sparkle lights

I feel like an outlaw. The inspection for my car is past due. I noticed about 2 weeks ago that I needed to get it taken care of and I figured I would do it at the same time I got an oil change. That was supposed to happen last Friday but somehow I never got there and Saturday morning just wasn't happening. When the place you go to closes at 5pm, how is it possible for a working person to get there during the week?

On my way home after picking Giada up on Wednesday (aka, the day I became an outlaw) I noticed that the cars in front of me were slowing down and as I looked ahead, I saw the traffic stop. Brake. Move to shoulder. Look both ways. U-turn. Oh-no, oh-no, oh-no...please don't see me....... Several clear checks in the rear view mirror later and I think I'm ok. Don't you know, I pass two more police cars on our detour and because I am already on the edge of my seat, I would swear that they know what I did and they are looking for a good reason to pull me over. I couldn't wait to pull into the safety of my garage and close the door behind me.

So that was Wednesday. For Thursday's recap, re-read Wednesday. Yup. exactly the same thing. All the while, I promise myself that I will get everything settled Friday, if that day would get here already! Giada wanted to know why we were going a different way home. Leave it to her to finally know which way we go. "ummm, Mommy? Are we still gonna see Ice Cream Bear?"

Our little Miss Imagination is back on a roll. She fluctuates between being Giada and being a dog named Sugar. Sugar's voice is very squeaky and she is always panting but unlike the other dog in our house she doesn't shed and she eats very little so sure, she can stick around for a bit. Sugar has informed me that Ice Cream Bear's favorite ice cream flavor is Vanilla with a Honey Swirl. That sounds superb and quite perfect for a bear.

What do you get when you take two mommies, three kids, two bikes and a stroller? If you have even contemplated this, please, stop reading now. Walk away and hit yourself with a blunt object.



Thinking this would be a great way to catch up and have some adult time while the kids played, my friend and I met up at a local trail and began our adventure. That's what it was alright. It started with figuring a way to walk both bikes and both 3 1/2 year olds to the crosswalk leading to the trail. Once we got there and got all of the protective gear in place we were on our way. About 20 yards in, I was ever so thankful for remembering to bring wipes with me. Giada decided to leap off the trail into the mud on the side. How she avoided being covered head to toe is beyond me. I think she had more tears than mud but we cleaned up both and away she and her friend went, peddling into the path of anyone we encountered. We were that group that you shake your head at and ask how it was that they didn't know this would happen.





A million push-starts and a few more falls later, we wrapped up the evening. The mommies didn't get much of a chance to chat but we got to watch our kids be kids. If I've learned anything being a mommy, it's that sometimes just that title can bond you to someone.




If you like reading this blog, don't be shy....comment from time to time and let me know you're out there. Feel free to share with your friends too. I'd love me some new readers!

barn @ sunset

Once I started getting some decent shots with this camera I haven't been able to go anywhere without thinking of the photo opportunities. I pass this barn quite often and I always take a minute to dream about the pictures I could take if I happened to have my camera when the light was just right. Tonight was my chance and after turning around to park safely ,I just knew I had something that would come close to what I've been dreaming about.

This is one of my many happy places I retreat to. Soft light, simple yet beautiful views and the appreciation of what surrounds me. Please enjoy and share my happy place.

I remember when............

The yard looks like we've neglected it for a month. The constant rain keep us from mowing and trimming so we look like the bad neighbors that everyone calls the town on. A break in this weather so we can at least make an attempt at redeeming ourselves would be nice.
Even though I like to get Giada to bed early and I always have a million things to do in the short window between work and bed, the other night I decided on a whim that she and I should bake a cake. We certainly didn't need any sweets like that in the house but it was more about the process and spending time with my little pookie than it was about the cake. Giada loves to be in the kitchen. I don't know if it's something she inherited from her daddy or if it's because it's where we spend so much time. She and I have always made things together and she always wants a task. Something as simple as pouring the ingredients into the bowl or lining the muffin tins with paper cups is enough to keep her interested.
The process starts with her choosing the appropriate apron. Next, we drag a chair in from the dining room for Giada to stand on. From there, she waits and directs as I get all of the bowls and measuring spoons ready. She helps any way she can through the measuring and mixing and once the item is baking, she keeps an eye on whatever we've made asking me to occasionally turn on the oven light so she can peek through the window. Once the timer goes off and we take it out of the oven, I have to pick her up to see the finished product.
I've said before that there are amazing things that can be learned in a kitchen. Anywhere from cleanliness to science but my favorite thing is spending time with Giada, cooking or baking and dancing to the music in the background.
This time when we were baking, Giada asked me if the cake was for Daddy's birthday. Since his birthday is in March, I think we'd be a bit late, right? I told her that it was "Rainy Day Cake". I find that in response to many of her questions, I just say the first thing that comes to mind. I don't know where it comes from but after I said it, I thought that Rainy Day Cake sounded pretty good. Hey, if it's gonna rain for days and there's no end in sight, why not do something fun?
At dinner, as Giada was telling Kris about our creation, he asked her if we had any ice cream to go with it. This question is inevitable when discussing dessert with Kris. If he could, he would eat it at every meal. I found myself telling them about how I used to go to Friendly's with my dad to get half-gallons of ice cream with when I was little. My dad would eat ice cream almost every night and a trip to Friendly's was always an event. He'd ask for requests and then he and I would go to the shop and survey the possibilities. The cooler was open on three sides and I would stand on the side near the window and peer in searching for the best choices. That memory is clear as the taste of the Strawberry Fribbles my mom used to get if we stopped by for an occasional treat.
It's all about the memories inside so no pictures to share today, friends. Take some time to make memories for the kids in your life. Spend some time thinking about your own and if you'd like, share some of those with me. I'd love to hear them!

mother's day 2011

The winery. The one with Giada's crazy tree. This is where we spent some time this Mother's Day. We found this treasure last summer on one of those days when we had no plans. We just drove and explored. This is one place that just keeps calling us back.




As I looked through these pictures and chose the ones that suited the feeling of that afternoon best, I realized the similarities between wine and life. When we taste wine, and we pay close attention, it tells us a story. We know about the climate, and the soil. We know the path it took to get to us and along the way and over time, it developed special characteristics that can never be exactly replicated.





I look at each of these pictures and see a story. I see a little girl growing up yet some of those adorably quirky smiles she makes are the same ones she had at 6 months old.




In my arms, she is tiny but when allowed to run free, she is larger than life.

photo credit to Kristopher for these 2

As much as they say Mother's Day is a day to appreciate Moms and those in mothering roles, for me it is a day to stop and watch my daughter and thank her for enriching me and my life. The winery was the perfect place to do just that.