Hawaii on my mind

Ahhhh, Hawaii. I love the way you make my soul unwind and fill up my Vit D cup. This year we went to Oahu and rented a place with my Mom & Don on the windward side of the island. We stayed near a beach called Lanikai which I am pretty sure is the best kept Hawaiian secret (I guess it isn’t really secret since the Obamas vacation there. Hummm.). It is this amazing, gentle piece of paradise that was 2 blocks from our house. Parker was in heaven. And so was I! Garett and I snuck off for 2 days alone to go hang out in Honolulu and ate great food and drank our weight in Mai Tai’s. Garett deserved all the calories since he rode 95 miles around the island of Oahu that day. Me. Not so much but damn they were good! And if that wasn’t enough, my dad was there so Parker got time with Opa and our cousins whom we wished lived closer and who make the most beautiful children. I am thankful for our yearly trip to the tropics and am already looking forward to next year!

Baby Tai. Isnt he beautiful?!Parker wearing a hula skirt that we boght for her on our mini trip.Fun with dad!Ilene and Parker at the Honolulu zoo:Gar & I on a hike above our house looking down on LanikaiParker at the zooParker & HippoLoving Lanikai!

Leaving on a jet plane!

Parker is saying the funniest things these days. I try to jot notes, video and take mental notes of them but I know it wont do her justice. It’s the voice and the timing and the intonation that kills me. She sounds, well, just like me sometimes. And other times more like Dora (“come on vamanos”). And while she doesn’t sound much like Gar she looks. Just. Like. Him. Today she turned to me and said “mama, I sure did have fun at soccer”. Really and are you 28?
Besides battling the winter colds (my LEAST favorite part of parenting) we have been doing some fun things. Parker went to her first soccer class without a parent and rocked it. Um, and please report to the girl standing next to her (#7). I think she really might be 28! We had our neighbor pals over for dinner last weekend ---13 bodies in the smallest house on the block! Someday I will have them over and we will all get to sit at a table but until then it is fun to sit on the floor! Lastly, I took a black and white FILM photography class last weekend. It was so amazing to go back to the basics but oh my god it is a labor of love. It was a 5 hour class and I left with one (one!) 8x10. The dark room is a dying art and I LOVE the print I made. And of course I cant show you the print so just picture my feet by a storm drain. I know. Sounds lame but trust me that it came out with the coolest textures etc. And last but not least we are leaving on a jet plane for HAWAII in less than 48 hours. I will dust off that big camera of mine and take advantage of the love and light that will be there!

Soon Enough....

The official countdown has begun. 10 days till we leave for Hawaii!! Our annual trip cannot come fast enough...I sure do know myself and know that by end of January, I need some SUN. I don’t have a ton of pictures as the camera has been more of a paperweight than a tool of art (hoping to be inspired in Hawaii!). Garett did take this one yesterday at the Lake with his phone! And, these two are from my past two sessions: 1) from a professional headshot photo shoot 2) Holiday card shoot. More action to come in the next few weeks!

Sledddddding...

Right before I got the sickest I have been in years (think: projectile vomit all.night.long) we had a great day in the mountains with The Grissoms-sledding, swimming and hot chocolate. Here are some pictures from our day!

PS this is The Grissom's condo from up above. I think they need to blow this one up and frame it!

Holidays!

We have been whipped up into the whirlwind of the holidays! Parker really understood santa and the magic of the holidays. I remembered what it was like to wake up on Christmas morning and think that santa had come to the house. I know we only have a few years till some pal ruins it for her! We baked cookies with Gma Susan, met the their new family puppy (OMG!), took pictures with Santa, had Christmas dinner with friends, had brunch with family and a minor bout with the stomach flu. All in a good week. I also went snowboarding for the first time in 3 (!) years and remembered how much I love to be in the mountains. Kerry, Kelly and I only did a few runs but it was a fun one night, all girls, get back into the swing of things kind of trip. And last but certainly not least Parker is officially potty trained which is a great way to start 2011! PS excuse the quality of these pics they were mostly taken from my phone and it looks like the lens has a 2 years old hand prints on it!

Our little tree on xmas morning & opening gifts, Dylan & Parker discussing an episode of Curious George on xmas eve, shots of tequila on xmas eve(and I love how the baby is in on the action), xmas dinner, K, K and I getting ready to hit the slopes,Kerry and Kelly on the mountain, Ellie the puppy, making cookies at gmas!

We are STILL in California!

2 weeks is a long time to be away from home! Alas, we are coming home soon...here are a few random shots from the past couple of days:G and P in the hot tub, the view, the sunset from my mom's house last night (for real! that pyramid is the neighbors house) and a happy girl

California Knows How to Party

We are hanging in CA for a couple of weeks. G is working in Berkeley and I have bouncing all over the state. I just spent the weekend in LA with 2 of my oldest girlfriends and had a blast. We are back in Jenner with my mom and Don trying to soak up what little vitamin D is here.
Parker taking time to smell the flowers in Jenner: