The Jeep is gone!

I know, where have we been? Well, Bridget and I were on vacation for a while and then we have been hard at work changing things up around here! There are lots of new things in store...coming VERY soon! But I just wanted to check in to say hi!

It is a sad day around my house today. The end of an era. Max and I bought a Jeep Wrangler when we were first married almost 12 years ago! It was the best southern California car ever! It was the only car we owned for years, and I adored it. It kind of defined our time in San Diego for me, and it brought us cross-country to our new home, Richmond, camping along the way. True, it hasn't gotten a lot of use in the past year or so. All of us can't even fit in it (we are five, and the jeep has room for only four). So we listed it for sale on Craigslist a couple of days ago, and today we said goodbye to that wonderful vehicle! I think it even hesitated a little as its new owner turned the corner and disappeared. That phase of our lives is over and we have gained so much (most of which has to do with three incredible little ones joining our family), but I am a little sad to see the one material remider of that part of my life go: newlywed, navy wife, southern california girl, student, teacher, beach-lounger, smoothie drinker, I could go on and on. Maybe in a few years we'll return to the jeep dealer once again! Until then, farewell, my faithful friend!

For this last one, I used the advice of my talented friend, Carey Schumacher to take this shot. She recommended getting a photo of one of the kids wearing dad's sunglasses with a reflection of the others at one of dad's favorite spots...what better spot than the jeep?!?

I am getting back to work on some of our exciting changes! Can't wait for you to see!

Happy Father's Day tomorrow!!! Take lots of photos:)

-Sarah

Memorial Day

"...It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

From Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

-b

bits of sports mania!

Yesterday we spent literally all day outside...ahh the constant relaxation of moving from one sport to another! (OK so we did spend about 45 minutes relaxing pool side watching the youngsters splash around for the pre-season opening of Nonny and Boppa's pool. brrrr... The true season opener will be in a couple of weeks when Sarah's littles visit! :)

We had two baseball games and a soccer tournament game.

Here is the big D pitching his second game this season. Three innings, several stike outs and only 1 walk!

The G man played catcher for the first time ever. (And as an unbiased mom - I say he rocked!) I think his favorite part may have been between innings when he got to yell the ever famous "balls in, coming down!" to signal the end of the warm up throws and the start of the innings.

Then it was over to the soccer fields...

Look mom - one of my posts that actually has people in it!!

b

Happy Mothers' Day!!!

Happy, happy mothers' day to all you moms and grandmas (or Nonnys as we call ours!) and great-grandmas! I got to be pampered by my son at his kindergarten class yesterday morning. It was such a treat. He asked to wear his blazer and tie that day and was so very proud as he left for school! I walked into his classroom to find twenty fancy and excited kindergarteners anxiously awaiting the arrival of all of the moms. The littles had all drawn portraits of us and described us. Their teacher had put together a video of each of the children saying a special message to us. They served us a yummy snack and presented us with a couple of hand-made gifts! It was all so wonderful!!! My little guy said that he woulldn't trade me even for his bed! His teacher had printed up a program and on the cover was the saying, "Mothers hold their children's hands for just a little while, but they hold their children's hearts forever"...bring out the tissues!!! As my son says, 'sometimes my mom cried happy tears"!

In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to share some images from a recent session of mine. It was a mother-daughter session, and I had so much fun getting to know these two! The mother is just beautiful and her daughter is absolutely ADORABLE, which makes any session easy. But this was an especially fun afternoon. I enjoyed the time I was able to spend with them, but more than that I felt pretty honored to be able to be given the opportuniy to capture these two together. It was obvious that they have a special relationship, and I couldn't stop smiling watching them. That evening as I tucked my daughter into bed, I cuddled up next to her chubby little toddler body and dreamed a little about all of the girly fun we'll have together! I can't wait for afternoons with my daughter like these two shared, so comfortable and happy with each other. Of course, I will miss her chubby little hands and arms encirling my neck and her little body nuzzling into my lap. I will wonder where the nights of cuddling in her bed listening to her sing to me in her little lispy 2 year old voice. I will probably even cry for sassy little hands on the hips and the big wet kisses all over my cheeks. But I am excited about all that is yet to come with her! I adore my boys, and there is something wonderful about my boys' love for their mom, playing the parts of brave knights protecting their queen from the dragon or holding the door open for me in a big boy gentleman sort of way or clearing their dishes with a little bow a smirk and a "here your majesty!" But I'm thankful that I get to be the mommy to my girl too!

Here are some shots from that mother-daughter session:

bits of spring love

Hi all!

I've been out and about (in my yard) enjoying the fact that I am thawing out. (By the way 2 of my 3 boys have commented on my "warm hands" in the past few days! And you thought I was exaggerating!!)

Isn't there a song about a little rain must fall...onto every bleeding heart bush??? OK, Maybe not! Anyway...

...enjoy a couple of "flora" images from my favorite tree - a flowering crabapple.

b

may day

oooohhhh...I love May! My tulips bloom, the sun shines and...

...I finally get warm for the first time since October! You think I'm kidding... My boys know though! They would always squeel when I would change diapers or help them get dressed because my hands would be mere ice cubes with opposable thumbs. "Just wait until May", I would reassure them, "Mommy's hands will be warm then!"

I'm sure that my husband can't wait! I pretty much wear long sleeve JCrew shirts and hooded sweatshirts (yes, with the hood up) all winter whenever I am home. And he's hoping that I'll soon be giving up the long pajama sets (usually with a tshirt underneath and sometimes socks).

Anyway, things are beginning to bloom around here! However, we have spring in Illinois for about 6 days - then it is straight into summer. While it was 32 degrees earlier this week, I'm predicting that within 2 weeks we'll be hitting 85!

b

New York, New York!

I feel like I have been about five steps behind where I should be for the past couple of weeks! I have some fun sessions for you to take peek at, but I think I'll save those for later :)

Two weekends ago, I went to New York City with two friends. It was so nice just to spend time with friends and have entire conversations without being interrupted by little voices! Thanks to my awesome brother-in-law, we got to really experience NYC life. He moved to a friend's for the weekend and let us use his place in Gramercy Park. We got to explore his neighborhood as well as SOHO and Times Square without worrying about nap times or eating at a decent hour! I think we ate dinner Friday night at 10! (I know, you're thinking , "Wow! that's wild," snicker, snicker...but to a mom of three littles, the time when I could do that is almos forgotten!). The whole time we were in M&M World on Broadway, I kept thinking about how great it was that I didn't have to chase after three littles in that crazy crowded place.

Saturday, we saw Grease! It was AWESOME!!!!! I can't tell you how excited I was to see it. I love, love, love Grease! It was all I could do not to jump up in my seat and sing along with the actors. It really was a great show! Before the show, we had dinner at Thalia...YUM!!! Then much later after walking around Times Square after the show, we headed back to Gramercy Park and found the coolest bar, Flute. Once we convinced the hostess that we really didn't want to be shoved in the dark, stuffy back corner (nobody puts Baby in a corner!), we enjoyed the music and the people watching (and the shots).

Saturday morning we ate at Friend of a Farmer, and it was delicious! Erin ordered an eggs benedict variation that was so yum, she made me take a photo of it! We were eating outside, and there were two women waiting for a table right there. I overheard one of them whisper disgustedly, "she's taking a picture of the food!" hee hee! TOURISTS!

Check out the sombrero! We did some shopping on Canal Street for purses and bags. You gotta love the bags that can be whatever you want them to be ("I make that Prada for you")!

-S