so I have been walking alot lately

And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. Last week I walked over 20 miles and this week I am on track to have walked even more. We will know at the end of today. So far, I have walked 4 days and 18.842 miles. I would love to walk at least 8 today. We shall see as it is very hot in these parts.

I walk many miles around my town. We have so many great walking trails and the city really has put a ton of time into creating and maintaining them. In fact, I just noticed the other day brand new signs at all the trail heads. These signs include a map, trail mileage, elevation, GPS coordinates, trail connections, and so much more.

new signs


I am a huge fan of my town. I just love it. Small town feel, best climate, national forest nearby, and beach 2 miles away.

Here are some recent pics from my daily walks.

Blenheim Farms




horses on a trail in the hills


roadrunner

school days, soccer, and sleep

School has started and Julia could not be more thrilled as she has the same teacher she had for kindergarten. We just love her. On her first day of first grade I brought my camera, of course, and had her stand in front of the school sign so I could take pictures. She was acting embarrassed. It has begun. She got over it as soon as she saw many more moms making their kids do the same thing.

this is her embarrassed-her-mom-is-taking-her-picture-look (is that kid laughing or sneezing behind her?)


J and her teacher (second year in a row)


Serena began preschool yesterday. This is her second year and her teacher is one Julia had three years ago and which we truly adore. Serena will have a fun year.

James took these pictures. He really has no idea how to work my camera other than pushing one button and taking the picture. :) Serena has some great poses, though.




The past week and a half has been crazy. The kids are adjusting to their "school" bedtimes. Ever since our road trip we have had the darnedest time trying to get them back on an early to sleep, early to rise schedule and when school starts at 745am you have no choice, but to adapt.

Julia had her first soccer game this weekend. It was great to sit and cheer her on. I told her she has another game next Saturday and she said, "You mean I will have another real live game? And I get to wear my uniform?" I answered, "Yes." Julia, "AWESOME!"

daddy's little girls

Since James has been a "househusband" (is that politically correct to say?) for almost a year and half you can imagine the bond the girls and he have together. They are like super glue. James is lucky to spend so much time with them and how lucky the girls are to spend so much time with their dad, seriously!!!.

My class started today and at the looks of the syllabus I am going to be one busy girl for the next five weeks. I may not be posting as often. Then again, I might divert here as a way of escape from comparing and contrasting inventory cost flow assumptions.

howdy neighbors

What a beautiful weekend. It is around 75 degrees today and clear as can be. I took a small hike this morning with some friends, signed Julia up for soccer, and now our family is hanging at home and relaxing. Okay, it is sort of relaxing. I am cleaning and James is cleaning up the backyard, but I am enjoying the time with family at home for once.

Our "neighbors" were home this morning, too.

a mother's dream

I have been waiting for this day for a long time. A birthday? A holiday? A vacation day? What day you say? (no I am not trying to rhyme. It just happened. :)

My kids organized their portion of the bookcase today...ALL ON THEIR OWN. I did not suggest it. I never even mentioned it. It was their idea and I was thrilled.

Yes, they dumped all the clean laundry out on my bedroom floor so they could transport the books in the laundry basket, but that is okay. I let it slide. They were being resourceful. They used their noggins and might I just comment on the teamwork involved. I love it. Keep it up girls!

Problem number one? Messy bookcase. Problem number two, how do we transport books? Laundry basket. Brilliant. Okay, maybe brilliant is too much, but they are only 6 and 3 so I am giving them double credit.


Top shelf Julia declared is Serena's. Bottom shelf, Julia's. Serena is fine with that decision.




Now children...can you please go organize your closet?

valentines made with love

We are not buying Valentines this year. The girls are making their valentines instead from old cards I have saved and other craft items around the house. The only rules are have fun, use your imagination, and make them from your heart!

Each card is unique and special and I love how the girls have embraced this challenge.

Below is a sampling of each. Julia and Serena put a lot of thought into each card.

Serena cards:




Julia's cards:

would you pay 5 bucks?

Twice in two days miss Julia has come up with some impressive entrepreneurial ideas. Yesterday she painted at her grandmas. She called me up at work and left me a voicemail, "Hi. It's Julia. I did some painting today and when you get home tonight can we have a yard sale? I want to sell my paintings and make some money."

Good idea, right?

I like it.

Today Julia built a petting zoo. She asked if she could set the petting zoo up outside because she wants to charge everyone, "five bucks" (not dollars, but bucks) to pet the animals. Another brilliant idea, but I really do not want our neighbors to think we are cuckoo so I told her there are zoning laws and wild animals cannot be kept in a residential neighborhood and we might get a ticket...

She didn't buy it. She said, "Mom, they are TOY animals."

Still, there was no outside petting zoo today.

James and I did fork up five bucks each to pet the wild animals, though.

(well not really, we recycled the money, wink. wink.)

through a childs eye

Julia and I walked to school this morning. It is only a half mile each way and a very nice walk actually. We get to cross the creek and see the turkey vultures sunning themselves on a nearby building (no picture, though, darn it.)

I let Julia take a few pictures on our way to her school. Here is what she saw.

some sort of animal track...probably a dog?


palm hill


the creek and some green on the ground

still looking good in spite of the rain

My lovely Camellia tree. It sure is hearty. We have had this little tree for 10 years at least and it produces pretty pink Camellias every January, year after year.

got vultures?

We do. Actually, we have had vultures for some time. Our house is surrounded by eucalyptus trees which smell great and look good, but seriously are the messiest trees around. That's another story for another time.



All year, except for several months in the spring, those vultures come home to our trees. Many vultures come home every night, right about sunset, to nest. I have never seen a nest so I guess they just sit there. They fly away every morning to eat out in the Cleveland National Forest which is down the road from our house. They are big birds with a wingspan of about 5-6 feet, however, my pictures do not do justice to their size.

all those black blobs in the trees below are birds. There is at least a hundred in our trees every night.

foaming and fizzing fun

Julia received several science kits for Christmas. The girls and James had so much fun trying out a few of the experiments.