End of August Update

The goings on of the last few weeks have been a blur- we seem to be gaining speed as the end of summer approaches- one week left until school starts. Football of course is in full swing, as are rehearsals for Lights on Broadway. Ryan was in Florida last week for work and we've been having tons of birthday celebrations!

First we had fun with our cousins- Steve had to work in So. Cal for a few days, so Heather and the kids came along too. We went swimming lots, played at castle park and walked to the new frozen yogurt place and had lots of fun playing! Here's Amber, Tyler and Justin being silly.

Justin's All Star team got to go to an OC Flyers game- a minor league team that uses Cal State Fullerton's fields. The boys got to be the bat boys and in between games (it was a double header) they went down on the field and received plaques, had their names announced, etc. It was a fun, but hot evening- and it was also James Denton bobblehead night. He is a part owner of the team. For you Desperate Housewives fans, he was there with his family and he is as cute in real life as he is on tv. The bobblehead was funny too- it's him in a baseball uniform, but he is holding a wrench instead of a bat. Ha Ha!

Sam Swanson and Justin got to be bat boys together and had lots of fun. We took the next picture at the beach this week to replace the one on our fridge that's from when they were 7 years old. Maybe I'll keep both up so I can see how old they are getting. I love these two boys!!!!

We've been to the beach lots in the last 2 weeks- I want to keep going, but will probably only get one last day in before school starts. That makes me VERY SAD!! I love the beach. My kids live in the water and love to boogie board- even Ben! I wonder how long it will be before Grace joins them....

Luckily, Joy loves to take her children to the beach as much as I do. It's almost always the 2 of us with our 9 kids, Grandma MarJane, Nana Janet when she is in town, and then other friends like Swansons or Logues. Marin and Maggie have loved their matching swimsuits- we didn't do it on purpose. And Gracie loves it all! -the sand, the water, the friends, and the food- a girl after my own heart!!

We celebrated the birthdays of Papa and Marin on Sunday. It is always fun to have them together for their birthdays. She was his favorite present ever and she loves her Papa. I take a picture of them each year- I'm sure it won't be long before she can't sit on his lap because she will be too big!

Sunday night we had a party for Janet's 60th birthday. When she walked in and saw all the chairs set up she asked if she actually knew that many people in California! We had a great time visiting, telling Janet stories and reading 3 words that each guest wrote to describe Janet. There were many of the same words over and over including: "shopping", "happy", "beautiful", "friendly". All of which fit her perfectly! Guests included Evans, Swansons, Izus, Robles', Candy and her daughter, Redfords, Christoffersons, Millers, Dottie and Joy.

Janet and her best friend from high school, Candy. They still wear matching clothes all these years later!

MarJane, Sue and Janet- the card was of 3 old ladies in swim suits- it was very funny and we decided it was the 3 of them at the beach!

Our football and t-ball firends, the Matthews, invited us the Adventure Playground Wednesday- aka the mud park. The kids ran around, slid down the water slide and then played in the mud pit. They had tug-of-wars, mud fights and literally rolled in the mud! The above picture is Amber and Emily Duginger. Emily won for "Queen of the Mud Pit". Below is Justin if you can't tell.

And last but not least, Amber got glasses. She loves them and loves to see everything better! We also had to go to middle school registration yesterday and get her all set up for school. She will be doing 2 electives- choir and concert band- so she will have to stay after school and do PE each day. It's ll make for a long day, but I hope that she will have fun! She is nervous and a bit excited too.

Well August is almost over. I have a baby that is almost 9 months old and has 5 teeth. She is crawling and trying to stnd on her own. She has actually done it twice for just a second. It won't be long now. School is about to start and our fun summer will be over......Sadness...

Welcome to the Fair!

We recently went to the OC Fair with our friends the Halls. So much fun! Joy had tons of coupons so we didn't spend and arm and a leg- maybe just an arm! In any case it was great fun. Here are Amber and Ian welcoming us to the fair.We did lots of "little kid" rides first and then headed over to the big ones. We ran out of time to do all the kids wanted, so we had to promise that next year we'd start on the big rides. I did the water ride with Justin, Maggie and Marin (and lost my favorite hat down the big hill) while Joy had Grace. Then Joy went with all the kids except Amanda (who had had too much food and too many spinning rides) on this one. Grace and I watched as they giggled themselves around the track! The boys
The girls

The food! Or what was left after we pigged out- fried potaotes with ranch and nacho cheese, corn dogs, chocolate covered strawberries, soda, lemonade, water, funnel cake (to die for!!!), a BBQed turkey leg, fish and chips....Heather Swanson always says you gotta eat your way through the fair! I think we did.
This grossed even me out- here are just a few of the "yummy" treats they deep fry at the fair!! Oreos, Snickers candy bars and more were also on the menu, just not on the billboard.

Much needed feet massagers were set out throughout the park and we actually used them once- all the kids got a "ride"- it was one of the favorites! :)
Maggie and Marin coming down the slide. Ben got a "rug burn" coming down. We thought Ian would be freaked out, but he actually seemed to like it.
These great street performers were singing and we stopped to listen. The kids were so cute that they joined the act. The best was watching Ian sing and dance- he has music in his soul! Justin was too cool to join in - and he was also busy eating some of Joy's turkey leg. These guys were great and they even bought the kids some fruit at the stand behind them afterward (the only healthy thing they ate that day!) They said they sing at in the movie Chuck and Larry - I never saw it, but now I want to watch the end to hear them sing!

What a super fun day with some of our bestest friends!!!

Breaking Dawn

Well I finally finished it! I read all the other books in 2 days or less. This one took a bit more time, but this one had more pages, I do have a little baby and Amber took and read it first- she did finish in two days. She says it's her favorite of the four books. Which is your favorite? I'm not sure which is mine... I'll have to ponder that one. I also now need to get my house cleaned up since I've been ignoring that while I read. To those still reading...enjoy!!!

MarJane did a funny!

So we're at the beach yesterday- not looking quite as fancy as the above picture- and my mom can't find her cell phone. She looks everywhere and is worried that she dropped it on the way from the car to the beach. I figure she left it on my kitchen counter or something. So we stop worrying about it and enjoy our lovely day with perfect weather and HUGE waves. When we get back to my house several hours later she looks through her purse- no phone. She looks in the car and trunk- no phone. I grab my cell phone and call her number so that if we can hear it ring maybe we'll find it. It starts ringing- she looks in the car, her purse, beach chair, cooler, trunk- no phone. By this time it has gone to voice mail and stopped ringing. So I call again and walk over to her car to help her look. We can both hear it, but can't see it anywhere. Suddenly, I look at her and ask, "Mom, is the phone in your swim suit?". Her hand goes down the cleavage and what does she find? Her phone!!!!!!!!!! I nearly fell over I was laughing so hard. It had been there for hours and she didn't even know. How you don't feel a cell phone in such a place I don't know, but then I don't really have cleavage either...oh well...we had a great laugh! I love my mom!!!