Snow and Rainbows with my Girl!

Snow and Rainbows with my Girl!

Wrapping up winter vacation, my 18 year old (how did that happen?!) daughter and I headed for the snow. I love California! We went from the beach to the snow in 90 minutes. Throughout the day, we experienced rain, hail, snow and 4 beautiful rainbows. The high point was spending the day with my sweet girl. The low point was getting a speeding ticket. Hey, I got excited when I saw snow on top of the mountain! 

Los Padres National Forest

 My daughter took this picture while I was driving. 

...and then this happened.

Although I feel content in the knowledge that I have been present throughout my children's lives, the time just slips away so fast. First they are starting preschool and one blink later, they're driving off together to high school.  A freshman and a senior. Just like that. I knew this day would come, but I didn't know that it would come so fast.

 

I tend to take a lot of time off of social media, sometimes with warning and other times without. I know that time is fleeting and the more I am present in the lives of those I love, the better off we all are. This is an interesting era with so much "screen time" in our lives. It takes a conscious effort to not make our smart phones a priority. I have always had a rule in our home regarding eye contact while communicating with those in front of you. If I need to talk to someone who is texting, face booking, etc. I will wait until they can look at me before I have a conversation with them. I think it's the respectful thing to do and I hope that my kids carry this lesson throughout their lives. Be present with those you're with and be present in each moment. Enjoy life without sharing it with the virtual world as you go. Just be where you are when you're there and appreciate the precious, fleeting moments because once they have passed, you can't get them back. But you will always have the memories of having experienced them. If your face isn't buried in a screen. 

This was my son's first day and my daughter's last first day of high school. It wasn't easy watching them drive off! I will miss the car rides to school with them. It was always a great time to catch up.

I am proud of my kids and the people they have become. It's time to let them spread their wings and make their way in the world. I'm honored to be their mom and I look forward to seeing them continue to grow and flourish. They know that I will always be here for them. All of me. Completely present.

Camping in Big Sur!

Camping

If you're lucky, once in a lifetime, you will make a friend as a child and keep that friend forever,  creating new memories as often as possible. My best friend and I have been creating memories together for over 38 years. Luckily, our husbands and children love each other and everyone gets along beautifully! Our tradition is to go camping together every summer. We share a lot of laughs. Like seriously, a lot of laughs! This is our group. Our kids are like cousins and have promised us that no matter how old they get, they won't ever outgrow our annual camping extravaganza! 

We are tent campers. I am now 46 years old and have finally figured out how to not wake up tired, sore and ornery. It's called an Aerobed! Gone are the days of bed rolls, squishy air mattresses and sleeping bags. I now have a blow up bed with a box spring and a headboard. Flannel sheets and a snuggle blanket while camping have changed my life! My BFF made fun of me for being a "glamper." I told her that she can laugh at me all she wants until she breaks her hubby down and heads to Costco for an Aerobed.  It is the best $139.99 I've ever spent! My guy isn't complaining either.

This is the beautiful Highway 1 coast drive! See that bridge? Yes, I drove across it.
So many photo opportunities! I think I have over 300 pictures from the weekend. My daughter snapped this shot of me. 



Margaritas while camping are a must with our group. We actually have Mexican food night and my BFF makes the best carnitas ever!! We really do it up with all of the fixings. Yes. I admit it. We glamp! The best part is that we prep all of the food at home, so all my sweet hubby has to do is work his magic at the campfire. Best campfire food I've ever tasted!

We took a lovely hike to a waterfall. Due to the California drought, it wasn't as big as it once was, but it was still very pretty. It was a nice spot to eat our sandwiches and enjoy the moment.

I am already missing our time together outdoors. The best part about camping is unplugging from all electronics. Spending time together without the distractions of our daily lives. It brings us all back together connecting on a deep and memorable level where we can just let go and be present. 

Rest in Peace, Grandma

It was a very sad day today. The world lost a wonderful woman and I lost my Grandma. She was 98 years old and I feel so blessed that I had her in my life for as long as I did.

I am so grateful that I was able to spend quality time with her in September at my cousins wedding. Didn't she look just fabulous? I helped her get ready. ;)

My sister and I had such a great time with her! We even snuck her a glass of wine. Our dad, aunts and uncles said it wouldn't be a good idea, but she loved it and was grateful. I mean really. She was 98!

Grandma is the last of my grandparents to pass on. I feel sad that my 75 year old father is an orphan. 

Grandma will always hold a special place in my heart and I miss her already. 

Rest in Peace, Grandma. Say hi to Grandpa for me. xo

Enjoying the Sunshine

Hellooooooo! I know I've been pretty quiet lately. Every once in awhile, I need to take a break from social media. Perhaps it's the idea of spending so much time on my computer when the sun is shining so brightly. I think I am susceptible to electronics burnout.  Is there such a thing? I have been enjoying long walks on the beach, spending time outside with my family and sharing yoga at the most beautiful studio ever... the beach! I guess it's a good thing that I live in sunny California. Sending love and positive energy to you all!

Elephant Seals

Every year in January, the Elephant Seals come to the beach in San Simeon, CA for birthing and breeding  season. It is quite a sight! It was an honor to watch these amazing creatures in their natural habitat.

The females do not have trunks like the males do.

The new pups weigh about 70 pounds when they're born. 

These males fought  for dominance over this portion of the beach. They both ended up pretty bloody, but they both seemed fine when the dust (or sand) settled. There was a clear winner though!

The adult males weigh over two tons!

Seals at rest.

 Seals at play? Or perhaps not...

The Green Flash

Ok, so I admit that I have been a little bit obsessed with The Green Flash.

For those of you who haven't heard of it, Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that sometimes occur right after sunset or right before sunrise. When the conditions are right, a green spot is visible above the upper rim of the disk of the sun. The green appearance usually lasts for no more than a second or two. Rarely, the green flash can resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset (or sunrise) point. Green flashes occur because the atmosphere can cause the light from the sun to separate out into different colors. Green flashes are a group of phenomena which stem from slightly different causes, and therefore some types of green flashes are more common than others.

I have been staring at sunsets, all around the world,  for many years looking for The Green Flash. I never saw one until I moved here! 

Maybe it's because I am fortunate to have this amazing view from my house and can watch for it every night. 

Notice in this picture, the green glow around the edges of the sun...

Do you see it? This is the first time I've captured actual green on film. Next time I will keep my finger on the shutter so I can share the actual flash. Yes, I am a total Green Flash Geek and I am proud of it!