Warning- Loads of Photos...Mostly Photos
We have been so busy enjoying a ton of fun in the sun over the past month. Here is a picture show to catch you up on our recent events. Sadly, I lost some photos a few special events we attended, but we have been completely saturated in the moment creating many photos in our hearts and head. As you'll gather, we have plenty of photos to share here :-)
Shortly after our initial decision to move to The Mitt, Ryan created a savings jar for our journey to Traverse City. Here is our friend Jewel contributing to the jar after purchasing one of our bigger ticket items we had for sale. It has been fun continually contributing spare change and bills here and there. The kids are enjoying the saving jar potentially even more than us!
A rainbow shared itself with us at the end of a short rain earlier last month.
If you are wondering why I would include a photo of Kierce playing in the rain, well precipitation is a rarity around here. It's an ancient holiday, as it has rained only a couple times this year. The kids ran outside to play, play, play...it was a super exciting moment for our family! I think we even heard thunder and saw lightening.
The kids earned a trip to our local Souplantation after a long hiatus from dinners out.
I have been writing by the ocean several days per week since my birthday in August. I occasionally capture photos of the area I am near that particular day. Ocean beach will forever be a great love of mine.
My friend Danielle insisted on taking me out for sushi a couple weeks ago. It was so scrumptious and wonderful to spend time with her and her niece.
Later that week I brought my friend Carol with me to a traditional Native American sweat lodge experience. Here we are fairly high on life after the experience.
Walking the labrynth is one of my favorite experiences at the Essene Retreat, where the Sacred Heart Sweat Lodge is located.
I got some extra loving in with an oh so precious woman, a great representation of the female gender. She has a permanent smile on her face...and sweats in the lodge like no other. She is the owner of the Essene Retreat and my inspiration.
That evening I met up with Ryan and the kids at our friend Rudy's block party. The kids had fun messing around acting with Uncle Dave. Uncle Dave is playing the role - smell no evil ;-)
Ryan and I got some cuddling in at the party :-)
...capturing a moment with Rudy.
We surprised ourselves by waking up early the next morning to participate in the Paddle Around the Pier event in OB.
Rowan was such a champ, she carried our stuff and captured to moment for us as we paddled. <3
...taking off to paddle around OB's quite lengthy pier.
Rowan...what a sweet photo as Dave and I were fighting the waves to get past the break.
We took a few breaks during the paddle.
We made it!!! It was so much more difficult than we had anticipated, but we were happy we joined the fun!
Rowan...another sweet pic.
Rowan relished her time at this grand piano. She has been chirping about this lovely experience ever since that day. Our friend Jewel and her daughter Cinnamon moved into a large home with a nice backyard recently.
We had fun checking out their new pad :-)
<3 Sunset Cliffs beauty <3
My friend Corrie and her beautiful children met us at a more private beach here in OB. Look at her new little babe Leon...isn't he gorgeous and so perfect??? ...just like his mama.
...her daughter Elli and Merrick had fun digging a hole on in the sand among other things.
I love it when I capture Row and Kierce loving on each other.
The three girls found a fun waterhole at the top of a large rock. It was as if they had their private little tub to enjoy.
...uber fun at our friend Barb's pool. All of our kiddos always have a blast playing together. They seriously play like they have known each other forever. It's pretty cool to witness <3
One of the things Ryan added to our list of fun adventures to enjoy before the move - visit a local casino.
Ryan and I enjoyed a beautiful little waterfall at the front of the buffet before indulging.
While in line at the buffet, I asked Ryan to voice a specific intention for this trip to Viejas Casino. He decided he wanted to leave with a full belly and up $100. I am happy to say that he exceeded his expectations.
While at the Casino, the kids enjoyed some quality time with Uncle Dave.
The next morning I was blessed with the opportunity to enjoy a magical yoga festival experience with a few friends! So much fun...met a new soul sister whom is now going to be moving into our apartment after we leave for Michigan, sound healing, Capoeira, eye gazing experience, acro yoga, so much more and a ton of laughs.
The next day we experienced a beautiful gift given to us from Aunt Lynn-
A Lesson in Sand Castle Building
...started with three cuties toting buckets full of water.
...planning the configuration using plastic molds with the help of an awesome teacher.
Each layer requires thoroughly wetting the sand and using a tool to pack the sand.
My handsome love had fun creating a sandball.
...voila, a pretty basic structure just waiting to be carved into.
...serious business.
...eventually creating a bridge using a bucket.
Yay, the bridge building was a success!
...all smiles on my face. It was so awesome to witness our family work so well together creating something beautiful. It felt like one big giant meditation for all of us. People continually came up to our group with questions and wonder...we were so focused, we probably didn't even notice the attention.
...beauties, besties and a castle.
We all decided that this was the beginning of our family hobby as sandcastle builders. A big, HUGE thank you goes out to Aunt Lynn for helping us find this new family passion!
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My friend's Shanti and Katalin loved joining me to shake it up on the dance floor at Dance Church.
We were extremely blessed last week with a visit from our sweet niece and cousin, Eva...
...and nephew/cousin, Enzo.
While Enzo couldn't get enough of the piano, Merrick had a blast causing a giggle, or two...
...or three or four, from Uncle Ryan and Eva!
Later that same day we joined up with my friends Katalin and Monica for a glorious beach meditation to raise money for our friend Jonathan's Prison Yoga mission. A little later Ryan met up with us for a walk down to the OB Farmer's Market. We are stopped for a chat with good old Walt the hooping genius. He showed the kids some of his new hat creations.
<3 OB Farmer's Market love <3
So I am pretty bummed that some of the pictures I lost had captured Kierce's birthday sleepover with her friend Ruby, and other bday festivities at home. Although, I do have some pictures from the Yummy Buffet, Kierce's bday restaurant of choice.
...my <3
She was surprised with a cake and candle to blow out. Happy 10th Birthday my sweet, loving, creative, kind, spunky, imaginative, and unique Kierce Gretchen.
I told Kierce that we will just have to reenact her birthday weekend so I can get some precious pics...she didn't argue about that idea ;-)
Wow, we sure are doing a lot these days and have much to share. We are really absorbing as much Cali fun as possible to bring back to Michigan with us soon!
Fun...To Be Continued...pretty much forever.
