a mondays muse.

i've been staying away from the computer lately...
actually...staying away from everything that reminds me how far behind i am...still.
the computer is the main one.
every time i turn it on, i'm reminded in a very glaring way that i still have pictures to edit, upload and send. i still have blogs to read, websites to get caught up on and creative projects that need researching.
naturally...i understand that none of those things are absolutely necessary...which is why it's so easy for me to just not even turn my computer on.
it's easier to just do the things that need to be done and hope that i might have a few minutes at the end of the day to check my email. typically, that doesn't happen. ever.
why am i saying all this?
i guess just to let you know that i do have good intentions. and i do want to get back into the daily habit of blogging and picture taking.
i have elijah-man stories i want to share.
i have garden delights that need posting.
i have alaska trip recaps that i don't want to forget.

soon.
i hope.
soon.

ps. i have been getting back on track with my "picture a day" posts. they're posted under their original date so if you want to get caught up on them, just scroll down until to you see them or click on the "picture a day" link on the right hand side.

july: day twenty five.

one of the best ways to beat the heat.

july: day twenty four.

riding bikes with cousin.

july: day twenty three.

tomatoes.

july: day twenty two.

a little lolly for my sweet boy.

july: day twenty one.

this crazy dudester finally has a helmet.

to be home...

so.
i'm home.
i'm back.
i'm here.
overwhelmed.
but here.
it is good to be back...
to settle in...
with a grateful sigh.
but there is a tinge of melancholy in my sigh...
i wish we never had to leave.
ah alaska...
how i miss you!

trying to figure out when i can get back there...
perhaps thanksgiving if i'm good and save my pennies.
i need to take advantage of the time i have while e is still able to fly for free.

i have so many words swirling, swirling, swirling through my head...
words that i want to put down some where.
but they refuse to settle down into my fingers so i can type...
or into my pen so i can jot them down...
they are words that describe memories.
moments.
the magic of being back home.

i have pictures as well.
as usual.
and of course...by the thousands.
i am doubly overwhelmed by them...
simply because i have several hundred from before i even left that need to be edited.
still.
i'm working on it.
right now.
i'll work on it right now.

july: day twenty.

my man.

july: day nineteen.

skater boy.

july: day eighteen.

reunited with daddy.

one of our little family traditions is that after any one of us has been away for a while (in this case, it was elijah and i), instead of going straight home from the airport, we try to go somewhere else...to regroup and to just hang out as a family...just the three of us. this time it was half moon bay.

july: day seventeen.

on our way home.
in the anchorage airport.
and he wasn't even scared.

july: day sixteen.

my little man.
my parents home.
my former toys.
my goodness...time flies.
this was our last full day in alaska.

july: day fifteen.

with baba, in anchorage, awaiting the arrival of dear friends...

july: day fourteen.

elijah and a little piece of alaskan history: balto, the original iditarod sled dog.
(obviously, not the original original but a replica of sorts, outside the palmer visitors center)

july: day thirteen.

elijah's first time in a boat, on a lake.
after his initial apprehension (he wouldn't get in without me), he thoroughly enjoyed himself...
especially yelling for baba (who was back up at the house) and "helping" papa row the boat.

july: day twelve.

july 12th was the day of margaret's wedding and since i've already posted my favorites from that shoot, here's another that's a little less wedding-esque. some of the groomsmen had water guns (for a little prank they played on the groom) that they discarded after their trickery. of course, the "older" little boys (the five through ten year olds) found them, filled them up and used them, for their original purpose, on each other. eventually, said water guns were confiscated (by finger-wagging mothers, no doubt) and forgotten. until elijah found one that is. and really, after watching the boys and their water soaking frivolity, he needed no introduction into the world of squirt guns...as you can see above...

july: day eleven.

putting stickers on papa's head is fun...

july: day ten.

there's one thing an alaskan kid has to experience: a buoy swing.
maybe my californian boy will turn alaskan after all...

july: day nine.

there are a thousand pictures i could have picked for this day...almost literally. we visited three different alaskan beaches on the ninth of july: the homer spit, the leman/denbleyker beach in ninilchick and doner-ville in clam gulch. elijah had his first taste of jam (homemade boysenberry at the sourdough express in homer), touched his first salmon (not a fun experience for him), threw rocks in the ocean with papa, splashed in mud puddles at uncle dan's house, played in the sand on the beach that holds so many dear and precious memories for me, visited the nature center in homer where he got to run and play and touch seaweed, discovered buoys, fish nets and other essential beach paraphernalia and really experienced a piece of alaska that i love. it was a busy and full day and there are so many favorite pictures that i could choose. but i chose this one because i think it sums up and defines the day best. three of my most favorite people on a beach that i love...it doesn't get much better than that.

just the beginning...

july: day eight.

this picture cracks me up...
elijah in front of my aunt stephanie and uncle dave's boat: the macleman.
his posture and face are what do it for me...
and doesn't he just fit the part of a little fisherman?

oy.

i've been a REALLY bad blogger this time around...
the main reason?
i have no pictures.

actually...that is not even remotely true.
i have tons of pictures...as is my usual.
however...
they are not accessible to me at the moment.
two reasons:
1) i'm in alaska. and they are on my computer at home.
2) i'm in alaska. and they are on my laptop here...but not on the computer with the internet connection (relatively easy to fix i know...but still).

so. i feel a bit weird blogging without pictures.
however...i realize that if i don't start writing about some of these adventures that we're having...
i WILL forget.
therefore...hopefully sometime soon...i will have some fun, exciting blogs to share.

until then...

july: day seven.

trains with papa.

july: day six.

riding home (my parents home) from church (wasilla bible church)...

july: day five.

me and my dude, playing at the lake by my parents house.

july: day four.

awaiting the 4th of july parade in wasilla, alaska.

july: day three.

the red couch at d&m coffee house. ellensburg, washington.

july: day two.

otter pops with auntie erin.

1785

july: day one.

learning how to blow dandelions.