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!

Ave's 3-Year Appt.

Needless to say, Avery was terrified to go to the doctor. Normally it is Graysen going, so she was very nervous about it being her this time. She did awesome, besides when he tried to look at her teeth, she didn't love that so much. And as always, she is healthy and growing like crazy. She is 33.2 lbs (71%) and 39.5 inches (93%).

Sea World!

Last weekend, we had a funeral to be at in Laguna Niguel, a mere 50 miles north of San Diego. So, of course, we decided to take advantage of our trip south and made a very quick visit to Sea World! I'm so glad we did, we had a great time seeing the shows and touring through the aquariums. Avery was quite impressed by Shamu, whom she keeps calling "Shampoo"?!

Shamu

I can't even get my dog to sit?!

Dad, Ave & Graysen by the tidepools

Touching a starfish!

That is one ugly fish!

Notice the shark above us!
So cool...

The sea lion show was SO cute!

Riding the rides at Sesame Place

Even Gray had a great time!

Ukiah

We have been fortunate enough to go to Ukiah to see my grandparents for the past three years during spring break. We had a wonderful time visiting family, and it was great for Ave to spend time with them and for them to meet Graysen. We had lots of good food, good laughs, and great memories!

Annie Miss & Graysen

Papa, Nana & the kids...what a bunch!

Me & my sis!

Here is ALL of us, doing what we do best!

Ave got skates from Grandma & Grandpa for her birthday.

Didn't even know she could skate?!

Avery's birthday party

What a ham!

Riding her bick with Grandpa & Papa

Ave loving on Graysen

Grandma LOVED Graysen!

Easter 2010

Easter this year was great because we were able to spend it with LOTS of family. Avery was very into all the "easter activites", which was super cute. Although, we had a hard time fitting in an egg hunt because of so much rain. But eventually we caught a break and Daddy and Papa hid the eggs and Ave got to find all of them by herself.

Ave & Nana coloring eggs

Didn't she do well?

She found them all! Hopefully...

Found one!

Graysen & Papa were "helping" Ave.

Graysen is FiVe MoNtHs!

Yes, five months already! Growing and getting more and more personality by the day. He is rolling from front to back now but is still not very interested in sitting up, as he is too much of a busy body. He finds it very frustrating when we sit him up because he can't kick and play. And, his bottom two teeth have finally made their grand entrance!

He's almost too big for her too hold anymore!

As you can see, it is getting much more difficult to get a good picture of him with the blocks. Like any normal baby he is much more interested in playing with them than smiling for a good picture!

Rain, Rain...Here To Stay

On our trip up North to visit family, we were really looking forward to beautiful weather and being able to be outside with the kids...we were SO wrong. The day we got there the rain started and lasted through Monday night until we left on Tuesday morning, which turned out to be beautiful all day. Go figure!? It turned out to be a wonderful time, none the less. The rain did not hinder us from letting Ave go outside, good thing we remembered her rain boots!