Backyard Campout!

This was an awesome way to camp!  Hardly any planning required. No need to pack.  No worrying if the kids are wandering into other people's campsites.  No hike to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  If you forgot something...no problem, just walk in the house to get it!  And even though it wasn't quite as exciting as the "real thing," we still got to enjoy most of the best parts: sleeping in a tent, roasting (or BBQing) hot dogs and marshmallow, gazing up at the stars (although there were far fewer visible than if we were in the mountains), and being together!  I loved doing this!

Children's Museum

 Just wanted to share a few pictures of the fun time we had at the children's museum over Spring break.

Coastal Hike

Over President's day weekend we went on a fun family excursion to the coast.  We started with a family-friendly hike not too far from Half Moon Bay.  It included some beautiful beach scenery, tide pools, as well as some really cool and mysterious looking woods (the girls referred to them as the "creepy" woods.) After exploring this adventurous trail, we then drove south on Highway 1 to one of the girls' favorite places: a beach that they lovingly refer to as "pebble beach" because instead of sand, it is covered with tiny smooth stones of different shapes and colors. (We discovered it a few years ago on another family hike, and they haven't stopped taking about it since!)  You could truly sit in these pebbles for hours just running your hands and feet through them, and examining their uniqueness...they are that cool!

I love my family.  I love their wonder and awe of nature.  I love their sense of adventure, and excitement for anything new.  And, I love the beach, even when it's frigidly cold!

Tuckered-Out Tot

We've been going through some sleep issues with Daphne lately.  She gets up way too early each morning, and on top of that she is at the age where naps are just not happening...well at least not the planned kind.  This leaves her a bit touchier than normal, and at risk of falling asleep without warning.  Every once in a while, late in the afternoon, I will find her in a random spot (usually on the floor) completely asleep...out cold, down for the count, taking forty winks, sacked out, somnolent.  We've even learned to recognize the physical cues that lead up to the spontaneous slumbering (laying on her tummy with her hands tucked under her body, often with a blanket or jacket between her legs.)  Sometimes there is no warning at all and I will just walk into a room and find her like this:

 It even happened in the grocery store once!

Birthday Trip

My husband is Awesome!  He took the day off on Friday and surprised me with an overnight trip to San Francisco for my birthday.  The kids stayed with Aaron's parents (who are awesome too to babysit) and had their own adventure with Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Sarah.  Meanwhile Aaron and I traveled light, took the BART into the city, stayed in a nice hotel in Union Square, ate fabulously, shopped without looking at the clock, watched live comedy improv, stayed up late, slept in late, walked everywhere we went, and stopped when we wanted to look in a window or walk through an art gallery (all things that are easier and more enjoyable to do "kid-less!")  We had a great time...it really was so much fun!!

Happy New Year!

The five of us rang in the new year with lots of  energy and excitement!  We danced, sang karaoke, played games, and ate lots of yummy food! At midnight we toasted with Martinelli's and then banged pots and pans outside as we wished the neighborhood a happy New Year (minus Daphne who couldn't make it that late!)

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas.  My parents were able to drive out from Utah to be with us on Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and the day after.  It was a treat to have them here to share in the excitement of our little ones.  We are so happy that they came, we really enjoyed them!  Christmas Eve was very special, especially since both sets of grandparents got to be there with us.  We had a nice dinner together and then enjoyed a program that Aaron put together of reading from the scriptures of Christ's birth and singing beautiful Christmas carols.  The girls even dressed up and acted out the nativity story.  The next morning I got to show the girls a Christmas tradition that I grew up with, which was bringing breakfast in bed to my mom first thing in the morning (her birthday is Christmas day.)  They even got to experience the anticipation I remember of waiting for breakfast to cook and for Grandma to enjoy her meal before they could even go see what Santa brought them (but they still didn't have to wait as long as I remember waiting as a kid, because my dad always made us get dressed and eat breakfast as well!!)  They didn't seem to mind, and it was a fun experience for them.  Afterwards we opened presents and had an fun day together!

Cameron and Brittany's Wedding

Just two days after Aaron and I celebrated our wedding anniversary, his younger brother Cameron and new wife Brittany were married in the Oakland Temple.  That makes five anniversaries among his siblings and parents within four days in December (two on the 18th, two on the 20th, and one on the 21st!)  It was a lot of fun to visit with the family and have almost everyone in town, even if it was only for two days.  It was a beautiful and special day. We are so excited to have Brittany in the family!

Cameron with Mom and Dad

Daphne with her new Aunt Brittany

This picture doubled as our Christmas card!

Friendly...

...Fierce...

...and  Very Fierce!

Weekend in L.A.

 My dear friend Charlotte (who I have known my whole life) has lived in Switzerland for the past few years (which has made it very difficult to visit her.) So when I found out that she was in L.A. visiting her parents, I quickly made plans to drive down and see her (with the full support of my helpful hubby who would spend the weekend with the kids at home.)  I coordinated to be there the same weekend that Chelsea (another life long buddy) would be there visiting from Utah. We all stayed with our friend Nikki (Who lives by the beach) for a full-fledged girls night of fun.  I got to meet Char's adorable baby boy that I had only seen in pictures when I picked her up at her parents' home before we headed to Nikki's for the night.  We spent the evening out to dinner, dessert at a bakery, singing karaoke  and playing board games late into the night.  The next morning we walked to the farmer's market across the street from Nikki's house and had breakfast, and later enjoyed a bike ride to the beach, followed by a sushi lunch/dinner and good-byes.  It was such a quick trip (only about 24 hours), but so worth the hours of driving.  I love these ladies!

Thanksgiving

I am so grateful that we were able to travel to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with my family.  We had such an enjoyable time, the weather was clear, and everyone traveled so well...we were really so very fortunate.  The kids had a blast playing with their many young cousins, and Aaron and I had a great chance to visit with my parents and some of my siblings.  I enjoyed being able to help my mom prepare dinner, and we all had a lot of fun playing games late into the night!  One of the highlights of the trip was visiting Temple Square the day after Thanksgiving when the Christmas lights were turned on.  What a fabulous way to kick off the Christmas season.

The Thanksgiving Feast

The Kid Tables

Eve and Grace with cousin Ty at Temple Square

Daphne and her cousin Sammy

Me and Tausha at Temple Square

The girls thought this night was so cool!

I am thankful for my Sweetheart!

At the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Grace created this display of gratitude as she waited for the feast.

My Mom and Dad