i always think i keep up with what’s around here and then i look to see when the last post was and… well, it’s been a while
i still have so many summer break pictures to share
monument valley, grand canyon, sedona, vegas, panama city beach….
but as much as i’d like to stay in vacation mode, life just keeps moving forward
these days faster than ever before
at the end of this month summer will be over and it will officially be fall
i enjoy fall
but i dread what comes after it
it will also be four years since we moved from miami to asheville
four years!
it’s hard for me to believe it’s been that long
i still miss our miami life in the red house with the pool and our dear friends near
perhaps i don’t miss miami as much as i miss us in miami
and regardless of how good life is here, how great the house we live in is (we have paid our price) and how many friends we have, i still feel landlocked, like i don’t belong and want to head towards the ocean just about daily
asheville makes me feel the loneliest i have ever felt
it’s a feeling i can’t seem to shake off
even after four years
thanks for listening friends
hope you are all having a good week so far
flowers, flowers and more flowers. i don’t think i could (or would want to) live in a world without flowers. which makes winter harder than it already is
our neighborhood divas the day before starting school
first day of fourth grade
second day of fourth grade
santa fe memories
sunrises
and sunsets
he turned forty two
last summer in spain with my family memories
lazy weekend mornings
and not so lazy weekend mornings
back to lots of home cooked meals
ropa vieja
tuna nicoise
taco torte
panama city beach memories
homework
besties since kindergarten now in fourth grade
Lily is back to art class after school on tuesdays
one of my oldest girlfriends arrived yesterday and today we will get in the car and drive to nashville where we will be seeing Perry Farrell perform live tonight
going to see a favorite with a favorite
what more can a girl ask for?
happy friday and happy weekend friends!
spring. still winning
what father’s day looked like
cool slow mornings
hung up more art. you should too. it’s important
a sleepover with a good classmate
portugal memories from three years ago
pre father’s day parents night out
a visit to see a favorite friend/local jeweler
i bought new earrings and i am obsessed with them
a hair trim waiting to happen
Lily went to baking camp this week and not only did she love every minute of it but she also brought home the most delicious baked goods every day
day two of baking camp
day three of baking camp
the last time i saw Perry Farrell was in 2011 in miami during art basel with a then 1 year old Lily. see you soon Perry! can’t wait
last saturday at our friend’s end of the year party, there was an altercation between Lily and a classmate where personal boundaries were pushed and disrespected
parents had to get involved and a he said/she said situation is never easy
phone calls and texts were exchanged throughout the week, feelings and emotions were high but eventually on wednesday Lily and her classmate met up (with parental supervision) and Lily got to share her truth, her feelings and got her power back
it’s important more than ever to talk to our children about respect and consent
so proud of our girl for being strong, standing her ground, facing someone who scared and disrespected her and for speaking her truth
happy friday friends
us
a favorite breakfast
spring is still my favorite season here
third grade girlfriends now rising fourth graders
quiet screened in porch moments
and quiet kitchen moments too
we have created a rummikub monster. she wins more than she loses
rainy days inside. it rained for at least four days straight
but eventually the rain stopped and the sun came out
a sushi lunch date by myself
Lily is in full summer break mode waking after 9am every morning
a day spent downtown
mexico memories from this week one year ago in playa del carmen
although i am so ready for summer break, i kind of wish third grade could go on forever
it’s been the most wonderful school year so far
Lily had the most amazing teacher/class and my heart is breaking already for when she will have to say goodbye later today
there will be many tears for sure (there always are)
Lily has grown so much this school year
not just in height (4″) but emotionally, artistically, academically… all with such confidence
she has risen all year!
we are so very proud of her
now if only time could just take it a bit easier on me
happy friday and happy weekend friends!
spring is still winning
Lily season on our front yard
when little cousins come to visit
miami memories
spain memories
kitchen poetry sessions
last monday of third grade
last tuesday of third grade
last car pick up selfie of third grade
last thursday of third grade
homemade end of the school year teacher gifts
stronger every day
these three have been riding to school every morning since we moved here during Lily’s kindergarten year. Next year there will be less one because she will be in middle school. we now have a rising sixth grader, a rising fourth grader and a rising third grader. love these vibrant girls
i feel like it’s been quite some time since i have done one of these “around here” posts
life has been good
it’s spring
spring makes everything better (anything but winter, really)
after tomorrow Lily will have only one week left of school
it’s been a great school year for her
she has had the most wonderful teacher and i am expecting many tears from Lily on that last day (she LOVES her teacher)
summer plans were hard to agree upon and hard to come together but for the most part they are figured out and i am excited for them
that said, i need to figure out more beach and ocean time
this weekend we are expecting family and we are so looking forward to it
hope you are all having a great week so far
i am off on my walk with foxy and then coming back to do some youtube exercise video (been trying to be good and do that every day)
have a happy one friends!
spring is by far my favorite season here in asheville. hate winter, fall is ok, summer is too damn hot with no access to the ocean, but spring…. spring is glorious!
peonies from our garden. i loved peony season this year
our two hibiscus trees are like small daily miami offerings in asheville
what school mornings look like
what weekend mornings look like
a rainbow filled corner
Lily is still consistently creating amazing art
what mother’s day looked like this year
what memorial day looked like this year
a car selfie. William and Lily call me Elton with these glasses on but i don’t mind
what weekends sometimes look like
what after school looks like when there are no after school activities
this year’s ballet four will be next year’s ballet five
despite everything i still miss miami and the ocean every day
i have been anxiously waiting for this month for so long
not just because spring is usually in full bloom in april but also because our spring break will finally take place
which means miami
yes we are going back
forth year in a row
this time we are staying the whole week and i am so looking forward to beach time, pool time, sunshine, palm trees, old friends, old hang outs…. i am looking forward to going home
yes, home
after living in miami for almost fifteen years (the longest i have ever lived anywhere), i still consider miami my home
i cannot wait
just one more week…
happy friday friends!
february
all the pretty cardinals
i photographed a small intimate wedding and this was the super sweet bride
walks in the sunshine
these tiny blooms that Lily gave me lasted over a month
afternoon light
march
strawberry crepes in the making
glimpses of light
and rainbows
winter red
this guy we found on the streets of miami six years ago
mirror laughs
an owl by Lily
and an anime mona lisa also by Lily
i started painting a mural in our dining room wall
daffodils from our garden
sunshine
there are now fun things to do in our backyard
i have taken the rainbow makers onto necklace levels. the shop is now open
after school banana/strawberry smoothie, tiger straw and new reading glasses
i once heard that it takes half the time of a relationship to get over that said relationship once it’s over
if that’s true, which i sort of found it to be after my divorce to my first husband, i still have four more years left to get over our break up with miami
i am not going to lie, it has been a struggle
especially during this eternal winter (and the previous ones)
there is still not a lot that sparks joy for me in this town surrounded by mountains
there are days when i curse ever having moved here and i miss everything about miami (minus the humidity and the roaches)
since living in ashveille for the past three years, i have never felt so lonely and depressed (and angry)
sure there are good days
but it truly feels like they don’t outweigh the bad days
regardless, i try to push through and i function
i smile, i parent, i get house chores done…. i do like i’m supposed to and expected to
some days better than others (like all of us i suppose)
that sad feeling deep within me of not being where i want to be never leaves me though
sunny days help lift my mood
but i have realized that i am a tropical girl at heart (regardless of complaining about the humidity when living in miami)
i like tropical greens best
and tropical fruits and foods to go with it
i prefer summer layers to winter layers
i am inspired by (and more motivated by) bright colors rather than the sad browns and greys that surround me for far too long every single year living here
when i visit past miami posts, i am reminded of how full of color and friends our lives were there
family life aside, everything here takes so much effort for me
i am of course the only one who feels this way
both William and Lily are thriving here
and because they are thriving the way they are, it makes the thought of moving selfish and impossible
in the meanwhile i am going to keep trying to just do
and to look forward to those tropical greens and sunshine which are coming for spring break
happy friday friends
the first day of a new year
my favorite rainbow
a kitchen moment with ginger, her favorite red panda
there are many faces and moods to this wild nine year old
with all sorts of meat, sausage…. my favorite way is to keep it loaded with veggies
the last time Drea and her family came to visit us, i cooked it as meal for us and she has been begging me to do a post with the recipe since then
so, this one is for you Drea
happy weekend friends!
ingredients: 1 whole head of garlic, 3-4 bay leaves, 1 large can of whole peeled tomatoes, 3-4 cans of red kidney beans, 1 small green cabbage, broccoli, 5-6 carrots (olive oil, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes not pictured)
peel garlic and cut cabbage. put garlic, bay leaves and cabbage in large pot with olive oil, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. cook until cabbage is soft but not wilted
add large can of whole peeled tomatoes and cook in low heat with lid on for about 10 minutes
once the tomatoes are cooked down, open the cans of beans and pour in the bean sauce only. cook in low heat for another 10 minutes with lid on and occasionally stirring
add peeled and cut carrots and raise to medium heat. cook for 10 minutes with lid on
add cut broccoli and cook covered for 5-10 minutes
add beans, cook for 5 minutes et voila!! a hearty and healthy meal
