30 Minutes at the Park

Each week while my son is at his half-hour piano lesson, I take my younger two girls to a nearby park. With spring in full gear, the landscape offers the perfect backdrop for picture-taking. I still feel overwhelmed by my new camera and all it's features. I figure the only way to overcome that feeling is to experiment. Most of the pictures in this slideshow were taken in "AV" mode. This setting lets you have manual control over the aperture (how much light is allowed in). I obviously let a LOT of light in, but I still like how it looks. More importantly, I love the smiles I captured while my girls were at play. They constantly remind me that it is the simple things in this life that can mean the most. (Click on photos to see pictures in full size)

Phil's Fish Market & Eatery

Moss Landing, CA is a small fishing town situated in the middle of the Monterey Bay along Hwy 1. It is known for it's antique shops, power plant (largest one in California,) and award-winning restaurant, Phil's Fish Market & Eatery. It is, by far, my favorite restaurant in the world. My brother-in-law, Jim, told us to go there when we first moved to California. He had worked on a project at above said power plant and had been to Phil's a few times. Growing up in Utah, we didn't really know what fresh fish tasted like. Now we do. And it has kept us coming back for years and years. Anytime we have family or friends come to visit, we make sure Phil's is on the agenda. Every once in a while we're able to go there with our Hollister friends too. Last week we piled into Dickson's SUV and made the 40 minute drive. It was such good food, awesome company, and we can't wait to do it again! (By the way, to see pictures in full size, click on the photo.)

Love Week 2009-Final Day 5

Love Week 2009 wouldn't be complete without a post about my husband. We just celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary! It's hard to believe it's been that many years. We had an all-too-short getaway to Carmel, CA and were pampered at The Tickle Pink Inn. What a quaint place it was, tucked away in the hillside of Carmel with nothing but ocean views from every room. If you are ever in Carmel, I highly recommend staying there.

I've mentioned before in previous posts that my husband has a great deal of patience. He never seems to lose his cool. It's one of the many things I LOVE about him. I can't figure out how he does it. Remaining calm amidst 4 children and a stay-at-home mom is an amazing feat. I am grateful to him for that because it balances the dynamic between us. For you Twilight-ers reading this, you could compare him to Jasper. If Arnell arrives home at the end of the day and finds us frazzled, just his mere presence settles everything down.

There is so much more I could write about my husband. But this post would be a mile long if I did so. I'll sum it up by saying, "I Love you, Arnell!" Thank you for 15 awesome years! Looking forward to the next 15 and beyond.

From Feb 16, 2009

From Feb 16, 2009

From Feb 16, 2009

From Feb 16, 2009