Weekend at the Beach

This past weekend, we escaped the 110 degree heat of the Valley for our little piece of heaven...Oxnard Shores.  And while it might not be as exciting as Jersey Shores, my kids seemed to party like little rock stars.

Friday, we headed north thinking it would be an quick drive only to encounter this on the side of the freeway.  The most amazing thing was that we were super close to the fire...Tripp was in heaven with all the sirens and actually seeing the firemen with their hoses.  So, while the traffic was a disaster, the excitement made it really cool.

(all pictures taken with my iPhone)

First on the agenda, hitting the Lake Casitas Water Park.  This is a public park in the middle of no where that has this amazing splash pad and a gigantic lazy river.  The kids had a blast!

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It was rad cuz the kids were so worn out from the water park that by the time we got to my parent's place in Oxnard, they were ready to eat and crash!

Of course, bright and early, we were up and ready to get started.  We walked/rode over to the park then hit the beach.

We played parachute with a huge blanket.

Luci flew her first kite.

Tried out a new beach.  Wes hates sand.

Then Sunday night, we headed back to the Valley.  When we got IN the car it was 74 degrees in Oxnard.  When we got OUT it was 106 degrees (Valley :(  We will be heading there next weekend!

Ballet Recital 2012

The ballet recital was very exciting this year cuz Lu got to wear a professional grade tu-tu...and to top that, it was a beautiful shade of purple...not really, but that was one of the winning points for her so I let her think that. 

After working all year on their dance routine set to a beautiful french song, Lu and Tay were ready to show their moves. 

Parents weren't allowed to take pictures during the performance, but I was able to capture Lu and Tay's pre-preformance work out. 

 It started out really serious....

 and ended up silly.

But, as always, with my two favorite photo subjects, it ended up sweet.

 Here is a pic of Lu at home after the show basking in her performance glow.

More pics to come...

Family

Here we are.  Hot and sweaty in the summer heat.  Like I said before, we've been busy doing things around the house like potty training and remodeling.  But, we've also done a lot outside too.  Like going to the Circus, swimming at friends houses, riding two-wheelers and spending time with cousins.  I have plenty of pictures, just have to find the time to upload them for you to see...

Busy

So, we've been busy potty training Penny. It's been a week and so far, so good. We were off to a really rough start, but a week in and the accidents are getting fewer and fewer.  She seems to have pee pee down, its the second part that is late to the potty. 

Other than that, I'm just way far behind posting all the pictures that I've taken this summer.  To be continued...

Summer arrived last Thursday

A week ago, my best friend from high school had her beautiful, tiny daughter.  I was lucky enough to snap a few pictures of this precious newborn.  While definitely not a professional photographer, I think I was able to capture the love and excitement that little Summer has brought to her family.

Vacation, Party of 6

Last weekend we took our first vacation as a family of 6.  I say vacation, but it really was an obligation; it was to celebrate my little brother's graduation from college! Yay!!!  While it was a short road trip up north, it took quite a bit of planning and a lot of nervous energy.



I thought it would be fitting to partake in a classic american road trip tradition.  To commemorate our first adventure on the road, we all got tattoos.  While they were chosen by chance from the grocery store dispenser, I like to think that the girls birds signify "the freedom of life on the road" and trips black widow as "weaving new adventures" (as opposed to meeting and disposing of wealthy spouses).

We packed our bags, shoved them into the van and hit the road.



The car DVD kept them busy for most of the trip...we stopped more than a few times...had a couple tantrums about seatbelts...and found ourselves dangerously close to a big rig road rage fight.  But most of the time we saw this:

Occassionally, we smelled this:

Treats were provided and naps were taken. The trip really wasn't that bad.

We arrived at our hotel, checked in, and that's when it got a bit complicated.  What to do when you don't have your toys.  Soon found out that the desk swivel chair is a fantastic merry go round.  It kept Lu and Tripp busy for awhile.

Next, we headed over to my older brothers to swim and hang out.  We LOVE our cousins!!!

The night before graduation, Craig (lil bro) and three of his friends arranged a dinner party for all their families.  It was held at a brewery attached to a duck pond.  The duck pond was key cuz it kept all 11 of his nieces and newphews busy while the adults drank.

Not the best picture, but I had to congratulate my dad.  No more school tuition! My dad has had a kid in school and been paying tuition for the past 30+ years.  This guy put 4 kids through catholic grade school, high school, and college...

Poor Mark spent the night outside looking in cuz Wes couldn't take the loud noise from the party.  

Graduation Day!  It was 104 degrees! All the cousins, minus the oldest and the youngest.

Mark said my brother Jeff was like Santa Claus...all the kids loved him and kept wanting to climb all over him.

The heat was excruciating. You could feel the meltdowns creeping up.

Babies started crying, mommy was sweating, grandma got sick, it was time to go.  We packed back in the van and started the long trip back home.

Did I learn anything from the trip?  Not really...everything was to be expected and I was actually pleasantly surprised at how well everyone did and had a blast with my family.  Will we take a long roadtrip again anytime soon?  Probably not. I'm looking forward to a trip to Vegas with Mark...only Mark.