You Know You're in California When...

You know you're in California when:

• People are walking around the grocery store in bathing suits and swim cover-ups. And it's November.
• There are palm trees everywhere you look.
• You can't travel more than 5 miles on the freeway (and that's freeway not highway) without passing several crossing overpasses.
• Gas is a good $0.45 higher than wherever I happen to be living.
• Produce is ridiculously cheap and the quality is amazing.
  
• 95% of the people you see are wearing flip-flops. 80% of those people are wearing Rainbows flip-flops.
  

It's good to be home. :) The kiddos and I came for a visit while Bryce flitted across the country winning case competitions and interviewing for potential jobs. We've eaten watermelon, played in the blow-up kiddie pool in the backyard, picked tomatoes, had kids parties (a tradition!), oh, and I had some dental work done. Hurrah! Today we took a stroll down the San Clemente pier and it was lovely. The weather was perfect and Sophie was completely fascinated by the ocean and the surfers. Tomorrow it's back to reality - sigh! BUT, we are all VERY excited to see Bryce again. Hooray!!! See you tomorrow, Bryce!

Sophie watching the waves crash - she couldn't believe they just kept coming!

watching the surfers and their "skateboards" as Sophie called thema tired Sophie and meone of Sophie's favorite toys at Grandma's house...

cute!

some bonding time with Jake over banana smoothies - they were having a whole conversation when I took this - so CUTETwo of the states Bryce traveled to in the last week...

and ...

Where will he go next...? Stay tuned to find out...

I Couldn't Resist...

This year several girls in the MBA spouse group have advertised their talents in the photography department. There are so many and each has their own style and they almost make me want to pick up a camera and try it for myself. But... since I don't have a camera that shwanky (love that word), I decided that we'd put to work all their shwanky cameras! I just feel like, when are we going to be near this many willing and talented photographers again? Who knows?? Might as well take advantage of it now, right?! Of course right! (what musical is that last sentence a quote from? Rare nickel to whoever knows the answer...!) Soooo, much to Bryce's chagrin (what?? more pictures??), I signed us up for another round of family pics! Since Sarah had just taken such lovely lovely mantle-type pics for us (thanks again, Sarah! Just framed one of them!), I asked Kelli to take more candid-type pics. And they turned out so cute! Thank you, Kelli! Here's just a couple...Each moment of the year has its own beauty . . .

a picture which was never before and shall never be seen again.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I Heart Productivity

Tonight Bryce was actually home for a bit - HOORAY! With trips to Georgia, Arkansas, Minnesota, and possibly Florida, bishopric meetings, a case competition team, heading up a student organization club, etc. added on top of the usual schoolwork load... it feels rare that he's around much. He amazes me with his ability to keep it all straight and do it all so well! Just thinking about all that makes me tired. Somehow he keeps going.... mmmmwah, Bryce! umm, that was the sound a smooch makes, fyi. Anyway, I digress. So my Sweets was home tonight and I took advantage of it to run a bunch of errands while he was putting Sophie down for bed. The errands have been piling up on my dining room table for the last week or so. It just takes sooooooo much longer to run in and return something with two kids in tow than it takes me by myself that I just couldn't bring myself to do it during the day. BUT HOW GREAT IS THIS?!?!? In less than an hour and a half I went to Kohls, Target, Babies-R-Us, Walgreens and the Post Office!!! And now I have zero errands to run and a much clearer table and... I feel SO productive! Love it.

And you know how I hate to do posts without pics, so here are two pics that Marci took the other week (Marci rocks, too!!). Wow. Do I have cute kids or what?!?Also want to send a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweet mother-in-law! Sending lots of birthday hugs and wishes your way!! Here's a pic of the lovely lady with her first four kiddies -- two sets of twins! I'm telling you, people, she is a super-star! :)

And now... off to do dishes.... good night!

Sarah ROCKS

Our friend, Sarah, took some family pics for us yesterday and they turned out soooo cute. Thank you, Sarah!! It was a beautiful warm day and the leaves were a perfect backdrop. I wanted to take the pics on campus as proof that we were here at BYU. Sarah managed to get a pic with the Y in the background to show where we were. I am so excited to have some pics with Travis in them - he is getting so BIG! Anyway, so here we are - and thank you again, Sarah!!

Sophie's face in this pic absolutely CRACKS me up!!Gooooooo, Cougars!!!