BBQ pizza

Around here, this is always a favorite...

While they wait while we BBQ the pizzas, Ryder and Eden cook in their kitchen...

While they "cook in their kitchen", they say things like, "Ryder that tastes SO GOOD!" or "Eden, that has great flavor!  I love the different textures!"  These two are so precious to us and I LOVE watching them together.  Family time is the BEST!

napping...

Eden has found that she likes when her toys take naps when she does...

(These had to gently be relocated before Eden could lay down...)

...that way she doesn't have to miss out on any of the fun while she sleeps...

I'm holding onto these naps as long as I can!

Co-Chairing a Committee...

When we moved to Tustin, one of the HUGE perks would be that I would live 5 minutes from one of my all time favorite people, my cousin Melissa.   I absolutely adore her, we laugh together and love sharing life and we have kiddos that are the same age.  When we got into our school, drawn by lottery, I had PRAYED that they would get in the following year.  And it happened! This year, our kids are at the same school.  Ryder is in first and Olivia is in Kindergarten.  I get to see her on a regular basis and it makes my heart SO HAPPY!

Melissa asked me to co-chair a "Family Night" committee with her and guess what?  I said yes.

 We are having such fun getting to be together!

Getting our volunteer hours has never been this much fun!

Last night was our first event!

If you had told me when we moved, that our kids would be going to the same school, that we would be planning events together, and that I would get to spend time with this incredible human being on a regular basis, I never would have believed it!  How thankful I am for her and the role that she plays in my life...  Its' going to be a great year!  I love you Melissa Kissa (and I swear I will never call you that in any of our PTO meetings, unless provoked...❤︎)

cobbler and community...

This last Friday we had our Costa Mesa Elder team and their families over for Santa Maria Style BBQ .  I decided to try this recipe from Shauna Niequist's book  "Bread and Wine"...

It was so good!

 As always... I had my helper!

We sat and talked and laughed together.  We shared our hearts and prayed for our church... 

We prayed for what is ahead, for new beginnings, for health for our church and staff, and for a deeper intimacy with Christ: that we would all learn what it is to truly be loved by Christ and what that overflow would then lead to.   We talked about Bringing Beautiful...  It was such a good night!  So life giving.  

I am so thankful for this team.

"All about Me!"

We finished our first school project...

I can't tell you how sweet my son is, or how proud I am of him, or how much I love him...

sister and brother...

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."
~Audrey Hepburn

I came into the room to see him snuggling with her after her nap.

My heart is so full as I watch their relationship grow in love and tenderness for each other.

How thankful I am that they are so close and I pray that it continues in the years to come!

fashion according to Eden: School Clothes!

In our district, the kiddos wear uniforms from kindergarten until 5th grade.  Preschool is pretty much our chance to let the kiddos wear regular clothes.  Eden and I have been having so much fun getting her dressed for her school days.  Something about asking her, "SO what do you want to wear to school today?" and her having an answer and opinion has made her seem so grown up!

I can't stand how old she is seeming these days... 

Oh goodness, I love this girl of ours!

Manicures for the win!

Eden has been asking me to paint her nails, but to be honest, she is still a thumb sucker and I'm too cheap to by the crazy expensive organic nail polishes that is ok to be ingested.  Until now, we have been sticking with the toes, but Eden asked that since she is in school now, could I paint her nails.

When I said yes she almost passed out with excitement...

Watching paint dry with a four year old is no easy task...

Even if it is only on your nails...

 Pink glitter for the win!

After she was done, she asked if I could take the polish off one of them so that she could suck on it, "Only for sleep time mama..."  So 9 out of 10 fingers got the manicure treatment, and boy is this girl EXCITED!

our Monday night...

A weekend filled with friends!

This weekend we had the privilege to be with people that we love, whether with soccer and school friends, or with church friends.  Our cup is so full!

Saturday:

Soccer:

 Ryder did amazing and is having so much fun learning more about soccer.  He really loves to be on a team and is having fun scoring goals and making friends.  (He thinks his coach is pretty great too!❤︎)

 After the game, we went on a duffy boat in Newport with our friends from school to celebrate our friend Scarlette's birthday!

They LOVE each other!

After the boat ride, our family went to dinner for fish and chips and big bowls of clam chowder:

Then on Sunday after church, we got to hang out with our James and Mazie...

It was all about the park!

By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I couldn't believe how fast the weekend had gone!

Our hearts are so full and we feel so thankful!