Soccer Season Has Begun! - September 14

Ella and Vanessa

Running down the "high-5" line!

Ella's team played another team that had her good friend on it, Abby.  They are both really strong teams. In the last 30 seconds of the game Amita on our team finally scored the one and only winning goal!  It was a great game!

It's Still Summer! August 30/31 And Taking the Day Off - September 6

 Andrew trying to surf in the pool.

Ella, Reid, Andrew and Kaitlyn

Riding bikes in Newport.

Finally had to cool off after all the bike riding.

Just the girls!

Kaitlyn and Ella in the waves.

Andrew is cold already!

As an anniversary present to ourselves, we went to Newport and rode bikes along the beach.  We brought the kids' bikes and James and I rented some in Newport.  It was a sunny warm day and riding along the beach has been something I have wanted to do for a really long time.  We even splurged and ate at a little Mexican restaurant right near the water.  We found a nice strip of the path that wasn't too busy and after returning the bikes we went and cooled off in the water.  The waves were really huge and Kaitlyn and James got tossed around in a few.  It was a nice start to our first 3 day weekend of the school year, to take a break from the norm and go on an adventure!  

Andrew had a stomach ache this morning so he didn't go to school.  I told him it would be "super boring" to stay home since I needed to work in the morning and run errands in the afternoon...but alas, he stayed home. After reading his book as I had required him to do, he decided to raid his lunch and watch a show.  He has everything he needs within reach in this photo.  This is how I found him after working for a bit...t.v. remotes-check, lego magazine-check, water bottle-check, lunch-check, socks off-check and last but not least the dustbuster (to clean up any crumbs from eating in the living room!)-check.

First Day of School! - August 19

Here we go!

Emma and Kaitlyn

Andrew and Ella with the principal

Andrew at his new desk
(I had to stop him from starting his worksheet to take this picture-he's ready for school!)

Ella at her new desk

Kaitlyn is in the 7th grade and will be at Ramona Middle School.  Ella and Andrew are at Oak Mesa Elementary School and this will be Ella's last year there  :(  Andrew has two teachers who do a job share, both of which were Ella's previous teachers, Mrs. Logan and Mrs. Krausfeldt.  Ella has Mrs. Hernholm, who Kaitlyn had for 4th grade when we first moved here.  Funny, how time flies.

Bowling - August 17

Crazy Kids!

Andrew had been asking to go bowling for a long time now.  So we decided to spend our last Saturday evening before school starts at the bowling alley.  The kids had a blast!  Ella was in the lead the whole game until the very end.  Kaitlyn had been trailing everyone and ended up winning the game!  We went out afterwards and used some coupons/gift card to Cold Stone and paid zip for all our ice-cream!

Foodie Fest - August 17

Ella at the dunk tank

Andrew aiming for the target

Using all her strength

Andrew using all his force

I was planning on going to the grocery store today to stock up on lunch stuff for school.  The whole shopping area was having a carnival.  There was a dunk tank, face painting, balloons, music and all the stores were giving out samples of things to eat.  We had noodles, egg rolls, pizza, soft serve ice-cream, snow cones, jamba juice, gum and cookies.  That ended up being our lunch.  Since it was super hot, there wasn't a whole lot of people, so there wasn't a crowd of people.  There was a scavenger hunt that the kids did and they earned a free kids meal at The Habit!  Not a bad way to spend the afternoon and we finished up in the air conditioned Vons store!

Junior Golf Program - Aug 12-16

The Junior Golf Program at Marshall Canyon Golf Course

Ella making a shot

Andrew making a shot

Andrew winning 3rd place!

Ella winning 4th place!

Los Angeles County has a free week-long golf program for kids. My kids participated last year, and this year Ella and Andrew were able to participate again.  Kaitlyn had dance so it didn't work out for her.  They had a lot of fun!  Once again, the week we were scheduled for the golf course was the hottest weeks of the summer so far!  We had such pleasant weather up until now, and it's in the high 90's and they are getting a lot of sun!  Doesn't help that golf was from 2:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon.  Next year, I will try for the 9-11am time slot, when it's cooler...If only the kids would get up early in the summer to enjoy the cooler weather...

Missing Tooth - August 15/16

Andrew has had a wiggly tooth for awhile... 

He pulled it out late Thursday night and this is his new smile!

Andrew had a lot of time this evening, waiting for Kaitlyn's flash mob, and sitting through Ella's karate test to wiggle his front tooth.  It finally came out!  He will have a fun school picture!