Sippin' Soda Through a Straw

Remember when a Shirley Temple was the bestest,

most wonderfulest, ginormous treat ever? Do ya?

Ham AND Cheese...

Oh, Joy!

This little guy, well, he really makes my day. He has such a blythe spirit, naturally infused with ebullience and enthusiasm for the world around him. He asks me questions like, "Who drew the first straight line?" He wakes up singing. He holds my hand. He loves my cooking, and says so emphatically. He hugs on impulse. He's not afraid to say "I love you!" Jack, you are my sunshine...

Easter Treats

SO SWEET!

Motion Sensor

Hi, Everybody!

Gimme Shelter

It was a rainy, windy morning, but that didn't stop all the kids from having a blast on the beach. The better to build a fort, my dear!

Siblings By the Sea

Claire and Jack made the most of a surprisingly beautiful day (for this time of the year) at the beach in Santa Cruz. Wish I could bottle moments like these...

Party On

So many hats, only one head...

Natural Selection

Hmmm...

Ya Got Me!

Where he gets these ideas, I'll never know...

Par-TAY!

In the midst of the holiday shuffle we celebrated two more birthdays, and though her actual date fell on Thanksgiving, Claire graciously deferred the celebration a day on the condition that we go out for fondue. For his part, Jack was laid back about bringing in his fifth year a couple of days early...

God Bless Us Every One

I'm pretty sure he fell asleep before "Amen"...

Pumpkin Patch

Too many options; so hard to choose!

Al Fresco

Warm weather grants us the luxury of dining outdoors, an opportunity which never ceases to delight the whole family. The young ones feel a sense of something special in the air, as if dinner by candlelight were a magical experience. Even their manners are better! Well, mostly...

Let's Boogie!

Claire and Jack were so enthusiastic about boarding in Santa Cruz that I threw on a wetsuit and went in after them. Embarrassingly enough for me, they are both way better at catching the waves than I am...

Be Still, My Beating Heart

Jack? In kindergarten? How can it be...? Everyone seems delighted with this arrangement and there was an air of excitement as all the kids prepared for the first day of school. Still, there was a small wrenching of my heart as Jack jumped out of the car and trundled off to class with nary a backward glance...

After You...

The elevated temperatures can make even the most laid-back fellows feel hot and cranky, so I was delighted to see patience and good manners on display at the playground water fountain. Maybe these little guys could teach the parents in our school car lines a thing or two about waiting your turn with good grace...

Little Wonders

Jack's was astonished and delighted with this "underground" fountain; his brief moment of water play was a good reminder to stop and appreciate the small joys of any ordinary day...

Where the White Fern Grows

Claire and Jack highly recommend the hot chocolate at Cibo in Sausalito. They were also quite keen on the poached eggs with goat cheese on polenta. "Your kids eat that kind of stuff?" people always ask me. Of course they do; they eat what I feed them. Kids will eat anything if they're hungry enough! I just get such a warm feeling watching their faces light up with joy at life's simple pleasures...

Bubblicious!

What is it we love so much about blowing bubbles in a glass of milk? Is it precisely because milk makes such marvelous bubbles? Wherever the sense of satisfaction comes from, it's one of those childhood pleasures that simply can't be replaced...