Summertime and the livin' is easy

Huntington Beach Pier

We are still slowly baking here in the Valley of the Sun.  Our escape to California for the 4th of July weekend was much needed but as usual, not long enough.  Scott and I enjoyed the fun of running during the daylight hours with temperatures under 70 degrees.  I tell you, breathing is a whole lot easier when your lungs are not being roasted.  I am able to run for 25 minutes (a little over 2 miles) now without stopping.  Can you believe it?  

Stephen walking with Grandpa Quist - giving a cheesy smile to show his full cooperation so he can get some kettle corn later.

Boston is walking like a pro now.  I hardly ever see him crawl - only when he is very tired or if he is in a huge hurry...like when I say "Boston, come get your PJs on!"  He tends to crawl away really fast then.  It is so fun to watch him toddle all over the place and he had a blast tagging along with his cousins at the Quist/Richardson house.  Those little rug rats all played their little hearts out.  They entertained themselves the entire time.  It was so relaxing to not feel the need to entertain them the whole time. 

Our little family at the end of the Pier.

Our little family at the end of the pier two years ago.

Stephen loved the beach as usual and was incredibly brave this time.  He played in the surf for over an hour, laying on his stomach and laughing like crazy every time a wave crashed into him.  He would try and "hold on to" the sand as the wave pulled him back.  He still has sand in his ears.  We attempted to keep the sand out of Boston's mouth as much as possible by keeping his pacifier in his mouth as long as we could.  Boston spent most of the time just sitting in the sand.  I don't know that he will be quite as obsessed about the beach as Stephen is but he seemed to enjoy himself.  He did finally reject his pacifier in favor of a few tiny sea shells he found.  I had to pull those out of his mouth a few times.  Yes, by the end of our beach trip, he had a very sandy upper lip and chin from "tasting" things.

The cousins eating a snack outside.

Stephen and Anna

Stephen, Anna, Boston, Jeremiah