I'm sooo exclusive.

I spent a little time organizing my iTunes collection and one big thing stood out.
It is nearly void of girl singers...
Weird.
But then I thought about it, scrolled through it and realized one thing, I like bands.  Not singers.  I prefer music written and performed by the people in the band.
Most people that write music and play instruments are guys.
(Mind you if it is up to us, all of our girls will play some sort of instrument.  Because girls that play instruments are THE COOLEST GIRLS.)
Not to say that if I was a runner (hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha) that a Britney song or two wouldn't have a place on my workout playlist...
But for me if I am cooking, driving, sewing, or folding laundry, a band is always accompanying me.  With a dude singing.
That's me.
Want to mock me and my musical taste?
Or my dorky sense of humor?

Enjoy....

My baby girl.

(all images shot by the lovely Drew B.)

Janey Jae.

Our baby girl.

She is sunshine and happiness.

Silly and sweet.

Quirky and cuddly.

Loves her blanket, thumb, baby dolls, dressing fancy and her big sisters.

Everything about her is a mama's dream, 

and this mama is trying to savor every minute over the next few weeks, 

of her being the smallest member of the family.

Extra snuggles.

Sneaking in to watch her sleep.

Shedding tears.

Happy, happy, sad, sad tears.

Our little baby girl.

Is about to be a big sister.

I am not ready for this season to end...

Happy Sunday.

Insta-Friday.

The simple, sweet and mundane of our week via Instagram.

I love this stuff.  Love it.  It is weird and bubbles out and is super ugly, but nothing is tougher.  Broken closet pole holder thingy?  No problem.  It's not pretty, but it won't break again.

Yes.  Date night with my friend's J.J. Abrams and Coach Taylor.
Loved this movie.  Watched half of it with my eyes covered (SCURRED!!!) but loved it none the less.
Speaking of Coach Taylor, if you are not watching Friday Night Lights, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?????
It is sooooooooo much more than football.  I promise.
We can't be friends until you get a Netflix account and start watching from season one.
It is our fave.  It breaks our hearts.  But we love it.  It will be a sad day when it ends.

I shot a lot a lot a lot of 8mm video in Washington.  I need a really long date night with iMovie to put it together.  Can't wait.
I even have the perfect song picked out to accompany it...
Any guesses?

The reverse skunk has finally left the building.
I bought my long overdue blonde.
Yay yay yay!

Hello lazy Saturday mornings.
Hello husband manning the waffle maker.
Hello fresh whipped cream and berries.

This batch of toffee crack accompanied the husband on his man-date-tailgate to the U2 concert.
U2 is his Dave Matthews.
Waiting an entire year for Bono's back to heal was not easy on him, but he survived.  Just barely.

As he sat in the crowded stadium parking lot all day, I floated on this.
Not too bad of a trade off.

We spent Father's Day at the beach.

Pizza.

Sunshine.

Dolphins.

Perfect.

I love my simple, happy, silly family.

The evening was topped by a dreamy sunset.

It never gets old.  

Ever.

Link up your camera phone moments over at Life Rearranged.

Nonsense with cute pictures.

I am packing for a trip that I might not be allowed to even go on.
Wah wah.
Super conservative OB.
But I am still packing.
Hoping.
Preparing my heart and mind either way.

There was an I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant marathon on yesterday.
I still don't get it.
Having a baby in a fast food restaurant toilet would be horrific.  Awful.  Beyond shocking and traumatic.
But the being clueless for 40 weeks?  That would be awesome.

One more month until this girlie trio welcomes their baby brother.
I'm freaking out.
Totally freaking out.

I made this coconut chicken for dinner the other night.
We give it an A+.
Add macadamia nuts to the coconut step and you will think you are in Hawaii.  Next time I think I will try it with halibut fillets and mango chutney.
It only made one kid cry, which is a total success in this house of picky eaters.

Instead of birthday gifts, Halley chose to collect books for the Joyful Life Library.  I love to see how it is growing... Katy is celebrating her birthday with a book drive and giveaway.  Yay!

We have already gone through an entire bottle of sunscreen.

Remember being a senior in high school?
Those were the days.
Graduation,  dreaming about what comes next, summer fun before leaving for college...
I want a time machine.

Alaska is the only state we haven't visited.
Hopefully that will change in the next five or so years, and hopefully it will involve a Disney Cruise.

Frozen blueberries are my current favorite treat.
Yummy.

Did I mention that my mean conservative OB made me quit sugar and refined carbohydrates?
That's been really fun.
So instead I am pinning yummy treats to my Pinterest boards for when I can have them again.

I want to buy this old cabin and make it amazing.
Someday.

Do you have The Civil Wars album yet?  You should.  It is beautiful and haunting.  Perfect for solo drives to therapy at Homegoods.
Watch this video.  It will make you want to be in love/hate with somebody...



Now to go float my cares away in the pool.  With blueberries, water packed with Sonic ice, and the sounds of angsty folk rock wafting through the outdoor speakers.

The best part about summer.

Why do I love summer so much?

Flip flops and bathing suits.


The best part of flip flops and bathing suits?
WAY LESS LAUNDRY!!!!


Because it is a million billion times easier to wash, dry and fold a load of beach towels than a load of socks and uniforms.


Bring it summer.  We are so ready!

Happy Sunday.

Insta-Friday. Washington love.

Aventures in Washington via Instagram.
Who can invent an app to send me back?

Long Beach airport.  Like walking back in time.

First time flying Jet Blue.  Loved the personal tv's.  Did not love the flying part.

Requisite fake smile self portrait pre-takeoff "in case we crash".

Because I'm sure that my phone would survive...

Irrational, I tell you.

I can't leave home without my Allora Handmade, Angel Face Designs, Lisa Leonard, 31 Bits & 147 Million pretties.

The produce and flowers alone were enough to make me want to start every single morning at Pike Place Market.

The mac & cheese from Beecher's was a bonus.

 Diet Poison, sugar, fancy burgers and fries.  That is vacation food, my friends.

Days were spent on adventures by the shore.  Nights were spent watching the sun dip into the sea.
Happiness.

Sunset boat rides.

Green beauty everywhere we looked.

All made sweeter by a beautiful ceremony nested in the forest.

Congrats Brock and Annie!

Thank you for letting us be part of your lives.

I love you Washington.

Forever and ever.

Sunshine or rain.

You stole my heart.

Link up your beautiful and ordinary moments at

Life Rearranged.

Thanks Bono.

I am guest posting over at Top of the Page today.
Come see what my husband's favorite front man helped me write.

If it were up to me...

I would be packing up everything we own, putting the house on the market, and hauling our cute little family to the Pacific Northwest.

{Print from Poppy & Pinecone}

Jason had the honor of officiating the wedding of one of our former students and his beautiful bride, and I was lucky enough to tag along.  It was located on Whidbey Island, off the coast of Seattle, and everything about the week completely stole my heart.

Washington has always been my most favorite state.  I have dreamt about living there for as long as I can remember.  I love rain.  I love the forest.  I need the beach.  Someday.... maybe.

{Print from Parada Creations}

For now I am going to relive the memories through the many, many 8mm videos I shot, and dream of new excuses to go back up there.

We have been so many amazing places together, three countries, fourty-nine states, but nothing, not one trip has even come close to our time this past week on the island.

It's great to be home, but it would be even better if Whidbey Island was home.

Sigh...

Happy Sunday.

Insta-Friday.

Hope you had a wonderful week.
Here is a peek inside ours via Instagram.

Saturday morning breakfast is my fave.
Even if the cute little Pillsbury dough boy is the cinnamon roll maker.
Someday I will attempt Pioneer Woman's...
Someday.

Every backyard pool has a two story pirate ship, right?
No?  Only in the OC.

A little trip to Lowes, a few pieces of lumber,

turned into a silly backyard camp out.

I see our summer plans involving quite a bit of tent time.
Making it was super easy with this Cakies tutorial.
A-frame happiness.

Mondays at the beach.
Never gets old.

I heart iMovie.
I heart Apple video tutorials.
The voice over guy makes me think that I can do anything.

I swing wildly between being a total control freak as to what my girls wear, or letting their inner Punky Brewster fly.  Elmo?  Favorite shirt.  Rainbow pettiskirt?  Favorite item of clothing.  Put them together and she was the queen of Target.

Two times a week I get to visit my home away from home,
and hear the best sound... a tiny baby heartbeat.
These little reassurances get me through each week.

What do you do when you have a sweet daughter who is allergic to chocolate?
Run by the grocery store to get her a little cupcake with her favorite color frosting, to eat at a birthday party which will be serving chocolate cake.
The best 99¢ a mama can spend.
Chocolate allergy?  It's a cruel, cruel world.

Ten pounds of sun grown delicious.
It lasted only two days.
We are a bunch of fruit monsters in this house.
These days, the way to my heart involves copious amounts of ripe, fresh fruit.

Link up your little bits of random over at Life Rearranged.
Happy weekend to you!