California Trip

Just the 5 of us headed down to the beach last weekend. It was a complete dream and totally renewed my love for Cali. I am always at odds with beach weather, it can be windy and cold. I hate having to put on a sweat in the middle of summer. But this trip, oh this trip, we did not wear one sweater! It was  sunny and perfectly warm. We ran around in out swim suits till we crashed into bed! I loved getting into the car after the beach and feeling the sand in my hair and on my skin. I loved having the cool air conditioning hitting my sun kissed skin. Oh it was so perfect. We stayed close to Newport and spent all day Friday and Saturday at the beach. We walked along the pier at Huntington beach, ate at Stacks Pancake House in Dana Point, visited the Newport temple and of course explored the tide pools at Crystal Cove. Scarlett loved looking for hermit crabs at the tide pools with me. She would pick them up and let them crawl all over her arm. I loved watching her "treasure hunt" and do what she loves so much.  The girls favorite activity was jumping over the waves and I of course loved walking the beach putting Jack to sleep. I so enjoyed spending time with just my little family and getting to know my kiddos better!

Just two sisters discussing the wonders of the ocean. This is my favorite picture of summer. 

First Day Of School

Alice started mom school this week and loves it. We sing songs, play number games, and color. I like to keep it short and simple and she loves anything that involves just me and her. While we were playing with flower beads (making patterns) she just sang and talked to me about her favorite colors, it was a tender moment. I am so glad I get to be with just her while Scarlett is at school/Jack naps and witness first hand her little mind grow. I just love the age of three and am over joyed she gets to stay home with me. I do not want to miss one minute of adorable three year old Alice...seriously she melts my heart! Just now she saw her picture on the computer and said "Oh mom thats me. Give me a big kiss on the lips." Haha, yes sir!

I have treaded sending Scarlett to school for 3 years! She is my biggest support and fan. All day she looks out for me, entertains Alice, holds Jack, and gets snacks/drinks for her and Alice.  Not to mention she is adorable to talk to and keeps me laughing. I love my little side kick! She was zoned for a school I did not feel good about and started praying in January that somehow things would work out. Sure enough they started building a charter school next to our house in February and I shouted for joy!! It is not the perfect situation (it starts at 8...yikes) but it is super close to our house (30 second drive), is half day kinder, and not year round. Which is all pretty awesome in my book!! Best of all... she gets to wear adorable uniforms! 

We woke up bright and early on Monday and Scarlett picked out which uniform she wanted to wear. She quickly ate breakfast and off we went. Just her and I walked to school to avoid the first day of school traffic. She held my hand the whole way and just hopped up and down with excitement. I loved talking to her about making friends, raising her hand, and being kind to everyone while we walked to school. She said "Mom, I will make sure that I am friends with everyone. I will even be friends with kids that are younger than me". Scarlett has a heart of gold. She is sweet, caring, mild, quick to smile, and very forgiving! When we got to school she ran to her teacher, followed her class into the school and did not look back. She did this all was hopping up and down in her classic Scarlett walk. This girl is pure joy and I love it!!

Jackson 9 Months

                              

This boy is on the go!! He crawls, pulls himself up, climbed stairs, and gets into everything. He is so happy and content roaming around checking everything out. I have so many baby toys that are going unused because his favorite thing to do is chase after his sisters and join in all their fun. I followed him as he climbed up all two flights of our stairs to get to his sisters upstairs. He could hear them laughing and playing and he did not want to miss out. When he finally found them in there room he smiled and started to clap his hands. We have a lot of sibling love in this house. My favorite thing is that while I get ready in the morning they take him into my closet and play house. They make his a "play room" and have him be the "dad". It melts my heart.  

      We have struggled with his sleep a lot this month! He was waking up very every couple of hours at night and then not taking naps. I let it slide because he was just so happy despite no sleep. Then I realized that I was a walking zombie and completely exhausted so I set out to try and remedy his bad sleep habits. All I really had to do was start feeding him more and the problems resolved itself. He eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner in his high chair and LOVES it. He loves food and eats anything, of course. We are still trying to get him napping better but I bet when summer ends and a routine starts that he will fall in line. But through all this lack of sleep he was still the happiest baby and content as ever! Thank you Jack for being so adaptable, patient, and energetic. 

Summer Cabin Trip

We all love the cabin! I love the cool weather and watching the sun set behind the mountain. The girls love playing outside for hours without any adults supervision. Nick loves sleeping in and good food. Jack loves the constant attention and finally being able to get naps when we wants. On the way home Nick asked my what my favorite part of the weekend was. I told him I loved watching Scarlett play make believe outside with all her cousins. They played for hours in an a tree fort home that had a "couch" and "kitchen". I just loved seeing the pure joy in her eyes and the wonderful except nature can be. My second favorite even of the weekend was going on the treasure hike and digging for rocks. This hike was made fore my treasure loving children, espceially Scarlett. She loves finding "lost things" like Tinkerbell and could have spent 3 hours just digging for fossils/rocks. My least favorite part of the weekend? Well, that would have to be the stomach flu that caught Scarlett and I. That was no bueno!!  But it did little to dampen the fun and magic the cabin brings! 

Emily is the crafting guru! She kept the kids entertained for hours with puerile beads and glitter.

Fishing at Panquich Lake. Nick caught the only 2 fish but the kids still loved it.

Summer of FUN

I look forward to summer the moment it cools off in November. I live for summer. I dream of summer. I am fueled by hot sunny days, warm pools, lazy afternoons, and tan skin! This summer has been nonstop fun in the sun and we have all loved every minute! Even Nick, who is always looking forward to change, commented on how he never wants summer to end. 

Our days look something like this....wake up, eat breakfast, learning time/mom school/read books, head to moms, nap Jack, swim, swim, make yummy salads (its been a thing this summer), swim, movies, play the wi, swim, eat, crash! We have mixed it up with story time at the library, the children's museum, lazy days at home playing toys, mornings playing at the gym, and splash park with friends. But seriously, we have not gone more than 2 days without swimming at moms with all the cousins. Even as I type this Emily is texting me " swimming at moms in the morning?" When I really think about our summer days I realize they have been nothing short of magical. We soak in the pool and play with all the people we love most. I feel so blessed to have Emily and her boys close and always willing to play. It also could never happen without the perfect summer house full of all the best summer activities (aka grandmas house). My girls LOVE going to grandmas house to eat all her food, play with her dress up, swim in her warm pool, and run around her house screaming. I am filled with joy knowing that my kids are making wonderful memories and will grow up loving the freedom and fun that is

 Alice loved her swim lessons from Ms. Juliet. She taught scarlett to swim and will most liking teach Jack.

 A perfect morning boating with grandpa

Also, my girls have not once, not even close mentioned they have been bored all summer long!!