the new digs.

we did it! we went on a little trip to chapel hill and bought ourselves a new little home. ok- so to be honest, we are still a bit overwhelmed. don't get me wrong, we do love it! it is a cute, shaker style home, big enough to raise our family and still have guests stay comfortably. it has a beautiful, enchanting backyard that overlooks a reservoir and woods so our kids can explore (and get a little kayaking experience!) that said, it is definitely a house for our kids. not exactly what reza and i dreamed of, but absolutely a perfect place to ride bikes, walk to dinner or ice cream, go to the pool or tennis lessons, you know, family things.

here is a peek--

let me know when you want to come and visit!

good ole north carolina

THANKS NANDE AND POPPI FOR HAVING US!!! WE LOVE YOU!

this is simply a post filled with random pictures from the past couple weeks in north carolina (thanks auntie m for so many cute pics.) we played in jumpy houses, visited with all the aunties and uncles and even old friends, enjoyed warm sunshine, had an easter egg hunt, celebrated my 32nd birthday (and uncle kevin's 34th!), lias kissed his first girlfriend, ada became a fairy-obsessed princess, and we had an overall amazing time.

plus, did i mention we bought a house in chapel hill? one that we will raise our children in? more on that to come!

this might be boring...

i am on vacation and conveniently forgot my camera battery.
oooops!
so, there are no cute pictures of my two offspring as usual.
but,
i have good news!
we are moving HOME!
yep!
we are going to pack our stuff up this june and move to CHAPEL THRILL, NC!
oh yes we are! we are going to raise our innocent young children surrounded by drunken college students, tattooed young (& old) liberals, and some of the best, smartest, coolest people in the country.
we can't wait.
we are heading there in one week to start house hunting!
hooray for us!

in other news.

you might think that we have very little going on when you look at our past week or so in pictures...

this is me. i took a picture of myself while i was waiting for ada to finish up poops. you know, during my "downtime". yes, i am standing in her bathroom, and yes her bathroom has absolutely gorgeous wallpaper i would adore if i were about 50 years older and stuck in time. anyways, back to the point. i studied this picture to find all the imperfections 32 years of life have given me so that i could begin searching for instant cure-alls (especially for the infinite number of wrinkle around my eyes and mouth.) vain, i know. but someone has to take care of it. can anyone recommend a good anti-aging cream? please?

another shot of us eating homemade ice cream sandwiches last weekend.

ada making rainbows. don't be fooled, she did not make it with a flashlight. the batteries were dead. we just put a glass of water on the windowsill so the sun could do the work for us.

she really has mastered the forced smile, huh?

playing with homemade slime in the bathtub. cornstarch and water really can make your day all better.

ok-- so it really does seem like we aren't up to much. but pictures can be deceiving. in the background of all of these pictures reza and i are trying to choose the best place to work and raise a family (read- which job offer to choose!) so exciting and ultimately so nerve-racking that i can't even sleep at night... oh wait, i didn't sleep last night because our wonderful daughter joined us in bed where she still couldn't fall asleep so instead she pined over a very beautiful tinkerbell doll she saw yesterday. back to the point. do you go where the urban space, where your children are sure to be cultured and museumed beyond expectation. do you go to the small green space, where the tikes can play in the woods and explore. or do you potentially go the the place you see as "home" but has neither woods nor museums, but comfort and good public schools.

sigh.

being a mother is wonderful and stressful and ultimately means that you think nothing of what you want but what you want for your family. if i could only figure out what that is.

what do these pictures have in common?

you guessed it! mr. lias likes to eat. could i say that again? he eats more than ada and i combined. we giggle as we watch him raid the pantry looking for his next edible victim.

i always wondered how i would attempt to raise vegetarian children. luckily with ada is has been so super easy. she wants to be just like me (at least for now!) i have kindly offered for her to try chicken nuggets or a hamburger when she is given one by a friend or at a birthday party, but she pleasantly declines, stating that she is a herbivore. she has no interest in ever eating an animal. but elias, oh elias. i give him one more year. at most. this kid is going to keep the local steakhouse in business i am afraid.

drinking some of dagger's water. yep, just like dagger, head first, tongue out.

homemade ice cream sandwiches.

it takes more than a lot to keep this figure.

popsicles, a local favorite.