Message from Santa

Santa sent Avery a message this year! First, here's what he had to say:

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/g5LDubSR9ORBr3mRiyQiplg

And, her reaction:

Beach Babes

I had a hard time picking just a couple favorite shots from our Hawaii trip. Instead, here are a whole bunch of pictures from our latest journey to "The Islands."

First, the amazing views from our condo:

Sunset ...

Evening...

And morning.

We enjoyed spending time with our cousins Kae-Li and Kae-Sn:

And the incredible days at the beach:

 

 

We took in the sights:

The view from Diamondhead

 

And modeled our beachwear:

And we rested, a lot:

 

And, after years of being the subject of my lens, Avery decided she wanted to try photography herself. Here are some of her very first shots:

Not too bad for a first try!

Aloha and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Little Pumpkins

I've fallen a bit behind on posts lately. I've really meant to keep up but life has been more chaotic lately than usual. Aside from it being the busiest time at work for Michael and me, we just bought a new house:

And our current house goes on the market tomorrow. Phew!

It's probably appropriate to start catching up with some of the most recent activity around our house, starting with Halloween! First, a trip to the pumpkin patch:

As for costumes, we somehow ended up with a blonde fairy tale theme at our house this year, with Avery opting to go as Rapunzel and Chloe as Goldilocks -- complete with the three bears. Chloe wasn't too excited at first ...

But by the end of the night they both were trick-or-treating like champs. Chloe even ended up with a stuffed black cat decoration from a woman who simply wouldn't settle for Michael's insistence we had enough candy already.

And now for a few days of relaxing on the beaches of Waikiki. Ahhhh....er, um, Alohhhaaaaa...

Goo Goo for Gaga

We were watching "So You Think You Can Dance" tonight and Lady Gaga came on to perform.  Avery took one look at her and said, "That's a strange Barbie!"

Monarchs on the Milkweed

One of my favorite summer rituals.

 

The Big One

We had a backyard party for Chloe's first birthday on Saturday, with friends and family gathering to celebrate and enjoy barbecue, cake, presents and lots of fun. It was a beautiful afternoon that stretched into the night, long past when the Birthday Girl had gone to sleep.

We're so lucky to have our sweet little Chloe, and even more so to have such wonderful people surrounding her. Happy Birthday, my little love bug.

Look out world; it's my birthday!

Making an entrance

Little Miss Mae's Day!

Happy 1st Birthday to our little pumpkin Chloe Mae! Chloe woke up early this morning, eager to start the day. As Michael and I tried to keep snoozing, she crawled between us, looking in our faces and saying "hi" over and over. It was like she knew it was her day and couldn't wait to enjoy it.

Chloe is such a sweet, happy person, and we love having her in our lives. It's been amazing watching her grow over the past twelve months (already walking like a champ!), and we can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

Here's a picture from her celebration at Irene's today:

Wish

Avery, before tossing a penny in a fountain this past weekend: "I wish to go to a rainbow." Me too, honey. Me too.

On Children

Such a beautiful and meaningful poem, from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran:

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies; so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Chloe's First Steps!

Chloe walked for the first time today, out on the back patio with Auntie Amy and Grandma Debby on hand to visit.

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Last weekend was a big one. It started on Friday the 13th, which also happened to be my birthday. We went out to dinner with family and friends (13 of us altogether), and laughed and ate and drank. It was exactly what I wanted.

The next morning, we got up and went to Allied Gardens' Springfest, an annual event at our neighborhood park. Avery's little preschool was marching in the Springfest parade. She was pumped; she'd been practicing her princess wave for weeks. So we donned our matching t-shirts and headed for the parade route with Stephanie and Oliver.

There's Avery at the bottom right.

Daddy's got the wave down, too.

 

Getting ready to ride the roller coaster with Oliver.

Then came Sunday, Avery's 3rd birthday.

Grandpa and Chloe, ready to party.

When Avery saw Snow White, she looked up at me and said, "See mama, I knew Snow White would come to my birthday party!" 

By the time the faces were painted...

...candles were blown out...

...cake was eaten...

...jumpy was deflated...

 

...hats were taken off...

 ...and Snow White had returned to the dwarfs...

 ...Avery was too exhausted to open presents. So were we.