Campbell family fun day: paddle boats

The day before Brian left on his ten day trip to San Antonio (from which he is returning today - woohoo!!!!!!) we decided to get out and do something fun.   It was pirate days at the ventura harbor that weekend so we thought we'd give it a go.  We got there early and the boys weren't really all that into it this year so we decided to rent a paddle boat instead.

Tried for a family selfie. Owen basically never smiled because he was HATING the life jacket with his whole life.

 We paddled amongst the boats for nearly an hour and even stopped for a snack right out in the middle.

The boys couldn't decide if they like the front or the back better.

We had planned to go the beach afterwards but it started "raining" (really just dark skies and a few sprinkles, which is rain for california sadly) so we headed to Mimi and Papa's for the afternoon and dinner.

Great send of for daddy but so happy to have him home today!!!

More summer fun...

We seem to be having an incredibly busy summer despite not having that much going on.  Scott's summer camp through school has been amazing, but because of the schedule it sort of feels like our regular school schedule.  I'm not complaining.  And after next week we have close to 5 weeks off before school starts again, so we will get plenty of downtime.  So what have we been doing in between camp days....

A few weeks ago I ran into Marshall's looking for something I needed...and left with a 10$ slip'n'slide...and not the thing I needed.  But judging from these pictures it was worth it:

We headed to our friend Manuel's birthday party on a scorching Saturday in the valley.  The boys had never mini golfed before so that was fun and even though it was one of the hottest days all summer, we enjoyed the company of our friends immensely.

And the boys were over the moon about the goodie bags they got to leave the party with.  So much spidey stuff.  Amazing what can entertain them.

After the birthday party Brian and I headed out for dinner and drinks with friends.  Our friends have 3 teenage daughters who offered to babysit the boys so we could go out.  The boys are in the stage of thinking its a real treat to have a babysitter, and it was a huge treat for us to go out and enjoy the company of adults.  Brian suggested a local wine bar to start the night, GREAT CHOICE.  After a few wine and beer flights we were ready for a chocolate pairing.  Can't go wrong.  Then we headed off to sushi.  Great food + great company.

 Mimi and Papa are back from Europe {finally}.  We gotten to hang out over there several evenings and enjoy the cooler beach temps and evening back yard fires - quintessential summer!

Speaking of things that make summer awesome:  cold brew coffee.   Game. Changer.  Its less acidic and so delicious.  I tried a few brands and didn't fall in love until Chameleon cold brew came into my life.  Its true love, ya'll. 

And speaking of Mimi and Papa's.  Back yard stories with cousins, does it get better?

I was a little late with the camera for this picture and this was the best I could do:

Then the boys hopped off in order to give Mimi some good swing pushes.

We have had beach trips a plenty and are planning many more before the summer ends.  You can never have too much beach in your life.

Family selfie at Zuma.

Kitchen jam sessions:

Backyard pool time:

Leave it to my kids to still do cannon balls into a blow up pool.  Boys.

They even decided to play a little pool hockey...

Probably would have worked better if it was frozen, but they made it work.

And of course nekkid reading time.  Obviously.

A little throwback to Adam and Bonnie's wedding in June.  I snagged a few pictures from the wedding photographers website (shhhh!).  I just loved these shots with some of our dear friends!

The boys are still into Toy Story, and it is still their movie of choice (well toy story 2) when we save up our TV time for a movie night.

It never gets old.

I have also discovered an amazing new market that's fairly close by.  And they do juicing like nobody's business.  I predict a new addiction!

Looking forward to more summer adventures to come and fall just around the corner!!!

Happy {belated} 4th!!!!

We had an amazing 4th (almost a month ago!).  It had been a few years since we made our annual 4th of July pilgrimage to the Johnson's, and we were sure missing it and missing everyone.   In face, Owen had never been before!  Yikes!  Too long.  I got a handful of pictures, but as always I should have taken more...next year, I swear!

The only picture of the boys in their 4th of July clothes before changing into trunks and staying that way the rest of the day.

My guy.  #4thie 

Much of the day was spent doing this:

Parker cooling off in the hammock. 

Then probably my favorite picture from the entire day.  These 4 laying on the warm concrete to warm up (I can remember this exact feeling from summers growing up).  The other reason its my favorite is Scott making eyes at Riley.  I think its safe to say he developed a HUGE crush on this girl this year, and who can blame him.  I definitely approve!

 Then it was time to bust out the fireworks:

And sparklers 

And these two, seriously, I can't even. 

Hoping we don't have to wait another year to see all our of friends again!  Thanks for a great time Johnsons and crew!

The Reptile Show

We found out about a free reptile show at the last minute on Monday.  Perfect.  We were in.  We met up with Cody and Nicole, fellow boy mamas, to see what it had to offer.

We were the first ones there.  Scott and Owen didn't waste anytime grabbing front row seats.  Without mama.  They were just fine on their own.  Heart break.

Scott didn't waste anytime striking up a conversation with the lady in charge while we waited.  She told the kids to think about which reptile they wanted to hold because everyone would get one turn.  Scott raised his hand to say snake.  And then he kept raising his hand to remind her.

The show started with a scorpion.  Then some frogs.  Then some lizards.  Then some turtles.  Snakes were last.  Scott was SO PATIENT.  And thank God that the lady remembered how much he wanted to hold a snake and called him up very first.

He marched right up on stage and was ready for some snake holding.

Scott was pretty excited about it all.

Owen did not want to be left out but was less excited to go up without me.  Big thank you to Cody for snapping all of these pictures while I held snakes.

I posted a lot of pictures, but I just love how Owen's face changes in amazement over how the snake felt.

He was tickled, literally and figuratively I'm sure.

I have a sinking feeling that I know some boys that might be asking for a pet snake in the future.  I don't mind them, but I don't really care for them as pets.  Holding off as long as possible.

Swim lessons

We completed our first session of swim lessons already this summer.  Perhaps we will do another session (they are 8 lessons over two weeks, this mama needed a break!).   We are doing at the same place we did last year, with one big, important change:  Owen is IN!  This kid has been waiting for a non mommy and me class for basically his whole life (we did do a mommy and me class and I think he was bored, also I don't really need to pay you to help me bounce my kid up and down and sing him songs, we are pretty good on the water exposure thank you very much).   I had them signed up back to back, with Owen going first.  The first day I thought this was gonna bite me in the a$$ because Scott was itching to get in and Owen was not too thrilled.  Owen actually cried pretty hard for the first few minutes, the pool director came and told me to stand where he couldn't see me.  I tried it for about five minutes and decided it wasn't right, the pool director told me "well in the nine years I have been doing this I have never seen it help the situation when the mom has gone over to comfort their kid."  Too bad, I went, two minutes later Owen was swimming with his teacher, no problem at all.  He hasn't had a problem since.  I am not saying that the director was wrong, well maybe I am a little, but I wish the advice he would give wouldn't be a one size fits all, cry it out method, but maybe more of a "you know your child best, what do you think would help him/her?"  Turns out I do know my child best and that he never would have felt safe or comfortable if I hadn't gone to help ease his mind.  I get sad because I think their are parents out their who wouldn't listen to their gut and go anyways, despite what the pool director told them - its those people I want to get the message: you're the parent, do what you think is right!

I digress.  Ever since the first day things have really turned around and the boys are doing great.  Scott was a little bored when they wouldn't let him swim on his own, finally he said "stop touching me and scoot back, don't come get me, I can do it myself."  So that was that.

The boys all ready for their first day:

Heading off with his teacher

Owen rockin' the kicking (don't let it fool you though, he wasn't the best listener, he did a lot of messing around, going when it wasn't his turn, getting out and jumping in when he wasn't supposed to, the poor little 20 year old teacher tried so hard but I think he was a little stressed by Owen's antics)

When Scott was in his lesson Owen was digging into the snacks.  It was perfect!

And while Scott was waiting for his lesson during Owen's.....well, this about sums it up: