O & C - Betrothed?

I now totally understand betrothals, and I think we should bring them back into fashion. As a parent, I totally get it, I would love to choose my special darlings' eternal partners for them. There are quite good choices I know, and it would just make the worrying so easy to know the other families and get along with my darlings future in-laws, not just get along but really enjoy. I mean I am super glad I got to choose, I don't think my parents would have find my diamond in the rough in the deserts of Arizona. Maybe I am nervous that I will lose my boys (inevitable) and maybe if I like the future in-laws we can all hang out, live close, go on fabulous vacations together, be certain the kids will finish school, etc. I really will not try to do this, but it is intriguing I must admit! By the way, the pairing above would be a prime choice. I have overheard O tell his brother that "C (pictured above) is his Mommy (re:wife)" he does love her and they get along famously, but I know, I know they are 4! I do love her Mommy, who just gave birth to darling Jack (who's middle name is T, so AK and I want to call him JT, not so sure she will like it) who would be a perfect match for P. We love the parents, live close, everything is swell. The pics were taken at Hogle, Liz at 9 months pregnant took the two wild 4 year olds. See, she is unbelievable, who wouldn't want to be related to her. What do you think, betrothals sound alright to you? Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch...

Jane Austen Personality

I have no idea who this character is, should I be insulted? Seriously who is she?

Sunday Morning

 

 

Pretty cute huh? Pants $3.97 at Baby Gap SCP (you can't tell, they are blue and white stripe seersucker), gotta love it! I promise I water-sprayed and brushed their hair after this, but I didn't iron.

Perfect Quote

"The cure for anything is salt water -- sweat, tears, or
the sea." -Isak Dinesen

(Sweat: exercise, hard work, determination; Tears: feeling emotions rather than feeding emotions, rejoicing in accomplishments, being honest; Sea: remaining calm and peaceful, seeing the "horizon" -- the big picture and your end goals.)
My darling sister Jocelyn, got this from her WWF meeting (WWF=AK's term for Weight Watchers, which I attend too, not the same meeting, but, anyhew). The first thing I think of is how much I love the ocean. Having grown up at it, and on some occasions having homes right above it (Ocean Dr. CDM) or on it (7106 Ocean NB) or having Dad's "office" beach house (2006 Seashore NB, greatest idea for an self-employed office EVER!) I am absolutely in love with the beach, the ocean, sea life, anything to do with it. My favorite bird is the sandpiper.
My favorite activity I have ever regularly done and love to do when in town is ride my bike ride through Crystal Cove, which leads me to some serious reminiscing...

When we lived on Lighthouse (Fabulous view, location, a short ride to the sand) I replaced some less than desirable habits with exercise, mostly riding my bright orange DiamondBack all around CDM. I loved going on a ride then picking up a baguette from C'est si Bon (at their old CDM location) and riding home imagining being in France a la 'Manon of the Source' (one of my childhood dreams to have a flower farm in France is derived from seeing this movie with the family at the old Port theatre, thank you Matt for all things French culture). So I finally got into a daily routine, I would ride down the neighborhood hill, across the Goldenrod footbridge, along Ocean getting the morning glimpse of Big, down Poppy (still my favorite street) along PCH and into Crystal Cove. I would ride through the park (seeing lots of bunnies, and on occasion a snake) and end at the bottom of the hill (which is now the drop off spot for the shuttle, below the Shake Shack) leave the bike and run along the sand to El Morro. On the way back I would stop at Starbucks and get my breakfast (a blueberry scone and drink*, which btw the ladies were never cordial with me, although I went their daily, and through the school year, almost daily, when we didn't go to Ruby's or Balboa Bay Club for breakfast) and sit outside on the wall and enjoy watching the daily commute unfold. Oh and during the day I would bike to the beach (El Morro was the playground of choice at the time for me and friends) or through Laguna for beach and shopping or the meet my Dad at the Laguna Wahoo's (one of my favorite things EVER, meeting my Dad there I mean). I would bike to the BBC some days and work out and lounge at the pool. Man I loved life, and I really did appreciate it, which is why I was so out there taking advantage of the outside life, the sun, the sand, the lifestyle. And I won't even mention the car I drove particularly that summer - okay I will for posterity (since my Dad, hint, a true Mercedes man, had just purchased an E320, his previous M convertible was "available" to drive. I don't recall EVER having the top on! And MY car was a VW Cabriolet convertible (but at this point I may have been sharing with Rachel, because I really drove the SL a lot!). So I've gone on, but I reminisce for when I am 82 and having a tough time remembering why my darling husband and I live on Balboa Island and why I insist on having breakfast outdoors, and why I love the smell of the ocean so much. And why I have had a convertible ever since moving back to the sea (a must for those in sunnier climates!). I was 17/18 at this time, a prime time of life, I must say. I could eat whatever I wanted (Wahoo's veggie burrito, chips, and all the rice and beans on the plate for me thank you!), had a very light job (hostessing at the Spag like 3 times a week, for like 3-4 hours a shift - I did get employee of the month once though!), and very understanding and/or clueless parents (eg BBC bills) to accept my beach focused life. I guess they just let me enjoy before I hit the real world out of state (okay college wasn't quite the real world yet, but being away from home was tough, as you can imagine). I finally did hit the real world and loved working at Pac Life (and being able to relive and repeat life again in NB with my best friend, soul mate, and eternal companion AK), oh and then the real, real world started I guess (moving to PHX - okay still cush overpaid job, then H came along, Tulsa, Casper - when things got most REAL, Farm-town, and now SLC). I still think upon those blessed days and remind myself how I need to live for now and enjoy the SLC while we are here. Which is why I love that we went on a great river walk in Park City yesterday with the family. And go to Red Butte, and be with family and friends, because who knows where we will be in 2 or 5 or 10 years and I don't want to wish I hadn't taken advantage of everything there is to offer here and now.

When my kids want something they can't have I infamously say "Well, I want to be the Queen of England and live on the beach!", which Holden is famous for pre-saying, when he knows I am about to say it, after he has asked for something he knows he cannot have like "I want candy for breakfast, and you can't live on the beach!" Don't get me wrong, I still intend to live as near the beach as possible, within daily walking distance, but actually living on the sand, I can at least still dream.

Summer Update/Happy Skate Day

I don't want to jinx anything, but little 3 month old P (3 months as of yesterday!) has slept through the night from between 7-8 PM until about 5 AM, for the last 3 nights. She doesn't have the day time nap thing down, she sleeps here and there for 15-20 minutes at a time, but we can work on that.

We've been swimming a lot. So much in fact that I am pretty sure Holden had heat stroke on Wednesday. We came home on Wednesday afternoon, after swimming for hours at Kate's pool, and he slept all day, not feeling well, and then about 8 PM when O was going down, H awoke as if in a night terror totally trippin' about things getter bigger and getting him and all sorts of crazy with a wicked fever. It totally freaked me out, and once I calmed down, thanks to AK, we carried him into the cooler basement guest bed to sleep. Poor guy. Yesterday, mid-morning, he was all back to his cute, helpful, charming self, and was even okay hanging out at home all day and most importantly staying out of the sun and heat.

O is totally different with his brother out of the picture. We've noticed this when we've had him in the car alone, on walks, etc. He talks and talks and has so many stories and happenings, it's really fun. So with H in bed, O and I scooted to the park, did some exercises (he loves the "exercise" park) and hung out for a long time. He just totally ignores us when his awesome big brother is around to bug, so it was great to have O all to myself. Otherwise, everything is fun.

I went on an awesome bike ride this morning, 8 miles, Sunnyside almost killed me, but cruising home down Wasatch was great. I left at 5:45 which was perfect, very little traffic, if any, and just a few roadies out there. Now I am having second thoughts about selling the road bike, but of course, I still want the new one. Isn't this just how I work? I am not stupid you know and I most often get exactly what I want, right?

A few things I have been checking out on the tube lately that I find entertaining/hilarious. The Wonder Pets, especially the "Puppy" episode. "Ming-Ming, where did you go?" "I don't know, where did I go?" I finally got this episode tivo'd and will continue to watch it over and over and laugh as if it was the first time when I was with Rachel, oh and the kids of course. Next up, Rob and Big. We let the kids watch some of this, it is hilarious. It is pretty well staged, but to hang out with these guys would be hilarious. Mini-horse is incredible. Next up, New Pollution on Fuel, I love watching this with the kids especially. You know to motivate them a little. The show showcases little kids from like 8 years old to about 16 that rock at skating, surfing, snow boarding, etc. Those three are my favorites to watch. Look for the Knight's to get season passes this year so our kids will just have to follow in the footsteps of our ripping ways. Finally, since I am doing WW for the rest of my lifetime, the next show should be totally against my WWF (as AK calls it) religion and it is, but I love watching Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa. It is my guilty pleasure since she uses at least a pound of butter with absolutely every 2-person meal. Oh well. When the show music starts Holden recognizes and jumps over exclaiming "My Favorite Show". He just likes to watch her make the desserts though. No veggies, meats, or anything of redeeming value for that kid (except fruits). So when I am trying not to shop, holding/nursing P (which is like every hour on the hour during the day), avoiding housework/or slowly folding clothes in front of the tube, these shows are what I am wasting my brain cells on watching.

I guess it's "go skate day" today, thus the photo. And I don't know if you know but I could watch skateboarding all day. It is so entertaining and fascinating for me. I should have reminded AK so he could go on a longboard session. Oh well. He is "camping" with the boys tonight in the Taylor's backyard. Il a va demain.

Owen's Handiwork

 

 

 

Note the rings on P.

Tin/Aluminum Anniversary

So for the 10th anniversary which is the tin/aluminum anniversary, I have ordered, via Chip and Norda's, a new mountain bike (disc brakes and front suspension, kind of cheap, but then I can justify...) and a new bike trailer (since we outright stole/refused to return the Bunches' Burley trailer, until they stole it back). I really want a Chariot (P could go in it now, with a special seat thing) but Chip has a nice Burley d'lite at the store, which we get with AK's best friend discount. What do you think? I can't wait to ride. Oh, my road bike that I bought in 2005 is on the market (here at ksl.com) which should almost cover the cost. I just don't want to gear up anymore, which with clipless pedals and a gnarly road bike, you kind of have to spandex out (mine are cut below the knee, like tight knickers or capris, they aren't too horrible). It's just too much work and I need the easy exercise like last week!

By the way, I just said "Hiddy" referring to the not so lovely pic my DH posted of me on his blog (at the very, very bottom of his blog). Anyone remember that one?

10 Years Ago Today...

2000

2001/2 with H

2003

2004 Argentina

2005

2006

2007

10 Years ago today, at 9 am, in the sealing room of the Bountiful, Utah LDS Temple, my life changed dramatically for the better. I got to marry, for eternity, Andy Knight, yes, THE Andy Knight. I can't believe it's been that long, yet, we have lived so much in that time. I definitely scored in the great husband, spectacular father category. And as I always emphasize that I got really lucky and married well, especially to young girls eager to be married and/have kids since I married so young and somewhat naively at 21 and eek! a year before graduating from college (we continued together and graduated together). I love you Andy Pants. I love that we have always been perfect for one another, and that we will continue to be for 50+ more years in this lifetime and infinitely in the next. Happy Tin/Aluminum anniversary. Any last minute anniversary gift ideas?

Happy Father's Day AK

My darling AK is absolutely the best dad in the world. He does the greatest and sweetest and even not so pleasant things for us because he loves us.

He bathes all three kids every night, because I ask him too, and ever since we had baby Holden, I've been bath paranoid. So he happily goes about singing bath time songs, like Big Rock Candy Mountain and Little Ducky Duddle and more that I had never heard before, and cleaning the kids.

AK takes the boys on special "dates", most recently to Macaroni Grill (we've got a couple hundred dollars worth of Chili's-chain gift certificates ala P&G), and in the past to movies, bowling, and skiing. What four and five year old boy would not love any moment alone with Dad to chat and make goals and talk about their favorite things and just life.

He is the best "night nurse" to our babies, most recently baby P. Fortunately for him, baby P is now totally straight on her night-time sleep. But when she was getting up and had already been fed and otherwise taken care of but totally content to stay wide awake, AK took on the task of staying up with her, as he had with the boys. I got some wonderful sleep on nights he certainly did not, and I am ever grateful for it. And now I see the bond that these night-time visits have created between he & P. She definitely smiled first and most for her Dad. When he comes into the room, and she can hear his voice she gets most excited. As I love having my Momma's boys, I love that P is definitely a Daddy's girl.

AK went skiing for the first time in at least 15 years (he's a snowboarder, I take turns doing both) to take H to Alta (my favorite ski hill and learning place). I wish I could have seen it, but I am sure as funny it may have been, it surpasses all expectations of being heavenly and memorable for H. Also, AK taught H how to ride a "two-wheeler" bike on this past Memorial Day. As a result, this weekend I fulfilled one of my dreams of going on a bike ride with my kid. If you know me, I LOVE riding bikes, any kind. And Saturday morning Holden and I went on a bike ride. It was a perfectly beautiful morning and sharing it with him giggling, and delighted, and pedaling his little one speed as fast as it could go, for the longest ride he'd ever been on was pure joy.

I love reading to my kids, anytime, anywhere, but I know they would always choose AK to read over me, because he does these fabulous voices for the different characters. I tried this a few days ago, and H & O were polite but I could tell they wanted to say "Mom, please stop, you are doing it all wrong."

Just our family got to swim at Kate's pool all by ourselves all day Saturday. O had been waiting all week to show Dad how he could swim by himself. Dad is the only one who O will let catch him when he jumps off the diving board without a life-vest, and Saturday was no exception, but by the end of the day, O had the confidence given to him by his awesome Dad that he was jumping off and swimming alone to the side over and over. And Dad does the greatest jumps off the diving board, even creative new ones, like the arm-less dive, the "bum-jump", the jumping backwards dive, the best screw-driver around, and of course the "cannon-board" to surpass all other "cannon-boards".

I could go on for days how he instinctively takes out the garbage, mows the lawn, re-models the basement, paints bedrooms, unloads the dishwasher, cooks dinner, makes sourdough pancakes, bakes bread, makes cookies, brings home favorite lunch leftovers for me, volunteers at school (well, at least happily goes when I have volunteered him), and many other wonderful and not always pleasant tasks that otherwise may be left unattended for who knows how long. And even though it was "Father's Day Eve", he even vacuumed today.

Finally, and most importantly, AK is an amazing Priesthood-bearing father. His testimony is solid and is reflected in his honest, loyal, and righteous daily living. My kids are so blessed to have such an honorable man as a father. He loves and honors God and his son Jesus Christ, and shows it in his love for his family and quiet and humble service to others. We are so grateful for him for making our family eternal and knowledgeable of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because I certainly would not be capable of it on my own.

Thanks Daddy AK for making our lives so great. Thanks for your hard and loyal work that allows the four of us to play each and every day. We love you and will love you infinity.

Blog Crazy/Summer Bike Edition

I am kind of blog crazy tonight (AK is fishing and the kids are mostly asleep). But I saw this on Leslie's site and had to re-cap my great dream last night (and maybe give a major hint for my hubby for my b-day coming up!). So my brother Matt actually gave me a great big black bike, just like the one pictured on Leslie's site here. It's the "in" bike and all being at Anthropologie and all (hopefully AK will get one from Norda's with our awesome Chip discount, thus the KHS Bikes featured here, which he carries). So I was riding it across the country, although it looked like how I picture Switzerland, which is great because a real-life dream of mine is to bike through Europe someday. But I was definitely riding it across the USA, which is not truly a real-life dream but it is my real-life dream to ride the California coast. Anyhow, that's about it. Then I was catching up on my blog reading and came across the aforementioned blog and saw the greatest link to the blog that takes pictures of fashionable cyclists. Love it! I am definitely keeping up with that one. Thanks Leslie.

Pics from CA Trip Thanks to Rachel

Yes, so we forgot our camera on our 9 day trip to California. Have I recapped this yet? Possibly, but now I have pictures, thanks to Rachel, who did have her camera. I believe Liz took a few of us at Disney Music Hall in downtown L.A. (which was amazing!!!) And on my mom's camera, so I'll just have to wait until they upload them (which is not often!).

Have I mentioned that Holden has been riding a "two wheeler" since Memorial Day. He is a superchamp. I am looking forward to going on a ride with him in the morning. This morning he rode to the school and back in seriously 2 minutes (I could see him most of the way). And even though I told him not to stop or talk to ANYONE, he said he did stop to talk to "the lady that plays piano in primary" which was okay and quite grown up to stop to chat. Owen is now swimming on his own, but only in the shallow end. He requests his life vest when he wants to "Cannon-board" into the "pewl". Summer home "skewel" is going great. (We just love Owen's accent!) We got the Summer Bridge program book grade 1-2 for H as requested by his amazing Kindergarten teacher and he is doing fantastic. He amazes me everyday. He is reading almost everything is sight (which worried me a little about billboards but so far it is alright). Owen has a new pre-K workbook that he is cruising along in. They both have already earned and received a snowcone as a reward of 5 pages done, and they are due for more. We had art days too, and today we did our Father's Day gift ala Trevlyn. It turned out really great, I won't divulge too much so as not to spoil the surprise for our great Daddy AK. Penelope loves when the boys sing "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and when we read books to her. Holden reads to her a lot, and Owen even read her "Goodnight Gorilla" tonight. All in all our first real week of summer went swell. How is your summer going?

Survey from Hill

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my paternal grandmother and great-grandmother.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Tuesday, watching Holden's Kindergarten graduation video.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? yes
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Two boys and a girl
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Totally, but it's tough because I tend to hang out with my sister Katie a whole lot!
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? No
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I used to really want to, but I'm not so sure anymore.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Corn Bran (AK calls it Corn Blow)
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Not right now, unless it entails carrying around a baby carrier.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cookies 'n Cream
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their smile/expression
15. RED OR PINK? Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? I watch too much TV
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My out of state siblings and parents
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Yes
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Red pants (I went walking this morning) and white socks.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Raisin Bran with Soy Milk
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Penelope talk to her mobile friends
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON. WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? An orangey color, not like sienna brown, but a happy orange.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Penelope (thanks to JB actually for making me appreciate the sour milk baby smell) and the beach (have to steal that one from Hill)
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Stacey Peterson
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? love her!
26. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Tennis, especially Federer vs. Nadal
27. HAIR COLOR? Brown
28. EYE COLOR? Brown
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes, blind without them
30. FAVORITE FOOD? wahoo's for sure
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Spanglish
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer!
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate Souffle
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Rachel
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? ?
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW - Jesus the Christ (I know, still!) & Galileo's Daughter (sort of)
40. WHAT IS ON YOU MOUSE PAD? Laptop, no mouse pad
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? The Dancer competition show and I even voted 3 times (Hok, last year's winner's sister, & the breaker girl)
42. FAVORITE SOUND? Penelope talking, Holden laughing in his sleep (we hear him every night), and Owen laughing histerically at Holden when he makes funny faces or says "Underwear" or "poop"
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Stones
44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Amsterdam or Spain (I'm not sure which is further)
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Somehow conveying to people that I am always happy/smiling. Being able to talk to random people.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Arcadia, CA (I was there this week!)
47. WHO'S ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Every last one!

My Horticulture Dreams

I've been spending a little too much time (and money) at Cactus & Tropicals. It's a little too close to my house, and my kids love going there, they get to "pet" the fish, and they love the fountains. It was a great place to get teacher gifts, and shower favors, and more indoor plants (since MarySue and I took care of the outdoor plants earlier in the season). So last time I was there I had an epiphany that when I retire from my full-time current job (of SAHM) in like 24 years, I want to work at C&T or be a horticulturist/landscape architect. I know, I know I change my mind A LOT about what I want to be in my next "life" from Law School, to B School (CEO dream), to artist, but with 24 more years work experience in my own little yard, and visiting gardens wherever I can, and MarySue's expertise and guidance, and an advanced degree in either horticulture or landscape architecture (Utah State Aggie?) maybe I can pull off this dream. Impressively, most if not all of C&T's employees have these amazing degrees. Anywhoo, just wanted to share my latest whim. Oh, and a Huntington Garden Cherry Blossom Photo (which I want to be my blogs background if I ever figure that out) & some plants from C&T.

Sabbath Day Goals

I love the blogs with the Grateful Sundays, two to name, flowerchain and La Vie En Rose. But not to poach too many things from others, I would like to present my own version highlighting my goals for the week. I got this idea from my ultra-fabulous and creative sister-in-law Trev (who's blog gets cuter and more fun everyday, I sort of wish she would stop so my boring old blog doesn't look so incredibly drab and obviously html-clueless). So as you will see she blogged about keeping the Sabbath day holy by getting the cleaning and ironing and pre-cooking done on Saturday, thus, "Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday..." So ironing...yuck, and the reason why, now that I can't justify buying nice suits for work and shirts that are all dry-cleaned, and this ironed by someone else, I buy cotton. I am sure everything I own and wear daily and to church, with a few exceptions of my trademark black sweaters which are merino wool and some nylony blends, is cotton. Which to most of you must be ironed. But not me, I am of the party that believes, oh I will iron it and get in the car (well we actually walk to church, being in SLC) and it will get wrinkled again, etc. But my goal this week is to iron my boys' shirts. Not Andy's, since his shirts are dry-cleaned and thus, ironed and fresh already, right, but H & O who only when they have worn their shirts brand-new have ever felt the heat from a freshly ironed shirt. Starting small, that is it, just two ironed shirts. I will return and report on the next Sabbath day.

My Kindergarten Graduate

Ode to H & his Kindergarten teacher Mrs. P! H is getting smarter and sweeter everyday. I can't believe how quickly they grow up. It is killing me! I can't believe 6 years have flashed by in a blur and here he is reading eveything and spelling, and I note this because I can no longer spell out things like "Are we going to the "F-E-R-R-I-S W-H-E-E-L" or "should we go to Russo's and see the "D-O-G-S"", etc. because he too quickly spells it out himself. I am glad he is my oldest, and is an incredible joy and help. Every day I wish I could stop time. Little growing wonders are the best!

A $17,000 Pacifier!

Check it out, this site "personalized pacifiers" sells this diamond encrusted pacifier, or "fire" as we call them, for $17,000. Unbelievable! My first thought was, "are you kidding, we buy so many fires since we drop them all over the place." There are actually are some cute personalized ones.

Fun Stuff

AK & the boys arrived late Friday night. Saturday we headed to Big Corona for a fun and mostly cold few hours at the beach. The boys, Mia, and Mia's cousins Jonathan and Andrew had a blast! Uncle Mike and Uncle Ryan even really got in the water and body surfed. The waves were decent (yellow flag), but it was nice to sit in a chair with P and chill until my bum was numb. At 5:30 in the morning I was awake and unable to get back to sleep so I went on the island walk around little then the big island and it was marvelous. I really am excited to someday be a horticulturist, and seeing the beautiful flora here is amazing! I saw some fauna in the likes of a hummingbird, a gaggle and nests of blue herons (they sound like pre-historic creatures when they come back to feed the babes), and some rats with wings (pigeons). Of course the seals were barking away, which I remember hearing when we lived on Ocean in CDM. After naps we walked to the island to visit the candy shop for our "good" boys. Then off to Newport Center for Wahoo's and some koi watching. It was later so we avoided the merry go round and train for now. It was great to see the Phelps and the Kopayghora's and have the babies together.
This morning we went to church with Cici and the girls (Ryan left this morning for NYC). We lasted about 25 minutes until Holden's foot hurt so bad he just had to go home to Maama's. We still don't know what hurts, but somehow his Keen's don't hurt his feet??? But flip flops and his Sunday sandals do??? We drove home through Laguna Canyon and Laguna which was waking up at 10 am and beautiful. We made it to Bayside just in time to change into play clothes and make it to the annual Balboa Island parade. We forgot our camera (I may just have to buy one) so no pictures yet! But the parade was awesome and the kids got enough candy! Now we are resting which is delightful, so off to bed am I.

Going back to Cali...

Yes, I am here. A fun little first girls' trip for P & I (until the boys come in late tonight.) As you might have seen on Rachel's blog I was sick last night. I started getting a headache on the plane, and then it just stayed with me, until it got really bad at a $250/plate dinner for Jeff Madsen as Father of the Year dinner and Diabetic fundraiser, I felt really ill and couldn't wholly appreciate the dinner. We arrived late and left very early, since my Mom had to pick up Dad from the airport, and I had started to feel like I might throw up. I prayed to at least make it to Rachel's house, ran in, told Ryan (who was holding P) I was going to throw up, asked Rachel for a rubber-band (to hold back my hair), and very soon thereafter... I still don't know if it was a migraine thing (i rarely get headaches!) or what. That is the whole gross story. So thank goodness I felt better about an hour later, and got some shopping in this morning - Vons & H&M. Yes, Vons, like the supermarket, my life even on vacation is so boring. No it's actually really great. I love being here chilling with Rachel & the girls. I & P seem to really like each other and P has been so happy. And of course, Mia is always utterly charming (even when she is either spinning or tearing down an H&M rack). Love it!