Because 1 family beach trip wasn't enough...

Our wet bathingsuits from Cabo were still air drying in the bathroom, when we packed up some gear and headed up to Cayucos to visit more vacationing family. 

The beautiful weather, access to fresh fish, great antique stores, and stunning views of the coast only added to our already deep desire to live near the Central Coast of California.

It's okay, L.A.  We love you just as much too.  :)

 

Tricky Tricky

Miller has just learned to shake his head "No".
Exciting that he now has a new way to communicate with us.
Annoying that he's shaking his head before the vegetables even have a chance to get to his mouth.

Sorry, Miller.  Pickles are not considered a vegetable.

Once the old "dip it in ranch technique" wore off, I started improvising a few of his favorite meals to now include more veggies- spinach in pasta sauce, zucchini quesadillas.

I wonder if I can inject blueberries with a veg?

When a hankering for chicken salad sandwiches hit the other night, I knew I needed to kick it up a notch and green it up.

Success!  Amy- 5, Miller- 308.  (I'll take any eating victory I can get.)

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Chicken (and Broccoli-Shhh) Salad

(all measurements are flexible)
2 cups rough chopped cooked chicken breasts
1 cup rough chopped uncooked broccoli heads
2-3 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor to your texture preference.  Throw it on some bread, add a few crunchy lettuce leaves and VIOLA! delicious sandwiches to eat in the car while you drive to Morro Bay to visit family.  :)

What veggie tricks do you have up your sleeve?

It's amazing what tequila, a patio jacuzzi and a warm breeze can get you to share

I love my family.
I love my families.
All the crazy, twisted, grafted branches of my family trees. 
Blood relatives, by marriage and then some.
So when I get to enjoy, break bread with, relate to a branch or two I am at peace.

A vacation to Mexico with them certainly helped too.

Whatever definition of "family" you are, I hope I tell you enough how much you mean to me. 

be it ever so humble...

vacations are refreshing, memorable, and lovely, but there's no place like home.

I'll dive deeper once I start tackling some serious(ly disgusting) laundry piles.

Summertime Mix Tape for you

Just some tunes to cheer you up while I take a little blogging break to catch up on some family time.

Hope you have a wonderful week too!

Happy First Birthday Miller!

If I sat and allowed myself to soak in how breathtakingly amazing this last year has been, my heart might actually explode.  Instead, I watch him point the television remote at the dog and hear him babble spells out to her furry ears.

"BlaappPuffffEvvvvaaaaaBababababaOOOpppSfffffLalalala"

Both Heidi and I are mesmerized.

He places a paper grocery bag on his head and giggles beneath its shield.  I find it to be the most profound, stimulating, graceful, intentional action I've seen in weeks.

SmackSmackSmackSmack knees and palms glide across the floor and I hold myself back from biting off all of his toes.  I could so easily consume him.

Evan's on his way home to celebrate this milestone.    Miller has no idea what today is.  What it means.  
This detail.  This miracle.  One little year.

Defiant protests and he's attempting to overtake the computer-suyrbfuiycgfvxnvmcbzdjiwgfdskgiuerygviuweylkfhkh b mnljhv jhfahgf gfakjajkjfad.  Success!!
Maybe he longs to be a writer too.

SmackSmackSmackSmack and he's down the hall finding independence.  My throat tightens, eyes start to itch and I'm at a loss for words.  What a gift.

Happy birthday Miller.

What a party!

 

Saturday was a hit thanks to those of you who helped out, came by, sent greetings, and overall wished happiness on our little man.  What a blessing it is to know that all of you are just as enamored with him as we are.  Thanks for celebrating with us!

Oh, and Happy Birthday to me too!

It's easy to forget that I'm another year older today, when Miller's birthday is only 2 days after mine. I'm pretty sure last year at this time I was a mix of water retention, anxiety, hope, and overwhelming love for my little life.

Minus the water, I'm still a mix of all those things today.

Three hundred and sixty five days from now I'm sure I will be still.

Thank you for reading me. Thank you for inspiring me.

Party Planning Committee

We are surrounded by a tornado of ribbons, grocery bag banners, toy boats ("Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat"), and cake stands as we put the finishing touches on Miller's first birthday party shindig this weekend.  (I'm still in shock and somewhat in denial that he's turning one.  When did this happen?  When did I even have a kid?  Wasn't I graduating from 8th grade like last week!?)

Had I planned it earlier maybe I would have had the time to choreograph some sweet "Rockafella Skank" group steps for the party.

There's always next year, I guess.



Have a wonderful weekend.  I can't wait to share photos and stories with you. 

P.S. Yes, Paul Walker is just as pretty in person. 

Closet Redo-ing

For the record I LOVE CLOTHES.
Also for the record I don't always have a lot of money or the right body frame to wear some of the clothes I'd like.  So I took matters into my own hands this weekend, and elevated some thrifted items into the wearing potential they deserve.  The best part was NO SEWING INVOLVED!!!

First up:  long white "gypsy bohemian" skirt.
Long skirts tend to look rather ridiculous on my 5'4" frame, so I cut off two layers at the seams and VIOLA!  new summer skirt.

Next up:  V-neck, empire waisted spaghetti strap jersey cotton dress.
This dress would have been super cute on a less endowed body frame.  Too bad that body frame isn't mine.  So instead of lamenting about another cute dress I can't comfortably wear, I snipped off the fabric above the elastic empire waist and VIOLA! new strapless top.

 

 

What have you revamped lately?

Also, please tell me I'm not the only one obsessed with belts this season.  Please, someone... anyone...