Four Years!!

Her birthday happened to fall on Super Tuesday this year.  Probably the only time in her life that it will happen and what a wonderful distraction it was!  

I can hardly believe she's four. I don't know where the time has gone, but I'm thrilled to have her home with me for two more years before kindergarten.  

She wanted a "Princess, pink, flower, tea-party" birthday.  I did the best I could and I think she was pleased.  She kept leaning more towards the "Disney" side of things, and I pushed hard for a vintage theme, but we compromised for something in between and it was a hit.

Her primary class came in their princess dresses.  We even had a Dorothy.  We "tinker" our tea cups and Sadie blew out the candles. There were balloons, presents, cupcakes, and a pink cake, per Sadie's request.. I really thought we had it all covered until 10 minutes before the party ended, Sadie looked up at me and said, "Where's the piñata?"  I was at a loss for words and so I distracted them with some outside time - A game of Princess Pirates beats a piñata hands down, in my opinion. 

Happy Birthday, Sadie Jane!

Halloween, 2016

Halloween, 2016.  Dean, usually the one no one recognizes because he's the supporting costume to someone else, chose to be the anchor of our costumes this year by being Gru from Despicable Me. The only thing he actually had to purchase was a black shirt. everything else, including the bald head and the nose, he already had.

Joe and I supported Gru by being a minion and Lucy Wilde, from Despicable Me 2.  Ben was Hugo Cabret, Alan was Dracula and Sadie was a happy witch. 

We were lucky enough to have Grandma and Grandpa with us this year. Gma JoJo was a cow and she found her "herd" at the ward Trunk or Treat.  She looked great in a cow sandwich with the sister missionaries.

I finally got around to making real trick or treat bags for all four kids.  Dean and I stayed up cutting freezer paper stencils.  They turned out great!

We trunk or treated and then even trick or treated and ended up laying on the couch in a candy induced coma watching Curious Gearge's Boo Fest to end our night.

Two of the six of us already have big costume plans for nest year. 

Apple Annie's

We found a local pumpkin patch this year, just in time for a visit from Grandma JoJo and Grandpa Blake.  When I say "local" I mean we drove for an hour and a half to get there.  

Apple Annie's is located in Wilcox, Az. A little farming community just west of the New Mexico border.  The weather was perfect and we enjoyed a hayride and a corn maze.

Ben was disappointed with the lack of large activities. The corn mazes we're used to have slides and corn guns,etc.. but overall we had a good time. 

I'm not sure whether it will become a family tradition, but it was fun to see where the pumpkins actually grow. I think it surprised Sadie that they weren't in a box, like the ones she sees at WalMart. 

I'm hopeful we'll be back another day, maybe to explore the apple orchard next time!

Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego

 Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, San Diego. I had seen pictures and it was on my bucket list.  Our last minute trip to San Diego was the perfect time to fit it in.  No schedules and no agendas meant we had a whole Saturday to ourselves. 

The tide calendar listed low tide at 3:22p.m.  We were there in plenty of time to tour the lighthouse and the military post. The light house was my favorite. I'm pretty sure the boys endured their time there.  They were so anxious to be in the water, it was all I could do to get them in a few pics. 

After a quick picnic by the car we made our way down the cliffs to the water. We were not disappointed!! The water was still pretty high, but that just meant more waves. We climbed, slipped, scurried, explored, walked, splashed, and just sat and stared. We couldn't get enough.

There were hermit crabs and anemones. Shells, rocks, sea glass, even a few caves. Ben was disappointed there wasn't a starfish, but I told him that just means we have to go back again. 

Just after low tide, when the masses started invading the tide pools, we chose to head to Ocean Beach.  It's a quick 10 minute drive and there is plenty of sand and waves, but it seemed a little boring after the morning we'd had. That, or the boys were just exhausted... 

We finished with a huge dinner at Fillipi's in Little Italy and gelato from Papalecco.(Seriously, the BEST gelato ever!!) A great way to end a spontaneous trip to one of our favorite cities!