Happy Birthday, Dad B

No more words tonight
I will just breathe the air
Like some peace tonight

No more fear tonight
I won't cry anymore
Like some peace tonight

Struggle will bring me home

No more words tonight
I won't cry anymore
Like some peace tonight
Some peace

Coming up for air

Kaitlin cracked open the book first. I was having trouble conjuring up the desire to read it, devour it and not come up for air until I reached the end. There was something sad about it being the last book - it was truly saying good-bye to an old friend who you won't be seeing again, ever. No dates to put in the calendar to mark when you'll reunite and stay up to the wee hours with. I also was hesitant in finding out if my suspicions were true...how the end would play out. Kaitlin was always pages ahead of me. That panda was peering over the pages at me - almost taunting me...until I took the plunge and dove right in. I was my old self again. I could not put the book down - holding my breath until, alas, I closed the book for the final time.

WANTED

Over 6ft tall, w/ facial hair - sometimes w/out (he has quick-change disguises).
He waits until you're out of town then jumps & does back flips on your trampoline until it can no longer be enjoyed by your children...or husband...
He leaves a distinct mark behind - his signature...something about "amour"...
and animals flock to it looking for this creature of distruction.

A day in the life...

We met at Johnny's Rockets for lunch - gotta love those onion rings & straw dispensers! We were definitely on the low sugar level side and needed to be fed immediately for fear of emotional & physical breakdown - in public! It took incredible amounts of patience to wait for our order. No one to blame - the servers looked short-staffed so I tried to be pleasant. :{ It's never good to lose your patience...in public...in front of the kids...when you're hungry.

The kids went another route - instead of being irritable they got silly. Lots of laughing for no apparant reason. So by the time the food came they were out of control!

We waited for after lunch for a photo-op. Spirits were at an equilibrium and mood was nice & mellow (i.e bellys were full!) - all was happy again!

(Kylie, Kaitlin, Breana, Dad Q/Poppa & Brayton)

Walking outside leaving AC behind was like running into a sauna. The temperature is always too much for us in Los Gatos during the Summer. A day at Courtside pool is all the girls need. I lounge w/ a book. It's a sweet luxury of ours to have Dan work at a Sports Resort - sigh...where are the palm fronds and lifeguards?

Yes, you got it - Kaitlin & Breana in lifeguard gear (Breana w/ the life-saver). They were asked if they would pose as Junior Lifeguards for Courtsides Member's publication - August issue. Another giggly moment for them. (I sure am glad they have each other to share these memories with.) Funny - in between photo takes they were longingly looking at the pool - all they wanted to do was swim!

Wouldn't you want her to save you?

Slice of heaven

I haven't posted in weeks. We have been enjoying our summer with windows wide-opened, sun-kissed shoulders and quiet evenings. The days are slow & full - almost endless. The first part of the summer was spent with random thoughts & last-minute decisions. This mid-point has us back on a schedule but with great amounts of free time which we're appreciative of.
The day this picture was taken, Kaitlin was reading (pre-HP 7), Breana was bouncing about, Dan was jumping on the trampoline and I was preserving pieces of our garden.

4th of July Celebrations

One of our favorite places to go to celebrate Independence Day is, hands down, Sonoma.

Here you get a small town parade around the square, you get a turkey drumstick to a feed a family, inevitably 90+ degree temperature...but good wholesome family fun.

Breana w/ Mom Begin, Dan and Kaitlin in the background...- see what I mean about the turkey drumstick?!
* * * * * * * * * California glory!


After settling down at home it was hard to get ourselves up and back into town for the evening festivities...

but so worth it!

July 2, 2007

And then I woke up...
I woke up 40 - it was that simple and with no more questions to be answered - it just 'was'.

Just a chuckle at a simple delicious piece of chocolate that reminded you what it was just in case you doubted its existence.
And life is clear again - crisp & clear.
Sweet - sometimes sour.

With a little bit of sugar or tonic & Vodka and it's all good!

;) winkwink

July 1, 2007

My last day to be 39. I have lived about half of my life here on earth.
With that, am I headed in the direction set out before me?
Have I really read the letter inside of me?
Is there more to read?

I'm in a place - a good place - far different than I thought I would be 20 years ago. It's amazing how I saw success & contentment differently back then. It all seemed so obvious and simple. Then my focus went down a path that I never considered and yet now I can't see how I couldn't have!
What defines me?
When you're a stay-at-home Mom and the little work that you do outside of the home isn't utilizing your college degree, does your family life define you?
Am I a Mother & Wife before anything else?
If not, what is that "else"?

There are two questions that, when asked incorrectly, in my eyes, annoy me.

1) "Where are you from?"

and

2) "What do you do?"

Is someone's career their destiny, their success? - Who they are?

Have I since then failed to complete my life?

Is it ok to be happy with how life is?

I can strive to be nice, generous & patient.

I can focus on a happy life, happy children, happy family...

Can happiness be an adequate measurement for success?