We Are Hiking Fools!

On Monday Caity and I went to the bluffs in Cambria.  We had a lovely walk along the path.....

.....and saw lots of pretty flowers....

....these little guys were not shy at all....

.....we ate a picnic lunch on this crazy lookin' chair.... 

.....and saw some amazing ocean views..... 

 

Cambria is so beautiful and unique!  If you get an opportunity to go check it out, I highly recommend you do.

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And today we went to Nojoqui Falls with some friends.

The walk up to the Falls was amazingly beautiful and green....

 

....meandering along the path was this sweet little creek....

 

Cara and Mike stop to take in the view.

And so do Caity and I, even though her eyes are actually closed.

Charlotte and Lexi took a moment to rest.

And then we reached the Falls.....

Beautiful!

Caitlin had a blast splashing around in the creek.

And we ended the day in Solvang with ice cream - pink ice cream of course!

I hope you all had as wonderful a day as we did!

We Made It!

Caitlin and I went for a little hike today.....

 

 

We made it to the "M" where the trail ended.  My tough girl walked most of it - a total of two hours (including stops to rest)!  She is so amazing. 

On Friday we are going to Los Osos to check out the tide pools. 

Take A Moment

Sometimes things just get better.  I've done nothing to warrant the recent influx of good in my life, but it's there nonetheless.  All I can do it be grateful.

Strawberry Ice Cream is a Very Big Deal

Because it's pink!

We Were Invited....

...to appear on Judge Judy! 

We have a small claims court date coming up next month, and today we got a letter from the producer of the Judge Judy show asking us to try the case on the show!

We are obviously not going to, due to the sensitive nature of our case, but seriously?!  That is HILARIOUS. 

Have a great day!

Overcome Yourself

I have found that many people are held back from their goals by perceived obstacles as opposed to truly insurmountable ones.  I personally have made it a life goal to seek ways to eliminate each and every obstacle, usually by just changing my thinking, being open to possibility, and making it happen.  Granted, there are some things that just cannot be changed, but it seems that most obstacles in life CAN be overcome if you have the right mindset. 

I challenge you to be honest with yourself about your biggest obstacle in your life right now.  How are you sabatoging yourself just by the way you are thinking?  Perception is reality - fortunately, we all have the power to change our perception and our reality. 

First, see the obstacle in your mind as a challenge that you GET to tackle, instead of a problem that you HAVE to figure out.  Think of all the things that are stopping you from succeeding at that challenge - then throw them away.  Find a way to make it happen.  If I can do it (and I have and continue to), anyone can! If you think back on the last five years in your life, you will probably find examples of times that you already have done this, without even realizing it.  Don't let excuses hold you back - a small change in the way you think can help you eliminate even the most ingrained excuse and seemingly insurmountable challenge. 

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.  Make that first step a mental one and see the rewards for yourself.

Go!

P.S. There are so many strong people in my life that I admire for perservering, overcoming obstacles, meeting challenges, and just overall making it happen. I am so blessed for having such great examples to follow! I am even more fortunate in the fact that my husband is one of them! Mom and Dad, Margaret, Erin, Nicki, Susan, Matt, Lisa, pretty much everyone in my family... Kelly, Tanna.... I could go on. You all rock!

Feelin' Awesome

I love how energetic, powerful, and happy I feel when I take care of myself.  I feel like I can do anything!  This is truly the easiest and most effective way for me to maintain a positive outlook on life.  This is awesome!  I love the mental and emotional clarity I feel as well. 

I constantly practice what I call "mental yoga" - consistently trying to keep myself open to new ideas and to combat negativity in my life - both inside my own mind and in my environment.  I do this by either looking at things from a different angle or simply reminding myself to not stress about things I know I can't change.  Practicing mind over matter, releasing blame, accepting responsibility for myself, and not making excuses have all made a huge difference in my life. 

Taking care of myself physically makes it easier to maintain my "mental yoga", and consistently practicing my mental exercises makes it easier to take care of myself physically.  What a great deal. 

Life is good!

My little chef.

Sunny Afternoons

Sitting outside in the sun blowing bubbles with my daughter makes me happy.  Her laughter is a balm to my frustration and makes me smile uncontrollably each and every time.  Her delight in simple soap bubbles - and how high they can fly! - and look Mom that one is at the top of the tree! - and that one popped on my leg! - is a sweet reminder to me to slow down, take it easy, enjoy enjoy enjoy.  For soon enough something will change; this moment will be gone.  Soon she will be going to school, thus beginning the inevitable pulling away that is only a matter of time now.  Soon I will have to beg her to come over and just blow bubbles in the backyard with me. 

She is my daily (every second) reminder to be grateful, to not take anything for granted.  What would I be without this life-changing, life-saving child?  It does not bear thinking about.  Instead I call her Princess and SweetPea and LoveBug and hug and kiss her so much she pushes me away impatiently.  Instead I twirl with her till we're so dizzy we can't stand up and push her too high on the swings because it makes her laugh at the same time that it makes me worry that she'll fall and break her neck (I know she really won't).  Instead I let her surprise me over and over and over and always I show her the same astonished face (it's your Bunny!  Thank you baby!) and give her more hugs and kisses until she pushes me away again.

Every second that she is mine I cherish.  She is already beginning to venture away from me - wanting to do more and more things on her own.  I hold my breath and bite my tongue and let her explore.  I swallow the urge to protect! protect! protect! against every little thing because she needs to have her life, even at the age of almost three.  As she told me at the age of just barely two - "It's my life, Mom!"

Soon enough these sunny afternoons will be nothing but a cherished memory.  But for the time being they are cherished moments with the one who holds my heart in her tiny hand. 

Thank you, baby girl, for making me see.

Surfing Lessons

Gavin got on a surfboard for the first time today.  It was amazing - he was so tenacious and wouldn't quit!  It was a gorgeous day, and I had fun hanging out with the kids and some friends while Ryan and Gavin were in the water.  We are so lucky to live here!

The boys.

He's carrying the bodyboard, but he did actually get on the surfboard, too.

On the surfboard!  Lesson #1.

Getting the hang of standing up! 

Caitlin and Alison hanging out.

Such a great day!  Thanks to Brenna and Michael and Claire and everyone else who came out today!  We had a blast!