Wordless Wednesdays (XLIII)

Taken: 9/7/2014

Hobo Kitchen

A while ago I tried to talk Craig into buying Dillon a fancy play kitchen but he wasn't into it. So I did the next best thing: I made one out of cardboard boxes. Order up!

Bringing home the groceries.

Whisking some stuff.

Nuking some stuff.

Safety first: always wear an oven mitt!

I am most proud of this drawing I made for her kitchen.

Company Picnic

Each year my company is nice enough to have a summer family event. This year we had a picnic at Shelter Island complete with yummy food, a bounce house (with Valium for the parents) and tattoos!

Bounce house with buddy Alyssa.

Breck girl.

Flamingo tattoo...what else?

Family time!

We got tattoos too!

Essential Kid Gear

A few months ago Craig was out on the town. It was that night Zeus decided, for the first time ever, to inhale half a box of diaper wipes. Dillon was already in her PJs so I told her to grab her shoes we raced to the vet. Naturally she paired her PJs with some sparkly dress shoes. She also brought along toddler essentials: purse, fairy wand, stuffed animal, Strunk and White...

Wordless Wednesdays (XLII)

Taken: 8/17/2014

Another Random Day Off

I can't even remember why I had this day off, but I did. Dillon and I started off with bagels, then a trip to Mission Trails, then up to Encinitas for a rain-soaked trip to the playground. There was pie too, but you already knew that...

Novel approach to eating a bagel.

End result is Cream Cheese Face.

Measured against the rings of a giant tree.

Out for a hike.

Rain! I knew it was a real thing.

That Was Then / This Is Now (XIV)

You guys, these kids are growing up so fast. Take a look at Crosby and Dillon--friends pretty much since birth!

Still holding hands!

San Juan Cap Mission

A few times a year we head up to Orange County to meet friends who head down from L.A. This time it was Tasha, Kurt, Crosby and new girl Etta. We went to the San Juan Capistrano Mission, which was beautiful, and then had lunch--complete with balloon animals!

Resting by the lily pond.

Close-up of a lotus.

Listening to the audio guide.

This is Dillon trying to crash a party.

I shot this through a gate.

I love this photo Dillon took of me.

Koi + lotus + lily pads.

Balloon animals at lunch! Butterfly.

Wordless Wednesdays (XLI)

Taken: 7/18/2014

Why So Serious?

For the most part, Dillon is all smiles and goofball antics, but there are moments where she puts on her serious face:

This picture raises a lot of questions.

Play-Doh time.

Pocoyo time.

Nutcracker time.

Adventures in Daycare: Please Silence Your Phones

Dillon has now been going to daycare for half her life! Shocking that 18 months has gone by so quickly. She continues to make friends, take "half naps," play and dance.

Bubbles!

Dillon and friends working on a photo project.

Class picnic in the lobby.

Working on some turtle art with Sophie Loaf.

Using potato mashers as paint brushes.

Flamingo + Flapper

Here's what happens when you try to jury-rig a Halloween costume only a few days in advance: your daughter will look adorable. But she will look like a flapper more than a flamingo. I guess they had flamingos in the 1920s too.

Pretty cute, kiddo.

Leg warmers as arm warmers.

Flamingo beak.

Happy enough in all pink.

It Wasn't So Hot But...

This year we decided to mix it up and head to Del Mar for pumpkin patch festivities. On the plus side, it wasn't nearly as hot as the last two years. On the negative side, it was more like a really loud, garish carnival than a bucolic gourd farmland. Did Dillon notice? Not with a giant inflatable slide around...

Pumpkin Love.

This time with daddy.

The 1,000,000th carousel ride.

I'm swatting away a bee before the kids go down.

Whee!

Here's a quick video of the slide in action (music from Danny Elfman's "Pee Wee's Playhouse" suite).

Baked Beans and Ballerinas (II)

Little Amare.

Twin ballerinas Maddy and Olivia.

Amare's big brother Austin.

Every little girl needs a sparkly crown.

Dillon had a wardrobe change before cake time.

Literally chillin' on a cooler.

Takeaway candy-coated pretzels. They were really good!