“We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly,
but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey,
or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way.”

Merced River, Yosemite National Park.

trail to Court of Patriarchs, Zion National Park

Judah, Tahoe National Forest

My dear blog readers, first off, I would like to thank you for the overwhelming number of entries I have received for the Kaua’i game. Your suggestions get me more and more amped up for our upcoming trip.

For those who weren’t able to send their entries in time, do not fret! Due to some shuffling in my own schedule, our trip has been rescheduled to a (slightly) later date. This means the deadline has been extended – to March 1st to be exact. So, you have exactly half a month to come up with your unique ideas and locations for what *you* want me to capture in the lovely Garden Isle!

Limahuli Garden

When I feel too phsically and mentally exhausted from the usual demands of parenting and family life, I transport myself to that sweet sunny afternoon at Utah’s Zion NP. Suddenly all my concerns seem so trivial and distant.

Perched on top of a rock I chose to rest my throbbing feet, it was serene all around me. So quiet I swear I could hear my own heart beat.

Angel’s Landing, 2 1/2 miles to the summit, elevation gain of almost 1500 feet most of which you pick up at the last 1/2 mile to the peak. Fairly easy, right? The bigger challenge for me was to do it when I was 7 months pregnant. My son Thor did cartwheels in my belly when we reached the top. I think he approved of the view.

With this second pregnancy, I plan to do something similar. Crossing my fingers E’s hectic work schedule permits us to take a trip in spring  

My landscape blog needs some loving! I’ve been super swamped! Aside from the mad rush of prepping and doing last minute shopping before we head out for a 2-week holiday hiatus, it’s also been crazy cold here – putting a damper on my attempts to capture some local highlights. Maybe not as cold as other frigid states, but definitely freezing per Cali standards (c’mon! It’s the Bay Area!) – enough for us to get at least an inch of snow one night this week. Here are a few pictures from a quick trek along Skyline Road one one incredibly cold morn!

For a minute there I thought I was driving through Truckee!

Along the West Ridge trail of Redwood RP

In just a few days, I will be celebrating 6 incredible years with an equally incredible man. As I count down to the special date, I look back at the numerous sojourns he and I shared through the years. We share the same passion for the outdoors and it became apparent right from the start that we will draw such a strong bond because of this. I have been so fortunate to see, feel and fully experience the true meaning of ‘living life’ through my husband as we journeyed all over this beautiful country I now call my home: from spending Thanksgiving camped out in snow just 2 weeks after we met, blazing through the southwest beauties of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, soaking in the pristine waters of Oahu, Big Island and Kaua’i, trekking the rugged coastlines of Northern California, Oregon and Washington, feeling the revitalizing humid weather of Florida, Carolinas and Virginia, discovering the abundant lakes of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan and exploring the tundras, plains, valleys and peaks under the vast skies of Idaho, Montana, Colorado and Wyoming.

Looking back, I couldn’t believe how far we’ve gone, how high we’ve reached and how meaningful of a life we’ve experienced in such a short time. We look forward to many more adventures as our family ***grows*** . Six lovely years, one of the several milestones we’re celebrating in this blessed month of November.

I’m leaving you all with this shot from Tetons, Wyoming – the trip that opened our eyes to the fact that one plus one is definitely much more than two Happy Monday!

While waiting for sunset at Laaloa Beach, I caught glimpse of paddle surfers in the horizon. Having done this twice, I HIGHLY recommend trying this fun activity. Only after I’ve started processing the pictures below in my computer did I notice there were also canoes further out in the water. Look closer, can you see them?! Oh, canoe paddling is something you DEFINITELY should try out too! Happy Wednesday!

Tiny hands tucked safely in his
He stepped forward proudly, in complete trust
As they walked together in profound accord

I looked into their lovely eyes
Fiery hazels and cool greens gaze warmly at each other
The little one fascinated by his big man as much as I am

Falling in love all over again
sweetness multiplied ten-fold
Exponentially growing, each day
This moment, just like the last,
felt nothing short of utter bliss…

I drove to Alameda last night to do some location scouting. I had my 22 month old son with me who was such a trooper and patiently played with and threw rocks along the shore as I looked around. It was early evening when we started heading back home and so I took a couple of test shots on the shoreline. Albeit very small and least dramatic surf kissed the shore, the lighting I got was kind of good. These are SOOC other than crop, resize and border/logo. Happy Tuesday everbody!