Change is in the air

I love how busy-in-a-good-way this past month has been for us. So much to do, to see, to soak in... As soon as temperatures drop just a few degrees, and I can sense the sun shining just a little different, the instinct of enjoying warm days and good weather kicks in, and I can't help but want to spend more time outside, pack as much living into these days as possible.
(photos were taken either with iPhone or my manual-focus-only D200. I'm loving unintentional blur of some photos, and find myself doing it on purpose occasionally)

Inspiration from friend's garden...


Labor Day weekend. Sheepdog competition. We had a blast...




Visiting family at the farm. Moody skies. Smell of hay...










After a looooong break, knitting again, gifts (this one is for my mom) and such...


Hiking again. This time we reached the lake! But on a different hike, Twin Lakes Reservoir...






















Drawn to simple comfort foods at the first hint of autumn. It really is in the air...

Full of love

{Sling Diaries: LOVE}





























April is a busy month around here, as we celebrate 3 birthdays that are each one week apart. Anya's birthday fell on Easter this year. We decided to celebrate it by doing the things we love to do, enjoying each other's company (small fights don't count), visiting Mark's parents, savoring our time outside and eating the cake I spent all night baking. It made me happy to see the girls opening their presents with so much excitement (yes, all the girls got their present from grandparents on the same day, to cut down on traveling back and forth). And it made me even happier to see all the kids appreciate and enjoy our late evening walk around the farm. I could tell they were trying to soak in the freedom they all of the sudden had, running wildly (since their mom didn't have to freak out about them getting too close to the street :), exploring gopher holes and just being out in the open, with the view so much different than the city where they live in. Oh, how much I love those walks and hikes outside, away from the busy traffic and dirty air.

We always bring a carrier or two when we take kids on hikes, so grabbing a sling on the way out was more of a habit for me. Ivy, being her busy almost-2-year-old-and-want-to-run-everywhere self preferred to take a few nose dives and face plants into the dirt, rather than ride in the sling. Anya ended up being the one who wanted a ride, feeling perfectly content with me carrying her all the way back (lucky me I grabbed a very toddler friendly sling). I didn't mind, she's 4 now and there may not be many more of such moments of closeness brought by babywearing left for us. I'm going to enjoy them whenever I can, as long as I can...



P.S. speaking of her birthday, I watched her birth video again (link on the left). Can't help it, still cry when I see her amazing entrance into the world. She did such a great job of cooperating with me on that day :)

Farm edition

It just doesn't get old, that's all I can say.













P.S. Yes, I'm all grown on these days, with my own phone finally (after years and years of telling myself I don't need one), and even on Instagram. So now I have a problem, trying to figure out when to use my regular camera and when to use iPhone, especially if I happen to carry them both.

19/06/2011

I've been loving the month of June here in UT for the past 3 years, rainy and cool (but not cold), just my kind of weather. We went to the farm for Father's Day, and the view was incredible. I stepped out of the car and didn't set my muddy feet into the house for half an hour, until I was done taking photos outside. It was good timing too. Just 3 days later, summer was in full swing, with 85 degrees inside the house (and no working swamp cooler yet).

Next time we go to the farm we'll see a different kind of beautiful, with sage brush and sunflowers taking charge of the land.












(I know my camera is in desperate need of cleaning...)