I'm dreaming...

of California.

Of blue water, warm sand, and giant palm trees.

Of the time when I went to California when I was eight and we went to this place called La Hoya near San Diego and it was at sunset, and there were this amazing huge cliffs near the road looking over the ocean. There's a picture of me and Paige crouching on them--we were so little. Whenever I think of La Hoya, I think pink sunsets. It was magical, and I wish I could have appreciated it more.

I'm dreaming of running across a beach at sunset with the sun sinking beneath the waves and shedding light across the water. You know when the water washes up on the shore and makes the sand all slick? I love that.

I look out the window and I see a gray sky, a sprinkling of ice on the ground, a wet street, and the temperature is probably somewhere in the 30's.

Sigh.

Maybe the two above scenarios sound totally cliche, but that's the only way I know how to describe how much I miss the ocean and summer. Warmth. Sunshine. Water. Flipflops (or barefeet--even better!), tank tops, lying at the edge of the water and going all stiff and giggling when the cold water rushes up around me.



At least, if it has to be winter, it could grace us with some snow--preferably around six inches, which is what we got the day after Christmas. But it's just ice.

Ocean Love

Last Saturday, this is where I went.

The day was perfect.

I spent a good deal of time getting pummeled by these.

The ocean amazes me. Strike that; it stuns me, plays with me, roars around me, and contents me. The surf comes in and wraps around my feet and I'm just standing there, letting it brush against me, feeling what to me feels like home.

Of course, at the beach, there's thousands of picture possibilities. Striped umbrellas are the bomb.

Because...this place does feel like home. It is home. I lived at the ocean for seven months. The ocean is in my family's blood. And I connect to it.

Oh, and I couldn't forget getting constantly bothered by these little buggers.

This was before I was burnt to a crisp.

It's big, beautiful, gorgeous, and the best part, made by God. Could this have evolved through centuries all by its onesies? How could such beauty just happen?

Ahh. The classic foot picture. I was determined to get a good one. Specially with the lovely nail polish from one of my best friends, Katelyn.

I thought this was cute. I think the couple the chairs belonged to were at the water's edge, and probably wondered why some stranger was taking a picture of their beach chairs. :)

Oh yeah! I forgot I did a different watermark on this one. I like it very much. What do you think?
The waves were sorta rough that day, breaking before they even came to us. Now, my personal favorite--other than boogie boarding and body surfing--is when a big wave that's just broken is coming, and I run towards it, dive under the water, and stick my face right up in it. It's like getting punched! It muddles my brains (which explains a lot of things, actually) and tosses me and and somersaults me through the water but I love it. Most of the time. Except when there's no air and I think I'm gonna die.

I love this little guy! I was following the birds around, chasing after them, trying to snap a good picture. Which probably granted me even more odd looks.

Good bye for now, my sweet ocean, my inspiration, my summer.
(did I just say good bye to summer? What? It's 90-something degrees here! Apparently summer never got the message that it is now FALL!)

Anyways.

Can you tell I love the ocean?

Nahhh.

You've got a friend in me

I promised pictures, and I'm making good on that promise!

Here's a playlist I created with four songs that fit our time together perfectly.

None of these pictures were taken by me. All photos were taken by Ellie, Olivia, my dad, and Paige.
Visit Paige's photography/design website here.

Meet our fabulous cast, from oldest to youngest--

Paige

Ellie

Me

Olivia

Let the fun begin...

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

Copyright to PixelPaige

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."
--A.A. Milne

Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known. --A.A. Milne

You can't sit in your corner of the forest and wait for people to come to you...

you have to go them sometimes.
--A.A. Milne

If you live to be a hundred...

I hope to live to be one hundred minus one day...

so I never have to live a day without you.
--A.A. Milne

If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few more tiddely poems.
--A.A. Milne

It's so much more friendly with two.
--A.A. Milne

saying nothing...

sometimes say the most.
--Emily Dickinson

Where thou art, that is home.
--Emily Dickinson

To live is so startling...

It leaves little time for anything else.
--Emily Dickinson

Greater love has no man than this...

That he lay down his life for his friends.
--John 15:13

A man of many companions may come to ruin...

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
--Proverbs 18:24

When the road looks rough ahead

And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed

you just remember what your old pal said

you've got a friend in me.

I miss you, my sweet friends....
I'm so blessed to have met you.
And even more blessed to have friends that I miss so much.
I WILL save up for that plane ticket to come see you!
Love,
Caroline

Summer

All unedited, except for my watermark.
























Pics of my cousins from the family reunion:). I especially like the ones of Kimmie diving. Which is your favorite?