cousins.

 

we don't see them often enough, but it's always so much fun to get together with cousins for a day of fun at the annual family picnic.  thanks mom & dad for a great day by the pool celebrating the fourth of july and family!!

the jersey shore.

 

we just returned home from our annual summer visit to new jersey and spending some of our days by the shore. it is definitely a place i love and a time i look forward to every year. although i have lived many places in my life, somehow the jersey shore always feels like home. and i couldn't be happier to share time together there as a family.

the evening hours, when mostly everyone has gone home for the day are definitely the best

 slade sporting a summer mohawk and relaxing with jeff while the girls enjoy treats from the ice cream man- chipwiches, screwballs and choco tacos are their favorites.

countless hours spent digging holes and building sand castles

 

until next year, i will so miss these simple days of summertime that i love so much and bring me joy. 

 we'll see you again next year!!!!!

heading home.

in just a few hours i will be on a flight heading back home... boy, do i miss my kids! although we have been talking via skype, i can't wait to hug them all. but now, i have to say goodbye. i will be missing my sweet husband once again. these past few days have been wonderful. side by side we have relaxed and savored every quiet minute together.

now, i am heading home to enjoy the last week of the summer break from school. yes, it's hard to believe, but my kids go back to school in just a week from this monday. the summer has gone by entirely too fast for us!

these pictures were taken during our vacation by the jersey shore. one evening as we walked home from dinner, we came upon an old church with a labyrinth. this man-made maze was formed from white oyster shells. slade, elle and sia excitedly raced to see who could make it to the center the quickest.

without children.

sometime during the middle of last week, i made a quick decision to book a flight to visit my husband in oklahoma. all weekend long i was very excited knowing i would be seeing the man i am completely in love with sooner than we both anticipated. and so, here i am. i arrived today. we'll be spending four days together. and... without children too.

this is the first time, i've ever packed and traveled without children in more than seven years. the first time i have been without children for more than just an evening. a part of me is already missing them so very much. i feel so far away. and it feels very strange. several times today, i've held back tears.

yet, i am loving that jeff and i have some time for just us- without children. it seems like its been forever of just being together. just the two of us. and today feels like the days when we first met. when we lived miles apart and fell in love. the excitement and anticipation of the next time we'd be together again. i am so looking forward the next few days of just being together.

{oklahoma wired landscape photograph/wall decal via kieshajean at etsy}

new jersey love.

after spending almost a month vacationing in new jersey, we arrived back at home last night. as always, we hated to say goodbye to the family, people and things we love in new jersey. yet, after a 14-hour car ride, we were all very, very happy to be back at home. and so, i will be spending the next few days, unpacking and settling back in.

p.s. i am loving the watercolor paintings of state love found at poppy and pinecone. i think the new jersey state love perfectly represents my love for new jersey. which state would you choose?

{print available from poppyandpinecone.}

heading to a.c.

today i am headed down to atlantic city. my mom has been a bartender in atlantic city for more than 25 years and this year she has decided to retire. tonight her co-workers are celebrating with a party in her honor and i am lucky enough to be in town to attend. my in-laws will be taking care of the kids for the night and i will be back tomorrow!

have i mentioned that my mom is retiring this week, packing up and moving down south with us until she finds a place of her own? although i know it will be a very big adjustment for my mom, we are all very excited and happy and so thankful that she has decided to retire near our family!

goodbyes + a week at the shore.

this past week we said goodbye again after spending a whole week together as a family, including a few days by the shore. jeff boarded a plane last wednesday and headed back to work and the kids and i stayed behind in new jersey. we spent the rest of the week at my sister's beach house on the shore in sea isle.

we truly spent the entire week on the beach. jeff and i indulged in long walks alone, hand in hand, we talked about our hopes and dreams and what we think our future holds. i actually sat down and was able to read while jeff played ball with the kids. slade, elle and sia found a love for boogie boarding and enjoyed playing for hours in the surf. we were lucky to have both of our parents join us for a relaxing day on the beach too.

and, after long days on the beach, we had dinners of clams, shrimp, ceviche and even rolled out the brown paper one night for a crab feast on the porch. yum! our vacation at the shore couldn't be any more wonderful!

a big thank you to my twin sister lisa for welcoming us to her beach house for the week. we hope it wasn't our last goodbye to the jersey shore for the summer. hopefully we'll be back soon!!

enjoy the weekend + some things.

do you have any plans for the weekend? we plan on heading down to the shore to enjoy some time on the beach before jeff heads back to work on wednesday. i am looking forward to long lazy days in the warm sun, walks along the shore and playing in the sand and surf with jeff and the kids. i can hardly wait. being on the beach brings me such peace and contentment and just makes me happy.

whatever your plans... i hope you enjoy your weekend and some of these things too!!

perfect DIY for those empty wine bottles
reminder to play everyday
sweet gift for father's day
painted votives
i'll be doing this soon
love the new issue of sweet paul magazine
a backyard office

gone fishing.

today, my children took a break from the pool and went fishing with their poppop. i think my girls have found a new hobby, at least a new one while we are here visiting this summer! from what i hear, they caught a total of eleven fish during their afternoon down by river with poppop and loved every minute of it!

happy friday.

hope you are having a happy friday. i have spent most of the day packing. i really do not like to pack, let alone times four. however, we finally are all packed and the kids and i (and my mom) are heading out very early in the morning for a long drive north up to new jersey. ever since slade was born, we've been spending part of our summers there with the family that we love. i will still be posting while we are away, but until i get unpacked and settled, here are some things i've seen that you might enjoy too. have a great weekend!

try this to patch your jeans
an adorable cookies + milk party
i can't stop staring at these bouncy balls
balloon banner DIY
a really neat way to wrap flowers
a site dedicated to artful pancakes- i'm amazed!
and love this summer list

{image found here}

spring break.

excuse my lack in posting... again! however, last friday, i decided to pack up the kids and head down south to santa rosa beach. the kids are on spring break this week and i thought we could use some care-free days playing in the surf and sand. i've been craving the beach lately as i do whenever the weather starts to warm up. i just couldn't hold out until summer.

and, i didn't think my children would mind spending their break from school jumping waves, digging giant holes in the sugar-white sand...

building sand castles, enjoying picnic lunches and searching for treasures along the shore....

luckily, the weather so far has been sunny and beautiful. this is definitely the break i needed from our life back at home.

dreaming.

again, school was canceled today. so while my children are enjoying yet another day off by playing games all day long at home, i am (finally) packing up all of the basement christmas decorations, while seriously dreaming about being somewhere warm and beautiful with my husband.


i hope you are having a good day... and staying warm, if is anywhere as cold as it is here!