Lily Crowder: June 2013

Having a moment remembering the past fall, winter and spring seasons, in photos.....


Halloween 2012. Nova Created this past years Halloween costume. She loves to be creative any chance she can get.

Thanksgiving 2012. California family, such a great day.


Favorite fall days are spent at the beach....My happy place.	"the Hook" Fall 2012

Successful art show...Sold all my paintings over Christmas break. @Los Gatos Coffee shop


Nova and Ezekiel surprised us with a party they planed. We danced to Jazz, ate cookies and drank "cocktails" Christmas 2012

Ezekiel dressed himself, he enjoys looking dapper apparently.

When Nova asks, "Mom, may I decorate for Christmas?" This is what you get.

Our Santa Cruz community decided to throw "12 Days of Christmas Parties." For this party, we had a murder mystery party.

Maile as the "Dew Drop" in this years Nutcracker 2012.

for Christmas the Crowders flew to Anchorage to visit our family and friends. Best Christmas ever!

Hersh cousins and Crowder cousins spend Christmas morning together. Great memories. They all had a hard time falling asleep the night before

Jonas got the flu for Christmas....Had a fever all day:(

Ezekiel missed the flu, but got hooked up with these hard-core throwing knives! You should have seen how intense and serious he was with these. Quite a gift for a 7 year old boy.

Amazing Christmas dinner with the Faulkner family. These are all the Alaska cousins.

I look a bit unsure about the mustache.

We spent 7 winters driving these blizzard passes of the hwy. to Homer from Anchorage.

My sweet Homer home. Love this Alaska town by the sea. This is where I met John and where 3 of our 4 kids were born.

Snowy Bishops Beach.

Visiting our first home. This is also where Jonas was born. A log cabin with 57 stairs leading up to the front door.

learning to ski over New Years at Alyeska. Girdwood, AK 2013

Maile is a pro!

My awesome nephew, James. Fun hockey day in Anchorage.

My mom and all her grands: Sophia 6, Ben 9, Ezekiel 7, Noelle 10, Nova 9, Maile 15, Gracie 4, James 7, Jordan 14, Jacob 11 and Jonas 11.

Santa Cruz coast. Breathtaking winter day.

Homeschool field trip with our friends. Longs Marine Lab, Santa Cruz.

Maile at the Studio.

Ezekiel and his Jiu Jitsu Buddies

Nova leash-training her bunny, Aurora.

Davenport Landing.

The boys and their best buddies in San Francisco.

John was gone on a trip over Valentines day, but before he left he stashed this massive heart filled with Chocolate under the bed. Pretty sneaky dad!

Me, making the boys pose after winning first in the Brazilian Jiujitsu tournament. Go team Crowder!

broke away to Carmel to paint with the girls.

Mountain biking in the Santa Cruz redwoods with Jonas.

Nova poses in the plum blossoms.

Georgia grandparents visit us. I had not heard that strong southern accent for quite some time.

A typical quiet evening in the Crowder house.

Nova discovers claymation.

Taking the kids across the trestle bridge in Capitola Village. This is where I spent many a-day as a young girl.

Nova and horse.

My new favorite trail. Just outside Carmel. Soberanes Canyon Trail, Big Sur.

Brother and sister being goofy in Carmel.

Our family hike in Big Sur.

Lupine and Crowders in the clouds

Nova woke up early on the morning of my Birthday and make me this cake.

Santa Cruz friends took me to SF for a birthday weekend.

Go Jonas!

My dad had a mild heart attack in April. He has had major heart surgery since then and is recovering well. So much to be thankful for.

Dinner at the beach with beautiful Nova.

Aurora is adorable as usual.

Johna and I get so spend some time away together.....Very refreshing as we get ready to make a big move to Portland as a family.

Jonas 11, Ezekiel 7, Maile 15 and Nova 9. Such amazing people!

My mom visiting from Alaska, here with Nova at her end of the school year play.

Night out with some of my oldest and best friends. We have known eachother since we were 12!

Nova had the privilege of taking "adult" art classes. She was a bit tired of the kids classes. She was so studious and devoted to this course. Totally in her element.

Nova's Mothers day gift to me.

On a very hot Felton day, we enjoy a trip to the Garden of Eden swimming hole. One of our favorite spots.

The infamous Banana slugs of Santa Cruz.

We make the "leap" and purchase a family home in Lake Oswego, OR. After renting a very small 1100 sq. ft. home in Santa Cruz county for four years, this house will feel good. We are very sad to leave our beautiful beach town and wonderful friends but anticipating good years ahead in Portland.