It's the Little Things

Imagine how ecstatic I was to find a HEART SHAPED LEMON growing on my tree in the front of the house. This picture was taken before it was ripe, which it now is, but I can't bring myself to pick it. I'm imagining some very special lemonade.
Dr. Love has taken up YOGA. This is a shot of her between poses at a doggy yoga class we went to recently at the beach. The class was part of an event our agency put on for Petco. We now do all their natural and organic products. She's definitely mastered the DOWNWARD DOG.
I installed a new fountain in the front (under the love lemon tree). Now I get to go to sleep hearing the combination of the waves and the tinkling water. Can you tell the theme of this post is BALANCE?
Look what I'm growing!!! Artichokes! If you're like me, you've never seen them growing before. They are a big, thistle-y type plant and the artichokes grow up like flowers. They will bloom if we don't pick them and they are GORGEOUS when they are in bloom. Purple!
Lastly, a gardening find. These little TOMATO COZIES get filled with water in each channel and then the water heats up during the day and keeps them snuggly warm at night. Also a study from Clemson University shows that the color red increases tomato yield by 20 PERCENT. My plants are THRIVING like I've never seen before.

That's all.

Love to you all.

It's all up hill from here.

No, it didn't snow in Venice. I dug back to one of my favorite pictures of Bradley, eating a Dr Pepper snowball in Utah! I wish that today for his birthday he could be enjoying such frivolity, but no, he's off at the school trying to single-handedly whip that campus into shape. I do hope you have a wonderful birthday today. And many many many many more. We love you.

PS: He does have some pretty remarkable birthday company: Our President, Barack Obama!

Random Campout/Vacation Goodness! More to come!

Birthdays, Birthdays, and MORE Birthdays!

Can you see Everett in this picture? Well...he's not actually in it, but it WAS taken in gorgeous Wyoming. And today is actually his birthday. If any of the Howell's have a recent snap of Everett...please share! We love you Ev...Happy, Happy birthday.
It's terribly sad that Mason got that red rider BB gun for his birthday and went and shot his eye out! I'm not sure if he also shot Ang and Kenz...but it's possible. Cam looks unscathed...but LOOK OUT! We hope you have a wonderful birthday Mason. We love you.
And how could I forget Gunther! I actually didn't...but we had a house full of 13-year olds sleeping over for Hannah's belated party that I decided I'd post about his later. He had a wonderful birthday on the 13th! (And a wonderful time in Wyoming, as you can see from the picture.) Gunther got an iPhone for his birthday...without the phone activated. He gets it activated next year! (Boy was he excited.) We love you Gunther!

Photos from Dinner

Last night I had Thai food with Rand, Bradley, Hannah, and Gunther, and here are a few photos I took. (Sorry, no pictures of Bradley, but it's his turn next time.)

There's a new TEENAGER in the family.

And you know what that means: FULL-TIME text messaging, iPod listening, fingernail painting, clique book reading, soccer playing, clothes shopping, email checking, party planning, girlfriend chatting, Wii playing, cake baking, mall going, secret telling, journal writing, sleep over having, growth spurting, swim teaming, doodle drawing, youTubing, phone talking, occasional groaning, love receiving. We love you HANNAH. Welcome to Teendom!

Kristen's Wedding Photos - Cooper, Ostlers, Rand, Morgan

More photos from Kristen's wedding. There are a lot more to come, so keep checking!

Happy Mother's Day!

I Love my Mother for lots and lots of reasons, but probably one of the biggest reasons is that she always made me feel loved and helped me know that I matter. I think that is the very most basic things every child (or every adult for that matter) needs to know: That they MATTER. That they are worthy of love simply by birthright. My Mother gave me that gift everyday. I love you Mom!

Willeys Wisit Wenice!

Lucky us! We got to spend a very fun day with Mo, Lo, Je, and Er in Venice! I couldn't stop taking photos of the gorgeous (and very, very funny) girls, of Gunther the Cali Surfer kid, and of the visitors we had sharing their home with us. It's is always comforting to have the dolphins swim with us, since that means there won't be any sharks (they don't get along). Thanks for coming Willey's. Next time stay LONGER!