Saying Good bye

One last chance for the kids to hang on some relatives. 

I love this picture!  Jolene asked Wayne if he could imagine having all those kids to take care of.  I can easily see them doing it and I hope they are blessed with a baby soon.  In the mean time, they are a great Aunt and Uncle and we love them!

Even Elizabeth loves them!

It was such a great trip.  I have more pictures on my camera from the time we have been home and my parents and Donald's brother will visit next week, but for now, i consider myself caught up!

Carpenteria Beach

On the way home from the zoo, we stopped at my favorite beach.  We camped here every year when I was growing up and it just feels like a safe and happy place.  It must have worn off on our cranky kids because they became fun again.  We only stayed a shot time, but we really enjoyed ourselves.  I've never seen the beach so busy, but it was a hot day around the 4th of July.

Elizabeth loved the waves and I had a death grip on her little hand.  She just wanted to run away from me!

Donald took Sarah out deep to jump the waves before they broke.  She loved it.  I loved watching her, it brought back so many memories!

It is very hard to see, but Sarah managed to catch a wave and do a little body surfing!

Donald took Joshua "way out" too.  He did ok, but I could tell her was more nervous.

Because Elizabeth thinks she is big, Donald had to take her "way out" also.  She enjoyed it and would have gone a lot deeper if I didn't say no!

And of course, one of the best things about the beach, the sand!  Elizabeth actually wouldn't go in the sand, but these two loved it and were covered head to toes!

And my beach baby!  I ask again, "Why don't we live in Southern CA?!"

The Santa Barbara Zoo




Sarah feeding a giraffe.

Joshua feeding a giraffe.
We thought the smaller zoo would be better than the LA Zoo and cooler too.  I have to say, the kids were super well behaved at Disneyland and at the zoo, all they did was complain!  We only stayed about an hour and were glad to be done.  It may be a while before we take them to another zoo!

The 4th of July
This was a great day for me.  I spent the whole morning and afternoon with Vickie and Sarah at the Ventura Street fair.  We saw so many nice things and just enjoyed some girl time.  Donald stayed with Clayton and Joshua and Elizabeth and the three girls had fun visiting and shopping!




The best picture...
 

Me and my girls!

Uncle Wayne and Aunt Jolene had us over for dinner and fireworks.  They had sparkler and I don't know what else!  Wayne had just cleaned out and found some kid police stuff that his old job had given him when he quit to join the CHP.  Guess who got it all?  Yep, my kids!  That is what Joshua is wearing in all of these pictures, his police gear! 

Does he look like a mad scientist?

Elizabeth mostly sat and watched until the city show began.  It was too loud and scary for her, so the two of us went in and watched some fireworks on TV.  I didn't mind, she was super cuddly and the fireworks I watched were coordinated with music.  Oh and that reminds me, if you get a chance to see fireworks at Disneyland, it is worth it!  I wasn't interested in staking out a place there and so we just walked by when they were going, but wow, what a show!!

Beautiful Jolene.  I never have enough pictures of her on my blog!

Swimming and BBQ at Auntie Brenda's

We had such a good time swimming with Auntie Brenda and Uncle Ash.  Their three dogs weren't shy about jumping in the pool and swimming and the kids thought it was hilarious that the dogs swam with us.

We had a great dinner and Wayne and Jolene even joined us.  It was strange to hang out with out my parents there, but we still had fun. 

The kids loved playing on this exercise machine.  I don't know what it is, but they were each on one foot pedal and could barely get it to move.  It was a ton of fun for them and for us to watch. 

After Disneyland, we headed back to Simi Valley and spent a week visiting Grandma Peaches and my brother and sister.  My parents were gone to my dad's high school reunion (I can't even remember how many years, but a lot!).  They let us stay at their house - that is where I had the run in with the police, remember?

Here are some pictures of swimming at Grandma Peaches house.  The kids had a great time there.  Cousin Clayton had just had surgery and was stuck in bed.  They tried to hang out with him, watching TV and playing video games.  Poor kid must be so bored by now!  Hopefully his surgery will give him more flexibility and mobility. 

Amanda with her new husband, Nathan, and her son Elijah.  We thought we'd get to know him and set aside a day to spend there, but he had somewhere else to be, so we pretty much just said hello!  It was his birthday the next day, so Donald's mom got him a cake and we all sang to him.

Here are the final few shots from Disneyland.  The big kids with Peter Pan.  We were just passing by and there her was.  I think all the adults were happy that none of the kids wanted to stand in line to see a bunch of characters!

On our last day at the park, we had some visitors!  Auntie Brenda and Uncle Ash drove down for the day.  They took Sarah on the Haunted Mansion and spoiled all the kids with gifts!  Sarah seems to especially love her Auntie and was happy to hang (literally) on Uncle Ash! 

Noah and Joshua using "The Force" on me!  the last morning we just hung out at the hotel while everyone packed up.  When we planned the trip, we thought we'd have whole afternoons where we just hung out at the pool.  I don't think anyone even went in the pool!  This morning time was great for the kids just to play and imagine. 

The saddest part of the whole trip, saying good bye.  It makes me sad even now to think about it!  :(

Here are the two "babies".  They are really toddlers, but to us, they are still the babies.  Lucy is only two weeks younger than Lizzie, so as they grow, I know they will be good friends.  Elizabeth usually doesn't tolerate other people being so close to her, but she let Lucy sit next to her and even let Todd push the stroller. 

When the two babies were in one double stroller, the two "big kids" were in the other.  It was much easier to push the babies than it was to push these kids around.  They loved sitting together and talked and played as we went.

I got the idea to make matching shirts for all the kids and decided on tie dye.  I've never done tie dye, but it was really easy.  I saw instructions on line to make a Mickey head in the middle of the shirt.  The littlest ones came out great (see Libby's on the far left?), but I used a different stencil for the big kids and it was kind of a blob.  I traced over the outline in sharpie marker and it looked ok.  The kids liked them, so I guess that is what matters most!  Yes, this really is the best picture of the group that I got!

This is the one Sarah wants to print and frame. 

I like this one better, but both are cute.

Another favorite time.  We went to the wishing well and no one was there except our group.  The kids played and sang and yelled into the well.  They also put in a lot of money,(thanks Karen!) and just relaxed and had fun.

Lizzie and Lucy.  Yes, Elizabeth is bigger, but she is also standing on the cement curb here.  She isn't a giant you know!

My favorite of these two!

On King Triton's Carousel.

Joshua on his favorite ride, Autopia!