Today

Is for mothers. Happy Mother's Day to my dear mother, who raised me with high expectations and strong values. Who sought the very best education for me, and persevered to help all of her children achieve their potential. I admire my mother for her strength of character and her knowledge of right. My mother is the queen of art and culture, she taught me to revere beautiful things and to seek after them. She is a cultivator and nurturer. My mother is unwavering, kind, loving, talented, silly, funny and wonderful. There is no one like her in the world. I'm so glad she's mine. Happy Mother's Day Mom, you are simply fabulous. I love you!

May Musings

It's May and we've been a busy crowd here. I have been so busy lately my head is swimming. We have 24 something days left of school left. What????! I don't understand that. Ellie has her last dance competition for the season this weekend in Chesapeake Beach. Sophia's last month of preschool is counting down. The girls have their dance recital the second weekend of June. Chris is in the thick of surgery rotations. I think we have both discovered the inevitable, he is going to be a surgeon. He really is. I think this is very wonderful and exciting and terrifying! My expectations for medical school have been fulfilled in a way, its been a whirlwind of intensity for us, I knew it would be hard, but I didn't know how fast it would fly by, I didn't realize just how quickly we would need to start thinking about the next step. Can I just say I am so PROUD of my husband. I know we aren't supposed to say that we are proud, but I am. I don't know if you know our story and why we are doing this so late in life, but if you knew our story you would be proud of him too. We have a little while before we know for sure what we will be doing in the medical world, but I am pretty positive this is the path we will be taking. 

I have an exciting announcement. I created my photography webpage this week. It's pretty. It's simple. I am really excited about it. Its a little pebble that I have thrown into the huge ocean of photographers in the world, but I am pleased with it and pleased with where I am headed. I must say that learning the 'business' side of this is enough to discourage anyone...especially someone like me who just wants to take pretty pictures for people. I've got to be smart and practical as well. If you have a minute check it out.  

http://maggiecochranphotography.com/

Here a couple of pictures we took at Brookside Gardens when my parents were here. I love that place. I think every time I discover something else that is a treasure.

My Dad had a birthday yesterday. I love my dad. He is the greatest. Happy Birthday Dad! We sent him a little treat to his work. I know he loves his birthday.

March Birthday Girls

Do you know March is almost halfway over? I know because my little Sophia turned five yesterday. FIVE! What is going on??! She is totally five, and so amazing. I can't believe how grown up and funny she is, and so sweet and sensitive and so intuitive and aware. We have lots of fun together. I must tell you about the surprise birthday party that my oh so amazing friend and I threw for our girls. Thursday afternoon my oh so amazing friend calls me up on the phone and asks me, 'what are your plans for Sophia's birthday?' I basically told her we had nothing planned, no party, just cake and ice cream with family on Monday. We began talking and finally concocted the most brilliant plan, a joint birthday party to be held in 36 hours. And so it began, crazy planning for a 4 year old and 5 year old to be's birthday. It was so fun. We came up with a fun and sweet rainbow theme. The girl's loved it, and also, it was a surprise for the girls. Sophia was so surprised. Do you see her coming up the hill with her polka dot coat?

So surprised!

                   Hunting for magical rainbow gems.

                                 Cupcake time! Do you see our little friend next to Sophia? She was the other birthday girl. We love her. =)

We make these crazy cute rainbow cupcakes, painted rainbow manicures for the girls, had a gem treasure hunt, awesome goody bags, and other good things. I was pleased with our efforts for putting it together in 36 hours. She came home after the party and hopped on her scooter and brought the balloons along on top of her handle bars. Crazy funny.

Monday  her birthday day, we had a busy day. I was the co op parent at preschool, and we had a fun time learning about dinosaur fossils. We took a special treat to her school, ice cream sandwiches- which Sophia loved sharing with everyone, all the parents, anyone we saw after school... I think we fed 30 people ice cream sandwiches. I love her giving heart. Monday night she requested lasagna for dinner, and I made this crazy blue swirly cake a spin on an idea found on Pinterest. It reminded Chris and I of Van Gogh's Starry Night, and so it was named. It was pretty, the swirls almost looked like glass. I hated to cut it! =)

Great weekend of birthday celebrations. Here are some of birthday pictures I took of Sophia. As usual she wouldn't let me take very many, she was in a big hurry to play outside. What a silly girl. "Love that pirate smile."

Next up, my half marathon on the 17th, and Chris starts his surgery rotation at the end of the month. Ellie has another dance competition coming up and my parents are coming out for a visit. We have some excellent plans in the works. We are going to visit DC and Baltimore and something I have been dying for: we are going take a beach trip to the Outer Banks in NC for Spring Break. I can't wait. Lots of great stuff coming around the corner...

Love Day

Valentine's Day. Such a wonderful day! Even when I was single I loved Valentine's Day. Tuesday was awesome. I woke up, dropped Sophia off with our friend to go to dance, had a fantastic work out (I hadn't been to the gym in a few days due to ANOTHER bout of strep throat), went to the grocery store, the dollar store, and Wal-Mart. Sophia and I made a fun lunch together after dance class. I prepped one of our favorite meals: lasagna for dinner. When Ellie came home from school we made a fun candy card for Daddy, made his favorite cherry chocolate cake (his mom's recipe) and looked forward to his arrival home. Ellie also had dance that night and she loved making a card for her dance teacher. Both the girls had parties at school, and brought home a bounty of cards and sweets. The girls got treats and balloons and all kinds of goodness from Chris and I. 

Fun day. I have a new present that Chris gave me, it's pretty awesome. It's gonna make editing photos so much faster and better. Now if I can just convince him to get me a new camera... ;). 

We had a great day. Hope you did too!

10 years

today. I have been married 10 years today to the most wonderful man. I remember my wedding day so clearly, it was a dream come true.

Chris and myself, Fresno California LDS temple, August 4, 2001

Today I feel the same way. I am a lucky girl. Chris you are still my sweetheart.

We celebrated our anniversary early this year. We went to Wicked at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., back in June. It was fantastic! The story was so compelling, and the music completely took my breath away.

Chris got home today (hurrah!) from his first rotation in family practice. It was a great experience. We are very much looking forward to the rest of the year and figuring out what he ultimately will choose for a specialty.

Talking tonight together we both agree that ten years seems like a long time, but really it's gone by so quickly. It's been such an amazing journey from where we started to where we are today. I find myself humbled by how much I have learned over these years. Life is good, our life is so sweet. I so love my family. I am grateful for our life together.

Savor every minute. I wonder what the next ten years will bring? =)

Chris and I, Kennedy Center, Washington D.C June 2011

Happy 1st Birthday Little Gradon!

It was one year ago I was laying in a hospital bed staring at the most beautiful baby boy sleeping soundly next to me. What an amazing blessing this boy has been in my life.

July 2010

A few things I love about you right now at age one: you love music, you love to sing and dance and clap your chubby baby hands when you hear a song you like. In the morning when I pick you up out of your crib you like to give me a big hug and pat me on the back for a few moments, it's one of the highlights of my day. You are becoming quite the little clown, I guess that is what happens when you have two big sisters and everything you do is funny to them! You are a crazy fast crawler. You have been taking baby steps recently. I am not ready, please slow down. This year has gone by too fast, as my friend Jeri said the other day, 'its like we missed three months!' true. I don't know where the time has gone.

Today was a great day. We didn't have our dad here with us to celebrate, (we are waiting for him to come home) but we did do a few fun things. Today we made cupcakes and took some friends to the pool with us. I also made some fresh salsa. The girls swam like little fish. I am amazed at how well Ellie is swimming this summer. It was a great day. I'ts been a full day. Now I am tired. I have a fun photo shoot planned for Gradon tomorrow. Happy Birthday Gradon, we love you so much!