whistler

  kevin whisked me away to vancouver for a long weekend for our anniversary 

and it was the loveliest time. 

 he told me just the night before where we were going, although i had a feeling.  

so gramma and cc came to stay with the kids, and we were off! 

i love the snow and mountains, especially this time of year. 

so beautiful and romantic. 

we spent two nights in vancouver

and two in whistler. 

kevin skied, 

i spa-ed (i just made that a verb)

we slept in,

and it was all such a treat.

what's better than sleeping in and waking up to snow covered mountains?

it was really nice just being on our own clocks

and having nothing to do.

it was beautiful, relaxing, quiet, slow. 

perfect for us.

maybe next year we'll pick up the pace :)

it was also soooo fun coming home to the kids 

who seemed 14 and 4. 

(how does that happen?)

ivy was so giddy to show me all the fun stuff she did and made. 

i know they had the best time.

 mom and cindy decked the halls

and had our house perfectly cozy and festive.

as well as a minor house-lift 

and total car clean-out.  

i can't thank you enough!

tis the season to be jolly!! 

happy thanksgiving!

we had a wonderful thanksgiving last weekend in cabo. 

(aside from passing on a bug to every member of my family. so, so sorry.) 

we had the best time, and ivy was in. heaven.

she loves playing with staples and esther and being their mini teacher. 

it's the best watching them together. 

they're the cutest, smartest, funniest, sweetest little girls! ever. 

the weather was beautiful, and the weekend was relaxing and perfect.

(except for the sick bit. sorry again.)

these times are so dear to me, as we're far away and our family is ever growing! 

i'm so thankful for such a beautiful place to spend some time with them. 

thank you mom & dad! 

{olive, staples, eli, ivy and esther. minus baby truett}

the only picture of the whole weekend. i officially am the worst.

pleeeeeease do better over christmas, chaiss!!  

hope y'all had a very happy thanksgiving! 

santa cruz weekend

last weekend we packed up the car and drove an hour to santa cruz. 

kevin's company was having a beach bash so we thought it'd be a fun place to spend eli's birthday.

(we actually celebrated his birthday the next weekend)

we cruised the famous little boardwalk and let ivy ride the rides. 

that's definitely a once-is-enough kind of place,

but ivy really enjoyed it.

and eli enjoyed his first ice cream cone :)

we met up with kevin's co-workers on the beach

and ate, played in the sand and had our caricature drawn. 

the next day we rode a steam train through the redwoods.

i found this somewhere and it seemed like a cool thing, 

but it was probably a cooler idea in my head than what it ended up being. 

(hot, long and crowded).

kevin and i always like to joke about what my dad would be like in these situations.

(not well. not well at all.)

all staying in one hotel room together wasn't the greatest night's sleep, either.

i thought it was fun to be bunked up together and ordering room service.

kevin thought i was crazy. 

traveling with kids is just sort of a fickle thing - it can turn out too many different ways.

 oh well, it's still fun.

live and learn.

a very happy birthday to my sweetest little boy.

i'll do a real post later.

                  good morning, one year old!
when i told ivy it was eli's birthday,
 her eyes got big and she said "we have to make eli a birthday card!!!"
oook.

santa cruz beach

 steam train through the redwoods

the end

out + about

charleston aquarium 

paddle boats - james island park

 cupcake on king

piggy wiggly

chicken + dumplings @ virginia's on king

young picasso - children's museum of the lowcountry 

we love eli too.. he is just usually home sleeping with nana :)

beach bug

happy summer!

 i'm soo glad we get to have a long break here at the beach before our big move. 

let summer begin! 

california

this morning at the ferry building in san francisco 

          kevin is finished with classes (woohoo!)

and has two free weeks until his actual graduation.

we left the kids in texas and came to san francisco for a few days.

it is beautiful and we're having so much fun. 

actually, we are here to find a house!

kevin accepted a job offer in palo alto a few days ago, 

so we are here to find a place to move to in just a few weeks.

crazzzyy!

i am sad to still be far from my nieces and family, 

but so proud and happy for this opportunity for kevin 

and excited to live in such a beautiful place with my little family. 

we arrived yesterday and found our house within a few hours of landing. 

i can't believe it. 

it was the first & only house we looked at -
just something i stumbled upon online,

and we both LOVED it. 

it is old, small and so charming.

it has a wonderful backyard (ahhh!) and no stairs!!

we walked through, got so excited and DONE.

i can't wait to start decorating and get settled in.

since that is miraculously done, we have the rest of the week to chill.

we spent all day around san francisco, eating and walking and soaking it in.

it's nice to have some free days to get a few more things done:

--find the market

--visit kevin's office

--visit a preschool for ivy

--get kevin a bike

--maybe a piano for me?!

i can honestly say i did not anticipate moving to california

but i feel so blessed and so happy. 

God is good. 

paris pics

i was a pretty lazy photographer plus we were having serious camera issues... but better a few than none at all.

ps. i'm having major croissant/quiche lorraine/crepe withdrawals.