There's a bird's nest in the tree outside our living room window.

I love it. Because I always think seeing a bird's nest is fun and special, but also because I found it peculiar. What bird builds it's nest in the Autumn with a cold winter on the horizon? But after I thought about it, I decided I liked it. That's perseverance...and better yet...love.

Speaking of love, my kids....I love them more than anything. I've been excessively busy. An odd anomaly of wedding bookings has completely taken over my life in the past two months. I'm happy to report, tomorrow will mark my last wedding for the next four months. And I plan on keeping my calender EMPTY. And filling my days with my kids giggles and the smell of dinner simmering in the crockpot...and most importantly, a clear mind to enjoy it all.

Levi is back to his old self. Thank goodness. It was so out of character for him to be so upset for so long. I finally ended up taking him to the doctor. I should have known, he had ANOTHER ear infection. That makes five in one year. That's ridiculous. Not surprisingly, the pediatrician said that the next ear infection he gets, we'll be having the "tubes talk". I definitely think he needs some sort of intervention. Whether it will be tubes or not, I don't know. We're thinking about taking him to see an osteopathic doctor first. The pediatrician is confident that it's simply his bone structure. Which I believe. Davies mom tells me that he had ear infections constantly as a baby.

The boy is going to give me a heart attack by time he's ten. He fainted at my mom's house yesterday. Hit his head on a terracotta tree planter. *Oi* That child. He has absolutely no concept of danger. Such a fun loving, free spirit. It's what I love about him most, but also fear about him the most. It's a mommy thing.

Our nest...

Dakota and I decided to make our own nest. We had so much fun talking about and looking at the nest outside our house, that I took her for a walk to gather our own nesting materials, then used modeling clay to build one. I thought it would be a great way to get her hands accustomed to the feel of clay. She got to pick out her very own bird at the craft store and we drew legs on her, because Dakota's first observation when we left was, "She doesn't have any legs mom!" Aaah...I love that girl.

I have so many dreams and hopes for our family. I'm going to be done with photography by next year. I plan on finishing up what I have booked, then going back to what I think it my real calling is...being my kids mom 24/7.

I want to move Levi into Dakota's room and make it into a play room for them. No one sleeps in their rooms anyway, except Levi for naps. We can keep a little bed in the room for him. I want to make the empty room into an art room, and maybe some space for schoolwork too ;)

Davey and I's biggest dream is to own a big house on a ranch in Santa Rosa Plateau. But what I really dream about...is a potter's wheel sitting outside on the porch...and my very own kiln to go with. Some day.

Speaking of nests...I want another baby. Hard to believe. My closest friends and family have heard me repeat over and over again for the past three months that we're done with baby making. But I know in my heart I'm not. I go back and forth too much to be done.

But another baby will have to wait for mother nature. Nursing is great contraception. Anyway, only God knows what's best for our family, and I'm happy to wait on him to expand our nest. Beside, I have four pounds left to loose. Haha!

Oh, and I switched my blog back to public. Having it private was just annoying. Especially to me. There were times I had to log into my own blog! Ridiculous. Maybe someday blogger will come up with a better private option.

Man-Child Madness

So these photos are in no way indicative of Levi's current temperament. Do not let his calm exterior fool you! OH. MY. GOODNESS.

Let me summarize....

Levi's most utilized verbs as of the last two weeks (in no particular order):

1. screaming

2. yelling

3. biting

4. pinching

5. pulling

6. hitting

7. kicking

8. spitting

9. CRYING

10. scratching

11.CRYING

12. whimpering

13. wining

14. CRYING

15. and.....drumroll please..............CRYING!!!!

Hahaha...yes, I can laugh about it now....because he is asleep. Finally. Hallelujah. And after all this, I still look at him and melt. Yep. How is it possible? I don't know. It defies logic. *Sigh*

Anyway, our weekend was great. I know, hard to believe after a list of verbs like that. But it's true. I think we've become desensitized to it now.

We had the lovely Williams fam over for dinner Saturday night and had such an awesome time! Sunday we spent with my family at my sisters. Only days away from getting to meet my new niece!

And yesterday, Levi FINALLY cut the tooth he's been working on for two weeks. *Phew* The end of man-child madness is in sight! Come on teeth....show yourselves!!!

Hahaha...okay, I'm off to zone out for the rest of the hour before crashing face first into my pillow. Goodnight!

Oh, and how grown up and beautiful does Dakota look???! She's really makin' her mama proud lately. Today, she wrote her first letter! She brought a sticky note up to me and said, "Look Mom, I drew a 'C'!" And she really did! Soooo awesome!

Welcome Fall.....

Just a Hint of Fall by Raymond A. Foss

How she described today
the words, just right,
warm enough so no coat, no sweater
the day just past the start of fall
cool enough for the autumnal colors
just a hint of fall, a snap to the air
the brighter blue, azure sky
after a big of fog to wake the day
shaking of the sheet
into the brighter blue
The reds and yellows on the trees
the warm smells remaining
before the first frost
blooms still in the garden
still, just a hint of fall
her favorite time of year

As much as I love Fall, I love Fall poetry. Actually, I like to write poems. I've never told anyone before. ANYONE. There's one poem I wrote when Levi was born that I cried everytime I read it. Most of them, I throw away soon after writing it. Not that I don't like them, but there's something weird to me about keeping my personal creative stuff lying around. I feel...naked when people look at it. I do the same with my paintings and drawings. If they survive and don't go in the trash, they're locked deep somewhere in my art portfolio in the dark attic.

We spent the first weekend of Fall enjoying our babies at Caspers Nature Preserve in San Juan Capistrano. Beautiful. Other things I can't wait to enjoy with them this season...

Apple picking in Julian

The all-day simmer of the crockpot

The fireplace glowing

Dancing feet on the cold porch first thing in the morning

The click of the heater turning on for the night

The sound of rain drops on the roof

Clouds

Fog

Dreary weeks

Ice hanging on the grass blades

Days spent in our pajama's

Baking cookies

Frost

Dark nights

Two pairs of little, cold hands wrapped around my neck

Davies heavy winter jacket laying around

And best of all...the anticipation of knowing that every dark, Fall and Winter night, brings us one day closer to a new Spring.

He Walks!

Davey and I had just gotten home from shooting a wedding last Saturday when we sat down to relax for a second. My mom and Levi were playing on the floor. All of the sudden, Levi stood up from a sitting position in the middle of the floor, all by himself, didn't pull up on anything...and ran to my mom!!! Not kidding, six, huge, running steps!!! The boy has had NO interest in walking up until this point, so this was shocking! Everyone's mouth was dropped and eyeballs totally huge! We couldn't believe it and we were all so excited! And since we'd just gotten home from a wedding, I had my camera in my hands! How's that for amazing timing?!

He's been walking every since. Although, he does still occasionally utilize his former preferred method of locomotion...the "crabby crawl". And it's freakin' hilarious. I've got some pics from a couple of weeks ago at a family get together I'll get uploaded sometime this century.

But for now...the walker!

Our Ballerina!!!

Dakota started ballet classes yesterday! Her and her friend, Gianna are taking classes together and I think it may be the absolute most adorable thing I've ever seen! They LOVED their ballet class sooo much. I could have sqealed they looked so cute out there!

Their first day was definitely a complete success. They both did so great. Really, I was overflowing with joy watching the both of them. They were so attentive, so engaging, totally listened to the instructor (Miss Britney) and put 100% effort into the entire evening.

I couldn't be more proud of them! It was Dakota's very first class ever, and she ROCKED it!

Raising Venus & Mars...

So they say women are from Venus, men are from Mars. Ummm...yep! That about sums it up! Let me tell you people, having a girl baby then having a boy baby, the two sexes could not get any more different!

First of all....a little about my little man...

Oh.my.gosh. I love him....so, so very much. *Sigh* I slow dance with him all the time. In the kitchen in the morning mainly. I always have the CD player on. I hold him close to me and he loooooves it. Tonight I danced with him to country music outside Claim Jumper while everyone else was eating. Heaven on Earth.

So, right now, okay for the past like 6 months...he LOVES to scream...

He is the loudest little thing by far that I've ever seen! Eer...heard. Oh my goodness at the restaurant tonight, the sounds coming out of this child! He has completely earned his nickname of "Terradactyl Boy". Seriously, that's what we've been calling him for months.

More about Levi...

Recent discoveries have afforded him hours of intrigue!

Hahahaha! Aaaaaand...the typical man life-long obsession begins! Really though, it's sooo funny. He thinks it's hilarious! He just laughs and laughs and laughs!

Obviously, it has it's bewildering moments as well...

There are two things I adore about Levi...

1. His totally cuddly nature!

2. His love of laughter. I love this the most about him. He will laugh at ANYTHING. He's got such a fun-loving personality. Just a really, really, joyful, adventurous spirit.

Something I'm not so much loving about him right now...

1. His affinity for BITING. *Oi* Little blood sucker. Seriously. And he does it with fervor. I mean, I understand he's teething and all, so I have compassion on him, but really, can we get past the canine characteristic already?!

I NEVER had this problem with Dakota. One huge difference I see between boys and girls; the physicality. Levi is way more physically draining than Dakota ever was. I can not imagine having 3 or 4 boys. It would kill me.

My daughter!

This is by far her absolute favorite face to make right now. The "snarl". She's really into experimenting with her facial expression lately. But anyone who knows her, knows that she is very expressive in nature. She's definitely never been one to hold her feelings back.

Two things I absolutely love about her...

1. Her analytical nature. She NEVER jumps before she looks. When confronted with a decision to make, she's all business; very thoughtful, very careful, she thinks things through. Definitely not the type to act spur of the moment, she's got much too much planning to do for that.

2. Her drive. Man, she's a determined one. The girl knows what she wants. And she does not settle for less, for anyone. This is both a blessing and a curse! A blessing because I know for a fact that this personality will take her far in life, absolutely a golden characteristic to have. But totally a more challenging childhood personality! But, I have to give it to her, she is one AWESOME child. 90% of the time, she's a great listener, totally inquisitive and responsive, extremely intelligent, bright, energetic, a true blessing to our family. I really love her dearly. And, she's by far at my favorite age so far. I'm loving life with her right now.

And something I'm not so much loving about her right now...

1. The ATTITUDE. Can we please leave the 16 year old girl attitude to the teenagers?! Really though, the attitude is just crazy. Example....

Me: "Dakota, sweetie, please pick up you plate and bring it to the kitchen."

Dakota: "I KNOW mom! I AM!"

Me: Ummm...excuse me, can you please not drop grapes all over on your way in?!"

Dakota: "UUUUUUGH!!! I KNOW mom! I'm NOT!" *HMPH!*

Really, she actually makes the audible *HMPH!* sound.

Although, there will always be quirky things and phases my kids are going through...man...I just love these children! Really, more than this whole world. They are truly everything to me. And the last few weeks, since I've made major mental priorities changes, they have been both the most challenging and the most rewarding weeks of my life as a mama. I've definitely enjoyed my kids to the max and taken so much of them in.

Everyday is a new opportunity!!! I plan on sucking it in even more in the weeks and years to come! Because these childhood days...oh...they are going going gone.

I had a MAJOR reality check a couple of nights ago as Davey and I sat in our jacuzzi and we watched a group of about five 15 year olds. *UGH* All I have to say is, I went in the house and loved loved loved on my beautiful, sweet, little munchkins. I told Davey, "Someday, we're going to look back and say....Aw! Remember when all it took to make Dakota happy was a princess dress and Levi a graham cracker?!" Man, cherish your kids right now is how I feel. Because seriously, right now they want to be with their mama and dada. They want us. Someday in the near future we will be something to get away from! Nooooo!

You mean Levi won't let me kiss all over him a thousand times a day?! :(

Of course, leave it to my amazing husband to say it best..."It's all just a season Corin. They'll come back around."

Yep, they will. And I'll be in the same place I am right now...standing with open arms, SO ready to embrace them.

I love you Dakota and Levi!!!

We celebrated my mom's birthday over the weekend at where else but Dland of course! This was the funnest I've had at Disneyland since I was a kid myself! First off, let me tell you how freakin' HOT it was....105!!! Yep, 105 degree in the OC. Crazy hot. But, the totally cool thing was that the heat completely scared everyone else away. The park was EMPTY! We walked on every ride. Aaaaaaand...we stayed until, get this....midnight.

Now, for you all non-mama's and non-papa's out there, let me tell you, this is livin' on the edge people. This is la vida loca. Seriously. With two small kids, I think the longest we've stayed at Dland before was about five hours. We pulled a nine hour day here my friends. And it was so totally worth it. Dakota road Dumbo for the first (and second, hahaha) time, as well as got to go in Sleeping Beauty's Castle for the first (and second) time. She's at the best age right now for this kind of stuff.

Oh, and how could I almost forget?! She finally got to go through the Princess Fantasy Faire! She got to meet Ariel, Jasmine and Belle! We took full advantage of the park being so empty and made sure to get her over there. It's usually about a two hour wait to see the princesses. We got in after half an hour!

So after our Dland extravaganza on Saturday, we spent Sunday totally relaxing. We took the kids to the pool and enjoyed watching them splash around. Okay, so Levi...total waterbaby. He has been since the day he was born. If he gets near any body of water, he freaks out...totally kicking and fighting until he finally gets to go in. Then, once he's in, he totally wants you to let him go! He's all about it. Dakota...she was never like that. She's always been just okay about the water. She could take it or leave it. The really weird thing...all the sudden ever since this summer came up, she has been a total fish too! She wants no one to help her. She jumps in the pool! She swims all around the pool with her floaties on and LOVES it! So crazy! But so awesome.

Summer's been great, but, it's on it's way out. Although I will miss the hot summer pool days and bonfires and everything else summer brings, I am totally ready to welcome Fall. By far my fav season. So many awesome things to be looking forward to!