We're goofy

Memorial day weekend we went to Bakersfield (I mentioned it Here) to visit some friends. Its about a 2 hour drive for us so we conveniently left at nap time and Quinten slept the whole way. But for someone who is used to the hustle and bustle of mommy life at home 2 hours of sitting is just plane weird! So I entertained myself by taking photos, and singing to the radio, and all around being, well goofy. Shannon and I used to road trip so much when we were dating. It's always fun to do it again and act like we did back before we were all responsible and stuff. Quinten was obviously oblivious to the whole charade.

Let's Here it For the Boys!

Shannon's second fathers day is a wrap! It was a wonderful weekend (if I do say so myself). Saturday we celebrated with his family, his mom and brother and his family. We grilled it up at our house, the kids played in the water, and in the sandbox, and ran around like children should do. Sunday we woke up at our usual 6:30, Quinten came and joined us in bed for cartoons, presents and Dad-do time! Have I mentioned thats what Quinten calls his daddy? Dad-do, its the cutest thing I've ever heard. We got him some clothes and new parts for his bike. We finished off the day with a BBQ at my parents house, a little pool time and some more family time. It was great. And best of all we were celebrating this guy...

Aren't they adorable?? He is such a wonderful dad. He is so caring, funny, comforting, energetic, involved. I love sitting back and watching them play, read, build things. He wants to be so involved in his life. He wants to watch him play, help him do things, just be a part of everything. Its amazing, I'm so lucky, and so is Quinten. So very lucky to have a dad like Shannon. He works so hard for us. He really wants to give us the world. He does everything he can so I can be home with Quinten, so that Quinten has everything he needs, so that we can be a happy, healthy, and wonderful little family.

Quinten was very impressed with how the bike turned out.

My men folk

I also got to celebrate my daddy. And with him, where do I begin. He is such a wonderful man. He has always been there for me. Through the good and bad. He always believed in me, encouraged me, trusted me, pushed me, held me back. He also works so hard for his family. His perseverance and will is something to aspire for. He is faithful, and honest. I love my dad so very much, I love that Shannon and him get along so well. They have a lot of things in common that really have brought them closer. I love the dads, and dad-do's in my life. They are amazing, and deserve much more than one day a year to smother them with love and presents :)

Cousin time!
My little ham of a niece
My sweet little Lauren
And a much sweeter Robyn
Love it!
Impatience...

Look out buddy!! Check the cannon in the left corner

So we'll end on this... I love the boys and men in my life, my husband, dad, brother, and kiddos!! I'm nice and tired, but for such a good reason. xoxo. Have a great one!

Milestones

This past weekend we celebrated a big milestone for Shannon's, we'll call it "step" cousin ( its complicated). He graduated from college. After 4, probably grueling, yet fun years, he did it. It was a surprise celebration his mom and Shannon's uncle (her b.f) planned. They had a bus, and scheduled a skydiving sesh for his mom and him. It was funny to see his face, and hear the tone in his voice as he prepared himself for the jump just a few hours away. Shannon's brother and sister in law to be were so inspired and excited by the idea of the new local skydiving that they also set up a slot and had planned to jump just after lunch. But just as our weather would have it, they all got winded out. Central coast weather lately is anything but predictable. I think they are all nuts. I have NO interest in jumping out of plane in hopes that that folded up piece of polyester will open :) to each their own, I know people love it, but do not, I repeat DO NOT ever count on me doing it! Anywho, about milestones. The weekend got me thinking, you know as a kid there are so many celebrated milestones. I even ran by a junior high graduation on Friday that almost surpased my high school grad. But as we get older the milestones get fewer, the celebrations farther between. We somehow fade into the background of celebrating the next generation. Which in fact is all the more fun, because you get the celebration without all the focus and pressure. But on the other hand, I sometimes miss the abundance of praise and gratitude that comes with accomplishing something. Being a parent now, I am so focussed on Quintens accomplishments, I sometimes forget that I too, am growing. I can still have accomplishments, I can still learn and grow. I may not stand in front of thousands for recognition but, hey just because I'm getting older doesn't mean I've reached the end of that era! So heres to the moms, the grandmas, the aunts, sisters, and cousins. The "grown ups" who thought their time was past. We can celebrate the little things, the big things, the everythings. I say we start having parties for any reason! Lets bring a little celebratory cheer back into everyones lives, and I think we'll find a much happier world. C'mon what have we got to lose! :) Oh ya and here are some photos of the weekend to sum it all up!

My boys... chillen

Le bird

Quinten got to feed some ducks ( he was telling us all about it here)

The cousins all kept Grandma runnin!

Q's cousin thinking deep

She loves the camera!

So are you planning a party yet??

Best Photo Contest!!

The Paper Mama is having another "Best Photo Contest." Choosing my best photo is so hard, besides the fact I'm super hard on myself, every photo I take of my kiddo I love!! :0) So I narrowed it down and had the husband help me choose. This photo is one that I absolutely love of this little guy. For those of you who know him, know he is a pretty good eater (so far thankyou God!) and this was after lunch. We had left over home made spaghetti from the night before. I guess I need not say more... the pic says it all :) wish me luck!!!!!

Running

This morning was O-so perfect. It was my most favorite running weather. Some big ole fluffy thunder heads just slightly blocking the sun, a cool breeze and about 64 degrees on the thermometer. It was wonderful. Quinten and I did our(my) 2.5 mile round a bout, stopping off at the county park to run around and back home so he could get some more exercise too. It was great and refreshing. Glad the rain bailed and we can get back to our normal routine! Hope everyone's week is starting out well, only 4 more days until the weekend :)

Did I mention that we have a new hat? And I found some beaters in his size? Classic! I love that kid! And he loves looking like his daddy! (whom I also LovE!)

Where I've Been Hiding

In la la land really. We've been some busy bee's around here the last month or so. We (I) had a bridal shower, Mother's day, a birthday, a benefit, a wedding, and a trip. It was fun to see everyone at various events we don't normally see, but serious, today was the first real weekend day we had in about 6 weeks where we had nothing scheduled. And it just so happened to be a "rainy" day. I've also just been in a slump, with my photography, and in my creativity, which I guess essentially goes hand in hand. I've really been feeling that "same ole picture" "same ole story" like; who would want to read about my day... did anything interesting go on? But I look back at all the things that have really gone on and, jeeze what new mom, old mom, non-mom wouldn't want to hear about the juggling task of making cookies with a soon to be 21 month old? See, we have the oven and back area of the house blocked off, but someone is getting tall enough to reach over the gate and get to the oven. So I learned pulling out a sheet of cookies, shutting the door and keeping the kiddos hand away from the hot door has proved too hard for this mom, and I have a 2 inch burn on my arm to prove it. Good thing those cookies were good!

Looking back its been a great month or so though. Mother's day was wonderful. I was blessed with a new kitchen fairy, and an awesome lawn star my husband and son decorated for me. It was this cool little concrete mold with glass pieces, it has a perfect "Q" in the middle. LOVE! It was a busy day as usual but wonderful none the less! I went to the bridal shower/and a wedding of a girl I grew up with. She's a few years younger which makes it even harder to grasp that we're old enough to get married, (sometimes I forget I'm married, with a little boy, and {gasp} approaching my 28th birthday). We celebrated my brother in laws 33rd birthday, and made a trip to Bakersfield to visit our friends. This was in fact our first over-nighter. I know what you're thinking Quinten is almost 21 months old and you're just now going somewhere overnight? We just never had the opportunity, the desire or the location to do so. But we did it, and Quinten did great! A seasoned pro I tell ya! Here are a few photos from our vaca... a trip to MyGym (FANTASTIC!! I wish we had one!!) and then some finger painting.

Memorial day weekend ended with some visits from some out of town friends (hello Liz!), and a new water toy from Grandma. Quinten is a water kid to say the least. Our baths last at least a half an hour and I swear he could make a teaspoon of water fun :) Although the weather hasn't been that great (it was about 65 this day). We said 'screw it' and played for a bit anyways. He had (as you'll see) an amazing time.

So we've been busy. I've been a little blah. Life is as, it is. I have that feeling, I want to do something. I want to provide for my family, but not spend anytime away from my family. I want my son to have it all, know it all, be it all. I want to make a difference, but don't know how. I want more. And I guess who doesn't? I want to do what I love, and succeed, but I'm afraid. Afraid of failing, but really I'm afraid of succeeding. Sometimes in life success is far scarier than failure. I worry about the what ifs, but lately most of all I worry about the regret of not chasing after my ambitions. But you know the old "it takes money to make money?" well I get that now. And thats where the fear of failing, with money invested comes into play. Either way I plan to keep doing what I do, we'll do what we do. At the end of the day I have a happy, healthy little family of 3. If thats all I have, I have it all. I know I've said it a million times, but I'll tell myself a million times more :) xoxo