10/11/20 Fall Break in Cali

What an amazing week we had.  

We started fall break out with a birthday party for Gma Corinne's 70th

.  We were going to do one in California at Troy's house, but she was nervous to travel because her brother had gotten COVID traveling to Utah 2 week prior.  So we had her over before our big trip for cake and celebration. It ended with the missionaries from our ward randomly stopping by and a beautiful spiritual thought following general conference. 

General Conference this year was wonderful as usual.  I look forward to really dissecting the counsel for me in each of the talks. It always makes for a good weekend. 

Then we headed to Newport Beach, staying at the Marriott coastal villas.  They were the perfect size for our family...everyone had a bed, and a washer/dryer and full kitchen.  They are also located next to a state park, so it felt a little secluded from the bustle of California traffic.

I walked the beach almost every morning, with my friend or my husband.  It was bliss.  We played at different beaches, Doheny (great 1st time surf beach), Corona del Mar (my favorite play beach), crystal cove (a walk a way)and little Corona del Mar (tide pools).  

High lights were my morning beach walk, trying surfing, watching Lily and Lizzie boogie board for 5 hours straight, watching my boys catch sea creatures in the tide pools. and seeing my children just enjoy the sand.

Low Lites were Wednesday.....Rachel falling asleep on the shuttle bus and us not knowing where she was for 1/2 hour.  (A friend drove my back and a very nice women named Lori helped Rachel until I got there). Also the boys caught fish on their fishing trip that day, but then gutted them on the condo porch....yuck.  I feel like I couldn't get the fish smell off my hands.  That same day, our car battery just died while we were out getting ice cream in the evening.  Just remember there are highs and lows to life.

We took the ferry to Balboa island on Thursday and got Corn dogs, balboa bars, ice cream, taffy, and Rachel lost her first tooth.  My favorite were the cronuts. 

Friday we packed up (after walking on the Beach with Gary) and headed to Robert's cello shop in Hollywood where Lily bought her first real wood cello...a small fortune that will be her Christmas present, birthday present, as well 10% of her own money.  It's a beautiful instrument.

We then headed down Wiltshire to Gary's brother's house to celebrate virtual Corinne's actual 70th birthday with a Hawaiian luau and cake from Corinne's favorite bakery Emil's.  Delish! Then we headed to Shelley's for the Night,

Saturday we hung out, took a hike, painted unicorn cookies for Rachel, bleached Ben's hair to match his cousin Quinn, and had delicious smoked chicken by Tony, play Werewolf for an hour with everyone, and finished the night with a movie.  

Sunday we packed and headed home.  What a week. A couple kids had slight runny noses, but other than that it was pretty action packed, amazing, and we hit lots of family and friend relationship building time. So fun....will be back. 

9/27/20 River, Boat building, Soccer....

 

2nd Week of Part-time school and my birthday.  Birthday was simple, take-out Thai food and people that remembered me and that is all I need.  I am remembering that I do have time to myself with kids in school! Even decided on a few future projects. I have been so busy being a tutor.  This week was the end the grading period, so it was a little more intense with science fair background research due.  All the big kids were BUSY, Me just on Friday with helping them.  

We had a nice little jaunt at the river on Saturday, leaving Lily at home for the first time to sleep in....don't know how I feel about that.  Gary and Lily had a soccer game in the late morning, where Lily scored her 4th goal (1 per game).  Because of the Covid restrictions on the field, they are taping and live streaming games, so I get to see the reruns of her goals.  So fun.... I have been taking them to get a treat afterward if they score a goal, and I think I may need to reconsider....  It is fun to watch her.  She would really like to try out for the high school team.  Fingers crossed!  

Ben has been collecting empty chlorine gallons all summer to build and boat and that happened on Saturday.  He pushed and pushed until Gary took him to Home depot.

He is such a creative kid.  

We got the word that be will be going back to church Oct 12....excited about that.  I have realized how important connectivity is to my happiness during this quarantine.  

9/20/20 Back at School...sort of

Tomorrow is my birthday.  What a year 2020 has brought.  With the isolation of COVID and being able to spend lots of time as a family, my mood has oscillated between depression and happiness.   Highs and Lows.  We have taken lots of vacations, discovered Arizona through hiking, and had some fun cousin times. This week brought our first back to school...Well 2 days a week. Rachel and Grant are Monday/Thursday....the other kids Tuesday/Friday....In full masks.  The lack of connectivity with friends has really taken an emotional toll on myself and my children.  

But some of the highlights of the week were...soccer games.  I love the cool Friday night with Grant and Ben to myself....Ben made the save of his life as goalie....his coach was very impressed.

Saturday Lily had some girls over for girl bonding in the pool.  It was good for her soul.

And Friday is the end of the grading period and so far pretty much A's....I feel like this in my accomplishment too....since I have been the on call personaly tutor the past few months....especially for the the younger 4!

 January 2017

Coming back to blogging, feeling like I need to document these kids growing up.  I last left you in Houston with a 4 month old baby.  Now we are a year and half in Mesa, AZ and our baby is 2, which is nearly killing me. We built a house (never again) and have been a construction zone ever since, especially the last six months, which we put in floors and woodwork, and now we are doing a pool.

Here are a few picture highlights of this month:
1) Rachel turned 2!!!

2) We went to Harry Potter World with cousins before our season pass expires.

3) We started the pool

4) Dad went to San Francisco, boys went to a movie night, and girls went out for Thai and Starbucks.  Now I am obsessed with trying to make a Starbucks copycat steamer.


For better or worse, the kids are growing up.  Highlights for the week are dad's work party, and mom and dad's date to MOD pizza:)

Sisters

Rachel Kathleen

One Week Old:

December rundown

The nutcracker ballet with our best friends:)

The gingerbread party girls only:) and brothers.

The ward Christmas party... Gary and I played Mary and Joseph given my current state. It was actually really thought provoking to have that role. 

The Christmas train, actually "Christ" themed.

Our beautiful tree:)

Last year for this tree:)