Is it a seahorse?

"No, Lillian, it's not a seahorse, it's a baby. You're going to be a big sister!"

Hooray, we are finally going to have another baby. Just one, thank you, due at the end of July. We are all very excited but Lillian was a bit disappointed to hear it was only one baby. She was hoping for a boy and a girl, big like her, a baby, and a dog. Oh my, I don't think that would all fit.

So, yahoo, just wanted to share the news.

I know I just sent this out as an email, but I have to start my comeback somehow...so why not with a little cut and paste magic. Hoping to be inspired to post more...xoxo - ag

Comeback...

I am considering one...it's not that I have been doing anything fun or fantastic...I was just feeling silly posting and I was also starting to feel like I was a big bragger or something...at least that's how my sister was explaining blogging...like bragging and I realized, hey it kinda is...and I need less self promotion and more focus on taking care of business...this blogging stuff isn't business...but I am feeling that I might make a comeback...maybe...no post a day nonsense...but maybe an occasional silly story, cute picture, or brain dump...who know...anyway...if you have been continually checking to see if I blog anymore...keep checking, I may be back again soon...until then...hugs and kisses - ag

A pirate says Arrgh!

Harbor Days in Oceanside was great fun...we meet the Ott's and Auntie Maja was even down to enjoy the fun. We dressed the small people up like pirates, enjoyed a harbor cruise on our nameless boat, enjoyed food and free bag fun, and my favorite the "exhibits" by the Marines, Navy, Coastguard, Firemen...there were some many cool things to explore and check out. We had a blast...so stop thinking that Oceanside is a scary place, but it's actually really cool!






xo -ag

Kitchen Update

It's coming along...we are nearly finished, hopefully by next week the backsplash will be up...so here are some photos of the new countertops...here with the old door...
And here with the new out-swinging door...so nice...it really opens the kitchen up and you can see the tile backsplash...it's going all the way up to the bottom of the countertops...it's a little flashy with gold in it, but we love it and can't wait for it to be finished.



xo -ag

Promises Promises...

Yeah Yeah, I said all that stuff about posting oodles of photos about this that and the other...old news now...oops!

But...I have some fun photos of Lillian...
Jeff's co-worker Kip came over on Sunday and did a little photo shoot of Lil...
Jeff says "She was funny!" and of course, very cute...






I'm happy, free photos with a big fancy camera...I take it any day...and one day she might even be on his website... http://www.kipgerenda.com/

xo -ag

It's my birthday

Hooray it's my birthday...
I have had a great day...
My students were great and kind...I even got a hug!
My teacher friends got me gifts, flowers, cake, and lovin',
I had many silly singing messages from friends and family,
My sister Maja made me an amazing new purse,
My husband, lillian, and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner out.

Good times, good times! Thanks everyone...Brownie is feeling the love!

And just so I don't feel so old...I found In the Club or sorry...that's In Da Club by 50 cent on our itunes...go shorty, it's your birthday, we gonna party like it's your birthday...

xo - ag

ps....In Browntown...today is everyone's special day, so I hope you, too, are celebrating!

I have so much energy...

I have so much energy,
I have so much energy,
I have so much energy.
Yahoo, I have so much energy!

I can't get it out of my brain!
Salsa dancing and girls night out was awesome!
And thanks to Kevin (who happens to work at prAna)
I have the following quote stuck in my brain
I have so much energy...
try it, it kinda works...

I promise I will be back soon with photos of
the new countertops...love them!
Lil's new haircut...she was too shaggy!
Salsa dancing funniness...I was an excellent dance...
some pirate fun...arrrgh! from Harbor Days!

Until then, just say it with me...I have so much energy, I have so much energy, I have so much energy! xo -ag

I wonder...

I just found this article and was completely fascinated by it. Would I recognize beauty when it was right in front of me, out of context, interfering with my life? Or would I just continue marching along because what I had to do was so important?



I would like to imagine that if I were in that situation that I would stop and listen, maybe even sit down and enjoy the show, but who knows really...it is just so interesting to me to ponder. Hopefully, you will ponder it to, and maybe we will all slow down and see the beauty in the day to day...recognize excellent art, natural wonders, excellent music...maybe...



xo -ag

This, that, and some crafty fun

I am trying to get back into the swing of things...
Summer is over...and I am back to work. I increased my teaching load to 60%, so I am teaching 3 class periods on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Same as I was planning to do when I was only 20%, but now I work all day. I am happy about it and I gladly accepted the increase, except for some reason I just feel like I am running about, out of sorts, all the time. I am just feeling unorganized...which is not at all my style...

We did spend some time cleaning our house this weekend, which makes me feel good. And I even found some time to complete a couple small project...now I just need to deliver my creations to their recipients...maybe tomorrow...

A frame from Greta's summer fun playdate, and two freezer paper stencil onesies

Close up of the flower onesie LOVE onesie
Lilly rockin' the same hairstyle I wore in the 7th grade...and I am not kidding

Ok, I am off to Bunco tonight...Hooray for the $10 therapy...
or maybe it's the wine I am excited about...
xoxo -agatha

Tent Mahal

So, Jeff picked up a tent at work the other day. When we went camping, we realized the tent that went with the van was rotten...holy mildew batman, it was bad. We had to borrow a tent from the silly boys dad to successfully complete our Carlsbad camping mission...which made us realize that we needed a new tent. It was in the back of Jeff's mind for weeks...he mentioned it occasionally, and then on Friday he brought a tent home. Tod, one of Jeff's coworkers, purchased the tent with a pro-form, so it could not be returned...and apparently it was too big for Tod's family of 4. Apparently, too big meant nothing to Jeff, he realized what a great deal it was and how convenient it would be, so Jeff paid Tod cash and ran with the tent...Kelty Pavilion 6...um, it's frickin' HUGE...it took up the entire 2nd level in our backyard...it really is the Taj Mahal of tents...the thing will take up an entire campsite, no joke...here are the photos...

These are the tent itself, very open and airy...
With the fly cover and vestibule
ok...just kidding
Playing Camp...in our backyard

So, do you want to go camping with us?? xo -ag

Our New Kitchen

At the encouragement of my sister Greta, I am posting some pictures of my new kitchen...it really isn't done yet, we still have countertops, backsplash, and new door on our to do list...but here are some photos to hold you over until the project is completed...hopefully within the next 2 weeks...xo -ag

ps...don't you just love my plywood countertops...they are all the rage

Lillian's first day of preschool

My little girl is growing up so quickly...

Today we dropped her off for her first day of preschool...

She did some deep breathing in the car as we got close...she told me she was "nerbous"...

But she did great, no tears...she happily ran from toy to toy, she had to touch everything...

She stayed for nap time and actually slept a bit...not quite enough, but sleep none the less...

Her favorite part of the day was playing in the castle...and of course, having her Finny Finn there for moral support. It's great when you have someone in your corner...

And although Greta and I thought that Lillian would do all the talking and Finn would be the quiet shy one...the opposite turned out to be true, Lillian didn't really start talking until about 5:30pm tonight.

Hooray for school...xo -ag

Hawaii Photos

Beach Day...Kailua Beach with Rain and Katie

Cheesy Lillian...out to dinner
Kisses before surfing...in Honolulu
Hill sliding with Daddy...North Shore

Frolicking in the ocean...North Shore

Corndogging...North Shore

Hula dancing with baby Cassidy,
before the luau started

Family Fun
Dark and hard to see...
but this is Lillian making her stage debut
xo -ag

More August Fun...with Photos

I nearly forgot to mention another event that made our month of August so awesome...
it started with a visit with Nikki and Derek and baby Kai...well their visit was ending, but the month was just beginning. We hosted a little BBQ party for old swim friends and everyone had a blast...at least that is what they said. I didn't take many photos, but here is one of The Brown's with the Hart/Matthews family.

Lillian and Paige in the bathtub...
Lillian and Paige have a sort of love / hate thing going on.
Since her visit, Paige has been blamed for many things in our house...
sure Lillian, Paige did it.

And the beginning of August marked the end of Parent Tot swim class at Lomas. We did enjoy our days at the pool, Lillian does like the water...she just doesn't want to put her eyes in...
maybe next summer...

xo -ag

Don't worry I am alive...

Thank you dear anonymous for joking me about my lack of recent post... I will play catch up in the form of an extremely long post about the month of August!

August has been a wonderful month.

Swim team ended with our Championship Meet on August 2nd, we came in 2nd place overall (Fallbrook beat us, again). It was a nice meet, the kids did well...our party was on the 6th, we gave away some special awards to the right kids and really touched some parents, while making a big impact on the swimmers. So, all in all it was very successful and it will be a nice way to go out. Yes, this was my last summer coaching swim team at Lomas, I will miss my little sharks, but I've had a great run and I don't regret one moment of it.

On the 8th, Lillian and I joined to Ott family in a pre-birthday celebration for Devlin's 6th birthday...so crazy that Dev is six, I just cannot believe it. I remember the day Greta told me she was pregnant, it seems like yesterday...

On the 9th, we hopped on an airplane and headed to Hawaii for a little vacation. Lillian was great on the plane, but wasn't all that thrilled with Hawaii...actually she really wasn't all that thrilled about Pete & Katie's nephew Rain...oh well, we just kept them apart...Lillian did have some good times frolicking on the ocean and rolling around in the sand...and we went to a luau at Sealife Park. That was the highlight for Lillian, for sure. She even got on stage without her mommy or daddy and danced (with a zillion other people and she didn't really dance she stared, but it was pretty funny). It was a very mellow, relaxing vacation and Pete and Katie were very kind to let us stay with them...especially on the last day when Lillian decided to pee on the coach and the floor...good times.

We returned home to a gutted kitchen...surprise. Ok, it wasn't really a surprise, and it was nice that the major demo was done while we weren't home. More on the kitchen later.

On the 15th, less than 24 hours after returning home from Hawaii, I jumped back on another airplane, for a much shorter flight to Oakland with my mom and Greta. We went up to help Maja celebrate her 30th birthday! Hooray Maja. It was very fun...we free of small people, did some shopping, lots of eating, and lots of cackling. Josh was a very good sport and did not get grumpy with us at all! Happy Birthday, Maja!

Once we returned home, it was back to work for me. Inservices days, planning, prepping, preparing classrooms...oh so fun! I was on going to teach one class period and I did that all this past week, but we are opening up 2 sections of math, so I am picking both those up. I am excited about it, Jeff was a bit grumpy, but I think it will work out ok for the family.

On the 27th, Jeff and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. I got out our wedding photo album and we looked at it with Lillian. She was very excited and could name so many people in the photos! We had a nice dinner out as a family...Happy Anniversary Jeff...time flies when you are having fun!

So that's August in a nutshell. xo -ag

Just Kidding...

This is my new favorite photo...I swear...

xo -ag

Three in one day...

Crazy, I know, but I just downloaded a bunch of photos and need to post before I forget or get too busy...

I think this is my new favorite picture of Lillian, we did another dinner / sail last weekend...and we actually put up the main sail. I love sailing, not motoring...sailing is so peaceful, relaxing, enjoyable...all you hear is the wind in the sail, the water slapping against the boat, an occasional seal, it's just awesome...anyway, this is lillian watching Jeff raise the main sail...she was in awe...

Our favorite destination...the seal buoy

Family boating fun...


xo -ag