We Spring-breaked in Los Angeles this year for a number of reasons and even though we missed Utah and cousins and our traditional Easter adventures it was fun to be grounded and explore this city we love so much. At this point in our LA life we have pretty much conquered our Bucket List and now our adventures are repeats from past fun. Isn't it crazy that we've lived somewhere long enough to be locals?! That being said, we decided on Descanso for our first Spring Break adventure and I couldn't help but comment like a broken record about how different it looked in the spring (I've only ever visited in the fall and summer). The gardens were lush and green and the flowers were breath-taking and bounteous. I'm so grateful to experience new and wonderful views in our same, sweet city.
This crew ran around Descanso like they owned it, and don't tell them they don't! The weather was cooler than we realized it would be--we even got rain--but they were such great sports and somehow didn't complain at all about being cold. How is that possible when it was almost all I could talk about?!
It's still hard for me to believe I have a ten-year-old, and I'll probably feel like that with him at every age. He is my oldest and there is something that will always be special and stretching in our relationship--because we are learning through life and parenting and maturing together, me and him. I'm grateful for our mutual patience and endless adoration, and also for those moments where it's crystal clear that we understand each other's best intentions. I really love him and am so grateful he's forever mine...especially when he sits on a ledge and asks me to take his picture. Say what?!
This picture reminds me so much of my Noni. Even before we left for the gardens I put this hand-me-down sweater on Quinny for the first time and thought, "Noni would wear a pull-over like this!" Isn't it funny how a simple sweater pulled out of a bag could elicit such memories, such emotion. And not just the sweater--the flowers! I don't think it's a bad thing for people to see Mother Earth's beauty and think of someone, what a compliment, and she is exactly where my mind turns when I see new, colorful growth. When I saw this flower bed of blossoms I knew Noni could name because I've seen them in her yard I desperately wanted a picture of Quinny right in front. Actually, I desperately wanted Noni to be here, to be walking through these gardens with me and admiring their beauty, to see my home and my life in LA and to shower us with her goodness, but a picture that reminded me of her was the only suitable second. Quinn Isabel is named after Noni's mom and I love to look at this little girl and remember that so many of the qualities of the women I love is found in her. Ours is a rich history of strong women who saw and see blossoms while standing in weeds and I'm grateful to be apart of their legacy.
That full-face dimpled smile gets me every, single time. She IS joy.
Monkey see, monkey do.
And when we got home, tired from a long day we had hot cocoa and nachos...because why not?! Olive you, Coco, and your cute siblings too!
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