Beaching it

On our vast and varying menu of summer amusements...the beach!  weather was odd today-foggy yet warm.  That blew off right after we left.  The water was warmer than expected.  Laurel finally enjoys the beach.  She runs into the water, splashes and dives in.  She has a low attention span though.  She got cold and wanted to huddle on a blanket.  Her anti-mess nature quickly makes her unhappy with the sticky skin and sand that won't brush off.
Audrey loves to run into the waves.  She shouts "go!" and runs in giggling and squealing.  She also loves a good mess and I'm sure she ate quite a bit of and with her snack.  She was covered from head to toe.  I pick these activities on a bath night on purpose!

attempting to go mobile!

After falling massively behind on blogging, I have major catching up to do! last fall I got a smart phone, joining the masses. I have been taking most of my photos this way and it just occured to me that I can probably put blogger on my phone. Yes it took me 9 months to realize this. Hopefully I can be more on top of the entries this way. Just look past the type-os! ill also work on back entries.

Our preschool grad!

Laurel finished her year at the Mar Vista parks preschool and is now ready for kindergarten!  I can hardly believe it.  Time just flies and this year is wrapped already.  Laurel enjoyed her year and made a couple of little friends that she looked forward to seeing every day.  With our move south, we won't see them much more after this, and that makes me sad for her.  Hopefully she'll meet some new friends quickly when school starts in August.  

This was Laurel's teacher, Judy.  Not the typically preschool teacher "look" but she was wonderful with the kids and always had creative crafts for them and fun activities and games.  For just a parks program, it was a great one and I'm so glad we stumbled across it.

Laurel's class was about 20 kids, 3 days per week.  After we moved, we did drive up those three days per week to go to school.  I would take Audrey with me to the shop while Laurel was at school and then we'd pick up and drive back.  I am relieved we don't have to make that trek together anymore.  Laurel was a trooper with the drive though.  It really wasn't far - 30 miles, but with traffic, the commute was completely unpredictable.  Thank goodness for the car pool lane!  

On Laurel's last day, they had their typical "show" with a handful of songs.  Then each child was called to receive a "diploma".  

fun conversations

Laurel is growing up in so many ways now. We're having real conversations and it's really fun!:) She is asking questions, her curiousity at a peek. She wants to understand why things happen - and this covers everything from where the rain comes from to some more complicated topics like babies and mommy's "monthly". I do my very best to explain things in reality, not just make it up. I do try to glaze over some things I think she's too young for yet. I was talking to mom not that long ago about how to teach or not teach things like hate, prejudice, gossip, etc. Most children at her age just don't see that - like skin color or gender differences. We'll cross that bridge I guess when we come to it!

In the meantime, we're having cute conversations like this one from friday:

We were at the studio and she was helping me with tape to wrap up some wedding invitations.

L: mommy, what are these for?

me: well someone is getting married and these papers will go out to all of their friends and family to invite them to their wedding.

L: oh, i want to go! can we go to the wedding?

me: no, we don't know these people, i am just doing work for them. but maybe we'll go to your wedding someday. that will be fun!

L: yeah! I want to get married!

me: ok, who are you going to marry?

L: I'm going to marry daddy!

me: ok, i'm sure he would like to marry you (again, to explain later:))

L: yeah, i love daddy, i'm going to marry him. when did you get married?

me: oh a long time ago, before you were born. i was 25.

L: 25?! that's old! :)

Another day at Disneyland

I think if I were to post photos from our trips to Disneyland, I'd have over a dozen posts a year, at least!  Probably would get boring:).  Here's another shot - post holidays, out with friend Kalia.  Audrey is a decent Disney tripper.  She rides fine but if she misses her nap it's disaster for the rest of the day.  

Thanksgiving 2011

This year we had an intimate Thanksgiving at Megan's apt. That's Audrey in Megan's kitchen, trying to get more food - she can never get enough!

We all brought over a couple of dishes and had a relaxing afternoon. Alex watched some football and we played with the kids.

The next morning, we packed up for 2 nights in Big Bear with the Velez branch, at Christy and Mike's cabin. We stayed with the girls in a room on the first floor. Alex's parents with Cyndy, Rob and family, rented a house right across the street. They held their Thanksgiving for us to join them on Friday, so that was nice and a great treat to have another round of excellent food! A couple of Mike's kids were there, along with Mike's mom. The cabin is very cozy and i enjoyed just relaxing and pretty much doing nothing else. I think I barely stepped out of the front door! Alex took Laurel with the cousins up the street to sled in a patch of snow. The ground wasn't bare, but the covering was sparse. It was Laurel's first time in the snow:). She loved it - and I also realized I don't have enough cold weather gear! No water resistant mittens at all. Both nights, Laurel stayed over with the cousins. A treat for her, pretty much her first sleep over that wasn't down the street at Grandma's or Aunt Meg's. Granted, across the street from us, but in bed with other kids, in a house she isn't used to. We heard she did just fine! Audrey was pretty good most of the time. She didn't nap super well, so she had trouble at dinner time and was pretty fussy during thankgiving dinner. But as usual, ate really well!

Birthday continued

Here's a few pretty and funny faces from the weekend plus a couple of shots of Audrey opening some presents on her actual birthday.  I like to have something for them to open on their actual birthday.:)