April 2019

We started the month off potty training Brinton. Both he and I were finally both ready at the same time and he was by far the easiest kid to potty train.

Nora loves taking the trek 3 houses down to get the mail. She touches every box she can reach, jams the key into every crevice, and then does it all again. and again. and again. I've learned to take something to do for 15 minutes out there, or she ends up crying. I'm a sucker.

On Devin's day off, we picked up the kids from school and headed out to Rock City on Mt Diablo, for hiking, pizza and bouldering. One of our family's favorite things to do. 

Bubba is becoming more brave and climbing more since we were there last, a couple months ago.

Nora is a good sport about being in the back pack. Look at that View!

More views, more scenery. We can't get enough of it. Did I mentioned I dyed my hair?

Easter Festivities at the church. Somehow Brinton took home the cake, getting so much loot! The Easter Bunny almost didn't need to come at all! Almost! We didn't get any pics of the 3 older girls. They ditched the parents for greener pastures. 

Nora loving life. She loves taking apart the eggs, and putting them back together. She couldn't believe her good fortune finding them all over the grass! 

This month Cambry started her time with braces. She's working through being self conscious when she smiles.  

Bubba loves helping me in the kitchen. He loves scooping, dumping, stirring, and being in charge. haha

It's already getting hot in Tacy! The kids just enjoying some Popsicle time in the shade.

Easter Eve, dying the eggs, and making them special for our family egg roll in the morning!

Easter morning, finding baskets and eating candy. 

Forget the jelly beans! lets move on to ham!!

The Easter Bunny got a little crazy, hanging Vienna's basket up in the rafters. Cambry to the rescue.

Back yard Easter pics in our Easter outfits. This cute little grandma gave me Bubba's outfit a few years ago. Finally it fits him and it is so darn great. 

Easter dresses this year are brought to you by Derek and Sharon, as they are the dresses they'll wear to their wedding this summer. 

Devin had the Monday after Easter off, and the older girls were on spring break, so we went on a grand adventure in the North Bay to Mt Tamalpais, on the Dipsea Trail, and down to Stinson Beach.

We start out on top (See the Sea??), and work our way in and then back out of the Steep Ravine. It was a 3.6 mile loop- steep down, then steep back up, and Cambry, Vienna, and Myla did every step of it. There was a lot of stairs, and boulder scrambling, which made it fun and interesting. Every turn there was more gorgeous scenery. It really felt like a little slice of heaven.

The wild flowers are gorgeous right now!!!

Myla picked all the girls flowers to put in our ears, cute thoughtful girl. 

The beginning of the coastal rain forest! Suddenly it gets covered in ferns, mosses, redwoods, etc. 

Nora passed out, and had a snug, vertical nap

Powering up on a bench made out of roots and moss. I'm so proud of these little hikers!

After we finished the hike, it was early afternoon, and we drove 5 miles through beautiful coastal scenery, to the beach, and had a blast in the freezing water and warm sand.

Nora's maiden journey on the beach. She LOVED it!

We're hoping at some point, Brinton will want to touch the water on one of our beach trips. Until then, he is so content with playing on the dry sand with someone fetching him buckets of water periodically. 

Cambry and Vienna (with Myla sometimes) played fetch with the ocean for over an hour. They each had a log they'd throw in the ocean, and as the waves tossed it back to them, they'd pounce on it. I love the simplicity of their entertainment. 

This little Lean two was here just waiting for us to claim it when we showed up. We were quite organic, having shade from ocean debris.

After a full day of exhausting fun, Devin got the little pool out and prepared everything so the next morning. He's the best. All we had to do was turn on the water. all 5 of them were so excited, they sat out there for an hour just watching the pool fill up. 

We're training for a 5K in June, so we all went for a run- and these cute girls decided to all be matchy for the run. 

Movie time with friends

Friday was Devin's Friday off, so we went to Oakland to Robert's park, where there were groves of readwoods, a bit play ground, and  swimming pool. We played, we picnicked, and we swam. What a wonderful day. 

Brinton finally decided that it's ok to swim by himself and was all over the pool, kicking and splashing around.