turning 30

i haven't been able to blog much lately because the hard drive on my laptop went out. i'm pretty certain it has something to do with the boys playing minecraft non-stop on it. for a few weeks, i went back and forth in deciding between getting it fixed or just getting something new. in honor of mother's day, the mister finally bit the bullet and bought me an amazing new all-in-one desktop. i haven't had a full-sized computer for a quite a while now so this is just wonderful. the screen is 23" and blogging (and pinterest-ing and facebook-ing) is a dream. the best part is there's no tower and it's all wireless! the only wire plugs into the power outlet. my new little workspace is the best and i just may start to enjoy paying bills online. not.

anyway, i turned 30 last month. i like to celebrate things by relaxing somewhere (like my backyard) with a glass of wine and something delicious to eat. so i guess that means we celebrate something every single night...hmmm. ok.

to make my 30th birthday a little more special, the grandparentals stayed with the rugrats while the mister whisked me away so that we could drink and eat our way through the beautiful, wine country town of sonoma. 

we arrived into town a little before check-in time so we stopped at a little spot called the sunflower caffe. the garden seating area was gorgeous and i was thankful my allergies didn't flare up. flowers everywhere! have i mentioned that the mister is the sweetest? i randomly told him weeks before that all i wanted for my birthday was to go to a coffee shop, not take my coffee in a to-go cup, and be able to enjoy a cute, foamy design in my mug. and that he made sure of. i love him.

we checked into the sonoma creek inn and this bottle of wine and birthday card were there to greet us. they were from shawn's aunt and uncle in portland. such a sweet surprise.

the inn was adorable and just my style.

our first dining stop was at the girl and the fig.  

delicious.

we explored a little bit and there was lots to see, eat and drink in this small, beautiful town. 

later that evening, we went to the hopmunk tavern for drinks and i was surprised by my dad and siblings. it was the best and we definitely celebrated, as evidenced by the following before and after photo.

surprise!

the next morning, we stumbled over to the little cafe attached to the inn for breakfast.

carbs. i needed carbs. and i happened to have the best french toast i've ever had. 

i'm lucky like that when i'm hungover.

took a short walk and saw the creek. so pretty.

after checking out, we stopped a nearby thrift shop called the church mouse. 

it was the best thrifting experience i've had in a while. 

the mister even found some vintage pyrex and milk glass for my collection.

he's awesome. 

our last dining stop was centre du vin at the ledson hotel for brunch.

 this place was just stunning. even the bathrooms were so gorgeous that i felt compelled to take a selfie in there, but i won't share that one....unless you really want me to.

the food was amazing. 

i ordered the croque madame. 

which then reminded me of where i celebrated my 29th birthday.

le sigh.

our final, obligatory stop on the way out of wine country was the beautiful domaine carneros.

it was a great weekend spent with my favorite person. he definitely made my 30th birthday one that i won't forget. obviously. i'm finally blogging about it a month later and i still remember all the details. 

he's awesome. i'm lucky. and 30. 

the end.

8 is great!

last friday, this chubby-chub-chub little baby turned EIGHT years old. 

 

every year, isaiah's birthday stirs up bittersweet feelings. he's my first born. the one who changed my life. the one who made me a mother. and there will just always be something to say about that. 

he and his brother woke up on his birthday morning to balloons in their bedroom. i think mikey was more excited about this than isaiah. 

i was thrilled to be able to spend a little time in isaiah's classroom for a celebration with his classmates. 

we brought some birthday treats and he was excited to give "balloons" to his friends.

(they were just balloon cutouts taped to squiggly straws.) 

we even had a chance to spend some time with our favorite abris trio.

we took him out for dinner, then picked up a movie and cake.

he's got his "excited" face down, don't you think?

the three stooges that i have the pleasure of living with.

lucky me.

this kid is such a goofball. he never lets me get a good picture.

the next day was spent with his grandma, aunt and uncle. we enjoyed some arcade games and mini golf. the birthday boy and his brothers thoroughly enjoyed putting around on the green. 

until they were over it. which is when they started to just pick the balls up, drop them in the holes, then scream "YAYYYY!"

that works, too, i guess. 

and they ended the day with some brotherly quality time. 

 it was a fun few days for all. 

'til next year, birthday boy!

spring break in paris

no, that's not a title to a sappy, first-date movie.

apparently, my mother-in-law loves me to pieces because she is taking me on a paris trip in april for spring break {which also happens to fall around my birthday}. unless, of course, she's planning to take me then leave me there. but, even if that were the case, i'd still be eternally grateful because i imagine paris would be one of the most pleasurable places to be abandoned. as long as i double-check the final destination on my plane ticket before we leave, i think i'll be safe regardless of the outcome.

she's been planning this trip for some time now, and i don't think it has really sunk in that i'm going. until now. it's finally 2012 and the trip is less than three months away and i'm starting to get all giddy. i went to the library today and borrowed some paris guide books...i'm excited for some quiet time later today so i can start flipping through these.

i'm bursting at my seams with anticipation!

now, i need to start a training plan for the mister, who is taking time off from work to be home with all four kids for the entire week.

some of the key points in his training plan:

• how to use the washer/dryer
• how to use a vacuum
• how to read a calendar and follow a schedule
• how to operate the hot/cold knobs on the kids' shower/bathtub
• show him where the broom and dustpan are kept

i'll keep you all posted on how that goes! :)

photo-a-day 1: birthday boy

there's a blog i absolutely love that is written by mariah, a wonderful mommy with three of the most handsome boys that you'd ever see. she writes of all the joyful noises in her home...which are pretty similar to the joyful noises is my own home. that's why i love to read her blog...so i can breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that i'm not the only one. 


anyway, long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, she did a photo-a-day series on her sweet, sweet baby boy, harrison. i loved the concept and i knew i wanted to do this as well, i just couldn't find the right time to start. now that liam has started preschool, i can foresee myself and wyatt sitting around and staring at each other for hours on end. then it clicked - it couldn't be a better time to start a photo-a-day series on my own sweet baby boy, don't you think?

wyatt is the baby of our bunch and he just turned ONE last week! i'm excited to snap a picture of him each day and share it with you all, my faithful readers. get ready for cuteness overload for the entire month of january. the posts probably will not always have text, so don't be alarmed. i promise, i won't be writing a novel in three hours each morning. i have better things to do...like catch up on the real housewives of new york.

happy first birthday, chubby!

our fourth little boy

wyatt james

turns one today! 

as cute as our babies are {i kid, but it's true}...we regret to inform you all that there will be no more babies in this house, my friends. we are ready to close the baby chapter of our family's story and move on to far more exciting, big boy action and adventure. take a good look at this one-of-a-kind cuteness. this little guy will be the last you'll see of it! 

my favorite thing about this cutie, besides his unbearable handsomeness, is his name. we named our last baby boy after two of the baddest cowboys in history: wyatt earp and jesse james. or maybe i took james from that super hot jesse james that sandra bullock was so fortunate to be married to - the world shall never truly know. too bad he cheated on her. anyway, i digress....

this song that i have playing - the joker by steve miller band - always reminds me of my little space cowboy. and i'm sure it will every time i hear it for the rest of my life. and i love that.

i say it each time...but, oh, how it really feels like just yesterday that i selflessly went through the excruciating five minutes of labor with you, mister wyatt. 

exhausting, i tell you. 

you made me push a whole two times. who do you think you are?

 you have no shame. i think i know who you got that from. {ahem...dad.} 

flashing your back fat like there's no tomorrow. that should be illegal.

and those cheeks. 

please, wyatt. there will always be food available to you, i promise. 

you don't need to hide any away for the winter.

the love your brothers have for you is more than i could have ever hoped for.

you are their baby brother.

  

and always will be.

there will be years where you'll hate it.

but i hope that one day you'll embrace it.

and you'll always be my baby boy. 

no matter how much taller than me you end up to be.

thank you for completing our family, wyatt.

you've filled a place in my heart that i never even knew was there.

and i couldn't be happier or more grateful.

'cause i'm a picker

i'm a grinner

i'm a lover

and i'm a sinner

i play my music in the sun.

~ ~ ~ ~

happy first birthday, chubby!

i love you to the moon and back.