Palm Springs

I have been in Palm Springs taking photos at the BOOST Conference since Wednesday. Jason and the kids met me here today and I snapped this pic of Liesl by the pool when I had a break in my schedule.

Art Class

We took the kids to an art class at the home of a local artist yesterday and they really liked it. The teacher was wonderful and when the kids needed a break they were able to wander is the garden of wildflowers. It was such a wonderful inspiring place to create. Here is a link to the art the kids created. Jason and I did it too, he drew it and I painted.

wise words

Liesl attends a christian pre-school and they say grace before snack and once a month "Grandma Joan" comes in and reads a religious book. This year at orientation "Grandma Joan" was talking about the books she was going to read and when she got to Easter she said "we don't talk about the resurrection with the kids, it's a hard one to swallow even for the adults"

the kitchen window

a new lens

here is my first shot with it

Good Friends

Radio Acres Farm

Today we went to our friend's house, also known as Radio Acres Farm, to look for fossils. They were planting some trees and came across some fossils of sand dollars and other shells.
Porter was more interested in the baby chicks and looking for eggs.

6 kids in a tree

where the hens live

making "grass prints"

21 Days Later

Porter stopped sucking his thumb and on day 21 we gave him a dsi. It was way easier to get him to stop than I thought it would be. He was so happy he wouldn't even look up for a picture.

Imaginary Cities

My new favorite band

look at that

changes

tonight the kids watched one of their caterpillars turn into a chrysalis.

Time with Porter - 2

Wandering around Balboa Park today looking for the tamale cart, we found these cool brown doors.

During our walk through the park today I asked Porter a few times if he would hold my hand and he said "no". I wanted to hold his hand but, he is growing up and I have to respect that as hard as it is for me sometimes. This time with him is so wonderful and maybe he didn't hold my hand but, when we were sitting on a bench waiting for Liesl to finish her class he sat next to me and put his head on my chest and snuggled. Porter is crazy, passionate, energetic and difficult. Sometimes I am not the best parent, lose my cool and am just tired of it all but, it is those moments like today that make it all so worth it.

jump

Pictures of Liesl

A year ago when I bought my camera, this blog started to become more picture heavy and is now to the point where I write almost nothing. Pictures tell the story now and you keep on coming back to see. I am toying with the idea of sharing more of our lives again and I wonder if I should?

5th Birthday

Liesl's birthday was a month ago and my sister asked me today why I never put any pictures up from it. My sister made a beautiful cake, my brother made pizzas in the pizza oven and my brother's girlfriend made the most amazing pinata ever.

Time with Porter

Recently Liesl started taking a class at the Junior Theater and a circus class so, Porter and I get a few hours alone together. Liesl's Junior Theater class is at Balboa Park so we have been wandering around finding places we have never been to before.

I think it is really important to spend one on one time with the kids and we have been having a really fun time!

How To Avoid Conflict

HOW TO AVOID CONFLICT by Dallas Clayton

The next time someone argues with you
in line
at the post office
all twisted up in the eyebrows
or at the grocery store
or anywhere strangers like to argue with other strangers
instead of arguing
you should sing them the first few lines of “Happy Birthday.”

This already will be enough
to confuse just about anyone
and also make you feel good inside
because singing songs in public places is fun
and something we should do more of as adults.

Then if you want
you can say something like
“C’mon everybody, it’s my best friend’s birthday
let’s show him some love!”

Of course everyone around you
will be obligated to join in at this point
which will give you
just enough time to slip away
from arguing about something so small
and back to more important business
like trying to track down a meteorite
and make it into a dreamcatcher.