Swim Lessons!

Today was Ashton's first Swim Lesson and I don't have any pictures because he would not get in the water. SO FRUSTRATING!!! He absolutely loves the water and is not afraid but he is shy and has a hard time with new teachers and kids he doesn't know. We have had a long talk and a little bit of bribing and a time out so we shall see how tomorrow goes. I hope I have pictures to post tomorrow, I'm nervous about how starting preschool is going to go in a couple of months. We shall see!

Happy Last Day of School, now it's party time!!!

...and the tiny wheels are off!

It's Freezing...in JUNE?

Swim Team is underway and it is freezing! I'm not complaining because I am really enjoying the cool. In fact I made an apple pie and a pumpkin pie today. :) And last night I brought Hot Chocolate to Jake's softball game for the kids. In time it will be scorching. But, Sierra has been in the pool everyday for practice and me and Ashton (also in his bathing suit but he doesn't last long in the freezing community baby pool) cozy under a blanket on the lounge chair.

Ashton's prayer last night!

"...and please Heavenly Father can I get a bike like Lincoln and Nixon with no training wheels..."

Another fun one!

This one was fun! I had to take pics. I told Sierra it looked like she was wearing a crown made of hair! :)

Camping in Carpenteria

We went Camping in Carpenteria with my side of the fam! Everyone left home Tuesday but Jake and I and the kids left our home on Wednesday afternoon. We got there Wednesday evening and most people were still at the beach. Our kids went out to the beach fully clothed with Sophi while Jake and I set up camp. When it was getting close to dinner time I went to the beach to get my kids and they were soaking wet and covered in sand. They were having so much fun but I am a party pooper and I was frustrated because I didn't want to deal with sand and wetness that first hour of being there. I know, I'm a mean mommy! I powdered them both off and got them changed and we headed over to mom's campsite to eat spaghetti and ceaser salad (that I brought but mom put it together, I was holding Rocky who wasn't feeling very good by the campfire.) We ate very well! Thanks mom and Sophi! We had cereal every morning except for Friday morning I ate s'mores for breakfast. Norris' friend Steve taught us how to put a square of chocolate inside the marshmallows and then roast and the chocolate gets melty too. They were the best s'mores that I have ever had. :) The first night we all played Catch Phrase by the campfire and it was so much fun. There were alot of laughs. Jake and I didn't sleep the first night but we slept great the second night considering the campsite next to us was playing Russian Techno at 10:30pm. Didn't keep me awake, I was so tired.

When we weren't at the beach the kids were riding their bikes all over the place.




My mom's campsite was right by the bathrooms, popular place to play and circle around with their bikes.

I took my kids down to the beach at 9:00am on Thursday. Everyone else joined us about 10:30am. The sun was out at 7:00am and they were bugging me from the moment they woke up to go to the beach. We stayed and played all day until 5:00pm then we went and showered and got ready for hot dogs and potato salad.

Nixon, Sierra, Melissa, Ashton and Lincoln

They had found GIANT sand crabs, the biggest we have seen and Jake decided he needed to throw one at Norris.


Ashton was telling me how big they are...
In this spot of the beach there were sand crabs everywhere. When you moved your feet they would come up and start crawling everywhere and then go back down. I had Rocky with me and he was freaking out and kept looking down and backing up.

Timmy showed me.

Sierra and Timmy were boogie boarding buddies.

Daddy was burying Nixon and Ashton.

A Bathing Beauty!



Jake was over digging a hole and burying the boys and I had made a comment saying "that's what dad's are supposed to do at the beach, dig holes for their kids." Amanda's husband, Monte was sitting behind me and said "okay fine I will go dig holes." :) So funny, what good daddy's! This picture above is Monte's fine and fun work.

Sierra and Timmy were burying themselves. They were little buddies. They enjoyed each others company. Timmy is my first cousin, my aunt Ruth and I were pregnant for a couple of months together, I was at the beginning of my pregnancy, she was at the end.






We had a beautiful day on Thursday and Friday we had rain. Rain did not keep these kids from having FUN!!!

A puddle is good for something!

Ashton found this puddle where he could get his bike stuck and he was spraying the water up with his back tire.

Melissa joined in on the fun with getting her bike stuck too. When she was turning her back wheel the spray was going up on her back. She was laughing and surely making us laugh too.


Nixon needed a turn and he went crazy and he got his spray up so high that he was spraying Melissa behind him.

Lincoln hopped on and had his turn too. This was so funny, and these kids were entertainment for others in the campground, we had cars driving by stopping and laughing and people walking by doing the same.

We all got packed up, difficult with the rain because everything was wet and muddy but accomplished the task and then we all went to Duke's for lunch and then continued on home.

GREAT TRIP, GREAT FUN!!!! We look forward to doing it again!