Showing posts with label Summer Days 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer Days 2007. Show all posts

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Life with a view

Ever since I was a young child growing up in this town and even as a teenager walking/biking to & from the beach, I fell in love with this house. This is one of a handful in this town that make my heart flutter. When I came back to live in this town as in adult it no longer was a functioning B&B, in fact it was a vacant building left for spiders & rats to roam freely.
I dreamed of reawakening it - dreamed of hot tea on the porch overlooking the ocean - dreamed of it being lit up and alive again.

Then the company my brother-in-law, Jesse, is a VP for took it over. I couldn't wait! While it wasn't my name on the contract :] it was a reputable contracting/building company in charge of the project - nothing but good comes from this company.

Next door the company built townhomes that resembled the style of the Victorian B&B. The look is so cohesive with its surroundings and appear to be enriched with history, you'd think they've been around long enough to have the salt air in its bones and stories stashed in its cracks. You'd never know they were newly built from the ground up.

One weekend we were fortunate to have dinner in the front unit. My sister-in-law, Christine, was in charge of decorating - she has impeccable style. She created a space that makes you feel welcome - makes you feel as if you were home.

Beyond the Master Bedroom the view is meticulously framed giving me another moment to count my blessings - ah, gotta love living in this town!

And you can't end the evening without a reminder of the essence of this town - perfectly put by my 14 year old nephew, "Typical hippie Santa Cruz" - a fired-lit hula hoop out in the driveway.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Summer Fun - "The Search for Hidden Treasure"

One of the fun & incredibly special things Kaitlin & Breana do every summer is participate in Vacation Bible Camp. Never you mind their Uncle runs the day camp...well, that's one of the reasons they love this VBC. Tom's energy with children and for teaching the word of God is infectious. When being introduced to an acquaintances' son one summer I told him my brother-in-law was one of the Leaders. He asked, "Which Leader?" I thought of how I can describe Tom to this 6 yr old, "The one who was jumping up & down at the morning assembly." His eyes grew as big as the smile on his face, "Oh him!!!" This year Kaitlin, Breana, Kylie & Brayton were no longer campers, they were Leaders-In-Training (Lights & LITs).

Breana was a 'Light' for Kindergarten & 1st graders w/ Brayton.She had the unfortunate (yeah right) job of being surrounded by such cuteness & cuddleness. By the look on her face you can't help but feel bad for her ;) winkwink

She'd come home w/ stories of stickers, naps & little voices.
Kaitlin & Kylie were LITs for 2nd graders. Kaitlin was touched by the kindness of these 7 year olds. The kids (affectionally known as "the K's & the B's") had long days at VBC - they got up early every morning to help set-up and stayed after the campers left each day to clean-up. It was hot and their days were busy but each day when I picked them up the 4 were full of energy and thankfulness. This "job" of theirs was fun - assisting in teaching these young ones about Jesus was rewarding for them. The time & energy that Tom & Tisha put into this VBC is admirable. I know if you asked them, like the K's & the B's, what they get back from the group of kids is what keeps them going. At the end of the week when Tom's voice is gone & Tisha is ready to hibernate for the weekend to replenish, I know they're planning and looking forward to next summer.
I asked Kaitlin & Breana what they learned from that week at VBC and both answered, "You shouldn't be consumed with what treasures you have on earth, it's your heavenly treasure that you should cherish."

Not a bad week...

Friday, August 17, 2007

6 in a row


We watched the 6 little ducklings being pulled out of the harbor - evenly spaced out - looking a little hesitant but excited.
It started off with the last one letting go to taste freedom -
one by one
letting go and keeping the same distance from each other

the third one held on a little bit longer than the others

we invisioned a tantrum on one end and a pleading on the other

"Let go!"

"Noo! I'm not ready!"

"Let go!"

"Noo!..." The other ones tasting freedom taunting that one holding on for dear life ("Weeee, look at me!") while the others still connected together were angry and impatient to be let free ("Come on!")...until they were all set free from one another - darting here and there like kids set free in an amusement park. It was a sight! 6 little ducklings quacking along...

Us 4 had a grand time narrating this scene. A simple windy day at the beach creating mayhem amongst a smooth sail.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Moscow Circus in town! (1 post of 4)


What do you do when the Moscow Circus is performing on the beach?
You pack your beach bag, grab the kids and go!

Moscow Circus (2 of 4)





Moscow Circus (3 of 4)



Can you see what's balancing on her forehead? 2 champagne glasses on top of a wine glass!
Bar is lowered with knives on top AND bottom!
Bar is even lower and it's on FIRE!

Moscow Circus (4 of 4)





We went back the next day, too!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Summer Days - 2007

One ridiculously hot day this month we hung out at Elena's. Us Moms retreated to the shade w/ ice cold drinks, feet up and mumbled conversation with lots of giggling - heat does that to me! I can't even form full & complete sentences on days like this. I don't even think I moved a muscle in the 7 hours we were there. The entire time the kids ran around the pool.
Crazy kids!Belly Flops -
and
Cannonball
contests -
Winner!

Summer Days - 2007


Summer Days:
~ in a swimsuit, wet, all day
~ finding time to save a butterfly