{p,h,f,r} - Road trip

We snuck out of town last week to clear out our lungs with some fresh ocean air.  Worked out wonderfully having the SF Zoo right along the coastline.  

{pretty}   Lots of colorful things to make the eyes go "oooh" and "aaaah"....

The carousel ... it wasn't running by the time we got to it.  Bummer.

Beautiful flowers throughout the park.  Didn't catch this one's formal name; we call it "Pretty in Pink".

Sitting pretty -- right in the midst of us -- our lovely niece.  It was great having her along with us --
she giggled and laughed and got goofy -- fit right in with her cousins!

{happy} 

Little Man was right at home ... clinging to trees ...

... and scaling walls.  He belongs in a zoo!

 {funny}

Doing the splits ... ouch!

A hippo with a flare for entertaining.  See his back side?  When it's lifted just above the surface of the water and the tail starts spinning like a propeller, you realize why they don't need toilet paper.  It was gross.  Funny gross.  

{real}

The President's motorcade.  For real!  On the way home, we got stopped at an intersection by that police officer, holding back traffic, so the President's motorcade could pass.  Dozens of motorcycles escorted a caravan of S-U-V's and federal vehicles.  We didn't know which one he was in -- they all had tinted windows.  If we had known in advance Mr. Obama was going to be driving by, we might have sprinkled the pavement with holy water. ;)

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ with the lovely ladies at Like Mother, Like Daughter

Springtime ...

The transition from winter to spring can never come soon enough. 

 Here at our home, the dreary weather of our "cold" months, certainly not bone chilling enough like the rest of the country, is cold enough to chill our spirits. Before February even hits, we're anxious, painfully anxious, for those longer stretches of warmth that only spring brings ... 

and the color.

Glorious ...

...color.

 Unfortunately, the hues scattered about our home are few (two, really, from the grape hyacinths & daffodils).  We have had the desire to create a garden that invites  
reflection, inspiration, the Divine .. 
sigh .. 
but neither the time nor the energy.

So what blossoms around here, does so early, and not long.  Two weeks at the most. Then the only color remaining is the green of the lawn.  Oh yea, and the kaleidoscope that stretches across the clothes line, which truth be told, at least obstructs the worn weathered brown (or is it grey?) of our suburban sentry wooden fence.

Have to enjoy these blossoming blessings while we can.

Spring is Christ,
raising martyred plants from their shrouds.  

-- Rumi

Back on track ... hopefully!

It's been months since we've posted.  What can we say?  
Life's demands take over and .. well, posting doesn't happen!  
We're hoping to get back on track and stay on track.  Hoping.

So what's a blog without photos?  Wordy.  
For your enjoyment, hot off Dad's digital camera -- 
Easter Portraits 2013.

The Aranas Clan

Big Brother -- at 20yo -- still hates taking pictures for us.  Still hoping to be a nurse and is extremely bothered that Statistics is a required college course.  If You Tube was a wave he'd be surfing it during all his free time.  Oh wait, he IS surfing it during all his free time!  Suffers from chronic losing things syndrome. 

Edna -- soon to be 18, can't decide which college to attend, and can practically sing the entire Les Mis soundtrack on her own. 

Meemz -- will celebrate her sweet 16 this summer -- and desperately wants a job so she can buy new clothes, shoes & Skittles. Her favorite pet is her hair. 

Twitter is 11 and can't be still or quiet, except when sleeping. He sings in the church choir now and was enthused about playing the role of Julius Caesar at his co-op, until reality set in that he'd have to memorize his lines and perform in front of real people. His favorite pet is his Kendama.   

Angel is 9 and a people watcher.  And thinker. She likes knowing how things work and loves telling you why things (including her 11 yo brother) don't work. She is really enjoying the Nancy Drew series.       

Little Man is now 7 and has shown great responsibility in taking care of his leopard gecko, Samson. He likes to play rough but still loves baby talk and sleeping in Mom's bed. 

At 5, and still the baby of the family, Coco loves food and life.  She brightens up the family without even trying.  She's trying to convince Mom to let her hair grow out but Mom isn't ready for that and neither is Coco.

And just for fun ... here's the Aranas Clan circa 2009.  Same pose as top photo.  My, how we've grown.  And grayed. But we've got our health, stable employment (fingers crossed), the same home over our head, and our wonderful Catholic Faith to enrich our lives.  God is good.