Big Bear Weekend

The first weekend in February we got to celebrate our friends Erika's birthday with a trip to her parents home in Big Bear.  

We made it a long weekend and left early Friday morning.  We got up there by 10 and got right down to business with some sledding behind the house.

This was the boys first interaction with real snow.  They have had snow day at their preschool but man made snow over half a play ground while its 70+ degrees out is not really the same thing.

Needless to say: THEY LOVED IT.  Next time we are trying ski or snowboard lessons.  They are all about it! So fun!!!

My favorites.

He would have done this all day, eventually we had to go in to eat meals.

 Unfortunately our first night was a little rough with a fever for Owen, but, if you don't already know this about Owen he's like the biggest trooper out there and he bounced back big time the next morning so we decided to continue our weekend with some inner tubing at a local park.

It was super sunny, borderline hot so we just wore t-shirts, no complaining from these california kids.

I even got to take a ride with this sweet girl.  I love borrowing daughters whenever I get the chance!

After lunch we wondered around town for a while.

Complete with a stop at the local (super crowded) candy store for chocolate covered strawberries and caramel apples.

Happy camper.

Sweet friends with sweet treats.

View from the house.  Just beautiful!

Thanks for an amazing weekend Howells! We love you guys!

Butterfly hike

Back in January Mimi and I took the kids up to Goleta to the monarch butterfly preserve for our annual (ish) hike.

My guys were ready to go when we got there!

Our little explorers hitting the trail.

Climbing the rocks (broken concrete pieces)

Eden did great and kept up with the boys almost the whole way.

View from the bluffs

Loved this little shelter, makes me want to sell everything and live on the beach in a hut!

Cousins in a tree.

Cousins and best buds....

And just for kick, Scott and Parker on the butterfly hike through the years...

January Recap

All too soon Christmas vacation came to an end and we were back in school. 

Owen working hard at my station at preschool.

Eden comes home with us once a week after school to hang out and play.  And of course do nails and "yipstick"

He has an affinity for being upside down.

Auntie Andy reading Owen one of his favorites at school

Sweet preschool buddies.

And sweet 1st grade friends (who have known each other since preschool, so so special)

One Friday I dropped off Scott's bike while he was at school and then rode to come get him so we could ride home together.  I wasn't sure how it was going to go so I gave us plenty of time and did it on a day we had extra time before picking up Owen.

He did great.  We were home in 15 mins.  We can't wait to do it again (unfortunately weather and sickness have kept us from it since)

Friday night fun at our friends house.

Owen and I had a yoga morning while Scott was at baseball tryouts.

He's a pretty fierce planker...

Scott at tryouts, captured by Brian.  He was pretty nervous but he worked through the nerves and had a really great time.  So proud!

Another weekend, another family hike.  I sure do love where we live!

Favorite little hikers.

Hanging out at Mimi's with this cute face is always one of our favorite things to do:

And this trip to Mimi's we finally did our bottle rocket experiment we've been waiting to do with Mimi and Papa for ages.

It did not disappoint.

We have definitely had lots of rain this winter and we are grateful for it.  We are trying to make the best of it by splashing in the puddles and collecting worms.  And one weekend we had enough rain in our gutters to make boats and race them.

They did it over and over until every inch of them was soaked and the rain started really getting torrential

While Brian was at FIO this year the boys and I had a sleepover at Auntie's.

 Followed by a walk to down town for coffee and donuts for breakfast the next day.  Love these 4!