fa la la la la la la la la

our family gingerbread house this year

no place I would rather be

...than in Aspen in the fall

the paddle

it is moments like this...
when your three-year old is magical
and parenting is pure joy

among the redwoods

the size
the silence
the wildlife
just wow

the fog though...

at Stinson Beach
there was more fog than sun
and that was ok
we built a fire
and watched the fog roll in
and roll out
and when it was clearer
we watched whales
...magical weather really.

beach break

the sea and the sand were calling
so we packed our bags
asked mom to join us
and headed for Stinson
it was everything we were hoping for
we even got to see Uncle Danny and Jessa
and spend some time in a redwood forest

stop growing

as our friend Annie always says
"no growing, don't you grow"
and Charlie turns around and replies with a proud smile
"I am going to grow!"
how does it happen so fast though...

Yay!

my beautiful little sister is having a baby
the joy in her eyes is so lovely
can't wait
love love love

one for the books

when you take three best friends
add their husbands
add their kids
and add a week at the beach
you get lots of smiles, happiness, and lasting memories
:::
of hours on the beach digging holes and building drip castles,
conversations on the deck, epic sunrises,
bike rides, alligators, lighthouse visits and ice cream cones
and if your lucky...even a leatherback turtle sighting
:::
oh yeah, and some major meltdowns, sickness and other challenges of course ;)
let's do this every year

by the lake

a great visit home
:::
snowstorm strolls by the lake
a walk around far field farm
downtime with family
great meals and fireplace conversations
in the cold midwestern winter

another pretty storm

hoar frost on the mountain
leaving it white white white
and oh, so pretty

simple joys

the simple joys of playing in the snow and sunshine

our whole world

Charlie and George
ages 2.5 years and 1 month

winter white

three feet in three days
and aspen is looking lovely
town is literally buried
they will be digging out the snowbanks for days
but in the meantime we will play