Summer in Baconfield

After our annual 4th of July trip the kids and I went up to Bakersfield to visit with Aunt Louise and our California cousins. Originally the plan was to drive home from the beach on the Monday, July 6th and then fly over to Burbank on Wednesday, July 8th. Sounded like a fine idea before spending 10 days at the beach. So, after a last minute change in plans Travis decided to drive us to LA and Louise would pick the kids and I up there....Again, seemed like a fine idea in theory. Chauncey and his equally big friend Thomas also decided to ride home with Travis that way they had an extra day at the beach and Travis wouldn't have to drive home alone...The morning of our departure the Durango failed us. The car was packed (to the brim; 7 people and all their luggage) and everyone had piled in. Two 17 year old football playing boys, 3 carseats and 2 adults. It was a tight fit! Then the car wouldn't start....Out piles everyone for some minor repairs and then we all pile back in and away we go. After a long day we all got to our respective destinations. Thank goodness!

I have very few pictures from the two weeks we spent with Aunt Louise (they all seem to be of Billy) because my camera was full of precious beach pics, but the few I got were such a throw back to my childhood. Somewhere I have the very same pictures of Megan, Justin, Cole and I on the very steps of that pool at the same ages as our kids now. Time really flies....

~AMERICA~

She's a Grand 'ol Flag, She's a High Flying Flag

4th of July, 2009. Spent relaxing at the Beatsch House, but of course! My goal for the summer was to get as much beach time as humanly possible before Emi started school. I know it's not supposed to be meant as a 12 year sentence, but when you're looking at it from the beginning...well, it kinda feels like one. I wanted the kids to be worn out from all the summer fun they had. Enough to last them because our free, open schedule days were drawing to a close. Sad... I definitely feel like I accomplished my goal though. The 4th was a blast as always! Last year was fun and I didn't think much could live up to Billy rolling around on Dog Beach and the absentee fireworks, but this year did. I took a ton of pictures, really, and when I was done I handed my camera over to Tyler who took even more (and better ones).

The day was perfect. The beach, some resting. Then the BBQ. We ate, we drank, we mingled....All things American.

Being American at Patsy's Beach

My best attempt at getting a group shot of all the kids on our country's birthday....Didn't go so well. Abi fled and hid out behind Travis until the appetizers arrived.

The boys LOVED playing with Conor and Tyler (the big boys) and they were really good sports about being tormented all night.

Billy D. ~ 3yrs. Emi James ~ 5yrs.

Chloe ~ 5yrs. Jelly Bean ~ 3yrs.

Squishy ~ 1 & 352 days

Our Matriarch

The Crafts

Abi looking an awful lot like the Wicked Stepmother in Snow White "...apple my pretty..."

SPARKLERS!

Abigail's 1st Sparkler! A milestone.

Theme Park Extravaganza!

As is tradition (and everyone who is anyone knows I am BIG on tradition!) we spend the 4th of July at the beach with our fabulous family. This year was no different. The kids and I were really only home from Carlsbad long enough to unpack, repack and spend a day at the lake with friends. 48 hours max before we all piled back in the workhorse of a SUV we lovingly refer to as the Dingo and headed back to the gorgeous weather of the North County. This time with a daddy in tow, thank goodness. We had a busy week planned. Last week while we were there with the Pezzelle and Engisch families Amy and I took the kids to SeaWorld, at her request, and we had a pretty good time, but the summer Fun Card special we had to purchase meant we can go back anytime, as many times, we like for the rest of the year. So, of course, the kids wanted to take Daddy-O to see Shamu. Emily was so excited to sit in the Splash Zone after seeing what it entails last week. Can't say I was as excited, but I do love her so we got there early, sat and prepared to get wet. As you can see from the photo she was not happy with me because while I do love her, I refused to sit in the front row. Splash Zone rules say rows 16 and down get wet. I choose row 14. She was only bummed until the show began and she got wet. It's cold water!

Abigail, 1 year and 350 days. Remember, she's C.R.A.Z.Y. for animals. No different with really large fish (she doesn't understand the whole mammal thing yet).

Billy, 3 years. Can you see the thought process happening? "That is one big fish." "And it can do tricks, wow!" It was cute. I still think he has no idea what he was looking at.

For our next theme park we loaded up and went off to Legoland. It's right around the bend from the Beatsch House and Grandma & Grandpa were nice enough to get us tickets for Christmas this last year. SeaWorld is neat and educational, but Legoland is all fun and that's all the kids really cared about anyway. They love Legoland. It's the perfect theme park for their age group and even little, too short for everything, Billy can go on roller coasters.

He was so happy! He loves roller coasters as much as his big sister does. The Dinosaur one was the "scariest" one he made the height requirement on so, let's see....I think they rode it 15 times. The lines weren't bad and Squishy was sleeping. It worked out great for me! Daddy had roller coaster duty and his story may be a little different, but fun was had by all!