Summer.. even though it's almost over!

We can't believe that our summer break is almost over, it is really sad to me. We have had a great summer... going to the beach a lot, travelling up to Fresno for the 4th of July with family, and a really fun day trip to Santa Barbara with our great friends! We are going to try and squeeze one more little trip in there before the boys go back to school. Here are some pictures of our summer! We had a great day with the Kennedy's in Santa Barbara.. our husbands planned it all out! We went to the zoo, walked around State St., took a fun bike ride with all ten of us and ended the day with a concert in the park and a picnic dinner! Here is Katelyn, Ty, and Kenzie on the bike.

Just our family

The boys got these new "pets".

Kate and Katelyn

Jaden feeding the giraffe

At the beach.... Kate and Jaden

My boys going out to catch some waves!

Jaden and Wyatt.... best buds

Katelyn and Kate

Ty and Kate

Jaden feeling the freezing morning waters.

Kate and Ivy

The boys played on the same basketball team

and it was SO fun to watch them together!

We went to Fresno for the 4th... Kate and Emma

She turned 4 on July 7th! Such a big girl.

Ty and Jaden with cousin Josiah.

Grandma Pen with ALL her grand "girls"!

Mike gave his neices a ride around the pool.

Pre Summer

We are so happy that it's summer, especially this mom! Before school was out we had some fun things that we did. In May Ty wanted to do our annual Disneyland trip for his 8th birthday instead of having a party, nice and easy! Kate had her very first Mini Meet for gymnastics, it was so stinkin' cute, I just wanted to eat her up! She and Lexi were so adorable out there. The last day of school came quick and is gone, and it was a very bitterweet day. I am so sad that my kids are growing up and onto the next grade they go. I will miss waving at Jaden at the Kindergarten gate, and can hardly stand it that he will be going a full day next year. He had such a great group of kids that he spent everyday with this year. Ty will be going an extra hour, wow! We rounded up the school year with baseball ending and Kate doing swim lessons with three of her friends! Onto the fun summer we are!

Lots going on!

We have had a really busy month so far.... these pictures are not in order but this is what we have done. We started out going on a fun date with some great friends near the beach! We had Awana awards, baseball games, my birthday, Ty's 8th birthday (which we also went to Disneyland for), Mother's day, shopping, playdates, Open House at the boy's school, Jaden's first field trip to a farm, and we will be celebrating our 12th anniversary this weekend! Hope you are all doing well!

Baseball Boys

I haven't posted in such a long time~ we have been really busy with lots going though!! The boys are back in the baseball season so we have been spending much time at the fields. It is a lot of fun and Kate is enjoying getting really dirty and eating lots of junk at the snack bar there! We are all doing well and still enjoying being home. It's hard to believe it's almost been one year since we've been home for good!

Italian dishes

Five years ago when Mike, the kids and I were living in Naples I really wanted to buy something from Italy to have forever. Since shipping furniture was really unrealistic and a painting was really hard to pick out, I settled on dishes. They were small enough to have shipped and something to remember Naples area by. They have been sitting in a box in my garage for five years and I just decided to unpack them just last week. They are ceramic, hand painted straight from Positano on the Almalfi Coast in beautiful southern Italy. We went into this little ceramic shop, fell in love with these "fun" dishes and decided to buy them!! One bowl had managed to break but I am going to try to glue it! Below are the big bowls.... plates

mugs

Christmas 08'

It has been a very sweet time celebrating the birth of our Savior in the U.S.A this year!! My mom and brother were here for the past few days and we just were able to relax and really enjoy being together! We celebrated with Mike's mom and one of his brother's last weekend so, we've been in the Christmas spirit for a couple of weeks now! Last night we went out looking at Christmas lights, they were gorgeous. Some people go craaaazy with their houses! My pictures below are out of order but they are all from last night (Christmas eve), and today! Merry Christmas everyone.... Nick and Kate on her new Plasma car!

Ty with his new shirt.. he loved it.

Daddy and Jaden with his present he made us at school.

Mike reading the Bible..... Luke 2

Yesterday, Tia Michele, Morgan and Mallory came by for a short visit!

A gift from Mom

A Christmas tradition.... every year we let the kids open one gift on Christmas eve and it is always new jammies... here is after they opened them..

And the before pic... I think Ty knew exactly what he was getting.. he was ready!

"Bamma" reading to Kate..

Mike and Nick wanted to cook a HUGE breakfast for Christmas eve dinner .... fine with me!!

Bible Study Christmas Party!

Mike and I just joined the Castaic Bible Study from our church and we have met some great people! Last night was the bible study Christmas party and boy was it fun!! We ate Panda Express, played games, talked and laughed and did a gift exchange! Mike got a pretty interesting gift that basically made ME really blush if you know what I mean (thanx Kostjuks)!! I have no idea why he picked the pretty little red box with a pretty bow on it... isn't a guy supposed to pick something not so cute?? And we learned some pretty interesting facts about some people in one of the games, ha ha!! It was a really fun night!!