Road Trip: Girls Only Day 3

This was the last leg of our journey.  The girls had been looking forward to our adventures at Hearst Castle so we started off with another dining legend in Cambria, which did not disappoint.

Lene woke up with a slight sore throat but she had tea with her breakfast and got a delicious meal in her tummy.  I had stocked up on straws, so she was able to drink, but her poor lip was swollen and still bothering her. But we headed over to the castle.

Once we had our tickets in hand she complained of her aching legs and asked if she could go to the car to lie down.  So we missed the 45 minute movie and she slept the whole time in the car.  When she awoke, she said she was ready for the tour.  I kept questioning her because she didn't look a hundred percent but she insisted.  Once up the mountain, she was like. . .I have to walk?  Yes, love you do.

She went from this. . .

To this. . .

To this.  My poor thing faded fast and when she asked if she could sit down in a museum exhibit chair, I knew I had to get her out of there fast.  Within minutes of putting us in a private room she was fast asleep.  I was texting Julia to explore without us and an hour went by that my girl got to rest. And rest she did! But then we still needed to make it down the mountain.

I was worried about my poor girl. It was at least a 4.5 hour drive home.  She would sip water but between her lip and throat, she wasn't feeling her best.

She slept the entire way home though fitfully.  On her arrival home, her temperature was 102.5. And daddy brought a smile to her face with his thoughtfulness.

I think it was a combination of dehydration and a virus because two other littles are down with fevers and sore throats as I type this.  Despite this day, our trip was amazing.  I would love to see it a tradition that the girls look forward to.  Spending one on one time with my girl, the conversation, the no fighting with siblings, the exploring new places and food. . .it was all a memory none of us will soon forget.  Our first road trip with my tween who is a teen in a year!!!!

Road Trip: Girls Only Day 2

Day two dawned nice and bright.  After breakfast at our hotel we headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We had to make a pit stop for some Oragel as poor Lene Bean had been hit in the mouth and it developed into quite the open wound.  It looked painful and actually swelled up a bit.

The aquarium was cool!  So much to see and a lot of hands on activities.  After about four hours we headed out to dine at a Food Network Favorite.

Poor Lene, they didn't have straws due to their effect on the sea life.  She was a mess.  It hurt to eat and drink, but she was a trooper and made the best of it.

As if all the sea life scenery wasn't enough, we adventured along the way to our hotel too.

Wild and free childhoods

Moonstone Beach

To be young again and carefree...

Always jumping in full force.  Love them!

Day two was another action packed, exploring kind of day.  These girls were up for anything!  Julia and I shared the task of driving and it was just such joy: all of it. . .except the wifi wasn't working in our room, but hey.  Can't have everything all the time!

Notable mention:  we went to Cambria for dinner.  It was a Mexican Restaurant and Lene Bean and Layla were talking in accents while we waited.  Lene decided she was going to stay in character the whole time we were there...which she did.  As we left, the table beside us (with early twenty-somethings) was already nearing their car talking about the girl, who "didn't look British at all, but was Beyond British."  She was on cloud nine.  I loved how they made it a point to talk loud enough so we could all hear and they were complimenting her not making fun of.  It meant the world to her 12-year-old heart.

Crazy Cuties

Messages in the sand

Road Trip: Girls Only Day 1

 This month we had the opportunity to go on a road trip that was EPIC  (Anjalene's word).  For the first time in her 12 years, she packed her bag and headed out on the open road with only me, her dear friend since kindergarten, and her mom.  We loaded up in the Prius at five thirty in the morning and hit the road.  Let me begin by saying, this is way out of my comfort zone.  Ernie is my trusted touring companion.  I do a great job riding shotgun and keeping him company, but this?  So not me but so glad I did it!  We had a blast!  The best part was, we had a light agenda, which meant we were open to all kind of other stops along the way.

In Solvang we had the best crepes and the girls tried on these cute Dutch outfits.  They had too much fun giggling in the dressing room trying to put on all the pieces.

Next, we stopped in Avila beach because. . .well, Avila.  We had to show off our best camping trip ever to our friends!

Then we drove into downtown San Luis Obispo to gum alley where Layla and Anjalene left their mark.

J and L were gracious enough to encourage a stop into my Aunt Katie's home where we ate lunch.  She enjoyed our visit so much.  I just love this lady.  I rarely see her, but her life has been filled with sadness: lost both her sons in a drowning at Morro Bay, and has lost two husbands to sicknesses too soon, and at eighty-nine she smiles through it.  I loved spending some time with her.

 Morro Bay was the next stop.  It was dreary there.  I think the thought of my cousins struggles in that sea made me just a little sick to be there.

But the girls, ran on the sand and dug looking for crabs.  Every beach we stopped at they got wet frolicking in the waves and laughing deep, hearty laughs filled with absolute fun and joy.  It was a most beautiful sound!

 After miles and miles of lush fields, we might have had to backtrack 15 miles for gas.  My heart was in my throat as I thought, "I should have listened to Lene when we left san Luis Obispo."  I was not really aware how the prius did on gas, apparently I thought it would be even better than it was.  Actually, I had no idea how far we had actually driven as our day was broken into so many little stops.  It was the smallest, scariest gas station you ever did see with only three pumps.  Luckily the girls were asleep so they had no idea of our little snafu.

The girls swam and went in the sauna when we reached our final destination: Monterey.  I fell asleep before showers were even completed.  It was a fabulous, fun, full day!

Summer Mourning

Our new favorite quiet time activity.

Life in between our four walls is seemingly good, quiet bursts of busy followed by gaps of rest.  It feels like summer at its finest.  There are little glimmers of the brokenness that surrounds us with outside influences and forces, but life for the most part is well.  I am such a feeler.  I feel all the emotions all the time and this summer has been no exception.  My littlest one is growing up right before my very eyes and there have been so many lasts already: last first tooth, last time needing her floaties, last time learning to ride a bike. . .it has been quite the adventure!

And yet, sometimes in the quiet I mourn what our extended family used to look like.  I mourn the loss of E's parents, although here physically, their minds are broken.  I mourn the relationships I've watched wither and die.  I mourn those I know living lives that are unauthentic and lack joy.  I mourn these things yet I have so much hope for our future.  How could that possibly be?  My hope in God erases all the brokenness.  It reminds me that one day all my tears will be turned into dancing.  He has taught me not to sacrifice my confidence on the altar of comparison.  He has made me believe that He is all I need.  And I do.

Our gallery wall grew with handmade creations this summer: brave and hope.

Sometimes I have no words to write because I am so caught up in the emotions this summer.  I'm all in for the first time in a long time.  There has been no preoccupied mind needing to make summer workshops, or teacher planning meetings, or set up a classroom.  Those days of teaching are done and I am one hundred percent fully okay with that.  I found my passion: my family.  They give me purpose and that is enough.  No, I'm not going back to work full time just because I have a kindergartener.  I teach around my kitchen table. Seven children whom I have grown to love.  I get excited on my teaching day.  The hour flies by and I am filled with joy because I get to do this: to stay home with my littles and work just enough to practice what I know I am good at.  Life is beautiful.  Like I said before, what happens in between these four walls is pretty amazing.

Please Excuse Us. . .

We're busy doing summer!!!!

Our Final Vacation of Summer

The week before school began, we headed off to our final vacation destination:  Las Vegas.  For the past ten years we try to make the trek yearly as my sister-in-law and nieces live there.  This year it seemed like the timing was off as Ernie had just started a new job the day before.  Oh, I forgot to mention he quit?  Moving on. . .

The trip went ahead as planned and we were really excited about it because in the first time in what feels like forever, their dad (Pa) was coming to spend some time there too.  E's sister had bought a house a year ago and it would be the first time any of us had seen it--pretty cool that we would all be out there together!  In addition, Aunt Timi was there with cousin Joshua so it really was an adventure! 

We hit Circus Circus together where daddy won all his kiddos prizes. I think he may have had more fun than the kids!  I tried not to watch how much money was pulled from the wallet each time another game was attempted.  I might have been thinking, this stuffed toy is costing us how much? I tried not to let that rain on their parade. . . One night Kayla and her boyfriend babysat at the condo so we could go out for a night on the town.  Thanks to my oldest niece, Monique, we got show tickets for a Motown show at great prices!  The music was enjoyable and the buffet feast that followed at New Orleans was both affordable AND delicious!

Our days were spent sleeping in and poolside.  We had lunch at the condo and explored the new facility.  We genuinely relaxed catching up with our loved ones and enjoyed every second we were there.  We were anxious for home simply because we've been gone for three weeks of our summer.  That never happens.  Until now, when it did.  I can't get over all the incredible adventures we shared, places we've seen, activities we've enjoyed.  It boggles my mind.

Summer did exactly what all of us needed: gave us a change of scenery and rest.  I'm feeling incredibly blessed by the opportunity to spend so much together time these last couple months.  For the first time in years. . .years, I didn't open my work bag at all.  Zilch. Nada.  I feel like I truly stayed in the moment and tried to be present with the kids and intentional with our time together.

My Canon didn't get carried around too much this year.  I tried to focus on being a part of the action, not just capturing it on film and for the most part, I think I did all right.  I always want to remember that as we left Las Vegas, we prayed for safe travels.  My Nessa Bessa called out her own prayer, "Dear God, thank you for taking me to Big Bear and Las Vegas and camping and I had fun. Amen."  Ernie smiled and said, he doesn't care if she knows her colors or not, her heart is for God and that's worth more than anything.  And I smiled.  I felt like we were on the same page with our thinking in that one simple statement. 

It's hard to let go of the expectations of the world, but really that is the only way to be free.

  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"--Micah 6:8

Summer is officially over.  School starts today.

We have a new school year to love, show kindness and walk humbly with our God.

He is enough.

He will give us what we need. 

Summer Day at the Splash Pad

Last week we finally found ourselves at the local Splash Pad.  I had only my two youngest to watch and their friends joined us so it was hours of running back and forth from water to playground.  I loved watching them have fun with their friends.  It was just another spectacular summer day that I always want to remember.

Farell's Fun

A few of my favorite girls gathered for a little girl time get together.  We started out with some school shopping at the mall.  Lene Bean had her own little stylists who brought her clothes to the dressing room.  Not everything they brought her made her happy.  She is a shorts and t shirt kind of girl.  However, the closet and drawers are sparse so some new comfortable clothes were a necessity.
I shouldn't complain that designer names don't impress her.  Nor is she all about dressing up.  Her interest lies in comfort.  That makes this mama happy for now; although a little frustrated from time to time when I want her to step away from the familiar. . .

We dined up in the treehouse and grandma treated all of the girls to some gel nails.  Everyone left grandma's happy and we moved on to Farrel's to feast on some ice cream.  I have fond memories of  this place from when I was a kid, so I was happy to try it out with my girlies.  We feasted on a pig trough and when one girl (who shall rename nameless) slurped the trough clean--the staff came over and lovingly sang, " Old MacDonald's" to us. . .paying special attention to the damage our little table of piggies had done.  We laughed.  We enjoyed.  We filled ourselves up on deliciousness.  Another summer day done right.