a breakfast, just for me

since i got my kids safely off to school, i decided to sit (just for a moment, and when i mean sit, i mean sit and eat, while folding laundry, banking, paperwork...) and enjoy one of my favorite breakfasts! one day i will get to the point where i will just sit...but for now, i will simply enjoy this:)

bedtime stories

ryder loves his stories before bed, sometimes we will read an entire chapter book (he's really into the 'magic tree house' series) before calling it quits-what can i say, they're good stories! but, before he gets to listen to a story, he has to read us a story....in spanish. the books have been getting longer and longer, and far more challenging. jesse and i have to piece together what the story is even about (with ryder's help), but we manage! he is now reading his favorite series 'magic tree house' in spanish....so cool;)

package of cheer

our annual card (yeah, we like to send them somewhere between feb-april). keeps everyone guessing, and something to look forward to! this year we went with bursts of color, wrapped in grays/browns.....resembling new growth, spring, sunshine!!! hope it made everyone smile, i can't help but smile when i sing the song "you are my sunshine", and then to hear the kids sing it....oh, it's priceless!!!

things i love

noticing really large windows, walking over, and simply looking out.

the joy, and color, and energy, quinn gives our family....even on a cloudy day!

minute of silence

we have been gathering together, usually before we all go our different ways (before school, work, ect), to have a moment of silence together. holding hands (feeling the hand within my hand), breathing (listening to all the different breaths), for as long as the kids can do this. we started at being able to maintain silence for 5 seconds, now we're up to like 20. it's a great way to feel connected, and continue feeling connected even though we are not with each other all day. i tell the kids that we can give each other strength, to get through the challenges of the day, knowing that right now, in this room, this is our family. we will love each other unconditionally, for the rest of our lives......and that gives us all the courage we need, to try new things, stand up for ourselves, to go out into this world and be who we want to be!

ps. oh, shit...we totally didn't have our minute of silence before school!! we'll have to do it this afternoon. well, it's a really great message to keep telling my kids, even if we forget to do this everyday!!

sunday walks

i find that our family does so much better when we enjoy some fresh air together. so we decided to walk/bike to the grocery store to get ingredients for dinner. we also stopped and got a snack (fruit), chocolates (we all got to pick one piece from the chocolate shoppe), and latte's (well, because it's sunday afternoon and we just love our afternoon coffee), then walked/biked home.

this is quinn riding ryder's bike. she's getting pretty good at it, and the seat is up super high. we're thinking she'll be riding that thing this summer, for sure!

ryder is sitting in the jogging stroller, taking the picture:)

chazen art museum

ryder went to the chazen art museum a few weeks ago, with his school, for an art class field trip! after his field trip he came back with lots of information, and we all wanted to check it out, so we asked him to bring us there. he was pretty excited to show us around:) as we were walking towards the museum, i said "ryder, so you will have to be our leader, you can show us different pieces of art, and tell us what you know about them." ryder then replies, "yeah mom, i'll be your docent." jesse and i looked at eachother and smiled. again, he amazes us!!

his class was learning about 'calder' and all his mobiles. so here is ryder showing quinn some of calder's work. they were so cute together, holding hands, talking about art....

yellow floor. ryder's feet

yellow floor. quinn's feet