Introducing Norine

Norine is now three months old.  I have had so much fun playing with my cousin's squishalicious baby girl.  She was born 16 days after her due date, so she's had a bit of a head start in the growth department.  She has an extremely mellow, easygoing, and happy personality.  Introducing Baby Buddha.

Big brother Jove has a lot to teach her.

Lizard's Mouth

 

Hi Brett! Thanks for taking us up the mountain (again).

View of UCSB and the coast from the mountain.

Over-exposed film grain.  Lots of crevices to leap over.

I might like the sun too much. 

 

The strange and beautiful yucca.

Warm rocks.

 

Cave men find shelter.

Chillaxed!

This is a wonderful, easily accessible, short hike with an amazing view.  It totally chilled me out the day before a big job interview.

P.S. I got the job!

Remembering Ashley

Photos from the Ashley Marie Smith Memorial Fund, by my sister Holly.

Click on people's faces in the photo to tag them. Chris will be asked to approve all tags before others can see them.

Click on people's faces in the photo to tag them. Chris will be asked to approve all tags before others can see them.

A collage my sister Lantana put together of her dear friend Ashley.  So many of these pictures make us smile.  It reminds me of the importance of taking picture and celebrating moments.

 Ashley's Hawaii ohana gathered at the beach to remember our ocean-loving friend's beautiful life.

 

 Paddling out for prayer and tossing loose flowers.

Click on people's faces in the photo to tag them. Chris will be asked to approve all tags before others can see them.

 You are loved and will live on in our hearts.   To learn more about Ashley and her legacy you can visit The Ashley Smith Memorial Fund page on facebook.

Hawaiiana

Hawaii was the theme, by coincidence (I promise),
at a summer program I taught for. 

Volcanoes: the science and mythology.  We also did the thrilling baking soda (volcano powder) + vinegar with red food coloring (lava juice) and erupted volcanoes we built. Very high interest.

We look so insignificant on the globe.

Um, why is Oahu bigger than Maui?

I broke out my trusty uke from 5th grade and taught the kids
songs using the five chords I remember.

Petroglyphs on "bark" paper.

Clover chains count as lei in my opinion.

A tangle of lei after our hula performance.

Group collage:  The kids LOVED the end result. So did I.
Now, I'm extra ready to head home.  

Blueberries for All

I went on my first blueberry picking expedition. 

A novelty to this island girl!

We ate as much as we picked. So yum.

My cousin I worked hard picking the best ones
while the hot sun beat down on us.

Janna threw together a cool blueberry mango tart
with a graham-cracker crust.
Our first time using a Andrew-made pie dish! 

Favorite Beach. Favorite Run

The first leg of my run.

Exciting news!  I learned how to run.

A friend told me she was doing the Couch-to-5K Running Plan.  I was curious.  So, as an experiment, I tried it. Honestly, the first week is as easy or challenging as the 7th. Your body gradually adapts to more and more running time. 

I've had a life long committed to non-running, due to a natural aversion of discomfort.  So, the idea that I can run 30 minutes straight without feeling like hell is a marvel to me. I am feeling pretty proud of myself.

Things that have helped:

A motivating spot:  I run at the beach.

Running barefoot: Strong feet, plus no sweaty socks stinking up the laundry.  There's no need to panic if you forget your shoes.

Music: An ipod helps me keep track of time. I'll know a song is 3 minutes and tell myself, just til the end of this song--mental trickery--then start another.

Rewards: I jump in the ocean afterward for cooling dip in the sea.  Sometimes I body surf and feel like I'm on Maui.

Scheduling it in:  Going to the beach straight from work helps. That way I don't come home and start to concern myself with dinner plans, email, chores, etc.  I come home in a much better mood and deal with everything better.

I recommend it! You might be as surprised as me.

Summer Season

It's fava time again. I planted them a season late
but they are still a go.

Purifying white sage, bundled from the garden.

 

Peaches for me...

I buy the Very Ripe and Slightly Bruised at the Farmers Market for $1 a pound. Then I chop them up for a peach fruit salad. My favorite breakfast these days: A brown rice cake, layered with raw almond butter ("rawmond" butter--way tastier and nutritious than roasted), and topped with farmers market peach or strawberry slices. Yum.