Come aboard. We're expecting you.

To all family and friends:

Please come visit us here in sunny Southern California. You'll notice from the following pics and their subtitles that we have some good times here. The guest portion wing of our two bedroom apt is always open for you. Come explore the mysteries and surprises of LA and South Pasadena, California.


sooooooo..........
Set a course for adventure. Your mind on a new romance.

We offer rides with the SeaDream Kyaking Club

Get free skateboard training from a world class coach at a state of the art skate park.

Optional helicopter ride package available with LAPD.

or design your own dream tinker-toy get away!

Critics hail the cuisine as unique and irresistable!

Off-shore destinations include the Happiest Place on Earth!

Delighting audiences with a variety of dance, music, and stunning costumes

Love won't hurt anymore. It's an open smile on a friendly shore.

posted by Sarah

lyrics courtesy of The Love Boat

Salvador Aftie

Enjoying the toys in drefts of paper towel snow

Afton is an artist and her medium is the world.

THAT is how I think of it lately when I must go back to scour, scrub and launder up her latest creation. Eating, sleeping, and socializing all take a second place to her artistic genius when it strikes. It doesn’t matter that 5 of her cute and energetic friends are here for preschool; that they are playing and eating and singing ABCs.
Where is Afton? She has locked herself in the bathroom to create an advent guard piece with bubblemint toothpaste and hand soap. Then, to add to the reflective element of the piece, Afton turns on the sink and initiates a reflection pond on the floor. When she hears me pleading, ordering, threatening and eventually pleading again for her to unlock the door, she "attempts" to unlock the door, happily tells me that her fingers are too slippery, then resumes her work, while the speed at which she fills up the cup and dumps it onto the floor increases.
You see, I am the enemy of her art. She knows that it will be destroyed upon my dismantle of the doornob and arrival in the bathroom. She knows that all evidences of her masterpiece's existence will be eliminated (except for my own photographic file to be used solely for my own self-pity-provoking purposes).
I have learned that when Afton is happy with her work, it doesn’t matter what punishment is impugned upon her. My disapproval does not waver her resolve to create the best smeared Postimpressionist Vaseline image of the Sistine Chapel known to man on our bathroom mirror.
So, I am resigned to feel that I am only helping the young artist prepare for the world of resistance she will face when she attempts to take her unique multi-medium artistic approach to the critical public. I challenge someone, ANYONE, to stop her then.
A carefully handcrafted hairpiece: from pure recycled chewed drinking straw

And why can’t 4 rolls worth of paper towels transform her room into a dreamy, yet dry winter wonderland? Why should Afton eat the popcorn with the other kids rather than hurl it in the air and twirl under it like she is dancing in fall leaves? She spices up our lifeless white apartment walls with colorful crayon murals, and our neutral carpet with a faux food-color rug; doubles Desitin as shampoo; and builds train track on the floor with the full bag of carrots just bought from Pavillions. Yogurt, ranch, ketchup, balsamic vinegar and even syrup are transformed from simple condiment dribbles on a plate to complete finger-painted self portraits on the table. Can there be a better use of six 1/2 pound cubes of butter than to paint a veneer on the kitchen floor and go skating with cousin Luke? And, surely, a bag of brownie mix is just as well enjoyed dumped on the carpet and formed into tasty mountain peaks, while huddled in the hidden cave behind a door with sister and emerging apprentice, Lindsey.

No . . . I am certainly not, though not without trying, the one who could stop my Afton's emerging art.

posted by Sarah

A Tribute to my MaMa

Dallin was admiring my magnetized pen the other day. It is a favorite possession of mine and one that I have guarded carefully by placing it at the top of the fridge, and by quickly pulling out a pencil from the pencil cup to offer as substitute when ever the kids ask to use it.

"Who gave that to you?" Dallin asked.
"Grandma Ercanbrack" I replied.
"Your mom," he said.
"Yep."
"You're lucky. You have a better mom than I do." This statement of his caused me to turn from what I was doing.
"Thanks a lot, Deej," I said, knowing he wouldn't understand I was joking.
"Why?"
"Because I'M your mom," I said confidently, sure he would quickly amend his earlier statement.
"Yeah." he said wondering why he needed to repeat his statement to his mother who was staring so intently, "You're lucky, you have a better mom than I do."

Ouch! That one hurt! Of course I knew I wouldn't be my sons second favorite person forever (His dad had quickly taken first place once I quit breast feeding him), but so soon? I thought I would at least last through kindergarten. Or maybe until kindergarten started? I guess that's just a few months away anyway, so may as well start sawing at those apron strings now. Right?

As soon as I recovered from the blow, I had to agree with him. I do have an awesome mom. He nodded in agreement at my assent, as I remembered her patiently teaching him to help wash the dishes and letting him play in the bubbles.

That night as I told Jared of Dallin's blow to my ego and he quickly assured me it was just because he loved the pen, I wondered who else Dallin would trade me in for. I'm sure Jared's mom would be another candidate, as Dallin has two great grandmas. But I can still have hope, as long as I don't count any of Dallin's aunts, uncles or grandpas, that I am Dallin's 4th favorite adult in the whole world.

I guess I'll just wait until his mission for my comeback.

posted by Sarah

Welcome to The Details of Our Lives

Readers beware. I in no way guarantee any type of satisfaction from the reading/participating of this blog. But I sure hope you will read and leave comments. The conception of this blog is primarily to aid and assist my failed journaling goals. However, since it is public, feel free to stay and wonder at the ramblings of a crazy mother's mind, and the profound (over-my-head) thoughts of a budding entrepreneur--my husband--who will someday take over the world. If all else fails, I hope to entertain you with some quips from our children's latest developments--if no one else reads, we all know that grandma and grandpa will.

by Sarah