We love the beach house!

This past weekend we headed up to the family beach house in Ventura once again.
Not such a relaxing vacation but fun to be with family. My dad's sisters and their kids and grandkids all get together a few times a year here. This time there were 20 kids 6 and under. That's sound nuts but it really was fun.

Miles and I on the sea wall


Kennedy getting some of the kids together for a show... we did the same thing when me and my cousins were this age





skinny dippers


Miles and Luke (my brother, Brandon's, little guy)


... on the trail to seal beach


holy seals!

Welcome Baby Scalett

Congratulations Kelli and Jared on your darling little girl!
Kelli is Nathan's younger sister who is currently living in Budapest, Hungary with her husband who is going to business school there. Jared had served his mission there in Hungary. Well, we are so glad baby Scarlett and Kelli are doing good after giving birth in a Hungarian hospital... quite a different experience than I had. Just a few things that Kelli had to pack in her hospital bag that most women here don't... toilet paper, pads, ear plugs, good food, eating utensils, pain medication (if you don't want to wait until 2 hrs after delivery). Way to go Kelli. You'll be treated like royalty for the next birth in the states.

Should I worry...

Gavin never did this...


I wouldn't worry too much... but he likes to carry purses on his shoulder too.
I'm just glad he's into trucks and trains more.

Open House

Last week Gavin's preschool had an open house. They have been reading fairy tales and focusing on the lessons that can be learned from them. This was an opportunity for Gav to show off his artwork and his classroom.





I don't know why, I think this photo is hilarious of Gav




Miss Karen, his teacher

New York, New York

Katie and I had a blast in New York. The city has such an energy about it. It wasn't so much a relaxing trip (not until we got to my in-laws anyways) but I guess it was relaxing in the sense we didn't have to worry about anyone else but ourselves. We did what we wanted, when we wanted and ate our meals really slowly.

This is the night we got there. We were waiting for a table at an Italian restaurant near Times Square. Then we headed down Broadway to see Legally Blonde the musical. It was such a fun show... funny songs, great dancing, and perfect castings for all the parts. A fun show to see with a girlfriend (but guys would love it too).


The next morning we waiting in line for Conan O'Brien tickets and got them!
We came back at 4:00 for the taping with Antonio Banderas, Sarah Chalke and a great band The Avett Brothers.


After the Conan Show



Katie in many of the Taxi rides we made


Friday we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and saw some classics.


We walked from the Met back through Central Park... such beautiful flowers!

The rest of the time in the city we shopped and shopped. Too busy to stop and take photos of that. We hit up 5th Ave, Canal St. and Soho. We could have spent a couple more days and a few hundred more dollars but we took a train out to my in-laws house an hour north of the city for a relaxing night of fabulous food, Settlers of Catan and hot tubing. But oh how excited we were to come back to our kids and wonderful husbands on Mother's Day.
Thanks Nathan!

Yertle the Turtle

I wanted to introduce you to Yertle. He is the newest member of the family. Gavin is loving having a pet. Turtles are great low-maintenance pets. My brother Brandon had bought him for his 2 year old son Luke and he wasn't too interested. Yertle is an African Sulcata tortoise. He will live more than 100 years (unless the kids accidentally shorten his life).




Brandon... we are taking great care of him. You can come by anytime and play with him. I know you miss him. We will give him back when the kids get bored with him.

While Daddy was gone...

So we survived the week without daddy. While he was in Mexico we were playing at home and at Nana's. These photos are from our trip to Lego Land. It is a pretty fun amusement park... lots to see. We spent the most time in Small Land which replicates cities around the world with small legos... it was amazing how they did it.



Small Land

Miles sat on this motorcycle for 10 minutes... no joke. He just sat there with a serious look... making motor sound with his mouth.


running down the Vegas strip


floating past New York City


it was a great place for boys!

So this is Nathan and Matt's annual shareholders meeting. They call it this so it goes over better with the wives I guess. Last year they went to Nicaragua and this year it was mainland Mex to a little fishing village 1 hour north of Mazatlan. They scored some good waves. Here are a few from one of the surf sessions.









The guys felt a little guilty and so Matt's wife, Katie, and I are headed to New York this weekend to catch some Broadway shows, site seeing, shopping, relaxing meals, and anything and everything we can pack into a couple days.