A Favorite Place.............

Ever find yourself in a place where you feel completely calm? Where your anxiety leaves you and you can completely relax? A place where you can take a cleansing breath without having to yawn or sigh? Where you can read a book without the nagging feeling that there are 100 other things that you should be doing? Where you can lay on a white sofa with sun glinting through the window and take an afternoon nap? My sisters house is one of my favorite places. In her home I have total serenity,... and on this vacation I have been fortunate enough to spend some time in her home with her. The following images are all ones that I stole from the inviting corners of her nest.......

Low points of this vacation.....

All in all our vacation in Utah has been pretty great so far and I really don't have much to complain about, but in the spirit of 'keepin it real'... I do have to mention the.......not.......so......fun parts of our trip.

So,.......................drum roll please........................

A $521.00 car repair was not on the agenda, but took place anyway.

And,.....a much bigger bummer was taking our tiny mite to the E.R. for stitches (way past her bedtime) after she fell headfirst into the corner of a bookshelf while horsing around with her cousins. She was such a brave little sweetie!! It was painful to watch them hold her down and work on her, but she did so well. Then,...the amnesiac that they used on her had the opposite effect than intended and she was a crazy-wired-psycho baby begging to go outside and play. (Which would have been really cute had it not been 3:30 in the morning by the time that she finally settled down. oi!!)

And More.....

Watching my little girls become fish.......

A BBQ with some dear friends that I am lucky to see more than once a year. 

 Being cheesy with my sister and getting matching sister/friendship/sassy bracelets while shopping at Down East Basics. (My favorite store that is no where near me in So. Cali.)

And...

by the way....

I totally stole this picture off of my sisters blog. (Thanks Wend. :)) 

More Highlights...

A family BBQ in my oldest sisters amazing back yard. Doesn't this first picture look like a watercolor?? Her yard is more ethereal than these pictures can portray.

Watching my kids play with cousins that they haven't seen in months. Hearing the giggles, the water, and the birds. Watching my sisters giant gold fish swim in schools through her pond.

Smelling all of the flowers!!!

Bonding with my (almost.......practically.......but not technically) twin sister Wendy. That,...I can never get enough of.

Highlights.....

 I am in my favorite place in the entire world....Utah. I have been here for nearly two weeks visiting family and friends, and I am finally at the point where I feel like I can catch my breath, sit down, and blog some of the highlights of my trip. The first one being...........the ECLIPSE festival. Yep, that's right...I went to an entire festival on the 29th of June. All in honor of the movie. Yes I am a dork,...and yes it was the most fun I have had in a long time.  My darling sister, my very good friend, and I spent 7 hours doing all manner of things "Eclipse" related. We got free goodies, watched a costume contest, ate yummy food, danced, shopped, and frolicked until the moment of truth. We watched the film.............and...................I................loved...................it!!!!!!!!!!  It was (in my opinion) by far the best film yet.

I think that I may have joined "team Charley". He was hilarious.

 I met Alice and Rosalie. Now we're tight............

And I got to hang with Napoleon who did a stellar performance of his famous dance. What a stud.

It was such a great night.....

In the near future I will post more moments from my favorite place.

Happy Fathers Day...

I would like to wish a Happy Fathers Day to the two amazing men in my life.....

My Daddy......

And my Mr. Right. The father of my four little ones.

I love you both.......more than words.

Happy Birthday Big Sis!!!!

It is my sister Wendy's Birthday today. Not only is she my sister, but she is also my best friend. I really don't know what I would do without her. I have a bond with her that can't be explained. This picture of her was taken with my little girl in Utah almost 4 years ago, and it was the first time Wendy and I had been able to see each other in 3 years. (Because we lived on opposite coasts of the U.S.) That was way too long and we vowed never to let that happen again.

I am a bit of a poetry snob. Or maybe just fickle. But unless we are talking about the classics, poetry has to be strictly prose, or very abstract, or I have a hard time liking it. I think it's really cheesy. I know I am probably going to get some hateful comments for that, but I'm just 'keepin it real'. But I found this poem on line and I was strangely o.k. with it representing my sister. I wish I knew who it was by so that I could give credit where credit is due.

One more year has passed on by,

Don’t look back

Keep your head held high

For you’re missing the most valuable moments,

You see…

When you are looking down toward your feet.

Walk, if you run, you’ll find yourself wondering

Why or When

What never failed to smile down at you,

Somehow, forgot to grin.

We somehow took for granted then,

The special times we shared-

Smiles, smells of home, were there

Whenever we got scared.

I ran to and from that place,

Yet, never saw that smile.

I look up now, no place to run,

And it’s been here all the while.

I realize late, the things that time

Can’t allow us to hold for long.

The youngest, the oldest, and all in between

Can’t return, once time has gone-

Take time, hold the moments, in time they slip away,

Words one heart fought, with a smile to say.

This year will pass, as the years before,

Smile at the life, that you most adore.

When time comes and you “forget” to grin, too…

Those who remember your smile of love,

Will hold heads high, to smile right back at you.

 

Happy Happy Birthday Wendy!! I love You!!!