California Lovin

We decided pretty last minute to take a week and head down to LA/San Diego for some R&R and family time. The kids were amazing on the car ride there and back...2 movies each way, 2 stops, snacks and naps were all they needed. We spent the first few days at TJ's parent's house just hanging around and seeing fam/friends. I got to see one of my best friends who moved from NY to Newport and I had an absolute blast catching up with her...LOVE having you closer Linz!!
We got a hotel in La Jolla for the rest of the trip and spent the days at La Jolla Shores (our favorite beach) and the nights at our hotel (they had a great patio space with lounge couches, firepits and a big screen...also had great kid pool and hot tub). Todd's sis and her fam came down and his brother and his family live there so we got to spend great time with them and the kids had SO much fun with their cousins. On our last day, Todd's parents came down too and we spent the whole day at the beach. The kids got to kayak for their first time this trip and they LOVED going out (Todd was taking them about 2 miles out and they weren't scared at all...I on the other hand stayed a little closer to land). I surfed for my first time as an adult and LOVED it...I even got up on my first try (the next one was a face plant, but we'll pretend that didn't happen).  McKayla adored being in the water and although Bodie loved the water too, he spent more time digging in the sand (he loved tearing down any sand castle that was built). One of the nights, Todd and Bodie went kayaking while McKayla and I stayed at the pool. We had a great "girls time" swimming, hot tubing and getting all dolled up for dinner. Todd and Bodie got some great bonding time on the ocean with his brother and nephew and they got to watch the sunset (incredible according to them).
Leaving this time was the hardest ever...the kids had NO desire to go and begged us to stay. They could hang out on the beach every day and be happier than ever. We thought about Disneyland, Sea World and Lego land, but in the end all we wanted/needed was the beach, ocean and the warm sun. We had said we wouldn't move back to California, but after this trip I will definitely say "Never say Never" ;-).

Girl time

Exploring the La Jolla caves

Dinner on the patio

Patio view

Loungin on the patio

Watching the Sea Lions

Last night...all tuckered out

Newport Beach

Bodie's 1st surfing lesson

Ready to check-in

Dylan's candy bar...SO many yummy things

American Girl Store...Kayla was in dream land

Riding the trolly with Aunt Kim

Picking out their one candy

Newport Harbor

The Grove in LA

Newport Beach

Watching the sunset with my babes

Trying clam chowder from the place Market Street is based on

My loves

Swinging at Grandpa and Grandma's

Checking out Grandpa's pond

Playing at La Jolla

Todd, Kayla and cousins kayaking

Todd, Bodie and me kayaking

Beach fun with Grandma

Always willing to do some poses

Getting on Santa's Good List

I had to write this down before I forget...definitely one for the records.

After we got home from our trip last night the kids went through the mail and found the Toys R Us Christmas Books. They spent the next  hour and a half going through and picking out what they would like for Christmas (I should've taken a picture...they were both seated on the kitchen floor in their pjs helping each other pick things out with the most animated faces and comments). After I finished unpacking, we sat down for a family tv show before bed. All of a sudden I was getting back rubs, kisses and my hair done. When Bodie initially started rubbing my back he said "I'm going to give you a back rub b/c I really want that tool". He then kissed me on the shoulder and gave Todd the funniest smile. McKayla started doing my hair at this point while Bodie moved his way over to smooze Todd. It was the funniest scene and showed us that the kids are going to be WAY more into Christmas this year...and hey, they're smart...mom and dad LOVE backrubs ;-).

Halloween 2013

What a fun Halloween! McKayla started the week by going to the pumpkin patch with her class. They read spooky stories and each got to bring home a pumpkin to paint. On actual Halloween the kids both had parties/painted pumpkins at school and McKayla's class got to go trick or treating as well. We had everyone come over to our house again this year where we had snacks and played. We headed out to do some trick or treating and the kids made out really well (we didn't even do half the neighborhood and they still had a ton of treats). With such a large group we had a tantrum, melt down, someone fall at pretty much every house, but we all survived and everyone had a great time (it was actually pretty funny). We had SO much fun with all our friends...it's definitely way more fun going as a group and hanging out with everyone :-). We ended the evening with a dance party in our living room with our friends the Helblings (kudos to them for being the last to leave....dance party was awesome!) :-). Love, love , love our friends and love spending holidays together.

Football player for Halloween night

A princess and her Daddy

We couldn't get all of them in, but this was most

Candy time

Ready for school (knight and Sleeping beauty)

Jasmine and a skeleton for a friend's costume party