Waterboy:

I just HAD to post this picture, it makes me smile. Austin the waterboy.. ready for water and action...

Sea World

To finish off our Cali trip, we finally made it down to Sea World, somewhere I've been wanting to go to for SUCH a long time. The last time I've been I was about 15 or so. We didn't tell the kids so they were VERY excited. They had a great deal where adults get in for kids prices and everyone gets to go back a 2nd day free. Gotta love that. So we went most of the day Friday and then half of Saturday. We got to see everything and a couple of the Shamu shows. For the night show, the kids sat in the 2nd row and were begging to be splashed, but we sat further back, since the show wasn't crowded and managed to stay dry. It's always amazing to see such beautiful creates and just watch the whales swim, and then visit all the reef tanks. The arctic exhibit was really cool too and we went late at night and barely anyone was there. The kids were playing a game with the walrus, tapping on the glass and he'd tap back. It was fun to watch them, and watch them get sooo excited over it all. What a fun packed trip....

Check out that huge turtle:

Hands on with the Sea Stars: Waiting for the Shamu show to start:

soooo excited for the show to start:

The kids were sooo excited to sit in row 2 for the night show, they wanted to be splashed sooo badly... we sat in row 11, and did NOT get wet.. sydney's new fave animal.. a manatee

Austin hanging in the polar bear caves:

LOVE this photo: The polar bears, one of my fave animals:

Shamu show:

That is one BIG anemone:

2 Babies... Crew and Kade:

ohhhhh look how cute these two lil guys are.. meet Crew and Kade, my newest nephews.. aren't they just adorable? and yes they smell sooo yummy and are the perfect size for cuddling and holding. Kim asked me to do a photo shoot with them and I totally had a blast. Had fun playing around with my camera, different setting and coloring and they were really good for the photos too. So cute to see these new little guys and can't wait to see them grow up, they are just sooo sweet.. Here are some pics of the several tons that I took:

Park Play Time:

Got to take the kids to Greenwood park for a bit before the photo shoot of the babies. I was telling Austin that I used to bring him to this park all the time when he was about 2 and Sydney was just a baby. It was perfect for his size and had a gate to keep him on lock down. Watching them play on the trip, I really realize how big they are getting and grown up they are becoming. Of course then I think, have I taught them enough, do they know what they need to know, am I doing a good enough job, will they be happy always? sooo many questions, and just hope that I am on the right track as a parent. But for the mean time, it's just fun to watch them let loose and play...

Hermosa Beach Fun:

Took another Beach day and headed off to Hermosa, which is my fave place to take the kids to. The beach was actually pretty crowded, but didn't stop the kids from getting in the water and having a good time.. Was kinda nice to just lay out and unwind, listen to the waves.. It's really nice that the kids are older and really lovin just playing in the water, or building sand castles. Sydney was the one who I couldn't ever get out of the water this trip, and was so much fun to watch her. Austin of course, would live at the beach if I gave him the option..

Love this photo:
Sydney:

Haley:

Ryder:

austin:

Tyler building in the sand:
Jordan:

Emily:

Day in the O.C.

Tuesday was tons of fun, I headed out to see my cousin, Alise and her kids and spend the day together. Her house is sooo cute I just love it and the kids all got along and had a blast.. of course they found a common interest immediately that got them talking.. the Wii and Star Wars.. Perfect.. We grabbed some In N Out for lunch and headed to the park, the kids ate and played, and they had a really cool airplane that they just loved.. Then we headed out to the Huntington Beach pier. They were setting up for the US Surf Open which was starting when we were going to leave.. I was sooo bummed not to be there for it, maybe next year. On the pier there were some guys catching sand sharks and wow!!! they were pretty big too. Also hit HSS for some great surf deals, 40-50% off, so had to grab something for everyone, I LOVE that store.. Then headed back to the house to hang out and chat.. It was sooo good to see Alise, I miss that girlie sooo much and maybe one day we'll live closer...

Sydney, Hunter, Austin and Connor:
austin & sydney at the fountain:

Playing at the park, there was a cool airplane there and the kids loved it:

The tire swing, Austin loved it:

Huntington Beach Firepits FHE

For FHE we decided to head out to the fire-pits at Huntington Beach, one of my fave places for some good pit cooking.. Katelin and I headed down earlier with a few of the kids to get some beach time in.. Later on everyone else came, Rysn started us a kickin fire that lasted the whole time.. We cooked some yummy hot dogs and afterwards started the real fun... smores.. YUM... We had quite the line up going and really whipped those bad boyz out. Kristine likes to burn marshmallows to a crisp, while me and Ryan like them nice and golden brown... The kids all loved it and had a complete blast.

Beach Cousins:
Me, Caroline (spotted her newest Farrah Faucett do') and Kristine:

Cousins and Smores:

Emily, the perfect beach baby, just happy and content being outdoors at the beach:

Jordan, Sydney and Austin in the surf

Redondo Beach Surf

While we were in Cali, after church we thought we would take the kids for a lovely Sunday afternoon walk at the beach.. We totally talked it over, and they promised that they WOULD not get their clothes wet, go in the water, and if they did they were willing to be grounded.. I think it lasted maybe like 3 minutes. then one of them, got "caught by a big wave" then another one "fell in the waves" and lastly "the waves got bigger".... so are you can see, by the end of the beach walk, they were soaked, swimming in the waves and having a blast.. Kinda couldn't blame, them the water was perfect............


Catching some cool waves:

Tyler and Austin havin some beach fun:

Sydney doing her beach dance:

This is how they all started out, in clothes, dry, and behind the water:

Cali Swimming and Cousins

The first day we were on our Cali vacation was to get out in the sun and swim!!!! It was sooo gorgeous and the weather was perfect. The kids were in their bathing suits in seconds. My parents had 3 pools set up for the kids- the big one, the one with the slide in the middle, and then a lil kiddie one for the young-ins.. Later on we went over and swam at Kim and Justin's pool and the kids had such a blast. They are becoming such good swimmers and love to just jump in the pool. But getting them to line up for this picture was soo hard, they kept just jumping in, again and again...

Big Splash: Jordan, Bailey, Tyler, Austin, Sydney
Sydney:

Emily:

Haley:

Austin:

Ryder:

Brody:

Jordan: Crew and Kade: