summertime hello.

A few fun things from around the web!

1. What it costs to eat at every 3-star Michelin restaurant in the world.

2. Genius Picnic Bag on my wish list. 

3. Consider this yet another reason I dream of being gal pals with Kristen Wiig. 

4. Can't wait to visit the giants in Mariposa Grove with my parents this weekend!

5. Grown men reenact conversations with a toddler. 

6. Rent in SF is actually the worst. 

7. Lowland Hum plays at the Garage. Their album Native Air will be available two weeks from today. I already have it and man is it good.

8. I will be playing on this beach in Costa Rica with my handsome husband love in just 2 weeks! 

Hope everyone is having a full and happy summer : )

. . .

i like adoption.

A joyful and moving 6 minutes...

If the embedded version is acting up, you can watch it here.

. . .

jan 1.

After a 12 day whirlwind of travel, we are back home in our apartment for the first time tonight. We spent a happiest Christmas in North Carolina and New Year's on incredible Lake Tahoe. As 2013 begins, I'm acutely aware of how rich I am. I feel so much thankfulness for the extravagant goodness in my life.

. . .

my second brother's birthday.

Happy Birthday Matthew.

Today is Matthew's birthday. He is my sister's husband and was the first spouse / extra sibling to be added to our family when they were married 3 years ago. He has become such a part of our family that now when I envision holidays in my head, he is always in the room. He's the type of impressive individual who knows something about everything but can also listen as well as he can teach. He can build just about anything, knows how to make bullets, is kind to children, gentle with animals, and loves my sister very well. He's a man of his word and a gentleman through and through. I wish I lived near him, I know he would take me canoeing or teach me why I don't need to be afraid of snakes. We love you Matthew, Happy Birthday!

. . .

awesome texts.

1. A poignant observation from the wonderful Caitlin 

(we were casually discussing cute forest mammals):

2. This one is from Caroline. I enjoy reading the sign 

as it was without the additions. Ah, the south:

3. For this one, I highjacked my mom's phone and was messaging Lee as if I 

was our mom. His final insult/closing remark made me laugh so hard:

. . .

shared birthday, not twins.

Happy Birthday Robin, Happy Birthday Lee!

I love my siblings. A lot. They are two of my favorite people on earth. If I had to compile a list of individuals I'd be willing to go on a solo vacation with, they'd both be at the top of my selection. Seriously. 

First, there's Robin. My only sister, the dear heart and caretaker of our family. She's a left-handed, right-brained idealist. A deep thinker and a great beauty. Who I am today has undoubtedly been shaped by her sweet guidance and care. And then there's Lee, the best big brother. He offers good advice, is grounded, wise, and very kind. He's such a hard worker and lives with integrity. Plus he's an excellent athlete and master chef. I really look up to him and find irrational joy in making him laugh. They are the greatest! I love them.

Happy birthday you two! I can't wait to be neighbors and raise dogs and babies together. And have awesome slip-n-slide parties at Lee's house (so we don't have to mess up our own grass). Those will be the glory years.

. . .

(ps - how cute is that top picture of Robin hugging on Lee? It's one of my all time favorites!)

september 4th

Happy Birthday Mama!

My mom is great. She is generous, caring, funny, feisty, and an incredible artist and gardener too. She loves to travel, can throw a pot, cook a casserole, name a bird by the song it sings, and is better at photoshop than me. She's a remarkable woman and I'm thankful to have her as my own mom. I really wish I could take her on a little birthday date today. Happy Birthday Mama, I love you and hope you have a most wonderful day!

. . .

the girls.

I am loving all my time with Andy and Lou, or "the girls" as they're affectionately called in our family. I haven't seen them in months aside from a few skype calls with my parents where they cock their heads in the background, confused at the sound of my voice. I adore them both and am trying to soak up the time I have with them. This translates to me lying on the floor with them lots & getting in their personal space to tell them how much I love them. I have maybe become a nuisance to them but I just know how I'll miss them when I go. Isn't it amazing how much we can love a doggie? 

Lou, "the lioness" or "the model". We all think she's a great beauty. She is the sweetest dog my family has ever had.

Little Andy, the mystery mix. We have no idea what she is. When my parents first brought her home, she was fiercely
independent & has slowly become increasingly affectionate. She is now very loving. She also has her own baby pool. 

And just because, the puppy versions of the girls:

Sidenote: Both Andy and Lou were rescues so when my parents got them, no one could be sure how old they were. On both occasions, the vet assured my parents that the girls were absolutely done growing "because of their teeth size" or something like that. Both have more than doubled in size. "Little Andy" was 22 lbs & is now 56 lbs! We like to laugh about his miscalculation & the fact my parents unknowingly adopted big dogs.

. . .

it wasn't time to leave.

The original ticket we bought for this trip had me on a flight back to San Francisco yesterday morning. 

I'm still in North Carolina (insert big grin).

While I was at the beach, Finn finalized some travel plans for work that had him out of town in different cities for 9 days right after I got back. We discussed me sticking around NC for those days and decided to pay the fee and extend my stay! So instead of spending yesterday on an airplane, I had an awesome quiet day in town. I went to a sweetie 5 year old's birthday party where I saw lots of family I love. Afterwards, I crashed on my parents' couch and ate Captain Crunch for dinner - a proper summer afternoon. It's so nice having unplanned extra days that leave time for things like a sit on the porch or a morning walk (like the one with Lauren pictured below). The only downside is having to wait longer to see Finn, who I'm missing a good bit already (a nice problem to have). But I'll see him soon enough and am happy with my extra days to enjoy here. 

. . .

the trampoline story.

In December of 2008, Finn and I had just gotten back together after 6 months of being broken up. (His mistake, we like to say). At the time my sister was dating a wonderful man named Matthew, who is now her husband (and who is still wonderful). This Matthew happened to be one of Finn's friends so the four of us got together one Saturday and visited Matthew's family in eastern North Carolina. We eventually made our way outside to the trampoline, for who among us can resist a trampoline? 

Pertinent Background Information: Finn grew up on a trampoline. He was a diver from the age of 5, did gymnastics, and he and all his siblings grew up practicing back doubles on a trampoline in their back yard. To this day, he is one of the flippiest humans I know. He can do all sorts of twists and turns in the air and, as far as I can tell, has no fear of heights. 

Examples of him being generally impressive:

The main point to take away from this (besides the fact he's a total babe) is that he's got excellent balance and, like most people with a background in diving or gymnastics, has great body control even in the air.

Returning to the Story: we head outside to the trampoline and the boys jump by themselves for a bit while Robin and I watched and chatted. After a few minutes, I hopped up to join the fun and shortly thereafter was double-bounced the highest I've ever been launched thanks to the combined efforts of both boys. It was a harmless move and I think Finn generously assumed I could control myself in the air as well as he.

This was not the case and I basically went TOTALLY limp. My trampoline debut was not successful, dear friends. Rather, I demonstrated the amount of acrobatic ability Finn had as a 14 month old. Luckily for you all, Matthew's sister was standing nearby with a camera and captured my egregious lack of airborne athleticism. 

Here is the photo she took just before my unfortunate landing...

As you can surmise from the picture, I landed right on my neck but I think my huge hair and vest must have cushioned the fall. It was painful, but certainly less than it could have been. Let it be known that both boys showed great concern and were very sweet. This snapshot and the incredible disparity between our trampoline skills never fails to make us laugh. I love to joke with Finn that this was "the moment he knew". As he saw me falling like a dead fish, his heart soared and he all at once realized "now that is my wife". 

. . .

cackalacky.

Well folks, it's going to be a really good week. My kind parents traded in flyer miles to get me a ticket and I'll be flying to my beloved NC in just a few days! I cannot express my gratitude and excitement. My trip will be split between time at my parents' home and a trip to Oak Island. I will get to pet my dogs, hug my family, hold my nephew, eat southern food, and swim in the ocean. It's going to be a rich and wonderful time.

I AM SO EXCITED. 

And in the spirit of NC, I've been listening to this beauty.

. . .

a robin fox.

This photo reminds me so much of my sister, who I'm really missing. It's us!

(photo from piccsy)

. . .

my mail week.

In the midst of a few hard days, I got tons of nice mail. These things brightened up my week.

Caitlin (the same Caitlin from this post) sent a package full of fun goodies and a really nice note. I especially love the filling - so colorful! Caitlin is from NC, lives in LA, works for Disney, and shares many of the same loves as me. I wish she would move to San Francisco already (ahem). I shan't reveal all the contents of the package, but check out the awesome stamps she sent. They're from the Paper Source and I really like them...like so much that I won't put them away. They've been out on the kitchen table all week.

I also got a package from my sweetest sister. This picture, which I shakily took on the city bus because I couldn't wait till home to open it, doesn't do the package justice. Everything was wrapped beautifully with little notes. One of my favorite contents was a small box of smooth sea stones my sister collected at the beach. They are beautiful and from one of my favorite places on earth, the Atlantic off North Carolina. Another teeny treasure to add to my collection.

On top of the two packages, I got even more mail...

First, a sweet note from Sarah's sister Stephanie, affectionately known as Stu. She is pregnant (!!!) with baby Anderson who Sarah (and I) will spoil to no end. I like the the card - hoorah for gender neutral baby stuff!

This one is from Caitlin too and technically was inside the package. But I still wanted to share because of the awesome stationery. Sparkles and sea animals? Love it. Caitlin knows what I like.

My family just took their annual beach trip and I had to miss out this year. They sent a card written in by everyone there, which I loved. There was even a notecard addition because people ran out of room. So nice!

There was also this gem: a sweetest card from Alison, asking me to be a bridesmaid when she marries her Jacob in January. My answer was an obvious yes, by the way. I'm so happy for those two.

Isn't that a ton of mail for one week? I was so shocked each time there was something else in our mailbox. Long live the US Postal Service! Snail mail is the best.

Lastly, happy Friday! Can you believe it's the end of July? We're hoping to get out on the water tomorrow since the weather should be nice (fingers crossed). I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

. . .

lee the PT!

Today my brother Lee found out he passed his Physical Therapy boards!! Lee had been out of college for years and was working as a chemist when he decided to pursue PT school. While working full time, he did night classes & shadowed on his weekends for a year and a half until he got into an excellent PT program, where he won awards for his research, was top of his class and now, after years of hard work, is officially a licensed PT! He's been studying a ton over the past few months and we are all crazy proud of him and the years of work he's put in.

Just a crazy cute picture of him as a little one. Tryna be a dog. Oh Lee.

Way to go Lee! Wish I lived nearby because I'd take you out for a celebratory Bojangles dinner!

. . .

my daddyo.

Happy Father's Day to Larry Laroo!

My whole life, everyone has told me how great my dad is & as I get older, I understand more and more why they're right. I'm blessed to have a father who is deeply kind and serves others. He is so for his family, always a sincere source of positive encouragement for my mom and each of us kids. Perhaps one of my favorite qualities, he has been such a companion in playfulness, from t-ball days & dairy queen dates to throwing frisbee & playing drawing games with his grown kids. He's just the greatest! Happy Father's Day Daddyo, I love you so much along with the rest of your kids (human and canine). Have a great day!

. . .

things that are growing...

1. This Basil

We grew lots of basil last year & ate it all through the summer so we decided to plant some for our new place when we moved. We rotate our little planter each morning & by the time Finn gets home from work, the baby stems have always leaned in towards the sun. Basil is delicious on all types of things & grows really fast!

2. Our Nephew

I miss this little guy so much & he's changing with every passing week. I love skyping with him & his sweet mama (Summer) and being able to actually see how he's grown, which is always a lot. Most recently, he has taken on vegetables, become a champ at rolling over, and has two teeth for crying out loud. He's getting big.

3. My Hair

A few months ago I cut off 14 inches of my hair and donated it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Some friends & I did it together and if you've ever considered donating, I encourage you to do it! The short hair was great for winter when I was swimming laps often plus I think I saved a whole bunch of money on conditioner. That said, I'm ready for it to be long again and slowly but surely, it's growing back and is now past my shoulders!

. . .

a skype date.

Earlier this week, I skyped with my sister-in-law Summer and her sweetest baby Jet who is my first ever nephew (or niece for that matter). He's a total cutie. I miss them loads and was thrilled to see their faces (see my perma-smile). I'm thankful to Skype that I can still see Jet grow month by month. I miss my Rimbeys!

Although the last one seems like Jet is smiling at me, he's actually smiling at his mama who is standing up. He's obsessed with her and lights up like this when she talks to him. Isn't he so sweet? I love this little guy.

. . .

my smartie sister.

For the past 4.5 years, my sister Robin has worked gruelingly hard towards a Marriage & Family Counseling Master's Degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. You cannot imagine the amount of scarily thick books she's read, the number of pages she's written (I'd honestly guess over the 2,000 mark), and the countless number of hours of counseling she's given, all for this degree.

Today, she graduates!

I am proud of my sister and so excited for her to be done with school and to have a "normal person life", as we call it. She really has worked so hard. Robin cares deeply for people and has a natural gift at drawing out the deep. She's compassionate and wise. She will make a great counselor and is already loved by many clients. Congratulations sister, you are free from school. Have a cupcake, go throw a frisbee. You don't have to study and miss fun things or write papers anymore! 

Happy Graduation Robin! 

. . .

mother's day & napa.

On mother's day, we drove north to Napa Valley to escape the cold-city weather & enjoy the views of Napa's rolling hills of vineyards. We had a delicious Mexican lunch, visited a few wineries, and loved the views along the way. The landscape much resembled Italy and we were, yet again, amazed at how much diverse beauty there is so close to San Francisco.

for breakfast she had peaches, mango, yummy cereal, insta-coffee (we don't own a coffee maker), & cards
from me and my sister waiting for her. nothing too fancy, we just made do with what we had. i love my mom!

my mama was polite company while we enjoyed a glass of fancy wine
(she doesn't drink alcohol). i really like this photo she took.

We took the long way home in order to drive on Highway 1, a beautiful scenic route that goes along the coast. It was definitely worth the extra time in the car. At one point, we pulled over at a salt marsh (not pictured) because we saw some seals in the distance. We walked down to the rocky beach and waited. A few curious ones (that didn't have vulnerable pups by their side) came quite close and one individual poked his little head out of the water and looked right at me for about 15 seconds. Day made.

the view from highway 1

My mom said she loved the whole day for which I was thankful! I'm blessed to have a great relationship with both my mom and mother-in-law, Carrie. My mom is an awesome lady whom I love dearly. She's strong, intelligent, artistic, generous, beautiful, and possesses the all-important-ability to laugh at herself. I love Carrie too, who has really become a second mom to me - she's patient, kind, selfless, wise, also beautiful, fun to be around, and can have good laugh too (obviously an important quality to me). We wish she could have been with us too. It was a great mother's day! Aren't we a bunch of lucky ducks?

. . .

marin & muir.

Just a short drive outside of San Francisco, there is an incredible amount of natural beauty to behold. Perhaps my favorite day of my mom & aunt's visit was our day-trip to Muir Woods (with a stop at Marin Headlands on the way). We rented a car, drove north across the Golden Gate Bridge, and had a dream of a day in the perfect blue-skies weather. 

weee!

Marin Headlands is the southern most part of the peninsula that's north of San Francisco. It's very hilly & has beautiful views of the bridge & bay. It's amazing that just 15 minutes from my apartment are these dramatic sweeping views of cliffside and sea. There are wildflowers, sea lions, and the windy air smells like the ocean. It is a treasure to me.

i really love it here.

We had the place to ourselves and watched the sea lions sunbathe on the rocks below. ps you can click on these photos to view them in larger form if you'd like!

Muir Woods is a 554 acre National Park and home to thousands of ancient Redwood behemoths. It feels like a fictional fairy land complete with a stream, songbirds, and angled light beams shining through the towering trees all lovely like.

This is the only picture I'll share of the trees because it's the only one that even slightly does their size and scale justice. They are breathtaking in person. 

When we left Muir Woods, we discussed how we all felt peaceful and relaxed. We read this excerpt by John Muir while there - we liked it and thought it certainly holds a bit of wisdom:

"Keep close to Nature's heart...and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain 

or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean."

. . .