1 Beach trip down 2 to go

For Father's day weekend we took a trip to Santa Barbara. I don't remember ever going there and neither does Ben but we had both decided that we didn't want to spend another cold and windy weekend trip at Pismo. We added an extra hour to our trip and made it to Santa Barbara.
It was great. I was actually able to wear my bathing suit (with a little skirt) and not Freeze to death. I had forgotten my bathing suit at home but luckily enough we were able to stumble upon a Costco where I was able to find a bathing suit and a skirt, along with a portable DVD player for Katelynn. She wasn't uncontrollable at all, she was just a little stir crazy sitting in her car seat for 4 hours. Which is understandable since I was going a little crazy just being cramped in the car for four hours. We bought an Elmo movie pack and she watched most of it. She REALLY wanted to hold the screen, but I didn't want her to get into a screen mode that I didn't know how to get out of!
Since we didn't know where we were going it was a little difficult to have motivation to go, just in case everything sucked. We just didn't want a big disappointment. We finally made it to the beach after going to one "beach" that you couldn't access. So, we had a city map from the hotel and made it to "Boathouse Beach." We loved it. The weather was great. There was parking, if you got there early enough, there was a little restaurant called the Boathouse if we needed something to eat, plus showers and bathrooms. We both can't wait to go there again. Katelynn did pretty well she just wasn't really into anything except for sand! I also forgot our sand toys so that may help next time. I took her out in the waves a few times but she was getting a little nervous with the bigger waves. Ben went out bodyboarding and he caught a few good waves. We were there for just a couple hours before Katelynn really started loosing it, it was also nap time, which she never did take a nap.
Overall it was great to get away and have a great time with just us. We are going to San Clemente this weekend and Ben knows where to go so we will probably get out there sooner this time. I didn't get too many pictures but here are a couple I liked.

Baby Love Letters #137

Baby Love Letters #137
What event do you look forward to each year?

My favorite event all year long is Christmas. I reallydo love everything about it. I love to decorate. We have a tradition that we buy our Christmas tree on December 1st. I love to bake holiday treats, but then again I really love to bake anytime of the year. I love the happiness that it brings. I love the family time that we have. I love the giving of the season. I do love the shopping for others even if I usually start shopping in August.
I know that every year now with Katelynn it will be different as she starts to discover more and be intriged by more of what is around her. I know that it is usually a crazy and hectic time of year for everyone including me but it brings so much joy and warmth that it is usually all worth it. I am excited this year as Katelynn will be old enough this year to be a little bit more mesmorized by everything going on around her.
And of course I am greatful for the Savior's birth and the many great atributes that he had during his life that I try to strive for. Christmas is about Christ and Christ is about families and that is my favorite thing. Families.

Baby Love Letters

There is a website called Baby Love Letters or Friday Letters. It is about taking time to write to your children and giving different prompts. So, as a prompt comes up that I like I will write about it. This is prompt #134 What one special experience would you like to share with your child this summer?

This summer I would love to share with you a love for the outdoors by experiencing the different things in nature that God has created for us. I want to spend more time in the yard together, going to different parks and going to the mountains and beaches with Daddy too. I know that you already love to be outside but we don't really play or stop to enjoy it. I hope that we can enjoy this summer together and that you can learn and experience the joy of being outside. It may be limited to morning ventures as it gets to be too hot for us.
I haven't spent that much time outside since you were born since it is quite a bit more work trying to keep you from eating all of nature! We will just learn together what we can and cannot do.
Love,
Mommy

John and Ammy's visit

John and Ammy came and visited for a week around Memorial Day. It was so great to see them again. I must say this visit was a thousand imtes better than when they came for Katelynn's blessing last July. Two things made it better first, we were in town and didn't have to plan an hour for drive time and feel like we were stuck somewhere. Second, I wasn't a hormonal mess with a two month old baby. That second one was a biggy! We hung out alot at Beth and Kevin's in their back yard. The weather was great, it didn't really start getting hot until the last day they were here. The big hit at their house was their John Deere Tractor that the kids drive. Katelynn figured out how to climb into the tractor, but doesn't know how to drive so Josey who is a two and a half pushed the gas petal and I had to steer. Katelynn had a few rides from those who would take her, She just needs to learn how to stay seated at all times and keep her hands and arms inside the vehicle while it is moving.









On Memorial Day John and Ammy came over for a little BBQ with a little swimming for the evening. This was Katelynn's first time in the pool, since she was so little last summer any time she got in a pool she screamed since it was so cold. I knew that this year was going to be different since her favorite thing is water. It was still freezing cold water but the girls got in and Ben and John were the life guards on duty. Katelynn's little jaw was just chattering away but she did not want to get out. Ben got her out and gave her a warm bath to warm her up.




On Tuesday we went to Pismo and froze our but off there too. Everything is so different this summer since she is able to be involved and not be a bystander. I was able to find some watersocks for her and so that helped to keep her feet safe. She just walked around everywhere and checked out everything. From the sand to seaweed, to the dirty seagulls that she wanted to chase around. Ben took her out to the water and I just kept wondering when she would fall in but she didn't. She got wet up to her thighs and past her elbows. You just don't sit down much with a one year old. I kept having to chase her down away from the ocean and away from the dirty birds. We had a good time Ben got in and went body boarding but the waves sucked and it wasn't too fun in the water by himself he wants to get a wet suit for Katelynn, I don't know if they make them that small.





Wednesday Ben and I Spent 2 hours cleaning out the Subaru since neither of us could remember when we had last did that and we had just added a layer of sand to the car too. I can't believe how nice it is to drive around in a clean car. I know it won't last but I will do my best to try. We then went to Beth and Kevin's for our last night with John and Ammy before they left Thursday. We just lazed around Beth and Kevin's Back yard and enjoyed eachother.






I hope John and Ammy had a good rest of their trip.