On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

Today was the first week of Erin's school's Running Club. It's actually the 10th year that the school has been doing it, and the kids are always very excited to get out there and get running! During each grade's recess, they have 20 minutes to run laps around the soccer field (I think 7 1/2 laps are a mile, but I'm not sure). Loud music blares from the speakers, and there's a line of moms with Sharpie markers there to tick off laps on each kid's bib. At the end of the 4 weeks (well, usually 6 - gee, thanks, strike!), awards will be given to the students in each grade who run the most laps. Erin's off to a great start - she ran 13 laps today! I was on  Sharpie duty so I didn't get to take pictures of her in action (this is from the starting line), but in the coming weeks, I'll try to mix up my assignments some so I can get more pictures of her doing her thing. 

Strolling Harborside

This morning's walk took us on a new adventure. We decided to head down to Dana Point Harbor and walk around the island. It's definitely not as strenuous a walk as we usually do, but it was fun to mix it up a bit. It was actually a beautiful morning, and it was really pleasant to stroll along the rows and rows of boats that are docked there.

We also strolled along the channel that's blocked off by the jetty. It was tempting to walk out onto the jetty and get a good view of the ocean, but I'm really glad we didn't, because the waves were crashing onto it, and the spray would have been freezing!

Sunshine in a Vase

Today was one of those days when I felt like I was just runningrunningrunning with barely a chance to catch my breath! Before I knew it, it was time to pick up Erin from school. So I grabbed my camera and took it with me, hoping to find my POTD mojo there. As soon as I saw this beautiful sunflower, I knew it would be it! It's on the desk of the school's wonderful office manager and I don't think anyone could pass the bright bunch of flowers and not smile. I know I can't!

Addiction?

First, a short update. The strike's over! The teachers' union and the district reached a tentative agreement after midnight last night, and everyone went back to school this morning. Woo-hoo!

Now, onto the business of the day. This week's theme for the photography challenge is "Favorites," so I thought I'd share one of my favorite gadgets - EVER.  Now, I'm a gadget girl (and married to a gadget boy), and we love our electronic toys. But this is really one my all-time faves.  When I first got it (just about a year ago, now), I wasn't sure I'd like it. It was bigger than my Blackberry Pearl, and didn't fit as well in my pocket. It took some getting used to. But once I started playing with it, finding useful (and now hard to live without) apps, and using its features, I quickly realized that this little gadget is amazing. Since then, I've come to rely on it for everything from instant access to email from just about anywhere to keeping my shopping lists organized and handy. What will they think of next????

Gray Morning

The teachers' strike continues, and Erin is still home with me. Today, we designed a day around "lessons" for her, beginning with P.E. in the morning. We drove down to my favorite trail at the beach and walked for almost 4 miles. It was incredibly foggy on the way there (at one point, Erin piped up from the backseat and said, "Mommy, this really isn't safe to drive in!"), but once we got there it wasn't bad. Heavy fog-clouds, but at least we could see where we were walking! It was lovely to see the hills covered in the yellow wildflowers that are all over the place right about now - in the sunshine, they're blinding, but even today, you can tell how bright they usually are.

Normally, in the distance, you'd be able to see the ocean. Today, though, it was all a gray blur. You can also see how foggy it was from the top of the hill at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. Yikes! Hopefully tomorrow will be a little more sunny out! Well, even with the clouds and fog, it was a fantastic walk!

Intense

It's amazing to me how intense Mia can be sometimes. She can be lounging around, half asleep, but if something catches her eye, she's up and at attention in no time flat. But it's also fascinating to watch her watch something outside, to see how long she'll follow it with her eyes, and how quickly she can dart around to keep it in her sight. I imagine if she were an outside cat, she'd be a pretty good hunter. But we'll never know. We'll just have to be happy watching her stalk her prey from behind glass. 

Cooking Mama

Erin has always enjoyed helping me in the kitchen. As she gets older, though, she's able to do more and more, and really BE a help!  This morning, we started cooking a crockpot recipe for dinner tonight (Meat-Lover's Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce, if you're interested), and Erin was right there with me, helping ready the onions and sausage, and later the beef. She then opened all the cans of tomatoes, and stirred everything together, before turning on the crockpot to work its magic.  I love that she's taking an interest in cooking this early, and look forward to spending lots of time with her in the kitchen as she gets older. And I can't wait for dinner tonight.  It's going to be really delicious!!!

Rose Bud Day 6, Birthday Wishes, and More

I'm very late in posting my POTD today. What a day it was! First though, I wanted to thank all of you for your wonderful, supportive words about our teachers' strike. I had shared the link to yesterday's post with our teachers, and they told me today that seeing your words meant a great deal to them. Unfortunately, the talks have broken down for the night, and at this point, although they're scheduled to resume tomorrow, the union president isn't hopeful and the strike is expected to extend into next week.  Not the news we wanted...

In the meantime, we had much sunnier, warmer weather today, and the effect on my little rose bud was incredible! It's now fully open, and no doubt on its quick and unfortunate decline. Hard to believe this is the same flower I shot yesterday! There are plenty more buds on the bush, though, so we'll be seeing lots more buds in the coming weeks and months (although I may take a break from shooting them for a while - LOL!).

Also today, I was the "victim" of my very first surprise party! I'd had plans to meet a friend for lunch today for my birthday, and because of the strike we decided to take our daughters with us. Imagine my surprise when we walked into Farrell's and I found 20 people there to celebrate with us!  I was beyond shocked, and can't believe how wonderful and generous my friends were to make this birthday so special! 

Of Strikes and Buds...

Today is a very odd and strange day around here. After months of trying to work out the details of their contract and being treated in a most disrespectful way but our district's Board of Trustees, our wonderful teachers began a strike this morning. We knew it was coming and had time to prepare (as much as you can prepare for something like this), but that didn't make it any easier for anyone. This morning, Erin (who did not go to school) and I stopped by to give the teachers our support and see if they needed anything. They were very upbeat, appreciative of the support they've been receiving from parents and students, and more than happy to pose for my POTD in front of the sign of the school where they all wish they were teaching today.  Our teachers are phenomenal, and we can't wait to all be back in the classroom!!!

And, of course, I'm still tracking the progress of my little rose bud friend. Next time I start to take a series of pictures of a flower, someone PLEASE remind me to pick on that's easier to access! Now that it's getting bigger, it's harder to get a good shot of it. Pretty soon, I worry that its weight will having it hanging upside-down. But I'm still at it!

Rose Bud - Day 4

My little rose bud seems to have closed up a bit since yesterday. Could be the Wizard-of-Oz type winds we've been having, or the rain, or the colder temperatures. I don't blame it. If I were left out in that weather, I'd be wrapping myself up for warmth too! For those who've asked, the roses on this bush start out with a little pink on them, but when they're fully opened, they're pretty much all white. So pretty! And yes, they smell divine!

Rose Bud - Day 3

My pretty little bud is taking its time opening. Today doesn't look much different than yesterday, but I did manage to get a shot with less distracting stuff in the background. It's not easy to do that... Where the bush is, I have to climb in a flower bed and practically contort myself to get at this baby from a good angle. It's worth it though! Today, in fact, you can even see some of the texture on the bottom petal (although you may have to click on the picture to open it larger to see it).

Rose Bud - Day 2

I promised myself that I wouldn't miss this one, so I'm going to be capturing this beauty for a few days as it opens to its full splendor! I got it from a slightly different angle today, and as you can see in the background, there are plenty more buds coming up too! The bush will be covered with blooms pretty soon!

A New Start

Looking outside this morning, I noticed that our white rose bush had a few blooms on it. I padded outside, camera in hand, to see what there was to be seen. The fully open blooms were lovely, but this bud was just crying out to me to take its picture. Who am I to deny a flower it's first wish? It's another bud that I'll try to keep my eye on, and hopefully capture it in various stages of opening.

Erin the... Midfielder?

Since Erin's been playing soccer, her position of choice has been defense. It doesn't matter if it's left, right, or mid, that's where she's like to be. It's why I gave her the nickname Erin the Defender. This season, she's branched out into goalie, but she really doesn't like it as much, and has pretty much decided to break it to her coaches this week that she doesn't want to play it anymore. At today's game, though, she asked her coach to let her play midfield, and in the 4th quarter, she gave this new role a try. She loved it! She ran around a lot more than she does on defense, but also got to get involved with the ball more as well. Who knows...? Maybe this will become her new position of choice. As far as I'm concerned, long as she keeps enjoying it, she can play whatever position she wants!

Budding Springtime (Part 2)

On Wednesday, my POTD was of a bud that I'd found in the backyard. My intention was to take a picture of it each day until it bloomed. I missed yesterday (wow, what a nutty day THAT was!), but figured I'd get it today instead. Imagine my surprise when I found it wide open this morning! I guess if you miss a day in nature, you miss a lot! I just love the colors in it, though, from the vibrant yellow to the whisper-soft purple. Have I mentioned that I just love spring?

What a Bunch of Cuties

I guess the post title says it all... But there was something about this box of little oranges that just made me smile. They were so, well, cute! They were part of the snacks at Erin's Girl Scout meeting today, but not quite as popular as the Pringles snack packs. Hmmm...  Anyone surprised by that?

Budding Springtime

I just love spring. One of the things that I enjoy about it the most is walking outside and seeing something that wasn't there before, but would be beautiful in a few days. Such will no doubt be the case with this beauty. I'll have to keep my eye on it and capture it again as it reveals itself!

Sweet Dreams are Made of This

Some kids sleep with a teddy bear. Some sleep with a security blanket. Some just need their thumbs. For Erin, it takes a menagerie to have a good night's sleep, apparently. On her bed with her each night are:

• Lucky - This Dalmation was "adopted" by Erin when she was just over a year old, and has been her sleeping companion ever since. He's accompanied us on all kind of vacations, from car rides to cruises.
• Doggie - A black Lab made with love at Build-A-Bear pretty soon after Lucky joined our family.
• Birthday Bear - I honestly don't remember where this one came from (bad Mommy, I know), but s/he suddenly re-appeared on Erin's bed a few nights ago.
• Funship Freddy - A gift to Erin from some friends that we cruised with in February.
• Blankie - A blanket made as a baby gift for me when Erin was born.

Wow! Who knew that a 9-year old could fit so many fun and comforting creatures into bed with her each night! Good thing she has a queen-sized bed, because she also sleeps with our 70-pound Lab, Molly!

Nothin' But Net

I tried taking pictures at the beach today, but just wasn't thrilled with the results. So I schlepped my camera to Erin's soccer practice. Along with getting some adorable pictures of the girls doing their thing, I also captured this shot of the goal net, which I thought was pretty good. I love the perspective, and this new lens is so sharp that you can see how the ropes are braided together. Cool!

It's 5:00 Somewhere

Today was really gray outside and we decided to spend it at home. Fine and dandy, except it requires more creativity in order to capture a POTD. As I was washing the dishes, I noticed the light shining on the martini glasses across the room, and grabbed my camera. Kind of a cool perspective, and I was pleased that the dust didn't show too badly.  LOL!

The Sweet Taste of Success

Today was a Saturday in April, so that means that Erin had a soccer game! Today, her team finally won its first real game. (They won a scrimmage last week, but it didn't count towards their team's record. Figures!) It was a tight and close game, and Erin had the added pressure of performing for Grandmom (LOL!), but the girls were very excited to come through their tunnel after the game, all wearing big smiles and very proud of themselves. Final score: Holland - 4, South Africa - 3. (Can you tell that the league decided on a World Cup theme for the spring season?)  Go Holland!

Getting Lost

In the last year, Erin has really become quite a reader. It started last summer when she decided to read the Harry Potter series. She started reading them in June, and in October (just before her 9th birthday) finished the 7th and final book. Since then, she's read everything from the first book in the Twilight series (the only one I'll let her read at this point) to a few Judy Blume classics. Her latest literary obsession is the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Today we went to Barnes & Noble so I could buy her books 2 and 3 in the series, which (the way she reads) should keep her busy through the weekend. I have to say, though, I love seeing her getting lost in a book. It reminds me of myself at that age. I only hope that her love of the written word lasts throughout her lifetime, as it has for me so far.

A Rose by Any Other Name

Today, Mom, Erin, Erin's friend Emily, and I drove up to the Fullerton Arboretum, located on the California State Fullerton campus. It was very different than the other arboretums we've been to (specifically the University of Pennsylvania's Morris Arboretum, where it felt like both Erin and I were partially raised), in that it was less formally organized and felt more natural in some ways. We had a fantastic time wandering around the different growing areas, and I got some incredible flower shots. (Boy, do I love taking pictures of flowers!)  This is probably my favorite shot of the day, in inside of a beautiful, pale pink rose in the rose garden. You can almost smell the intoxicating fragrance! The rest of my pictures can be seen here starting on Photo 222.

On a Mission

Today's adventure took our trio to the Mission San Juan Capistrano, one of California's 24 Missions, and the so-called "Jewel of the Missions." It was a gorgeous day to walk around the property's grounds, buildings, and gardens (oh! the gardens!), with lots of sunshine and a totally cloudless sky. The Mission has such an incredible history from its 200+ years, and it was fascinating to read and hear about it. The rest of my pictures from today (including some of the Mission's beautiful flowers) can be found here, starting on Photo 169.

The Animal in You

Thankfully, we woke up today to find that the weather was as gorgeous as had been promised! We headed out the door at around 9:30 with our destination being the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. Mom had never been, and we figured it would be a great day. The park was more crowded than we'd expected (we'd never had to wait to get into the parking lot before!), but once inside, the only places it was evident was in the lines for either the safari ride or the butterfly exhibit, both of which we decided to skip. But we had a fabulous time wandering around taking in both the animals and the gorgeous flowers that the park has to offer.  More pictures from our visit can be seen here, starting with picture 121.

How to Spend a Rainy Day

Unfortunately, we woke up this morning to a rather dreary day, which was kind of a bummer seeing as it was Erin's first day of spring break and my mom's here visiting. Oh well... After the busy weekend we had, having a day to spend at home was kind of nice! I got dinner in the crock pot before noon, and then baked a batch of our favorite Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. Mom had never tasted them before, but I think she's now a convert too. Just as the cookies were finished, the sun finally broke through the clouds, and the rest of the week look beautiful, weather-wise, so we'll no doubt be out and about. Woo-hoo!

Up, Up, Up We Go!

Today we drove out to Palm Springs to get some lunch and go up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the Mount San Jacinto State Park to wander around in the snow and take in the sites. It was a gorgeous day in Palm Springs, with temperatures almost 80 degrees. At the top of the tram, though, (at 8,500 feet) there was still lots of snow on the ground and temperatures were only in the high 30s - with wind chills around 25! It was simply stunning, though. The view of the mountains, clouds, wild birds, and yes, the snow, all made for an incredibly memorable day! More pictures of our visit can be seen here, starting on Page 4.

The Getty

We made today an L.A. day. We left the house at around 9:00 and drove up to the L.A. Farmers Market to have breakfast at Du-Pars (ooh, their pancakes are to die for!). After that, we drove to The Getty and spent a few hours wandering around the gardens and some of the exhibits. It was a fantastic opportunity to try out my new lens! They have a marvelous exhibit going on now focused on Leonardo da Vinci, which was fascinating! It included a lot of sketches that he'd made for his painting and inventions. There was something almost voyeuristic about looking at them - it's hard to explain. It was truly a fantastic day! I have more pictures from our time there (as well as the rest of my mom's visit) posted here, if you'd like to take a look. 

Happiness is...

This afternoon started Erin's spring break. Yeah! To celebrate and help kick it off in style, Mom and I took her to Farrell's for lunch and a delicious Oreo Bliss sundae. (OK, so it wasn't exactly a low point lunch, Weight Watchers style, but it was a special occasion!) It was my mom's first trip to Farrell's in probably 35 years, and just as much fun as she remembered.

After we got home, the doorbell rang, and I opened the door to find a somewhat heavy box out front addressed to Jim. I IMd him to see what he ordered, and he said it was some movies for Erin and that I shouldn't open it. Hmmm... Kinda heavy for movies. Then I mentioned that I couldn't wait to get the lens I'd decided on for my birthday (which isn't for a few weeks) and he said I could open the box. It was my new lens! I can't believe he bought it for me! Woo-hoo! It's a Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. I've only taken a few pictures with it so far, but boy... It's gonna be great!  Here's my favorite shot from this afternoon. I'm going to love this!

Then and Now...

Erin and my mother have always had a most special relationship. Like I always was with my mother's mother, Erin and Mom are incredibly close. It's something that's always been very important to me, and it makes me so happy to see how much they enjoy each other's company. Unfortunately, now that we live 3,000 miles away from each other, our time together is much more limited, but whenever we visit each other, the laughs and good times are simply non-stop. What better subjects could I pick for the theme this week of then and now? My first picture is of them after Erin's first bath when she was just 2 weeks old. The other two were shot 5 minutes ago. Can you feel the love?