Summer Vacation 2009

We rented another gorgeous beach house up in Santa Barbara with the DiGiacomos and the Fields. Once again we loved the short drive north, yet the feeling that we were worlds away. Our house overlooked the ocean and every morning we would see hundreds of Dolphins playing in the water.

Every afternoon we ventured down to the beach for a little football, sand castles and relaxing in the sun. As the sun went down each evening, we would sink into the cozy chairs surrounding the outside fire-pit to roast marshmallows and laugh the night away.

It was a fantastic week full of great memories only to last until next summer when we do it all again........

Look who stopped by......

Two adorable movie stars showed up at my house this morning.  I asked them to pose in front of my abundance of roses and they were all too willing.  Maybe they will come back when it is time to prune the dead roses too?

Finally Swimming........

             Yes these are my toes and that is about all you will ever see of me out at the pool........ 

A few weekends ago it was hot enough to break in the new pool.  The air was easliy upper 90's but the water was still pretty cold.  Kate and Emma didn't mind a bit as they dug out their bathing suits and new stash of pool toys.  Don't think for a moment that those floaties on Kate will last long.  This is her summer to learn to swim.  I would even bet that Emma could learn to swim too this summer, with alot less crying and screaming than Kate. 

Happy Birthday Kate

Kate finally turned 5.  For the last year she has been asking, "When will I turn 5".  It's here and she is all grown up.  The only problem is that now she keeps asking "When am I going to be 6."  Slow down kiddo - Mommy and Daddy don't want you growing up so quickly.  We want to keep you little forever!

Easter

Brian, Carmell and Baby Selah came over for Easter.  We indulged in all the things we gave up for lent and enjoyed the afternoon together.  Rick and Brian hid the Easter eggs for Emma and Kate and what do you know - I found eggs in random spots long after Easter was over.   It was a beautiful, relaxing afternoon.  

Back in the Loop....

Happy 2009!  I wanted to go back and post on our trip to Maui for Thanksgiving, but then most of you read about it in our Christmas letter (there are some photos on my Facebook page).  Then I thought I would post photos and funnies from Christmas, but I realized that I don't have all my photos together (maybe I will throw a few in here). 

Kate and Emma - having a nice moment.

Emma was most excited about the gummy bears that Santa left in her stocking.

So forget it, here we are in 2009, on to the New Year!  Come to our house and you can hear Emma saying "Happy New Year" as she runs through the house.     

Neighbor Kids

If you ask Kate and Emma what they miss the most about our old house - they will quickly say the Neighbor Kids. The girls loved having Presley and Nixon (and now McCartney too) living next door. I would often hear Kate talking to them through the fence in the back yard or yelling Hi out her bedroom window. We miss you guys!