The sweetest sheriff

About 2 years ago (almost exactly), my sweet cousins threw me and Chris a "Bridle" Shower.  

Chris makes quite the handsome cowboy...  

Although it is clear that he has the badge, this picture makes him too sweet to pass for a sheriff but I think he would have made a good one in the Wild West.  I don't know what I would have been - maybe I would have traveled around with Butch and Sundance for a while before settling down with 

the small town Sheriff that had a sweet smile and the deadliest shot.

We are missing our 4th in this picture, 

but this crew have been dressing up and playing cowboy 

(and Ninja Turtles among other things) for 30 years now.  

Oldest friends are good.

Memorial Day

For Memorial Day, we drove up to the National Cemetery of  Los Angeles.  The flags were flying and the day was beautiful and we took some moments of awe for those who have helped ensure our freedom. 

On the way home, we stopped at a beautiful park in Beverly Hills and played a bit.  Cheyenne is really finding her footing and will be walking in no time.

love.

how did I survive without this?

happy happy & happy

Old Regulars...

Chris and I were reminiscing about old times in the "dub-C" as Chris used to call it (Walnut Creek) and our times in the good ol' East Bay.  We were recalling old friends, and our old stomping ground and when we met.  This tempted us to look up our old watering hole - Dan's Bar - to see if our favorite bartender still worked there.  

Not only does he still work there but our pictures were still on the "regulars" page!

Pretty funny to think back.  This has to be circa 2003? Maybe?  Nine years ago!  What?!

here are the pictures that we found on the website...

yes, that is Chris in the background...

Just kids... kids drinking beer and playing the juke box...

Squirrel Lessons

My grandma taught my mom 

to be friends with the animals.  They are integral and special parts of our world and can give us peace and bring us back to zero when we need a deep breath.

My mom taught me.

Footsteps are being followed...

and the squirrels are benefiting...

Avocado Love

Cheyenne's two favorite foods right now are Hummus and Avocado... smart girl.

Sunday Gardening

Daddy and Daughter and the smell of wet cement on a Sunday Afternoon

What is it about a hose gun in one hand and a baby in the other, that makes a man so attractive?

Right Now I Wish...

that I was here...

Dead Horse National Park  2010

transport me back...

(but this time with a baby in tow)

Pretty in Pink

Oh how my heart swells

and swells and swells...

because of you and you

until I can barely breathe...

Personal New York

Our Very Own 

New York Host

This is outside Grayson's Brooklyn apartment.  He is about to depart for a gallop around the country, but it served as a great home during his first (of probably many) stays in New York.

Home is where the horse is...

(at least for the next year or so)

Tribes

Tribes is an off Broadway show that borrows your heart for two and a half hours and then hands it back vulnerable and aching and yet in better shape than it was before.  Also, featuring our dear friend Will.

A Sailboat Cruise on the Hudson

The City from the Water

Amazing to have such quiet in the midst of so much chaos.  

The sails went up and the wine and beer was served. Then as the sun set, and we passed Lady Liberty, the blankets came out and the wind chilled and we laughed and loved and watched the city lights brighten the darkened sky.

Tourist New York

Ground Zero

Brooklyn Bridge

Lady Liberty & Ellis Island

Take Sunrise to Jane Street - A New York Arrival

We took the red eye and arrived at JFK at the squeaky early hour of 7 and grabbed a cab to our hotel.  The cab ride brought a fuzzy sleeplessness and a pang for the warm and bitter taste of coffee.  It felt like we were up early for an adventure in a new land - and that we were.

We twisted around the old streets of West Village where Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and Woody Allen sat in cafes soaking in the inspiration that only bricks this old could give.

The taxi took streets that I have only imagined from song lyrics - Bleeker, Christopher Street, Greenwich and (positively) 4th,

then up the cobblestones of Jane Street 

The Jane hotel welcomed us with its old charm and history.  (The Titanic survivors stayed there!)  It had a great cafe and a lounge bar, both which we frequented several times during our stay.  We dropped our luggage and had some needed coffee and breakfast and planned our day, starting with trying to understand the subway map.

sparkle shoes and cobblestones

More New York to come - Gotta do it in pieces...

A New Holiday!

The first of the rest of my life.  It is amazing to think about how it is a role that you get to have forever.  I just got to add another holiday to my year!  I mean it always existed before, but I guess I just never knew how celebratory it really is.
We had the perfect day.
Chris and Cheyenne made me a card and a beautiful gift of Cheyenne's hand in plaster.  Chris said that he even spent time wandering around JoAnn's Fabrics (now that's love).
We packed a picnic and drove to Malibu Bluffs Park.  It was a gorgeous day and we kept the company of squirrels, rabbits, lizards and butterflies.  We found a secret hiding picnic bench where Cheyenne enjoyed avocado and hummus and we all watched the ocean and the wildlife.

Cheyenne is quite the observer.  She seems to notice every little detail.  We even caught her staring out into the vast horizon, watching the ocean.  She's definitely is one of us...

Bricks and Yellow Cabs

Home from New York.

Although I wake at night dreaming of bricks and yellow cabs...

More Later...