at the pumpkin patch

tonight the boys and i headed to our little neighborhood pumpkin patch. 

for as long as i can remember, it's been on the corner of bayard and garnet street,
just two blocks from the ocean (unsual to some but not to us). 
it's where c and i have been going for years - long before we became parents. 

now that we are a family of four, we continue the tradition. 
the PB Pumpkin Patch isn't very big, and there aren't hayrides or wild pumpkins growing on vines. 
Still, there are plenty of pumpkins to choose from and the owners offer hot apple cider to the adults
 and apple juice to the little ones. the weather now is nippy now so it's a yummy treat. 

there are several red wagons for customers to borrow as they 'load up'. 
since we already had two pumpkins at home, the boys could just pick one each.
scoutie wanted the "tiny one" which was just $1.50. {no complaints from me} 
finn made a request for a GIANT pumpkin with a price tag of $25. 
i quickly let him know what his limit was (significantly smaller) and he stayed within it. 

the boys are a bit young for carving, 
so these will sit on the little white table on the front porch for a few weeks. 
 i'm hoping they will last through thanksgiving. 

oh i thought this was interesting, as finn wheeled his pumpkin to the counter so i could pay, 
the owner called him by his name. i asked how he knew finn and he said 
"well he's been coming since he was a baby." 

it's true and even though we buy our christmas tree in this same lot from this man every december, 
i still couldn't believe he remembered my little guy by name! i'm not sure if it's this white hair or his
precociousness, but he certainly makes an impressions on people. 

we are SO looking forward to this weekend - halloween parties, trick or treating
and a few days with auntie anissa, uncle chad (he's home from deployment) and cousin chloe.
they arrive tomorrow. *yay*


have a happy halloween everyone!!



 

 

my lil' pumpkins

florida trip - the wedding, part 4

i wanted to end the florida posts with tons of gorgeous photos of todd and heather on their wedding day - photos of them looking into each other's eyes and saying their vows, the ring exchange, the kiss, you get the picture.

unfortunately, i'm not able to do this because i didn't take many photos at all. i was so engaged in the wedding activities that i didn't 'play' photographer like i often do. whenever i decide to take photos or am asked to take photos, it becomes my job. i put my time and energy into it and it's work. i didn't want to 'work' at this wedding. there were professional photographers for this job. i sat back and let them do what they do best and i enjoyed the night - completely.

when those professional photos become available, i will post the link to their photos to share. in the meantime, here are two photos c or i did take that night. they give a little 'glimpse' into the wedding celebration and oh what a celebration it was!

todd and heather - wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness.
xo miss you both already!

florida trip - gatorland, part 3

as i florida native, i'm not sure how i managed to live there for 22 years and never visit gatorland but i had.
sure it's a total 'b' theme park, such a contrast to disneyworld and it's parks, but that's what made it so cool.
it was loads of fun! it's florida experience and it doesn't try to be anything else. they keep it real (real southern)
and it was refreshing. we ended up here because we had been unsuccessful in our search to see an alligator in the wild.

finn had his heart set on it while we were in florida. grandma suggested we go to the lake eustis dock and after an hour or so of looking down into murky water and on the banks without a sighting, we decided to call it a day. i mentioned to c that i had NEVER been to gatorland and learned he hadn't either. we were both curious and we thought the boys would enjoy it so we decided to go. we got to the park just as it opened on the day we were flying back to san diego.

the park was more than any of us expected - in a good way. the shows were entertaining and with over 2,700 alligators (that's what the lady at the ticket counter told me), we would have to be blind not to see one. she was right. they were EVERYWHERE - little ones, middle sized ones and humungous ones! scout got to ride a little red train around the park and finn got a chance to sit on an alligator - something he will certainly share with his kindergarten classmates. before we headed to the airport, we grabbed lunch there and sampled gator. yes, it tasted like chicken...just a little more chewy. finn loved it.

if you haven't gone to gatorland yet, ya'll need to go and check it out the next time you are in orlando.
i just had to use my ol' southern speak for fun. {i don't think i've said ya'll in over 15 years].

the park's signage made me chuckle (below)

a much happier scout, moments after being bitten on the finger by a rooster

while trying to feed the deer. it happened so quick - the rooster came out of nowhere. he was ok, more frightened then hurt.

we did all the cheesy touristy things *smile*

finn's biggest adventure of the day (and my most terrifying)

florida trip - in and around lake county, part 2

leslie and i took our little guys to jungle zone in tavares one morning to wear 'em out.
this place came recommended by the front desk person at the hotel our family was staying at.  
the woman was a grandmother and suggested this place for young children.  it was perfect! 

all of us (moms included) spent 2 hours jumping and sliding.
though it just opened a few months ago, they have it down well .
they have a snack bar that sells individual capri suns for the kiddos and coffee for the adults.
they know what mommas need..

we will definitely visit again when we are in town!

 


another day c and i took the boys to wooten park in tavares.
it's a lovely little park with a giant wood playground and a splash park which was the boys' favorite.
it wasn't too crowded but i imagine on a hot summer day, this place could be nuts!
this is another place we will visit again on a future trip.

florida trip - planes, trains and automobiles, part 1

if you are are a mom, grandma, auntie, teacher or just have friends with boys,
you know that most little boys are OBSESSED with 'things that go'.

our trip to florida included lots of 'things that go' - taxis, airport shuttles,
airplanes and train rides - all which put giant smiles on finn and scout's faces.
christopher had the forethought to have the camera in hand to capture some

 

finn - half awake as we start our day in the
san diego airport at 6:30 am











i think watching the planes come in, take off and fuel up is
more exciting than actually flying for the boys

 







a very happy and excited scoutie as he
takes a train ride at gatorland park



home from florida

we are back home from a wonderful and extremely full visit to florida.
despite a head cold that grew progressively worse and caused me to be more or less comatose for the first 4 days of the trip, i plugged along and started feeling better the morning of the wedding *big sigh of relief*.
i even felt good enough to strut myself on that dance floor alongside the bride and groom, my uncle, childhood friends and leslie who was 'tearing it up'.

i will share the photos i took through kodakgallery this weekend and post a few as well. family,
please be patient. i just haven't gotten that far yet as i am still playing catch up.
laundry and halloween costumes comes first and i don' t have a week to work on them.
(we have two kid's birthday/halloween parties this weekend)

the wedding of course was the highlight of our trip.
it was magical - truly the best wedding i've ever been too. i may be a little biased, but i have gone to my fair share of weddings, and this one was not only stunningly beautiful, but a complete blast!! my mouth actually hurt from smiling and laughing all night.

i overheard others saying the same thing. i wish i could give a better description, but i'm tired and it's been a long week. i can just say it was a joyous occasion. i can hardly wait to see the professional photos.
i am so grateful to todd and heather for allowing me to share in their beautiful ceremony and celebration!

they are off honeymooning in ireland. and since every post deserves a picture or two,
this is what i am envisioning they are seeing as they drive along the countryside,
staying in quiant bed and breakfasts.  so lovely.

mad about monsters

as a mom of just boys, you will find no dolls, barbies or pink princess costumes in our home.
one thing you will find are 'monster' things - books, toys, clothes and my favorite, and a wood sign in the cottage loft that says 'no monsters allowed'. i ordered it on-line somewhere when finn was just a toddler. so so cute.

i received this month's garnet hill catalog, and came across this monster bedding and fell in LOVE with it!
it's absolutely perfect for the boys' bedroom and i knew immediately christopher would love it too because of the simple and clean design. i showed him and sure enough, he said "order it". these are words i rarely hear when it comes to 'extras' for the house - especially things we don't really need. i will control myself and purchase a set of matching fleece twin blankets first. the nights are cool now and the boys could use them.

with any luck, maybe the monster bedding will go on sale? highly unlikely since they just came out.
i can still hope and i will certainly be checking back regularly.

i've posted a picture below - taken right of of garnet hill's website.
you can see why neither of us could resist. SUPER DUPER cute!

winding down

it is rare (near impossible) you will hear me say i am glad a weekend is over,
but i admit, i am so happy this weekend is winding down and coming to a close.

the biggest reason:
my 7 day challenge is officially over and i made it -
without carbs, sugar and caffeine for a week! *cheer*.

it wasn't easy and i almost cheated (a few times, but i stayed strong).
i do feel less tired and stronger because i haven't been using sugar/caffeine
to help me stay awake or give me a mid-afternoon boost.

i've been reaching for healthy snacks so i'm hoping the eating habits i picked up over the week
will help me be smarter with food. next week will be a difficult one food wise - vacationing and eating healthy don't usually go hand in hand. not for me at least.

jessica, i admire you SO much girl. 21 days is truly something to be proud of.
if you don't think so, try it for just 2 or 3 days folks, you'll see how hard it is!

beyond being able to eat again, the second reason i'm glad the weekend is over
is i am now closer to our trip. just 2 more days and the boys and i will be on a plane
to florida for todd and heather's wedding! *another cheer* i can hardly wait.
i just love weddings...especially those in my family.

some other highlights of my weekend worth remembering:

maddy and i went to the haunted hotel in downtown san diego to celebrate her recent birthday.
i wanted to take her somewhere fun and different and since she had never been, i thought she'd love it.
(oh, and her mom was 'ok' with it. i was sure to ask beforehand).

i don't think we let go of each other until 5 minutes *after* we were on the street outside the hotel.
i have a confession: i had my eyes closed maybe half of the 15 minutes it took to walk through the house. after having freddy kruger jump out at me with his razor hands, and the texas chainsaw guy stalk me from behind me with a chainsaw buzzing in my ear, it was the only way i could make it through. maddy was so brave and would say outloud "im not scared" over and over to help her get through it (it actually helped me too. thx girl) here is a photo of maddy celebrating before we went out.

saturday was a 'kid day' with most of our day revolving around the boys.
finn had a birthday party at pump it up - a warehouse full of giant jumpers
available for rent for birthdays and special events.
we had never been and WOW - it was a blast.

later that night we had a very successful outdoor movie night.
we had about 20 kids (most from the neighborhood and a few from finn's kindergarten class).
i chose the classic pete's dragon - YES, a musical, and one that i loved as a young girl.
it's not as cool as today's pixar films, but i knew it would be one the kids hadn't ever seen.
it was a hit because all but 2 of the kids (toddlers) sat through the entire thing.

about 12 bags of popcorn were consumed (not by me - i promise) and several strands
of black and red licorice were enjoyed. finn is already asking when the next one will be.
i told him mommy is due for another 'mom's movie pm' first. *smile*

oh and i wanted to add, i ended my '7 day challenge' with a fantastic 5 mile run.
finn wanted to join only if i ran on the wet sand. he wanted to ride his bike alongside
me because he has "never ridden his bike along the water".
i agreed so i had a partner yesterday.

san diego's beaches have LOTS of kelp so we had to do alot of navigating around
it which was quite a workout for my calves. i'm feeling it today!
finn was my coach along the way saying "go mommy go" and "pick up the pace'.
i'm thinking i may have to bring him along in the future to keep me motiviated.
*smile*

feeling beautiful

these woman's stories had tears rolling down my face today. they are beautiful - all very different - yet i think most can relate to one of them in some way. the stories have caused me to reflect and think about what makes me feel beautiful. i don't think i can narrow it down to just one thing. it's the way i still blush when my husband whispers in my ear or when we walk hand in hand, when i have accomplished a goal i've set for myself, and those quiet moments when i can just sit back and watch my boys. these are times i feel like the most beautiful and blessed woman in the world. i ask you today, what makes you feel beautiful?

final fitting

the boys returned home last night after finn's final tux fitting.
c said it went very well, had the tux in hand and our point and shoot camera in the other.
he said "you'll want to see this." he proceeded to show me this video clip.

i hope you find it as entertaining as i did.
this is typical spontaneity from an 5 year old -SO our finn.

heather and todd - rest assured this is not the behavior you will see during your ceremony next week.
i give you my word. *laugh* he's just a little excited don'tcha think.




c knew to take a 'still shot' too so uncle todd and auntie heather
can actually see what it looks like. if fits well - he's ready to go!



a song in his heart

we have a little songbird in our home.
he doesn't always sing on key and often we can't understand the words he sings,
yet we love him just the same and hope the song in his heart never goes away.

if you haven't guessed, this little songbird is scoutie.
here he is singing a few of his favorite songs.
the first video clip was taken just two days ago.

enjoy grandma(s) and grandpas(s).
we love and miss you all so very much and are counting down the days
to see you both in florida - just 6 more.

i'm sure you will be serenaded by scoutie in person



 

down with diets

i've been on a diet for two weeks and all i've lost is fourteen days.
- totie fields


 


the quote and veggie image was so so cute - i just had to post tonight.
i have to admit, i have NEVER been on a diet in my entire life.

the reasons are twofold:
1. i've always been very active so weight gain wasn't an issue and
2. i don't really believe in dieting in the sense that a temporary change
is going to bring any real and lasting results.

after seeing my mom try so many fad diets growing up,
i just became turned off by them.
(the craziest diet she tried was the cabbage soup one - yuck)
in my 20s and up until my mid 30s,
i could eat whatever i wanted without worrying about my weight.
this is no longer the case.

since i've been 'flirting with 40', my metabolism isn't what it used to be, and more importantly,
i'm not as active as i once was.
since having child #2, i am busier than i've ever been in my life.

between my workload being fuller than it's ever been,
a second child and now a school-aged child with more activities for him and for us (parents),
there are just alot more balls to juggle. exercising every day is not at the top of my priority list.
i still exercise, but just 2-3 days a week.

with that said, i realized if i'm not going to exercise more, my diet has to change.
i can't eat whatever i want anymore - well not without consequences. *smile*

after being inspired by a friend jessica who did a 21 day no carb, sugar OR caffeine challenge,
WOW!! that is true dedication and willpower.
i wanted to try something a little less demanding to help me rethink how i eat and snack,
and after sharing jessica's 21 day challenge with my coworker, we chose to do a
'7 day challenge' - this seemed more doable.

we started last sunday and will end this sunday *cheer*.
we aren't using the word 'diet' though.
we've chosen the word 'detox' as it seemed less bleak.

today is the 4th day so i'm over the hump now, but admit, it hasn't been easy.
i've been unable to eat pancakes, carrot bread, any of the cupcakes i made for jen,
pasta, bread, cereal, oatmeal, pizza, sushi, big fat cookies that a vendor brought in to
the office today, and the list goes on.

i am living on boiled eggs, salads, veggies, tuna and lean meat (chicken and fish).
it's all great food, but i'm already tired of it and just craving sugar.
i keep telling myself this is a short amount of time in the big picture and to just hang in there -
i will survive.

i'm already thinking about a creamy latte from starbucks and todd and heather's wedding cake.
yes, it's pathetic i know but that's what deprivation does to me. *laugh*

today's word of the day: WILLPOWER

the fab phi bar

last night i jen and i celebrated her 28th over a quiet dinner downtown. i was unable to take her to sushi since as i am on a 7 day eating plan which includes no carbs, sugar or caffeine right. that's right - NO nothing basically, but that's for another time/post. i'll just say it's hard to find anything to eat - and sushi was definitely not on my plan. we landed at hotel indigo's phi bar. the hotel just opened a few months ago and it was a first for the both of us. it's located in the heart of downtown right by petco park, our beautiful baseball park designed by some famous architect (can't think of his name right now). when we walked in, my eyes grew big and we were lovin' it. this hotel is gorgeous - modern and clean. the architecture is great but the interiors (fixtures and fabrics) were wow - off the charts! i snapped a few photos but the ones i found on google were so much nicer. though the menu was limited, they did have a unique dinner salad and since j is a vegetarian, we both ordered this (i added chicken to mine), and we shared a grilled veggie platter as our appetizer. everything was phenomenal! the salad reminded me of the 'maclaggan summer salad' (also amazing), yet it had some differences - it was garnished with pieces of fresh guava. so delish! i so wanted to order sweet potato fries, but i couldn't. i encouraged jen to, but she refused to torture me. a true friend indeed.

we had a nice evening together - just hanging out for hours eating, drinking and talking. it's not often i get jen all to myself so when i do, it's extra special. the dialogue flowed and i feel like i got to know her even better than i already do. we talked about the good, the bad, our past, our future, what kind of 'guys' we prefer (in my case 'preferred' in my single days - ha). it was fun. maybe next year we can get a room here (so what if we have to get 3 or4 other girls to share the cost) *laugh*.

the rooftop bar (9th level) - amazing views! cheesin' out - taken by jen since she has the long arms

the birthday girl

~ i have more pictures of j to post, but i'm afraid to post without her permission.

for the love of yellow

scout *loves* the color yellow.

it's an obsession and i'm not sure if it's the color he actually enjoys or saying the word.
i think it might be both? i know it's normal for toddlers to become hyperfocused on specific
things, and as odd as this is, this has been one of scout's obsessions.

it started when he was about 22 months, and i believe 'lellow' (yellow) was one of his first 20 words.
i'll have to double check with christi to see if she agrees. he likes to talk about yellow trains alot,
(trains being his other obsession), and will point out any and everything that is yellow -a bus, a car, a shirt, a crayon, a bowl, a ball, and the list goes on and on. his teacher miss rosie has already mentioned her observation of his love for yellow. *laugh*

i found this video clip i took a month ago or two of scout and auntie jen together.
sure enough, he points out the yellow play-doh. this might seen menial to some, but it's one of those little cute things that i want to remember about scoutie years from now... my little guys love for 'lellow'.

she is my sister

she is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities.
she is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway.
she is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. she is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent,
even your shrink. some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.

~barbara alpert

oh how i love this - it sums up the relationships of sisters so well.

i dedicate this quote to one sister in particular - my baby sister, JEN!
she is celebrating her 28th birthday today *gasp*.
i can hardly believe it. this is the sister i share so many memories with.

some of these go way back: to braiding her hair (trying to),
letting her tag along with me when i was a teenager,
flying out to az to spend spring breaks with c and i during her childhood,
and then again during her college years.

she is the sister i taught to drive a stick shift, learned to surf with, can eat exotic foods with,
share books with, enjoys independent and foreign films as much as i do,
and the only one i could convince to run a marathon (26.2 miles) with me.

she's been a constant in my life and me, hers.
i wish her a beautiful day - full of things she loves: coffee, donuts, flowers, more coffee, presents, phone calls, text messages, cards, clothes, trips to target, running, music, a good comedy, a pedicure, 'as seen on tv' products, good vegetarian restaurants, and all those other things she loves that i missed *wink*

i've been so blessed to have her as my sister,
and doubly blessed to have her live close and to be able to experience so much in each other's lives together.

though she and i can be big pains in each other's asses,
we generally have a good time together and enjoy each other's company.
for this i am am very grateful.
today i celebrate this lovely woman, my sister.

happy birthday jen.
looking forward to celebrating over sushi.

hugs, ang



california poppies (jen's fav flower)



rain rain come again...like now

let the rain kiss you. let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. let the rain sing you a lullaby. - langston hughes i just love the rain - i really really do! my coworker thinks i'm crazy when i say this. i've told her how i miss rain and my wish for it to rain more here in san diego. you see, san diegans aren't use to rain because we hardly EVER get it. we get a little more rain than the deserts of arizona. it's easy to forget this because, as a coastal city, there's a little moisture in the area and it's alot more green. so cal's rainy season (if you can call it that) is over the winter months and oh, i just love this time - even though my hair doesn't. it gets even more frizzy and big, but it's good for my skin and it's good for my mental health. i know rain can make some people depressed, but because it's so rare here, it's a treat for me. i love the smell of it and even the sound of it hitting the rooftop and the pavement. year's back i met a guy who's wife was from florida and he told me his wife actually set their sprinklers to come on in the wee hours of the morning to partially spray on the side of their home so she could hear the sound of water on her bedroom window and be reminded of her home in the south. i thought that was crazy but funny. i haven't gone that far... yet! besides my family and dear childhood friends, the the biggest thing i miss about florida is the rain (and the warm ocean water). i don't miss the humidity and bugs that come with it, but i do miss those heavy downpours. i have so many memories surrounding rain - especially from my childhood. i met my best friend while playing in the rain when i was 7 or 8 years old. my family was driving home from somewhere and had all the kids packed into the stationwagon. we drove by 6 kids playing in the rain outside the home that had recently had a 'for rent' sign on it. i knew they must be the 'new family' and i had to get out there to meet them. when we got home, i jumped into my rainboots and jacket and within an hour or two, i had made a new friend - my lifetime friend robin. it's been unusually dry in southern ca over the last several years and it's rained even less. whether it's man made or global warming, i just am hoping for more rain this winter! until then, i may get lucky and get a rainstorm during my upcoming trip to florida in two weeks. i will just hope it won't come while i'm driving or more importantly, on my brother's wedding day!