Smile And Wave

Summer Fun: Food Truck Date Night

We're working on making the most of our time left with Brett before he deploys for a few months so when he came home from work earlier this week and asked if anyone was in the mood to hit the town in search of food we dropped what we were doing and went. I probably should've already been cooking but, you know. 

We ended up a few blocks down the road at the new(ish) food truck corner. What used to be a gas station ages ago and then a parking lot overflow for the high school across from it was recently leased (borrowed?) and alloted as the new space to park your truck and sell your fare of choice. We hit it up on a Tuesday evening about an hour before regular closing time so only two of the six or more trucks were still serving customers. I went for the cajun food and Brett had fish tacos from the mexican food truck. The kids were too busy playing to be much interested in their dinner. Both trucks get two thumbs up.

The kids found a bucket full of sidewalk chalk and played swamp monster chase with the other kids that were there while we made a new friend over shrimp gumbo. Apparently the BBQ place is a popular truck because they had sold out early and were packing up for the night. Our favorite restaurant, Shuga's, also has a truck that is usually out there that we're excited to try and I love that there is a coffee truck and a smoothie truck for when we're just wanting something quick and easy. With it being a straight shot down the road from our house it's looking to be a new favorite spot!

If you're in the area or will be later this summer you can find out more about their hours of operation here. I love that all trucks involved are focusing on fresh and healthy food options within a reasonable price range and that most take cards. They're making it easy on us!

Do you have a favorite food truck in your town/city? 

-Rachel

My Favorite Photos

The top half of our fridge is covered in my favorite photos of our sweet little family. There are Instax Wide instant film photos, photobooth strips, random polaroids from a photobooth downtown, photos I made into magnets years ago as Christmas gifts, and thumbnail Instagram photos c/o Stickygram. I've also got some state puzzle pieces made into magnets that I found at an antique store in town, a few sweet cards I've received recently that really felt special, and the cutest little succulent in a cork that my friend, Jess, sent over.

It's a visual pick me up spot. I tend to stand right across from it to make coffee, get everyone breakfast, figure out dinner, stare at my dirty kitchen floor, etc. Sometimes I wind up in that same spot when I'm chatting on the phone with my mom or sending out texts to Brett at work. It's the spot where I remind the kids for the 756th time to shut the fridge door when they're done getting a snack, leave notes for Brett, and stop to take deep breaths when life starts to feel overwhelming. 

For some reason I've never been one to plaster a wall with family photos. I'd like to hang some special ones from the shoot we had with Rebecca and I have one from Elsie's wedding of Brett and myself that Sarah took that is just my favorite ever. I suppose our fridge has always been our family photo gallery. The bottom half is covered with Ruby's art work. Like three layers of water colored family portraits, made up animals, and chalk drawn flowers.

Evidence of life is what it is. 

Do you keep photos on your fridge?

-Rachel

Family Photo Shoot with Rebecca Caridad: Part Two

These are the beautiful photos from the second half of our photo shoot with the lovely Rebecca Caridad. We spent some time in our home before heading out to Garden of the Gods - one of Colorado Springs' most special landmarks.

I had carefully picked out outfits for the four of us the day before the shoot but my little fashionista decided she really needed to wear her favorite heart tights, sparkly silver shoes, pleated pink skirt, and aqua cardigan instead of something more suitable for wandering through the red dirt. Sparkly silver shoes it was. 

Rebecca and her sister did a great job capturing our family. I love that last photo. It's just so special.

Thanks again, Rebecca! If you're in Colorado and are in need of a photographer you can contact her here.

-Rachel

Territory Days

We were able to sneak in a trip to Territory Days over in Old Colorado City this Memorial Day weekend. It's a three day festival celebrating the history of Colorado Springs and the heritage of both the Native American tribes that occupied the land as well as the time when settlers arrived on the scene. Like most festivals there are blocks and blocks full of booths selling local honey, homemade soaps, tie-dyed dresses, and random overpriced toys for kids but there were also a ton of handmade jewelry and fine art booths with a Native American bent as well as beautiful carvings, woven blankets, and tooled leather items. 

We'd heard from our friend, Tara, that there were pony rides so we told Ruby we were going somewhere fun and had a surprise for her. She guessed that we were going to Horseyland so she wasn't far off. There was also a petting area full of young goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, bunnies, a llama, and a not so young tortoise. I about died from all the cute. 

As I was flipping through photos to post I was struck by this one because Sebastian was looking straight at me with a great smile. I got a little sentimental about how he's growing up so quickly and how he's telling funny jokes and talking about how he loves spending time with me.

Then I realized Thunder had it hanging out plain as day for all the lady horses to see. In fact, all five of the photos I got of Sebastian smiling and looking at me as he went around in circles were displaying Thunder's thunder. So, my apologies.

We let the kids get some treats because half of the fun of going to a festival is paying too much for shaved ice. Sebastian was over the moon that they had root beer flavored cones and then saw the root beer bottle stand next to it and absolutely needed one of his own! He was proudly walking around with bottle in hand when we happened upon a teepee that he and Ruby wanted to check out. I stood back a bit to try and capture how pretty it was on my iPhone when all of a sudden he comes flying out, catches his foot on the bottom of the teepee entrance and falls on his hands and knees as his full root beer bottle breaks on the sidewalk and sprays the passers by.

It was immediate tears and me shoving the phone in my purse so I could get to him to make sure he hadn't cut himself. Suddenly, the bare-bottomed man dressed in his tribal gear on the white horse from the photo above appeared with a rake and a lovely assistant to help bag the glass. His bare cheeks showing through his chaps probably made for quite a sight behind us as he stooped to help clear shards of brown glass from the sidewalk. Apparently, you have to watch out for all kinds of exposure at Territory Days.

Sebastian was given another full bottle of root beer compliments of the nice booth workers and Brett surprised me with a caramel apple so we were all happy campers. At least until we said we weren't going to shell out the $9 per child to do the bungee trampoline and that we would try to catch the bounce house at the next festival because it was time to go home. I remember that feeling as a kid wanting something so badly and thinking your only hope of happiness depended on making it yours only to be told no by a well-meaning parent (who had already spent more than they'd planned on snow cones and petting zoos). 

We got to see lots of animals, people watch, and see the white horse dance to an interesting mix of tribal rock so it was mostly a great afternoon. After hauling the kids back to the car with their free balloons we stopped in to see Tara and oogle her new vintage Airstream. She and her husband are joining forces to overhaul it and are turning it into a creative business venture. We got the scoop on their own drive through the Rockies with battery doors (and regular doors) flapping in the wind at 11,000 + feet on their way home from picking it up. I may drive by her house once a week just to stare at it!

The afternoon ended over coffee with a very talented photographer friend sans children. We got to chat about interior design, connections to Seattle, and her fantastic work over at Chris & Melodie Photography. Then it was back home to enjoy shrimp tacos in the backyard along with most of our neighbors that were grilling or sprucing up their own yards. 

It was a full day but a relaxing one. A far cry from last year's tragic interruption. 

I hope your Memorial weekend was just what you needed - some extra time to work in your yard, hang out with friends, or just do nothing at all. 

-Rachel

Family Photo Shoot with Rebecca Caridad: Part One

The lovely Rebecca and her sister, Alysia, came down from Boulder about a month ago to do a home shoot and an outdoor shoot with our family. I just got the prints and cd in the mail today and couldn't wait to share my favorites. There are a lot of favorites! 

Funny story: I'd spent a few days getting our house super clean along with the help of Brett and despite the help of the smaller people that also live here. I'd been so busy I'd put off coloring my hair to hide the (quite) noticeable difference in browns (and maybe a few grays) and finally made some time to take care of it a mere three hours before the ladies were to arrive. I couldn't remember which color I'd used the previous time so I just picked something that looked right and went for it. My middle name is procrastination.

As soon as I got out of the shower I blow-dryed the top of my hair to see how it turned out and grew a little concerned that it was more fiery red than auburnish brown. I went out in the sun and had Brett take a picture of it so I could see and then panicked a little when even he said I should probably high tail it back to Walgreens. I threw my hair in a bun, checked for dye stains on my face and neck, and tore out of the driveway. Thankfully, I still had enough time to redye my hair a more subtle shade of what I wanted and got things diffused just in time. 

Despite the hair drama it was such a fun afternoon and evening. The kids were pretty cooperative and loved the extra attention from our company, the weather was great, and Rebecca and Alysia were so warm and full of whatever it is that makes you feel so much at ease around them (and their large lenses). After our shoot Brett took the kids home to put them to bed and the ladies and I went to Shuga's for dinner. I loved getting to spend a little extra time with a fellow creative that I've only previously known online. I was so inspired by stories they shared about their mom and how much she nurtured their creativity as kids and taught them about farming and gardening and different mediums she was interested in herself. It's so evident that that made an impact.

I have more photos from our venture out to Garden of the Gods to share in a future post. If you're in Colorado and are looking for a photogapher you can check her out and get in touch with her here.

 

Devastation in Oklahoma

Every May there are sirens and every May there are tornadoes along with jokes about going back to sleep or watching the funnels from your front porch. Then there's that year when the interior closet or bathtub aren't any safer than standing out in the rain because the force that is moving over the earth is just eating everything up as it goes. 

I've had texts and phone calls from my parents the last three Mays saying they were driving to the local hospital to get in the basement, waiting in lockdown at work, or running to the library just down the street from their home. They're Oklahoma natives but I think they've had more close calls since they've been in the OKC area than in all their years living further south. My dad texted me this video he took on Sunday, May 19th right after he and my mom ran to the library down the street from their house. They were just about to lock the doors when they arrived. This tornado went nearer to Edmond and did a little bit of damage to power lines and ripped trees out of friend's yards.

I remember feeling relieved that the damage was minor until getting a call from my mom saying Shawnee, the town where Brett and I spent six years during and after college, had been hit. We called our friends to check on them and were able to reach them but later learned a whole trailer park had been wiped out ending in two deaths and more injuries. I went to bed right after hearing there may be more storms Monday.

I had arrived at Sebastian's school for his end of the year party Monday afternoon when I got another text from my dad saying he'd left work early and that my mom was in lockdown at her school again and that a big one was headed to Moore. I sat in the hallway outside his class glued to the KFOR news app but then school was out and there were teacher gifts to give and books to sign and other mamas to hug. It was raining and the sky was moody and we sat in the car talking about his day when my dad texted asking if I'd seen anything about the school being hit. My heart sunk. 

I sit here tonight with a heavy, heavy heart for the people in Moore that have been hit with yet another historic, devastating tornado but so much more for the families of those K-3rd graders and staff that have been the focus of all news stations. I really just can't imagine not being able to get to my kids or the agony of waiting to confirm whether they'd survived or not. My mama heart hurts for those families. 

It's been mentioned on Twitter and in the news that you can help the towns of Shawnee and Moore as well as surrounding areas by donating to both local and national charities. Here's another list of places. 

I drove through Joplin a few weeks after the destruction there and was surprised to still see volunteer tents with people handing out food and water to workers clearing debris from neighborhoods and commercial sites. I will never forget the feeling of driving down residential streets that I could tell had held 100 year old houses from the state of the foundations and not seeing a whole tree for blocks. Seeing the twisted metal of the roof of the sporting goods store, piles of shoes and clothes and belongings waiting to be claimed, stacks of crushed cars being gathered and removed from parking lots was haunting but I was so moved that people were still there working to rebuild.

Clean up is going to take weeks and recovery is going to take months for the families in the affected areas. Let's help in ways we can. 

-Rachel

Spilled Milk: Grow

Head over to Spilled Milk to see the rest! 

-Rachel

Mother's Day

These two have permanently changed me in so many ways. My heart will always be bigger, my stomach less flat, and my mind always slightly distracted by where they are and what they're doing. For the past (almost) seven years I've had to think about their needs before mine and Brett's, plan around nap times and potty breaks, think three steps ahead to make sure I catch the potential safety hazards, all the while hoping I was staying in the moment long enough to see them as they were.

They grow so quickly.

These two treated me to an adventure up a creek and an afternoon in the backyard with only one timeout needed and hardly any whining while we drove the alleys of downtown Colorado Springs in search of a shaded but colorful backdrop. I got all the dandelions on our hike, a new ironing board cover (I asked for one), and Chinese takeout. There were no pedicures or naps or fancy shopping trips but I got what I am always craving these days - time as a family adventuring in this pretty little part of the country.

Our extended family got some happy news when my cousin and her husband announced they were expecting over the weekend! They had a long wait for their twin girls that they had through in vitro and were told they had about a 1% chance of ever getting pregnant on their own in the future. Turns out that 1% chance is due in December! So happy for you, Sarah and Jason! 

I know Mother's Day isn't easy on every heart. There are so many ways to ache over both being and not being a mama (yet). While we've had a little heartache in the past with an early miscarriage and are coming on two years of wondering if this month is the month, I am so thankful for what we have right now. 

Thankful and hopeful. 

-Rachel

Outfit Details: Dress, Target. Shoes c/o ModCloth, Necklace c/o Moorea Seal. Watch, gifted. Ruby's dress, vintage. Skinny jeans, Target. Shoes, Payless. Sebastian's vintage shirt, gifted. Cords, Target. Shoes, Old Navy.

Adventuring

A few weeks ago before everyone got sick we took an afternoon trip to the mountains. Our favorite spot to roam through is near the base of Helen Hunt falls because you can crawl around near the creek. Sunday loves the freedom to run and roam and sniff but always stays within earshot and comes galloping back when called. Sebastian likes to test his climbing skills up steep terrain (not that steep) and walk through the creek in his rain boots. Ruby stays close and asks me about mama bears and baby bears.

When we went the air was brisk but warm enough for shorts yet the falls were still frozen a good eight inches deep at the base. The water was running under that layer of ice and after testing it in an especially thick part, we all carefully walked around on it. Brett got a little taste of adventure scaling the smooth rocky face of the falls and Sebastian got a little higher than I would've liked while Ruby and I stopped and had a mini picnic. Sunday came home wet, muddy, and happy. 

We all did. 

We love you, pretty mountains!

-Rachel

Signs of A Good Time

Every day after school I've encouraged the kids to spend some time outside while the weather has been nice and after a long winter spent inside I've not needed to tell them twice. I let Ruby break in the chalkboard wall and she drew the loveliest picture. Apparently this is the bear family and a rainbow and the sun with spokes on it and then later she added some rain.

Sebastian brought home a mealworm from school and let it crawl up in his shirt so we had to take it off to find it. We put it in a jar for observation and safe keeping although I'm not sure it's going to make it back to school tomorrow for all the attention it got from Ruby. 

We're expecting snow on Tuesday. It's funny how you can be shirtless one afternoon and so bundled up the next. I've said it before but I've never appreciated the warming of the air and the return of green grass as much as I do this spring. I can feel everything coming to life again. 

-Rachel