Friday, June 17, 2011

waiting for a sign

I played a little hookie today.  Yesterday was the kind of work day that makes a Human Resource professional experience seller's remorse for ever recruiting anyone to work in their company.  It's almost over.

So today I spent the afternoon alone.  All by myself, by design.  I watched two documentaries and cried from 12pm to 3pm.  It was beautiful.

Very well known fact:  I am terrible at having a career. I'm good at building one, but I feel like I pay a price.    I'm terrible at making "making money" a priority.  While I do not like having debt, I prefer to have just enough to have the things you need and a few you want.  More than that complicates things.  Messes with your priorities...fogs them up.

I say this because another known fact is that I have always felt the urge to do something...BIG.  Something BIG for others. Watching those documentaries today brought that back to the forefront of my mind.  In both, the individuals had transformed their lives from ones of comfort and excess to enough and altruism.  In both cases, they took years to take the leap, to give up the lifestyle they had.  "Finally I knew, that if I didn't I'd regret it for the rest of my life."  That made me feel good.  It is a nagging feeling within me, this feeling that I'm not quite on the right track.  But I believe I will know when to change course, I will get a calling of sorts.  I just know there is something out there that I'm supposed to do.

Does anyone else feel this way?

For now I funnel that energy into my kids.  And recently photography has been an area where I can do something for people.  People who cannot afford expense photo shoots, but who want to capture the beauty of their family.  Or their children.  Or themselves.  The size of my heart expands ten fold when I'm shooting someone (EEEK!  Is there a better way to say that?)  I have a shoot tomorrow and I'm all warm and tingly planning for it.

Not much to say tonight.  Just a little spill over from a kind of emotional afternoon alone.  I feel like hugging the universe, smiling at the world.  I'm full up with cheese.

And my husband is coming home tonight.  I'm beaming.

Some photos left over from May to take us into a weekend.







Texting Uncle Barrett
Window are is totally cool at our house.
Liam has decided that taking his toys OUT of the toy box is dumb.
Add caption


Miss Annika "Willow" loves her trees:) 
Have a great Friday night!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I Heart Faces Weekly Photo Challenge - Bright & Vivid

It's been a while since I jumped into the I Heart Faces photo challenge, so busy!  But I've been sneaking a peak and could not resist submitting this photo for the Bright & Vivid challenge.

I think this is the best baby blanket ever.  To me, it is made of the dreams of the toddler who sleeps in it.  The bright colors and fantastical animals go on wild adventures whenever he closes his eyes to sleep.



Monday, June 13, 2011

MURDER

I come from a long line of theatrical, wonderfully nerdy people.  Enjoy.

Salute!  You are invited to the Underwood Wine Estates to celebrate the annual wine festival and grape harvest.

This mystery is set in the wine region of Napa Valley, California.  Five years ago, Barry Underwood, owner of the prestigious Underwood Wine Estates, mysteriously disappeared during the valley's annual wine festival.  A massive search at the time failed to turn up any clues and the case has been in the FBI's unsolved files since then.

Now, five years later, it is once again the annual wine festival in Napa Valley.  Last night, family and friends gathered at the stately Underwood mansion to celebrate.  At midnight, a minor earthquake shook the mansion, causing an old wooden floor in the wine cellar to buckle.  Barry's well preserved body was discovered under the cedar planks.

It is a clear cut  case of murder and these are the suspects!


Tiny Bubbles



Barry's fiancee at the time of his death. Perky and pretty, Tiny has an effervescent personality and a razor-sharp mind. She is now married to the new winery owner, Ralph.

Otto Von Schnapps



A German wine merchant. Boisterous and fun-loving, Otto attends wine festivals around the globe, buying the best vintages for distribution in Europe. It is said Otto's preference for red or white can be influenced by the green.

Marilyn Merlot



Marilyn was crowned Wine Princess at the festival five years ago, then went on to become a Hollywood movie star. She's returned to Napa Valley for the Wine Festival and to gloat over her success.

Ralph Rottingrape


Barry's first cousin and heir-apparent to the Underwood Wine Estates. Long considered the black sheep of the family, Ralph took over as manager after Barry's disappearance and has been running things his way ever since.

Hedy Shablee

The owner of the neighboring vineyard and a fierce competitor of the Underwood's. Barry's disappearance has uncorked a now vintage of troubles for unhappy Hedy.

Papa Vito


Brought over from Italy sixty years ago by Barry's grandfather to develop Underwood Wine Estates, Papa Vito has devoted his life to the vineyards.  Now he just wants to retire and drink a little vino in the afternoon...Salute!

Bonny Lass

A Scottish tourist who has attended the wine festival while vacationing in California. A mystery writer and best-selling novelist, she knows a thing or two about hidden bodies and old wine cellars.



True love?  Or partners in crime?
Otto tries to cuddle up to Miss Merlot...but really what man wouldn't?


Which one of these suspects do you think had the most to gain by Barry's death?  Which on of these suspects is the murderer?

Thursday, June 9, 2011

the sweet spot

I'm in a familiar space...in the sweet spot.  I've spent alot of time this year taking and talking about "time off' of travels and plans.  But today I packed my bags, kid bags and dog bags and lined them up by the door.  The plan is to get up and go tomorrow.  We haven't been on a road trip in two months, has to be a record for us.  And this one is super duper sweet because I get to see my husband, hug my parents and sleep in our new house.  It isn't going to be exactly as I envisioned it.  It will be better.  It will be piles of love under one roof, working and living together to plan the future.  Just thinking about it makes me feel strong, makes me proud of my family.


"Suck it up and get it done."  That's what my Dad said last week on the local news (so proud of him all the time) and that is exactly what we will do.  It's just...how we roll.


So yeah, this feels a little monumental, like another step out of the funk and back into the world.  The play lists are cued up, road snacks packed, movies ready to go.  Toss on some comfy clothes and hit the open road.


I know I've typed that before and it feels awesome to type it again.  I've never been one to complain about the long haul to my family.  I really do believe that getting there is half the fun.  Even though the roads to SD are well worn and not full of surprises, I find comfort in every landmark that tells me we are that much closer to home.   I love stopping at the same places to eat the one favorite item only they make or to stop and use the best bathrooms.  I can even tell you which truck stop has the warmest bathrooms in the winter.  I'm the walking road trip to South Dakota survival guide right here.


Big trip tomorrow:)


Big trip a couple of weeks ago.  To Dragonfly Bay.

A weekend rental on the lake with an extra "party room" building.  A big house, party room with a piano and video games, docks to fish from, hiking trails, hot tub, message bed and sauna.  A gift of relaxation for an extended family that has taken quite a beating this year.  A time just for us and our babies to welcome spring and summer in with lazy mornings and completely unplanned days.  Work forbidden, points ignored, make up optional, belly laughs required.






The girls each brought a friend. This is their first traveling sleep over with friends, what a fantastic gift from the best Uncle ever. I spent so much time just watching them, realizing that they would remember this weekend forever. I remember the first weekends I spent away from home with friends in the summer, how free it felt to sleep in a new place, to have no rules about bedtime or a wake up call. I was keenly aware of making sure they got the whole experience, that this would be the benchmark for a weekend at the lake.




There are so many things people try to tell you about being a parent before you are one. And when you are pregnant it's all about the sleep deprivation jokes and warnings about how fast they grow up. But no one tells you how funny your kids will be and how someday after poopie diapers and night terrors, you will want to hang out with them. They will become people who's opinions you respect and who's style floors you.


And our girls have such fantastic friends, who dip a toe in the nerd pool and upon finding it pretty warm and cozy in our family...don't hesitate to jump right in. They contributed desserts and babysitting, dance recitals during our talent show. They take hugs and give them right back, it felt like we just lucked into the best biggest family ever.








The weekend activities flowed organically, inspired by a sight or sound, a quiet moment, the presence of the lake and the absence of any "have tos."


What I did on Memorial Weekend...by fricka:
I had sunrise breakfast every morning with my baby boy, just the two of us early birds.


I laughed until I peed at the monkeys for the monkeys. My mom sent fun stuffs for the babies ahead of time and they got to open them the first morning. It is a shame we lose the ability to get this excited about a stuffed monkey.


Or warm bubbly water...


I kicked off my shoes and put my feet up. Let slippery cold mud coat them, cool green grass scrub them "clean" and the warm sunshine bake them toasty warm.

The little feet did that too.

I also just took it all in. Quietly soaking it all up, letting it fill my heart.


Who is the absolute coolest Uncle ever?  I think you know the answer.





Nature makes city babies sleepy.

Yes, we will remember this weekend for a long time.









My favorite moment? It's hard to say. They Murder Mystery dinner set a high benchmark. So cool it will get it's own little blog post in a moment:)


But I let me show you one that may take the title.


My baby girl has had the fishing bug for as long as I can remember. She loves to fish, the peacefulness of it, it calms her very busy soul. And as I stood on a hill, getting ready for a hike, I looked down to see her bathed in fishing peace.


They were not talking, there was no noise, just the two of them quietly fishing.


And catching fish:)




We are a family that loves traditions.  As us "kids" get older we have begun to establish new ones, like the "parting shot."  A snapshot to commemorate that these people were here together for a time...and are joyful because of it.


Dragonfly Bay 2011 Baby! WOOT!

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