Breakfast of champions

expecting mamas.

One more little one will be joining us in November. 
Life is good.

play day

Yesterday the little miss & I went for a visit to see our dear friend J and check out the amazing artwork at I MADONNARI.  I couldn't help but stand in admiration of the talent and commitment it took to finish these beautiful  pastel paintings in a matter of three days knowing all the while they will be washed away within weeks by weather and footsteps.  There was so much life in these pieces and each seemed to tell it's own story.

Just gorgeous.

There was a section of concrete dedicated just to children and I loved the vivid colors that blanketed the blacktop.

This one in particular fit me perfectly right now.

After a day spent taking in the sights in SB we had our friends over for a little playtime.  The girls played "family" and watched a movie while the mamas worked on sewing projects (well one of us did).  Miyo made this sweet little dress for her daughter while my project was much less involved.  Since mine is a gift I'll just give a little glimpse of what my hands were making:

I definitely like the little sew-op we had and am hoping there's many more to come.

Smile makers

Love letters between sisters.  Rare and beautiful.

(Those are exclamation points in the middle of the words~
I guess she really means it)

Time in the backyard with our newest family members.

Scrumptious fish tacos by our chef~in~training.

Neighborly love in the form of strawberries.

We have made a point of sticking around home on Memorial Day weekends to avoid the insanity of traffic on the roads, and have realized that we quite enjoy it.  Picnics at the park, barbeques with friends and time just enjoying the simple pleasures of home settled nicely into our days.

Of course, most important were the thoughts and prayers
 for those serving past and present on behalf of all of us. 
Grateful I am.

Being five

Please, everybody, look at me!
Today I'm five years old, you see!
And after this, I won't be four,
Not ever, ever, any more!
I won't be three-or two-or one,
For that was when I'd first begun.
Now I'll be five a while, and then
I'll soon be something else again!

~Mary Louise Allen

The Little Miss woke up a year older today.  Her smile was like a little ray of sunshine as she walked into the kitchen.  We had dutchboy pancakes for breakfast, opened a few gifts from family and made cupcakes for her friends.  Little buddies came to play, eat and sing.  Three baby chicks made there way into the house to oooh & ahhh over.  There was a minimum of pouting, and a lot of smiling.  We went out to dinner for the birthdays girl's mac'n cheese and finished the day off with a movie. 

Being five is good.  Really good.

We survived!

We rode.
We spun.
We laughed.
We indulged on tasty fried goodness.
We saw royalty, pirates and castles.
We traveled around the small world (singing all the while).
 We passed up the aroma of a freshly made waffle cone filled with mint chip ice cream, sigh.
We drove home with toothpicks holding our eyelids open.
We collapsed.

Exhausting it was, but worth every minute.

Here we go...

We're celebrating our little big girl's 5th birthday this
week with a trip to the happiest place on earth.
We've been anticipating this fun day for weeks
and can't wait to spin, roll and ride all over the place. 

Hope you're able to get a few moments in your own fantasyland today.

xoxo

Ahhh, spring

  

 

I'm loving the spring flowers in our garden.

Some of my favorite hours are spent watering, trimming and breathing in the fragrance.

Now if I could only get my vegetables planted....sigh.

Hope your enjoying all the beauty of spring.

xoxo

Words are not enough...

Daisy from Reality on Vimeo.

to encompass the scope of emotion I feel for this little one and her family.  Their trials have been shared so openly and their unwaivering faith has been a true inspiration in my life.  Her story is a blessing in the truest form.

For mum

the ability to make fun out of any situation,
silliness,
complete abandon,
long talks,
the smell of horses,
freedom to be me,
forgiveness,
tractors & chainsaws,
arabians,
lemon meringue pie,
dutchboy pancakes,
understanding,
lodgepoles,
animals of every shape and size,
helicopters,
beauty,
flowers,
red,
pioneer,
neverending love,
home away from home

thank you for being all of this to me and more.  i am so glad to call you mom.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Things you probably really, really, really wanted to know about me...or not.

So I realize it's been a while since my last post and it probably would've taken me many more moons to add something fresh to the blog, but my friend Miyo tagged me and has brought me out of my bubble and into blogland for today.  So here's some tidbits in 3's about little old me:

Three names I answer to:

Darlin

Mommy

Aubrei

Three jobs I've held:

Sales associate (men's department)

Medical assistant

Mom (most challenging & by far, most rewarding)

Three places I've called home:

Sacramento

Santa Barbara

Wrightwood

Three drinks of choice:

water

Warm chai latte

Sparkling Italian soda

Three favorite TV shows:

I don't watch TV, but if I did I'd probably be hooked on

HGTV

Dancing with the stars

That Nanny show where the lady comes into crazy family warzones and tries to teach the parents how to guide their children, NOT be the children 

Three places I have visited:

Massacheusetts

France

Italy

Three places I would like to visit:

New Zealand

Alaska

Haiti 

Three fave retro TV shows (am I that old?):

The Cosby Show

Seinfeld (retro?)

The Golden Girls

Three foods that make me happy:

Sushi with veggie tempura, miso soup and a side of edamame

My mr's chicken and dumplings

Black bean enchiladas from Nature's Grill

Three things I am looking forward to:

This weekend at home with my family (and friends)

Summer - beach days, camping, picnics

November (more on that later)

Three people I am tagging:

Julia

Becky

Kristen

thought maybe I'd inspire you three to post something new, too.

xoxo