-pinch me

sometimes i feel like i'm dreaming.

when i was growing up, i had the hardest time imagining the future.

my mom says that i've always been upset with the idea of growing up.

i remember that the lessons in church about eternity made me want to vomit.

they still do.

because i've always loved the stage i'm in.

the life i'm living.

the current.

the present.

so much that i dread it ending, moving forward or changing.

take for instance- now.

my babies still want me to hold them until they're asleep.

my husband is young, witty and so handsome.

i'm healthy, i laugh daily and have creative outlets.

but- things are changing so quickly- and without my approval.

brooks is a confident 3.5 year old that break dances in front of people, knows that vegetables make him grow strong and holds his brother's hand when crossing the street.

ade sleeps in a big boy bed, chases imaginary bad guys and when on tippy toes, can reach the water fountain at church.

brandon is still my hardworking entrepreneurial ox but has decided that he wants to work less, breed koi and get a dog so that he can take it on daily walks. he's much more patient with my randomness and tells me i'm pretty before i tell him to tell me i'm pretty.

and then there's me. i hardly recognize this girl staring back at me in the mirror. i've traded in my heels for grass stained and calloused feet, i'd rather go to bed early with a book than do pretty much anything else and i've finally realized that rap is for youngsters.

stop. stop. stop.

i believe there is a beauty that comes with aging and gaining wisdom with time but please stop stop stop.

stop please.

-california lewis

once upon a time there was this little island where people walked to get donuts and tea every morning and spent their days looking down their lounged bodies through sandy toes to a marina filled with sailboats skimming and seals barking in the water. a place where babies never needed shoes, mommies had endless supplies of diet coke and gossip magazines and daddies could teach their children how to jump off a wall into the sand properly. a place where the dogs seemed to smile at you, no one cared if you picked the flowers growing along the sidewalks and the weather alternated between clouded and misty to sunny and breezy.

our trip to balboa was nothing short of magical. the G family showed us an amazing time. so amazing that i dreaded the thought of leaving within the first hour of being there. so amazing that it has now become the place in my head i retreat to when i can't sleep at night and need to find a happy place. i think i left a piece of my heart there.

this picture makes me laugh:

i was so relaxed that something in vogue got the ultimate mccain look of concentrated focus.

i look so much like my siblings here in a way i've never noticed.

"deaners" and brody:

my lew:

the offspring:

brody and his teeth:

"tank" aders:

brooksy:

"benana" brea.

thanks jo for the invite and perfect time.

we love you guys so much.

and when we've shed the 20lbs of pure love we've gained, let's do it again.

-neck braces are the new black

108 degrees?
whatever.
little brother (dave), his friend (jake) and i (old bones jones) decided there are 3 things that make any heat enjoyable:

1.) a boat
2.) the glass waters of saguaro lake &
3.) a bag of funyuns

there was some wake clearing:

rope dropping:

sunflower seeding:

new tricks attempting:

and landing:

even some big sister risk taking:

and major sh*t eating:

all the cool kids have whiplash.

-weeeeee

the best part about being my friend wife at disneyland:

you get to wear a matching shirt.

the worst part about being my friend wife at disneyland:

you get to wear a matching shirt.

3 cheers for summer of twenty ten, disposable cameras and going a million miles an hour.

and to think- we still have a whole month left!!!

silly monkeys

-momma- i'm coming home

photo by jose de orta

if you live in or around the tri cities in washington,

i would love to take your pictures.

i will be there august 12-29th.

tah dah (me opening my hands and shaking them like they do at the end of a tap dance routine).

please check the calendar on my new website to see if there's a day available that you'd like to snag.

-we miss you laurel, tom, isabelle, grady and mia!!

this is picture is the most accuarte portrayal of how much i loved my utah trip:

it was indulgent, sweet and super carefree. and probably had a poopy diaper.

first off- we finally got 3 of the 4 monkeys together for a photoshoot:

darren, hayden and ade

two things to really love:
1. a little girl with blue eyes
2. a sister in law eating a hotdog topped with doritos.

a hot dog in my pocket.
this may be the last year this is funny.
probably reaches an uncomfortable funny next year.
which is only ok with one person: me- the queen ruler of uncomfortable funny.
but i won't subject my sweet niece or first born to it.

here's my family. although we look bored, we were very happy.



by living down here in arizona, we're missing out on some major cousin time.
brooks and ade had SO much fun with their built in blood line friends.

this picture is the worst thing i love.
a baby in oakleys and jorts (jean shorts).
it's like he was born in a walmart.
but just check out that proud look on his face.
all he needed to complete this outfit was a cool iguana perched on his shoulder and a 44oz mountain dew in hand.
dave, kym and boston.
don't stare too long. your eyes will burn out of their sockets.
it's like looking into the sun. but shiny-er and more intense.

i have never had so much fun in utah.
i love my family.
i miss my family.
too much.

-finally

brandon has 12 nieces.
pretty crazy marrying into a family where my age was halfway between my new inlaw siblings and their offspring. i couldn't WAIT for the girls to grow up and become my real friends.
that day has come.
this is jenn-
she's brandon's oldest niece and the one i love very much.
over the past 2 years we've had some good talks. all night. very very late. just the 2 of us.
she's having her first baby soon and it was so fun to talk about braxton hicks, dialation and cravings while i was in utah last week. more fun than i'd have ever thought. fun enough to blog about.
congrats jenn on finding michael, getting knocked up almost a full year after marriage and growing up to be my friend. xox