits! 

happy new year!

Our family on Christmas Day. I haven't made Christmas cards in years but I always appreciate the ones we receive in the mail! Don't give up on us, one of these days I'll get it together! I had some amazing photos over the year but always manage to be missing a child (or me!) in the photo. This one below is probably my highlight of 2014. Taken the night before New Year's Eve. Our big family piled in for a nighttime cuddle, knowing it's New Year's Eve the next night and the 2 older kids will be off in other places celebrating. 

Every year I make the mental resolution to exercise and I never follow through. I fight my own battles within my own head and heart that keep me from being my best. I stumbled upon this on Pinterest and it has resonated with me since. My words board on Pinterest is one of my favorites. I can scroll through for a dose of encouragment but this needs to be printed for constant reminder. Lovely words. My 2015 Mantra: 

Happy New Year, everyone :) xo

halloween on her mind

Elsie loves Halloween. She's been waiting for this month all year! I tend to wait til the last minute to prep her costume as she changes her mind about every other day. But she knows once we start, there's no going back. I'm big on 'let's use what we have and be creative' type of costumes. Last year's Pikachu costume. We used mostly yellow clothes she had on hand. The pokeball was my most proud part of this outfit :)

This year is a bit more ambitious.  She's giving me a hand for her Astrid (from how to train a dragon) costume. I love the internet (sometimes!) I happily stumbled upon Elizabeth Dillow's tutorial and here we are! Seems doable! :) Can't wait to see it all together in the end!

The no front teeth in the first pic and then front teeth in the second pic kills me! Ah! Fastest year ever!

Boyhood

Chris and I saw the movie, Boyhood, a few weeks ago. We were amazed at what they pulled off, filming the same boy, spanning from age 6 to 18. Of course it made me think of my own boys and their own stories they are living. I felt for the mom (Patricia Arquette, love her!) and nodded my head in agreement as other parental situations would come up that I've been through. Good soundtrack, solid acting, thumbs up.  

 

The photo was taken in 2009 by our fave photog Jonathan Canlas. Journaling today, Aug 2014. Not scrapping as much has taken off the pressure to create immediately with new photos and new supplies. 

Some notes while creating for the first time in years. 1. Don't try it after sitting in traffic for many hours previously. Mind is already mush and cannot make creative decisions. 2. Brads and black lines around the layout edges are my forever. Did I just date myself?