A California Summer is THE BEST kind of summer!
Do you like our grass? How about the kid by the road with a toy gun? haa!
That’s quite a claim to make isn’t it? THE BEST? Is it really the best? Surely something is better. I said it myself that Destin, Florida looks like this:
I mean wow.
Well, you know, you gotta love the one you’re with, and Northern California IS 70 degrees.
70.
In July.
I’ve decided something. “I ain’t leavin’!”
No, I’m only kidding, but I do get to live here for a solid year yet. We have been doing the whole ‘lazy days of summer’ thing lately.
I can’t take too much of it. Isn’t that ridiculous? We so badly want to have nothing “to do”, and then when I have nothing more pressing than “laundry” and “Clean the bathrooms” or even “take the kids to the pool” on my to do list………..it’s dull! I have no stress-strain on my heart, and I don’t know what to do about it!
It’s so ridiculous to feel that way. Right now Daniel and JD are playing together in their tiny sandbox. Joshua and Caleb are playing with their neighborhood friends. All I have hanging over my head is a kitchen that needs cleaning.
That’s actually something to be thankful for. A part of me does enjoy it, but this weird thing happens. When I only have a small, manageable amount of things to do, I don’t feel like doing ANYTHING at all.
What is that about? Am I the only one? Have any of you felt that way?
This morning I was out walking, and it was 70-something degrees and BREEZY, and all I could think was, “This is the best place ever.”
I hope you’ll all join me in praying for rain for this state!
Ha! I can hear Alan inside explaining to Caleb why we “don’t tell our friends the end of movies they haven’t seen yet.”
Daniel and JD are bringing me buckets, asking me to pour water in them.
No.
We have taken so many pictures this summer that I’d like to share. I will just have to do these in several parts. Here’s what we’ve been up to!
JD always has a hand full of cars.
Daniel learned how to build his own train tracks.
I happened to remember that when Caleb was 4, he was already building his own train tracks. Dan always has his older brothers and me to do that for him. I finally had to just tell him, “Daniel, you are big now. You can build these yourself,” and he can!
Sea otters
Seals at Elkhorn Slough
A seal pokes his head up to check out Alan and Caleb .
Chocolate pudding.
He saw an old photograph of himself, as a baby, making a mess eating chocolate pudding. Daniel took it upon himself to “do that again.” I wasn’t so happy about it, but I took a photo for you.
Plants Vs. Zombies……because he found it at a friend’s house, and I was just happy he was reading.
Little kid jump time
Southern biscuits. You can take the girl out of Bama, but you can’t take the Bama out of the girl. I’ve been baking these since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.
Playing Uno is fun, except when JD tries to play it with you, and then it’s not fun at all, so you HAVE to keep a sense of humor about it.
Joshua took my camera outside with him and took photos of himself and his friends.
the kids’ hideout…..Actually, Joshua said this is the girls’ hideout.
the boys’ hideout
We signed Caleb and Joshua up to play for the same soccer team. Daniel BEGGED to play too, so we will have THREE soccer players this fall.
the preschool hideout
Daniel made this. I thought it was cute.
what I look like right now
We have gophers! Or moles. They live in holes in our front yard. Just please don’t tell me they are just rats. I will be so disappointed!
That’s right! Even Dan got to kayaking. He’s a daring one. I just caught him standing on top of our patio table, ON A SCOOTER. Don’t worry. He put the scooter back on the ground.
dead sea lion, washed up on shore. We see a lot of this. I think there must be 1 sea mammal per square foot in this bay. There are so many!
I thought this looked like a sweet father-son moment.
Bird Island, Point Lobos
I got some ADORABLE photos of Xavier and Zoe reading to Daniel and JD, but I didn’t post those because big kids get embarrassed easily about being seen in their pjs. Well, Joshua does anyway, so I’m extra careful, but here’s one good photo of Xavier. We enjoyed their visit so much. The boys are still talking about it and wishing to see them again.
I had the best time hanging out with Amy too. It’s a great reminder that I need to become more social. I was way too much of a hermit last year.
Joshua’s BFF
Playing cars in the dirt: this is what we do the most of this summer.
JD is Joshua made over. They all enjoy reading with mom, but Joshua and JD LOVE reading.
our book corner
me and my faithful sidekick
Do you like the tiny sandbox that Alan built? JD LIVES in it now. I need to vacuum every single night. Actually, since the 4th boy arrived, I always need to vacuum every night. I’m not saying I do it. I’m saying that I NEED to do it.
I hope that you are all having a relaxing summer.
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
Psalm 46:1-3
Check back with us this week! I have two giveaways lined up!
Your bread rolls look astounding!! My better half said that appears as though a ground hoard. We had moles at our old house and they looked more like mice. Eww. Your photos are wonderful and make me need to return to Cali
Yeah, these were so cute. 🙂 The owls loved them. ha!
Honestly you already sold me with the sea otters and the 70 degrees. It’s 90 here today, but I can’t complain because New England is rarely too hot.
I will certainly pray for rain for you, and for me because I still fancy moving back to the bay area one day.
It looks and sounds so wonderful! I love 70 degree weather! I love the chocolate pudding face! What’s a messy face gonna hurt!
Ha! Nothing at all.
April, I totally relate to your comment about not wanting to do anything when you only have a small amount to do. Having downtime makes me Lazy. Especially if all I have to do is clean. That’s not even interesting! haha
(Love the one you’re with. Classic.)
For real! Who can get excited about cleaning… 🙂
70 degrees and breezy doesn’t make a place paradise, you know April. Now, 70 degrees and breezy with bama-girl biscuits? Now you’re talking.
haha! Thanks! They are pretty good.
Great photo of Daniel eating that chocolate pudding. He looks like a pirate enjoying his booty.
Is that Joshua reading Plants vs Zombies? I think it is, but I’m not certain.
That is actually Caleb, DaddyO. Joshua reads constantly, and Caleb “hates reading”, so that’s why I was so excited.
Hi April! I love keeping up with you and your family. Since I have all girls, it’s interesting to see what a house of boys looks like! I’m glad you’re enjoying a nice, relaxing summer…I am trying to get there before the summer ends! 🙂 Every time I carve out some “relaxing” time, something comes up. Anyway, enjoy the rest of your summer-the school year will be here before you know it!
Thank you!! I confess that I neglect baskets of laundry, disorganized closets, and chores to kick back instead. Thankfully, I don’t have too many outside pressures at the moment. The key is to constantly leave town, and then no one thinks they can depend on you. (ha!)
Joshua made some nice shots there! I loved seeing all these photos of the boys in their “natural habitat.” I saw something about cars catching fire on a bridge in CA today, due to the drought. That is unbelievable.
He did, didn’t he? Even the foot picture was cute. Ha! yes! Natural habitat for sure. All boys should come with acres to roam around on, something we’ve never quite had, but we’ve managed to find a few nice substitutes. Ugh, the drought. I can’t stand it. I’m constantly praying for rain.
Awesome photos! 🙂
Well, thank ya!
Your biscuits look amazing!! My husband said that looks like a ground hog. We had moles at our old house and they looked more like mice. Eww. Your pictures are beautiful and make me want to go back to Cali 🙂
A ground hog…interesting! So much better than a rat, so Iike that suggestion. Thanks. This place is amazing.
🙂 I remember Joshua always had a handful of cars too, and he would put everyone of them in straight lines across the living room! They are all so cute! Love you!
YES! Amber, it is like raising Joshua all over again! Love you too!
Two giveaways! Yes you live in a beautiful place with a beautiful family!
Thank you.