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Home at last! Although we have had an incredible time these last 3 weeks.... it is good to be home. Good to wake up in your own bed, good to have a closet full of clothes to choose from rather than a suitcase full, good to be all together again!

Norway 2009

This year we had the incredible privilege of taking our girls to Norway to visit their Uncle Joel, Aunt Mariann and their cousins Elias and Freney. We had an incredible adventure! It began with the excitement of riding in the American Airline plane and continued on the rest of the week with hikes through the lush forests to the partially frozen lakes, visits to the farm, a rare stay in a bed and breakfast, a drive over the mountain peaks, full waterfalls, a day in the city, the royal palace, loose teeth, lost DVD players, planes, trains and automobiles, new foods, gracious hosts, a new cousin, and chocolate chip cookies!

A tribute to all the many things that have changed in 6 years......

Our 1st trip to Norway in 2003. Uncle Joel and Josiah (3 months).

Norway 2009, Uncle Joel, Josiah 6yrs and Adalie 3yrs

Norway 2003, Josiah 3months.

Norway 2009, Josiah 6yrs.

Adalie 3 yrs.

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Thank you Uncle Joel and Aunt Mariann for EVERYTHING!!

Busted!

Caught RED HANDED!!

There is one major difference between Josiah and I....... Josiah is a "saver" ...... and I am not.

The girl will save almost anything. Case in point; at Uncle Dan's wedding this past weekend, our dessert was served in a dish with a fancy paper doily under it. Josiah loved the fancy paper doily. She carefully folded it up and saved it. Although I do love the sweetness of saving things because they are pretty or special or just plain neat ..... I am not fond of the clutter.

But tonight I was caught RED HANDED!! Josiah found some of her school papers in the trash!! In my defense let me tell you that I have saved an entire box full of all her special papers. The ones I tossed were just worksheets. But, they were special to her and I was busted!!

So in case I did not feel guilty enough ...... later in the evening I received this note.....

"plezz cume to my sav prtte. Breg your theeks you savde. it is aftr dinr. Ben your frinds if you are cumen. it is in the livenrom."

Translation: "Please come to my Save Party. Bring your things you saved. It is after dinner. Bring your friends if you are coming. It is in the living room."

She then proceeds to take many of her special things she has saved and set them up all organized in the living room.

Luckily I suggested we hold this "special party" tomorrow night. Not only does this give me time to redeem myself, but also to find something that I have saved!!

Got to love her!!

Avilla

Avila is my new favorite get away spot. And way back in April our family was in need of a get away. We biked, we built sand castles, we ran from the waves, we danced at the Farmer's Market, we swam, we laughed, we rested! It was a glorious weekend!!

My all time favorite picture of the girls from our Avila weekend. It is a perfect depiction of who they are together!



We started our trip out with an impromptu visit to my Uncle and Aunt's winery just outside of Paso Robles. It was wonderful to see their new house. So if you are ever in the area, look up Graveyard Vineyards.... they would love to serve you!

Because Josiah now can ride her bike without training wheels (that doesn't mean she always wants too!), her and Adalie can no longer share a bicycle. So the very first morning, just as the sun peeped its rays over the earth, the three of us surprised Adalie with a brand new bicycle of her very own!!

So now, let the fun begin!!

Bicycling to the beach!


Josiah practicing her newest trick of riding without training wheels. Right after her 6th birthday she decided to give it a try. Too bad we don't have many places to ride at home in the mountains!
And yes, she does get Mommy and Uncle Jon's "sick look" when she is nervous!!

Adalie looked so tiny and so cute on her new bicycle. She had that smile across her face all weekend long!

Adalie (3years) and Mommy practicing her riding skills.



Playin' in the sand....





Farmer's Market we ate yummy fruit and kettle corn, danced to the live music and had our caricatures drawn.

And last but not least, Adalie's favorite all time activity..... SWIMMING!!



Thank you Mimi and Papa CT for a fun weekend getaway!

Catching Up

Our family has been on the move these last 2 months! So this week, before I get any more behind in our lives, I am hoping to find some time to catch up on our haps.... everything from travels to recitals and everything in between!! So get ready for some picture posts!!! Because our adventures have just begun!!

(Here, the girls and I had just returned from a fun shopping day with Amma and no sooner had I turned around and they were all dolled up in their new duds, embellished with some dress up clothes and off to see the wizard!)

(PS Thank you Amma for all the fun days of shopping. We love our special time with you!)

Sage Lawrence

Sage and his Mommy, Aunt Julia, came to visit and we could just could not get enough of that boy!

He is the mellowest, happiest little guy you have ever met. Sage 3months.

Adalie 3years and Sage 3months in the wildflowers at Amma and Grandpa's house.


The funniest moment of the weekend was when Sage needed his diaper changed. Of course all the girls gathered around and one of the girls (we won't mention which one) looks up at Aunt Julia in pure shock and says "It's a BOY??"
The California 5 Cousins.
Ashlyn 4yrs, Piper 5yrs, Josiah 6yrs, Adalie 3yrs and Sage 3months.

It was so much fun to have a little blue mixed in with our pink here in Bass Lake for a few days!!


Proof that even I got to hold him this trip! Oh how I love those sweet fat baby dimples and rolls!

Grandpas

What is it about little girls that they can wrap their Grandpas so tightly around their tiny little pinkies?? I imagine that these 2 Grandpas have played more "Princess Games", seen more Pink, participated in more "Plays" and "Dances", officiated more "Marriages", Painted more little toenails, and had more "Tea Parties", than they ever thought possible.
It must be in the Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!!


We sure do love and are very grateful for ........ these 2 Grandpas!!