Long week

It's been a busy week... lots going on here, both big and small...
We've had fun play dates with friends
Daddy was away on a business trip : (
Got a new blender... I could open my own Jamba Juice with this thing : )
Lots of green smoothies have been enjoyed
Lots of paperwork for me... which means...
Lots of Diego for my kids.  I keep telling myself it is okay because their knowledge of animal rescue and their spanish vocabulary have increased by leaps and bounds : )
Getting ready for a garage sale!!  Whew, lots of work!  Hopefully we will clear out a ton of stuff and make some good $$ in the process.
Bug is BINKY-FREE!!


Okay, on to the really big stuff...

We are in-escrow (Under Contract for you Utah folks) on a HOUSE!!  We are going to be home owners again!
 Mr. Steady was offered a new job at this company, and he accepted!
and, I think we finally have a decision for school for H next year! 

Though momentarily, life feels far from settled knowing we need to pack up all our stuff and move.  It does sound dreamy that in the next 2 months we will be putting down some roots!  There has been so very much up in the air these last few months, it is so good to have some direction

Stay-cation

The last 2+ weeks have been full of...
company
tourist things
fun and laughter
yummy meals
enjoying all that SoCal has to offer

This very well has been one of my favorite at-home vacations, or as we like to call it stay-cations : )

Here are some fun pics of all that we have been up to...

 Fun times with cousins at SeaWorld

My mom and step-dad

 Spent time with my mom and sister

 Celebrated Mr. Steady's Birthday

Beach time with Kaitlyn

Legoland with Utah friends

 

sweet Hally

Bug decided that the designer of this character didn't make him colorful enough... she had to add some more legos : )

 H&H (best buddies since birth) and a random lego boy

 Time with our dear friends!!!
 Love all 6 of these little people : )

Fishing excursion... caught a brown rockfish

Whew, life has been busy and oh, so fun! 

Lego Land

Today was such a fun family day!  Mr. Steady had the day off so we decided to spend the day out enjoying this BEAUTIFUL day.  It was 80 degrees today!  CRAZY January weather, but amazing!  We met up with our dear friends for a day at Lego Land.  It felt like we met them for a day for summer... sunburned shoulders and all : )

Sweet Bug even got a nap!

What a great day!  Anyone from Utah want to come and join us for some fun in the sun???

Fall Day

Oh, how I have loved this week of cloudy weather with a little bit of rain!  Yesterday and today felt like a real Fall day!  I busted out some of our sweaters, rain jackets, rain boots, and a cute little scarf.  I have the strongest urge to pack up all of our summer clothes... but I won't cause I live in Southern California and it will get warm again.  This morning at Bible Study I mentioned that I wanted to pack up our summer clothes and a girl laughed out loud.  She said, "I have lived here all my life, and I never thought of some clothes being just for the summer."  Then she said, "Don't pack anything up, we have had years where we had to run our AC at Christmas."  So the shorts and tanks will stay at their prime place in my closet (especially since it is supposed to be in the 80s this weekend)... but I will take advantage of my opportunities to wear my sweaters, scarfs and Uggs.  I love the cozy clothes of Fall and Winter! 

 

Beach Bonfire

We had a first as a family this weekend... we went to the beach with our friends and had a bonfire.  It kind of reminded me of fun times doing this in college... but I must say with 3 little ones it was a little more chaotic : )  The kids loved it (other than BB, he didn't think the wind in his face was very fun). 

 Bug, H, and Ev

 I think these 2 might get married some day... they already argue like an old married couple... but at other time they get lost in each other's eyes : )

 Bring on the S'mores

Bug was lovin' the S'mores!

We will definitely be doing this again soon... 

anyone want to join us?

What I am lovin'

In the last week I have posted twice about how I am missin' Utah... I am really not a debbie downer... I promise.  I thought it was about time to reflect on what I am loving about living in SoCal... because there is a lot to love about life here : )

WEATHER!  I will not take for granted that 99% of the time it is great weather and I can send the kids outside to play!  This week has been a bit on the toasty side, but even the heat I love!

BEACH- we are so blessed to live so close to the ocean.  On average, I would guess that we go to the beach twice a week.

CHURCH- we have loved the verse by verse teaching of our church here.  Mr. Steady and I are being encouraged and challenged each and every week.  We are so thankful for the kids programs and the marriage group that we are a part of!

NEIGHBORS-  We have amazing neighbors (that feels like an understatement).  God has totally blessed us with great friends right here in our neighborhood.  My sweet friend Dena has the same motto as I do, "we are made to do life together!"  And that is what we do!  We watch each others kids, share meals, run errands, play at the pool, work on projects, hold babies, pray for each other... life is just better with a friend : )

LIFELONG FRIENDS-  I wouldn't have survived our move without the sweet care of friends that have known me since I was 18!  Each of my dear friends has a cool hubby that is great friends with my man.  We are so thankful for the amazing friends that have eased our transition!  Pool time, BBQs, game nights (lots of NERTZ), playdates and more!

 (too bad all of these girls don't live close by)

TRADER JOES-  Oh, how I love TJs!  I really don't know what I will ever do if we move to someplace (like Utah or Colorado) that does not have Traders?  Sounds funny to put a grocery store up there on my list, but it is true I love Traders!!

MR. STEADY'S JOB- It has been so much fun to see my man excel at his job; and to get endless amounts of recognition at work.  To see him enjoying the challenges that each day brings and the "wins" along the way.  I have been so encouraged by his desire to be a light in all he does!

FAMILY TIME- Since moving here we have had so much more time as a family.  Which has been a HUGE blessing.  We have started new family traditions and just enjoy our time together.

Life really is good here!  I have so much to be thankful for!!

PreSchool- Beach and Ocean

                     

H- 4 1/2

Bug- 17 months

This last week we kind of broke away from our traditional "school" week and did learning activities out on our adventures.  We had dear friends from Utah come out to visit, and truth be told it felt like a vacation for us too.  We did many touristy things and loved every minute of learning on the go.  Here is what we did this week...

Reading-
I drew large circles in the sand and put 3 letter words across the circles.  Then I had H jump from one circle to the next saying the sound the letter makes as he was in that circle, then the whole word at the end.

He loved it, so I made another word, then another, until I had a mini scrabble board going ; )   Daddy then noticed that all of the words I had in the sand you could read forward or backward, so we had H hop both directions to figure out the different words that were written in the sand.

Bug playing at the beach... looking very concerned.

Science- Marine Life

We had the pleasure of going up to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.  The kids both really enjoyed it, and I had a great time as well.  We talked about all of the different types of fish and sea mammals we saw.  We even got to feel some of the different creatures.  H was brave enough to touch the starfish, and sea anemone, but he left it up to me to touch the sting-ray.  Bug even touched the starfish and sea anemone, though she was a little rough with them.  Guess we need to work on the meaning of gentle before the baby is born... currently not a part of her vocabulary or understanding for that matter : )

We talked a lot about how creative God is in making all of these different kinds and colors of fish.  I think this is the most colorful aquarium I have ever been to in regard to the color of the fish.  It was honestly amazing.  For the first time I was hit with the thought that there is not a color "created" by man that God did not use somewhere in creation!

 scooba diver feeding the fish

 blues, greens, orange, yellow, pink, reds... so beautiful and amazing!

The show that was put on by the seals at feeding time was fascinating.  The seals are really such smart animals.  All of the kids were thuroghly entertained!

At the end of our day at the aquarium we visited the Lorikeet exhibit.  The birds are beautiful in color.  On the way in a sign said,  to be careful because the birds may bite your finger.  H took the warning very seriously and stood with his hands behind his back the whole time we were in the exhibit.  Me on the other hand stood with my hands covering my head because a bird dive bombing my head or pooping in my hair is one of my biggest fears... true story!

Here we are with our friends, and Bug is showcasing her true independent streak in this picture as she tries to escape.

Ahh, what a great week of vacation at home/ schooling on the go!  Thanks friends for the visit, we miss you, come back soon!