This puppy...

This puppy has been stealing my girls' hearts.  They just love him.  He may get fought over a little, but they just love having him around.  It's been busy, but good for us.  However, he seems to be the most energetic when we are trying to get ready for school in the morning and trying to get ready for bed at night.  He's a cuddler though and my girls can't get enough snuggles from him.  He is the cutest fluff ball when he is all clean.
Every day this week, Abby has run home from the bus stop shouting, "I'm going to go and cuddle Calvin!"  We love this little guy.

Happy First Day of School!

I don't think I have ever seen kids so excited for school to start.  These girls were ready early with giggles and laughter.  It was fun to throw Abby into the mix.  Olivia was so excited because she got both her best friend in her class and the teacher that she wanted.  Sammie also has one of her very best friends in her class and Abby was just excited to start school.  She does have a friend in class too.  Kindergarten orientation was a few days before school started and that was when Abby showed a little bit of nerves.  But once we were there and she met her teacher she was all confidence again.  She really wanted to take her picture by the school sign.  She feels so grown up and a part of things now. 
When she hugged and kissed my good-bye on the first day, she pulled my face in close and her big blue eyes were looking in mine and she said, "Now don't start crying when you go home all alone." I may have shed a tear or two.  

A Summer Tradition

We spent 2 weeks at my parent's while Joey was finishing up his Master's Degree.  He's been doing this for the last 5 summers!  It will be a little strange next summer when he won't have to leave to go to school.  He just needs to complete his thesis and then he will be finished with his Masters in American History and Government.  We are all so proud of him.  He loves going to school and this has been such a great opportunity for him. 
While at my parent's we mostly just hung out.  The girls had a Star Wars movie marathon, went swimming whenever they wanted, stayed up late, went to the movies, saw lots of their cousins...and we got a puppy.  We absolutely love him.  He's been getting used to our home and family since we've been home a week and a half.  He's a maltipoo and the girls named him Calvin.  I had been thinking about getting a puppy for a while.  I was going back and forth and just really felt like we should just get one.  I was concerned with how it would go, but it has been good for me and the kids.  It helps that he is so adorably cute.  Poor little guy is over burdened by hugs and cuddles.  I have to keep reminding the girls that he is a dog, not a toy.  They definitely are reminded of that when he is play biting with his sharp puppy teeth.  It will be a fun project to have a puppy, but it does make like a little less convenient.  We love him though.
I love it when we are staying at my parent's and then the little cousins drop in.  While my girls don't have any cousins their ages on my side, it is nice that they are able to spend so much time with their young cousins.  I don't know if they would, if they had cousins their age to play with.  It is so cute to see Olivia helping her little cousins with things and being a sort of older sister to them.  We did get together with some of my cousins/cousin's wives and their kids at a bounce place.  It was great to see everyone especially since we are missing out on a reunion this weekend.

I just love this little Brielle.  She is one of the sweetest little baby girls.

 And of course, Calvin.  He has already grown since we got him just a few weeks ago.  He's going to be a little guy though when he is full grown.

Happy 4th!

This year for the 4th of July we headed up to my parent's.  Then we drove to the cabin and spent a couple of days there before Joey left for Ohio to finish up his last classes.  We spent the day at the beach on the lake and I didn't have any camera with me and I only took a few others while we were there.  Sometimes, you just want to enjoy things without taking pictures, you know?  We are headed back up soon to spend a week with my family.  We can't wait to have more family time and especially cousin time.

Working in the Yard

We had a patio cover built this summer.  We have been talking about getting it put in ever since we moved in 4 years ago.  Finally...it's up.  We love it and it adds some much needed shade for these sweltering summer days. 

Santa Barbara Zoo

Just some pictures from the zoo.

A day...or two, at the beach

While we were adventuring in Disneyland, Joey was home alone taking his online class all afternoon.  He must have been needing a break because he booked us a hotel at the beach we love to go to.  So we got home for a few days and then packed up for a couple of days at the beach.  This trip was so relaxing.  I could just live at the beach.  I feel so calm and refreshed when I am there.  The weather was so beautiful and it was great to spend longer than an afternoon.  We usually leave in the later morning hours, get to the beach for lunch, hang out, clean up, get dinner, then head home. 
But this was so nice to just take a little longer and enjoy our time.  After playing on the beach we went back to the hotel, swam, showered and then went back to the sand to watch the sunset.  One of the most beautiful ones I have seen. 
The next morning we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo and spent much longer there than we had planned.  We loved it though and it was fun to do something different.  We headed back to the beach for some more sand and water.  I really can't say enough how perfect the weather was.  We loved being together and I still have sand in my suitcase.

What Exactly Have We Been Up to This Summer?

I haven't posted anything in a month.  Probably because we have been so busy that when we are home I am trying to catch up before we run off again.  After our first visit to my parent's we were home for about a week swimming and doing laundry and unpacking.  Then we packed up again for a 3 day trip to Disneyland plus a couple days doe driving. My mom came down and then we headed down together. We had so much fun on our girls' trip. We even made a pit stop at the American Girl store.

We haven't been to Disneyland in nearly 5 years.  So much has happened and changed since then.  We couldn't have had a better time.  It was so worth it and I hope that it won't be another 5 years before we go again.  My kids are at such a great age to really enjoy it.  We made many memories and we were talking about it for days afterwards.  We still talk about it. 
We pretty much did everything we wanted to do and made the kids do a few things they didn't want to do.  I think Thunder Mountain was everyone's favorite.  It was the first faster ride we went on and Abby was beyond excited when it was done.  She was screaming with her hands in the air.  I love watching my kids have a good time.  Kids make life magical.  It was a trip we will always remember and have wonderful memories of.  It was fun to hang out with my mom and be together.  We were sad to leave.  But it was a sort of happy sad.  We just had such a great time that we didn't want it to end.