Our Summer In Pictures Part I: Water, Sand & Family

The summer started off with swim lessons for the twins.  Chase's new trick: going ALL the way under water.  Ella just likes wearing the goggles (notice I said "wearing" and not "using").

 

Apparently Chase & Ella have overcome their fear of the ocean and moving water.  So much so that Chase is willing to take on the waves and Ella likes the challenge of trying to jump over them.

 

 

Brian couldn't wait to put his new boogie board to good use with the boys.

 

And sand crab hunting is a must....

  

just be careful where you hunt!  This jellyfish was dead and luckily no one got stung, but that's a close enough call for me.  Yikes!

 

And, of course, our trip to the beach wouldn't be complete without building sandcastles with Aunt Nee Nee.

 

 

Not quite the beach, we spent the day at Lake Perris with extended family.  It turned out to be a perfect (albeit hot!) day.

    

The lake water was perfect for playing in for the kids (shallow and no current or big waves).  And when they weren't swimming, there was fishing.  Chase & Ella got their first lesson from Brian.

 

She's a natural.

   

The good news is that they both got to experience catching (tiny) fish.

 

But I think they were more excited to be doing what the "big" kids were doing.

   

A little more family and a little more beach, we headed back to Torrey Pines to check out the tide pools.  The beach is fun, but everything is more fun with cousins!

  

  

Truth be told, we probably could have skipped the tide pools and just let the kids climb on the rocks...

  

or search for shells, or examine the green algae that washed ashore...like I said, more fun with cousins.

  

Speaking of cousins, we were treated by a rare visit from TWO beloved cousins- Jane from Colorado and Michael from Ventura.  You couldn't find two more genuine, sincere people; I'm lucky to call them family.

 

 

By the way, this what happens when you don't worry about putting sunscreen on perfectly because it's cloudy and you forgot to put it on first thing (meaning the kids are already wet and sandy).  Yes, we had FOUR raccoons and funny looks from strangers for a few days.  Lesson learned. 

  

Our final trip to the beach this summer was with Nana Sharlene who had been begging to go so they could build sand castles.  

 

Garrett took this task very seriously and spent quite a while digging trenches and building his castle (which, of course, I didn't get a picture of).  

   

Chase got in on the action, too, but he was more interested in making a "road" and a path for the water.

 

And while he didn't partake in the castle building, Blake made his own artistic creation- a crab!  I love that kid, this is SO him.

I would have liked to make it to the beach more this summer, but considering the undertaking of getting there, applying sunscreen (accurately) to four squirmy kids, keeping them from drowning or wandering off, keeping them fed and then showering off only to discover an entire pocket full of sandy shells...while in the car...I think we did pretty good.  Next summer we will probably be regular beach bums. :) 

 

 

 

Our Fifteen Year Lucky Streak

I can’t remember life before him, and I can’t imagine life without him.  Feeling thankful for feeling loved by my wonderful husband of 15 years.

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans..."

Aint that the truth.  Life has been busy and happening all over the place over the last couple months.  Here is my best catch-up-nutshell version of our crazy life...

We survived yet another tax season.  Are they getting harder or are we just getting older?  Or both?  The good news is that I'm looking forward to that post-labor amnesia that should be kicking in any day now where looking back "it wasn't that bad...".  The GREAT news is that Brian really likes his job.  And, really, life is too short not to. 

Blake earned his yellow belt in karate, way to go, Blake!

Of course now it's getting harder and he hasn't totally committed to practicing, but I'm hoping the hitting and kicking techniques will change his mind (so long as he doesn't practice those on his siblings).  When he's not going kung foo, Blake is putting his new pocket knife to use following his  recent Cub Scouts refresher on whittling.  He's so proud, what do you think of his fish?

Note: whittling a small bar of soap takes a lot of- okay, too much- focus and patience for a group of excited third grade boys.

We also learned how to ski Southern California style- on grass, of course! 

It actually turned out to be a really good team building exercise with Scouts that ended up being very akin to rowing.  And I'm happy to report that Blake seems to finally be doing much better in school...now that it's May.  No doubt he's looking forward to summer and more fort building (he actually builds rooms in his forts!).

Garrett has continued to amaze us with his unique and original Lego creations.

This is the "graveyard" he built complete with headstones, a "creepy" tree, spider web and spider.

Watching Garrett construct this sphinx was pretty amazing- he new exactly what piece needed and where to put it.  He built his in under 5 minutes.

It seems like daily that he comes up with something new.  I can't wait to see what he comes up with at Lego camp this summer...should be interesting.  While I'm still trying to wrap my brain around him turning eight, Garrett has managed to finagle three family birthday celebrations and a friend party next month.  This kid is going to be a millionaire someday...  These days he's added another Character Counts wristband to his collection after being rewarded at school for turning in money he found on the playground.

Does this nullify the Character Violation he got earlier that week? 

Chase is still a bigger version of his sweet and loving self.  He's become quite the talker these days and goes from 0 to frustrated in about .01 seconds...patience is not this child's virtue.  But, fortunately, being too darn cute is.  And so are compassion, affection and cuddling.  Yeah, he's pretty irresistible.  He's also become quite the little dancer/singer.  Here are his moves to Michael Jackson's "Beat It".

Otherwise, his biggest challenge right now is trying to be "one of the 'big' boys" when his body is only three (which doesn't help his frustration).

Ella got her first hair cut!  Yes, while Chase has had more than we can count, we've been holding out on getting Ella's haircut so she could have long hair.  And now that she does, she wants it cut "like a boy".  The compromise was just a trim, which turned out much better than I was anticipating considering that she was growling at the stylist the entire time. 

She even got a style (something I'm strictly prohibited from going).  In the end she walked away with a "Jedi" braid- the one and only time, I'm sure.

She has also become quite enthused with drawing.  Here is the first official drawing that is recognizable to others- can you guess what it is?

It's kind of hard to see, but according to Ella it's a spider.

Now if I could just harness that creativity exclusively to paper... 

And, of course, she is still dressing up (and undressing) Ella-style constantly.  

Here's one of the coolest things about preschool- the twins got to celebrate their "special day" at school, where they celebrate non-school birthdays.  They were super proud to have Aunt Renee come to read a few of their favorite books.

Aimee.  My updates are a little less exciting...I'm still running about 20 miles a week, which is good considering I discovered cake pops (and really wish I hadn't)! 

Other than keeping up with family, I've been working a little less and am promising myself I will make time to write more.  Summer is just around the corner and I'm ready- or at least armed- with workbooks, summer camps and sunscreen.

Easter was low-key this year.  Mostly because we had been too busy to plan much more than an egg hunt and a totally nontraditional (but easy) lasagna dinner.  I really need to talk to the Easter bunny about rescheduling Easter for AFTER tax season.  Just as well- we went light on the egg hunt too, since I had already eaten most of the candy. 

Mother's Day was also low-key (the theme around here when things get crazy).  And, you really can't go wrong with a massage to celebrate.

 

This was the Mother's Day Tea at the twin's preschool where the kids in the class created the menu for the moms.  This year it was chicken noodle soup, lemonade and chocolate ice cream.  Yum? What I love about that is that they are all comfort foods, which tells me the kids love the comfort of mom!

 

Then there was the hailstorm of '12.  We had a few days of cold rain and hail- so much so that it accumulated just enough to make ONE snow/iceball.  By the next weekend it was 80 degrees, so that was our winter and then we were into spring.  It was fun while it lasted.

One of the coolest things about San Diego is "Free Tuesdays" at Balboa Park.  On this day we went with Nana to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs (of course) and then went to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center where the kids got to explore for hours.  A portion of the upstairs was dedicated to stick building- whatever you can imagine and build!  We all had fun building masterpieces (and learning about physics...).

Over Spring Break the kids and I got to visit with John, Jen, Patrick and Jessica, who we haven't seen in almost eight years!  What a great time (minus the stomach bug that knocked a few of us down), and how fun to be grown ups and reminisce about childhood!  It was especially fun getting to know Patrick and Jessica a little better- what sweet kids (which is strange to call them, since they are both taller than me and twice as big since the last time I saw them).

Speaking of family, we recently had the privilege of hosting a family of House Wrens in the birdhouse the boys made with Grandpa a few years back.  Blake was the first to notice it, but I was doubtful because I thought the hole was too small.  Turns out, it was just the right size for a small bird and perfect shelter for a nest!  

In fact, we've had quite a variety of birds hanging out at our house lately- a Scrub Jay that waits on our patio for bread crumbs, a Coopers Hawk and a Redtail Hawk that consider our yard prime hunting grounds, hummingbirds that keep checking back to see if we've refilled our feeders, and a woodpecker that can be heard and seen poking at the neighbors' trees.  Blake even did his school presentation on birds- and a special thanks to Aunt Nee Nee for helping him!

And in the midst of it all, we moved Penny/Grandma & David/Grandpa in early March to be closer to us.  The move was all that Penny had talked about wanting for years, and we were able to spend a little more time with her in the last month.  Sadly she passed away just a few weeks after moving here (more on that in another post) and we think about and miss her often.

The good news is that this summer is promising to be unforgettable!  The boys are really looking forward to fishing and bird watching with Grandpa, going to Lego, Lasertag and rock climbing camps, and hopefully spending most other days in their bathing suits (literally, not metaphorically, although nothing would surprise me in this house).  Chase & Ella will hopefully be taking swim lessons and tumbling.  And I'm just hoping to keep my sanity :)

And the Journey Continues...

It was fifteen years, four months and seven days earlier that this same scenario played out.  And I fell for it twice. 

It was a beautiful San Diego evening and Brian and I were on a wild goose chase to run a random errand all the way across town.  The first time, I was a little surprised, but this time I was shocked!  As we made our way around the back side of the Hotel Del Coronado in search of what I thought was the gift shop, I was slightly thrown off guard when Brian nudged me onto the sand.  And then really thrown off guard when he confessed there was no pendant that were supposedly in search of. 

But...why go through all the trouble of getting me here?  He could have just said "let's have a date" and I would have happily obliged. 

Because it wasn't just any date.  In fact, we found the exact spot where he proposed fifteen years earlier and made ourselves comfortable on the rocks to watch the sunset.  And still, I thought it was just special being together in this place, and that it was an intentional moment created to reflect on life and prepare ourselves for what's to come.  I was right, but I didn't expect him to take it one step further.

As we sat on the rocks marveling at the picturesque sunset, Brian summarized his first proposal about setting out on life's journey together.  He talked about the journey so far- the adventures of unexpected storms, the beautiful places and the four passengers we've added along the way.  And the journey that's yet to come.

He presented me with my original wedding ring (which I had not been wearing it since it was in need of repair), which he not only had fixed, but embellished with four additional diamonds- one for each of our passengers (children).  And as we watched the sun set together 15 years later, we agreed to continue our journey together and as a family, whatever adventures life brings.

Feeling content with life is a beautiful thing.  Thanks to my amazing and incredibly thoughtful husband for making me the world's luckiest wife. 

Bon Voyage!

Running Strong

Happy Running Anniversary to my husband, Brian.  It was a year ago this race (the Silver Strand Half Marathon) that we set off down a path of running races together (or, more accurately, running at the same time- he still won't run with me).  It's been a year of pushing ourselves, building mental (and physical) toughness and focusing on being being healthy. 

Here is what I've learned about running half marathons:

1.  It's exhilarating to see the start line....a relief to see the finish line...but the real challenge is what it takes to get from one to the other.
2.  It's all about the training...unless you're under 30, which is probably why the majority of people running these races are over 30- it's the challenge the beckons them.
3.  The proper fuel and hydration is an equation unique to you and you have to listen to your body to figure it out (ideally before the race).  For instance, I learned the hard way this time around NOT to eat orange slices immediately upon running 13.1 miles (they didn't sit well in my stomach...and didn't stay there).
4.  Stretch, strengthen, and stretch some more.  It will keep you strong, balanced and less prone to injury.
5.  Plan to do nothing after the race and give yourself a chance to recover...which is pretty much impossible with four kids.
6.  Do what you enjoy.

So, here are our specific accomplishments this year:
Aimee: 4 Half marathons4, including this one (PR: 1:58); 2 10k's (PR: 52:12); 1 5k (PR: 25:35)
Brian ran 3 half marathons (including this one), 2 10k's, 2 full sprint triathlons and swam 1 relay triathlon. 

This year we plan to focus on shorter (and fewer) races, but still intend to keep running and training.  But, most importantly, staying healthy for the sake of each other and our family.  Happy Anniversary, Bri!

Appointment for Fun!

The boys had no idea I was picking them up early from school and when they came nervously to the office to meet me and I told them we had "an appointment" their eyes widened and the questions started. "Will it hurt? Are we getting shots? Do I have to go to the dentist?" My answer to every question was a loving and compassionate, "We'll talk about it more when we get in the car". The questions kept coming, and so did my canned reply. The cookies I strategically placed between their seats were the first clue and this time I answer their question..."We have an...APPOINTMENT FOR FUN!!!".

It's not often that I get to spend time with the boys without nagging them about getting dressed, doing homework, hurrying up, etc., etc., so this was a welcomed opportunity to spend some non-twin time with my two big boys. I already had a plan (yes, even FUN needs to be planned these days), but was waiting for the boys to make the improbable suggestion. When they excitedly asked where we were going I told them that they get to choose. Garrett's reply was, "this is the second best day of my life!". When I asked why it wasn't the first he explained that the BEST day was when dad took them to Legoland instead of school. And my response? "Why can't WE go to Legoland?" They wiggled and squealed in their seats as I- known for the parent who says "no" to pretty much everything- suggested we go to Legoland instead of taking spelling tests. I have to say, it is more fun being the "nice" parent. So we were off...

The boys talked on the way about all the things they wanted to see and do. And we got to have some other unintentional conversations too- like who they like (news to me!) and how Garrett thinks girls are bossy. I could finally give them the attention they deserve and how nice it was to sit and just listen instead of rattling off in my head the twenty things I had to do when I got home. Turns out, you can learn a lot from listening and observing. You would think I would already know this- and I do- but it's easy to forget when you're multi-tasking while trying to meet the needs of four kids at the same time.

First, we checked out the shops at the entrance. After that, it was on to Miniland to see the Washington Mall that we had seen in person last year and of course the new Star Wars Miniland. They've seen most of it before, but they studied it anyway. The boys panned for gold, played on the playground without being yelled at to watch for the little ones, we rode the dragon roller coaster and they actually fought over who got to sit next to me! They rode a few other rides, ate junk food, drove cars, built minifigures and bionicles, shopped in every store and even made a trip through the aquarium. They just got to be boys; there was no fighting, no yelling, no teasing and no whining or complaining...just harmonious fun for all of us.

After witnessing their driving skills, I have to say that I'm glad Blake will be driving first...

...since Garrett was more concerned about looking cool.

I loved that Blake pointed out that from below, sting rays seem to smile.

And that even sharks were tired like us and needed a rest.

As the day wound down and I took frequent opportunities to relish the peace and joy we were having, I couldn't help but notice all the intricate and spectacular lego mosaics they have around the park. It occurred to me that so much of my time these days is spent living microscopically- like standing super close to those mosaics- where all I can focus on is the moment I am in while planning for the next.

Most of my time is spent staring at a bunch of colored legos randomly displayed so to speak...but when you take a few steps back you see the beautiful scenery that together those pieces create. You take a macroscopic view.

I've never been a "big picture" person because I'm so literal, but I can appreciate how each of those small pieces that may seem insignificant, misplaced or undesirable in and of themselves are in fact NECESSARY to provide contrast for the picture to be complete. And all of life's frustrations, challenges and stresses are what give it texture and contrast, which is required to see the beauty in it. Who knew Legoland had so much to offer?

And I learned a few other things, too. Like when Blake was feverishly cranking the penny stamping machine in an effort to complete his collection while the park music (a Star-Wars-type instrumental piece) was hitting the crescendo at the same time.

He looked up to me and said, "Mom, do you ever hear music that just makes sense to your life?". I was excited to tell him yes, that I am passionate about music for that very reason, so I knew exactly what he meant. And I learned that Garrett would like to be a Golden Eagle if he could be any kind of bird, and instead of eating small birds, he would take care of them. And that both boys would rather be pirates than knights. How nice it was to have pointless conversation instead of me doing all the talking, or rather telling them what to do.

So the day was a success. I know it was one of the best days of their lives...but it was one of the best of mine too; how special it was to spend time getting to know the boys Blake and Garrett are growing into. And I look forward to these kinds of days again to keep adding pieces to my life's mosaic.