wow. this is late

I seriously have let some posts slip through the cracks. My sister and her husband celebrated their 10 year anniversary in September and to celebrate her friends, my mom and I threw them a cocktail party. I didn’t take many photos, I was too busy cooking food for the ravenous wolves. But we didn’t mind, as long as the cocktails are flowing, you have to keep the food coming.

This was the first time I blow dried Greta’s hair. Oh, the little princess she felt she was. And Sawyer got to pull out Gunnar’s old tuxedo from a wedding he was in. Again, such a bummer I didn’t take more photos. sigh. I didn’t even get one of Jessica and Carl together! Basically, the only photos I took were before it started. Once people arrived, that’s it. My camera wasn’t picked up again. Nikki should be in the photo with us too, but I didn’t even get one of all the girls who threw it with me. There’s always the next one, five years from now. . .

palm springs with my people

These two were separated at birth, brothers from different mothers, twins raised by different families. . . need I go on? It cracks Jane and I up every time these two get together because we roll our eyes and laugh at how alike they are. I mean if you get rid of the ethnicity, language, state they grew up in, education, and career, they’re almost identical. Not knowing until after we married these men did either Jane or myself realize that we married extreme men. Jane explained this to me, and I doubt I can put it in terms as easily understandable as she, but basically, all men are not like our men. This information was shocking. I thought all men are pretty much the same. Especially since we both married the same type of man, it was clear to me that most would fall into this same category. Nope. Pretty much NOTHING can gross them out. They will eat ALMOST anything, take any dare. They are both slobs and don’t mind being dirty and gross. Sometimes they both need reminders to brush their teeth and shower. And did you know, not ALL of men are like that? Apparently there are some men, who Jane and I must’ve been oblivious to, that enjoy being clean, neat, tidy, and sanitary.

Not these two.

And these two. Can they make my heart melt any more? The fact that they wake up and can’t get to each other’s rooms fast enough. That when one has to go the bathroom, the other goes. every time.  And when one girl isn’t eating, all it takes is one bite by the other and all of a sudden they’re both hungry. Or the fact that if one is wearing a skirt we must dig in the suitcase to match the other, heaven forbid they wear different things!

Aaron knows I hate when he makes this face. He likes to force and accentuate all the wrinkles he has on his face.

Not sure how Gunnar managed to dodge every single photo I took. The weather was perfect. Perfect weekend. Just way too short. . .

Riley’s Farm

I just realized I never posted photos from our Riley’s Farm expedition. We will definitely go back in spring time and they have so much to do there. The kids panned for gold, picked pumpkins, walked around the grounds, made friends with a donkey. Here’s some highlights.

That’s Gunnar and Noah in the next picture, you can barely make them out.

rainy day

I didn’t bring my camera with me to Disneyland since it was raining, but I got to play around with the camera on my iphone. So here are a few snaps of our day. Paige and Jane and the kiddies met us and braved the weather. Seriously in love with all the fun photo apps on my phone.

weekending

Hoping everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Uncle Zeb and I took the kids to see the 3D Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie last night. Really cute, and I laughed out loud multiple times. STEVE!

Spent Saturday at Riley’s Farm, met up with 4 other families. We picked pumpkins and I’m currently researching pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread recipes. If anyone has a favorite, please email me! Poor Aaron had to go to work at 2am to rescue someone stuck in an elevator. Even after all that, he still let me sleep in this morning and woke me up with a hot latte.

And in extremely exciting over the top news. I finally got an iPhone! Yes, I realize my hair is a tragedy, but I had to share before I showered. I have my priorities. Not to fear, the hot mess of my hair is under control and blown dry.

art party

Alissa had a fantastic art party a few weeks ago. The kids had a ball and the crafts were so great. Good job Jane! Jane is crafty and creative and you could tell during this party. Who else would brave a huge paper mache bowl to make pencil holders involving balloons and felt? My kids just wore their tie dye t-shirts to bed last night. We’ve done tie dye in the past, but these shirts are so bright and vibrant, you would’ve thought we bought them.

And because I have THREE kids, I was lucky enough to get to do this paper mache project THREE different times. It was messy. But messy means fun.

The party girl picked out her own outfit and I couldn’t love it any more.

Photo Essay- Camping

I think pictures are better than words for this trip.

congregation picnic- photo essay

last shots of del mar- holga & diana

It’s kind of like the never ending vacation. Maybe because I didn’t want it to end. Maybe because I LOVED it so dearly. Maybe because this weekend Greta told me she would like to go back. Ummmm, me too.

Holga had a little bit of an issue, but I still love her for who she is. She took the ones with the bright lights around the edges. Diana came through for us in a big way.

And this next one I HEART big time!

Is she a poser or what? And Greta definitely gets the award for best beach hair. It’s ridiculous how cute her curls look in saltwater.

a whole day

I got these two for a whole day while their parents celebrated their anniversary in Santa Barbara. They were perfect angels, as long as no one messed with Mallory’s Woody/Jessie figurine collection. And as long as we passed a ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ billboard every few blocks.

Sawyer and Maddie happen to be big ‘Annie’ fans and sang ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ at the top of their lungs several times in a row.

And there was a lot of singing in front of mirrors. Swimming. Playing. Eating.