All we need is love.

Well, love and a little perserverance.

And a sense of humor.

And the ability to admit a mistake.

And trust.

And kindness.

And patience.

Okay, we need a lot of stuff to keep our marriage strong.

And look at us. We've got it all.

Thanks for marrying me three years ago love...cheers to forever!

PEPS fun.

Our PEPS group is awesome. I love them all. It's been such a treat for us to watch Charlotte grow through her first year with these kiddos.

Our latest adventure has been swimming "lessons".
I'm sure you understand why lessons is in quotes.

Though our squish doesn't look quite sure of things in this picture...once we found her that water toy, she was happy as could be.

Babes with their daddys.

I think we've got a water baby on our hands.

Things have been good.

Like most things, life has its ebbs and flows. Good weeks, and hard weeks. Joyful times, and challenging times.

Lately, our flow has been pretty sweet.

Maybe it's the spurts of good weather we've been having...maybe it's the fun new things Charlotte is doing each day...maybe it's because work/life balance has felt more balanced. Or maybe it's a combination of all those things.

Whatever it is, it feels good.

We enjoyed a weekend at home that was sprinkled with so many of those things that make up "a good weekend". No rushing, no real schedule...just time.

Time to do things like swing at the park, and go on runs, and work in the yard, and golf...and relax.

Oh, and enjoy a delicious Royal Wedding brunch with girlfriends. The perfect topping to any weekend.

We didn't really have Chambord with our mimosa's and coffee. We just thought it looked quite regal, wouldn't you agree?

Yes, things have indeed been good.

And just as quickly as it came...

...it has left us again.

Our friend the sunshine.

However, rather than focus on the sad fact that our spring continues to be more reminiscent of fall, let's focus on the amazing day we had.

Because if there is one thing Seattle-ites do well, it's that we don't take good weather days for granted. No way...when the sun comes out to play, we willingly oblige. We jump in head first. We throw on our sun-dresses and flip-flops and embrace our Pacific Northwest pasty-white-haven't-seen-the-sun-in-months skin and go with it.

Charlotte hasn't been in the grass since she was 3 months old so this was a whole new experience for her.

It was the perfect day to celebrate our bride-to-be Diggy. In fact, it seems lately if someone plans a shower of some sort the weather takes a cue and cooperates quite nicely. Good thing we've got lots of showers (of the non-weather type) in store this summer.

Per my usual, I spent a lot of time hovered around the food table.

Who could blame me with these delicious morsels?!

Perfecting her wave with Aunt Shelly.

And even though to us, we believe Easter is about so much more than bunnies and eggs...those bunnies and eggs sure are fun.

It was a special Easter. Another first. And like we do with the sun...
we held our arms open, and soaked it up.

Glimpses of Spring.

Spring is Seattle this year has been undeniably less than favorable. I think we are all ready for some sunshine, even if it comes with cooler temperatures. Over the past few weeks, we have gotten a few glimpses of our springtime...

Even if it requires a stocking cap, we'll take the no rain/party sunny days and run with it.

With the non-spring Spring we've been having, I find myself looking for little ways to make it feel more springy, even if the weather isn't cooperating.

My latest and greatest tip: mini carnations.

Now before you write off carnations, just wait. They certainly aren't my favorite flower either, and any of them that are dyed to match certain corresponding holidays are definitely off limits, but I really think you can't go wrong with a bouquet of white mini's. For about $6, I was able to make not one, not two, no my friends- not even three, but FOUR arrangements for our home. Talk about bang for your buck!

And what's even better? They have lasted for over two weeks! Here's hoping that the weatherman is right in predicting a bit of sunshine for us later this week.
Cheers friends and happy Monday!

1st dress up

Learning from a pro, Miss Adelaide Lovik, on how dress up is done.

Two things just kill me about this photo: 1. Holy schmoly...THAT is a flower. It is quite literally this size of her head. 2. How big my little girl looks! She's starting to play with the big girls...

Sixty.

Today he would have been 60. We will celebrate his wonderful life, remember his loving smile and think about how lucky we were. His is my dad...Charlotte's grandpa...and is missed today a little more than usual.

I treasure this picture of the two of us, in all it's faded loveliness. I love how he's looking up at me here. And how today, instead of looking up...he's looking down on me from afar.

There is comfort in that. Happy birthday dad. I love you.

Duet.

The first of {hopefully} many.

Seriously?

All this, for one night away?

True story.

Well hello old friend...

Yes you.

My little ol' blog.

I've been negleting you as of lately, and for that I am sorry. Life just gets busy doesn't it?! And finding time to blog? Well, that just sometimes goes out the window. Bravo to all you out there who post daily. I am in awe.

The problem with getting off track on my little blog world here is the vast openness that sits in front of me when I finally do find time to sit down to write...where to begin?

So much has happened, so little has happened. Changes, updates, goals, fears, highs, lows...I want to get them all down on "paper" here, but then at times days pass and I find it hard to find the words to start. How will I remember years from now the week that she finally started tolerating food with chunks? or started taking her first legitimate crawls? Will I remember the wonderful challenge it is to got out to eat with a 10 month old? Or how lovely that over-due dinner gathering with girlfriends was? I hope that I will. Many times I'm certain these memories will be prompted and enhanced with the help of photos...one of the many, many reasons why I'm so thankful for my camera. And so, life as of lately. In pictures.

One is never enough.

...particularly when it comes to toys.

What dinners out look like now:

and ultimately end up like this when she gets tired of sitting by herself.

My messy eater.

Don't let this smile fool you...

She may look dainty, but this girl can make a mess with the best of them.

A weekend with family.

Cute boys in boots. Oh, and a red door...love.

Playing with the big kids...

Queen of Hearts? Nope, Go Fish!

True love...reinspired.

Spent said weekend with family tinkling these gorgeous ivories. No, not ours. My auntie's, and it plays just as beautiful as it looks. I am determined to play more now... it was rather depressing to pick up pieces that used to be effortless to find them, well...difficult.

Total adoration.

Her adoration for him. His adoration for Nick...waiting and watching for him to come home.

First crawls.

...that remind me quite a bit of this little friend when she first began crawling

You can't tell as much from these pictures, but Charlotte has the funniest little hook-leg crawl is so similar to Addy Mae's initial crawls. Quite cute.

Sharing.

For some reason, when the toy belongs to someone else it is SO much cooler.

So good to spend time with you tonight my friend. Let's do it more often.

But next time...don't be so annoying with the formatting. AAAgh.

GUESS where we are going???!

Here's a hint...

Paris, France!!

I can hardly believe it. For what seems like forever, I have wanted to go to Paris. I contemplated studying abroad in college...even took a year of French in hopes of getting there...and now, the most perfect opportunity has presented itself!

Nick's mom is going to live there for about 4 months (a dream of hers!) and will be renting a little apartment in downtown Paris. Soooo, with a free place to stay, airline miles, and the additional help of some extra miles from my special Auntie...there was no way we could pass up this opportunity and are booked for next January.

Three tickets.

That's right, we'll be traveling across the globe with a one and a half year old. Call us crazy...maybe we are...but I'm choosing to look at this as an exciting adventure for our little family. People do it all the time right??!

Oh my word are we ever excited!

So here's the thing...

There are easy weeks, and there are hard weeks.

This week fell in the category of the latter above described weeks.

And it's hard, because for me I want my blog to focus on all the wonderful and truly meaningful aspects of our lives. I don't want to write about the days that are tough...the times there are tears...or the struggles I feel.

But then again, maybe I do?

Because if this is truly my outlet for sharing our life, to "document life and to reflect" as my bio says...when I reflect, there is no denying the fact that this week was tough. And I do think in sharing, and reflecting, and speaking the truth...well, I think there is something healing in that.

Our little miss suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, came down with a case of croupe this Sunday. And let me tell you, if you've heard a little one with a cough that sounds like the bark of a seal eager for some food, you know how heart breaking of a sound it is.

Long story short, we ended up at Children's Hospital. If it would have been a week day we could have just gone to the doctor, but being the weekend and in the evening, the emergency room was our only option (and the recommendation of the on-call nurse). After four hours, some steroids (to reduce the swelling of her throat) and some tylenol...we were on our way home. A rather painless first trip to the emergency room compared to what so many families deal with...but still, it was our first time...and I can't say I loved it.

Cue the re-arranging of schedules.
Thankfully Nick's practice allows him the flexibility of staying home at times more easily than I can, assuming he doesn't have court. So he stayed with her at the beginning of the week while she healed. And as much as I am so thankful for a husband and daddy who happily stays home to take care of his girl...I wanted to be with her.
And I was upset that I wasn't.
And I didn't want to go.

Yes, there were tears to my sweet co-worker when she asked if I was okay.
Because no, at that moment I wasn't.
At that moment, I wanted to be home with my girl.

It's hard to write that because I know how blessed I am in the career I have. I love my job.

I love my boss and my co-workers. I love what it brings to my life. I love the sense of accomplishment it brings to me. I am truly, truly thankful.

But, as I mentioned,...there are easy weeks, and there are hard weeks.

I think and I assume this is something that working moms deal with daily. The push and the pull. And this week I just struggled more with finding my balance.

Even as I write this, I realize that my hard week is absolutely nothing compared with the hard week that the thousands of families in Japan have experienced. It is impossible to imagine the devastation they are experiencing and my heart goes out to them.
It certainly puts life in perspective...

I'm feeling happy that tomorrow is Friday...and looking forward to a weekend of restoration, and cuddles, relaxation, and healing.

And because I can't leave a post without some positivity, I share with you with some happy pictures from last weekend with family and a 90th birthday celebration.
How's that for perspective?!

Closer and closer to crawling...

Sometimes

Sometimes I still can't believe she is ours.
I look at her in amazement...wondering how it's possible she is already nine months old, how she could already be the same number of months old as the number of months she lived in me.

Lately my favorite time with her has been bedtime.
After eating together, we have about 30-40 minutes of cuddles and laughter.
And here's the best part...she thinks I'm hilarious! As in, I'm the funniest person in the world. Quite the ego boost I must say. Because soon enough she is going to realize that her daddy is the funny parent in this household...but right now, it's me and I can't get enough of it.

At nine months the separation anxiety has really set in, and though sometimes it can be difficult to get anything done because she doesn't want me out of sight...it's also a pretty incredible feeling. To be needed so much by this little person.
I remind myself that one day she won't need me like that, and I hold on to these days.

Because they are pretty much the best ever.

Best Friends