Week 52

 "Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else."

~ Mr. Rogers

Happy 40th Anniversary to us, adios 2022, and Happy New Year!

Made some art before breakfast, while on the phone with my eldest.

Some Christmas tree bokeh right before I took the tree down and put all the decorations away.

A New Year's Eve Atmospheric River brought us a LOT of rain. 

The Walnut Creek looking north at mid-day. This is not normal.

The "Falls", as the adults that grew up here, call it. Hubs says it's the second highest he's seen it. 

This wonderful gift was delivered to us by our middle child and her Fiance.

Gotta love that you can door-dash something from Florida to California!

Cheers to the rain and our 40th Wedding Anniversary!

The Walnut Creek looking south.

On our way to dinner and thankfully the rain was about done for this day.

Tiramisu and Limoncello cake for dessert.

A tasty way to end the year.

Week 51

Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. 

~ Eckhart Tolle

This week I got in a few walks in between the rain. We celebrated Christmas Eve with the 4T's, had our favorite neighbors over for cocktails, and watched the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Christmas Day. 

It was a little too quiet but also nice.

Happy Solstice, Happy Winter, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. 

A Great Egret that let me get this close and didn't fly away.

Always look up. My favorite kind of sky.

This Egret again, the next day. He flew away this time.

. 

Christmas morning and all my snow...beings.

Our little Christmas tree for our little house.

Christmas Eve at the 4T's.

She insisted the whole family get in her new tent. 

Family Lego session before dessert which was Dr. CynCyn's famous Mixed Berry Crisp.

Inspired by my Christmas cards, I played around on my iPad.

Week 48

"And the songbirds keep singing

Like they know the score

And I love you, I love you, I love you

Like never before."

~ Fleetwood Mac

Rest in peace Christine McVie.

Autumn here is putting on a show with rain, wind, and colorful leaves, everywhere. I love it!

The sunsets and sunrises have been on fire. This is the most wonderful time of year - for all the colors and skyscapes.  

Our street after a little rain and wind.

This is a morning walk, mid-autumn.

This flaming canopy is my favorite.

This trestle again, from a different angle -with a train on it!

Sing it with me - "The sky... is burnin" 

Adult beverages before a company holiday party. 

Got to hang out with this cute couple at the party.

This courtyard reminded me of Spain.

So pretty. They have some really good coffee in the lobby just to the left of the staircase.

The morning after. After the rain and the party.

Week 47

"People don't take trips,
trips take people."

~ John Steinbeck

We took a road trip to Chino Valley to spend Thanksgiving with Mom. The drive down was great and took us only 10.5 hours. The last half of the drive back home was not great. 

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Good food + fun people for the win. Thank you, Pat and Jerry!

Mom is doing well, slowly getting her energy back after what she's been through the last few years. I'm so thankful she has an excellent community of friends surrounding her with love.

Watching the world wake up as we cruise down Interstate 5.

Pit stop in boring Boron.

Miss Goofy being quiet for a second.

Making homemade cranberry sauce at Mom's

Monument Valley sand painting by my Grandfather.

Sneaking a photo of my Mom.

Sunburst.

Exploring a few gift shops on Route 66

Got some decent coffee from this one.

Mojave National Preserve, waaay out there.

Stopped for breakfast here. I had French toast, of course.

Week 36

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are  tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~ Henry S. Haskins

I've gotta keep up here - the weeks are flying by, as are the years. For example, we celebrated Miss Paisley's 2nd birthday this week. How did that happen? I've been here the whole time and yet, poof, she's not a baby anymore.

A Tuesday morning with this sweet pea.

I love flowers.

After school snack.

Did I bribe him? Maybe.

Still playing with watercolor rainbows on my iPad. 

Can't stop, won't stop.

She came to cheer on her big brother.

We don't know where she got this pose, but we all love it.

He ran/walked all the laps for his school fundraiser.

An ice cream bar for the birthday girl.

Birthday bouncy house pile.

Opening ALL of her gifts, with some help.

"Push Papa"