CUTE SHOTS

M dressed up for Constitution Day at school.

Big helpers...

The doorbell rang one day and this is the salesman I found standing on my porch when I answered the door.....

Maybe a drawstring on the swimsuit would help....

New Stages

Our youngest out of diapers.

Wow we're out of diapers for the first time in nearly 13 years!

No crib, no high chair....no baby.

Wierd.

Our oldest into braces....

and earrings....and teen years....and junior high....

and staying home with kids alone on occasion.....

Wierd.

Recurring theme

I think it's been a few years since we've done a cake with a theme other than Star Wars....

September - M's 8th

July - I's 3rd

Examples of "set-ups" that are being elaborately built daily around here....

Camping in June.

Our campsite had a perfect pile of rocks for all sorts of lightsaber fights...

I haven't posted in half a year! I'm so sorry. I can see I haven't posted since my struggle with anxiety last spring. Here is a poem I wrote coming out of that time....and then I'll try to catch up this blog!

Fragile Calm

The storm has passed now.

The tempest that raged and destroyed

has now moved on,

leaving a surreal, gray haze over its wake of destruction

The threat is now over.

…..or is it?

A fragile calm settles in the aftermath,

hesitant, uneasy….

Every lingering breath of wind,

Every splash of residual raindrop

Taunts….

Haunts….

Calling back the memory - the reality

Fresh...and raw.

Questions and confusion persist

And fear lingers….

Challenging the certainty,

Threatening the hope….

Of this fragile calm.

Christa 4/11

SUMO ZAY

This post is decicated to the Kags. R has apparently overheard a few too many conversations regarding the above pictured Bif Beefsteak and sumos, onesies/etc....because after his bath the other day she fixed his hair like this, put him in a onesie and started taking pictures of "sumo" faces....

Father Daughter Dance

Daddy did two different Father Daughter dances this year.

Father Daughter Dance (deja vu?)

Deja vu? (glitch in the matrix...)

HAIRCUT? WHAT'S THAT?

BEFORE

(walked around like this with his head tipped back like this so he could see under the hair....)

AFTER

Oh! There are your eyes!

Ok, our little Cali surfer hair boy....his hair isn't curly like the other boys so this is a new experience!

Look who got glasses!

The poor vision genes are pretty strong in this family...3 down 2 to go...sigh...

See my ears?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The Birthday Girl got her ears pierced! Mr. Brian was awesome and did a great job. R was super brave and the other dudes in the shop (guys giving and receiving tatoos) were all super impressed with how well she did!