In the paper

Miah was in the Arizona Republic today. 

The kids and I drove to buy it because we were excited their daddy was in the newspaper.  Of course, he was out working so he heard about it over the phone from his proud pops, Jerry.

Jeremiah has worked so hard creating a name for himself.  It's funny because he has been in many magazines and we get equally excited about them, but it was special to let family and friends know they can pick up the local paper and see him in it.

Love Cycles truly is a representation of the hard work and perseverance he has put forth.  I remember when he first started working on motorcycles in our back porch.  With a dream of creating and visions he had of bikes he would love to own.  He started putting together bikes and selling them.   Many people liked his work and soon a few of them asked him to build them a bike.

I remember the day he decided on the name for his shop: love cycles.   I was not surprised.  You often hear of motorcycle shops with tough or rough or too cool names that are meant to represent the ruggedness that is associated with motorcycles, but not his shop.  It would be all about love.  A love for old motorcycles, for riding them, working on them and being inspired to re-create what once was, with his own spin to each one.

He has come a long way from that back porch.  He has a business that he should be so proud of because it was created with his own two hands. It has brought with it the rigor associated with owning a business, but it has also brought many wonderful experiences that could not have happened otherwise.

The kids and I are proud of all of his hard work.   We have nothing but gratitude, but most of all love for our Miah. 

This moment

No words,  nothing but a single photo to express a moment in time.

Just us girls

I am so lucky to have some free time with my beautiful girl.  Usually we spend our days in the car, at the shop, running errands, or dropping her off at grandma and grandpa's house.   

The past two weeks, I haven't had to work so much at the shop.  Paloma and I have been playing and getting to spend some special time at home.  Or we peruse target or the local thrift store. But mostly we prefer being at home. 

Most of the play that takes place is the two of us pretending we are princesses.   

Usually it goes like this

 (in Palomas words):

"I'm the queen and you are my sister."  

We tell each other how brave and beautiful we are. We help each other. 

Or

"I'm the queen and you are Hans, the prince." And we dance, or we beat up witches or rescue puppies.

Or

"I'm a ballerina and you are my dad, the king."  She dances and I get the bad guys.

Or

"I am a princess and I have a lot of puppies and you are going to buy them."  

When I look at her in her dress, her crown and her jewelry,  I just can't not play.  I mean,  look at the photo above.  My heart is ready to burst at that sight.

So, when jeremiah calls me and asks me what I have been doing while he is slaving away at work, well I have to tell him the truth. I did some housework and also Paloma wanted to pretend.  Most of the time I am doing this or that around the house while she fills our mornings with long, drawn out scenarios.   She even tells me what to say.

She often asks when I will send her to ballerina school.   Which I need to remember to look up.  She loves dressing up in sparkly skirts that we found at the goodwill.   

She is so head strong and at times difficult. We get past the fits and tantrums.  She is definitely a bright, curious,  intelligent girl.

She sings to me. She dances so sweetly.  She has such a wild imagination.  She tells me I am beautiful all the time.  Some days I haven't even showered and she compliments me.

There are days I ask her if there is anywhere she would like to go.  She just says, "I want to go home. "

We are always going here-and-there that it's nice when we have days where it is just my lom's and I, with the house to ourselves.  Not a boy in sight.  

We enjoy our time together, just us girls.