i like long drives all over the beautiful west coast because it helps clear my head. and also the views aren’t too bad. and if josh is with me, those long talks in the car are good for my soul. i like those long drives especially when both of my kids are asleep in their carseats in the back because my kids and carseats are a lot of work. and also, because samson has perfected the “are we here?” literally 10 seconds after we started a 3 hour drive the other day. ha! he perked up and in the cutest sweetest little voice said, “are we here?” as we pulled out of the drive way. we cracked up. his comedic timing is golden. always. i am being serious people, you wanna laugh more, go find yourself a couple of toddlers to hang out with. kids these days, they keep you young at heart while aging you twice as fast everywhere else. it’s a catch twenty two, but a good one.
getting to spend such a large chunk of time with both of our families here in utah has been something i have needed. even at 28 years old, i’m still being reminded how friends come and go, and while still so very important, friendships aren’t everything. family remains my constant. the family i come from, though loud and absolutely crazy, is right where i fit in and feel most like myself, most at home. it’s like you’ve seen everyone go through everything, and they’ve seen you go through it all too. and they are still there, with their big smiles across their faces and their arms extended ready to embrace, because that’s family. it’s been a nice reminder for me. i sure love mine.
and i love that big concrete city of new york more than i’d like to admit, and wow have i missed it this trip. i love being out west for countless reasons, but it’s going to feel good getting back to the city. (always a relief to feel that way, because sometimes i’m on the fence about living in new york. i guess we all go through stages where the grass looks mighty greener on the other side of the country!) it was funny, but we were staying up in the mountains at my parents home and the single sound of absolute quiet besides crickets chirping in unison at night almost drove me mad. despite being past the point of tired, it was so hard to fall asleep. i just needed to hear a siren in there somewhere, or maybe the start of a bar fight out my window. ;) is it weird that i feel the most safe in a big urban place as well? i don’t know, but driving down an old dark country road by myself gives me the spooks. i guess i will try to complain less about jam packed and crowded subway cars when we get back to the city.
a lot of the leaves here in the mountains of utah are already turning colors. we spotted bright reds and tiny hints of yellow yesterday on a long drive back from a weekend spent in wyoming! summer was good to us, and i’m sorry to see it go, but with baby on the way and one of my favorite holidays approaching (eh hem, jingle bells, jingle bells), i’m excited to welcome autumn. josh and i bought a few big vintage wool blankets over the weekend (who knows how we’ll get those back to the city) but they were too good a deal and too beautiful to pass up. and they gave me those jitters about being on this cusp of a new season. this means we’re just a few short months away from meeting baby and becoming a family of 5 (!) and i don’t wanna get too far ahead of myself, but you know, the holidays!!!!!
hope everyone had a great labor day weekend! happy happy beginning of autumn. ;)
I love driving around the West Coast as well. It’s such a beautiful landscape and it inspires wonderful, thoughtful conversations. I’d imagine it would be very different with kiddos in the back seat!
Cat
http://oddlylovely.com
i agree. family is everything. so good to hear you are enjoying yours. enjoy your time away! i am also hearing those jingle bells. they will most likely sound like the cries of a newborn baby when the time comes. :) almost there!
http://www.samnenasam.com
I can completely understand your excitement for the holidays, colder seasons, big blankets, getting back to the city, and of course meeting your newest addition to the family!
The best of luck to you and your beautiful family, Naomi! <3
I feel exactly the same way about urban living. I’ve been staying in some small towns in England lately and have been convinced a couple of times that I’m in grave danger! Silent country nights keep me up all night and actually give me horrible anxiety. Give me the suffocating crowds of London any day!
I’m desperate to get to New York one day soon. I’m constantly searching for an eternal winter and I know NYC does them well!
Happy season change :)
Autumn begins in 21 days and Christmas is in 112 days… I mean who’s counting anyways!?!
I’m usually so sad to see summer go, but am actually quite excited for autumn this year – so many fun things planned and then CHRISTMAS (which also happens to be my birthday, making it doubly exciting!) Bring on autumn!
Glad you’ve had a good time with your family, but can’t blame you for being excited to get back to NY – I would be!
Kat | http://thelondonplaybook.wordpress.com
I always love your post, you always come across so transparent and refreshing. I loved it because I’m the opposite. We live on a big farm in the country, and I will admit I often think the grass is greener across the country, and I often wonder if the sirens and bar fights would completely terrify me or inspire me. Enjoying all your travel post, hope it continues to be lots of fun!
http://www.hollandsreverie.blogspot.com
Lovely post! Enjoy Autumn x
happy beginning of autumn to you too :)
That sounds so pretty! I love watching the seasons change. Here it’s just coming into spring. Even though I’d prefer Halloween & Christmas in autumn & winter I’m still so excited for them! I love the holidays. Xo
Thanks Naomi for always being so uplifting! I love reading your posts because they always make me smile. You are such a wonderful example of showing how much happiness motherhood and family brings into one’s life…thank you ;)
I get spooked in the countryside, too! I’m definitely a city girl, although we have plans to move somewhere quieter in the not too distant future.
It’s so true that family is the most important thing you have. The transition of seasons reminds me of how quickly each year passes, bringing with it a slew of new memories (and growing families!). It’s so great that you have this blog as a little archive of all those moments in time. Such a sweet post, thank you for sharing.
Thank you for being such a positive person and spreading it by blogging. It’s good to take a little break to read your posts and feel that positivity :) Cannot wait for the autumn, then thanksgiving, then Christmas!! :) So exciting, especially for your family!
not yet please! we still have a few more days of summer ;)
We use a white noise machine for our 20 month old son to go to sleep, and when we travel we use an iPad app for white noise. It offers a few choices of city noise–maybe that would help when you travel? :)
“they keep you young at heart while aging you twice as fast everywhere else.” Hahaha… Ah Naomi, I love you.
Autumn is my favourite season with the crisp air, all the beautiful leaves and christmas coming up! I also really enjoy all the cosy clothes that comes with this season!
Bring onnnnnn CHRISTMAS. And the holiday season! This year has been a super speedy one. I’m not sure how I feel about that. But I KNOW i feel good about Christmas approaching…
Wow, a family of five, how does that feel?! Must be exciting but also a little strange! So happy for you all :) x
jemima x
http://jemimajaneblog.com
Great post! :) Family is everything no matter where you are in life :)
good that you guys escaped from the heat here in nyc, it’s finally summer here this week! so humid and hot and sunny
I’m so glad you had a wonderful time. I’ve only lived in the city for 9 months and I long for the quiet, the dark nights, the tree peepers. The city has a lot to offer and it fun, but I feel my soul being pulled back to nature, the clean earth. I hope that while we are spending this season in the city I can learn to love all the crazy it has to offer. Now, I just want to pull out my hair every time a car alarm goes off. haha :) But, I know once we leave, there will be moments I miss the lights.
If that isn’t the epitome of the NYC family pic, I don’t know what is!
I love this post – I just got back from a trip west to visit family in Idaho and it’s such a shock to the system not being in a loud, bustling city (Chicago for me). It might be bad to admit, but for me, those quiet drives in Idaho didn’t make me miss the city – they made me contemplate moving west to be one with nature!
Whichever way you lean, it’s the best to be lucky enough to have a home in a city and to know you also have a family/second home away from the city when you need it. :)
But, that’s why I love your blog, it helps me see the beauty in the city. :)
Family is just the best. :) Also– I admit that I’ve already indulged in a few “oh my goodness the holidays!” moments, as well. I can’t help it!
Always, Anita
I’ve always cherished my family. They are so important to me and I always want to show it.
Did you know Sunday is National Grandparents Day? Definitely going to send some cards to my grandmas.
– Christina http://www.cityloveee.blogspot.com
Ugh, just love this post.
xo
http://www.iolablog.com/
I’m exactly the same about feeling safer in the city! I live in Chicago and feel safe everyday, in my mind if something went wrong, someone would hear me and come help. When I visit my husbands veeeery small town or visit Colorado where my husband hopes to move, I feel so panicked. Glad I’m not alone in this crazyness!
great post!
http://www.amessylove.com/
I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets excited for Christmas in September! I just might have listened to a Christmas song while driving last month (what ?! My ipod was on shuffle. I had to!). :)
Love your posts taza! Just curious if you and josh are getting closer on deciding baby names for your baby yet!!!?!
we live in south florida and get a bit of noise with sprinkles of silence. it’s a good balance. also i have to agree with you on the family front. it’s always so comforting knowing that there are people on this earth who really truly love you
Beautiful post! That photo is just adorable xx
http://peanutbutterandmussels.com/
I love seeing the leaves change colours, it’s start to happen here too and it’s so beautiful!
i totally get the city sounds thing. I moved from LA to a tiny town and i was like “uhmmmm, its really DARK here and super QUIET”. it’s weird. ;)
Such a sweet family photo! Leaves are changing here in MA, and I’m already looking forward to all of my favorite fall traditions. Can’t wait to hear what the kiddos choose to be for Halloween!
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
Congrats to you & your family on your upcoming new addition. I can’t wait for the new season and HOLIDAYS either!!
blood is thicker than water – my grandmother always said that about family! glad y’all had a nice trip.
I don’t know how you can stand it! I have been to New York a few time and it is hell on earth for me. I have lived in LA my entire life and I would loooove to live in the country. I guess you’re right, the grass is greener. Haha
Oh my gosh, I totally relate to feeling safer in an urban place! I grew up in the suburbs, but all of my adult life I have spent in apartments in cities, and I’ve realized I feel much safer that way (especially on the nights my husband is away). It’s like my logic is that if there is an earthquake or fire or something, everyone will band together…or if there’s an intruder, there will be lots of people to hear me scream! (Morbid, I know!)
I love this time of year, where it is close to turning into the next season. Here in Vancouver, we have rainy days creeping in between the hot summer ones.
Love the post, I’ve been following for years!
It’s a beautiful feeling to love where you live! Plus, the city looks good on you and your cute family!
http://www.sarahrunyon.com
What you said about feeling safe in the city is exactly how I feel. The dark of the country is way scarier to me than the bar fight of the city. Have you read “The Relatives Came” by Cinthia Rylant? it’s a picture book that reminds me of the way you described your family & how you feel about them. It’s one of my favorites. xox
You know, I get the same way about Fall too! I love that it’s a reminder of the holidays being around the corner! Just reading this post got me excited… we’re almost there! Yay!
Annie
The Mama Gazette
Naomi, just being nosey and wondering whether you’ll be moving into more space once #3 arrives?
I thoroughly enjoy your blog! do you have lists of baby names going? will you share the ones you have vetoed? What is ya’lls strategy for names? my husband and I are doing the same and have lists and vetoes and new lists and new vetoes so I was just curious how you guys are navigating the name game together?
I agree that family is very important and is the only constant thing in our ever-changing lives. I hope my sons will feel that way in the future too, and love and care for each other, especially when times get rough. Cheers to families and living in a noisy city! Haha.
http://smittenbyangels.blogspot.com
I love this, I feel the same way about living in DC with my family in Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s always nice to go home but good to be back in the city. Although I do miss my family very much it’s nice to know you can feel comfortable miles away too. Looks like you had a great trip home and on the west. I can’t wait to go back this December.
Xo,
Emily
http://20somethingfashion.blogspot.com/
what an in-depth post! so many great memories made — clearly evidenced by all the smiling faces!
xx
Happy beginning of autumn to you too! Love seeing all of your recent trips and how happy those cute kiddos of yours are!!
You have a lovely family! :)
xo,
Janine | Lime Life