A Family Trip to San Diego

I love the beach.  Someday I tease Evan that he is going to build me a cottage (just a little one) on the beach.  I wonder if people who live near the beach take it for granted - if it becomes an old hat for them.
We had a very nice vacation/business trip.  I have so many pictures, I am looking forward and at the same time dreading putting them together on Shutterfly in an album.

He loves the water & sand

He was not so sure the first day

I think she enjoyed her 1st trip to the beach.

We had a picnic one day and fed a squirrel a cheeto.

This squirrel would have sat on our picnic blanket had we let him!

worn out kiddo

She is my "easiest" to snap a picture of

who is that girl?

Happy kiddo

I love these simple moment pics - nothing fancy, not even looking at the camera

He was having fun

please do not eat it

please!

I do not even have words for this one,

except for melt my heart

She turned 5 on me on our vacation....boo hoo!

While dad was doing business at the coin show in Long Beach,

we went to a local park for awhile

then headed over to the Aquarium of the Pacific,

which was very neato indeed!

And I may add we timed it perfect as all the school field trips (school was still in session for them)

were leaving and the summer crowds had not begun!

touched some stingrays

posed

Evan not happy to be posing

played

"I Spy"

I love this guy.

so pretty

pink is my favorite color.

we had a small melt down at one point.

But did become happy especially when we bought him his "souvenir"

happy as can be on the longish walk back to the car ~

but I got free parking!

We went to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano 

we have read Song of the Swallows

so I wanted to take the kids there.

went to a stinky beach - Cy did not like the smell

it actually was not that bad and I have a sensative nose myself

stroller worked well on this beach

Evan always-always lingering...

We played at the park at this beach as it was cooler and evening was setting in.

Aliza loved the slide - just ask her dad how much...

97-98 times??

Skipper

They got to turn some thingy ma jig

How confusing is this?

Can you spy the workers?

"Straw Hair" at the Corvette Cafe -

cute place, the staff sing & dance

and there is a balloon guy

that makes lightsabers (and other things)

If he is not lingering,

he is frolicking

we took our umbrella,

next time I want to remember our little tent.

I think that would be fun.

I love Cyrus behind Evan

really enjoying the warm sand and sun!

And this wee one kept doing this!

I already want to plan another beach trip!

Birthdays, Soccer, Tooth, & Mary!

I slack, again, on my online journal of life.  And I have had some moments I have been wanting to document!  For example, this Wee One has turned 1.  She may appear all sweetie and cuteness and innocent.  But really we have to keep her locked up ~

in jail

'cause she is so naughty.

I told her she could have one phone call.

We love her though!

I guess we can keep her!

Happy 1 year Sweet Babes!

This girl has also had a birthday that has come and gone!

She is now 5.

Where does the time go?

(How many times has that phrase been said? - but is such a real question)

There are so many changes in the first 5 years of life. 

5 years to an adult is not a big thing.  I feel like I have not changed (much) in the last 5 years of my life,

but not so with little ones.

4 years ago she was this

and now she is this.

Happy 5 years Lydia.

We love you!

We have actually been in San Diego

hanging out!

I only have 454 pictures of our vacation....yikes!

I did not even know my camera would hold that many.

No worries, I will not post all of them.

But before I post those ~

Here are a few May moments I never did document.

We wrapped up soccer

lost a tooth

(at soccer)

(his 1st one - he is a late bloomer for that)

We made sun lemon cupcakes,

(for Our Lady of Fatima)

which no one really liked- they were from a box, those are always good.

My first "box" experience we did not like!

And the kids had fun making their miracle of the sun fruit platter

as we celebrated Our Lady of Fatima

(sorry I did not bother to crop pic - but I do love those Ikea cups)

The kids love "making candy"

So we made Mary and a few Immaculate Hearts!

We attempted our first May Alter, but I am not sharing a pic.

With a baby and placing a cloth on little table for an alter, just was a bad idea,

so I ended up putting our "alter" (bench) on top of another table,

so baby could not reach it and it was less than ideal shall we say.

Speaking of little tables I found this pic I snapped

because I think it is it a little funny.

Lydia always wants to make stuff - always.

Her creations are very real and wonderful to her.

Like this table.

If I toss it and she would see that I threw it away, she would say,

"Mom, that is my table" -

as in why would you throw away a perfectly, "usable" item?...

Because in her little mind it is perfectly functional!!!

I guess I will stop there.  Oh, we did have a bird in the house the other day.  Ewwww.

It pooped (not on anything cloth - thank goodness) and we got it out the door.

Lydia was the only one in the house when it happened.  She was scared. 

She keeps telling everyone about it. 

OK, I will sound off with one more pic of SAN!

more to come!