Epic California

In June we had the absolute delight of going to visit my brother, Aaron, and his family in Fountain Valley, California.  We caravanned with my parents and sisters.  We all stayed in one house together and had a great Quist family reunion.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been having Allen and Courtney there too.  The trip was sublime!  Lots and lots of time at the beach, and lots and lots of playing and playing and more playing.  I will warn you now that this is going to be MAJOR picture overload but once again my lovely and talented sister, Celsea, took most of these pictures and they are too delightful not to share. 

Carousal ride at Orange County Great Park.

 

We spent one day at Huntington beach for “surfing,” swimming, boogie boarding, and general fun…

 

Stephen is a regular beach bum.  He LOVES LOVES LOVES the beach and everything about it.  He has always loved it.  When he was little he used to roll in the sand…

 

As you can see, not much has changed.  Stephen still loves to “become one with the beach.”

 

We used a fire pit to roast hot dogs and make s’mores on Huntington beach.  We had to create a wind block to get the fire started.  It was so windy!

Boston shoved his face in the sand…I don’t know why he thought that was a good idea.

Endless seashell hunting…

The load of shells:

The s’mores are my favorite part too Jeremiah!

 

Newport Harbor tour:

 

Delightful James!

 

Cousins relaxing with a good book after a day of action.

 

We walked down the pier at Huntington beach and discovered that you waste your money by putting it in these viewing things.  It was so blurry you couldn’t really see anything!  Oh, well – it didn’t stop us from trying…

and trying…

…and trying…

…and trying some more.

 

After giving up on that we decided that we liked the view of ourselves much better and started posing for pictures…

I mean really, wouldn’t you?

 

Another day at the beach, this time Little Corona.  We got to check out the tide pools and play in the surf.  This is one of those days that is just perfect in my memory.  Perfect place, perfect weather, perfect company.  Just perfect.

 

The entire trip was a pleasure and we loved being with family in such a beautiful place.  We are so blessed!

Swimming lessons and the new couch

In June Stephen and Boston started their first swimming lessons.  They were both very excited and optimistic.  They did better than I expected and only freaked out when they got tossed into the pool and had to flounder swim to the side.  It was hard to watch that part.  Stephen’s crowning moment was jumping off the diving board and swimming to the side.  It only happened once; subsequent attempts were not so successful.  The boys are both much more confident in the water now and have a healthy respect for the pool.  Here they are all ready for their first day of lessons:



Around this same time we found a sectional at Costco that was calling our name.  We went to the store at least 4-5 times to “visit our couch” before I convinced Scott that we had to have it! 
This is a picture I sent to Scott via text message, trying to convince him that we needed these couches.  Wouldn’t you be convinced?

We have had the same couches the eight years of our marriage.  Scott bought them used when he was single.  They served their purpose well but I have never loved them or found them very comfortable.  They were low. ride. ers.


I won and in the end the couch came home with us!  Who knew that setting up a couch was so much work?!

They appear to big a big hit with everyone in the family.






We listed and sold the black couches on Craigslist the same day.   A single guy who was moving into his own apartment bought them and seemed very happy with them.  As glad as I am to have the new, comfy, beautiful couches, it was really sad to see my old black low rider couches disappear around the corner in the back of someone else’s pick up truck.  So many memories were attached to them! 
Another unexpected side effect which I will dub the “Mouse Cookie Effect” is that I now have the need to paint the walls (it turns out that they are almost the exact same shade of brown as the couch), make new couch pillows, and refinish the two side tables. 

Happenings in May

Compared to our busy April, May was a calm month. 

 

Boston made ears during nursery.

 

Stephen tried out “planking” in DSW.

 

We discovered that the movie Matilda is a little intense for Boston.  He hid in his blanket like this for a good portion of the movie.

 

Stephen finished out his Preschool year.  I asked his teachers if the kids should dress up for their little end of year “thing” which I refuse to call a graduation.  She said that some kids did.  Well, not wanting to be underdressed, I put him in his Sunday clothes.  We made these cute little owl bags (via Pinterest) that said “Thanks for making me wiser!” and contained Dove chocolates and $5 Target gift cards. 

*A word on teacher gifts from a former teacher.  While (most) teachers really don’t expect gifts at all,  if you feel the need to give, teachers most appreciate the same kind of stuff that you would appreciate.  Good chocolate, money, gift cards, movie tickets, etc.  They don’t decorate their houses with all that apple/crayon/ruler stuff and classrooms can only hold so much.  “To teach is to touch a life forever” printed on anything = no no.  No matter how cute it may be, if it doesn’t have a use and you wouldn’t like it in your house don’t bother.  I know what you are thinking, how rude to be so critical.  After all, it is the thought that counts.  True, so be thoughtful about what you are wasting spending your money on.

 

Yeah, that is his teacher wearing shorts, so whatever. The aide is wearing a skirt at least.

 

There was one little girl that dressed up as nice as Stephen. Stephen loved preschool and had so much fun throughout the whole school year.

 

They had a final class party at a splash pad.  While there I saw Stephen’s stolen backpack sitting on the table, full of someone else’s stuff.  Yeah, real classy.  First, let your kid steal a backpack and then bring it to the end of the year class party to hold your towel and sunscreen.  Nice.  I was so shocked that I didn’t know quite how to handle things so I was a wimp and did nothing.  Of course the whole way home I thought of a million ways I could have reclaimed that (practically new since he rarely used it) backpack.

 

More random pictures…

 

Sunday afternoon naps are the best.

I prefer mine in a less precarious place, but Stephen isn’t so picky.

 

My gorgeous-eyed Boston sporting a Nutella ‘stache.

Ear tufts

 

Stephen needs a hair cut every four weeks.  Some kids can get away with this longer shaggy do but it is not a good look for my little Stephen.

 

Here is a strange stuffed bob cat (or something) we saw at the Bean Museum at BYU.  When I saw it I had to laugh because of the little tufts of hair on the ears.  Look closely.  It reminded me of Stephen’s hair when it gets long.

 

See, ear tufts.