January Photo Challenge Completed

So, I lied. I said there wouldn’t be any more vacation photos, but as I finished up my January photo challenge, I realized there are a large number of photos from Palm Springs. Oh, well! We can feel warm for a little bit longer.

Also, Anika fell a bit behind with taking photos, and is trying to catch up now that we’re home. In the meantime, here are the photos I took:

Day 12: Something I’m thankful for

Day 13: Happy Picture

Day 14: An Accomplishment

All packed up and ready to go!

Day 15: Someone you admire

Day 16: Using selective color

Day 17: A Friend

Day 18: In Black and White

Day 19: Strength

Day 20: Me

Day 21: Accessories

Okay, only one accessory, but I’m not huge on accessories anyway! Next to my wedding and engagement rings, this is the most meaningful accessory I own.:)

Day 22: Showing Warmth

Day 23: Inspired by Media

A bit different than my usual subject matter, but she captured my attention, with her face turned up to the sun, towering above us, but still small in comparison to the mountains surrounding us.

I never knew that Marilyn Monroe lived in Palm Springs, and that she died when she was 36 years old. I’m turning 36 this summer. She got a lot done in her 36 years of living. For some reason, that thought has stayed with me. We get to choose what we do with the time we have, and how we will be remembered.

Day 24: Picture With a Caption

Or a quote.:)

Day 25: People

Day 26: A Picture Showing Love

My friend Sarah inspires me to love my girls more gently. To me, this photo sums up so much of who she is.

Day 27: A List

I emailed Ben a shopping list this week – it’s evidence of his birthday, because I asked him to buy everything I’d need to make his favorites

Day 28: Picture of Celebration

We celebrated yesterday. This was Kaylia’s work of art:

Day 29: A Picture That Represents Life

Whenever I stumble across these little signs of a little person having fun and leaving behind some evidence, I always stop to smile and enjoy it, because someday, there will be no little dolls or toys in odd and funny places. I love the life that a scene like this represents!:)

Day 30: Numbers

Day 31: A Goal I Have

To play piano again someday! Eight years since tendonitis stopped me. But I’m lifting weights again! Maybe this year will be the year it happens …

Last Day of Vacation

Well, this is it. After this post, my blog will return to its normal state. No more sunny, vacation pictures – it’s time to get back to normal life!

But I’ll take one more day to share some lovely memories with you…

On that last beautiful day, Kaylia spent a large part of her morning washing the car with Uncle Joel, while the other girls played, and the rest of the adults cleaned the condo and packed up.

We hit the pool one more time after lunch, and the girls showed off their improved swimming skills.

After swimming, we went back to Anika’s favorite park of all the parks we visited on our trip.

It was such a beautiful evening! We ate outside at our favorite restaurant, and walked around downtown for a little bit.

Then we went back to the condo, and set our alarm nice and early for the next morning.

But…when we woke up the next morning, all ready to pack up and get to the airport, we got an email saying our flight had been changed. So we went out for breakfast instead! We walked to the restaurant on this beautiful morning…

…and Kaylia decided she would rather hold hands with Uncle Joel than with me. That car wash must have been really bonding.Then it was finally time to pack up and say goodbye.And that is the end of that. So many wonderful memories!:)

Weekend Favorites, Palm Springs Style

So, I’m loving Palm Springs. I was actually caught off guard by how much I love it.

I’ve done hot vacations before, and I was expecting this would just be like the rest, but there’s something different about Palm Springs. I’ve never visited hot mountains. We’ve gone skiing and done the cold mountain vacation, but the heat + mountains + palm trees is making me very happy.

 

Tomorrow, we’re going to hike in the desert! Can’t wait!

You Will Need Airplanes and Passports….

“You will need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips, airplanes and passports, and new songs and old songs. But people more than anything else. You will need other people. And you will need to be that other person to someone else. A living, breathing, screaming, invitation to believe better things.” (TWLOHA, via my cousin’s Christmas letter!)

This combination of planes and passports and coffee shops and and parks and swimming pools with these awesome people is turning out to be fairly fantastic!

I wish you a wonderful weekend! I’m not really sure how to encourage you in your snowbanks, other than to say that I’m sure the warmth of your dear friends can overcome whatever weather you might be facing right now! And if you feel like living vicariously through my vacation photos, I will see you back here on Monday!;)