amid photo shoots and riding clownish bikes, there are days like these.
days when my heart feels like it is going to burst.
because it’s after midnight, the family is asleep, the nook is just barely aglow, a heavy dog warms my feet and here i am…just replaying my day. my week. my two years of every blessed moment this motherhood thing has granted. and somewhere between flipping through her two-year book with her on the couch this morning to tucking my sandy sleeping baby into clean sheets tonight, well…i had my moments. moments where i wanted to join hands with any other woman in this world who loves life, kisses the universe, sings a baby to sleep, finds solace in memories of being loved by some kind of motherly figure as a young, draws inspiration from it all and has a moment to spare to grab my hand, sing kumbaya and shout out to the world that we are grateful. yes, i had moments like that today.
i feel a bit biased celebrating this holiday having been blessed with the incredible gift of loving this life i created and partaking in every bit of marvelous heaven this role continuously gifts me with. and yet, at the same time, i want to share my joy, my gratitude, my love with any kindred spirit out there who has craved that unearthly motherly love and hasn’t been able to taste it. and i want to share it with every inspiring soul i have been blessed to know that has molded my motherly aspirations and intentions. because i will always aspire to love as i have been loved. and it’s a constant beautiful journey…one i don’t even realize i’m on sometimes. but, oh is it lovely.
and through all that emotional sap (i really am going to stop apologizing for being sappy. promise), i wished for two things on my special mama day this year.
i told my man i wanted to take a family bike ride in the morning and i wanted to go to isle of capri in the afternoon.
that’s all i wanted.
and my wish was granted fifty-billion fold.
because, as two posts ago demonstrated, a family bike ride is difficult when your bike is a clown mobile with broken gears.
so looky here.

i’ve been eyeing this pink retro beauty for quite some time. and i came home from a long day working last night to find this in the driveway.


nice bike. lovely daddy. happy mama.
so it was, we were more suitably eqipped to take our family bike ride this morning…three miles up tree-canopied sidewalks to panera for breakfast and three miles back. it was dreamy.


and, while my heart was just perfectly content with that, the day continued into a rolling ball of loveliness when friends joined us at the church of the holy beach.
isle of capri. my isle of capri. i’ve never felt such ownership until i walked onto our familiar sands today and realized how much i’ve missed our home away from home.
and then there we were. sinking our feet into friendly sand, cupping silverfish out of shallow pools, coralling sun-kissed littles onto the dock for pictures, jumping off jet-skis in the middle of nowhere to float…and laugh….and talk…and …holy, holy, it was marvelous. like the kind of marvelous where you can’t stop saying this is marvelous. and we did. over and over and over. and we danced. and we dug. and we floated. and we hugged. and we loved. all day long. until the sun went down and the moon came up and the tide pulled back to leave giant salty craters for littles to stomp their delicious pink feet in.
and i dumped it all into a quick little video, but my exhaustion cannot wait for youtube to load it. so there shall be more tomorrow. but for now…a little love…

big, happy mama heart.

happy mother’s day to all…and to all a good night.
and i love you mama, mama colleen, and donna nana. xoxo your hearts seep goodness into our family every day and for that alone…i am a better mama.

Happy Mothers Day Kelle, i would totally hold your hand and sing kumbaya. I too feel oh so grateful to be a mama and enjoy this wonderful journey.
And there is nothing that fills a father’s heart with joy than to see his daughter thrill with the rich wonder of parenting. Happy Mothers Day…you seem to celebrate it all year long! What a beautiful bike…it is so YOU!
Thats my “dream bike”..I am glad you got it. Happy for your wonderful day!
So, I walked past Hallmark the other day and saw a poster for International Mother’s Day (we celebrate it here in the UK in March) and a thought popped into my head: “Ooh, I bet Kelle will write a beautiful post on Sunday” – and you did! I too feel so lucky to be a mama, and would join your kumbaya chrous without hesitation.
Oh, and the bike! The bike! It is truly a pink wonder. Glad you had a lovely day yesterday. May the rest of your week be lovely, too.
the bike ROCKS-the photos of the bike are beautiful! brett is so sweet to surprise you with that. 6 miles, huh? that is great. perfect start to the wonderful day it was…at the beach.
isle of capri will forever hold a special place in my heart now. it was organic, and real, memory making,…and so much more. thank you for that!
happy mother’s day!
i love to read your words and see how you relish in your little miracle!
that’s a beautiful bike and sounds like a wonderful mother’s day for a wonderful person.
So glad your day was great. Mine was too 🙂 Loving your new pink bike!
happy mama day! sounds like a great one. and the bike!!!! ooh boy. beaut.
We sell bikes here in Brazil, we moved to the seashore and we own a bike shop. We sell all brands .
Enjoy it is good for body and soul!!
I love the new bike. What fun your family is going to have now on long bike rides together.
Love the bike and LOVE the Capri pictures. Oh so fun. This last picture I can see in your eyes you were having so much fun. What a fun day for you and Heidi. You both deserved it for being good mamas!
sweet bike! so wish i had a beach for els and i to explore. but we all have so much, ocean or mountains aside!
happy mama’s day. thanks for inspiring me to keep trying to improve my pic taking skills!
This comment has been removed by the author.
I’m just a stranger that somehow stumbled upon your website and blog a week or so ago…and I’ve been hooked ever since. Your pix and words are beautiful and fun and memorable. And yesterday when I saw your new pink bike I knew we were kindred spirits because I have been scouring the internet for my own pink cruiser for my summer…my whole summer…I have to pinch myself when I say it..in my Happy Place, Key West!
So just know your words and pix don’t only bring a smile to your family and friends faces but to a complete strangers as well. 🙂
Shelby
i, too, knew you’d have a sweet mother’s day post!
love, love, love the b&w pic of you and lainey!
the office is painted … yay! now, i have to get my print order organized!!