So much has happened!

As I am scrolling through my photo files, I have come to the realization that blogging them all can become a chore at times. By starting this (blog), I have added yet another task to my life that adds pressure to please not only myself but others. I have to tell myself that this is a way to electronically "scrapbook" our life--way easier than pulling out the traditional scrapbook to make a page look cute and themed. Adding just the right stickers, borders, and photo frame, to yet another cute moment in my child's day; just sounds daunting.

I am far behind both in scrap booking and blogging. We have been busy, but who hasn't?! Also, Jeff gave me a new laptop (Dell Inspiron) for Mother's Day and just this week, I finished transferring all my photos, files, and the like over and we are now up and running all on one computer again--YEAH! Thanks Love.

Here are a few brief descriptions of some events that have occurred in our lives in the past 3+ months.

In March/April...
Jeff and I went to Cabo with 5 other couples...so much fun and so many details to share (ask me some time). It was a wonderful time.

The view from our bedroom. Oh, ya.


While we were in Cabo, my sister Katie, came to visit with Abby & Alex. It was a fun time seeing the cousins interacting so much!




Also in April we had our first camping trip to Lake Casitas.

Nate and dad enjoying bbq burgers and fries... our standard Saturday "camping lunch"

Lake Casitas was so fun! I was a bit apprehensive with the thought of possible rain on Saturday and being "stuck" inside with a 2-yr old--BOY! It did rain, but while I was inside with the kids feeding then dinner. Jeff maintained the fire and when the rain passed, the kids were in bed, and Jeff and I had a VERY delicious dinner off the BBQ, outside, under the stars. That time spent with Jeff made the weekend so great! It thrills me that after 12 years, I am still giddy about him! :-)


At the end of April...
We took our annual Theule/Bernards family vacation together. This time instead of going to Shaver Lake, my parents offered up some time-share suites in Palm Springs. We were very busy from Friday to Wednesday (I had to be home for a MOPS event Thurs morning) otherwise we could have stayed until the following Friday. We saw so many things and kept the kids very busy. Here are some of the activities that we did: Outdoor Flea Market, Knott's Soak City water park, Palm Springs Zoo (miserably hot), Chuck E Cheese (a first for a few), and a children's science & exploratory museum. For a great detailed explanation of our trip go to my brother's blog at http://x.theule.com/blogs/index.php/2006/04/ The postings flow through into May and more photos are posted on May 26th.

Emily painting a VW Bug in the Children's Discovery Museum


In May...
We hosted Nathan and Lucy's 2 yr birthday party. We have a large enough family that it seems like a "party" to the kids, and it is always great to have everyone together.
(Photos)

In June...
This has been quite the busy month. Summer is here and we have not slowed down but just shifted gears!
Our Emily started a summer camp program called, Camp Little. It is held at her future Pre-K school, His Little Lambs, at Faith Community Church. She loves it more than I thought she would so soon. Each week there is a different planned theme and in-school "field trip" (they bring the field trip to the school). She attends Tu and Th from 9AM-1PM. Until the end of July (6 wks total).
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Jeff continued the tradition of traveling down to Mexico for 5 days with his dad, brother, his brother's father-in-law, and his brother's brother-in-law. It is quite the routine, let me elaborate. The five of them take the same flight, leaving on a Tues., returning on a Sunday...stay in the same hotel, sit and play cards on the same balcony, when they arrive they walk down to the local market and stock up on food and drink, they go back to the hotel, change, play a few rounds, go to dinner,... I can picture what they are doing at any given moment of their week. I hear the same stories year after year. They even take the same pictures in the same posses (this year there were 157 beautiful shots to look through!!) Can I say more? Sure! Jeff has 2 shirts that he takes every year with him, and if there was not a date stamp on most of these photos, I would get them confused year after year.
Now seriously, I am thankful that this tradition has lasted, even though it is hard to say good-bye to him and hello to single-parenting. I know it will continue in the years to come in the same ol' way. I have even suggested that they mix it up a bit and switch seating around the table at one of their card games or meals!! :-) Can you say, type A?
(Photos)--No, not all of them!

The following weekend we celebrated Father's Day. We were invited, spur of the moment, to go cherry picking with our friend's the Sathre's. We drove out to Apple Valley and stopped at the first "farm" we came across. We grabbed our buckets and headed to the fields. YUM! It was the pique of the season and the cherries were ready to be picked and consumed. We walked away with 9+ lbs of cherries! Ohhh, so delicious. We brought some home to my dad who equally loves them, if not more! Thanks, Jeff for making your weekend a very fun time for all of us! AND for doing it all by the seat of your pants!
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Last weekend, we had our second trip out with our "home on wheels". We had reservations at Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton. This is a few blocks from Solvang. It took us a while to get there obeying the laws of "Trucks and Trailers--55 MPH." We had a great spot. We hooked-up (electric, water, and sewer) so there was not a need to "watch the water levels" and we camped care-free. We have some standard meals that work well with ease of cooking, clean-up, and minimal left-over’s. Saturday we drove into Solvang and walked around town. It was a busy weekend, so we decided to walk to a local park and let the kids play a while. It was a l o n g walk, up and down some hills, through a skate park, and across a large picnic area. We then had to repeat it. Nathan had a hard time, so he rode on daddy's shoulders most of the way back. After we got to the car, we drove to another play area that was recommended to us by the Phillips family, who had stumbled across it while they were there camping a few months earlier. The kids were tired, but they enjoyed it. The "play structure" was a giant wooden ship with slides, swings, bridges, and miniature houses. Very cute and creative. When we got back to "camp" we opted to push through a bit longer and go to the pool. Yuck. Both Jeff and I were afraid to get in the water. Can I just say, Public Pool! And there was a lot of public and not enough pool. After fulfilling our promise to swim, we headed back for a late lunch, a clean shower, and "happy naps". Nice.
The weekend had it's moments with me being a bit up tight with Nathan's fussing and constant need for, "mommy, hold you?" All in all it was a good weekend. I need to cut out so much of my micro-managing of the kids.
(Photos)