Is that Magic I smell?

I miss the magic of childhood. I am lucky to be privy to bits of it wafting by me as I watch Adam grow up. We went to the Boardwalk on Monday evening to surprise our good friend Heidi for her birthday (which was an act of spontaneity that, for me, is something to be proud of. . . Adam didn't go to bed until about 10pm, which is usually enough to make my head explode, but I had fun and it was well worth it! Go me!)
Walking up to the Boardwalk with all the flashing lights, rumblings of roller coasters and bursts of excited screams from passing rides made me remember. . . remember when riding green dragons and eating soft pretzels and trying to win stuffed animals was fun and magical and something to look forward to for weeks. And I forgot. . . forgot about the long drive, gas money, bedtimes, well-balanced meals, budgets, having to get up early the next morning and 'shoulds'. It was wonderful to remember and to forget.
And it was wonderful to be reunited with some Santa Cruz friends. Where else do you get fake mustaches to wear as disguise for a surprise party in public - and where else does everyone wear them the entire evening with such style and confidence?! (And where else does the stake president not only wear a fake mustache, but produce the funniest roller coaster picture ever? - see below, center picture) Only Santa Cruz, I tell you.

Pres. Walch reading his book while riding the Giant Dipper. Awesome. I love that family.

Adam taking it all in. No doubt basking in the glory of his first Birthday Party Hat - a true highlight of the evening for him.

More birthday hat adoration.

Trying to explain how amazing this all is to dad.

A little stunned by the price of soft pretzels ($3.75, really?!)

But not to worry. There was an ATM handy.

And now he knows mommy's PIN. The possibilities are endless.

Wishful thinking, Adam.

This is more your speed.

He couldn't get a smile big enough.

Happy birthday Heidi, and thanks for the fun Amy!!

Faces and two of my favorite things

Adam has many facial expressions that all make him look so different. Here are just a few I captured a couple of weeks ago:

Watch out. . . . he's coming for YOU!!And he is taking no prisoners.

We went up to the Oakland Temple, all three of us, a couple of Saturdays ago. I had a chance to chase after Adam for a while and got some pictures of his shenanigans (in great lighting conditions, by the way).

Running along the fountain bench.

Dabbling in the water.

Squinting up at the temple.

Formulating a plan to get himself into that water.

There are few things that I like seeing more together in a picture. . .

Fiesta 2010

Adam experienced his first Santa Barbara Fiesta a few weekends ago. We started the day off at Anderson's Bakery for a scrumdidlyumptious breakfast and then assumed our positions atop a row of newspaper racks on the street to watch the children's Fiesta parade. The parade mostly consists of flower-adorned Radio Flyer wagons carrying little girls in spanish dresses and little boys in spanish suits and drawn-on mustaches. There was also the occasional flamenco dance troupe. I loved it. Usually I don't miss living in Santa Barbara too much (aside from being far away from grandma and grandpa) but it is stuff like Fiesta that does make me miss it. Santa Barbara really knows how to do the 'yearly festival' tradition thing. From Summer Solstice to Fiesta. I want Adam to have traditions - places we go and food we eat every year, at the same time and same place. I have such fond memories of smashing cascarones (confetti eggs) on eachother's heads (somehow I think dad always bore the brunt of our abuse), eating churros and wearing glow stick necklaces late into the evening at El Mercado. It was nice to introduce Adam to that memory.

Thanks mom and dad for having us and spoiling us as always!

Saving Grace

There are times when I feel lost, lonely, disappointed, sad and discouraged.
There are times when I am judgmental, impatient, unforgiving and insensitive.
Being a mom has been my saving grace. There are times that I ache because I feel like Adam deserves so much more than I can ever give him.
But then he looks at me without judgment, with patience, with forgiveness and sensitivity and I feel closer to being found, fulfilled, joyful and encouraged to keep going; keep trying. Because it is in the trying that I find I am becoming more of that person I ache to be.

Enjoy some pictures from our 4th of July evening in the park.