Because I want to remember...

This day, when Little Guy went to school in his pajamas telling me it was pajama day, though I had not caught wind of that event and so I packed him an extra outfit in his bag, just in case.

This day, when he brought home a present for his big sister, so excited to share with her and only her.

This day, when he wore his backpack under his jacket like he does, making it look like he had some sort of misshapen hind quarters.

This day, when she did not cream the butter and we mixed the dough in the Vitamix instead of with a mixer.

This day, this ordinary day, when he was six and she was nine and they both came home; and I was so very grateful for this wonderfully ordinary day.

Anna's Bananas

A sweet couple who are friends of mine meet up with their extended family every year at this amazing little beach hotel in Bonita Springs called the Outrigger Resort. This place is fantastic, it is all that a classic Southwest Florida resort should be... stucco exterior; red Mexican tile walkways; sliding glass doors in each ground floor suite that open right onto the expansive sugar-sand beach; a tiki bar with live music and a pool; a little restaurant that serves fried everything, all day, every day; twinkle lights everywhere; hammocks; bicycles and enough retro decor to make it super cool. If I could live at this place, I totally would. But the best part of it was undoubtedly Anna's Bananas. They come from all over the United States and a couple all the way from the Emerald Isle. They cook, and laugh and joke and play, and welcome strangers in with open arms and open hearts. Thank you for letting us be there with you this year... I swear I will be back next year, too, invited or not ;p

One year

One year. That is how long it has been since I posted last, almost to the day. And to be honest, I was not posting regularly up until then anyway. Life hit us hard in 2010... illness, job loss, my return to work full time at the wonderful Whole Foods Market, and has culminated with me returning to being a stay at home mom cum photographer and my husband taking a contract to work full time in the Middle East. He left in July. I miss him sorely. So now here we are, with three little kids, on on the precipice of becoming an adolescent (how did THAT happen so fast?!) and my little L finishing up her last year of nursery school before starting Pre-K. I wonder if I can hold her back from Pre-K until she's say... ten? I am going to try and start blogging with more regularity now, to catch up on what I've missed in the past two years and so as not to miss as much going forward. Thank goodness I have Facebook to help me remember what transpired, I think it serves as my short term memory almost entirely. Watch out, I might start posting my grocery list as my status update one of these days.... For now, here is Little L, on the beach in Carmel, CA last January. She believes she can fly. I believe she can, too. We all can, if we try.