we’re juicy

We really really really love juice. A while back we splurged on a fancypants juicer — one of those things where your husband asks a dozen times, “Yes, but will we use it?” I am happy to say we are still using it. And I’ve talked about this before, I know, but this had to be documented — because no one, and I mean no one, loves juice in our house more than Miss Maren.
(She was sitting on my lap while editing this post and pointed at the screen, yelling, “Maren! JUICE!!”)

She will chug her own juice as fast as she can, then go on a treasure hunt for Lizzy’s cup, which is invariably dumped, half-finished, in some obscure corner of the house.

Our favorite formula: 1-2 apples + 1-2 oranges + 5-6 carrots + 1/3 fennel + tiny knob ginger = bliss. I’m keen to try some other combos, though — you know, research for when we open that hippy juice bar in Utah.

when gram + gramps came to town

and a good time was had by all

Lizzy and Maren asked to be swaddled and laid next to each other this morning. Guess they’ve got some recovering to do.

We had a smashing time with Grandma + Grandpa this week. I promise to subject you to lots of hot family pics + some other fun things next week. I think we’re going to stay in our grubby clothes and watch the Care Bears today.

guess who’s coming?

(Oh yes. 1975, baby.)

My parents are visiting us this week! We are super excited to spend some time with them. I’ve got some fun little posts all pre-scheduled for the week, just so you don’t, you know, go into Little Cumulus withdrawals or anything. ‘Cause I’d hate to be responsible for something like that.

(He’s aged so well. Don’t you think?)

succulent sunday

It’s darned near impossible not to fall asleep in this room on a sunny day.

More on our dear little sun room another time — I hope you’re having a gloriously peace-full Sabbath!

give it up for giveaway day

It’s coming! SMS is hosting their annual Giveaway Day, and I’m so excited to be participating. Come back tomorrow to enter!

We got the girls a big plastic saucer for the snow. The guy who plows our drive banks up the snow perfectly for sledding. We brought it out for the first time tonight, and the girls both LOVED IT. Even Maren was giggling madly every time I went down the hill with her, and Lizzy went down by herself with great glee. We had black bean chili for dinner and I ate my weight in buttered popcorn after the girls were in bed. R and I did 2 crossword puzzles together (our dowdy new together-hobby) and then watched Anne of Avonlea while I finished binding the table runner and R pretended to read.

Tomorrow is M’s first day at the church nursery, and L is all prepped and ready to assist by playing with M, helping her at snacktime, and making distracting animal noises as appropriate. I’m glad they’ll have a couple of weeks in there together — I only hope that it won’t have the reverse effect as we hope.

destin, fl

R took some leave last week, so we packed up the kids and had our first real family vacation. It was heaven — sugar-white sands, clear waters, cool mornings and not-too-hot afternoons, tasty seafood, the very best company around — in short, the perfect getaway.

(Yeah. He’s ripped.)

There is something so healing about the ocean. Watching its heaves and swells — its quiet retreats — the way it unassumingly submits to the unseen force of the moon — it makes me relax and realize — it’s okay to trust — to move forward — to go with the flow, so to speak, of a loving God who, while unseen to me, is nonetheless very much there.

If you go, don’t stay anywhere but at the Old Pier Motel. Our room had a full kitchen and a separate bedroom, which meant that R and I got to stay up late, creaming each other at Dominion and watching Hoarders. The beach is right across the street, and the motel provides toys, chairs, and umbrellas. Plus, the off-season rates are incredible. Two other must-dos, thanks to my buddy Jess — Dewey Destin Seafood and the public beach at the end of Gulf Shore Drive. It’s a tiny inlet full of fish, hermit crabs, barely-there waves, and very few people.

My most pressing question: when can we go back?

postcards from california: trois

I cannot express Lizzy’s delight at the train, carousel, and petting farm at Tilden Park.

Maren loved it, too.

I loved seeing fog again. It’s been an unseasonably cold summer in Nor Cal; I wore jeans and a fleece every day. Contrast that with the Birmingham airport, where I was so sweaty within 30 minutes of landing that I stripped down and changed clothes right there in the parking lot.

Friday (my birthday!) took us back to Oakland for a visit to the LDS Temple grounds, some hot chocolate at the inimitable Bittersweet, shopping for a hostess present at Market Hall (oh just let me die now), and browsing at Bella Vita, a gorgeous little boutique that made me feel like I was walking through an Etsy treasury. As if that weren’t enough, we went to Livermore (the town where I lived last year while R was in training) in the afternoon for a splash in the city’s new fountain, a stop at In Between Stitches, a haircut for Lizzy, and (of course) green chicken curry and brown rice at Lemongrass. It was definitely one of the better meals of my life. My mom made an awesome chai spiced carrot cake, and after the girls were in bed, my parents and I spent the rest of the evening talking together. Talk about a great day. My only regret is that my man wasn’t there with us!

As for the trip home, let’s just say it involved getting up at 4 am, driving 2 hours, flying 7 hours, then driving 3 more hours. We are all pretty tired. But oh so happy to be home, and oh so happy to see Daddy again!

Lots of craftiness coming your way soon. I am bursting at the seams with inspiration; my first project involves Dos Equis commercials and totally awesome commercials from the 40s and 50s like this one. Totally off the beaten path as far as my hobbies go, but I’m really excited about this one!

postcards from california: deux

Buttons and bolts at Stonemountain and Daughter. If you’re ever within a reasonable radius of Berkeley, you must go.

R happened to call while we were there. The crux of our conversation was when R said, “Well, it is your birthday on Friday…”

Babies discovering Grandma’s garden on Sunday morning.

Drinking in the delicious smell of lavender.

Falling in love with our new dolls (they deserve a post of their own — stay tuned).

Having a ball at the aquarium (the girls’ favorite was the sharks; Grandma liked the jellies, and Mommy loved the seahorses) and Carmel-by-the-Sea.

We’re here for two more delicious days.

simply stunned at how fabulous we all were

That was my uncle’s verdict on my expression in this photo (I’m the baby). This was my Dad’s birthday, June 1984. We were pretty crazy about playing catch with Dad. My sister emailed this out today and I couldn’t resist posting it here. Love you, old man.

The babies and I are still in California and still having a fabulous time (R couldn’t make it this time; he is gearing up to get his Airborne wings, i.e. jump out of moving planes). We go to Monterey tomorrow — can’t wait.