Most Mornings

Since school's been out I have mostly been waking up about 6:30-7 and almost every morning I wake with my inner voice trying to decide......sleep in a little more or wake now and get a walk in before it gets too hot?  Most mornings I choose the walk.  After this last year of me being back at school I had really let stuff like eating well and exercise take a WAY back burner and I have missed it.  A lot more than I realized.  It's hard for me to articulate, but I've realized I just feel more like ME when I can get out.  And I didn't know it, but I've missed me.  I love the fresh air, being outdoors, the quiet of the neighborhood, the peacefulness of my mind.  It's been a perfect way to start the day.

As I go for my walks I'm sometimes joined by one or two kids and other times by Mike too.  But I'm always joined by my excited companion, Penny.  I think on one hand I've been super motivated to feel better physically, but also our little bundle of energy needs to get out and explore and get her exercise on too!  Other than being a huge blessing to our family with her cuteness and unconditional love she has also been a huge blessing to me as an early morning partner on my walks.  Even when I sometimes don't want to choose the walk, I know she does.  And I choose it for her.

We go together like Doritos and sour cream

Camping.  LOVE it.  It's what I look most forward to each summer.  It rejuvenates me and it's where I feel the closest with God.  Just thinking about it makes me smile.

When we had our first little guy, it was gone for  bit.  But I remember our first trip with a baby Shane to Doheny Beach.  We went with my parents and the trip was a last minute kinda deal.  We wanted to be close just in case a ride home was needed. Shane was a trooper though and got the dirtiest he had been up to that point!  He and his cutie footy pajamas.

(Had to pull out the old school pics and scan them!)

We had a second little pause after we had Mariny, and her first trip was to Doheny too!  That was with Mike's family.  Pretty perfect I'd say. :)  We had a scare with her though....she spiked a high fever on the day we were suppose to go and started having febrile seizures.  After her fever went down, we got the okay from the docs and we were off to camp!

Since then, we've camped every summer.  A typical season will have us heading out 3-4 times.  The kids have said they don't like camping (I know...shock...horror!), but once they're out there they always have a great time.  My hope is that it's something they'll one day love and really cherish the memories.  I've since gotten out of them that what they don't like is the bears!  The places we go don't ALWAYS have bears, but Yosemite does (and Sequoia too!) and we've gone there the last 5 years and I'm sure we have many trips there to come.  I think this last trip had them much calmer about the bears though and had them accomplishing a pretty significant hike.  A hike they were proud to have completed.  And whether they admit it or not.....I know they love it.  They may not love Yosemite as much as me, but I do believe they have a love for the outdoors. I've just gotta sometimes pretend I hear "yay!"when they really are saying something else.  ;)

Washington

Beautiful

Volcanoes

Green
Water Everywhere

Trees

Coffee

Super Safe Crosswalks!

Late Sunsets

Cool Air

.....and our Kerri

          (They had these flags at the crosswalks so you'd stand out to drivers...haha...so do I stand out?)

Surfer Dude

This week finds us scrambling around in the mornings, trying our hardest to get out the door on schedule. Fortunately, this schedule does not have us waking at 6:30, like we do for school, but at 8.  But still at 8am you'll find me giving Shane gentle 'wake up' shakes and some 'I mean it' tickles.  Of course he always gets the sleeping in thing when we have to be out the door!  And Marin.....no waking that girl up.  She's still up bright and early, before anyone else in the house.

Reason for the schedule instead of a slow and lazy morning????  Monday, Shane started a week long surf camp at a local church.  They have small group time, time for singing and rockin' some worship and of course some time for hittin' the waves.  After an exhausting first day (including being roughed up by some waves) he is having a ball.  He's enjoying full days at the beach with old friends as well as making new ones.  And so far, he's had more and more success on the waves.  We'll see what the final verdict is on Friday!

Getting ready to hit the waves...

So happy to have his really great friend out there with him.....

I'm pretty sure they liked our cheering section!

Practicing his balance....

Heading out on a wave....

So.....he doesn't make that wave.  But he does catch one and of course I miss it!  :(  

Day two, as Shane heads back out to the beach, Marin and I headed out with friends to get our craft on.  We hit Art-A-Fair and Sawdust in Laguna Beach.  Lotsa fun, but also a bit bummed because I heard Shane was able to catch more waves today.  Happy to hear that it was a better day for him and just hope that it gets even better!

Loved all these mushrooms!

Hair this morning, but not anymore

I've been trying for awhile now to talk Mariny into donating some of her hair.  It's a very good cause (the hair gets made into a wig for those who lose theirs due to cancer treatments) AND I really love her with short hair....especially for summer.  She's liked the idea but hasn't been ready yet.  We had a plan for the beginning of summer, but then she changed her mind.  So yesterday she was able to check out her friend, Emma's, new 'do (she donated her hair a few weeks back) and that's all it took.  So spur of the moment today (seriously there was no mention of it this morning, but at about noon she HAD to do it), we headed over to Supercuts.   Aaaaaaand, SHE DID IT!  It looks super, super cute.  We were so lucky to get a great stylist who cut it very hip.  And she LOVES it.  Oh, and most importantly.....ponytail got sent out today to hopefully bless a very special someone. :)

More than a little of this and that

So I had planned to post before today, thinking I'd share a little of this and that.  But now a week has gone by and I have more than I thought!  We're kicking into summer mode and it's hittin' the spot.  As these days have gone by I've gotten closer and closer to my glorious abnormal self and it feels really good!  Without all that studying I have so much more time....imagine that!  First off I've been back to walking regularly and that has helped get the days started off right.  But also I've had some life-giving family and friend time.  And I can't even tell you how great that's been.  This week we've enjoyed errand days (yep, they can be fun!), pool days, pajama days, a 4th of July day, 'day full of friends' days, and days with family too.

Last week we headed to Whole Foods for some of our staples with our good friends.  A little wandering around made it much funner!  Always better with friends!

Shane relaxin' in the shade!

Okay and I know it'll make me sound dorky, but there's just something that makes me giddy about a freshly organized room.  *sigh*  Makes me smile.  Actually made the kiddos smile too.

 

After some errands and nice clean rooms we were excited for some 4th of July celebrating.  We had LOTS of fun with many of our friends.  We did a 'tour' of celebrating of sorts.  Highlights were hanging with friends, getting to hear some special singing from a talented young lady we've seen grow right before our eyes and celebrating once again in our very good friend's home after over a year of rebuilding after a fire.  

(My first photo of fireworks.  Didn't turn out perfect, but happy at my 1st attempt.  Probably would be better with a tripod!)

We ended our week with family. Starting off at my sister Lisa's house and then heading over to my sis-in-law, Michelle's place.  Nothing like some comfortable and relaxed time with family.  No need to make plans or go anywhere.....just enjoying each other.  My favorite part is seeing the cousins laugh and play!

Lisa's......

Michelle's.......

(Marin's new favorite game....Just Dance!)