I've Got Sunshine

Hello, Friends! We're back from the best spring break ever. It was LOADED with fun, and I was seriously wondered if I could handle it. But handle it I did, in addition to a big surprise, and to top it all off, we came home to SPRING! It was warm and beautiful and we all got to go for a bike ride yesterday with our little town showing off it's beauty and giving us a lovely "Welcome Home".

I got to have dinner with two of my dearest girlfriends on Monday - there was wine, and good food and lots and lots of laughs. AND JH got to spend that evening all alone getting "spoiled rotten" by Grandma and Grandpa. These are his words, not mine. Although I heartily agree.

There was crazy California sunshine, hanging out in their little beach town, biding our time until Charley came down so we could all head to Disneyland. We drove down early Thursday morning Charley's Aunt Sandy in the back seat of the van with JH, and the grandparents came down later in the day. Charley's sister Jackie and her two grown kids joined us on Friday. We spent most of our time at Tomorrowland, where Joe-Henry went on Autopia a million times and the Rocket Ride a half million. I hung out, taking pictures, being the point person between the fast people (Joe-Henry & Charley) and the slow people (everyone else).

We drove back Friday night, getting from Anaheim to the Central Coast in exactly two hours on a Friday night, which if you know LA is some kind of seriously amazing time, and then packed everything up (no easy task when there are all kinds of new goodies from Disneyland and grandparents) to head to the Santa Barbara airport at the buttcrack of dawn to catch a 7:00 flight. We had a layover in Sacramento, where Charley got to jam a bit with some musicians (he had his travel mandolin with him), and on boarding the plane for the final leg were so pleasantly surprised to find two of our favorite neighbor kids sitting directly behind us. The boy is in JH's class, and we let them sit together and they played flick bowling on the iPhone the entire flight home.

The kitties were VERY happy to see us, and Bosco has been cuddling me so fiercely at night, making biscuits on my cheeks, my neck, my body, purring so loudly he sounds like a freight train. It's good to be home, not exactly rested, but re-booted for sure.

Oh, and I have neglected the lovely surprise my husband pulled off. I had written a while back that I was wanting an adventure of my own. I had something fall into my lap a couple weeks ago through a friend; standby tickets anywhere Alaska/Horizon flies. I was getting ready to make my choice when my husband was forced to tip his hand. As soon as I wrote my blog post, he started scheming, getting in touch with women he doesn't even know (hell, I've never met them either, but have been longing to for over a year), and planned a quick getaway for me for my Mother's Day/Anniversary gift. So in about a month, I'll be off again, this time flying solo to Dallas, to meet the Posse, and have a whole weekend where I am not in charge of anyone but myself.

Now I ask you: Do I have the best husband or what?

Spring Break

It's here. And although it's cold enough to see your breath in the morning, JH and I took our first bike ride of spring yesterday. We saw this:



I had to have a closer look to make sure it wasn't just set dressing. It's been mighty chilly here and I had a hard time believing my eyes, but it was real



We rode and rode, into our little downtown, stopping at Starbucks to get a coffee and a cookie, then raced around the park a few times. Joe-Henry had me laughing so hard at his attempts to fake me out so he could win the race. Thank goodness he's a terrible liar.

On the way home we stopped at Officer's Row, because as Joe-Henry said, "Mom, all this green, green grass is just ASKING for us to lay down in it!" So we did. But not before he did some "meditating". I think the helmet makes him look extra-zen.



We'll be on spring break starting at 3:00 today. But not before I head to the radiologist to get another look at my left boob. They told me that my left breast had some density. Good thing they didn't look at my head! I'm honestly not worried, I promise. If there's any news, I'll let you know. We leave for California on Sunday (JH & I; Charley joins us on Wednesday) to visit the in-laws/grandparents, then it's off to Disneyland for two days, then home. I promise lots of pictures.

Happy Spring, all!

California Dreamin'

So, we're back from our trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house, in paradise. It went too fast, it was too relaxing and too much fun, as always. And now it's back to the rainy Northwest. But you know what - it's good to be home. I missed my darlin' husband, and didn't enjoy being in traffic again, even with my mother-in-law's Lexus. (Bless her soul - she let me borrow it to drive the hour and half to LA to see friends.) Here is a little pictorial of our trip.



I had a blast with my camera, and it got even better when I got some fab tips from my friend Erin, herself a brilliant professional photographer. She gave me a few pointers, and in no uncertain terms, turned on my creative lightbulb. Not only is she a fabulous photographer, but also one of the best moms I know. A fount of patience and good humor, her boys are as sweet and adorable as she is lovely.


We also had a wonderful visit with my dear pal Jana. She is my soul sister, and her daughter Grace was born shortly after Joe-Henry. We were the Belly Sisters, with our friend Linnea, whose daughter Molly was born the day before Grace.


Jana is one of those moms who helped get me through the early days of parenthood, when things are so hairy and new that you feel as though you are losing your mind every twenty minutes. She's one of the few people in the world that I feel truly myself around. Her kids are so sweet and funny, and Joe-Henry is going to wind up marrying one of them, I'm pretty sure.



Grace is his girl, as well as his best friend in the world, and Ben is his loyal sidekick. Watching them all play makes me so happy that I love their parents.

We also got to meet (and I got to fall in love with) the grandparents new dog, Oscar. Oscar joined the family after their beloved basset hound Huey died this past winter.


Oscar joins their other dog Pepper, both dogs being so smart they could do your taxes. We took them on walks along the bluffs of Carpinteria, soaking up the sunshine and the beautiful scenery.

Joe-Henry was Grandpa's shadow this trip, following him everywhere, helping out here and there, and Grandpa was kind enough to take the boy out for a few errands while Grandma and I got to shop, like the old days. Grandma got Joe-Henry outfitted for the toy golf set that Grandpa picked up in anticipation of our visit.



Sadly, we couldn't stay in paradise forever. There was daddy to come home to, and kitties, and work and school to get back to. Luckily, we'll see them again in June, when school's out, and again in August for my mil's birthday. But even with that knowledge, saying goodbye doesn't get any easier.



Thanks, all, for a wonderful visit. Enjoy the sunshine for us.