Just For Today...

Today, I decided to put everything else off. The box that needs to go out can wait, the floors that need to be mopped and vacuumed can wait, and my endless list of to-dos can wait... just for today. With daddy still gone, today seemed impossible. After a few days without daddy, Ave starts getting over emotional and that leads to a worn out me who just can find my "inner patience". So we left. We left everything that was exhausting us. We headed to our favorite place, Avila. And after a day of picking peaches and berries, tractor rides, feeding the goats, yummy, fresh produce and the beautiful ocean...we somehow just. felt. better.

Sometimes you need a break... from life, from to-dos, and from schedules to just laugh and for a moment, forget all else and just enjoy being together.

She was so proud that she picked all this by herself!

Just too cute!

Photo op while Ave was picking!

Hiding in the peach trees.

A lotta love!

Waiting for the tractor!

Our Crazy Week

Ready for our tour...

Ave was not thrilled to be taking this picture

(Ben's last picture with glasses!)

Monday was the day. Ben had laser eye surgery... yay! Now Ben is recovering, by himself in a quiet, lonely hotel room at Travis Air Force Base... boo. He went up last Wednesday for pre-op appointments and then the kids and I headed up on Thursday to meet him. We picked up him up, drove through gorgeous Napa Valley and then spent the weekend with my Grandparents. We headed back to Travis on Sunday and his surgery was on Monday afternoon. But, we can't be all business can we? Sunday night we took the opportunity to go bowling, fun! On Monday morning we went to breakfast and then headed to the Jelly Belly Factory. We went on a tour, sampled lots of yummy jelly beans, snapped a few cheesy photos and made it back just in time for his appointment. Ave, Gray and I headed out on our five hour drive home Tuesday morning leaving Ben to recover in peace... what a week! Ben's surgery went great and hopefully he will be home on Saturday, but the kids and I miss him!

Picture "Perfect"

Trying to get a "normal" picture of these two is quite the task. It normally ends with a million goofy pictures and quite a few laughs and giggles. The best part of my day is hearing these two laugh together, it doesn't get better than that!

He's Up!

Graysen is officially sitting up. Before he would sit a few minutes here and there but last Monday, that was it. He just decided it was time to sit up, and there hasn't been any wobbly phase, he just took right to it. I love this new phase, and Ave is so proud of him!

Mother's Day 2010

We had a fabulous Mother's Day this year! My all-time favorite Mother's Day tradition is going out for breakfast. This year, we enjoyed a very yummy breakfast at Kay's, which of course, made us almost late for church but it was SO worth it! Then we came home, and watched old family videos... it's amazing how much we've change. Then, had some good friends over for dinner. Nothing is better than good friends and GREAT conversation!

Graysen is SiX MoNtHs!

How is it possible six months is already gone?! As always, it is bittersweet. There are SO many new, exciting stages to look forward to...but that also means he outgrowing his snuggly baby stage! Gray now weighs 18 pounds and 4 ounces (56%), he is 27.3 inches tall (70%), and his head is 44.5 cms (64%).

(FYI-went back to Ave's baby book and she barely weighed 15 pounds at her six month appointment)

Love it!

I adore this picture of Ave!

(Some things SO don't change! Ever since she could eat, her favorite food has always been blueberries. She used to call them "b-b's". It was so cute! )

The BIG Reveal!

Finally! I got a good picture of his two bottom teeth. They came in about three and a half weeks ago and needless to say, I kind of miss his gummy smile! He has definitely gotten used to using them, as he ate blueberries and strips of toast for breakfast...Ben was right, boys eat ALOT.

One of those Moments...

As parents, Ben and I constantly find ourselves saying things like, "Can you imagine when she..?" or "Just wait until they are doing that!" and "Are we ever going to get them to?". And then, you have a moment like I had today that I realized...we ARE there! Avery is three years old...What? And then we have Graysen who is six months old...Really?

This morning while I was getting ready, Avery was drawing. She loves to color but lately she has become much more interested in the whole concept of coloring inside the lines and she is learning how to draw. Throughout this process we have ended up "wasting" numerous pieces of paper. This morning I picked this paper up off the desk and went to throw it in the trash... until I looked closer at the "picture". When I asked Avery what she drew she said "mommy, daddy and Graysen, and lots of 'A's' "! And then I had one of those "Are we already there" moments? I didn't know she knew how to draw people, it seemed like only yesterday I was drawing creepy, potato looking people on random pieces of paper. At that moment, I quickly realized we ARE here and she is changing so fast. I am so grateful to be reminded by her to live IN the moment, and enjoy each day to its fullest!

Almost There!

Graysen has finally been wanting to sit up. At this point, he will sit for a minute here and there and then topple forward or just give up and roll over. But the other day he sat up "unassisted" for a five minutes! WooHoo!