Aleah's Birthday with her cousins

Obviously, I'm trying to catch up with all the postings.

I really want to post Aleah's birthday when we were in san Diego. Her actual birthday, June 19th, was when we were in San diego. So I just bought a cake and we sang to her. She was in heaven celebrating with all her cousins. She felt so special having all her cousins, Aunts and Uncles, and Grandma and Grandpa singing to her. I love that girl!

Aleah is such a blessing in our lives. She is happy and excited to start everyday and she is so full of life. She loves helping and is very good at it. She's a very thoughtful sweet girl and an incredible big sister. She's such a smart girl and loves to learn and be challenged. She brings so much joy to our family and our home! We love you sweet Aleah!!!

A little beach action!

Almost the whole time we were in San Diego, it was alittle on the cold side, which does not equal beach weather. Oh well, if you're in San Diego, you still gotta go. So we went. It was a very overcast, windy day, and we survived. I didn't take too many pictures, so this is all I have.

my little beach babes

Gotta love the sand! Poor Kia, crazy Jazzy.

Hero to the Rescue!

When we were in San Diego, we went to Sea World.

As we were leaving the Sea World parking lot, my sister Desiree, who was following us, realized she had a flat tire. Luckily she was in good hands. We pulled over and Dacia busts out her working gloves and said, "Move over." Okay, not really. She did, however, subside Desiree's worries by reassuring her that all was under control. So pretty quickly she had this thing change and ready to go again. There's was some combined effort in loosen a few screws, but rest assured, I was under no obligation to do anything because my sister's wouldn't allow a pregnant woman to get in the way.

A job well done.

Sea World

Sea World is such a fun place to go! We had a blast. We played, ate, watch shows, ate, looked at exhibits, ate, and were victims to some crazy seagull attacks! You could spend a few days there with everything there is to do. We had lots of fun. We paid for these expensive food bands so that we could eat throughout the day. We made sure to get our money's worth. However, a few seagulls got in on some dive bomb action rob us! Stinkin' birds!!

Nani in the play area

watching the Shamu show. It was a little cold, that's why they have a towel wrapped around them. They didn't get wet from that far away.

Watching a cool dolphin and acrobat show!

Watching and feeding the LOUD sea lions!

The JAWS after the shark encounter.

Part of the Cir que del mer show.

This was a really cool show!

Watching the show with Auntie Des. The girls loved all the shows!

That guy is doing a handstand on the other guys head. Crazy!

Ethan answering all the questions at the Tide pools.

Petting the sea stars at the tide pools.

Watch out for that huge sea star behind you!!

A little cousin time on the pond

Almost 2 weeks ago, we visited my sister Shannon out in Missouri. They have a great property with a pond. They had built a small, cool boat to go out in the pond in. Aleah and Nani got to ride around in the boat a few times that day. They loved every part of it...being with their cousins, wearing cool life jackets, trying to row, being in the pond...They loved it all!

Big helper

Nani saw a wipe on the table and decided to clean the table with it. She couldn't get the whole table from her chair, so she climbed on top of the table.

Beautifully clean!

The Bacon Explosion...step by step

Yes, he did it again. Matthew made another Bacon Explosion to share on the 4th.

He took pictures of each step.

I guess we forgot to take pics of it sliced and someone enjoying it.

lots of rain

The week before the 4th we had a ton of rain. It rained through 4th and still through the nest morning. This is what our back yard looked like. So we played in it!

Soon to be skirts

My work is cut out for me...ha ha!

I had to share

Since school is getting ready to start, I went through and cleaned out the girls' clothes this week to see what Aleah needed for school. I decided, since she loves skirts, to go through all my scrap fabric and make her skirts for the new school year. I made about 10 skirts on Monday and Tuesday. Some of them need a little something more, and then I'll share them. This particular skirt I thought looked a little homely, but I envisioned a whole outfit to try and help it out. Sometimes the vision doesn't turn out....but I really like how this one came together.

I made this little shrug today from and old t-shirt and her knee highs I made last winter. I think she looks stylin'!

She's such a funny poser!

A Favorite Past Time

One of my favorite things that my dad does is sit around, play the Uke and sing. He could be singing by himself while watching all the ongoings or he could be playing for the whole crowd. It's really a good time. My girls really enjoyed it.

braving the pony ride!

When we were in San Diego a few weeks ago, we went to the Del Mar Fair, or now known as the San Diego County fair. One of the first things the girls saw on the way in was a Pony ride. They both got excited about it and both said they wanted to ride it. I thought pft, right.

My girls are absurdly afraid of animals, I thought surely there was no way they'd get on those. We walked on and told them that on our way out of the fair, if they really wanted to and would get on the pony I'd pay the outrageous price of $7 a kid.

Throughout the day, the girls kept asking to ride the pony. After all the food we ate, all the rides we went on, after looking at animals, we came past the pony again and they still wanted to ride them. So, I reluctantly hand over the money, wondering if they're really going to get on. Luckily there was a sign that said you could haven your $ back if your child would not get on the pony. But when it came time for their turn, there was no problem at all. No convincing or anything. I don't get it. Nani got on the pony and right away said, "Yee Haw!"

Ponies are much cooler than dogs, cats, hamsters, etc, but they're way bigger. I just don't get it. Anyway, I was very proud of the girls for riding the ponies and loving it!

I asked her to say "Yee Haw" again, just so I could have it on camera.