A super hero themed birthday party for our friend Zachary

His momma made the awesome masks.

 Plus the yummy food

and there was a slack line they rigged up for balancing and fun.

Lots of familiar faces to play with.

Plus tree climbing

Watermelon faces

Relaxin’ with the birthday boy

Giggles in the grass

and yes- pretty near perfect weather.

I am as delighted as she is, to see her watching her family and being entertained by it all.

Before she goes to sleep she is usually hanging out in just a diaper and the chub is my favorite.

Her latest trick: grabbing at blankets and toys.  

Good job, Olivine.

morning:

Henry crawled into our bed around 3 am and stayed until he woke up

noon:

Joe picked up Paul from preschool. 
This is my new and most favorite pretend play.

I wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger and work for NASA.

Who wouldn’t want a job where the uniform is coveralls with patches?

evening:

little boys who would rather play, play, play, and laugh, laugh, laugh than eat dinner.

Shakes at Ruby’s

Even the poster is celebrating Joe’s final class- we get to have evenings together! Hooray!

Yet as I try to capture the stripe theme on the girl side of the table I realize:

we look way more serious than we both feel. What a horrible, clearly genetic trait.

“can’t win them all” as Joe likes to quote.

There are plenty of gardeners to see and then come home to imitate.

Local businesses have art scultptures that also serve the purpose of bike rack.

Can you guess where he is??

There is also art to see all over Cal State Long Beach

even art in the water, where they were pretending to fish with sticks.

Henry loves all the different ways to get around town.

Sometimes it’s too many choices and he has to try them all!

Looks like today’s choice: scooter.

is gathering all those tools around his waist, so he can easily fix things around the house.

is wondering what may be hiding in the holes of the trees.

is the tandem motorcycle they have created by riding these pipes with helmets on.

a day dedicated just for those who are mommas

with homemade gifts and lots of love

Happy Mother’s Day to you.

mini heart-shaped pancakes.

strawberries by the handful, and nutella.

expressions to having been dipped in a heated jacuzzi.

minutes of being fully present in the moment.

resemblances: cheeks, smiles, eyes, and sweetness.

Some of us fell into a food-coma

That invovled glow sticks

and big kids

and pizza

and cake

and bedtime is a breeze.

This is Olivine today: being patient while Paul is assessed for transitional kindergarten.

She was a little worried that he went in a room without her for so long.