Kite flying at the beach...

The wind was pretty good so not a whole lot of effort, just hang onto the string please.

Saturday morning and Sarah is off for RPM training, Mada is fast asleep, Zoe & Max have been up since the crack of dawn which means I am up as well because Max now goes into the refrigerator and helps himself.  

The plan for the day is:

     -Straighten up the house

           This is a challenge because as I clean one area Zoe and Max trash another.

     -Bank

           Easy I leave all the kids in the car (Mada in charge) as I run into the bank.

     -Gas

           Even easier, I can keep my eye on them all while doing this...

     -Toy Store  (purchase kites)

           This is the toughest one how do I keep them ALL together in their version of "heaven"???  

           The answer is....................................shopping cart!!!

     -Beach

           Piece of cake.....................

**Side note:     Did you know there is a "kite" season?  Apparently Spring and Summer is "kite" season here in California.  I thought this to be strange since the temperature doesn't fall below 60 degrees, weird!!

I wake up Mada to give her ample time to get ready for the beach but to my surprise she chooses not to come along.  She has entered the age of baby sitting (earning money) & staying home by herself and also the age where hanging with your parents isn't that cool!!  Now I'm at a cross road here I want her to come what do I do?????????  I decide to remove the option, I realize my mistake was asking the question "would you like to go to the beach?" what I should have said was "we are going to the beach!!!"  She is now being FORCED to come along...  Now I am in heaven because I have all three kids with me!!!

It turns out to be a sensational day at the beach.  Blue skies, sunshine and about 60 degrees, we have kites, juice boxes and we stopped for In & Out for lunch so our bellies are filled.  All three kids have there own kites (angry birds) and I am now receiving compliments from other beach goers on how cute the kids are as we fly our kites high into the air, walk the beautiful beach with waves crashing at our feet (water is chilli) in our rolled up jeans.

Mada, growing up sooooo fast and is turning out to be just like Mama.  In fact they started to share clothes and shoes...................... oye!!!

Zoe flying her kite, I can't believe she will be 4 in April (4 months away)!!!

Max...   My little man!!  Although if he lets go of the string attached to the kite one more time, which means I needed to sprint down the beach after it.... He might ended up in the ocean!!!

We love you and miss you all very much!!!!

The BEACH!!!!

December 27th and its gorgeous outside (mid 60's).  Almost hard to believe we are going to the beach this time of year.  The kids are ready for anything and are just so excited to go.  We brought fruit snacks, chocolate chip cookies, popcorn and grapes.  The grapes came so I would not feel like all we had was junk food, sadly, the grapes made it home.  We had blankets shovels and dump trunks and of coarse juice boxes!!!  We made a huge figure eight road for the dump trucks to drive around and piled sand super high for the sand castle in the middle.  The kids chased seagulls collected rocks and shells and we all walked up and down the beach.  The waves were 5-8 feet so surfers were out there in wet suits taking advantage of the day.  

We had gotten there at the tail end of high tide which is perfect timing.  The ocean had created a huge wall of sand literal a wall 3 to 5 feet high.  We took full advantage and slid and climbed up and down all day long.  Zoe had no problem sliding down once I showed her how.  Just sit down on your butt and slide down, it's our version of snow I was thinking.  Max on the other hand need a little more encouragement.

As you can see it was a picture perfect day and we hope to get Mom out there this coming weekend after she passes her trainers exam which she has been cramming for over the past few days.  Then, as soon as Mada returns from Utah she will be out there too, we will FORCE her to come!!!! (we are entering teenage years, buckle up)

It is almost hard to believe we live in such a beautiful place.  Having all of us together is the greatest gift I could ever have.  With the exception of Mada not being here this has been the best Christmas yet, I could not ask for more!!!!!!!

We all miss you very much, anyone interested in moving to California???  Come on..................

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone!!!

The Park...

                                                           Papa      "Hey Zoe & Max you guys wanna go to the park?"
                                                           Zoe        "Oh YEAH"
                                                           Max       "yes!! Yes!!! YESSSSSS!!!!!!!"
                                                           Both       "Wahooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

If you did not hear the question based on their reaction one might have thought I said, Hey you guys wanna go to Disneyland?  These two are so much fun and ready for anything.

Zoe learned how to grab and swing to the other rings...  It was really easy for her she is so athletic reminds me a lot of Anna!!!

Max was the first to try although he is still too young to be able to jump up there himself so I hung him up there.  He was nervous to let go but once he discovered he could do it his face lit right up!!!  So we did it over and over and over and over and over............

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Weird to be out and about in October in 80 degree weather thinking about Hall-o-ween and pumpkins.  The kids loved being outside picking out there pumpkins although Max would pick one up and then not like it and throw to the ground.  Tip; pumpkins don't bounce very well!!!!  Both Zoe and Max were loading up the wheel barrel with tons of pumpkins and Sarah and I would put them back into the patch when they were not looking.  Mada on the other hand knew just what to do and headed out to explore and find her perfect carving canvas.   Shockingly we came home with small pumpkins no one wanted big ones...

Disney, 2012

 I got nothing...  My beautiful wife Sarah and my little man.

 Mada, Zoe and I waited in line for over an hour to see the Princess's while 

Max rested in the "Bob" (stroller).  We finally make and who just shows up and

takes over...  The girls were very understanding.

 That guy with the big ears and red pants is tough to find and even harder 

to get an appointment with but we did it.

Time goes by very fast after you become a parent. Look how big they are 

getting and Mada is growing sooooo fast, she is amazing, Zoe and Max are very

lucky to have such a wonderful BIG sister.  

We were not sure if this guy was a guest or some character so to be safe we just asked to 

grab a photo just in case, we did not want to miss anything or anyone.

 Mada could not resist Goofy's BIG chair.  Strike a pose!!

The petting zoo, Mada was so sad the animals were kept in cages, Max was climbing
into the cages and the Zo...  she was just fine thank goodness, Max was all over the place.

Zoe,Cinderella, Mada & Max
Who knew that we would not mind waiting in line for hours, I guess when you
get the payoff of the smiles on each one of them the time does not matter

We search all day and night for Ariel (The Little Mermaide) Mada's favorite.  

We finally found her very late at night, I actually think they were headed in 

for the night but we STOPPED them!!!!  

From left to right Ariel, Mada & Mulan

 I can't tell but I think Zoe was happy to see Mulan!!!

She literally was jumping into her arms...

The funniest part I don't think Zoe has even seen the movie "Mulan" therefore I don't think she knew who she was but clearly it did not even matter.

In Goofy's house, he had the best furniture. Strike a pose #2...

 Disney is celebrating Hall-o-ween...  They (Disney) really are amazing in that 

the attention to details is incredible.

 "Sword in the Stone"  Mada had a go at it, no luck though but a GREAT effort!!!

The parade was fantastic and the kids were glued to all the characters, they were 

just so captivated with all that Disney offered.  It really was an amazing day!!

Goofy was one of my favorite characters and clearly Max thought he was pretty cool too...