$cha-ching$ part three

poor chief.
his little car got broken into.

that's right.

again.

2nd strike.

glass was everywhere.

the sticker was still on the spankin new window.

console thrashed & pulled back.

his stereo he loves so much?

gone.

but wait, let's open the trunk.

amp gone?

they took the time to unscrew each wire?

so you've decided to replace it all?

AND put an alarm in?

hmm... expensive these cars are.

and you don't have comprehensive insurance on his car?

unfortunate.

very - very unfortunate.

$$cha-ching$$

be sure to wear some flowers in your hair

since there was an excessive heat warning in the valley & the little brother had games in the city, we spent another weekend in san fran. this time with my 'rents. it was pretty warm still but we went places we'd never been before & it was a lot of fun!

we spent the morning waiting. the wait at the famed 'mama's' restaurant was about an hour and a half long aka $6 in parking meter time. while waiting, my dad & i ventured down the street to a gorgeous church where we got to talk to this adorable couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. they'd been married in the same church by the same priest 50 years earlier. the "bride's" parents and grandparents were both married there along with both of their daughters. i thought that was so sweet!
so finally we got to the front of the line, the pic is on the bottom right, & the food was phe-nomenal! could have been the hours sweltering in the heat & being starved but it was great. then we climbed one of those crazy steep 'cisco hills to coit tower (bottom left) where we looked over the whole city! beautiful view on a clear day.

now on to michael's bball games (36 points in the first & 3's being thrown down left & right) where the other teams watching were calling him kobe. proud moment for my bryant-enthused bro. :) we went & took naps in a nearby park in between the 2 games. ellery was hamming it up @ the games which always draws an audience.
then off to the painted ladies! they're a street of really spectacular victorian row houses with an awesome view of the city skyline behind them. we walked around the park & picked out which one's we'd want to live in. i was obsessed with that orange & yellow number. it was one of the smaller ones but it was sweet!

lastly we went to japantown where we ate at benihana's. um. WOW. dragon rolls: i love you. it was another perfect day in the city, seeing the sights & eating like kings. thanks mom & dad!

oh & my dad caught this:

ahhh...

choo!

gesundheit, darling girl.

if you're going to san francisco

exploring around our local area is my new thing.

so the three of us went up to the city & spent the day playing around in golden gate park.
i had no idea how gigantic it was! it's 174 acres larger than central park!! the weather was superb & there was a lot to do.
the botanical garden at strybing arboretum was my favorite! it was expertly polished! there was exotic & regional plant life everywhere, turtles, ducks, fountains, bamboo forests, & the flawless california poppy! they had the scientific names immaculately labeled for all the plants but we had more fun naming them ourselves. there may have even been a song about purple-hearted clovers if i remember right... ellery fell asleep in the front carrier & it was the funniest thing watching her lifeless limbs swinging from side to side as the chief walked around.

we also went to the japanese tea gardens (also part of golden gate park) & it was all very charming and delicate. winding paths, koi fish, the sweetest bridges EVER, fun little waterfalls, asian zen gardens, lotus blossoms, etc. it was a calm, quiet, good day. :)

baby pattern baldness

before

after

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miracle in a bottle! please let me know if you can find this product or any like it! as a matter of fact, let me know if you've found any successful home remedies or witch doctors or deals that can be made with the devil for non-patchy beautiful locks. ellery & i would be much obliged. i miss that gorgeous black hair! it was like a tease to have her start out with it, no?

letter to daddy

austin went to get ellery out of her crib this morning and was so excited to have a note from her, gushing about what an awesome job he does. i have a feeling she's gonna be a daddy's girl...

Papa Bear!!!

I snuck off to write up a little note for your first Father’s Day to let you know you’re doing a great job! Just think, last Father’s Day you told everyone I was on my way! I’ve been around a while now, huh?! Well you have been all in since then and I am so grateful I didn’t get one of those slacker dads.

Here are a few things I wanted you to know:

I know you love cuddling me and I love it too; even if I’m not always in the mood.
I like sitting on the patio with you and looking for Oscar and talking.
That horse game is FUN! I like the way the cowboys ride the most!
I don’t believe that you aren’t as good at fixing my solid food. I just ain’t buying that.
You never get mad at me when I have a bad diaper and you have to give me an impromptu bath.
I’m glad you’re so strong and can use that front carrier for such long stints. I’m telling you, everybody wins with that thing!
I know Mama sheds but ALL the dark, short hairs are ours Dad...
You’re awesome about telling Mommy and me how pretty we are.
I like when you do pushups with me.
I do actually like all my bows and pretties and headbands. Sorry but it’s true.
You always have sympathy for me when I’m teething. That’s a big one.
I think your cheesey dad jokes are funny, even if someone rolls her eyes.
I know I’m good at sitting up but maybe not that good. Still watch me!
I get so excited when I know you are coming home from work! I miss you when you’re gone but you always come back, giving me kisses and taking me to get the mail with you.
I like our walks together.

So thanks Daddy! Keep it up and please know how much I love you! I’m trying to grow fast so I can play more games with you, tell you even better stories, and give you even better hugs and kisses!

Love you always,
Your Ellery Bellery*

triplets

this is what having multiples is like, right?

oh, it's more like this? i'll stick with one at a time, thanks.

cannibals

sitting on the family room floor. austin puffs his stomach out & lifts his shirt. "do i look like a shaved turkey?"
kathryn: "uh... sure."
a: "would you eat me if you had to?"
k: "like we're out of food & i don't want to go to the grocery store?"
a: "i mean in the wilderness to save you & the kids."
k: "yep."
a: -pause- "you think i'd taste good?"

when you're the best of friends

since day one lena has been the cutest cousin to our ellery bellery. you have never seen a one year old be so tender and soft with a newborn! she just barely is starting to call her baby rather than the endearing 'dog-dog' she used to call her. in truth, i'll miss it. they babble at each other all the time and if ellery gets upset, lena kate always looks for a toy or binki and gets the sweetest little concerned look on her face, pointing at ellery and trying to aid her helpless friend. i hope they stay best friends forever! :)

love the ballet socks

downtown santa cruz, happy 21st bopi!, pool party with the warmest water EVER, still trying to revive my withered plants, already getting the stink eye from my infant (and it begins...), sore back end from my beloved pilates, girl's night out, etc.

so austin has a '93 miata that's surprisingly in great condition and is actually really, really fun to drive. i call it his tonka toy and it makes me laugh. a lot.

i have ike. a safe, smooth riding sedan & the only car our familia can fit in. therefore whenever i leave the chief to baby wrangle solo, i take the miata. so last night i met up with some of my girlfriends somewhere i'm not totally familiar with. and i found myself antsy about taking the miata.

am i randomly scared of leaving austin/ellery behind?! am i nervous that i'll die a horribly gruesome death in an old two seater sports car that drives like my old jeep?! am i apprehensive that i will eat so much at dinner that i will no longer fit in this pocket-sized little vehicle?! what is the DEAL?! then i pinpointed it: my scattered, directionally-challenged brain was precarious about not having my gps! ahhh. clarity.

solution? stop being psychotic. if you get lost, you get lost. c'est la vie.

but for the record, i was flawless! :)

yoshi is last in the alphabet :(

my parents went on a cruise on the danube in eastern europe for the last week & a half for their 30th anniversary & mamasita's birthday. aust & i stayed at the house to keep an eye on their hooligan children. it was a bit of a break from real life & straight from my texas trip, which leaves me feeling kinda heavy with chores & catch up this week but it was well worth it! it was a parent-less 11 days of mario cart records, david's cannon balls, quoting more stupid movies & shows than i could ever keep track of, my course 2 cake graduation, hot tubbing, ellery rolling!, stephanie eating mom's cookie bouquet (maybe she did get some help...), the slowest game of chicken foot EVER, playing on the 'rents gorgamous piano nonstop, drowning vickster's fuschias, & having a sleepover @ our lil apt with more junk food than could last a month. my buddy & my bopi are such fun younger siblings! they are so cute with the jellybean & they definitely keep me on my toes. kisses*

p.s. austin did not actually drive with my baby in his lap. just threatened to. i promise the car wasn't even on. i don't want hate mail that i am an irresponsible mother. @ least not when it is undeserved...

join me in a rain dance

i love reading. the idea of curling up on a lazy, rainy day and enjoying an enchanting story in a captivating time with fascinating people and intriguing places is enough for me to run outside and do a rain dance. with crazy twists and things to learn and history to soak up and ways to encourage yourself. delectable! so when ellery turned the page on her first book? i just about died. is this proof positive that my 4 month old will be enticed by the world of literature the same fiendish way as her mama? i wish. but for now, that mama can dream.

*sidenote: any book recommendations? always, ALWAYS looking for something fresh*

true or false?

by having a forced food fast on thursday i realized a few things:

i am a total peach without food in my system. false

why does anyone ever diet on purpose?! true

i heart nourishment. anytime, anywhere. give it to me. very true