calculating a whole lotta.....

i'm still up. staring at these numbers. wishing they were GREEEEEN (like the refund i wished i was getting) instead of bright red. blah! argh!...

whatever. taxes SUCK. super SUPER suuuper bigtime.

today i walked. a good brisk [4.2 treadmill speed] walk. well... if it were up to me i'd be snailin' it, but i had to keep up with ms. d and her two babies. she walks just about as fast as she talks. fast. i love it. but today i was feeling reallllllly slow. and beads of sweat dripped down my face as i paced my breath with each step, while also pushing the ds playing 4 yr old, who was dragging his toes on the concrete then stroller wheel breaking my stride (why must they always wanna drag their feet?? no fail??). came home and was totally pooped. i don't get it. i ran a good 5 miles the other morning and felt ready to conquer the world, but today.... completely flopped on my bed, turned on dora and knocked out. it was pathetic.

it's when i feel pathetic to my own expectations that my kids kindly remind me of my purpose. i woke to my little man's arms around my neck whispering..."mom. i have a secret." too sweetened to get upset with the r.e.m interruption i responded, "what is it, baby??". "mommy. i love you so much." followed with kisses all over the face. cheeks. nose. forehead. lips. 2 x's over. Ahhhh!!.... like butter i melted. MEL- ted. my self loathing quickly dissipated and i grabbed his small frame and squeezed him til he giggled and squealed to escape my tightened hold. i love these babies of mine. so much so... it sounds grossly mushing and gooey and almost too much to handle. but it's the honest truth.

i grabbed the older kids from the bus and waited for j to get home from work. i decided then that we were gonna have a great day. all of us (momma's can do that ya know. lol!). we went out as a family for dinner, then played in the backyard with the kiddos.



j got in on the fun too...



i love seeing his "playdough" (a name so kindly gifted his dreads by a friend of Moe's) locks in action.

i thought to myself:

who the heck cares about anything else??

RUNNING vs. WALKING... does it really matter?? as long as you're moving. right??

TAXES. pft! i imagined simba, "hah hah hah! i laugh in the face of danger!" (replacing it with TAXES). lol. ok- it's late. i'm amused.

nothing else seems to matter.



happy weekend!!!!

back to black.

i have taken a loooong hiatus from this site... i even forgot my password and name. lol! life has definitely been crazy on this end. but, gladly, i see a light at the end of the tunnel.

yesterday i rattled off to a good friend my 'to-do' list for today. wake. scriptures. breakfast. school drop off. preschool drop off. run. home cleaning. dinner prep and cook. preschool pick up. home cleaning. office organizing. hubby home/ serve dinner. bus pick up. serve dinner (again). piano. scout drop off. scout pick up.... by the time this is done it is 8:45... that's if I wasn't stopped in the hallway to chit chat about this and that and who and where.

THIS had been my life since my last post. I am beat. red. but just like a good run on a hot sunny day... the reward is realizing you made it. the run is over. your time is better. and you feel stronger. (although some days do drag on... just like a good run.) but you feel better. like you can handle it all.

anywho, the light at the end of the tunnel is leaving me with mixed emotions.



my BABY (the little monkey, front and CENTER) will be going to school this august. i'm feeling a bit anxious. not for him... because he's been ready to be out, doing his own thing. the anxiety is for moi. WHAT in the heck am I gonna do at home while ALL the kids are away?? THIS has been my life for the last 11+ years. along side my photography... all i've surrounded my life with has been pregnancy, nursing and rearing these babies. it's been amazing. it's been HARD. it's been sooo much fun... but i'm not quite sure what's next.

in the next few months my plan is to chronicle my experience of approaching this next phase.

new baby?... new project?... new job?...

who knows.... all i know is i wanna take it all back. back to black.

I heard him come...

A little rendition by cousins beautiful little girls living in Hawaii, singing this for their Grandma (my Aunty) and Aunty Nau....

SOOOOO adorably cute and talented, just like their Mommy and Aunt, talented vocalist.



You have to hear it!!!- go ahead, push play!!!

Hey people!!!

What's UPPPPPP???

It's been FOREVER since I last posted on this blog, because... well, I've been in the process of creating my own for my photography- and I am FINALLLY up and running (still figuring a few quirks)...but YEAH-WHOOOOOOO!!!!!

Anywho- Come by and take a look! I'd love to see you there.

maelephotoblog.com

or click HERE!!!!

Remembered...

No one else in the industry had the influence to gather together such amazing musical greats into ONE room. Ever. I remember watching this on our huge console in the early eighties and having my mom record it on VHS so we could watch it over and over and sing. What an great memory that was. We felt so empowered. So moved to make a change... and were just little kids then.



For my great-grandmothers 80th birthday in '83 my brother busted the move onstage with "Billy Jean". It was brand spankin' new. And Will was so hip and hop at the young age of nine. He had the get-up, sequins gloves, penny loafers w/ gym socks, red leather jacket. Moon walk. It was awesome. I was screaming like a fan when I saw my bro perform. I can't imagine what it must've been like to see Michael on stage for real. But it doesn't really matter, I felt his music. I LOVED his music. Regardless of the controversy surrounding him in the latter part of his life, no one can contest the fact that he made a difference for good.

Don't care what anyone else says. His music inspiring. His life interesting. His passion, evident. He will be remembered here.

(gotta turn off Na Drua to hear this musical great!)

Just spreadin' the W. O. R. D!

W- we're gonna HEAR
O- Original, Outstanding (yeah... it's the new word! lo!)
R- REGGAE
D- 'Dis weeeeeekend! (yeah- this JULY 4th Weekend.. lol! I know this acronym is not rollin'!)

But it doesn't matter... because we're so excited to see Na Drua/ Sons of Manasseh and Maxi Priest in CONCERT. LIVE. at the HOUSE OF BLUES!!! .

SO ultra excited to have Jared hear them live!!!

If island reggae is your jam, come and join us!!!!

HAPPY 4th!!!!

Cherry Plum HUNGRY...

I guess my kids thought that my silly "I was SO hungry" story during my latest wedding shoot was pretty sad. So they excitedly came into my office today to share with me their latest find.

"MOM! Look what we got!", handing me a bag of deep purple cherry plums. "We got these just for you... so that next time you're taking pictures you won't be hungry!"

I had to laugh and thank and hug them each for their sweet gift. And, as they anxiously watched, I took a bite. Wasn't bad... a little sweet, a little sour. But they were satisfied that it would curb my rumbling belly during a shoot. Bless their hearts!

"Thanks you guys!" I hollered as they headed back outside to find more treasure.



I love summer days. I love my thoughtful kids and think they are pretty outstanding. And I think Cherry Plums will always have a sweet and satisfying memory in my mind... and belly!