52/52

What a great month of family time it has been.  Mostly the beginning of the month was family time holed up because almost everyone was sick with a yucky cough and covered in snot, but it was sweet in it's own special way.  Ari felt like such a big boy watching 2 minutes of a video with Axel and Autumn.  I have enjoyed the holiday this year primarily because of the focus I have had on being present with the kids and making the time special for them.  It has been rewarding, though I am ready for a break.  A date possibly?  I hope so.  I have taken many photos with our new camera and hardly any with my iphone.  Too many photos to go through them all to find individual portraits of each of the kids by themselves.  But I think this one is fitting, since we have spent time doing things together this month and had more of a determined focus to do so.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

photo of each of my kids once a week through 2013,

inspired by Jodi  

27/52

Back after a few weeks off.  It's been a hot summer.  

For our family members ages 4 and under (ok, maybe for the grownups, too) 

that means many days wearing next to nothing.  

Axel River- showing sister how to eat a snow cone.

Autumn Rain- probably didn't need much instruction

Ari Indigo- double fisted with the veggies.  

No way Mama is going to let him have a snow cone.  

The bigger two only get one a year on the 4th of July

photo of each of my kids once a week through 2013,

inspired by Jodi  

My favorite from this week: little green shed

Her photos reminded me of Ram when he was young and my hopes for my children as they grow.  

Pure, simple childhood.

Last Day He's 3

Our first born is turning 4 tomorrow.  This is the first time he has understood what is actually happening.  He knew all day today, that he was getting close and closer to his special day after he sleeps tonight.  He is excited about being 4.  He thinks he is a big boy.  Though still little in my eyes, he is a boy with a big imagination.  A big curiosity for everything he sees or thinks about or hears.  Axel can ask a hundred questions about what daddy did when he was little and rode bikes with his neighbor.  He goes on and on (and on) about what space is like, and the size and intensity of the sun and San Francisco.  This boy is so much like me.  He wonders and thinks and has ideas of how things should be; I don't believe he ever lets his mind rest.

As he sleeps in the very room where he entered into this world, I think of how I'd love to go in his room and lay between him and his sister and listen to him breath...the only time that can happen, since waking hours are full of words and wiggles and playing and questions (did I mention he asks a lot of questions?).   Some nights, I do, just for a while.  To think of the sweetness that is in him whether he is awake or asleep.  To try to seal the memories before they slip away in the busyness of the day.

Little does he know, he has a bike waiting in the kitchen for him when he wakes up in the morning.  He doesn't look like this anymore....

Happy Birthday, Axel River,  my sweetest biggest boy.

Easter 2012

Easter was a great time this year to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior.  He has given us so much in our every day lives to be thankful for, but it all means nothing without the ultimate gift and sacrifice that He made for us on the cross.  I hope that we will be able to instill a sense of gratitude and fullness of life in our children in response to this truth.  

We also had some fun coloring eggs.  Poor Autumn was making such a mess, I couldn't allow her to get her hands in the dye the way she wanted to.  But we let her play with the eggs some.  The colors turned out so pretty.  

We had some empty shells to color as well.  The kids wanted to play with some of the eggs, so I allowed them to crush these into bits.  I thought it was so pretty just crushed and laying on the drying paper towels.

Axel had fun finding the eggs. Most of them were "hidden" in full view on the lawn for the littlest two, but there were some in the river rock and the bushes that proved to be a bit of a challenge for him.

The little kids thought this game was fantastic.  After they collected all of the eggs, they dumped them out on the lawn and picked them up again.

Imagine how excited she would have been if there was something in those eggs.

This photo taken by my brother, Ben

December 2011

Family weekend in San Francisco.  We rode the trolley, Axel's very favorite thing to do.  Though he doesn't descriminate.  He is happy to ride the BART train, the Muni buses or Amtrak.  Any public transportation is such a thrill.

Christmas in Union Square

We had a concrete mixer come to our house with a bunch of worker guys to pour the studio/garage floor.  Very exciting!

Our Christmas

Hilarity ensues as we attempt to capture the four kids under the tree.

She was is love with shiny ornaments

Autumn loves babies

Autumn Rain Turns 1

Spending the day celebrating our sweet little girl was such a beautiful day.  Autumn is such a light in our family.  She wakes up smiling and keeps it up all day, with the occasional diversion.  I am so excited to watch her grow, see her personality develop and to build a relationship with her that will endure throughout our time here on earth together.

The birthday girl awakes a little shy

fun on the swing



intrigued, but not excited



oh, it's cake!

and I'm the center of attention!

demonstrating the right way to go for it when you're 1



another demonstration

she finally got it

but, of course, was very dainty and hardly made a mess

having a sister who knits is the best

I love my sweetie baby (though I need to stop calling her that). She brings such joy to my heart. 

First Santa





Can you tell who was happiest to visit Santa?

Fathers Day 2011

We love our Daddy and grandpas. 

Axel's Birthday Party

What fun!  Doughnuts, two candles, family, sunshine and gifts wrapped in colorful paper.  We had a fun day, and Axel sang "Happy Birthday" to himself and Autumn for at least a week.