Family

Family

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Cali-BO-Bali!!


Wesly at the non-stop - have to watch her every.single.move - get into everything - but doesn't know the danger - stage.
I have to say the only way to get through the constant having to know where and what she is doing every second...
is every single thing she does right now is SO DANG CUTE.
She is just such a small human...this picture melts me : )

Here is the party for this particular day.
Classic pic of papa.
Sound asleep? OR Catching flies?
Sound asleep.
I snapped a few peeps of the top right pic asking whom is the individual from UTAH?!
Bless us straight out of winter whities.
We all paid for it.  Major burns on day 1.
My bad.

My favorite minutes at the beach.
Dad.  In the sand.  With the kids.
Catching crabs.
We love when dad can join us.
This wouldn't be a picture if he didn't.
:/

I really don't mind watching her every move.
Like I said before...its all too cute!
Ok...a break every now in then is nice : )  If Im going to be completely honest.
BUT
this trip was her first real experience with the sand and it was just as I remembered with the other 3.
A little skeptical at first.
Then curious.
Then eventually and inevitably eating it.  Laying in it. Playing with it.  Loving it.

Papa wonders why all babies look at him like so?
I informed him that most people don't challenge infants to a staring contest!!
This...
was priceless.
She didn't move for a good 5 minutes.  Staring.  While he did the raised eyebrow "oh" look that he is infamous for.
We all got a pretty good laugh.
*yes...she is sunburned*
*and yes-the CPS was called*

Nicole spent some QUALITY time with my kids.
There is something that happens to a moms heart when someone else takes an interest in her kids and dives in to spend time with them.
Every night she came over after a long day of work and took the kids one on one and spent time doing a game, going on a walk, taking them to a park, even went on a trolley ride with them.
Thank you aunty Cole.
There are very few people in this world that a mom can thank for doing something of this sort.
It wasn't expected nor asked for...
you just did it.
Thank you.
AND
Although I have no pics of your good friend BriOn with my kids...
all I have to say is WOW!
Im not playing when I say this...my kids can rank on the top of his list of:
"The most annoying kids" list...but he sure doesn't seem to categorize them there.
I tried with my darndest to tell my kids to lay off...but it was impossible.
Lets just thank cross-fit too.
Without that...the kids wouldn't be home right now flexing in the mirror and asking how Brion's muscles got so big.
True story.
Thanks for being a human jungle gym Brion!

Oh my.
Every ounce of her.
Too cute. 

Add caption

Im a new convert to the waking up at 5am crazy talk and heading out before the sun peeks over the mountains...
type of traveling.
Its still the same amount of hours...
but seems less.

 Feel free to call CPS again.
I will admit that Benadryl- and Dramamine - were helpful agents in accomplishing some shut eye and some quiet moments during travel.
I WILL argue, though, that I DID follow dosage guidelines -
AND -
they were snatched from a deep sleep in their beds to pile in the car before the sun was up -
SO -
Im sure the combo of the 2 was the ticket to some sweet silence ;)

AND!
ILL DO IT AGAIN!
AND AGAIN!

**As always, I must thank the one and only that makes such a trip even possible.  The grand mama and grand papa!  Oh how we would love to have you closer, permanently, but if that were so, our memories and traditions of visiting California would fade to non-existance - and that would be tragic.
To have a home away from home, and to visit - in my opinion - paradise, and to have open arms and loving grandparents to greet us, feed us, and most importantly, spend each moment with us...
INVALUABLE.
Though my visits every year to California as a child to see my grandparents were a little different,
they are memories.
And moments we still talk about and laugh about now.
And the memories that you, grandma and grandpa, are helping create with my kids are lasting memories that they can live with forever.  And the relationship they make and that grows each and every time they are with you are some of the most important relationships outside of our own family unit.
For them to know that there is family near and far that love them unconditionally and that would do ANYTHING for them is a blessing and gift I will NEVER take for granted.
We are all so lucky.
Thank you for your time.  Truly.  Your time is so valuable.  I cherish every minute I have as well as every second my kids have with you.
xoxo

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Sublime to be NINE!







She is 9!!
 I look at that newborn...and my heart could literally explode.  She is STILL the most beautiful newborn I have ever laid my eyes on.
Where have the years gone between those pictures?!!
Its so hard to believe that in 9 more years she is on her OWN!
That is hard to imagine but I know it will happen in the blink of an eye just as the last 9 years have.
I am so lucky and blessed to call her mine.
She has taught me patience and complete selflessness.
She has been my partner in crime from the get go as I have embarked on this crazy world of motherhood.
She was my first for a reason!
She prepared me in every sense of the word.
She is so strong willed, yet so tender.
She is a friend you wish to find at least ONE of in this life.
Loyal.  Caring. Compassionate. Kind.
I am finding myself becoming a friend of hers...not just a disciplinary, teacher, and mom.
I love it.
We joke, laugh, talk big girl talk, go on dates, shop, and have fun together.
Im so grateful I have become someone she trusts.
She is beautiful.
Inside and out.
She will always hold that special spot that only your first born...and first daughter can hold.
I love you Rae.
Gramma Trudy was in town and took us to the aquarium.
This was a photo session that was quite amusing.
We asked the kids to sit on this ledge but every time we told them to look at us and smile,
Kade would crunch down as if he was turning his back on a monster shark that was ready to attack him at the neck!
Note: look at the top photos.  HA!
I took a million shots but wasn't upset with a single one.

Wesly made herself comfortable on the soccer field while we cheered Mayci on.

We went to the zoo with Mayci's preschool class and it wore this little one right out.
I think I have taken a picture of every single time she has fallen asleep in her seat.
Its a rara occasion:)

Mayci and all her little buddies.

Miracles do happen.
This precious and crazy wild child ACTUALLY sat in her stroller
THE . ENTIRE. TIME
without a peep.
Straight up miracle.

Fun month full of animals:)

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