childhood unplugged

a pretty typical morning around our home, getting babies up and kids dressed and ready for school.  taking a minute to unplug and play with some favorite blocks that can usually take up a good chunk of an afternoon, but when mom is calling and shuffling everyone towards the car to race to each school in hopes to beat the bell your building is cut short and put on pause until you return in the afternoon.

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

it still feels a lot like summer around here, even though it is now November.  i am looking forward to the cooler weather and the crisp air that is sure to come, hopefully sooner than later.  i don’t think these two could care less what the temperature is as long as they have some open space to roam.

collecting treasures is high up on their list of favorite things to do, and today they did just that.  as a mom, it feels so right to watch them play when there is no agenda, no plan, no right or wrong.  just total freedom to do and be whatever their imagination comes up with.

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

a quick after dinner break to watch the sun go down for the night and to collect some pinecones and anything else they can find.  it was my way of burning off the days steam and cooling their jets.  funny how just some fresh air can do that, for all of us really.  i think the routine of school and such demanding schedules has us all a little grumpy by the end of the day.  i already feel the pull to jump in the car, drive out of town and spend a few days exploring some new land.  and yet, school just barely started.

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

another vacation for the books.  we decided super last second to take one last trip before the kids headed back to school.  my sister called and they had planned a weekend away up the coast, and so we jumped on board and crashed their vacation.  a few short days chock-full of shopping the local shops, eating really yummy food, not to mention a taqueria that we will definitely visit again, taking the back roads to find some hidden treasures, beach time, riding those bikes (which we may or may not have had races with), and time with family.

this vacation closed out another good, very busy, summer.  we got home and settled in just in time to grab some last minute school supplies, get some real sleep for a few days and throw ourselves right back into the grind of school and schedules.

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

another trip to the campground lottery with high hopes of picking the winning number and getting a spot for a night or two.  when we won a spot we rushed home, grabbed everything we would need, packed up the car, tossed in the kids and headed back to our campsite.  we got there in time for a swim in the ocean, some bike rides, dinner, s’mores and a couple rounds of competitive corn hole after the kids were in bed with a couple friends that joined us for the night.

in the morning dad had coffee and breakfast burritos ready for us when we woke up. then a whole day at the beach surfing, paddle boarding, and playing in the waves.

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

we all unplugged this weekend during a spontaneous camping trip down the road at the beach, thanks to dad who called friday late morning with a great idea.  beach camping is one of my favorite things to do during the summer.  so we packed up and headed out as soon as we could.

i am always grateful for dad taking the reigns when it comes to meals while camping, well who am i kidding.. i’m happy to let him cook anytime. he’s always up earlier than any one of us and our breakfast burritos were ready when we decided to emerge from our comfy accommodations. the smell of campfires in the air and going to sleep to the sound of waves crashing and waking in our tents all cuddled together, it’s the best.  the kids were so sandy and dirty all weekend, collecting bugs and fighting over the hammocks that dad set up.  it was perfect.

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, please follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

Getting outside and enjoying the evening with the kids. So often around this time of day I’m in the house picking up the days messes, getting dinner ready, and rushing around trying to get the days work finished up. But sometimes it’s nice to just order some pizza and get out front with the kids and enjoy the last of the days sunshine. And firing up some old sparklers is never a bad way to end the day. 

please join me in supporting the other photographers in our childhood unplugged movement by clicking here to see all our submissions for this month. also, please follow us on instagram and remember to tag your unplugged moments with #childhoodunplugged for a chance to be featured on our IG feed.

childhood unplugged

a quick trip to the desert. the kids think staying in a hotel is basically the best thing ever.  i think getting away from it all is the best ever.  it is so nice to step out of the daily routine and responsibilities that can feel so monotonous and overwhelming at times.  a road trip out on the open road and the right tunes was just what i needed.  it was a perfect little re-charge.  we explored, adventured and marley hunted for treasures to bring home.

see what the others are up to and how they unplugged over here.  and remember to follow along on instagram too.

fifty two weeks | week seventeen

trying to tie this kid down to take a couple pictures of him these days is ridiculously hard.  he is so busy with friends, school and basketball.  i can’t believe he is in his last year of middle school.  it sounds so weird and gives me a rather large lump in my throat to think that he could be out of the house in just four short years.  and i think of all the things i still want to instill in him, all the things i still want to teach him, and the wind practically gets knocked right outta my lungs and my head starts to spin thinking of how fast this time will go.  it’s not fair, they just up and go, they just grow up with no regard to how we, as parents, might feel about that.  i mean don’t get me wrong, i want him to go off and experience life and see the world, find a wife and have a family.  but all that means i won’t be his number one anymore (whom i kidding, that went out the door years ago) but you know what i mean.  his choices will be his and he won’t have to come to me to make big decisions anymore.  i’m just saying this whole growing up thing is really hard on us moms.

fifty two weeks | week sixteen

the first of all the cousins got married.  the kids loved getting all dressed up in their best and celebrating.  remy feels so official and just like daddy when ever he gets to where a suit and tie and marley loves any excuse to get a new fancy dress.