california flashback in polaroids

wish i was still here ;)

here's eden.

eden is all about being older and if she could, she would skip the next 10 years of her life.  so, i wasn't surprised to come down the hall of our beach house, (way back when we were in california), and find her posing and strutting around in my sister's high heels.  i just laughed and then i laughed even more when my 15 year old niece said she looked like a child prostitute.  but, it didn't really matter what we thought because she thought she looked like the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.  i just love her.

the day jack got baptized.

jack was baptized on august 18, 2012 and it was such a lovely day.  so many friends and family came from near and far to support jack on his special day.  it was a really special moment to watch jack get baptized by his father who is such a great example and who honors his priesthood.  jack is so lucky to have an amazing father who could do this for him.  he is also lucky to have an amazing papa who confirmed him a member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints and gave him the gift of the holy ghost. (if you are really confused, go here.)  such a great day!

after the baptism, we had a little get together at our house with all of our friends and family.  jack wanted cinnamon rolls and pumpkin pie at his little baptism party but instead of pumpkin pie we went with some fruit.  i tried to explain to him that cinnamon rolls and pumpkin pie didn't really go together but he still didn't get it. (sugar and more sugar go together, right?)  he is such a funny kid and i am very proud of him and his choice to be baptized.

jack's 8th birthday.

jack's eighth birthday consisted of a french toast breakfast, eden doing some signing, coming home from school to find the house full of balloons, of course, presents (legos, dsi game, children's dictionary), a carrot cake which was a special request, and ended with a birthday wish.

all day long, jack kept saying that this was the best birthday ever.  he is so easy to please.  i love this kid to pieces.  i can't believe he is eight and that he will be getting baptized in a couple days.  he is growing so fast and i am so proud of the little man he is turning in to :)

happy birthday, jack!

first day of school.

august 6, 2012

challenger basic school

ava: kindergarten - ms peluso

Jack: 2nd grade - ms burgess

so crazy that is already back to school time.  it's actually not that crazy.  the summer was starting to feel a little long at the end there.  what is crazy is that i have two kids at school all day.  i basically just lost half of my kids.  ava was super nervous on the first day but when she got home, she couldn't stop talking about how wonderful her day was and that she couldn't wait to back to school the following day.  for jack, it was just another day of another school year but i could tell he was slightly eager to get back to school.  i'm not going to lie, i was not in the least sad to see my kids go back to school (ok, maybe a tiny tiny bit).  they were ready and so was i.  i never understand those distraught moms who say they don't know how they are going to handle being away from their kid(s) for a whole 7 hours.  they either have angel children who never get bored or they don't have four kids who are 2 years apart (or they are lying??). whatever the reason, i am just thankful that my kids are back to school learning and being challenged and making new friends. it's a good thing.

the last of the beach.

it's so hard to say good-bye to this place but i suppose we have to at some point. it's even harder when i know what i am returning to...the brown desert with no ocean and 110+ degrees.  my goal someday is to call southern california home then we can be on vacation every day.  so, until then we will just have to settle for our week visit every summer.  thank you so cal for your beaches, sand, cool weather and good times.