family

all photos taken by maria torres

halloween take one

It all began when I realized that going to the grocery store and spending five dollars on candy was a lot less work than going door to door for three hours, awkwardly standing at someones doorstep, hoping that this wasn't a lame house that gave out lame candy, and holding on to the small hope that maybe this was a cool house that would give out regular sized Snicker bars.

I will be the first to admit it: I am not a huge fan of Halloween. I totally appreciate other people's efforts, but am not really willing to make my own efforts. It just takes too much effort.

Enter Zachary. Once you have a kid Halloween is not an option. Not dressing your kid up seems negligent---like you are depriving them from their right to a childhood. (I'm thinking MJ here...)


So of course I had to dress my little man up.



Enter problem two. I am creative, but not in the sew a costume or make something that comes from Michael's kind-of way. I actually wondered for a long time just who it was that shopped at Michael's, like how in the world did they stay open??!! And then I realized that I had some good friends that did, and they make some really amazing things that fill their houses with cuteness and craft.
The younger me might have been jealous of all their homemade "you made that with pipe cleaners??!!!!" creations, but coming up on my thirtieth year has allowed me a measure of honesty about who I am and who I am not: i.e. Pinterest is not on my blog roll, and never will be.

All this brings me to Zachary's first Halloween costume. Maybe it is a little random, but it's an original, and even though he didn't exactly say it in words, he totally dug it.

Summer

One of the highlights of the summer was the Catalina trip we took in August. Six adults, a two year old, a nine month old, and Fred, the baby currently renting space in my sister's belly, all set sail on my Dad's 36 foot sailboat.





Catalina is my favorite place. We have been going there since I was a baby, and even as an adult, the island is still magical.




I think Z really enjoyed himself. He was constantly surrounded by people, which he is super into, and the boat's constant rock convinced him to take some killer naps.








....and he got to take a bath in a sink just his size.



As fall arrives, and winter is imminent, I am already nostalgic for summer and her long days.