Grapes and Sand

Yesterday while we were waiting for everyone to be ready to meet for ice cream I noticed the the light outside was crazy orange and thick and filtered. I didn't realize at the time there were some fires a few counties away and I love the sunset light when there are fires. So I talked to the kids to see if they'd be willing to go find a new place for pics and if they'd actually let me take some pictures of them, and they agreed - miracle. So we changed into some clothes that weren't stained from the day, ate some crackers for dinner (yes, I do feed them veggies from time to time), and ran out to the car to drive to a vineyard across from a park we like to go to. The whole time J was yelling, "quick, quick, we're loosing the light!". I think I'm brainwashing him. I always love pics in fields and orchards, but I'm always nervous to pull over and use the land because I know it belongs to someone somewhere, and what if they don't want me on their property??? Some might say I'm a little wussy in that department. But this particular vineyard is great because it has a paved path that goes right through it and people that walk the neighborhood use it all the time. So we just stuck to the edge of the vineyard right by the path and I wasn't worried about anyone coming to yell at me. Yes, wussy.

J took his camera along too.






Pictures of the two of them together actually facing the camera are very rare.


What kid can resist digging in the fine Oakley sand?











Can you believe I got so many of M looking at the camera?

J did a lot of running.


This is the "great big smile" I asked him for.






Together, not looking at the camera, but I can see two faces. He's making dirt angels.








A sweet moment...until he wouldn't let go and she started crying.




I caught one looking at the camera.


It looks like he's strangling her, but that's his equivalent to an arm around the shoulder.


If you're wondering where Nathan was, he was at work...until 2:30 in the morning. Poor guy. So that was a totally fun evening, and from there we went out for ice cream cones. We tried a new place and it was soooo good!!! And only a dollar a scoop. I can see it becoming a nasty habit.

Alternative Celebration

For my dad's birthday we were going to take him out to the new Bass Pro Shop in Manteca, hang out, look at the giant fish tank, get some lunch...until I noticed it doesn't have it's grand opening until three days later. Bummer. But instead we still went to lunch, at Carl's Jr., for the kids. Mom was at work, but Dad was there of course, me, the kids, Thomas and his friend Tyler. We showed up and there was no one else in the play area, whu-who, so we could sit around and chat while the kids played.

Thomas tried to go back to his childhood and play on the slide with the kids, but he almost broke himself.






I am tempted to cut my hair a few more inches so I can tease Thomas his hair is longer than mine.


See and compare...


Tyler


And the birthday boy himself.


Thomas tried to challenge him to a little Irish boxing, but there were little kids present, so maybe they'll take up the challenge later.


But the birthday celebration wasn't over... ice cream pics to come later.

We have entered the season of birthdays in my family. And today is my dad's day!

Happy Birthday Dad!

We are so excited to celebrate with you...and we'll have to celebrate again in Manteca next week.

Spa Kids

Last Saturday while all the husbands were busy some of us mommies decided to get together for a kids-allowed girls night. Our friend Christy has this great pool and spa that the kids of course LOVE and would have stayed in all night if we had let them. Almost all of them would have anyway. M likes to take a quick dip and then run laps.





J lost his water wings, but his friend had a pair for him to borrow. After climbing out of the spa I made him stop to take a few pics and he was cold.




It's hard to believe last summer he'd throw a fit if we forced him into the water and now we can't keep him out. He jumps right in and thinks it's the coolest thing to go all the way under. He uses floaties this year, but I'm betting next summer he'll learn to swim.

Poor Jen in the middle of all those splashy kids.

And look at all these cuties we all got to hang out with.










Then we ate pizza and caramel corn and didn't get home to almost 10 that night and they were exhausted. It's just too bad they didn't sleep in the next morning.

And oh ya...

...it's a girl!



That's her head to the right and her bum to the left. She's folded in half with her legs pointed back up her body kicking herself in the head...a very clear view this time.

Messy Beds and "Naps"

I'll admit it. I am horrible at making my bed...although not as bad as I use to be. I've been forced into making it about three days a week now. See, back in the days when it was "my bed" the sheets and blankets stayed where I put them. They would be nicely laid out, I'd climb in and sleep, and when I got up in the morning they were basically in the same place they started. Then I got married and that whole scenario changed completely. Nathan has a talent for messing up the covers. I'll wake up in the middle of the night with either no covers on me at all or completely buried and sweating because in his unconscious state he decided he was hot or cold. And he does this crazy weird thing in his sleep where he manages to pull the flat sheet out from under all the other blankets and throw it on the floor. How does he do that while under the covers and leave the rest of the blankets behind??? So you see, after a few days our bed is just a twisted mess and I have to pull everything straight and tuck and wedge all I can under the mattress so I still have covers on me after an hour of being in bed. Which brings me to the point...

...my kids seem to be attracted to my neatly made bed. As soon as it is fluffed and smoothed, they climb right in and "take a nap". A nap that messes up the covers almost as badly as Nathan. I have to guard my bedroom just to keep it made. So today they "napped" for a bit with party blowers.





And M was strangely in the mood to pose for me today. I just wish I had her in a cute outfit and ponytails. Or at least pants.

Poster Paint

Give my kids a little paint, and look what they do to themselves.

Back to Blogging

Our poor computer has once again tried to up and kick the bucket, but we refuse to let it go. I guess we're just not ready to say goodbye....or we just don't want to dish out the cash to upgrade. Nathan was able to do a little patching up - put in a new hard drive and some other fiddling around of sorts that I really don't understand. All I do know is he did something right. It's running a little smoother and I can once again get back to blogging. So lets see, what have we missed?

I believe I left off with my little brother Thomas having a birthday we were about to leave for. And what could be a better birthday dinner than a big bucket of fried chicken? I guess I don't actually like fried chicken all that much, but I am a huge fan of KFC's biscuits, so I was a happy girl. Plus it's a family tradition that goes back to my mom's parents - big family meal and no time to cook, just make a KFC run. And ice cream cake. I love the ice cream cake. We didn't have any candles that weren't scented and in a jar, but you've got to have something to wish on.


We did some lounging around on the couch...




...while Thomas sang some Beatles tunes for us.


Me.


One of our favorite things to do is to hang out around the fire pit in my parents back yard. Fall was in the air and it got really chilly that night, so the fire was extra nice. Here is the Birthday Boy.


I think M thought she could blow the fire out.


I made Nathan take actual pictures of me together with our kids.

J wasn't too thrilled to participate.

Look at M's funny face!


Nathan is never too excited to get his picture taken, but he puts up with me.


And he has figured out that if he is holding the camera I can't take pictures of him.

I stole Thomas' birthday present (the hoodie).

And a few more of my never still children.

All in all a very fun night. Happy Birthday Thomas! Lets do it again next year.