A long time coming...

Where does the time go?

-photo-editing
-cleaning up food because my kids eat ALL DAY LONG.

I guess if I were actually answering that question, those might be my top two right now. Sad I know. My life sounds pretty boring. I just haven't been able to catch up on photos since Gina's wedding. There were a ton from that of course. Then I came back and shot a family reunion the next day here in the desert. 35 people total (yikes-- I know)... so that was a ton of photos, and then of course I took probably like.... a ton at the beach house with Brooke and Tyson that I haven't had a chance to blog yet. SO, since my afternoon was kept free for me to write a talk for church tomorrow, and Ross took Sophia to a movie for a little daddy/daughter date during Mila's nap, and then on his way got the most fabulous text from the bishop of our ward (from church) saying that we don't need to speak anymore.... turns out, I'm FREE! So here goes.

Day One at the beach--- arrived late afternoon- soaked up the sun while the kids dug in the sand right outside the house. Ate too much Stuft Pizza for dinner, then topped it off with the best s'mores of my life (I think it was the first time I used a fancy marshmallow roaster-skewer-thing instead of a wire hanger... and Brooke introduced me to the the double-marshmallow s'more. Oh where have I been?) ...and wallowed in my miserably-bloated happiness. Day 2- ummm.... a lot more beach. More relaxing. More yummy food. Definitely more s'mores. I think we were running low on s'more supplies that night, so Brooke rationed the goods, which made me eat more since I knew I had "3 more" with my name on them... yikes. And yum.

See the shot of the house, it's the cutest little thing, right on the sand. TONS of parking. Sigh... some day.... our own... in my dreams...

She thought it was fun to lay face down in the dirt and rub her head in it. hmm.To the Irvine Spectrum for shopping, Wahoos, and a little train-ride for the kids. Have I told you lately, that I love a fish taco? Day Three- decided to take a break from the rocks on our beach and packed up and went to a new beach, Three Arch, in Laguna? Newport? Not sure... but wow--- it was beautiful, and so worth the pack-up and the butt-kicking workout to hike the stairs out of there upon departure.

I know, that's only two of the arches. I didn't have my wide angle.... or maybe I just forgot...

Ross and Tyson played super-dads and took the kids in the water, exploring around the rocks and arches, and built a sand-mountain (sorry Ross, I just don't think we can call it a castle)... while Brooke and I lounged and took pictures. Thanks Ross.

Yeah- she got pooped and melted down like a Popsicle in Indio. Luckily all it took was a walk to the arches on Ross' shoulder and she crashed for a little sun-bathing nap. (Don't worry, she was lathered in sunscreen. I'm married to the sun-screen patrol. He remembers for the both of us.)

Brooke's friend, Katie, met us there for a little while with her two kids. Her little girl, Reese is a darling little HAM, so I couldn't keep my camera off of her.After food, rest, and clean up.... we took the kids to the park to avoid the sand before bed-time.
This was like the prettiest park I've ever been to. It was up on a cliff overlooking the ocean, but totally fenced in and bowl-like so it felt super safe. Tons of trees for shade... sigh....

again... some day. Some day I'll live in a neighborhood with trees that give shade. Even if it just means I'm in this house for 40 years (which is how long it'll take for these desert trees in my neighborhood to actually give shade.)

I love my house. I love the desert (sort of). But it's summer. And miserable. And I love the beach. So let me complain without thinking me a complainer please.

hhhhhaaaaaa (that's my written sigh.. the word just isn't doing it for me), I think that about covers it. Though I can't promise more photos won't trickle in. We did sort of squeeze in a fifteen minute family-shoot between our two families... I wasn't planning on having Brooke turn the camera on us so my hair was in a pony, but oh well. I'll save that for another day... or... maybe just a couple more...