Simple Joys #21

Jeff and I drove the few miles to the ocean tonight right as the sun began to set. We arrived at the Newport Pier in just enough time to watch the sky blaze orange and the shadows creep over the water. Breathtaking.

Simple Joys #20

I took a walk this morning around the area where our hotel is. We are near a bay, but not near the ocean. These birds of paradise were by an office building. They really do look like birds.

Simple Joys #18

I've had this 3 block sign for at least 10 years. I bought it at some crafty sale my mom and I used to go to every year. I love it. I smile whenever I see it and think of how those 3 words can mean so much.
To love is to dream.
To dream is to believe.
To believe is to love.
It is a circle that covers family, friends, faith and everything in between.

Simple Joys #17

I had another picture in mind for today's Simple Joy, but then Jeff brought this beauty home. I am a sucker for this wonderful Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. Definitely a guilty pleasure!

Simple Joys #16

Simple Joys #13

A boy. A box of cereal. A pooch. Shared moments. 

Simple Joys #12

Since Saturday I have been to 3 libraries. I have 33 items checked out. 11 are the boys and 2 are for Jeff. That leaves 20 books I am ready to read. I am a huge fan of the library. The one in BC, not so much. Thank goodness for inter-library loaning or I would be driving all over the valley for books.
The reason I went to 3 libraries? Paperback books often are not listed in the catalog. When checked out they come up adult paperback, so this makes it hard to know which library has what. Also I can not request a book if it isn't in the catalog. So I visit the libraries. Which I love to do. Being surrounded by that many books is a little slice of heaven. Just looking through stacks for something to grab your attention and then relishing in the joy of choosing stacks of books to bring home.
I also am a fan of the library because we have bookshelves, bookshelves, bookshelves overflowing at our house. Being able to send the books packing when we are done is truly the simple joy!

Simple Joy #11

Sleeping. Napping. Quiet time. Need I say more?

Simple Joys #10

Today was a sick day. We stayed home in our jammies to get some extra rest. It was the right decision, as the boys snuggled with me up until about 4 pm. Later I snapped this picture of one of my favorite things they have always done- they sit together to watch TV in one chair. Being small has its advantages.

Simple Joys #9

I'm not a baker. I try. I really like baking muffins however. Today I wanted to try making my own muffin liners using parchment paper. So I channeled my inner Martha, googled it and went to town. When they were all done I couldn't resist adding some ribbon. All the family enjoyed the muffins and the papers come of neat and clean. I am a fan!
The ribbon was perfect for what happened after I finished taking the photo. Helen stopped by to drop off her laptop, which is having problems, and I gave her one. Then we noticed her friend, Chuck, in the car too. So we gave her a second muffin because "Together is a wonderful place to be." I hope she is enjoying her day and all that comes from spending time together.

SImple Joys #8

Sam loves rocks. Sparkly rocks are always a favorite. Today at Cub Scouts instead of investigating the desert with the pack, he was searching for glass rocks. He had found one right away, and went looking for more. He actually came back to me with a handful of glass, sharp and not the best choice for his collection. We had to discuss rounded pieces of glass and broken glass.

Simple Joys #7

Guitar Hero. When Jessie comes over to play, Jeff gets to rock out for hours. She is by far the better guitarist, but I love watching his fingers. It is the same when he plays trumpet.
They saved "Welcome to the Jungle" for their last song tonight because he knew I would like it!

Simple Joys #6

The boys are usually willing to play dress up for me and pose some for the camera. They really like to get silly and throw a wild moment into a set up. Just having the chance to play like this and capture the moment, that is a simple joy!

Simple Joys #5

Ah, homework time. Some days it is a blast and some days it is torture. I always love snapping photos of the boys' hands as they write. Today Sam was writing sentences about polar bears. Watching him and Toby develop into writers really is a simple joy.

365 Simple Joys #4

I have always been drawn to the Willow Tree sculptures. I love the simple nature of them, the muted colors and often the loving positions they are in. I had a few others before I received this one as a gift from Jeff's dad. I loved it instantly. The 2 peas in a pod fit in perfectly with the 2 Peas in a Pod newsletter we had been putting out at the time about our boys, and the sweetness of the two boys just warms my heart. This one is called "Two Together" and makes me smile every time I look at it. It holds something very special inside the treasure box, but I won't reveal it here.

365 Simple Joys #3

I love colorful socks. Dots are OK. Argyle is good too. Striped is best. I like them long, and enjoy them year round. Sometimes I will search out the right shirt to go with a pair of socks, especially if they are really cute ones. Chances are if you look to my feet, you will see some color and most likely some stripes!

365 Simple Joys #2

Sammy Kitty.
She is a sweetheart. She is a talker. She is my rescue kitty.
I love cats. I also hate the cats every time I have to clean the litter box or find a hair ball yak on my floor. I love this cat. She has some great stories.
Sammy Kitty came from UNLV. Right before Thanksgiving one year I brought her home. She had been hanging around Artemus Ham Hall, and after feeding her and loving on her for a few weeks I picked her up and put her in the car. She freaked out and ran circles around the windows. I'm not even sure she touched the car and instead did one of those cartoon runs around it. On the way home she found her way under the glove box and into the dashboard. By the time I got back to our apartment, she was so jammed up in the dash that Jeff had to remove it to get her out. Worst part - it was his car.
Sammy Kitty had urinary tract problems. She used to pee in sinks and on papers left on the counter. The best story is of the personalized license plate paper we had for Jeff's sister ready to be mailed that she peed on. Instead of asking his sister to sign it again, we put it in a baggie, photocopied it, and mailed it (still in the baggie), the copy and a letter explaining the whole thing. We like to think that somewhere at a DMV is a peed on form in a bag with a funny letter on a break room bulletin board.
Sammy Kitty tried to have kittens. She went into heat, snuck out and then nothing. We took her to the vet to be fixed and they were amazed at the accordion she had inside her instead of a uterus. They took photos.
Sammy Kitty makes me happy. She is a great cat now in her old age. She is sweet and loves to steal chicken from the table. She is showing her age. We figure she is over 11 and maybe even closer to 13. Someday I won't have her around to complain that she is out of food, or to search for Jeff during busy season by going into every room meowing her heart out. (Yeah she REALLY likes Jeff.) So while I have her, I enjoy her. I let her sleep on the new fuzzy blanket on my bed. I feed her scraps from the table. I love on her whenever she wants it. She is a simple joy. She is my Sammy Kitty.

365 Simple Joys

This year I am taking on the challenge of a picture a day.

I know that I take more than enough photos throughout the year, but to make an effort to everyday pick up my camera, choose something that gives me joy and use my photographers eye to capture it will not only document 2011 but also force me to see beyond the everyday photos.

Of course my kids will most likely make up the bulk of the 365 days, so today I picked a Simple Joy that makes a cold morning toastier and a sends a delicious flavor into my belly.

I enjoy making mochas. My brother, Tim, got me hooked on them when he made them for me years ago. Now I have my own method for making them, and today I pulled a perfect caramel color from my espresso and thus created a very tasty mocha. I think of my brother everyday I use my espresso machine, and I feel a connection with him through the miles. I don't have a mocha everyday, but some days I do have several.