People talk about the weather when there's nothing else to talk about--it's something everyone has in common, thus making it prime pickings for a nice round of small-talk. Perhaps the weather shouldn't be considered an inconsequential topic of conversation, though. After all, it governs so much: the clothing we wear, the food we eat, the mood and state of health we're in, the condition of our gardens, the activities we engage in, the type of art we produce, and yes, the things we talk about too. The weather pulls people together. And yesterday, it pulled in another member of our family. I can't quite tell you how it happened, but somehow, through the cool temperatures and golden afternoons that have put us all in a good, affectionate, generous mood, we have a new cat, at least for the time being. Pippa is the sweetest little thing, so content and happy to curl up in a crook of our bodies or thread her smooth, slight, gently purring body through our ankles. And a few days ago, when I joined her on the roof of the car, she promptly fell asleep on my outstretched stomach (I'm pretty sure my neighbors think I'm a nut job if they didn't think so already [they probably did]). I'm looking forward to more chilly October mornings made more pleasant by my Pippa girl, a mug or four of steaming tea, and the book of Romans. The weather makes a lot of decisions for us, but that's not always a bad thing.

This is Callyn...
 

...and this is Reagan.

Where should I start with these girls? Not only are they sisters to each other, but they're also sisters to me as well (if only in friendship...but that still counts, right?!). The time we spend together is usually spent laughing over the silliest things and chatting about nothing and everything at the same time. They also just happen to be my favorite models and are willing to execute all the crazy ideas I have...those kinds of friends are the best. ;)

Both girls have been taking ballet since they were tiny and they constantly awe me with their skills. Last week, I took pictures of Callyn at the river at sunset and Reagan came along. Here are some frames of their beauty...enjoy.

"I mean, you're almost sixteen! You need to learn how to be a kid again," MeMe told me while on a spontaneous trip to the park a few days ago. "I want to," I responded, "but I don't even know where to start. It's been so long since I've properly felt like a kid." Without hesitation, she said, "Kids laugh and play all day and aren't afraid of balancing on the balance bars or pretending the ditch is a pot of lava. Kids roll down a hill and play in the dirt and run around the grass playing airplane. And being a kid also means laughing really hard. I laugh hard all the time, you know. I think you need some more laughter in your life." So that's what we did. In the setting sun of a early autumn day, I balanced on a low metal fence, played airplane until my chest heaved from lack of breath, and climbed a tree. I remembered what it felt like to be a kid again.

Today, I turn sixteen. The number is foreign on my tongue, though at the same time, I feel as if this year has been a long time coming. But now that I'm at this "milestone" age, I regret the times I spent in my younger years being in such a hurry to grow up. I thought grown ups got to do all the cool things and had it all figured out...but now that I'm fast approaching adult-ism, I'm realizing that while it's exciting and new, it's not all that fun. I am still excited (and okay, a little bit or a lot scared too) for what sixteen will bring and the secrets it holds, but the other day, when I was looking at insurance rates, car shopping, researching tax information, and doing business development, I felt so brutally grown up...and I didn't feel ready in the slightest. The next day, though, I was at the park climbing trees and playing tag and acting like a kid in every way. It was wonderful. And no matter how old or grown up someone might feel, I think it's so important to cherish that little bit of kid inside, to know how to have fun using only your imagination and the outdoors. Who knew that my eight year old sister had so much wisdom packed into her tiny body?

I guess I'll stop being all philosophical now and get right to it:

Hi, I'm Carlotta. I'm sixteen today. And I'm learning how to be a kid again.

Questions? Comments? Just want to chat? Drop me a line at carlottacisternas @ gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!