This last year has been difficult for my blogging.  I took a LONG break away from the computer, and its blindingly bright screen.  I have been dealing with chronic migraines since last July and have found it ever so difficult to go near my computer.  With over 20 migraines a month, then a spinal headache for two weeks in February, and so many doctor visits I don't have much time for anything other than day to day stuff with the children.  Finally I am now on a good daily regimen, went through an awesome nutritional cleanse, and am down to only 5-6 migraines a month (a blessing for me).  So I am trying to get back into what I love (writing). 

Through the last 10 months I have really began to think about other parents that deal with chronic pain issues.  It really is a difficult situation to be in, and some parents can put such a great face on while dealing with their pain.  I hope for a few good posts on that subject and maybe even a magazine article if I can manage.  See you all soon!

Em and WIll

 Finally got to take the kids out for a photo shoot.  The hills have been looking so beautiful I couldn't wait to get out there and play!  So we did their 4 year and 2 year shots finally.  Emmy is looking like such a big girl and Will is getting so handsome too.  What a fun day!

Boys Love Bugs!

One thing my daughter and I agree on is bugs are yucky.  I am not so lucky with the little guy who thinks bugs are toys, fun to squish and play with.  This freaks me out, just a bit.  Now, I am not one to hide from my fears, but face it head on is not my normal way to do things.  But as we mom's go through motherhood, we do things for our children and get used to things we don't like, purely for the sake of making them happy.  The Bug Museum Insect Lore is just such a place.  Not a place I would go willingly on my own, but with a happy child in tow, I am game.
Lindsay and I headed out to Insect Lore this weekend for a look around with our boys and my sweet girl.  We saw pretty lady bugs and butterflies, ugly hairy tarantulas, and enormous disgusting beetles, yes all alive, thankfully in cages.  My limit was the beetles, I would have run screaming out of the store if one even looked like it could escape.  The true value of the trip was the boys having a great time together.

Wordless Wednesday

A sweet afternoon feeding the ducks. 

Dirty Thirsty... I mean thirty!

Last week it turned 30.  (Gasp)  Breath!  I know it's so un-lady like of me to reveal my age, but there it is.  Back when I thought 30 was old, I was convinced I would hate my 30th birthday.  Now on this side of the big day I am so happy.  30 is a good age, and I am looking forward to this point in my life.  30 will be an awesome time, with my children and my husband by my side, there is nothing to worry about.

My birthday did turn out to be pretty amazing too.  We took our friends out for a kid-free weekend of wine tasting.  We had a blast in Paso Robles going through winery after winery.  We visited some of the best California wineries: Rotta, Turley, Proulx, Cypher, Clautiere, and Tobin James.  All had such great wines!  The best part was the great company that went with us, our life long friends, Sam and Tara and Greg and Keri.  We love you!

Baby girl is 4

I can't believe how fast the time has gone. 4 years went by in the blink of an eye. I still feel like I just had this little punkin, and now she is growing up.

For her 4th birthday this year we were on our Kennison family vacation, this year was camping. We did a lot of fishing while camping. So we got her her own fishing pole for her birthday and went to the lake and she caught her very first fish! Two casts with a lucky lure and she caught a brown trout. So sweet! She was all excited for a minute and ran back to her snack. That's a kid for ya.










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Does it take the Village?

I find one of the most enjoyable parts of parenting can be the friendships made with other parents and their children. The old saying "it takes a village" is one that I completely agreed with. We had some pretty amazing families we were friends with, they were our village. We would have dinner together, travel together, have holidays together. We had lots of kids to enjoy and friends to laugh with, a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear. Over the last several months some particular friendships have died away leaving gaping holes in our circle.
As I am trying to figure out what went wrong, I find truth in the old breakup line, "it's not you it's me". Our "friends" needed to focus on the family, leaving the social aspect of parenting to become a stronger unit. In our little family unit however, that is not something we need. We have lots of time together and we have a great relationship. We are all close and loving, and we love having others we love around us. In the end we have no understanding of our friends needs for seclusion but can respect it. I just wonder why leave people that only want to help and support you?
Are you social parents or seclusion parents?

On a trip to the Grand Canyon