I was cleaning the kitchen while this album was playing out of our iPod dock. Drew wandered in to grab a banana or maybe a slice of toast and said,”What is that sound? Is it a song?”

“Yah, it’s this guy called Bibio – you like it?”

“It sounds like I’m underwater in the ocean. Like, if I was in a movie, and I was underwater, swimming around, this song would be playing.”

And then he did a wide eyed fish face and swam through the air in front of the refrigerator.

This small interaction just made me stop. And appreciate him. And appreciate how open he is, how he just says what he thinks.

xo
Tara

1. Nathan can’t take the cold water, so he sits on partially used boogie board.
2. Rachel, girlfriend of brother Shane, adorable
3. Megan, girlfriend of sister Karissa, adorable
4. BFF’s
5. Tony (stepdad) and Justin bbqing dogs
6. Drew and Karissa in search of snacks
7. snacks
8. Uncle Mike
9. Shane & Rach
10. treasures on a pretty tablecloth
11. Hope Less Romantic ink on Megan
12. Justin (cutie boyfriend of sister Alisha, taking her place while she does good work in Indonesia)
13. Mom smiles
14. Bolsa Chica State Beach
15. Dogs
16. Cute Karissa in shades
17. Cute Anna making a home for her sandcrabs
18. Me, smiling with the crinkly nose genetically gifted by Mom
19. Karissa and Megan with margaritas
20. BE STILL MY HEART, this boy.
21. One squinty boy in a pink towel
22. More dry, still squinty
23. Pyrotechnics with Nate and Justin
24. Anna dry and snuggly
25. Another squinty boy – marveled when I noticed this resemblance between them
26. Used snacks
27. Never let them touch the sand
28. Cute folded up jeans
29. Bonfire
30. S’more face
31. She also likes to lick the beaters – this makes sense
32. Missing Alisha
33. Missing Mckenna
34. Drew-sicle and Rachel-sicle are what they call each other
35. I could eat those cheeks.
36. Getting Shane to do impressions
37. Rach opening birthday presents
38. Who does this teenager belong to?
39. Snuggle bunnies
40. His backwards hat

All shot on iPhone.

Now listen to this:

I am so glad I live here.
xo
Tara

I can’t remember where I found this or how I discovered the band WALK THE MOON, but I am in love. Hook. Line. Sinker. Um, they used my daughter’s name! (The song is actually named after a teacher they had in college, but is not about her.) It’s been on pretty heavy rotation, requested by everyone. The video is so sweet and I want to go rock out in a field with face paint now. We already have someone with feather’s in her hair.

Lyrics: (favorite bits in bold)

screen falling off the door / door hanging off the hinges
my feet are still sore / my back is on the fringes
we tore up the walls / we slept on couches
we lifted this house / we lifted this house

fire-crackers in the east / my car parked south
your hands on my cheeks / your shoulder in my mouth
i was up against the wall on the west mezzanine
we rattle this town / we rattle this scene

O, Anna Sun!
O, Anna Sun!

what do you know? this house is falling apart
what can i say? this house is falling apart
we got no money, but we got heart
we’re gonna rattle this ghost town
this house is falling apart

screen falling off the door / door hanging off the hinges
my feet are still sore / my back is on the fringes
we were up against the wall on the west mezzanine
we rattle this town / we rattle this scene

O, Anna Sun!
O, Anna Sun!

what do you know? this house is falling apart
what can i say? this house is falling apart
we got no money, but we got heart
we’re gonna rattle this ghost town
this house is falling apart

live my life without
station wagon rides
fumbling around the back
not one seatbelt on
wait for summertime
coming up for air
now it’s all a wash
now it’s all a wash

live my life without
coming up for air
now it’s all a wash
i want everyone
racing down the hill
i am faster than you
wait for summertime
wait for summertime

O, Anna Sun!

Laura Reaux is a photographer I follow on twitter. She is a mom of 5 who recently took a chance at pursuing an old dream.

As a lover of music, a lover of lyrics I can relate to, a lover of squeaky pianos, good voice, and dreams…this was something I had to share.

xo
Tara

thanks, rach.