hello, can you see me? back to blogging...

It's been a month. And a few days. Funny how an international vacation, followed closely by a local vacation kind of throws things off! I'm back and will try to get back to my at least weekly posting!

Greece was incredible. The boys were amazing travelers. The weather was near perfect our entire stay. The sea was crystal clear. The food was, well, come on, it was Greece ;) And on that note. A little glimpse into what we ate...Instagram collage style:

In order from top left: giant apples, giant donuts, amazing pizza, hand cut oregano fries. spaghetti, cucumber and tomato salad, beach frappes, frappes at home, bouyatsa, grilled octopus, fresh pastries, greek groceries and tiropita.

And, a layout using two of my very favorite photos of the boys from our trip. I stretched myself and shot in manual most of the time. I was thrilled with the results! What a difference a few settings make. This layout is using my July Citrus Twist Pocket Life kit, featuring my second exclusive stamp designs. The title was designed and cut with my Silhouette and attached with twine.

Be back very soon with two weeks of Project Life from our trip!

project life: another week in the book...

This week has been completed for awhile now, just waiting to be photographed. It was a jam-packed seven days and I couldn't even manage to capture everything on these two pages so, there is an insert of only Instagram photos (not pictured). The end of April brought us yet another stomach virus (boo!), time outside and a trip across the state to visit my sister and her family. I'm using a mix of my May Citrus Twist Kits, the Seafoam and Jade core kits digital/hybrid cards and my stash.

{April 22-28}

An account of the virus that hit and an exchange of texts with my husband related to an, ahem, incident at the grocery store (no one said parenting was glamorous), a river walk with Jack, liking Big Bang Theory and a pasta loving toddler...

Design F again to fit more stories and photos - Jack's first flight, spending time with my sister and her family and our little hipster...

A hipster close up. The flocked rub-on glasses are from the Basic Grey Hipster line...perfect!

Jack's first flight. He was in awe and did so, so well. I used a vellum pocket cut with my Cameo to hold journaling about the experience...

And, the details on the messy beginning to our week. The text card was made in PSE with a Jade filler card, an Ali Edwards digital stamp and a digi tag freebie...

My Project Life goal right now is to be completely caught up before we leave the country for nearly a month. I'm printing and putting weeks 20 and 21 together very simply right now! Weeks 18 and 19 are photographed and ready for the June Citrus Twist Kits blog sneaks and postings while I am away.

Yes, I am still LOVING this project...

I'm linking up to Project Life Tuesdays with The Mom Creative today!

photos in buffalo...

An overcast morning at the zoo, fantastic buildings and two willing subjects made for some fun photo play while I was visiting my sister and nephew in Buffalo last weekend.  I haven't taken portraits in a long time and was happy for the practice.

My cheeky nephew:

My beautiful and {newly ENGAGED} sister:

The adorable two of them:

And because blogger notoriously likes to make my photos look a bit blurry, please do click on any of the shots to get a clearer (read: better) image.

greece: proof positive...

Lest anyone wonder if our vacation actually happened, I managed to borrow a computer in order to share a few photos of the last two days of our trip off of the third and final memory card.  While the best of the photos and stories will need to wait a bit longer, this is a good mini-snapshot...

G loving "our beach" and the billions of pebbles.  We call this our beach as it is the closest to our house, about a three block walk. See the little brown dots in the surf (click photo to enlarge)?  We are calling that The Great Jellyfish Invasion of 2011.  Not stingers but, annoyingly slippery slimy little guys.  By the end of the trip, we decided to just ignore them and have our fill of the beach regardless:

Our house, looking up from Mr. Boom's grandmother's patio.  The glass doors open to the living room (left) and dining room (right). This main veranda was G's favorite playspace.  Though it doesn't look deep at this angle, it is a large expanse that is basically an outdoor room off the living area that then wraps around the dining room and kitchen:

Dinner out at a pig roast restaurant - traditional Greek country salad, saganaki (fried cheese), potatoes (order "potatoes" in Greece and you'll get what we call fries) and, of course, the roast pork:

G checking out the pig illustrations on the package of wet naps after dinner:

View from one end of our house to the other on the verandas (from the end of the master bedroom in the back of the house, down to the dining area in the front) .  G loved running up and down the length, running his hand along the rails:

Three generations - Yia Yia (grandma), Mr. Boom and George:

Mousmoula!  G ate dozens of these during our trip, right off the tree.  After some research by Mr. Boom, we believe here they are known as loquats. This particular tree overhangs the veranda of the master bedroom:

G spending time with his cousin Katarina. Look at that face!!!

The view from the master bedroom veranda. The forefront is a lemon and orange grove:

tuesday randoms...

* Greece was fabulous.  Oh, I mentioned that already? Well, it was!

* The process of traveling home from Greece?  Not so fabulous.  We were up at 5:30 am to get ready, toss last minute things in suitcases, get G breakfast and close up our house.  By 8:45 am we had arrived at the airport - right on schedule to check in for our 12 noon flight.  The only problem? Our flight was delayed and had been pushed back 4.5 hours to 4:30 pm.  Seven and a half hours. In an airport.  With a toddler. We were a bit panicked but, G was amazing.  We could not have asked for a better traveler.  He people watched, ate, ran around a bit, napped and played for a few hours in the incredible playroom at the airport run by Greek NGO The Smile of the Child.  If I ever win the big lottery, I will give back to this organization and open more in airports around the US.  What a blessing it was to have a safe, clean, entertaining place for G to play during the long wait. We waited (and waited, and waited) until it was time to board. G settled in to the plane, played with toys, ate a few snacks then fell asleep for almost the entire flight.  Rock star baby traveler. Seriously.

* After downloading two of three memory cards to our home computer, following our return from Greece, I diligently started editing, then...disaster.  Our laptop was infected with a trojan virus that started hiding all of our files and wouldn't allow us to use the computer.  Mr. Boom was able to rescue all of the photos and move them to our external drive but, the computer is not useable quite yet.  Hence the lack of blogging. 

* Smiling boy on our early morning walk last Friday.  With the scorching hot forecast, I got him out early for some playtime at the park.  I got some shots that I just love but, can't share them because, well, see above.

* On Saturday night, G woke up in the middle of the night.  When I checked on him, I found that he was burning with fever.  104.4 to be exact.  We got him in a cool bath immediately and called our pediatric nurse line for support and guidance.  A trip to the doctor Sunday morning gave us a diagnosis of the Coxackie virus.  Poor little guy slept on me most of Sunday, felt a bit better yesterday and, thankfully, seems to be back to himself today.

* Getting some fresh air before the heat set in on Memorial Day Monday, we walked past our local grocery to find it in full bloom with new cafe tables set along the sidewalk.  All those flowers = happiness.

city walk...

One day last week, I found myself in Manhattan with a few hours all to myself.  Nothing on the agenda.  Sun shining.

Did I mention, by myself? 

A bit at loose ends with the freedom and possibilites, I wandered around the South Street Seaport and Fulton Street for awhile before deciding what I wanted to do.  That in itself proved to be a lovely start to my afternoon.  I love the preserved cobblestone pedestrian walkways and the old building facades of that area.  Not having thought to add my camera to my bag before hopping the train (won't make that mistake again), I had only my iPhone camera to capture my day. 

As I was making my way back up Fulton Street and wondering when on earth The Strand was turned into a junk shop - a travesty! - I decided it was time for lunch and ducked into Chipotle for a grilled chicken burrito bowl and a little bit of reading on my Kindle.  I was on the third book of the Hunger Games trilogy* and devoured several pages as I enjoyed lunch and resolved to learn to make the cilantro lime rice for myself** 

Belly full of good food, I walked a bit more dowtown, making my way to the subway and riding up to Union Square. It was a such a beautiful day I was hoping that the open air market would be alive in the square.  To my delight, it was up and running and I wove in and out of the stalls ranging from goat milk ice cream to exotic mushrooms to bright, blooming spring flowers. Finding an empty seat on a park bench, I sat down to read some more, soak up a bit of sun and people watch. 

I could have gone to one of my beloved museums or discovered something new that day.  Instead, I simply enjoyed my own company for a few brief hours. 

Sometimes, that is the best way to go. 

* More on Hunger Games in another post

** I consider myself a decent cook but, am hopeless at making rice on the stove.  It either turns out burned on the bottom or watery.  Cooking fail.  Just ask my husband. 

friday faves: work, destinations and words...

Dream job: What would I truly love to be when I grow up?  A photographer.  Specifically, maternity and newborn photography.  I love capturing the bloom of pregnancy and then a brand new life.  I

have a very long way to go toward this goal with so, so much to learn but I love to dream on this. Here are a few of my favorites shots from shoots I have done for friends and family:

Favorite vacation: I love to travel. No, I LOVE to travel.  Put me on a plane to anywhere, get me in a new destination and give me time to explore and immerse myself in someplace else and I am a happy girl.  From the moment I stepped off the Britih Airways jet at Heathrow airport to begin my study abroad experience years ago, I was hit with wanderlust.  Choosing a favorite vacation spot is likie asking me to choose a favorite book (oh wait, I need to do that next, hmm...). Nearly impossible.  The California mountains, several gorgeous spots in Mexico and the untouched perfection that is Alaska.  But, in the end, I am one of the luckiest that I have the privilege to go back to one of the most amazing places on earth time and time again.  Greece.  

Favorite book: I have likely read thousand of books in my lifetime. My parents instilled me with a love of reading at a very young age and I was never denied a new book.  I lose myself in books, tuning out the world around me and not recognizing when the sun has fallen and a room has gone dark.  Many evenings my mother or father would walk in my room to find me engrossed in a book and rouse me from the pages saying, "Don't you want a light?  You're going to strain your eyes in the dark."  So caught up in the plot, I hadn't noticed squinting in the twilight. 

That happened as I joined Anne Shirley on her many adventures and more times than I could possibly recount here.  So, I'll share a couple of my more recent favorites:

I could not get enough of either of these novels and was so disappointed when they ended.  Turning to the last page was like saying goodbye to a close friend after a particularly wonderful visit. Do yourself a favor, read them soon.

when shopping goes well...

Approaching the departure date for our Greek honeymoon - three weeks from today! - has created the need to shop. Summer skirts, tops, light dresses and, of course, bathing suits. I'm leaving the latter until the (very) last moment possible but, the clothing search started this week. On Thursday, a friend took me to her new favorite bargain mecca, Nordstom Rack. If you have one of these slices of retail heaven anywhere near you, run to the store and be amazed:

I saw. I shopped. I believed.

I walked out with two dresses that will pack well, keep me cool and can be dressed up or down (plum and black) and a lightweight, short-sleeved cardgian (lilac) that I may end up wearing on the plane.

On Friday night, while upstate visiting my parents, my mom and I took a run to the local Target. Apparently I had forgotten to pack appropriate shoes for the baby shower we attended on Saturday and, Target was the fastest solution and one that was open late. Found these green gems:
Then, browsed the sale racks and came up with this fabulous top (in both black and grey) - cute, flattering AND on clearance! If I end up finding it in teal, I may just grab that one, too:
Finally, this black cotton skirt that was out of stock in my home store.
Just need a bunch of lightweight tees I think I'll be all set. As for bathing suits, I have some very specific needs: underwire, no halters and not too skimpy. Feel free to send any shopping suggestions my way!

PSA: 1 month from today...

I will be packing our suitcases, checking lists, checking and re-checking that we have our documents, purchasing traveler's checks and jumping up and down with excitement that we will be leaving for Greece the very next day. A few thoughts are racing though my mind as we get closer:

• DH and I have never traveled together (more than a couple hour road trip). We do well together in the car and I'm hoping that my being a patient traveler and happy flyer extends to him as well
• He hasn't had a real vacation in 2 years, I haven't had one in 3 years. We are long overdue
• Need to checkout my Amazon.com order that contains my travel guide.
• Thoughts are buzzing in my head about how fabulous this will be but, I'm also wondering if it will truly be a vacation with SO much family around and not knowing the language.
• Looking forward to using that delicious green and teal leather document portfolio that I scored for next to nothing at ATL last fall
• All that Easter candy and snacking has me terrified of getting in a bathing suit. Add to that just how white I am
• Wondering how many books I should pack (I read at least one full book each way on internat'l flights). Grateful that the local library is having their annual book sale in two weeks so that I can gather a pile for pennies
• Hoping that, unlike my trips back and forth from Israel last June, that the airplanes have decent ventilation and air conditioning
• Daydreaming about the beach tavernas, walking among the ruins, soaking up the culture.
• Excited to stand in the family home that I've seen in dozens of photos
• Needing a couple more suitcases, bathing suits and a LOT of summer clothes.
• Thrilled that I'll have three straight weeks of nothing but bare feet and flip-flops

newlyweds take manhattan...

In the week following our wedding, we made the decision to stay at home to entertain family who were visiting from both California and Greece. Although we live just minutes outside of New York City, DH and I rarely go into town for more than the occasional dinner. Last week, we did the entire tourist parade: Empire State Building, Times Square, WTC site, Lady Liberty, Canal Street, Battery Park City, Ellis Island, paid for sketches by some street artists, museums...everything! And, occasionally, we turned over my camera to one of our family members to snap a newlywed photo or two. Here are a few of my favorites...

The American Museum of Natural History:

In front of the Zales heart in Times Square, snow covered and leftover from Valentine's Day:

The Empire State Bldg. Observatory, 86th Floor (he makes my foot pop!): Best photo so far of my "wife chop." I had about three inches taken off plus a much needed shaping two days before this was taken:
On the ferry to Liberty Island, just before docking. Love DH's little smirk:At the feet of the Lady herself. Despite living just outside of NYC for 17 years, this was my first visit:
On the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan side looking into Brooklyn:

We have no pics together on Ellis Island. It was the first trip there for both of us and we were in awe. Such an amazing place and we're already planning to go back for a full day trip in the spring. Highly recommended if you are ever in NYC.When we got back to Battery Park, we had our sketches done by a street artist (above) DH is sitting for his half and (below) you can see how mine turned out.