in pictures

Random things we've done this summer that I've never blogged about:

The pool.

Thank goodness Noah can swim and Alex sorta can, cuz keeping Avery alive is plenty for me to worry about.

Outings with friends.

I love that the kids are getting older so we can do more stuff and with more people. I mean you could never take five 2 and 3 year olds to the zoo by yourself. But five kids ranging in age from 18mos - 9years? No problem.

(It also helps that one of those kids is Hannah and I never had to worry about Avery, ever) : )

Golf lessons for Noah.

Parents were invited to come and watch the last day. I made arrangements for the girls and basically acted as Noah's caddy for the next three hours. It was actually really fun! I sort of understand now why people like to golf...it was so beautiful and peaceful on the course.

Going away dinner for the Fowlers.

Paella of course. And lots of other yummy dishes.

4th of July BBQ

at our house with the Kivelas and Freemans.

Good food, good company, good fireworks. Even if Avery was a little freaked - she was comforting herself the entire time, "I fiiine, I fiiiine."

Later that night we put Avery and Dad to bed and me and the big kids went to the real fireworks show - where we were cold, got eaten by mosquitos, listened to Alex whine, and both of the kids fight about which fireworks going off were meant for who. And then it took us 45 minutes to make the normally 3 minute drive home. Kids went to bed around midnight and woke up about 6am. Good times.

Actually, Noah loved it, it was totally worth it : )

Newport Beach with the Gunn Family.

On the way to the airport we got stuck in a horrible storm. We couldn't see a thing, everyone was pulled off the freeway. I broke out the iphone to make sure there were no tornado warnings - nope, just severe lightning, strong winds, flash floods, and hail. The weather alert recommended staying away from windows...which we were of course surrounded by in our van. I told Paul, at least it wasn't a tornado. They recommend that you get out of your vehicle and lay in the nearest ditch - but the ditch next to us was quickly filling with water.

It was pretty exciting (i.e. scary)

BUT the storm cleared and we made our flight(s).

Good thing we brought carry-ons.

Newport was great. It was soooo nice to have Paul there with me this time around. Not being pregnant (i.e. totally miserable) also helped : )

The kids had tons of fun with the cousins (even some really distant cousins) playing in the water and digging in the sand.

Noah's most favorite activity was looking for sea creatures out on the rocks.

Paul made him a snare to catch crabs with (and it really worked)!

It was actually really big. Ask Susan : )

Besides sitting on the beach and having Paul around I miss:

running with my sisters--in-law

eating a donut (or 3 or 4) for breakfast everyday

frozen yogurt almost every night

and several trips to the Crab Cooker for some great seafood.

Yeah it's all about the food for me. And the family : )

Soon it was time to head back to our real life.

At least Alex did so with cute hair (thank you Aunt Ginger).

Avery did more of this

And even a little of this!

Now we're home and

Avery is in a big girl bed.

What the crap.

Another month of summer.

But (most days) I'm ready for the kids to go back to school : )