Up the Grapevine...

My mom grew up in Bakersfield, CA. Her sister still lives there and so do my cousins. I haven't been there in 3 years! We used to go ALL the time. Lately they have always come down to San Diego when we were in town so we thought we would make a little over night trip up there to see my Aunt and Uncle and cousins and their kids. The kids had a blast playing with them! I can't believe how old everyone is. Three of them were in my wedding as the ring bearers and flower girl when they were 3, 5 & 6 and now they are 12, 14 and 15!!! AHHHHHH, I guess I am getting old.
Gabe and Luke... Gabe and A.J.

Syd and Lexi...

All the kiddos...Madison, Syd, Lexi, Gabe, AJ & Luke

Mom, my cousin Natalie, Me, My cousin April and my Aunt Judy! Yes, Natalie has a 14 & 15 year old and is expecting! Talk about starting over again!

The next day we went to put flowers on my Grandma May's grave. She died when I was pregnant with Gabe. She would have LOVED Gabe and Syd. She was sooooo much fun! We named Gabe after her...Gabe Maysen...since she died a few months before he was born. I am named after her too. Katie May! WE MISS HER!

Tea Parties & Retirement Parties...

My mom had a gift certificate at this tea place so she wanted to use it with Sydnee in town! Syd can be a girly girl sometimes and a brute other times but she got SO into this tea stuff... it was adorable! At one point I asked her to pour a little cream in my tea and she responded in a really dainty voice "I would love to".

That night we took my mom and dad out to dinner at Jake's Del Mar to celebrate my mom retiring after 33 years of teaching. We took A LOT of pictures before out in front of the restaurant.

Then...the next night we went to a retirement party that the staff from her school put on. My mom's sister came down from Bakersfield to come help celebrate...

Here are the girls...

The kids at the party...

Me and my best friend Meg, she was so sweet to come!

My mom just showing how excited she is to be retiring while they read her "Top 10 Best Things About Retiring"
WAY TO GO MOMMA! So glad we were here to help celebrate!!!

Home Sweet Home (San Diego- Day 1)

It is so good to be back in 75 (perfect) degree weather! We got here late Wed. night and hit up La Jolla Shores (after a quick fish taco at Rubios) all day Thurs....The kids are in heaven at the beach...they could play here forever....

Rob tackled this sand shark with his bare hands. He had an audience and everything! All for the love of capturing things! Pretty awesome huh?

JUST KIDDING...had you going didn't I! I wouldn't put it past him but it was actually dead on the shore and everyone was taking turns holding it up like they had caught it! Gabe thought it was really cool!



Tomorrow we have tea parties and retirement parties for my Mom!

I heart SD!

A Shadow Named Penny

This is our sweet little 20 lb puppy in March.....she went from this...

To this..... almost 75lbs!!!

She LOVES to be near you (esp. the kids) no matter where you are...a definite BEST FRIEND except she still in the "mouthy" stage and the kids aren't too fond of that. I have found her baby teeth around the house...thats always fun...but at least that means she hopefully will be done teething soon!!

She is near no matter where they are...watching TV...

Taking a bath...

This is where she sits when we are up in the kids rooms since she isn't allowed to come upstairs...so this is as close as she can get.

Even when we are in the garage she manages to get her head through our "cat" door to see what we are doing...so funny! I need to get a picture of her while the kids are swimming...she follows them around the pool with every move they make! It is so cute.
She is so sweet and we love ever pound of her! She will be 6mo. on Thursday and has many more pounds to go!!! She better be careful putting her head through there when she is 100 lbs! That could be interesting!

Six

Where has the time gone.... my baby boy is 6?!?! AHHHHH!!! I have been telling him for 2 years now not to get older....the kid just doesn't listen!

Even though it has gone by in a flash we have come a long way from this...

( Please ignore my swollen face, and "mask of pregnancy". That really is me after a LONG night of delivering my sweet little boy. )

to this....

He was in love with his Bolt cake. Who wouldn't be?

Thanks to Katie Rowten for this AMAZING "Bolt" cake...unfortunately my kids ate a little too much of it and look at those teeth!

JUST KIDDING!

Okay now Gabe, you REALLY aren't allowed to get any older now! I mean it!