New Year's Beach Day

The Lockwood cousins were in town for a little while longer,

so it was very nice for the weather to gift

them one more trip to the beach.

 Charley's not so sure the hat is necessary, 

especially since her sisters aren't wearing any!

While the bigger kids played in the waves,

the beach was a far safer place for the wee ones

and a much better spot to get some great pictures.

Thanks, as always, Nonnie!

Happy New Year's Birthday Cookoff!

 We are still trying to see what else we can squeeze into New Year's Day to

draw our family back in to our house.

Payton's birthday is really all they needed.

Sweet Payton was born the day after Christmas, 

so we give it about a week before we celebrate

(plus, she has two other cousins whose birthdays fall within that same week).

I'm guessing something there's always something worth celebrating, 

but nine months before Christmas... must be a special time for my family.

Because it's New Year's Day, 

we have started a Black-eyed Peas and Cabbage Cookoff as well,

There's a little bit of an Iron Chef element to it, 

as no sensible meal wants to highlight black-eyed peas or cabbage.

 But when you make a black-eyed pea salsa,

and put in three black-eyed peas,

you certainly increase your odds of winning

the coveted prize.

Congratulations, Jaimee.

Enjoy your victory while it lasts.

I should note that even though Nick's cabbage entry 

looked like this by the end:

He didn't even get an honorable mention.

Oh well, you can't win them all.

I really wanted to add this picture for Charley's "I'm gonna punch the paparazzi" face.

And moments later, tries to draw her photographer back in...

Happy New Year!  Wishing both of my blog readers the happiest of New Years!

Christmas Day

It's Christmas morning!

Can you feel the magic?

Can you see the pair of "Members Only" shorts 

waiting excitedly behind the girls to get downstairs and make coffee?

The girls' big gift this year was a giant swing from Nonnie

I should add, this is not the way the manufacturer intended for this swing to be used!

While mommy's blessings were doubled in the world of the electric mixer (oops!)

And, finally, the true gift of the holidays came with some family time.

The kids exchanged real gifts with each other this year, 

while the adults exchanged sock monkeys and ugly sweaters.

Merry Christmas, Mon!

Coronado Butterfly Preserve

Monarch Butterflies are pretty smart insects.
For one thing, they can circumnavigate the globe,
and for another, many of them opt to overwinter in Santa Barbara.

Since all of the cousins on mommy's side of the family were in town for Christmas,
we decided to spend the day hanging out with butterflies.

Oh! You Better Watch Out!

 You Better Not Pout!

You Better Not Cry...

I'm telling you why,

 Because Mommy will keep on making you pose

with various Santa Clauses until we get...

The Perfect One!

Moving in to the Back 40

When we bought our house, we got a deal.

It was a dipped market, and our house was underpriced,

but there were some obstacles to overcome.

The greatest of these obstacles had to be our back hill.

It's really steep.

I have to physically and emotionally prepare myself

each time I decide to get up there.

So, we (read: I convinced Nick who faithfully obliged and) 

decided to build destinations worth visiting.

Last Spring, Nick built me a dream potager garden,

which today looks like this:

Thank you, Nick!

On the other side of the hill, we had some rail-road tie raised beds,

which were overrun with blackberries and spider-webs,

and we converted into this:

We love it!  The story of getting to this is kind of crazy,

but we neither want to disparage or endorse the greenhouse company,

so if you want to whole story, either call me

or swing by and share a few drinks, 

and I'll be happy to dish the dirt!

The very warm, very fertile, green-house dirt, that is.

Grandma Flo Passed Away

My Grandma, my mom's mom, passed away.  

My mom, who's in her seventies, 

doesn't have either of her parents anymore.

Just writing that makes me cry.

There's no picking up the phone - even if just to check in.
It's hard on grandchildren to lose their grandparent,
but it's really hard on children to see their parents lose their parents.
It makes everything in life seem more fragile.

She was a strong, opinionated, and Godly woman,

who always emphasized the greatness and grace of God 

to her whole family and community.

She had six kids. Taught school without a college education.

Started a school, which became a bigger school.

If you're inclined, the story is here: 

http://www.littlecountrychristian.org/our_history.html

Her legacy lives on in each of us.  

Not just her six kids, 18 grandkids, and umpteen great grandkids, 

but it extends into the community.

She had to have taught thousands of children to read.

I love my Grandma Flo, and miss her greatly.

She was a great, great woman way before she was a great grandma.

I love you Grandma!