The Nelson Family

Oak Glen Apple Orchard & Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dad!

2011-09-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

Stole this from my sister's blog...

Happy Birthday Dad

So this is my dad...

What a stud, right? Today is his 50th birthday. My mom threw him quite the party, live band and all, to celebrate this half-a-century event, but of course, we were too far away to attend. To make up for our absence, we wanted to let him know how much his grandkids love him and how cool they think he is. We sat each of them down and asked them some basic questions about their Papa.

Here are their responses:

Tatum (seven years old):

How old is Papa? 50

How tall is Papa? A little Taller than Grr Grr (to clarify, this is what the grandkids call my mom)

What is the heaviest thing Papa could lift? Grr Grr

What is Papa's real name? Dennis

What is Papa's job? He plans airplanes and stuff.

What does Papa like to do when he is not at work? Go to church meetings.

My favorite thing to do with Papa is go get donuts in his convertible and launch rockets.

Davis (five years old):

How old is Papa? 68

How tall is Papa? As tall as a fence

What is the heaviest thing Papa could lift? Bricks

What is Papa's real name? Grandpa

What is Papa's job? Make apples

What does Papa like to do when he is not at work? Relax on the couch and read and watch football.

My favorite thing to do with Papa is go swimming.

Lyric (three years old):

How old is Papa? 6 maybe?

How tall is Papa? Very big, but I don't remember a number

What is the heaviest thing Papa could lift? A really big house

What is Papa's real name? Mccarffy

What is Papa's job? To build streets.

What does Papa like to do when he is not at work? Play with tools.

My favorite thing to do with Papa is have piggyback rides.

Luke (two years old):

How old is Papa? 2

How tall is Papa? He is as tall as a Face and has a hat

What is the heaviest thing Papa could lift? Sticks

What is Papa's real name? Grandma!!!!

(he shouted this like he was so proud he knew this answer)

What is Papa's job? Papa Works!

What does Papa like to do when he is not at work? Mow the Lawn.

My favorite this do do with Papa is drive his car (this answer was followed by 10 minutes of Luke crazily "driving Papa's car" around the house).

Cohen (one year old):

My Papa loves me. He is a nice Papa. He reads me books, takes me on walks, and gets up early, when no one else will, to play with me. He lets me play co-pilot to his stationary convertible. He is good to hop on and climb. He always brings a smile to my face.

Harper (one year old):

Harper has always loved her Papa the best! She loves how he takes her outside to see fun and exciting things. She loves how Papa calls her "H". But her favorite thing about Papa is how every time he sees her, he gets the biggest smile on his face and immediately comes to hold her. She loves her Papa.

Happy 50th Birthday Dad! Wish we were there to celebrate with you. We miss you and cannot wait for you to come and visit in December.

First Day of School

2011-09-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Lake Gregory

2011-08-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

Love to Read

2011-08-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

"The more that you read,

the more you will know.

The more that you learn,

the more places you'll go"

~ Dr. Suess

Doheny Camping Trip

2011-08-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

Doheny Beach Camping 2011 Top 10:
1. Waking up with the sun at 5:45am.
2. Sleeping to the sound of thunderous, crashing waves
3. Three Brave first-timers on the boogie board
4. Covered head to in dirt, with a light sprinkling of sand EVERYWHERE
5. Little pyros, roasting anything and everything: marshmallows, hotdogs, rolls, cookies, strawberries, etc.
6. Build sand sculptures, castles, and seaweed fortresses.
7. Find a crab, naming him crabby, and quickly returning him, when others threaten to eat him for dinner.
8. Basking in the warm sun ALL day
9. Spending evenings chatting and relaxing fireside.10. FRIENDS, FRIENDS, FRIENDS!

and the b-list

1. missing daddy/hubby who couldn't make it
2. Puke in the tent on the last night
3. Five, somewhat disturbed hours of sleep a night

Costa Rica

2011-07-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I thought we should mark our ten wonderful years of marriage with a little get-a-way for two to Costa Rica. I am ashamed to say that our inspiration came from last season of the Bachelor. It was the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation and best of all, I actually got to see my husband for six consecutive days in row!!

Day 1: Arrive in San Jose, rent a car and start on our four hour journey to our resort in Guanacaste. We take in all of the spectacular scenery along the way. After about an hour into the drive, I realize I left my prize possession (my camera) in the shuttle from the car rental agency. We rush back in a panic. They claim to not have it. Fortunately, prayers were answered and I found in sandwiched between two seats on the last shuttle. Yay!! It was a Costa Rican miracle!! Now our vacation could begin. More driving through rain and dirt roads, often block by a herd of cows. We arrive at our resort and enjoy scrumptious Asian cuisine and sushi.

Day 2: Shopping in Tamarindo and we went out to do some snorkeling on our own on Conchel Beach. (Later to discover than 2 weeks prior a man had been killed from a bull shark bite on that beach). Delicious Costa Rican dinner. (We reasoned that we would save our caloric intake for two lavish meals a day and skipped out on lunches).

Day 3: Adventure. Hiking in the rain forest, followed by a canopy tour among the clouds... 12 zip lines and several hanging bridges. So fun to swing among the trees with the monkeys. We went down a crazy long and slightly perilous water slide. Enjoyed lunch and wildlife. I got pretty close to a coati... all my years of teaching the rain forest theme paid off when I identified the animal to our tour group. Next, we horsebacked through the rain forest (which was my first time). I had so much fun galloping through streams and soaking up the breathtaking views. Unfortunately, Ryan’s horse was a dud and wasn’t much fun. Afterwards, we covered ourselves in volcanic mud, and soaked in the hot springs. Horseback down the mountain and we’re spent.

Day 4: Relaxing on the beach, devouring the most delicious pineapple while catching up on some good books poolside, beach combing and simply basking in the tropical sun. I had so much fun horseback riding, we decided to do it again. Hands down, the best part of our trip was racing along the beach. More sushi and banana flambé as watched the sunset and listened to a Jack Johnson inspired musician. Perfect.

Day 5: Ryan and I indulged in massages... pure bliss. More relaxation as we sailed the waters of the Pacific Ocean. We saw several “sets” of sea turtles... it happened to be mating season . We went snorkeling in private cove and I somewhat successfully gave paddleboarding a try. Romantic sunset as we sailed back to the resort.

Day 6: Beautiful drive to Costa Rica as we returned to San Jose for our flight home. So much lush greenery. Adios Costa Rica... we hope to see you again one day.

Cohen's Crab Shack First Birthday

2011-07-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

Year One

2011-07-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

cuddler... little charmer...independent...

doted on little brother... determined...

melt your heart smiles...

bright wonderous eyes...

ball thrower... climber... friendly...

our sweet, sweet Cohen

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

My Davis

2011-07-01T15:07:00.001-07:00

Cohen and Crew

2011-07-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Trouble at it's finest...

Hopefully these little guys will grow up to be just as good as buddies as their olders brothers (Davis &b Daxton) are.

San Diego Temple

2011-07-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

San DIego Zoo

2011-06-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

La Jolla Beach

2011-06-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

Dance Recital

2011-06-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

Lyric had so much fun dancing each week with Miss Kim and her little friends. She was so excited for her recital! Our little Prima Ballerina worked the stage!

Rock Climbing

2011-06-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Davis Graduates Preschool

2011-06-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

De Jong's Dairy Preschool Field Trip

2011-06-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

Doheny Beach

2011-06-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

Eaten by a Boa Constrictor

2011-06-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Easter

2011-06-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Primary Easter Egg Hunt

2011-05-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

Beverly Hills Girls Trip

2011-04-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

stroller free shopping~amazing friends~delectible food~posh accomidations~late nights~endless laughing~perfect getaway with the ladies I love

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse

2011-04-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

My kids like "Grr's beach better than the real thing... no scary waves

Phoenix Children's Museum

2011-04-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Mobility = Glee

2011-04-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

This kid was born to crawl! Cohen is out to discover the world and thinks crawing is the greastest thing {since Sitting}.

I {Heart} Wildflowers

2011-03-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

My kids are good sports. Apparently, I cannot drive past a field of wildflowers without instinctively plucking my kiddos out of the car and snapping a few shots. We were on our way to the doctor and this made us a few minutes late... at least we didn't have to cross any barbed wire or "no trespassing" signs. :)

Niki's Girls Just Want to Have Fun Birthday Bash

2011-03-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

We got all jazzed up in our totally fab eighties entire to celebrate Niki's b-day! It was awesome to the Max!! We love you Niki!

Vernal Pools Hike

2011-03-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

Neighborhood Hike

2011-03-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

Gum in the Hair

2011-03-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Tatum, has been such a little stinker when it comes to cutting her hair. She protests that she wants her hair to go down to her knees like Zaachery Barber's Mom. We had to hold her down for trims and her straggly hair was reaching nearly to bum. So, when she came home from school with gum in her hair, it was a blessing in disguise. We love her brand new, easy to brush, healthier looking locks.

Spring

2011-03-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

3 Wonderfully Interesting Years

2011-02-26T10:28:00.000-08:00

We adore this girly girl and know one thing for certain... a world without her would be boring. We love all her unexpected, random comments, her sweet silliness, and joyful spirit. Happy birthday Lyric-Lu!

Handsome Little Sitter

2011-02-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

Cohen is 7 months now... and loves to show off his new tricks: sitting, picking up everything and putting it in his mouth and stopping traffic wth his precious smile.

An American Girl Birthday

2011-02-24T16:39:00.000-08:00

Tatum loves reading the American Girl Books and playing were her (alleged) American Dolls. This year we threw an American Girl birthday bash... the girls made purses and cakes for their dolls and then played some historical games based on the original American Girls. Tatum had so much fun with all her friends.

A Little Love

2011-02-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

{well, maybe a lot!}

Seven

2011-02-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

This girl always makes me smile! She is prematurely creeping into the tween stage and thinks she is too cool for just about everything. She is a responsible helper to her mom and loves taking care of her younger siblings. She has a developing talent for drawing, enjoys chatting on the phone with her grandparents and friends who have moved away. She loves riding her roller blades with her friends, baking, making charts, and organizing her toys. She has become an amazing reader this year in first grade and loves learning new things. We love you Tatum!

Davis Turns 5

2011-01-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

December Happenings

2010-12-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from the Slacker Family...

2010-12-21T11:02:00.000-08:00

Yep... we're slackers. Between Ryan working on his MBA at USC and traveling, adding a fourth child to our family, preschool and primary, our life has been a bit CRAZY! We have had multiple failed photo sessions and couldn't come up with a family picture where everyone had their "normal face" on. So we are sending out a digital greeting this year, and it doesn't mean we love you any less. I have enjoyed receiving so many wonderful cards in the mail and we are making a goal to get it done next year. Hope you enjoy...

My Girlies...

2010-12-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

My beautiful friends... Niki and her new baby Crew, and Kyra down for a visit.

Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

2010-12-18T13:51:00.000-08:00

Our little Wampanoag, Davis mastered his part for the Thanksgiving Presentation... "The Pilgrims sailed across the ocean on a ship called the Mayflower."

Davis, Feasting with his buddies Brendan, Jackson, and Daxton

Close, but No Cigar

2010-12-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

We tried to do a photo swap with our friends... mostly the kids just wanted to play with each other... no luck with a final Christmas card shot. :(

One Last Visit

2010-12-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

My sister and her kiddos came for one last visit before they are shipped abroad to medical school in England for two years. We will miss their sweet family and hope they have an amazing adventure... and come back with cute Brithish accents.

California Livin'

2010-12-09T21:35:00.000-08:00

So our state government is in shambles, we pay an arm and a leg in taxes, our freeways are almost always congested, and our school system is sub par... but spending a gorgeous November day like this, makes it all worth it... right???

...and why not top the day off with a little Cafe Rio!

Thanksgiving in the AZ

2010-12-07T21:27:00.000-08:00

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving

2010-12-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

30. I have been dreading this number for some time. Three decades have come and gone and now I am thirty. I reckon, (I can say words like that now) that it's really not that old in the grand scheme of things... but it sure feels old.

My actual birthday pretty much stunk... I was up all night with sick, puking, coughing kids on the eve of my birthday. The morning of my birthday, I woke up, only to find myself desperately under slept, cranky, and also sick. We were visiting family and friends in Arizona, so I put on my happy face and just tried to survive the day. Ryan had an important assignment that was due that night and he ended up working on it a lot longer than he planned... pretty much all day. The best gift of the day came around 11pm when I downed a couple NyQuil and finally got to go to bed... on an air mattress. I am not huge on birthdays, so it really wasn't a big deal... but it didn't go down as one of my favorite days.

This last weekend, my friends announced a three day belated celebration for my birthday. I don't like to be the center of attention, so I was a little embarrassed. Each day, for three days, they were going to present me with ten gifts. First thing each morning I opened ten gifts... some fun, some silly, some sentimental, all meaningful. One of the gifts each day was a letter from my hubby describing a decade of my life. The letters were so sweet and funny and usually brought me to tears.

I felt so loved and so very, very blessed... to be surrounded by such wonderful people. After tucking my kids into bed tonight it hit me how good life is. It is chaotic, we don't see as much of Ryan as we would like to, and all to often I feel like I am coasting in survival mode. But I am happy. There is so much love in my life and joy comes in little unexpected ways. I think thirty will be good.

October Randomness...

2010-11-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

Tatum showing off some of her "jumpoline" tricks.

Baby Co... 3 months old

Davis leaving his Mama for joyschool

Tatum's lovely face painting (my kiddos will only let me wash off their facial artwork once it has been digially saved forever)
Davis and his fierce shark face-painting.
Tatum has eagerly taken over my old camera...

We love Mr. Fuzzy Pants... most of the time.

Family Fun Center

2010-11-08T01:07:00.000-08:00

Ryan took the day off... we were so spoiled to spend the ENTIRE day with him. We topped it off with family night at a fun center. We have really missed him while he has been in school, but have learned to savour the few family moments we do have.

Kate

2010-11-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

My best friend Kate came out to Cali for a visit. It was so great spending time with her and her fun kiddos! We had a total of 8 kids and 2 moms and made a scence pretty much EVERYWHERE we went... so crazy and so much fun. We love the McEuen family and were so sad to see them go.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Our adventures at Peltzer Farms Pumpkin Patch...

Davis wanted to bring at least one of these little guys home...

Lyric adoring the lion's mane bunny, while sporting her own version of the "lion mane hair-do."

goofy girls Tatum and Lissity intentionally getting lost in the corn maze

Too many choices...

Davis and Ethan

Tatum

Lissity and Lyric

Ethan and Tatum striking a pose

Tatum was in love with this baby goat.

Poor Lyric kept chasing the goats way with her squeaky shoes

Beach with the McEuen's

2010-11-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

Creatures of the Sea: A shark, an octopus and a couple a mermaids.

SHARK ATTACK!!!

Trunk or Treat

Curious Trick or Treat Observer

Preschool Halloween Party

Ron Burgandy and Veronica Corningstone

The Ladies

and gentlemen

Tatum sorting, organizing and calculating Halloween candy inventory to be recorded onto her list.

Cousins

2010-11-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Harper and Cohen
Luke and Sobe

Snuggle buddies... they are 2 weeks apart.

Tatum lov'in on Harper.
Aunt Chelle and Harper.

So Blessed

2010-11-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

Cohen's Blessing Day

...with grandpa Nelson

..with Grr and Papa

...with mom (who apparently looks as tired as she feels).

No pictures with daddy... he woke up with a fever of 103... came to church to give Cohen a blessing, then went back to bed. :(

Shasta Lake

2010-10-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing adventure on Shasta Lake with our wonderful friends, the Thompsons, the McDowells, the Cooks and the Hannons. We trecked 11+ hours up to Redding, to share a houseboat on Shasta Lake. Unfortunately, Ryan had school, and wasn't able to join us. We had a chaotic, fun packed vacation!! It was a seriously overdue reunion and we enjoyed every minute!!

The Houseboat: All 26 of us fit in quite snugly.

The water slide...The hot tub...Creative sleeping quarters...The mamas basking in the sun.
Cruis'in the lake...

Cohen, hardly containing his excitement...
Davis, taking a nap. The wind held him up... every time the boat stopped, he would fall over, wake-up, and repeat.

Natural entertainment...
Spending time with friends
Being silly... I am so blessed to have such amazing friends! These ladies are all great mommies, wonderful examples, and so much fun to be around. I love them like sisters.

The grown-ups took a freezing cold, midnight swim... Sleeping through the excitement... Davis taking a quick break... Davis, Lyric and Mom
The 24hr a day life jacket club...

Redding Fun Center

2010-10-04T16:22:00.001-07:00

Double Rainbow

2010-10-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

just a little unexpected miracle...

Officially Announcing

2010-10-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

{in case you didn't know}

Kyra Visits

2010-09-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Kyra came down for a quick visit just to remind us how dull life is without her.

We went to see Brian Regan... seriously funny stuff!

Outside Pechanga

Kyra, Niki, and Me

Love these silly girls... we got our toes done, had some Pinkberry/ Goldenspoon and went to see Eat, Pray, Love.

Back to School Cooking Party

2010-08-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

Tatum and her fellow sous chef buddies gathered together to create a delectable dinner fit to celebrate the coming of first grade...

Sweet Crust Pizza Dough
Combine:
2 T. yeast
4 cups flour or to desired texture
2 T. Olive Oil

Combine, then mix with above ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup sugar
Let dough rise according to yeast directions.Roll out and place on a preheated pizza stone or 18 x 18 ceramic tile.Add sauce, cheese, and toppings, then bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes .

Dana Point Fishing

2010-08-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

Davis finally caught his first fish, albeit inedible. We are catch and release fans anyway.

Daxton and Davis

Cohen slept through his first seaside experience.

...and slept some more.

The Crepeau's kept our children entertained

Mckynlee and Lyric

Brock and Tatum

Davis and his teacher Scottie

Soaking up the sun with the McDowell's and the Crepeau's

I wanna hold Cohen

2010-08-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that phrase...

Firsties

2010-08-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

First Day of First Grade

Baby Cohen Photos by Aunt Chelle

2010-07-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Life with Cohen

2010-07-25T11:19:00.001-07:00

Our little boy {Co-Co Bugs, Co-Dog, Bugaboo, Baby-Co, just to name a few of his many nicknames} one week old.

It's hard work being a big sister... Tatum and Cohen take a quick snooze together on the couch.

Papa and Cohen

The 9 Nelson Grandchildren

Grr with the 5 McCarthy Grandchildren

Grandpa Nelson and Cohen

Grr and Cohen

Aunt Chelle and Cohen

...and we're spent.

Cohen's Big Entrance

2010-07-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Our family has joyfully welcomed our newest addition, Cohen Kent Nelson. He is such a sweet snugly little guy and we can't get enough of him.

He had a rough labor (so did mom). He was very cut up and bruised. My water broke at 3am Saturday morning, but I wasn't having contractions, so we took our sweet time getting out of the house. A few minutes away from the hospital, I started having horrific contractions. We parked the car around 3:40 and I knew the baby was coming...NOW!! We hobbled into the hospital and had the baby at 3:54 just in time to get in a bed. It was anything but boring, I am glad Ryan didn't have to test out his ob skills.

Dad and Cohen having their first bonding moment.

The proud siblings showed up a few ours later. Tatum was instantly in love with her new little brother. Lyric had some fun poking and prodding.

Davis came into the delivery room, ran right past his little brother to the table, and exclaimed, "Oh a muffin!" After consuming my muffin he came over for a quick introduction to his little brother.

Happy Fourth

2010-07-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

Pretend City

2010-07-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

Seaworld

2010-07-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

We ventured down to San Diego with the Thompson's for some Seaworld fun... and to (unsuccessfully) induce labor.

We were a little disappointed in the Shamu show. The trainers don't get in the water anymore... seriously, what are they afraid of???

The is as close as Lyric is getting to the bat rays.

Ashton and Davis

Looking for eels

Lyric wanted to keep a starfish and kept pulling it out of the water. Mark us down for starfish abuse.

more abuse...

I sat this one out.

Ward Beach Party

2010-07-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

We love our ward and spent a relaxing day chilling with them on the beach.

The dads kept busy creating sand mermaids... a beach must for our family.

sweet girlies

Davis, being all boy.

Ryan enlisted everyone's help in burying Matt. (He is standing up).

Matt really enjoyed it.

Golden Annversary

2010-06-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Love seems the swiftest but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married {half} of a century. ~Mark Twain

Grandma Rain and Grandpa John 50 years later.

Some grandkids, some great-grandkids

The grandchildren.

The Men

and Ladies

The cookie thief caught in action.

Aunt Katie and Lyric

Jace and Tatum, spinning themselves sick.

Uncle Erik and Lyric

Smiley Girl

Ryan, Tatum and Carina

..being silly

making music

Rained out at the Ranch

2010-06-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

My grandparents made plans to take everyone horseback riding at the ranch, followed by a hayride and a BBQ, unfortunately, it rained all day, flooding most of the ranch. We ended up having a great time with our BBQ under the barn enjoying each others company.

The barn almost scared us into vegetarianism.

Trying to keep dry

Our little cowgirl

Aunt Chelle and Luke

Constantly terrorizing the dog.

Spoting the gnome panchos

Grandma's House

2010-06-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

Tatum and her cousin Carina were instant best friends. Carina lives in Guam so, this was their first meeting. They were attached at the hip the entire trip.

Playing with cousins.

Carina and Tatum.

My little girl getting so big.

Lyric-lu walking home from the park.

and getting distracted

picking a flower for Grandma Rain

A little game Lyric calls hop on Papa.

Davis and Lyric tag teaming Papa

Aunt Whitney and Lu

Davis, relishing the his alone time with Grr and Papa

...literally, attached at the hip.

Daddy-back rides

Ryan continued playing with this digger long after Davis lost interest and left.

Picking Whitney up at the train station.

Glenwood Hot Springs Pool

2010-06-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

We had quite the adventure at the hot springs pool... it rained most of the time and even hailed on us. Davis and Tatum braved the giant waterslide with their daddy, but mostly we just stayed in the water to keep from freezing.

Zion National Park

2010-06-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

We got to enjoy the beauty (and the heat) of Zion National Park last week.

Lyric and Daddy all set to go.

Waiting for a wild animal to jump out.

Happy hiker Tatum

Pulling mom along.

Taking in the views.

Emerald Pools

Davis, holding to the iron rod.

Cooling off under a waterfall

A secret cave fit to rest in

More emerald pools

Cooling off in the river

Memorial Day

2010-06-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

We spent a relaxing memorial day enjoying Balboa beach.

Walking the pier after a devouring a delicious lunch at Ruby's Diner.

Super Sand Dudes showing their mad skills.

Lu-Lu with her SPF 200 sand-screen.

My girlies Niki and Kyra

Lovely San Mermaids Lyric, Tatum, and Tera

Lyric sneaking a peak and making her mom nervous

excitedly watching a sea lion

The boys engaged in an intense game of rugby

Davis had so much fun playing with the men and showed a promising future in rugby.

Surprisingly, no one got hurt.

My little Cali girl

Kyra's B-day

2010-06-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Kyra's b-day we did a mini shopping spree and dinner at Olive Garden. It was such a fun, silly night. We topped it off with antique portraits... random, but quite fitting to our silly night. Happy birthday Kyra... you are so awesome!!!

Farewell T-ball

2010-06-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

We survived (barely) our first season of t-ball. Thanks coach Rich for your time and patience! Goofballs Tyler and Davis

Little buddies: Davis, Rees, and Nathan

La Petite Artiste de Corona

2010-06-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Tatum has really enjoyed painting and drawing and has recently completed her masterpiece submission to the Friend Magazine. She can't wait to start her art classes this summer!

Love this Guy...

2010-06-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

Cheers to 9 happy years!!!

5K and Fun Run

2010-06-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Ryan, breezing through his 5K.

Tired and sweaty father and daughter.

Running buddies in the fun run.

These two thought it was more fun to run away from mom...

Storm Baseball Game

2010-06-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

Davis had so much fun with his daddy and got to march with his Little League team on the field. Now, if they would only let his daddy throw the opening pitch we would all be in heaven.

Now placing Bets...

2010-05-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

We are eager for the countdown to begin. The July 17th due date is slowly, coming around the corner. Help us get through the countdown and place your bets on due date and weight.

Kisses Mommy

2010-04-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

Lyric has been coming up to me and saying "kisses mommy?" I just recently discovered the translation: "I did something I know I wasn't supposed to, but I still love you." After this kiss, I ask her to show me what she did, and she leads me by hand to the scene of the crime (tipped over cup of water, marker on the wall, and other serious offences).

Night at the Circus

2010-04-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

Not quite Ringling Brother's, but the kids enjoyed it...

Davis kept asking when the lions and elephants were going to come out... who needs lions when you get a cute little pony who can walk around the ring???

Tatum has lofty ambitions to become an acrobat when she grows up... she was so excited to see one perform live, and left saying, "This is so awesome!"

Mesmerized!!

Now presenting Miss Lyric Lu... (the only English speaking performer of the night).

The hit of the night was the motorcycles in the cage... oooh, ahhhh.

We topped off the night with some frozen yogurt... apparently, we don't need the circus we already have our own crazy little clowns.

Shelley visits!

2010-04-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Shelley was able to fly down for a little girls trip... we have missed her so much and had a blast. It was just like she never left- (we tried keeping her, but apparently her family needs her).

A full day of grown-up shopping. I was very disoriented... I kept reaching for my stroller and searching for my kids in the clothing racks. It was wonderful!

Lots of yummy food and catching up.

We celebrated three birthdays... Kim, Niki, and Jessica... we love you guys!!!
Scalp massages, treats, and staying up way too late.

Az Spring break Trip

2010-04-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

Cousins: Lyric, Aspyn

Tatum, Ella, Davis

Best Buddies (sometimes): Aspyn and Lyric

Father & Son catch in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard

Aunt Lindsay and Tatum, admiring baby Sabine

Davis, Olivia, and Grandma Nelson

Tatum, Olivia, and Grandma Nelson

Davis and Aunt Angela

We got to meet up with our good froms the Cook's for a short reunion.

Tatum couldn't resist running and picking up her long, lost buddy, Camden upon reunion.

We also got to meet up with the Jolley's who were visiting from North Carolina.

And of course, our favorite: Gecko Grill for my mom's b-day! (My kids look like the little angels they are, don't they)

Egg Huntin'

2010-04-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

One Last Hurrah

2010-04-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

We participipated in Disney's "Give a Day, Get a Day" and reaped the rewards of a full day of Disneyland. We had fun... maybe too much. Our open-close day of Disneyland certainly gave us our fix for a while... a long while.We went my sister and her family. Tatum played part of their family, insisting on riding every ride with Aunt Chelle. Uncle Rob and Tatum after braving Splash Mountain.
Cooling off any way we can...

Lu and mom during the Jungle Cruise.

The girlies with Belle...

and Tiana...

and Ariel.

Tatum hitching a ride from daddy. Davis riding Prince Philip's horse.

...and being his silly self.

A Boy and his Fishing Pole

2010-04-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

I have never seen this kid more content...

than he is with his spiderman fishing pole, patiently waiting for a bite.

The cutest and only catch of the day... a silly little sister.

Once Upon a Golden Springtime

2010-03-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

Earth laughs in flowers.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cowboy Day

2010-03-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

Always one of my favorite days of preschool...

Pineapple Awards

2010-03-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

Tatum got to participate in her school's pineapple awards, for meeting her academic goals. Tatum loves school so, so, so much. She loves her teachers, her music class, and all her little classmates... (we get a daily play-by-play of who did what). She even threw a little fit when we kept her home from school to go to Disneyland. Hopefully this passion will continue throughout the years.

Farm Field Trip

2010-03-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

Our preschool visited De Jong's Dairy and had so much fun with all the animals. We got to see a baby calf that was born that morning... very cute. So many of the preschoolers were walking around with their noses plugged... on the other hand, Davis and Lyric were intently trying to kiss every animal. I guess they do have a little dairy farmer in their blood, afterall.