Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

The annual neighborhood Easter egg hunt. 



I love having kids for so many reasons.  One is getting to dress my tiny boy in plaid pants and a preppy sweater vest.  My days are numbered doing this.  I know that. 



This is usually how it goes when I say, "Smile!"



This is after I said, "Luca.  Please.  Let me take one decent shot so when I'm in a nursing home when I'm 108 years old I have a cute photo."



Mia is becoming so grown up. 



Luca insisted on going with Mia into the 6 - 8 year old division of hunters.  I tried to explain logic.  "Listen kid.  You'll get so many more eggs if you hunt with those your own age.  They look weaker.  I mean, seriously, you can take that crowd with your eyes closed."  He didn't heed my advice.  Mia said, "Mom, I've got him.  Come on Buddy."  Needless to say, she talked a good game about helping him and held his hand tightly initially.  But that horn blasted and off she went.  Luca got two eggs.  Better luck next year tiny L. 



This one is a heartbreaker.  These two kids fight almost constantly lately.  But they have these very genuine (fleeting) moments of sweet tenderness.  When I catch one, it's like catching a glimpse of a rainbow.  Or a meteor. 



This might be my favorite shot of the day.  I lost Luca for a bit and found him in this position, peeking into the fire truck.  A followed behind and watched as he asked this giant fireman to lift him up into the truck. 



Checking for goodies with a school chum. 



Fireman Luca.  This is his dream right here so this was a big moment. 



One parting shot.  "Luca.  PLEASE.  Make one normal face.  Just one."  I'll try again tomorrow. 

Iphone diaries

I haven't dumped my photos in awhile.  Call it work.  Call it motherhood.  Call it the flu.  Call it life.  Sometimes it all just eats you up and spits you out. 

I've been spit out though and I've lived to tell the tale. 

Springtime in Colorado is an interesting contrast.  Firepits on occasion and swimsuits too.  You never know what you're going to get. 

This spring means practicing for her end of year ballet performance.  She loves to dance and carries her tiny dance bag into class every Thursday... 

and skitters around the slippery floors with her friends.  

Snow days are abundant in the spring....

and with that come hours of play outside. 

Along with snow days, come the warm days that bookend them.  Kids come to play dressed for winter and end up stripping down. 

Mud is our middle name around here.  Dog paws.  Boy prints.  Girl twirl marks.  I've totally given up keeping the dirt out.  I call it "earthy living". 

Spring is for shopping for some new duds.  Mia rocks some great outfits these days, even giving me advice sometimes.  Here, at Old Navy, she instructed me to pull out my phone to capture her modeling with the mannequins.  Notice that she isn't smiling.  She told me they shouldn't be either.  Work it sister fierce.  Work it. 

Spring is for ladies tea at the Brown.  Champagne and Shirley temples.  Yes please. 

Lyla, our fantastic cousin/niece, is a national sensation now!  She took her cupcakes on the road and was interviewed by Al Roker on the Today Show!  She had a party here in Denver to celebrate and here the cousins piled together to congratulate her!

Spring is for new haircuts.  Luca loves to roll with the big men at his favorite salon and I love to see him amongst the tattoos and muscles. 

Spring is for daddy/daughter dates.  V and Mia went to the Botanic Gardens and lunch.  Lucky girl to date V. 

I got these two cuties to myself when we stopped the other day at Starbucks for a quick school recap.  We sipped drinks with our elbows touching and shared a donut.  Mia asked me, "Mom?  Why do teachers ask questions that we already know the answers to?"  I paused, loving my smart girl so tremendously in that moment that I had to take some time to drink in the question.  Before I could even answer, she clarified her question.  "That's not what I mean.  I actually want to know why teachers ask questions that THEY already know the answer to."  We discussed education and together we challenged the very notion of "teaching" and "learning".  I pictured us, as adults, over wine pondering deep and sensitive topics.  I feel tremendously proud of these feisty (read: hard to raise at times) THINKERS. 

Viva la Spring my friends.  Drink this season in.