Summer Part 2- California

I knew I was going to go to California in the summer, but I wasn't sure how it was going to work out since little sis was getting married after school started and we weren't sure we wanted to take 2 trips, but I decided what the hay!!  I really wanted to do a long trip this time, so we packed up and went!  We ended up staying for 3 1/2 weeks and it was the BOOOOOOMB!  Best summer ever!

 Getting ready for the loooong drive!

 We are obsessed with mom's green backyard and the yummy lemons, blackberries, and blueberries to pick!

 While Scott was still there, we had some beach time of course!

 grandma/Cami time at my 2nd cousin's wedding reception

The streets of Palm Springs

 Scott had some business to do while he was there, so my mom watched the older kids and took them to the San Diego fair that day (mom I need those pics!!) and Scott, Cami, and I went to Palm Springs which I had not been to since I was a kid.  It is so awesome there!  I would love to do a mini vacay there next time we're in Cali... It's like fancy Cali resort style...  So cool! 

Then on our way home we stopped at Idyllwild to see Scott's BFF from high school.  It's a little town in the mountains and it's where a lot of rich mountain-dwellers live.  There is a really cool vibe.  We went to this awesome local restaurant and they were playing Jazz music.  It was AMAZING!!  BTW, this is the town where the American Idol dude Casey Abrams is from.  I could see why.  Our friends that live there teach at this private school there that some famous people send their kids to.  Such a fun, but very different, life they live!

 Justin and Scott

 On our drive home

Scott left the next day to go back to New Mexico.  We did so many fun fun things while we were there the next 3 weeks!  Here's a boatload of pics to prove it!

 Architecture in downtown Carlsbad

 

 sand castle

Going to the fireworks on the 4th!

At the Legoland fireworks... worst ever!!!  Don't even get me started...

I got to spend lots of good quality time with one of my best friends Megan.  It was so awesome cause we haven't been able to hang out a lot since I've been married, so it was awesome to hang out whenever we wanted!  It was like we never left!  We went to the pool lots...

 

My kids were obsessed with boogie boarding!  It was so cute and they both were really good by the time we left!

 Sunday walk with my sis... riding razors...  haha so fun!!

The cutest dog ever CHARLAYYYY!!

They even have hot air balloons in Cali

Duh more beach time!

Wicked with sister and mommy!

We went to Legoland for the last hour free.  It was super fun and the kids even got a souvenir!   

lego dude

My bee friend

Mormon beach day

We got to see my old friend Amy from Jr. High days!  It was so fun to see her and her adorable little guy.

We went to chick-fil-a way too much for customer appreciation week and of course Cow Appreciation day.  I hope to never miss it for the rest of my life.

We went to Jazz in the park at the park a block away.  We danced our little hearts out.  Oh how I wish there was something like this in NM!!

THIS is the best burrito in the world.  You can only find burritos like this in Mexico, or from Mexicans that live in California!!!  

My favorite thing to do on this earth... lay on the beach

this is what a beached-out baby looks like

Girls night with my high school best friends at cheesecake factory.   

Mickey mouse at Disneyland with the olders!

Look at Jace's poor little face!  I felt so bad when I saw this!  He acted so brave the whole time and even said it was fun afterward, but as you can see he was freaked out!!  Ignore the part of the picture with me in it!!  bahaha

About halfway through Jace decided to sit back and enjoy the ride :)  it was so adorable 

We had such a fun day at Disneyland!  Thanks mom for watching Cami!  

We spent a day with Kara in Mission Bay

We went to see my childhood home, where I lived till I was 11, which looks almost the exact same!  My parents bought this house new, so they planted that tree and that ivy.  :)

Took my kids to my elementary school!  We took many a picture in front of this mural as kids!

All babies love the beach!

strawberry pickin

I love that these kids are buds!  They have so much fun together!

This was Cami's baby jail at the beach!  It worked out pretty good!

Scott finally came to pick us up and I realized how much I had missed him even though we were having so much fun!  We went on a little date to see the new Batman at Dad's theater.  

Driving back home.

It was such a good trip!  I feel like it filled a huge hole in my heart that has been there for years!  It was filled with lots of family, friends, beach, and good food.  All my favorite things!  I decided I am going to make it a tradition from now on... :)

Beginning of Summer

We had a jam-packed summer and I have so much to write about, so I will break it up into 3 sections: beginning, middle, and end!

At the beginning of summer, my kids had to say goodbye to some of their best friends that we've known for years, the McCrackens.  Rex and Stacie will be missed soooo much!  

One of Scott's bff's from high school, Karl, got married so we took a trip up to Bloomfield to go to his wedding.   

 Sorry I just couldn't help myself... some of the guests looking not so wedding-y

 Our cute friend Karl.  One of the nicest guys you will ever meet

Sad this came out so blurry!

 first dance

Scott got to hang out with a lot of his good high school friends!  They invited us to go cliff jumping, and barbecue (BYOB), like they always do when we are there.  It's just so funny because we feel like we are so far from all that stuff now!  I did get the feeling that either we need to be a little more exciting, or we just aren't that cool anymore... :)

We spent tons of time at the pool.  Makenna mastered swimming and can swim across the pool and do fancy strokes.  She thinks she's going to be in the Olympics now.  The other day Jace says "Kenna you look like a USA girl!"  (they've been watching lots of Olympics!)  Jace can swim now too so no more worrying about the bigger kids.

We went to this fun splash park

We went to Galloping Grace

We went to the Jemez mountains to go on a little hike and let our kids play in the water

More to come!

Junegram

- Splash pad with friends
-Galloping Grace
-Isotopes baseball game
-coconut
-hiking in Jemez with friends
-laying on the tramp
-Jace hijacking my phone
-swimming!
-Cami started crawling!

First half of Junegram

-Family campout in the backyard
-the boys playing in the old coals from the firepit!
-epic tantrum
-sickest baby ever.  Poor thing threw up and out the other end for 4 days straight.  It was the saddest thing ever.
-morning running
-Kenna's tooth about to come out (which it did a few days later!)
-Climbing the tree in our backyard
-Scott and buddy, Art, blowing bubbles at Karl's wedding
-cousin time in Farmington and Bloomfield
-swimming!!
-more cousin time when the Burns stayed with us a few nights
-Cami's first taste of sand
-Father's day

What a fun month this has been so far!  (Besides my sick baby Cami!)

Family Sports nights

At the beginning of the summer I was trying to figure out which camps and classes to put the kids in, but at the same time not really looking forward to forking out money and driving the kids around town.  I thought it would be cool if there was a camp where the kids learn the basics of a lot of different sports.  Then one day I had this idea...  It felt like a "DOYYY!" moment!  Scott and I could teach them quite a few sports on our own, and it would be good family time at the same time!  Then hatched "Lee Family Sports Nights!"  The kids were really excited about it!  Scott wasn't sure, but decided to go along with another of my crazy ideas.  So far we have had baseball week, soccer week, basketball week, and tennis week.  My crazy little idea has actually worked!  The kids are really learning the sports, getting along great, getting exercise, they are learning to listen to the advice of their parents (!) and on and on.  Scott and I have really enjoyed being "coaches" and teaching our kids to love sports we love.  I can't say it's been perfect since we have had a couple of meltdowns mostly cause kids can be stubborn and get discouraged easily, but it's been awesome to see them pick themselves back up and learn to be better sports.

Now I have more ideas floating around in my head... :)

Maystagram (May in Instagram!)

-Arizona trip
-Jed came to visit
-bachelorette started- not sure if we like it so much though
-redbox fridays
-splash pad in uptown
-Kenna lost her 3rd tooth
-reminiscing on our wedding while Scott was out of town!
-Cami's first watermelon
-park with the Burns
-Family bikerides
-memorial day BBQ
-last day of school!
-Family sports nights (each week we do a different sport)

Philadelphia

While we were having a crazy last week of school, Scott was in Philadelphia to train for his new job- living it up!!  He went to a Phillies game, 76ers playoff game, toured the city including running up the "Rocky steps," and eating lots of yummy food!  We missed him a ton, but I'm glad he had such a good time!  Maybe I will be able to go with him in the future!