What We Have Been Up To....

We have been soaking up every minute of California. Every time I come back I remember how much I love it here. The big trees, the green grass, the cool nights and NO Desert Landscaping! The past week have been living outside: Parks, swimming, & more swimming!

Carter has turned into a fish while we have been here. I think it all finally clicked, the breathing, the arms and legs. He can now swim all the way across the pool all by himself! Yes!

My favorite big little man!

Carter and Drew waiting PATIENTLY for an adult to swim too!

I could not help myself. Sassy Sammie, the girl version of Carter, and SO stinkin CUTE!

The Tiger Princess....Carter's new nickname for her.

Poor girl probably doesn't know her real name.

Movie Time....These two thought it would be great to try to sit in almost every seat in the theater, luckily we were the only ones there!

Kate could not take her eyes off Carter's popcorn! She tried to eat it MULTIPLE times!

Cole turned 9!

Kate and Wes they are 5 months apart. I have huge kids and my sisters has small kids.

It looks like Kate could eat him.......And yes she tried!

Then it all went bad!

It has been so great to come and spend time with family and have Carter play with his cousins....now I am not sure how I will convince him back to Phoenix. Every night he says, "Mom I love California, I never want to go back!" Nice huh!

Goggles...

After a few days of constant swimming Carter learned the beauty of goggles. He put some on and said, "Oh now I can see!" I guess he had been swimming with his eyes closed the whole time.

Sweatshirts & Pants?

As we were getting ready for the park Carter did not understand why he had to put pants on and bring a sweatshirt. But he soon realized that June in Phoenix is much different then June in the Bay Area!

Five of the Six Cousins...I don't think they get much cuter!

Three little monkeys..

It was weird taking Carter to go and play at the Elementary School I went too. I can't believe how little all the things look!

And More Park...

We are soaking in EVERY minute of California weather....Carter is amazed that the slides don't burn him as he goes down!

Loving the Swing!

Grandma and Carter feeding the ducks!

Carter liked to try to hit the ducks instead of just throwing it to them!

Kate loving the breeze, the grass, and the ducks!

Hikin....

Gotta Love California Weather....

We took the kids on a hike the other morning and had a great time.

Kate was a big fan of the backpack!

The kids found a "Crazy" tree to climb in, hours of entertainment!

Cousin Love...

The mommy's and the baby's...

Carter had to do an emergency bathroom stop...not just potty! YUCK!

Poor Kate got a up close and personal look!

The kids found some friendly horses, Carter was a little nervous!

It was so nice just to get out and enjoy the outdoors without dying of the heat!

GREAT Swim Lessons...

One of the best things about coming to California is Carter getting to have swim lessons by his GREAT GRANDMA...It is so fun to have him get that experience and so amazing that my wonderful grandma can do it! She's the best! I am so grateful for her patience and persistence with my Crazy Carter!

Kate cheering on in her Mini-Pool!

GREAT Grandma Ski and Carter...

Baby Wes...So Stinkin Cute!

Lou-Lou the Girl Version of Carter. They are quite the combo!

They are getting round 2 in July...Thank you mom for all the Diet Cokes, lunches, popsicles, & EVERYTHING else! We love you!

Tubby Time!

The kids LOVE Tubby Time, especially Kate, she is a water baby.  She loves the splashing, the drinking of dirty water and seeing if she can cover the whole floor with water! Love it!

Red eyes from dunking her face in the water a million times! Practicing blowing her bubbles!

Carter pretending to be Santa Claus with Chops!

Kate wanting to get it off his face.....

Kate trying to copy her brother and look like Mrs. Claus?! 

She just belly laughs the whole time in the tub!

Swim Crew...

I don't think it gets much cuter...Carter finished his 2nd year of swim lessons with Coach Hovik and did GREAT! He can jump off and turn around and reach the sides, kick and take breaths, hopefully after a little more practice he will be pretty safe! Nice work buddy!

Cute little Jace, Alex, Julia, & Carter!

These 3 did it last year together too! I love it, they will probably always be in the same class...can't wait to see these 3 in a few years!

Boating...

This weekend we went boating with some friends and left all the kids at home! It was so much fun! So nice to not have the kids and just relax and have fun tubing, wake surfing, and wake boarding! It was so great! We missed you Greene's & Ord's!

Wake Surfing...very fun!

Jimmy trying to play king of the tube! The girls won! :)

It was such a fun trip...thanks so much Halbisons for planning it!