MIA

I swear I haven't abandoned my new determination to blog. I just had problems loading pictures for a while. That's fixed now and I'll be playing catsup real soon.

Skool

School has finally started.  The school year here is shifted nearly 4 weeks later from what it was in Utah, meaning the girls got an extra month off school this year. Seems like this would be joyous for the girls, but when you live in a new town and don't have any friends and have to hang out with your mom and sister all day it can be a serious drag. I think they were pretty stoked to get into their school years, even though they don't really know people. The morning of the first day I was running behind and we were late(ish), but I insisted on pictures. I had been tinkering with settings on my camera and couldn't get the focus to work properly. (Boo) Can you see how annoyed Ana was at me for being late?

I wish you could see how cute Lily's boots are.

And let's have a shout for Ana's cute flats.

Admittedly there were some choked up moments leading up to dropping my firstborn at middle school. She's pretty stoked about it, though, for the different social dynamics, changing classrooms, not being forced to walk with her sister, etc.

This is the awesome conversation we had the first day...

Me: BYE! I LOOOOVE YOU!! (In a mock attempt to embarrass her)
Ana: Knock it off (looking truly embarrased)
Me: Oh no! Adolescence go away!
Ana: Huh?
Me: You know, adolescence...when you start to get embarrassed of your mom.
Ana: Mom, I've been embarrassed of you for a long time...

Right....

Be well

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drawing sesh

Sometimes Todd makes me sit perfectly still for unreasonably long periods of time. He's an artist and when he feels like I deserve a punishment he commands me to model for him.

Actually Todd is the sweetest man on Planet Earth. And he does like to draw me, but I don't mind modeling (much) because I'm nothing if not gay for art and I'm happy to contribute to civilization's artistic progress. Today he drew me while I read some books about how to work my camera. I was snapping pictures trying the various functions on the camera while he worked (sometimes he doesn't make me sit perfectly still).

Don't you kinda have a crush on him? He's darn cute.

Ana shot this. Aren't you impressed? See how the drawing is in focus, but I'm blurred. Good artistic eye Ana!

Et viola!

In case you're wondering, that IS an acrylic tip on my big toe nail. Weird, I know. It's a long story I may tell another day that stretches from Los Angeles to Barcelona. Looking at this makes me realize I need to have it trimmed down a bit...


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raddest tomato evaaaa

We named it Zipper Butt. Or Barbwire Heart (insert 80's ballad here). Take your pick.

(It was an heirloom tomato btw)


Be well.

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Trip to the Science Center

L.A. has a great science museum on the USC campus. We used to spend heaps of time there when we lived here before. (Heaps...we met a girl from New Zealand today at church and gave her a ride after church was over. She used heaps instead of lots. I'm just attempting some multi-culturalism in my lexicon. Cute girl.) I love mixing education and fun. Enjoy the pics.
 

Note how far down the people below are

Dockweiler

The only beach around here that allows guests to build a fire is right by our house. It's also right at the end of the run way of LAX. We were building a fire last night and when the first plane flew right over our heads Lily got scared. She said she was afraid it was going to fall on her. I said, "ya, that would hurt, wouldn't it?" Sometimes I'm not the most supportive mommy.

Look mummy, there's an airplane up in the sky

Ana playing with camera

I'm strangely fascinated with my feet, even though I don't particularly like them. I probably have more photos of my feet than you do....

I'm struggling to figure out my new camera. I wanted to get a non flash picture with just the glow of the fire illuminating Todd's face. Didn't really work. One day I'll get there. Promise.

I only eat hot dogs in a situation like this. Camping or otherwise cooked over a fire. And those rare occasions I eat them they taste pretty darn good. Lily likes them any day cooked any way. Blurry pic. Again, I'll figure this camera out one day.

Have I said it yet? I LOVE living here. So fun. So beachy. So much to do. So lovely. Such perfect weather. I'm so loving it here.

Be well

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Breakfast in Bed

A.k.a b.i.b.

About once a week Todd makes me breakfast in bed. When I posted a b.i.b. pic on Facebook last week a lot of my male acquaintances got fussy, annoyed that he was in violation of the "man code." I say violate on!!! 

Some defining characteristics of Todd are that he is:

• Romantic
• Artistic
• Creative

This means that on top of the cute gesture to provide me nourishment before my feet even hit the floor for the day, he always adds some wonderful decorative touches. For instance, he usually slips outside to pick a flower or two. This morning he outdid himself.

I was impressed with his creative sliced apple presentation.

He sliced it and toothpicked it all back together.

The cuteness of the apple amplified the deliciousness ten-fold.

But the delight didn't end there. This apple contained a hidden treasure.

A little note....

I have a little hesitancy to post this because I have spent many years seeing posts like this and rolling my eyes/sticking my finger down my throat/disbelieving that men like this really existed/thinking the women who posted things like this were pretentious and-or liars/hating the women that had things like this to brag about. But I have done my time. I've been through the ringer. (Boy I'm using lots of cliches). And after a long incubation period I found myself something to brag about. Or someone. Todd. He's a dreamsicle. If you want to stick your finger down your throat at me right now I can tell you plenty of stories that will make you want stick your hand in a Kleenex box so you can dry your eyes. I have earned this. Trust me. 

A few other b.i.b. pics I snapped on my phone in the past...

Note the fruity design elements

Out of focus. Sorry. But yummy blueberries!

Bad lighting AND out of focus. But FANTASTIC presentation by Todd!

Okay, going to get out of bed now. And spend a grateful day over Todd not buying into the retarded man code.

Be well.