San Diego Part II

USS IOWA

On our way down to SD we stopped by and saw the USS IOWA

I'll let the website tell you all about it...

The Battleship of Presidents :)

"Built in 1940, the USS IOWA served our country for over 50 years. Designated the "World's Greatest Naval Ship" due to her big guns, heavy armor, fast speed, longevity and modernization, she kept pace with technology for more than 50 years.

Now in her new home of Los Angeles, USS IOWA is transforming into the most interactive and educational museum of her kind. Become apart of this important initiative by joining us as a valued corporate sponsor, volunteer, member or all three!"

Jason loves seeing Naval ships and old war stuff so we just had to stop by.

They have some kid things to do, but just walking around the ship was entertainment enough for the kiddos (although very excited to go to SD)
Anyway, it's pretty cool history, so make a trip there.

It's worth it.

 Kids though the cargo ship was cool as well, I told them the toys from china are in one of those big containers, they thought that was so interesting.

Waving to the boats passing by.

 The ship was huge!

Moving on to part III of our trip...

San Diego Part I

San Diego 2012

This year we went to SD a little later, actually a lot later and it was such a great decision. 

We decided to take the kids to Disneyland in the middle of the week, on a Wed since we were going to be down there for a whole week.  Disneyland in September is their least crowded time, especially Wed and there weren't any lines.  It was also so cool we got a fast pass for Dylan at "city hall" so we could progress faster in lines if need be, so helpful. 

So the night before i put a special stuff animal in their bed while they were sleeping so when they woke up they would know we were going to Disneyland.

This was Taryn and Nolan's first time and Dylan's second. 

It was a great day, Sept is my new favorite month to go to amusement parks.

 The boys participated in a Jedi academy, too fun.

 Afterwards we let them make their light sabers they had been saving their money for.  It was perfect timing after they were officially "Jedi's" and had their certificates.

 It was really cool, really.

 This was a first for us meeting the princesses at Disneyland.  We finally found her favorite towards the end of the day, Aura (sp).

 She enjoyed meeting them.

All and all a great day at Disneyland.

More pictures from our trip in a little while...

btw: Taryn and Nolan were the perfect age to go they could go on just about everything.

Four is a great age to start going to Disneyland.

And don't forget to go mid week in Sept.

Fun Photo

Here we are in a red photo booth at Jason's company party this year in Napa.

I only showed you two photos, due to the other two being really off???

It was fun.

Silly.

Luv the weekend away, just the two of us it was fun.

Doesn't he look like a "rocker" with the glasses and hat?

Crazy guy.

Luv him.

I don't post too many photos of us, due to just not getting many pictures of us together, but this one is cute.

We have so much going on, it's been hard to keep up.

Soccer Season

It's soccer season around here.

Our church has such a cool Christian soccer program.

Dylan is in soccer as well, we'll try to get him in this post later.

How cute are they!

btw: This is Nolan and Taryn's first experience with an organized team sport and Nolan is loving it, but Taryn has yet to play a game due to being afraid every time the kids come charging for the ball.  Just my little girly girl.
She loves her dance class, but I don't know about soccer.
Anyway, they are having full doing it together.
We have to sell a ton of candy bars so that will be a little nuts,
but all in all good experience for our family (so far)
lol.

Teaching Kids about S??

There is no way shape or form I'm going to do a huge long post on this:)

however,

I wanted to share this message from "focus on the family"

From Mary Flo

"Teaching Kids the Simple truths about Sex"

Very Helpful.

Just thought I would share.

Chore Charts

Here's a honest post from a mother of three:)

I have tried numerous chore charts.

I used to make my own from the computer every week.

I used to post them in their rooms

I used to do this and that...

and then I discovered these...

We have the monkey one...not the bear, but anyway.

This is a awesome awesome system

They love doing their chores.

All I say is do your yellow cards in the morning.

Then blue at night.

And they get a token for all their chores in the "I did it" box.

25 tokens gets a prize in the treasure basket, which is a bunch of stuff from over the years...

The other morning while waking up i hear.

"Let's do our yellow cards" 

Love that!

They love it and it works for us.

What works for you?

Good Times on the 4th

We enjoyed July 4th so much this year I thought i would share some pictures...

Recently I've had a cousin move to the central coast.

So exciting.

So along with my cousin and her husband are five more kiddos around the same ages as all our kids.

So if you know our family there are three kiddos in our family, three in my brothers and five in my cousins.

3 + 3 + 5 = yes a crazy 11 kids

(btw only three of which are BOYS)

So we had a ton of fun.

There were puppies to see, kitten to find, horses, stairs to climb, kids to play with

and

so many hugs and kisses by family. 

Being up in the bay area we have really come to

appreciate family time SO much.

It was nuts all these kids and no fighting, whinning or fussing!  Awesome!

God is so good.

I kept having to pinch myself I still can't believe my cousins family lives in the same town as my parents and brothers family, so cool.

(btw: crazy Nolan made it in so many pictures, he's just such a ladies boy)

 Dylan has made a new best friend. 
They are only four months apart and we barely saw them all week. 
They just played and smiled and played some more. 
Even had a sleepover, so cool.

Even dressed the same for the 4th, so cute and so special for Dill.

 Do you see this boy in the middle of all these girls? :)

o'boy.

 Silly.

 Some of the girls o'and of course they wanted Nolan in the photo...too funny.

 The "look out area" on their property.  I'm missing.

one...two...three...four...five...kids...o'well.
(hey being real here with the photo, girls always have their hands in just the right place, boys???? come on...)

 Jason (that's my husband yeah he made it in a photo and into a blog post that's HUGE) and my brother.

Of course the 4th won't be complete without some princess's :)

 and some more...

 BELIEVE it or not this is all 11 kids plus two nieces on my cousins side

WOW it was a lot of action on Pismo and we had some tired kids on our hands.
(oops I was wrong one is missing, Brenna, "B" bummer)
Next time we'll have to get a better photo, but you get the idea.

Okay here's another photo, but twins are not in it...we'll have to work on getting one photo with all the kids.

 Hey that's my Uncle and my brother again

(two pictures for Jeff that's a record, what happened to the moms?)

 I went for a hike around the property with three of the girls it was so much fun.

 YEAH.  What a great end to a perfect week.

We can't wait to see everyone again it was such a blessing and SO much fun.

Exhausting, but such a joy to be loved and to spend time loving on everyone.

Love you all!



Berries. Berries and MORE Berries.

I LOVE Olilaberries!~

 It was a little overcast when we started.

 Starting the process.  It's intimidating at first, but it is really fun and easy, especially with berries.  Don't be intimated, go for it!

 I found a great blog with printable labels Call Domestifluff.com

Truth is we had so much fun we are going back for more today.

We ended up making 24 jars of jam, three cobblers and ten turnovers.

Still intimated let me know if there is a interested and i'll do a how to on my blog.

Thanks so much.

Berry Pickin Time

Last year we went searching for a great place to pick berries with the kids.

There are numerous farms off highway 1 in Santa Cruz, CA.

However, there is one in Watson ville called Gizdich Ranch we think is pretty awesome.

So how did these gorgeous Olallieberries, and Strawberries turn from

these:)

 to these:)

More pictures shortly...

(I felt very Amish making jam this year, i think it was the apron???)

June ~

The news is out and we are all excited it is finally JUNE.

The biggest most exciting news is my cousin from Texas and her husband and five kids are moving to SLO.

They bought a horse farm in SLO and will be moving there mid June.

Here's a cute photo of all of them, kids are all a little older now:)

How fun for all of us, this will be the third family in San Luis.

"No expectations Becky, but we'll see you on the 4th".  Yeah.

How fun for the kids to be around each other and the great outdoors this summer.

The other news is .... yeah it is finally summer.

We have goals and agendas all summer, not huge trips (at least not until Sept...), but little trips and big agendas for learning and growing as a family of five.

Since Daddy will be so busy this summer we have plans to acquire some new skills, discover new areas, make lots of yummy jam and berry treats and see lots of family.

Yeah.  Yeah. Yeah.

My goal is to keep the kids on a morning routine all summer.

Choirs/learning in the am and play in the pm.
(oops and can't forget on attempting to ready my bible every day, can't survive without that...)

What are your plans?