Best Night Ever

Last Thursday night was one of the best nights that we have had as a family.  It was FULL of simple, simple pleasures and we completely enjoyed them.  It was a super warm night and I made bbq'd pizzas (with that yummy dough from Trader Joes).  Oh, and one of the pizzas I made with leftover brie, sauteed onions, grilled chicken, and some balsamic fig sauce that Haley and Auntie Laura had made earlier in the week.  It was SO delicious, if I do say so myself.  

Anyway, we enjoyed the pizzas in the backyard, and all ended up sitting on the lawn instead of at the patio table.  The lawn felt really cool, which was so nice on the hot, hot day!  We just enjoyed sitting and eating together (somewhat rare to have a lovely, calm dinner in our home).  Seth asked us "What's the best part of your day?" and we all said that it was right then, having dinner together in the backyard!

As it was about 6:00 and still super beautiful and warm, we decided to go down to the beach really quickly.  The kids ran around and found treasures, and, it didn't take too long for all three of them to end up in the water (fully clothed).  It started with Abby, on her hands and knees, crawling in the ocean!  Then we all ran and jumped over the waves for a while.  So fun.  It was an evening of pure joy, and I'm putting it on the blog because I don't want to forget it!

Seth's 3rd Birthday

Seth turned 3 years old on October 6th and he was super into his birthday this year!  For his birthday present we gave him a drum set and it was a big hit!  When we said it was time to sing happy birthday and have cake, he didn't want to walk away from the drums.  We convinced him to come and blow out the candles, and then he ran straight back to the drums...without eating any cake!

How much do you love Seth's camera smile?!

A few days later, we had a "rock star" birthday party for him.  He really wanted a stage, so we figured out a way to make one.  He had so much fun having all his friends over and playing music.  The morning of the party Seth told us he was having a parade at his party.  He really loved leading the parade with his guitar!

Setting up the stage!

Auntie Laura and I made him his drum cake!

The birthday boy trying to knock down the guitar pinata!

Star-Struck

Okay, this post is not even a little bit about the kids, I just needed to process last night a little!  Last night I had front row tickets to see Keith Urban, who happens to be my celebrity crush.  We didn't know we had front row tickets until we got there, because our tickets were at will call.  We walked in to find that we had the seats closest to the front of the stadium, and that there was a little platform stage about 8 feet away from our seats.  I was super excited, but not at all prepared for my reaction.  As soon as Keith came out, and I could see him so clearly without looking at that big screen, I freaked out.  There is no other way to describe it.  I just kept screaming "oh my gosh" (which, as I told the story to my kids, they pointed out should have been 'oh my goodness') with everything that I had in me.  I was purposefully telling myself (in my mind) that I needed to breath, in and out, in and out!  I suddenly understood those crazy girls who fainted over the Beatles.  I didn't faint, but I could easily have cried.  I forced myself not to.  That's crazy, right?  It was like I couldn't control it.  I knew that I love Keith, but goodness, gracious...I never would have imagined myself to do what I did.  Seriously, my stomach muscles are sore today because I screamed so intensely!  Then, suddenly, Keith was off the stage and walking towards where we were sitting.  And...I touched his shoulder.  Then I was shakey and I told Carey that my hand really did feel different.  Crazy, right?  Once again, I had to really focus on my breathing.  And, even as I was one of the crazies, it did occur to me what a strange thing it is, to have this person that everyone is just reaching out and touching...just to touch him.  Jesus is one thing, but Keith?  Why on earth, and yet, I'm still so excited about it.  I've said it about 1,000 times today; "I touched Keith Urban".

I keep thinking about what a crazy intense reaction I had, and how much I surprised myself.  And I think, it's a good thing that there is no pain or death in heaven because, if that's how I reacted to just be close to and touch Keith Urban, I feel like to meet Jesus I would just instantly explode.  I assume I won't but now I'm so curious to see how I will react to meeting Him face to face.  At least I won't lose my voice and have sore stomach muscles!

No zoom, guys.  He was just right there!

County Fair Fun

This year we weren't sure we would be able to squeeze in a trip to the county fair, but we managed to make it there on Sunday afternoon.  We normally go on opening night, which tends to be pretty mellow.  Let me tell you, Sunday afternoon was a whole different experience.  We had fun, though.  I think the best part was that Seth was super into the animals, as opposed to last year when I had to put him in the Ergo so he could bury himself into my chest to avoid even seeing the animals!

It was Seth's first time being brave enough to ride a horse!

All three of them just love the animals:)

I think they could have stayed looking at the baby pigs for a good hour or so!

They sat and watched the model trains for quite a while.  Abby dropped her flip flop over the little wall, but thankfully we saw our super tall friend, Jason, right about then, and he was able to reach it!

We had to practically tear them away from the chickens!

The fair experience ended with an Icee (we split a large one into all of their sippies)!

We had to park so far away that there was a little tractor cart that pulled us to and from our car!

Wedding and a Train

This past weekend we had the privilege of attending the wedding of some long time friends.  It was not just any wedding, this was a wedding at Roaring Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains.  Everyone rode the train up to the top of the mountain and Jordan and Anna got married up there in the redwoods.  Then, we rode the train back down and enjoyed a fun and beautiful reception.  We had such a fun time as a family.  At one point I looked over at the dance floor and Abby was dancing with a man that we'd never met before.  A couple minutes later she ran over to me and said, "did you see me dancing with that man?  He's nice.  And funny."

The first thing we saw when we came into the parking lot was Thomas (on a truck ready to move on to a new town).

The kids didn't really care to sit through the ceremony, so they just climbed trees and got really dusty and dirty!

On the train with the flower girl, their friend Ruby!

Back at the reception the kids found a duck pond, and a woman brought them a bucket of duck food.  Abby even fed them out of her hand!

Oh, and one of my favorite quotes of the day was when Abby said "I see the bride, but where is the prince?"

Goodbye Tonsils

Yesterday morning Haley said goodbye to her tonsils, and she was a champ!  Auntie Laura spent the night the night before, so she could be at home with Seth and Abby (until Abby got picked up by a neighbor to go to school) while Carey and I were with Haley.

The staff at Central Coast Surgery Center were SO KIND.  What nice, welcoming people:)  They helped Haley get all ready in the pre-op room, then wheeled her off to surgery.  I felt like Carey and I had hardly sat down in the waiting room when one of the nurses came out to tell us that she was already asleep!  A half an hour later the doctor came out and told us the surgery was done and had gone perfectly.  About 15 minutes later they took us back to see her in the recovery room.  Now, this time, after having almost passed out in the recovery room when Abby had her surgery, I made sure to ask for a chair and sit down right away.  I don't know what it is that makes me feel so faint.  I guess just seeing my sweet daughter so out of it as she was coming off the anesthesia.  Anyway, Haley did a really good job and was quickly asking to go home. 

Her recovery has been really easy so far.  She's been a good little patient, drinking lots of fluid and taking all her medicine.  Oh, and enjoying lots of ice cream and popsicles!  Praise God for a successful surgery!

Going into the surgery center

Watching a DVD as they were prepping everything for the surgery.

All ready to go off to surgery, with two of the sweetest nurses ever!

Ready to go home:)

The best part of getting her tonsils out; chocolate ice cream and movies!

New Season

I've been wanting to blog about how it's been for me having my wonderful baby girls in kindergarten, but by the end of the day, my energy is zapped.  Right now, I have a quiet moment, so I using it up on blogging!

The first couple weeks of kinder has been GREAT for Haley and Abby.  Haley's made some really good buddies, and Abby is loving being such a big girl, with a backpack and lunch box and having recess on the playground!  On Sunday morning of their first weekend Abby asked me if they got to go to school that day, and the tone she used made it sound like it had been f o r e v e r since she had been there!  I am treasuring the mornings of them loving to go to school, since I know that, more than likely, they will not last forever!  I am enjoying getting to know the other parents, as well as Ms. Dorrian and Ms. Shewe, and trying to figure out what ways I can volunteer at the school.  The sense of community there is really incredible, as I had heard it is.  I'm glad my daughters will have all that extra support.

Before kinder started, I was really struggling, feeling like it wasn't fair that Seth got to stay with me all day while my daughters had to be away from me.  I know, that sounds ridiculously prideful, like I am so fabulous to be with, but I really was feeling like that.  I think because I wasn't their mommy for their first year and a half of life, I feel like we all missed out.  Well, we did all miss out, but I hadn't really spent much time thinking about that.  I felt like they really need to be with me.  Then, one day it dawned on me that they are ready for this.  They are ready to not be with me.  They are ready to go be with friends and teachers.  They are ready to start having their own life, apart from mommy and daddy and Seth.  That seems really sad, but it's also so exciting.  Now I get to see who they are come out and develop more and more.  I love my daughters so much, and I do miss them through the day, but I know that this is good.  Our morning have been really pleasant (for the most part) and the afternoons have been great too!

Yesterday we rode bikes to and from school successfully!  That was exciting.  It feels so wasteful to me to drive to the school and back twice a day, but I wasn't sure if they would be able to ride home (it's basically up hill the whole way) after being at school for 6 hours.  They did it, though, and we got a fun surprise when Abby's teacher, Ms. Dorrian, drove by and said hello out her window!  When we got home we had popsicles out in the front yard, and they told me about the funniest parts of their days.  It was one of my favorite life moments; the four of us, sitting in the sun, eating cold treats and chatting nicely.  Treasure:)

As the year goes on, I'm getting more and more excited about this new season of life.  I can help at the school.  I can spend time with Seth.  I can sit quietly and blog while the girls are at school and Seth naps!  I get a joyful reunion with my sweet five year olds every afternoon (well, we're learning how to make it more joyful.  Haley always struggles when transitioning back to mommy.  It happened with preschool.  It happens on Sundays at church.  It's happening at kinder.)  Plus, I really like filling out forms, and so far, there have been a lot of those!