Best years of my life!

What a great day we had at the beach today! It started out when we discovered that the high would be in the low 80's (yep, in January) So we dusted off the beach gear and headed to Carpinteria State Beach. As I was unloading the kids and gear, an older lady sat in the car parked beside us, watching. Her window was down and we started to chat. Her comments stuck with me all day, enhancing it and prodding me to BE PRESENT! "These will be the best years of your life!" she said, with a reminiscent smile. Ahhh, the best!

Second Bath Anyone?

Hey, who wants to take another bath? Wait, why are my jam-jams all wet?

cousins are cool.

We had a great time meeting up with Peyton, Tatum and Nate at a park in Thousand Oaks. The kids absolutely LoVe thier cousins... too bad we don't live closer!

Look who's riding a bike!

Seth's
a bike
rider
now!






Seth's bike disappeared for a few days and when we found it, it had been stripped of the chain guard, pads, and training wheels. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Billy took the peddles off so Seth could practice balancing... and then put them on again... and he rode! It's so fun to watch a child learn something new and to witness that proud feeling of accomplishment wash over their face. Good job Sethy!

She's all grown up

Gracie turned one on September 6th!!! Where did the time go? This has been an emotional month with 2 birthdays and school starting- phew! All of a sudden Grace seems like such a "big girl"-- dancing to music, waving to everyone that passes by, and babbling as if she's talking in full sentences. She has so much love to give and is constantly giving hugs, complete with lots of pat, pat, pats on the back.





The other day we strolled down the toy isle at a store and as soon as she spotted the dolls, she would not stop reaching out and grunting for them. I was shocked to see how she immediately cuddled one up into her arms. Wow, that maternal instinct is definitely alive! Thanks to Grammie & Grandmother for the dolls on her birthday!


























Check out the pigtails (it's a first for her, and for me... this girl thing is fun!) and the shirt she wore to Billy's bike party (it says "I do all my own stunts").



















And here's an example of the stunts she tries to pull when I'm not looking...

Happy Birthday Six Year Old!!!

Billy turned six, my how time flies! I still remember, like it was yesterday, nearly every detail of his entry into this world. And I have the warmest remembrance of him nestled up into my neck, wrapped like a little bug in a rug, sleeping so peacefully that first morning together in the hospital. The early morning light was just beginning to lighten the room, barely making out the shape of his little sloped nose, plump lips and round face. I'll never forget that amazing feeling as I held him on my chest, and listened to his soft breathing. He was mine, and I was his. What a magical, sacred moment!

But now he's six! We still cuddle up for a book or a bedtime chat. But he's much more of a man now! We had a great time putting on a "Bike Party" for him, decked out with an obstacle course with ramps, bike wash area, bike decoration area, tune-up area... lots of fun!


Oh, and he scored his first ever goal today at his soccer game. I caught Seth's response to the goal on film: he was seriously proud of his big bro! It was a good day!

BMX Jump City

Just another lazy afternoon in SB. Billy and Seth have been going crazy jumping their bikes on a couple of 2x4's and plywood in the front walkway, so you can imagine the drool when on a family bike ride last Sunday we found this place behind a golf course. What you don't see in the edited material is Daddy not making it over some whoop-de-doo's, Seth racing Lighting McQueen, and Grace so fully loving the dirt that she actually lay down in the powdery grime to snuggle and feel the warmth--oh to be one, or three, or five, or anything but an old fart trying to recapture a little of the glory days on a mountain bike complete with water bottle and commuter rack. It might have been lame but I felt like I was flying. (Posted by Billy)