14

When Sierra was at camp Ashton spent the night at Sophi's and Jake and I went away for one night to celebrate our 14 years of marriage. 

This was our view from our room. I couldn't stop smiling!

They even delivered a Martinelli to our room!

With a thank you note!

Xoxo Couldn't have been more perfect!

Duke's

I love it when our daddy says let's do our errands and then let's go to the beach and stay late and have dinner at Duke's.

Remember

This last Wednesday we went to the beach with mom, Sophi and kids, Brenna and her mom. What a beautiful day, sun was shining! The week before we were freezing! Sophi had to leave a bit earlier than we did and Sierra built this sand temple. Ashton found something for the angel moroni on the top.

 Friday Sierra got her braces back on, phase 2. She looks so beautiful! On the way to get her braces on she was so nervous and asked, "mom, am I going to get Anastasia, you know that will make me feel wierd." I assured her she was not going to get Anesthesia (she should know from the the last time but I will give her some credit she was only 8). So very cute how she said it though and I always want to remember.

 Friday night we went with the whole family to Mormon Dodger Night. SO FUN! Dodgers played horrible and didn't even get one run but it was still so fun! The firework show at the end was the best part!
A family sitting down the row from us had a brand new baby. The dad was standing and bouncing him in his hands. He was being funny and plopped his baby in the arms of a young guy sitting next to us. I waved my hands and Jake helped me, motion that I wanted to hold the baby. He passed him down to me! The baby was only 2 weeks old and I got to snuggle him. I was shocked! Ashton was saying "mom, are you a stranger!" :)

 On Saturday we all piled in cars and drove to Camp Whitsett. Me, Jake and Sierra went in my mom's car with Norris and Brenna. Mom, Chris and Ashton went in Brett and Briana's car. Nixon was sick throwing up and I'm still hoping Ashton doesn't get sick. He's been sleeping with a throw up bowl for 3 nights now, maybe we are in the clear. :)
The Boy Scout Council from our area built Camp Whitsett a new lifeguard tower in honor of Sam. They dedicated it to him on Saturday and had a small ceremony. It was special and so beautiful. Aunt Ruthie said that Sam was saying alot in the months before he died, "it's about the journey, not the destination." How fitting for my blog, Joy in the Journey. :) Uncle Randy said that he still feels Sam's presence and told a story...Uncle Randy is a beekeeper and Sam used to do it with him, recently Uncle Randy was having a problem with the hive and he was trying to find a solution. He went to bed one night and heard a voice "use pvc pipe." The next day he did and it solved the problem and he said "Thanks Sam!" I believe Sam wants to be with his family and wants to help them. A recent conference talk was discussed on Saturday with our family, sometimes our loved ones can help us more from the other side than they can here on earth with us.
We played on the lake after the ceremony. I took my kids out on a row boat and couldn't get back to the dock when it was time to get off the lake. The wind was blowing drifting me toward the waterfall and shoreline. We would have been fine but Ashton was a little freaked out. :) Luckily my brother was on the lake in a row boat and he came to the rescue. He had Brenna and Rossi in his boat. He paddled over to us, they grabbed our rope and Norris pulled us in. I like to think I helped a little cause I was rowing but who knows, I think he saved us! :) Ashton swam in the lake, we sat on the dock and ate veggies and watermelon. It was a great day. We ate Sonic on the way to Camp Whitsett, that was a fun experience having a guy come out to bring you your food on roller blades. On the way home we stopped with everybody, including Lawrences and had pizza. That was so fun too! Great to be together!
On the way home I got a text from Aunt Ruthie with this picture of Sierra attached. She said "so fitting that Sierra is in this picture, love that girl!" It is such a precious shot, I didn't even know that she had climbed up there.

Sunday we had dinner with Jake's family and Hunter and Rosa are in town. So fun to see them and their munchkins. I got to snuggle sweet baby Scott too!
Last night we had dinner at Grannie's with the Lawrence's, Dunn's, Norris and Brenna cause Uncle Bob and his wife, Susan, were in town from Michigan. My mom picked up Stonefire and we all ate and visited...and picked Grannie's beautiful pumpkins. Pumpkins in JULY! :)

Winter Break Vacay

Tuesday we drove to OC and jumped in my sister's car just in time to go get Nix from school. Then we went to the animal hospital where they rescue and rehabilitate seals and then return them to the ocean. They only had 2 when we were there, fun to check out.

 Went back to Briana's and got swim suits on and went swimming...well Briana and the kids did, I just watched. :)
We watched "Smurf's," ate some yummy leftover soup, clam dip :), peppermint hot chocolate!
The kids and uncle Brett made a movie that is so cute! He posted it on youtube so you can check it out, it's titled "The Barefoot Baddy."
This morning Briana made a yummy breakfast with eggs and mixture of white and orange potatoes. Then we went to the beach! YAY! We were at the beach for about 6 hours, you can only do that when you live 10 minutes away. It was hot, the sun was hot, so warm, so wonderful! The ocean was freezing but the kids didn't care, I care, I tried to get in the ocean with Sierra but I really couldn't, icy coldness! But I can sit in a chair in the hot sunshine with all my sunblock on and soak it up and watch her boogie on the boogie board! :)

 We went to the rocks and found all kinds of interesting sea creatures! Fun to explore!

Went to Cafe Rio after the beach, LOVE Cafe Rio! Went to Briana's and made the kids grilled cheese cause they don't appreciate Cafe Rio like I do. Enjoyed my delicious salad, showered me and the kids and then headed home. Love to visit my sister at the beach! We don't get to go often enough. Thanks Brett and Briana! Love your family! xoxo
Thanks Briana for all the photos too! :)

The Beach in DECEMBER?

Today we went to the beach in Santa Monica. Me and the kids went with Jake's family, both of his sisters and their family's, mom, Aunt Leanne and Marne. What a beautiful day at the beach! So warm! My kids said,  "felt like it does in the summer time." The kids were in the water most of the time.

Sierra and Kate (best friends and cousins)

Ashton, Bryce, Curtis and Nathan (all cousins)

A quick getaway

We decided at the last minute to go away, just the 4 of us. We surprised the kids, I got us all packed up and told them to get their suits on cause we were going to the beach. We went to Mandalay in Oxnard. When we parked and walked into the hotel lobby the kids were confused and then after Jake got us all checked in the kids asked, "are we staying here?" Yep! "we are?!" There were huge grins and pure excitement. They were so excited when we got in the hotel room to see every little thing. "Look at this, look at that!" We LOVED every minute. So fun to be together and spend that time. I told my little family as we were walking on the beach together that this is heaven on earth, being together in such a beautiful place.
This is us in the hot tub...
We were at the pool first and then we were at the beach and then back to the pool.
Showered and went and got pizza.
Picked up a liter of icecream and 4 spoons.
Got free nachos and popcorn from the hotels Happy Hour.
Went back to the hotel room and ate icecream, nachos and popcorn. What a combination! :)
When we checked in the reception upgraded our room to ocean view, THANKYOU!
We watched the sunset from the balcony of our hotel room.
We watched Yogi Bear.
Went to sleep.

Totally worth the one night, would do it again! :)
I LOVE this little family of mine!

A week

Monday...had a playdate at my friend Christy's house with my 2 kids and her 5 girls...whew! So fun to catch up, my kids said that she is soooo nice and her girls said that Sierra is their best friend. :)

Tuesday was the best pool day EVER! I just love the Patterson's, we grew up together, have known them since I was little. They are so kind and generous. They hosted pool day and I think almost every mom from the ward was there with her littles.
Brittany (with Annie), Maddie, Ann, Rebecca, Natalie


Carly B., Andrea C., Melissa G. Megan C., ME, Kerrie and Miriam (with Melanie)


Me (with Mali Illum) and Ruth A.

If I can't have anymore of my own, I am going to do whatever it takes to get my hands on all your babies :) Me with baby Bowen Lake



Wednesday I registered for school, just 1 class. I'm waitlisted for Psych 101. Just hoping and praying that I get in. I was going to take 2 classes but everything was waitlisted. I was freaking out anyway about this new endeavor. Feel so much better and calmer with the decision to just take one and ease my way back into school. After registering I took the kids down to the pool and we swam together the 3 of us and had SO MUCH FUN!

Thursday I took my kids to the beach along with Sierra's friend, Karlie. Just me and 3 kids. Not like me at all. I usually want someone to go with me, have someone to talk to. What a wonderful day! It was sunny and warm and beautiful. There was a dead seal up on the beach that was rolling in and out of the waves. Two surfers with gloves and shovels pulled him up on the sand and buried him. So nice cause it was kind of gross to look at however, beware when you go start digging giant holes in the sand for your kids. :0 I read my book while watching children. I played catch with Ashton with a football. I played smashball with Ashton. I buried my legs with Ashton. I even got in the water, it was pretty cold. We went to Oxnard and stayed until 4:15. The kids and I loved every minute!!!

Friday Briana came up for the weekend and spent the day at our house with Sophi too. A great day and then to top it off, Jake and I went to the temple for Ward temple night. I love the temple.

Saturday we did some cleaning in the morning. Went on a walk as a family. Me and the kids went swimming again together. Watched RIO together. Went to Chili's with Grandma and Grandpa for dinner. Then Grammy watched the kids and Jake and I went and saw a play, The Music Man. Frank and Troy Norton were both in it from our ward. Fun to see them on stage. :)

Happy 4th!

This is training...the Thursday before our race we went out and did about 2 miles. The kids did GREAT! No complaining! It was very FUN!

This is the DAY! 4th of July we raced! Harbor Run in Oxnard. A 5k. My kids first 5k.

Here is the whole clan...some ran the 5k and others ran the 10k. All the kids ran the 5k and Rocky, he biked it! :)


Runners start!


Here is Ashton running to the finish! He ran most of the 3 miles. He walked once for only a minute.


This is Sierra after she ran for the finish...she too did so GREAT! She ran most of the time too but had to walk a few more times because she kept getting a cramp...she did so AWESOME!

I was so proud of my kids...Sierra was not very happy with me. She said she never wants to do this again. We shall see! :)


Ashton, Rocky, Lincoln

Rossi with his fav Sierra!

Here is my Aunt Suzie. This is her first race ever in her whole life. We were so thrilled that we got to be there as her witness. She is so wonderful and so much fun!

Go Aunt Suzie! :)


All the 5kers!


Sierra won the raffle prize. Why does she win everything. She is a lucky girl to have around. :)
After the race we went to the beach. It was a beautiful day. The water was great! We all got in the water!
Sierra's results-
Ashton's results were lost and not posted but he finished somewhere between 33 and 34 minutes.
Then, BBQ and swimming at Papa's
Fireworks on DelMonte with Grandma, Aunt Jen, Aunt Crystal, Uncle Thomas, and cousins
BEST DAY EVER!