another scanned photo..

i love my scanner.

recently purchased and it and is worth every dime..

this photo is from 2000..

before we were married on a trip to costa rica..

ahhh..sweet sweet love.

11 things i learned from camping..

ok. so this past weekend we.. as a family.. decided to go camping.. we recently bought a vintage pop up camper with dreams of road trips, beach days, smores, cards and the pounding of the surf..

well.

we had NO idea what we were in for...
none.
we decided to go for a trial run out front of our home. about 1 mile west is a campground on the cliffs of the ocean and it is gorgeous. sooo gorgeous. we are close to home and what could go wrong?

hardy har. har.

what could go wrong?

let.

me.

tell.

you.

so the day was good. we set up. the girls played in the camper and climbed a tree all day. we painted rocks, played cards and i took a nap on the beach..

it was gorgeous weather and we were so excited about our great set-up..

then came night fall..

it was cold within seconds of sunset..
we went to light a fire..

turns out
1.) you do not just throw logs in a tee-pee style and light it (wait. back up.. we forgot a lighter and had to borrow one from a neighbor) yes. i am serious..

moving on..

so lighter fluid, big logs and a bit of fire do not start a fire..

it MUST be the wood right?

well. lets light the new propane lamp that we bought so we can at least SEE this mess of a campfire..

we slid the cool green lantern out of its sparkly box and realized..
oh.
2.)you need loooong matches to light a propane lantern..

do you think we had those?

you guessed right.

we did not.

soo. we took wood skewers and lit those and the wind was not helping matters...

after awhile of that fiasco.. we actually got the lantern lit and moved on to the fire again...

damian ran to the store (good thing we were 1 mile from ralphs huh?)..

bought more wood and asked the rangers on the way back in.. with our sweet, (i know i sound so dumb but i really need to give my girls smores and it is freezing" desperation of a voice).. any tips on starting a fire?"

we got some tips about
3.) kindling (not the kindle you read from)..

and
4.) breaking wood into smaller pieces and FINALLY.. we got a fire..

yay! we are happy...
oh ya.
5.) do not touch the top of a propane lantern because you will get blisters IMMEDIATELY..
(poor damian)
 ..

one of my favorite moments was that night, on my birthday.. both my girls fell asleep in my arms..

it was divine.

first chloe.

then we transferred her to the tent then snuggled makena and she too fell asleep by the fire.. in my arms. 

it has been years since the girls have done that and it was the best gift ever.

so once makena was asleep we thought we'd transfer her and took the to the tent..

well.

did you know that..
6.) 400 pounds on one side of a tent camper would umm... MAKE IT TILT!
7.) those silver triangle stilts that were in the cabinet of the camper... um. those are for stabilizing the camper so it doesn't tilt...

yes.. we see-saw'd..

popped a wheelie.. reared like a horse into the sky..
you get the visual right?
whatever you want to call it...

and thankfully between my screeeeaches and makenas shreeeeeks.. damian ran to the other side and brought us back down to the ground..

o.m.g.
so, we evvvvveeeentually made it to bed.. slept decent and then came sunrise..
it was beautiful.
we brushed our teeth and hair.. afterall it was a NEW day..
we sat in our beach chairs and were so excited to get our bacon and eggs..
we went to hook up the propane tank to the camp stove and i had my french press all ready to go..
you see. the ONE thing i NEED is my coffee. i was dreaming of waking up.. having a delicious cup of joe on the cliffs over looking the ocean while my gorgeous husband cooked and our beautiful children sang, danced, and rode unicorns on rainbows.. {that last one might as well been}
because.
well.
the propane tank hose or valves or something were nott right and we couldn't hook it up
{sigh}
so.
8.) starbucks really are everywhere
hubby climbed tn the car made a starbucks run including breakfast sandwiches..
this was not camping my friends..
{side note: a friend of ours stopped by later that morning and hooked up this "crazy valve hose to the propane tank and we had fire in 2 seconds}
really damian?? really?!!

moving on...

we went on to have a great day..
a wonderful day.
then came nightfall again..
we got that pretty green lantern lit, the fire going and the the camper was stable as can be..
9.) you learn a lot by experience..
i was ready to throw in the towel especially when we got home and i had 8 loads of laundry including comforters to wash..
10.) everything smells like campfire after you go camping
but hubby reminded me (blistered fingers and all) that
11.)everything takes practice..
and look how much we learned just this weekend..
so.
we are not throwing in the towel..
we are having a couple more go arounds and i hope they will be successful..
afterall...
i have 6 nights in tahoe booked for august..
that gives us 6 months to get it down..
6 nights..
oy.

here are some photos of our first camping trip...

{our first photo taken of our first camping trip}

{there is nothing like the ocean..nothing}

{caprese is amazing}

{front row seats}

{you can see alllll down the coast}

{those little silver triangles}

{serious game of cards for hubby..}

{million dollar view}

{nutella face}

'

{we have fire!!}

.

 {until next time..}

ps. see where those triangles are? duh! no wonder we tipped! 

we are so dumb!

mother nature.

isn't she stunning?

happy friday!

photo credit: gethin thomas

wanderlust.

i suddenly got the camping bug a few weeks back. i can remember camping when i was little and most people you talk to about camping, have great memories of their childhood and camping. 

before we decided to have kids the one thing i really thought about was i wanted to be young-ish when we started because i wanted to travel and be full of zest for an adventure when the kids are old enough. i suddenly feel. we are there. 

i have traveled a lot, i have lived in europe and i have been all over the world.

i LOVE to travel.

jetting off to the south of france or flying to lake como..

  are not happenin'.. {yet}

so...

we bought a vintage {pretty word for older} pop-up camper and we are embracing the camping adventure..

i am so excited..

{first of all to make her pretty.. re-upholstering the couches pronto}

but more so..

 the places we will go.. 

i am not the "be scared of bears and not showering for days brave camper mrs."..

but.

we have a looong stretch of coastline to discover and lots of fun to be had.

scrabble. hiking. campfires. smores. surfing. a clothesline full of beach towels and bathing suits. and pictures galore.

i'll take it anyday.

a family outing for some julian apples.

apple picking has been on my list of things to do for a few years now. seems like the tiny window of opportunity is gone the second after i actually think about it.. this year we made it.. we drove some windy roads and oooohhed and awwed at the cows, horses, camels {yes. a camel farm is up there } and some goats along the way..it is gorgeous up in julian.. we ate a yummy lunch, cruised the tiny towns shops, peeked in the windows of the apple pie bakeries, i enjoyed some sangria at the winery located 5 steps from the orchards entrance {it was delicious}..

and of course.

picked some apples.

2500 miles away in nyc

this trip was quite an emotional trip..

i won a photography contest through lee jeans and hubby and i were off to new york one week later..

from 2500 miles away it is easy to say no big deal.. i can fly on the 10th year anniversary of 9/11..

from 2500 miles away you can say it will be a nice vacation for hubby and i, we deserve it.

..

 5am we started our journey to the big apple on separate flights..

yes.

separate..

i am a bit dramatic, yes.. it's true. i just thought.. why not?

i got my copy of the september issue and my book club read water for elephants and started my journey..

we arrived safe and sound, took a cab to the hotel, sat at the bar and ordered

"2 manhattans"

we were in new york city on our 9 year anniversary!

the city is so fabulous..

we walked everywhere.. and then, we walked everywhere again..

we ate amazing food, there were bursts of color everywhere..

there was so much energy and excitement at every turn...

being in the streets you'd never know it was the 10th anniversary of 9/11 until you hoped in a cab and saw car bomb threats on the little tv's attached to the seats..

you'd never know until you saw the security guards at the train station with machine guns..

you'd never know until you saw 4 cop cars pulling over a van and searching it as the driver says it was the 3rd time today..

all weekend i went in and out of the reality of the devastation of 9/11..

this is a reality that a new yorker lives everyday..

we walked the 9/11 memorial while helicopters flew overhead just after having a peaceful brunch at pastis then walked over the frantically busy brooklyn bridge..

we walked through bergdorff as louboutins flew through the air as women frantically handed over their credit cards..

we ate a hot dog in central park as we nestled each other in the quiet..

we people watched..
and people watched..

we listened to a man on 5th ave frantic on the phone trying to track down a GOLD chanel for his wife just like the one his mom has..

we talked and talked with each other as being parents is so hard to do at times..

we had cocktails on a rooftop bar overlooking the city and the gorgeous empire state building where it really sank in that we were actually really there..
i realized that i am more in love with my husband than ever..

2500 miles away..

when we came home to our clean, quiet house with my sweet girls fast asleep..

i snuck in their room and just hugged them for awhile..

i woke up my oldest to tell her we were home and she looked up and me and says

"look at that little face" as she squeezed my cheek and dozed off..

i had an amazing time and am so honored and happy that i was able to experience every new york second that i did..

and i am extremely happy to be home..

in our home with our girls and my husband..

2500 miles away.

until next time nyc..