Leah at the Beach

Here we have some pictures of Leah's first, and only, trip to the beach. It turns out that you can take your dog to any beach in Ventura County as long as it is on a leash. But, as it also turns out, keeping your dog on a leash at the beach is really no fun since it is impossible for it to really run around or play in the surf.

When we left the valley yesterday afternoon, we passed a sign that said it was 109 degrees. Horrendous, I know. When we go to the beach 40 minutes later, it was 69 degrees according to my car's gauge. Can you believe it was 40 whole degrees cooler by the coast? And since I am only truly happy with the weather when it is exactly 78 degrees, it was kind of a disappointment. Alas, for the second time this week, it was really too cold and too windy to enjoy the beach. But at least Madeline and the dog had some fun, and I can check "Take Leah to the beach" off my summer to-do list.

Beach Trip

Library Trips!

The girls and I have made several trips to the library this summer. We have checked out and read so many things! Madeline and I have finished 4 chapter books together already! On Tuesday we met some friends at the library for a cute puppet show, and we have marked our calendars for a few other library events in the weeks to come. Madeline also checked out some books on CD; Beverly Cleary ones in preparation for the Beezus and Ramona movie due out this month. I love watching her sit on the living room floor, headphones on and book in hand, very cute and very quiet.

A Visit with Friends

Theresa and Liam drove from Olympia to LA, and we were able to spend two days with them! Madeline was so excited to chase and play with Liam. We had a picnic lunch at the park one day and spent an afternoon at the beach on the other. The beach was cold and windy, too cold and windy to really enjoy it. Just look at what the lifeguards are wearing in the last picture.

Weeeee!

Slip and Slide!

Early in the summer, the girls and I purchased a slip and slide while on a shopping trip to Target. And, let me tell you, it was worth every penny. Madeline loves it, and it is a great way for her to use up some of her energy while supplying the rest of us with lots of laughs. Sophie doesn't care for it, but maybe she will in a couple of years.

Summer Days

I know it is summer because I get to hang out with my girls on a Tuesday morning, but I definitely can't tell it's summer by the weather. I think this morning's high was 65 which is something I should never complain about as I hate the heat of summer. But, when I left the house today, I made sure we had our sun hats and sunscreen, and I didn't think about sweaters or jackets because, well, it's July. Oops! We enjoyed our morning even with the goosebumps on our arms.

We went to the Leonis Adobe Museum where they cater to entertaining little ones on Tuesdays. The favorite activity, far and away, for both girls was feeding the animals, and they spent the most time doing just that. But they also enjoyed learning how to wash clothes, make tortillas, throw horseshoes, and to perform some Native American dances. Those are just the activities pictured here! They also saw a blacksmith demonstration, had crafts, and story time.

Just in case you noticed, Sophie seems to wear the same dress for almost every outing. She has a closet full of clothes, more than I know what to do with, but she insists on wearing her favorite dress anytime it is clean. So for now, I am just going to go with it. If it is clean, she can wear it. If it is dirty, she must pick a different dress. If all her dresses are dirty, we do not get to enjoy a very quiet morning.

Happy 4th!

We spent the 4th in Riverside where we chilled with family, ate hamburgers and hotdogs, and watched a great fireworks show from the backyard. We could not have asked for better seats or a better view. Jessie's back patio was the perfect spot, with a perfect view of Mount Rubidoux where the fireworks were set off from. Sophie and Emmet didn't like the noise, so they were able to go inside and still see the show through the window.

We watched several fire trucks head up the mountain during the evening "just in case."

I asked Emmet if he knew what his shirt said, and he said, "Yes, it says Emmet." It actually says Captain Awesome, that's pretty close though.

Sawyer at nine months:

I wanted a picture of the house Jessie is renting for the next couple of months. Isn't is cute? It has a cool domed ceiling inside, hardwood floors, arches, and many other cool features.

My First Interview with Sawyer

Grandparents!

We spent the last 5 days with Ralph and Shirley. The girls enjoyed their hotel's pools and hot tub, and Madeline especially enjoyed the hotel's breakfast buffet. We were all quite impressed with her appetite. Somewhere between her waffles, eggs, and bacon, she was able to squeeze in three bowls of cereal.

Kent and his parents squeezed in two rounds of golf and one trip to the driving range. Sophie got her first lesson and Madeline worked on her swing. Sophie got bored quickly, and so we toured the grounds and smelled the flowers.