A Photo an Hour

April 15th, 2012

I decided to attempt another Photo an Hour challenge on Friday morning. I didn’t quite know what was in store for the day but figured I would just document our normal comings and goings. I am so glad this day was captured – it’s not what our ordinary days look like, but instead an impromptu family date full of sweet memories.

The weather was kind of unbelievable on Friday; cool and breezy, highs in the 70s. So there was a rumor of a trip to the zoo floating around the house that morning. I just didn’t know what time we’d get there, and initial plans included only us girls. When Anthony called to say he was heading home midday, we spruced ourselves up and hightailed it to the zoo.

We had such a great time. The most gorgeous weather (besides a few giant wind gusts), happy girls, camel rides, falling in love with monkeys, and of course the carousel.

Once we hit our limit we headed home, stopping first at La Grande Orange for a pizza picnic outside. We can’t take Ella there and leave without gelato, so next it was a stop into The Grateful Spoon next door for dessert. I left to grab a drink and when I returned, the girls were prancing around the shop, sharing spoonfuls of Ella’s chocolate gelato. I’m thinking it was the sweetest thing they’ve done yet. And Poppy thought it was the best thing in the universe.

We came home for baths and books and bedtime, and then a little Mommy and Daddy time with our own tub of gelato to-go.

It was the best afternoon. I am a planner by nature. I need to have things scheduled out to think clearly. But Friday was a taste of something different, when I let the day lead itself, and we landed in the best family date I can remember. Here’s what it looked like:

xoxo

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My Date with Ella

December 8th, 2011

Yesterday I took my first little on a special date, just the two of us. We spent the morning at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, then went to lunch before heading home to pick up little sister. I haven’t had a day dedicated just to Ella in quite some time. It was so nice to focus solely on her and give her all my attention, hugs, and kisses. Sometimes I think I took those pre-Poppy days for granted, when it was always just Ella and Mommy, all day every day. I love her so. It was the best.

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I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!

A Big Weekend

December 6th, 2011

Well folks, the big push is over. My hands are still, my mind is relaxed, and that mile-long to do list is long gone. Relieved as I may sound, I’m glad for all that work because it amounted to a pretty great weekend!

We did the Crafeteria on Friday night and had so much fun. I couldn’t feel my hands except for a tingling in my thumb for the better half of the night but this year I came much more prepared for the cold. Two pairs of knee socks, knit leggings, boots, long sleeve shirt, dungarees, wool scarf and sweater. I brought a second jacket but didn’t put it on as I thought I’d feel like Ralphie’s little brother in A Christmas Story. “I can’t put my arms down!”

Ant and I had a great time meeting everyone that came out to do some shopping and browse. It’s such a great event and I’m already looking forward to next year’s Crafeteria. I love being out there among all the other artists and crafters and feeling everyone’s energy and pride they have for their work. We were so happy to be a part of it.

My parents brought the girls out for a while and Ella was interested in staying just long enough to give a few snuggles and scout out the cupcakes. Friends and family came out to visit and we even got to chat with a few internet friends! They all make me feel like a really lucky girl.

Here are a few photos Ant took of our booth:

And onto the weekend…

On Saturday morning we took our time getting up and headed out the door for brunch at our favorite breakfast spot. Next we marched (The Pops and I drove, Ella requested a walk through the cold with Daddy) across the street to do some shopping at Target. I enjoyed an extra long visit this time, something completely rare when going with the girls and especially the husband. Oh the relief and feeling of carefree I had that day! I’m pretty sure Ant was spoiling me. We came home for naps then packed into the car and drove through the rain to pick up Chinese for dinner. It hailed on the way home. Best day.

Sunday morning we churched and then had some sweet friends over for brunch. It had been a long overdue visit and it was so great to catch up and fill up a little bit on their company.

That evening, completely on impulse, we got dressed in somewhat coordinating outfits and headed out in the cold to take our Christmas photos. We trespassed into a private orchard, set up the tripod and tried to make the girls smile through the cold. We actually got a few good ones and this morning we ordered our Christmas cards! (So not like us – we usually wait until about three days before and then settle for email cards. I’m thrilled we did it right this time!)

We picked up a pizza on the way home and changed into our jammies for dinner. While eating, I was taking pictures of Poppy enjoying her pizza and all of a sudden she was repeating “cheese!” Is that a sign that we take too many photos? How hilarious that “cheese” is one of her first words besides Mama and Dada. There she is saying it to Ant in the second photo above.

It was the perfect end to a lazy weekend, and that’s when I got on the computer and checked The Huffington Post.

I think the past week or two is finally catching up to me. I wish I could let myself go to bed when the girls go down, but I don’t find myself between the sheets until midnight anyway. But they say you can’t make up for lost sleep, right?

Here’s to a great finish to the week. Hope yours is going well!

XOXO, Katy

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I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!

At the Pumpkin Patch 2011

October 31st, 2011

Happy Halloween everyone!!

I’ve been so behind on blogging but I figured today is a good a day as any to share our visit to the pumpkin patch!

Just a note: this post is so image heavy! While editing photos for this post, I realized I’ve really been treating my blog as a scrapbook lately. I am not a scrapbooker in real life. Somehow it makes me anxious and I think I’m too indecisive for it. But then somehow when I come here, it’s fun. And I love to think the girls will have these pages to look back on and see our journey as a family recorded. So, here is our trip to the patch, all 35 photos and all…

A few weekends ago we took a drive a couple hours north to cooler weather and Fall festivities at the pumpkin patch in Chino Valley, AZ. I think Ella remembered bits and pieces of it from last year, and those memories paired with her Little People farm toy set got her all filled with anticipation. She chose to bring her toy tractor, pumpkin, and “I keem cone gill” (read: Ice Cream Cone Girl) toys with her for the two hour car ride. I love seeing her make those connections between play things and real life.

We had so much fun at the farm. The change in temperature was so lovely (it was even cold in the shade!) and there were enough activities to keep the girls happy and entertained for close to four hours.

We had lunch under the trees, rode the merry-go-round too many times to count, pet the goats (and the “kitty,” which was really a goat, but Ella called a kitty because he was white…?), rode the train through the fields, made our way through the corn maze, munched on kettle corn (addictive!!), and picked our own pumpkins for the season.

After choosing our pumpkins from the field, we browsed under the tent and tried to get photos of the girls surrounded by the pumpkins. Poppy had been eyeing us as we munched through our kettle corn and decided she would try out the wood chips for herself. A fistful to the mouth later and that concluded our photo op.

We had a blast and the girls slept off the fun the entire ride home. This is one tradition I look forward to every year.

Epilogue:

By the end of the trip, Ella appeared sans pants, in keeping with tradition set forth last year…

And PoppyLou took ownership of this fine pumpkin. She rolled it around the house every day and last night, upon seeing his newly carved face, gave him lots of kisses.

If you made it this far, thanks for sharing our visit with us!! Hope you have a fabulous Halloween!
What are your plans for tonight? Did you visit a pumpkin patch this year? I’d love to hear about it!

Xoxo, Katy

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