Oh, little loves...

O, Those Vejar Twins! Happy Birthday to our Sweet Babes!

This year we said "so long" to our Canon 5D Mark II and said "HOLA!" to the Nikon D700 and celebrated our babies' first birthday with a photo shoot!

Oh Glorious JOY~ how I love this camera but more so, how I love these little ones! The Lord has blessed us with these two amazing people and it has been such a delight to get to know them.

Dear Miss Z, with your newfound squawk and windmill arms to get mama's attention; your darling curls and your side half-smile when you are thinking of something really important; your resonant laugh and your zest for life - all these things I love, my tiburoncita!

Mr. X, I marvel at the joy you have in finding out what life is like while walking on your own two feet; your hands like a St. Bernard puppy when you pat mama's face; your bottom lip which you generally hide; and the eyelashes you wave like palm fronds when you smile - my sweet boy!

Happy Birthday to you, my dearest ones!

Things I Like! in the last week of January 2011.

This week, the Vons by our house was selling pints of Ciao Bella Maple Ginger Snap for 1/2 off - we bought all of them!

 So ridiculously delish!

Maira Kalman's exhibit at the Skirball Museum, Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World).  I have been reading her books to the twins, especially the Max series and Smartypants : Pete in School. We took the kiddos and had to breeze through the exhibit, which includes paintings, found objects, textiles, and installations.  I could have stayed for another hour at least.  The exhibition is in L.A. until February 13th.  

Do go visit if you can!

I couldn't afford the exhibition catalog, but I bought a postcard of this image. I love this mysterious lady.

 After I saw a poster of a Maira Kalman/Ralph Pucci collab of a little girl in glasses with red hair and braces from across the children's department at the Macy's in Cerritos(?!??!) on Saturday, and went completely ga-ga, Ivan is now trying to get me to write a note of appreciation to Ms. Kalman (aka "fan letter") and to ask her out for tea. Ha Ha, Ivan. 

I am dreaming that this little red-headed girl grows up to be the mysterious lady... this somehow reminds me of my own little lady, and it also reminds me of myself when I was 12 and just got glasses.

            and last but not least: the Put a Bird on It! clip from Portlandia.
 The sketches can be hit or miss, but the show has some really hilarious bits.
 I love being able to visit my old town while I watch this... 

Happy New Year!

We took a walk to the pier in Seal Beach today.  Breathing salt air is so therapeutic to the soul.

My inbox was glowing with this poem today, so I must share.

Thread of Life, by Christina Rossetti
The irresponsive silence of the land,

The irresponsive sounding of the sea,
Speak both one message of one sense to me:-
Aloof, aloof, we stand aloof; so stand
Thou too aloof bound with the flawless band
Of inner solitude; we bind not thee;
But who from thy self-chain shall set thee free?
What heart shall touch thy heart? What hand thy hand?-
And I am sometimes proud and sometimes meek,
And sometimes I remember days of old
When fellowship seemed not so far to seek
And all the world and I seemed much less cold,
And at the rainbow’s foot lay surely gold,
And hope felt strong and life itself not weak.

Thus I am mine own prison. Everything
Around me free and sunny and at ease:
Or if in a shadow, in a shade of trees
Which the sun kisses, where the gay birds sing
And where all winds make various murmuring;
Where sounds are music, and where silences
Are music of an unlike fashioning.
Then gaze I at the merrymaking crew,
And smile a moment and a moment sigh
Thinking: why can I not rejoice with you?
But soon I put the foolish fancy by:
I am not what I have, nor what I do;
But what I was I am, I am even I.

Therefore myself is that one only thing
I hold to use or waste, to keep or give;
My sole possession every day I live,
And still mine own despite Time’s winnowing.
Ever mine own, while moons and seasons bring
From crudeness ripeness mellow and sanitive;
Ever mine own, till Death shall ply his sieve;
And still mine own, when saints break grave and sing.
And this myself as king unto my King
I give, to Him Who gave Himself for me;
Who gives Himself to me and bids me sing
A sweet new song of His redeemed set free;
he bids me sing: O death where is thy sting?
And sing: O grave where is thy victory?

May 2011 be a year full of brightness and hope, of challenges and accomplishments, of grace and true companionship.

Bodies at rest and motion.

testing articulations

with hums and murmurs and shouts.

intention glimpses action

like air moving through open fingers-

will rest be found in the clanging cloud or the quiet fire?

tiny wails calling out from sleep

accelerations to move me from this inertia.

with unbalanced forces,

i steady my feet within the notches of the floorboards

to sing them back to the land of dreaming.

Kids at the Pumpkin Patch!

I love Fall, but it has been feeling like Summer the last few days.  We took the kids to the pumpkin patch for a few photos this past weekend.  The kids were causing a small riot during their photo shoot - strangers were calling their names along with us, to try to get them to look at the camera and whipping out their cell phones.  They will be nine months on the 9th.  I continue to be amazed how their first year is just flying by!

Happy Howl-o-ween!

Took the kids to the Gatsby Books storytime today (currently on Wednesdays at 11am).  The lovely Miss Jen read some not-too-scary books to the kiddos and we sang songs and danced around the room.  Mister X obviously enjoyed the goings-on, while the Lady Z looks a little suspicious of it all.  

We are planning to attend the free Community Carnival on Sunday at Grace Brethren Church.  It has been our tradition to volunteer over the last several years, but this will be the first year for the kiddos, so we will be squiring them around until they eat too much candy and play too much Guitar Hero and insist on going to bed.  This is a seriously fun event for kids - with a (literal) ton of candy to be passed out, bounce houses to enjoy, a skate park to be skated upon, and game booths galore.  A special "pumpkin patch" area for the littler set to enjoy a quieter evening is a highlight as well.

We're hoping also to attend the Howl-o-ween Parade for dogs and their people friends at Belmont Shore, on Sunday, October 31, at 2:30pm.  The start and finish of the parade is at Livingston Park, 4900 E. Livingston Dr. (at Park Ave).  The vendor fair and pet adoption is in the park from noon to 5pm.

Dog in a pumpkin costume - yes, please!