Vacation we are coming for you!

 Today we head out for Oxnard, to be at the beach, and enjoy family time for our annual trip!

I can't wait.  The kids would say that this is one of their favorite weeks of the year!

Let's get it started!

 Yesterday we met with our orthodontist who has been caring for Ryder while we wait to get adult teeth ready for braces.

While we wait for two teeth to come in a little more, we decided to start in 4 months.  For new patients, they bring in a candy cart of treats that you can't have while wearing braces.  He is excited to start treatment and to have a better bite for his jaw.  We love this office and feel like we are in the best hands!  Thank you Dr. Baum!

And for Eden, we are continuing to have our dentist visits while we wait for her adult teeth to make their appearances:

I am so thankful for our dentist, Dr. Jones and our Orthodontist, Dr. Baum, who take such amazing care of us!

Big news for our church!

Last week it was announced that Glenn Packiam would be coming to be our new lead pastor...  We got to announce it to our leaders last week:

We love them SO much and I can't wait for how the Lord will use them and their giftings to lead our church!  They have become fast friends and I can't wait to get them here so that we can do life together!

Odds and ends with our oldest...

 Getting all the time that I can with this big kid of mine while his sister had adventures with her best buddies rollersking, playdates at other's houses, birthday parties, and time at Irvine regional park and OC Zoo.

We also interspersed time with our favorite therapy animal:

Also, Ryder had his first experience of cutting Kit's hair/shaving Kit's head while we waited for Eden to get home: 

We do all that we can to capitalize on one on one time when we get it... It was a sweet week!

I love them so much...

I missed these two so much... 

Clean and quiet houses are over rated...

While the family was gone I enjoyed rest.  After work on Thursday, I spent a day in bed recovering from a chest cold that I had gotten from the kids. Even thought they were out of range, I would take little snap shots and send them to Kit and the kids to let them know I was thinking of them... Here is a little photo dump from the time:

Finishing embroidery projects for the upcoming school year farmer's markets:

Enjoying the yard after I mowed the front and back yards and did lots of weeding and harvesting tomatoes and figs from our garden:

Driving my car after washing it and having a full tank of gas:

Getting the kids school supplies and Eden's uniforms:

Backpacks are ready to go.  We just need clothes for Ryder and shoes, since these kiddos keep growing out of their stuff!

Enjoying my dinner of a Rutabegorz salad while smelling fresh cut grass:

Spent time with my bunnies:

Doing my favorite puzzle:

And just enjoyed being in our home...

I will say that after spending time in iur home, I missed my family so much and a clean and quiet house is very over rated...

My Adventurers are back!

 My family got back into town from their backpacking adventure Sunday night.  It was so good to have them home! 

Eden catching her first fish!

Getting ready to go sledding on the snow patch...

Ryder cliff jumping with Uncle Mark and Mae!

We love these people so much and I am so thankful that they had this time together!  Our family is the BEST!

while my family is away...

 Yesterday, Kit headed out with the kids for a camping trip with some of our close Biola family. They are heading up to the Mammoth area, to a spot they haven't been before.  I was scheduled to work yesterday and when I came home, I realized how empty my house feels when it is just me.  How thankful I am so have people in my life that I love so much that give me a reason to miss them to fiercely when they are away...

I can't wait to hear about their adventure!

Our little Dolphin and our old stomping grounds...

 Eden had her second swim meet last Saturday.  She did 4 events, two of which were relays.  Her stokes that have become a favorite are freestyle and the backstroke.  She significantly decreased her times off of the last meet and she loved getting out there to compete.

One of her coaches was her 4th grade teacher and we love her SO MUCH!

On the way home, we stopped by our old stomping grounds for lunch:

I craved this food, especially their crunchy, chicken tacos, when I was pregnant with Ryder.  It was so fun to sit with the kids and tell stories of those early years and eat food that felt SO familiar and enjoy the time together...