Time keeps on ticking

I want to begin by sincerely thanking all of you for your prayers and support for Yaya and our family.  She is doing well and is resilient in light of the news we shared with her a few weeks ago.  Thank you.  Thank you. Thank you for your prayers.

As for life, it continues to tick by quickly these days.  I honestly don't know where March and April have gone.  We enjoyed some time away during spring break.  My mom joined us for a road trip to meet Bird's sister and her family at Disneyland for 4 days and we had a blast.  It was all a complete surprise for Yaya.  We didn't want to tell her we were going to Disney in case we were matched with a baby at the last minute so we told her we were just going to the beach.  When she finally realized where we were the expression on her face was priceless.

Our visit to Disney this year was much different than last year.  Yaya was fearful of the rides even the ones she loved last year.  The thing that really got to her though were the villain's voices and laughter.  She's 5 so we know it's normal to be more fearful of things once in awhile.  We were shocked but we had fun anyway and enjoyed all the other activities the park had to offer.  Besides, Yaya was in hog heaven just being with her cousins.  She could have cared less about the rides and such.

Priceless memories were made between these three.  I love the relationship they share and Yaya absolutely longs for them when they're apart.  We're already busy planning our trip to meet up with them again in July. 

Do we really have to go home?

The last morning of our trip began in Aptos, California and after a leisurely breakfast, we headed to Seacliff State Beach to see the Cement ship. Bird and Yaya couldn't stop themselves from racing to the end of the long pier only to end in "a tie."  Standing there looking at the wreckage it is difficult to understand why anyone would think building a cement boat of any kind would be a good idea but what do we know?  We toured the little shop that held a small museum and a baby shark too.  Yaya enjoyed the hand's on portion of the museum. Bird and I enjoyed looking at the art and reading about the ship and area history.  

 

Our next stop along Hwy 101 was Capitola beach.  My parents had told us about the colorful little cottages along the water's edge and we were excited to check them out.  Yaya couldn't wait to play in the sand with all the kids.  Bird and I couldn't wait to wander along the cute little shops and restaurants and snap pictures.  After taking some pictures, I attempted to join Yaya and Bird across a small inlet of water.  Bird assured me it wasn't too deep so imagine my shocked when two waves caught me from behind at the same time soaking me and my pants.  Bird had a chuckle at my expense as I shrieked and tried to escape.  I'm sure several others did too.  In case you didn't already know this about me, I'm a huge klutz and if something is going to go awry it will inevitably happen to me. Don't believe me?  On our return back to the main beach Bird and Yaya made it across without any problems.  I was only 2 steps behind them but once again got soaked.  Picture me taking my final "graceful" leap to safety up a 3 foot sand bar.  I felt my left foot reach the dry sand at the edge of the small cliff when suddenly the sand beneath my feet gave way.  Just as my right foot reached high dry land my left foot hit the bottom and I found myself doing the most awkward standing splits imaginable. That's when the water washed over my backside for the second time.  Bird tried to rescue me but it was too late.  Walking back to the car I found myself feeling more than a little embarrassed and I imagined the laughter I heard coming from across the beach was aimed at me. It couldn't have been at anything else. Could it?  LOL 

 

While I attempted to dry myself in the sun, Bird walked down the street and bought 3 slices of pizza for us at Pizza My Heart.  It had the crunchiest thin wood fired crust we've had since living in Italy.  It was so good I almost forgot about my embarrassing moment in the waves.  ALMOST! 

After lunch, we decided it was time to continue up the coast.  We pulled off at Lighthouse State Beach to see what else? The lighthouse.  When we stepped out of the car we were immediately welcomed by Monarch butterflies flying through the air.  I decided I wanted to try and take a picture of Yaya in the tall flowers with the butterflies.  Never in a million years could I have imagined what we would soon come across.  As we were snapping a family shot a man came and told Bird we should go look in the tall trees to see hundreds of butterflies.  We quickly found this was a tremendous understatement.  The trees were THICK with them!  Yaya swears there were millions of Monarch butterflies and I might have to agree with her.  Here are just a few of our favorite shots we captured.  I couldn't help but feel fortunate to witness what must be one of God's tiny miracles.  We spent over an hour watching them flit through the air and light up the trees with color.

We finally tore ourselves away from the butterflies and walked back to the lighthouse.  Once again we found ourselves distracted from the main attraction.  Bird began talking to a local surfer while Yaya and I stood watching the surfers from the point.   These men and women were amazing!  Their grace while surfing made my embarrasing romp in the shallow waves even more comical.  All three of us found ourselves hypnotized.  We silently cheered or groaned amongst ourselves for each surfer as they attempted to catch the next perfect wave. 

One brave surfer even managed to do flips on his board while riding the top of a wave.  I'm sure there is a technical name for this move but I have no idea what it is.   Anyway, this was my best shot of it because unfortunately for me it was his last ride of the day.  I really wish I could've kept trying to catch him.

Around 4:00 we continued down the coast and happened upon Kelly's French Bakery and decided to grab dinner and take it with us to the next beach.  Oh my heavens, their food and coffee is delicious! It hit the spot and was a perfect place to stop in route to our final destination of the day.  Be sure to check it out if you're in the area!

Our last stop of the day ended up being Natural Bridges State Beach.  We had hoped to get further up the coast but couldn't complain about all the happy little distractions we'd found along the way.  It turns out this was the perfect place to end the day and our trip together.  We played in the sand again and enjoyed seeing her relax and simply be a kid.  We also had fun taking turns snapping photos of the amazing scenery and activities happening around us.  

Surprise surprise, we were the last people to leave the beach.  We just couldn't tear ourselves away from the beauty before us.  We watched until only a streak of dark red could be seen across the horizon and reflected in the water below.  It was the perfect way to end our mini family vacation.

The only question left was DO WE REALLY HAVE TO GO HOME?

Ahhhhhhhhh!

We just returned from what might have been the best mini vacation EVER.  Bird and I wanted to get away and Yaya just so happened to have a week off for winter break.  We quickly hatched a plan to go beach hopping on Hwy 101 along the California coast.  The only set objective if you will was to take photos of the coast while enjoying some family time together in the sun.  Never in a million years could we have planned such a perfect trip.  So many happy accidents fell into place making this a family vacation that will be very hard to beat.

We began our trip in Marina, California where we stayed within walking distance from the beach. When we arrived Tuesday afternoon, our car's thermostat said it was only 51 degrees.  The sky was dark grey and thick fog hung heavily just off shore. None of that mattered to us.  We couldn't put our bags away and get bundled up fast enough.  None of us could wait to start exploring our new surroundings.  We quickly found the beach was practically empty.  In fact, in some spots our footprints were the only ones on the beach.  At times, the monochromatic appearance of the waves, beach and foggy sky made it difficult to determine exactly where the ocean and the sky became one.  I loved watching how the sky would grow really dark only to see the sun suddenly poke through softly illuminating portions of the empty beach and surf. 

We had so much fun playing and just being together in the sand.  No matter how many layers we put on Yaya she found a way to take them off or alter them to her liking.  She is wearing pants in the middle photo but somehow she managed to pull them tightly enough around her thighs to make them into shorts.

(The outer photos were actually taken the next morning at sunrise.)

After a few hours on the beach we decided it was time to get cleaned up and go to dinner.  Bird found a brochure for Lugano Swiss Bistro in the hotel lobby and off we went to find it.  As we approached Carmel the sun began peeking through the clouds.  At the very last minute we decided to take a detour towards 17 Mile drive to watch the sunset.  Boy oh Boy was that ever a sunset to remember!  The shots below were taken on the coast near The Lone Cypress though it is not actually pictured.

We finished the first day at Lugano Swiss Bistro by sharing a savory cheese fondue complete with sliced apples, broccoli, cauliflower and bread for dipping.  We also shared the Schnitzel plate complete with schnitzel, salad, spaetzel and sweet cabbage salad too.  Yaya loved being able to play with her food while snuggling between us.  Bird and I loved sitting outside together around a cozy fire while sharing a glass of wine and food together. 

We couldn't have ended our first night of vacation any better!

Thursday Thanks

It's been so long since I last shared I honestly don't know where to begin. I guess I'll give you a quick recap of our holiday activities.  We drove out to see Bird's side of the family for Thanksgiving on the 17th and returned home on the 27th.  It was a perfect family vacation spent playing games, visiting, eating and eating and eating.  Did I mention we did a lot of eating?  It's hard not to with a mother-in-law and a sister-in-law who are such fantastic cooks.  The holidays have officially arrived.   The pictures I'm sharing below are just a few of our highlights.

Playing games and reading with cousins on Grandma Bo's Nook.

Painting with watercolors with Bo and I.

I got to see and capture some amazing shots of our nation's bird, the bald eagle.  I am completely in love with this amazing creature and it's sheer strength and power.

Show time at aunt Allison's house was a giggle a minute.  By the way, my niece, Kendall beat me at every game we played.  She's a smart one that girl!  I'm going to have to practice up on my game playing skills before we see them next.

Family photo opportunity on Thanksgiving day.  We have so much to be thankful for!

I'm especially thankful for this cute shot of Yaya and I together.

Picking up my smoochy.

Finally, the end of our trip was in sight.  We were on the last leg of our trip and were headed to pick up Yaya from her week with Bird's parents.  As we drove down Snowqamy Pass just outside of Seattle, my mom's car started acting up.  Thankfully, we made it to our hotel without breaking down on the side of the mountain or in Seattle's rush hour traffic.  After checking into our hotel, we made arrangements to have her car looked at and set up a time and place to meet Bird's parents to pick up Yaya the next morning. First thing the next morning (Monday) we learned the transmission in my mom's car needed to be replaced.  Good news, it was under warranty.  Bad news it would take til Friday (maybe longer) to get all the parts in and replaced.  After making some quick changes in plans we arranged to stay with my uncle and we were finally off in our rental car to pick Yaya up.  I've never been so happy to see my "little smoochy!"  It felt so good to hug her and hold her in my arms again.  Sigh!   She had so much fun with Bird's family and couldn't stop talking about all the fun things they did together.  

 The entire trip God opened doors with perfect timing.  My uncle had the next several days off from work due to his schedule rotation which meant we had a cozy place to stay in Seattle and a wonderful tour guide.  The next morning we were off to spend some time at Pike Place Market.

We found a bracelet with Yaya's name on it which is a first and my uncle bought one for her. 

(When we first brought Yaya home I was at a craft fair and asked a man in one of the boothes if he had her name on one of his products.  His response was, "You parents that give your kids crazy names and expect us to have them available need to rethink a few things." I will never forget his rudeness or his hurtful comment.  I imagine he doesn't do much business with an attitude like that!) 

We had a blast watching the fishermen throw the catch of the day back and forth.  Yaya even saw a goat's tongue at one of the boothes and couldn't believe people would eat such a thing.  Can you see the flying crab I've pointed to in the picture?

After a delicious lunch we headed out to ride the Duck bus.  It is a tour bus that goes all over Seattle by land and water!  Yaya loved the little duck bill we bought her.  We however, grew quite tired of hearing it's loud QUACK pretty quickly!  Go figure!

We floated by the house from the movie Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks. 

I LOVE THIS MOVIE don't you?

One of the next nights my uncle took Yaya and I to the highest point in Seattle to watch the sunset.  There were photographers lined up everywhere so I knew I must be in the right place.  It's easy to see why Seattle is called the "Emerald City" in the shot below.  I love it because both the Space Needle and Mount Rainier are in it.  Can you see Mt. Rainier peeking from behind the clouds on the right?

While I was snapping pictures Yaya and Kevin were playing down below at a local playground.  They had a blast together sliding, swinging and spinning each other on this little seat.  Little being the key word.  I enjoyed running up and down the hill capturing moments with them together and seeing the lighting change on the Seattle skyline as the sun set behind the hills.

We had a great time making lemonade from the lemons we were dealt in Seattle.  My uncle, Kevin and his partner Zeus treated us like ROYALTY and spoiled us rotten while we were with them.  We really appreciate them letting us drop in unexpectedly and for taking such good care of us.

Family and Makoshika State Park

While we were home, we were able to spend a few nights with my mom's "little" brother, Steve and his wife. During our time with them they took us up to Makoshika State Park for a little sight seeing. This park looks similar to the badlands in the Dakotas but according to their official website the exposed earth is much older. I also read this is one of the largest state parks in Montana.  I was once again struck by the beauty and stark contrasts of life and death in this rugged terrain.  Bird, Yaya and I would have so much fun hiking out there together.

Who wouldn't love to sit on this bench daily and watch the sunrise or set in front of your eyes? 

I couldn't help myself I just loved these wildflowers and old posts. 

Sitting atop this vista I imagined hearing Yaya's excited voice exclaiming, "Momma!  I can see the whole world from up here!"  Yeah, I was missing my little smoochie like crazy!

Here's a shot I took of my aunt Donna, uncle Steve and my mom as the sun was setting!  You should know, my aunt Donna has given me some of the BEST marital and parenting advice a girl could ask for.  She also gives the BEST hugs in the world!  Seriously, if you ever feel like your world is falling apart one of her hugs will give you the comfort and strength you need to get back up and face another day with renewed hope.

By the way, did you know you can bake a pie on your BBQ?  My aunt Donna and uncle Steve have mastered this technique.  Oh my heaven's I wish I had taken photos of their delicious pies! 

A Little "Side Trip"

While I was vacationing in MT I took a little side trip overnight with my grandparents and cousin, Debbie to Medora, North Dakota. If you haven't heard of it that's OK. However, you should know it's a town with some amazing history and it's surrounded by Teddy Roosevelt National Park. According to Teddy himself, this part of the country is what made him decide to run for president.  That's pretty amazing don't you think? 

  

Anyway, my grandparents try to go to Medora once or twice a year to see the annual show which is in a huge open stage theater located in Teddy Roosevelt National Park. The town of Medora itself looks like what you might picture of "The Old West."  When you walk down the streets with the wooden sidewalks and old fashioned store fronts you feel as though you've just stepped back in time.  Don't worry, Medora has great shops, restaurants, hotels and fun activities for every age and interest.  What I really love about this town is how friendly it is.  Both the people and the buildings beckon you to come on in, sit a spell and relax.  The staff around town come from all over the world not just North Dakota as you might expect.  As we talked to the people working we could see the pride they have for what they do.  They are just as enamored with Medora as it's guests are.  The staff like many guests come back year after year to work and play. 

Take the post office for example.  One of the employees has made it her added duty to care for the garden out front.  It was warm and welcoming with special little touches in each corner.

Could these birdhouses hanging in front be any cuter?

I'm telling you, it's the little touches all over Medora that remind you why this country is so great.  As I wandered through town, I was reminded of how blessed I am to be American.  More importantly, I was reminded of the hard work and sacrifices it took to make this country what it is today.  

We drove out to one of the scenic stops just before sunset and these are a few shots of the North Dakota badlands.  You should know, they aren't normally this green in July.  This year they've received unusually high levels of rain and humidity.  I enjoyed seeing the contrasting colors of the soil against the vibrant green hilltops and valleys. This shot might give you an idea of the abundance of color found throughout this area of the U.S.

This "lookout" is also well known for the abundance of wildlife which can be seen and that evening was no acception.  I had to zoom pretty close with my lens so please pardon the graininess of the shot.  We couldn't figure out why this buffalo was so angry.  We could see her stomping and kicking up dust all around but we couldn't see why.  As I was transferring my photos onto the computer I noticed a face in the trees.  In the shot below our questions were answered and you can see a deer emerging from the thicket. Pretty cool aye?  Though after seeing what a buffalo can do to a car I wouldn't put my money on the deer coming out ahead of this little challenge.

Here are my "side trip" buddies. 

We had such a nice time sitting together under the stars, watching the show and listening to the music.   I guarantee you won't see another show like this one.  What makes it so different is how the sunsets across the badlands surrounding the stage. The hills appear to go on forever and the view is constantly changing and absolutely spectacular.  If that weren't enough to get'cha right "THERE" then add my grandfather's amazing voice as he sings along with the show.  You should know he has one of those voices that makes you just feel all cozy, warm and fuzzy inside.  Do you know what I mean?  I could listen to him sing forever, especially if he's singing something spiritual or patriotic. 

LOOK OUT! 

(If you would like to know more about these spots click on the highlighted pink words above and it'll take you to the official links.)

Taking A Breather

It has been crazy around here since returning from Disney.  Between making and selling 50 of my cards, fixing my messed up blog, running Yaya here and there for play dates and daily activities, I've had little time for blogging.  I'm thankful for all of it but boy oh boy have I missed my time here reflecting. 

In addition, we found out we weren't chosen for another baby, two actually.  It was hard news to hear BUT we rest in the understanding and faith that God has other plans for our family.  Instead of stewing on it, I'm going to pick myself up and focus on the blessings I do have here and now. 

While on vacation, we spent a morning relaxing at the beach.  It was pure HEAVEN!  We always talk about how much fun we had last spring on the beach with Bird's family in Oregon.   This trip was no different. 

We packed a picnic lunch.

Bird, Doug and Allison played a little Bacci on the beach.  The seagulls proved to be "scavengers" when they fought over the white bacci ball and one even attempted to carry it off which made for an interesting round.

The girls played in the waves. 

I caught this surfer coming out of the water with 11 cranes or albatross (I can't be sure which) flying in formation along the horizon of the water.  LOVE THIS SHOT! 

This woman's silhouette struck me as a classic beach shot. Her hat and sunglasses gave it an old fashioned look to boot.

I couldn't believe my eyes when Bird yelled at me and pointed out to the water.  Racing across the horizon was a pod of dolphins.  Watching their backs shimmer in the sunlight as their dorsal fins arched out of the water over and over again was breathtaking.  Just my luck, I didn't have the long lense on my camera so this is the best shot I could get. 

My niece, Kendall and I had fun together watching these little critters get washed up by a wave and quickly dig themselves back into the sand for safety.   

These two were shameless and appeared to be infatuated with one another. They cooed and nuzzled one another.  They groomed one another and snuggled close.  It was very sweet and it's exactly how I plan to spend the rest of my week.  Snuggled close to my family, loving on them and attending to their every need. 

Disney Snapshots

What a fun week we had at Disney!  I can't believe how fast our time there flew by.  I think Yaya was starting to think we were NEVER going to Disney because we've been talking about it and counting down the days since Christmas morning.  She was more than a little excited and hyped up. 

Our first morning at the park started off a little cold and wet but that also meant we had the park pretty much to ourselves.  We kicked it off at Toon Town, then road a few rides before heading off to Goofy's Kitchen for brunch.  While there we met several characters and I do mean CHARACTERS!  They were so much fun and they played with the kids, snuck up behind them, danced with them and best of all gave wonderful hugs too.  Something that really shocked us was how smitten Yaya was with Pluto. She's usually pretty nervous around costumes like this.  We thought for sure the princesses would be her favorite.  NOT EVEN CLOSE!

The pictures below were taken throughout our 3 days at the park.  Yaya's favorites were Mickey and Handy Manny.  Handy Manny had fun teasing and playing with Yaya while he scribbled his autograph down for her. Cruella De Ville has quite the fun job, while everyone else puts on "happy faces" she snarls and grumbles at everyone which made for some funny moments.  Yaya didn't act very excited to see Mary Poppins but later talked all about her to my mom.  It's funny how they always surprise you that way.  The thing we couldn't let Yaya miss was storytime with a princess.  She lives and breathes princesses you know.  We were thrilled to listen to Snow White and Prince Charming tell their "love" story together.

It's not often all three of us are in a photo together.  Having 5 photos together from one trip makes me feel like I hit the jackpot! 

Bird's parents used their Time Share points so we could all stay at the Sheridan.  Every morning and afternoon we were treated like royalty with the food and drinks served in the Club room.  A girl could get used to being pampered like that.

I'm having some technical difficulties and had to delete some of my old photos. It seems I've somehow had multiple pics duplicated and had to delete some in order to free up space for new ones. If you come across a post w/o pictures will you please let me know so I can fix it?  You can email me on my frizzyandbird@yahoo.com email address.  Thanks

Time Keeps On Slipping Slipping Slipping

Saturday we headed out for a day on the beach to enjoy the sun and the sand before the rainy weather rolled in.  It couldn't have been a prettier day.  No wind, no clouds, no crowds!  Just sunshine, sand and surf all around.  As always, Yaya made friends right away and they got busy playing t-ball, chasing the waves and making sand castles.  All the photos below were taken with my point and shoot digital camera not my new fancy one.  I just couldn't risk taking it to the beach and having something happen to it.

The big kids had just as much fun as the little ones. 

It's always hard to pack up and head home. 

We stopped one last time to enjoy the sunset at Muir Point before heading back into the city.

This is my attempt at piecing the panoramic view of the coast together with photos taken minutes apart and from different spots.

Here are the shots I took as the sun was setting behind the clouds and finally the horizon. Evy, Gina these were taken in honor of your mother/grandmother.

We ended the day with dinner at Amici's.  Man oh man were those pizzas delicious!

The Trentino had Mozzarella, Parmesan, Crumbled Feta, Baby Spinach, Red Onions, Pancetta (Italian Bacon), Herbs, and Meyer Lemon Olive Oil (No Tomato Sauce)

The Greek Isle Pizza had Crumbled Feta, Mozzarella, Artichoke Hearts, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (No Tomato Sauce)

  

Yaya shared a bowl of steaming penne pasta and meatballs with Pappy and fell asleep as soon as she was done.  This little girl of ours was so tired she didn't wake up til 7:30 Sunday morning. 

That's what we call the perfect ending to a perfect day!