Hello Collins

The Graduate! Pictures tell more of the story here :) bedazzling part of his cap...time was running out :) pre ceremony nerves! We made Hawaiian plate lunch for dinner and a coconut cake for  the family after party:) Ella, my helper and cheerleader! Marcie came out to support Henry and we got a surprisingly warm and sunny ceremony in Half Moon Bay! proud family I love him. I can't believe this part is over but I'm not sad about him moving on.  High School is a rollercoaster... it's good to exit the ride :) The adoration is real more adoration :) All the cords he earned! Music for 4 years:) Spanish biliteracy 4 years:) Honors :) Now, the bigger story is ready to be lived.  Adulthood. Welcome Henry! It's a way better rollercoaster:)  

I want to say rather loudly... "make them stop growing up!"  Clay says... "I can't wait to see what they become or do" And I'm like...maybe?  Sometimes I miss them cuddling up to me on the couch. Sometimes I miss that immediate gratification of motherhood. Motherhood for me has been my greatest calling on earth.  Full stop.  The challenges involved and the joys involved have built my confidence and self esteem like no other experience. And I've had to tear down and rebuild a lot of the time :) I never went into this thinking somehow I knew all the things I should do or all the things I would be as a mother. For instance, as a designer I thought I would care a whole lot about what they wore or how they looked (especially at church when they were little)!  Turns out I valued their individuality, creativity and independence way more than styling them. I have come to find out there was no set path for all of them to follow but if there was a recipe that I ha...

When Henry texted me  that he got into UC Berkeley,  I said, in this order: WHAT ARE YOU JOKING? SEND ME PROOF PROOF! The email had confetti when he opened it up! 128,000 freshman applicants. This was not the plan.  The plan went from BYU(rejected/unexpected), UCLA(rejected/expected). Okay, he planned on doing community college over the hill and reapplying to UCLA. And Cal was unlikely. My eyes burst when I threw my phone down in shock after his text. We attended Cal Day last week. It was pretty amazing! He was so excited. walking on campus The music building! We attended a Baroque Ensemble performance which was fabulous. His major is undeclared. the famous clock tower The room of requirements, uh, I mean one of the libraries on campus:) it all looked like a real life Harry Potter set...speaking of harry potter, the school has a quidditch club :) stained glass in the music building :) Finding his people...Jazz Ensemble booth! I told him to do the band, or the rally crew o...

April in Golden Gate Park is pretty perfect! I've been wishing to write my blog more but to be honest...what do I say? haha My kids are growing and changing... (do I exist to them?) we aren't building the house yet... (can that please happen soon God?) there is a lot of waiting... a lot of holding on around here:) so here are some details of life around here Still life above my sink  Audrey decided to make a "conference cake"  and it was to die for. some unusual April warm weather felt like a socal day I mean, I wore shorts.  That's saying something! We have a future athletic event face painter Teachers versus 8th grade bball game :) *took several soaked cottonballs of make up remover to remove haha Our Easter table unfortunately, the daffodils died before Easter Sunday arrived Spring Break was spent doing local things with these 3! Gardens, Japantown, Golden Gate Park, long walks,  I made them read, and we ate out almost everyday! (the last one was my idea haha) ...