This is for the Grandma's

Yesterday before church everyone looked relatively put together so I attempted to get a picture of the 4 kiddos for the Grandparents. It turned out pretty well I must say for their ages! They are all out of order so sorry and I am not sure why the one of Brody and Lissie turned out sideways because it is not that way on the computer and I am too lazy to fix it! Hope you guys like them!!!

Looking at the doggy's. She is obsessed

They were both done with pictures at this point! Can you tell?!?!?!


Mom this isn't working!

Brody in soft focus

This picture of Lissie I was messing around with the soft focus.

As good as it gets!

So much attitude walking into church.

The suit that grandma Susan got him last year finally fits! Doesn't he look so handsome?

These two just adore each other!

Beach Day

Carleigh concentrating on walking in the sand!

Look what I found!!! Zander was so excited about his treasures!!!

Sunset!

On Saturday I was feeling a little down so when Zach got home from his church basketball game he said lets go to the beach!!! This beach is about a mile north of Leo Carrillo which is where we go camping with my Mormon family over spring break! We had a great time walking around, finding rocks to spell our name out, and

playing in the stream that drained to the ocean! The locals that lived on the beach walked out of their house with their golden retriever so Carleigh and I had fun playing ball with the nice dog!! After we went up to oxnard to the super walmart for some cheap food!!!

Jumping...if you can call it that...

This is a video from my fourth lesson. It is pretty pathetic but hopefully they will get better!!!

A walk to the park

The pictures are all out of order so sorry!

My attempt to capture the beauty all around us!!!!!

Nothing better than rolling down a hill in Dec!!! NO sledding here.

Rock climbing

Picnic at the park...taylor our little neighbor girl.

This is our new stroller that holds all the kids!!! It could actually hold one more kid on the hitch hicker. It is our Valco tri-mode double stroller with the toddler seat and hitch hicker. We love it!!!!

Quest for lasting happiness...

Brody was the first to hop on "Frankie"
Then Lissie...

and lastly Zander...

apparently Zach was over pictures by that point because he didn't take one of Zander and. Zander got to go around the arena 3 times while all the other kids only once!!

During my second lesson

So on my quest for happiness I listen to a lot of self help/inspirational books while I clean my house. One of the books I listen to a lot is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. One of the chapters talks about can money buy happiness and how does money contribute to happiness. In that chapter it talks about how if you spend your money on experiences instead of things it improves your happiness. I often find my self buying stuff to make me happy but once the very temporary high is over I am no m63ore happier than I was before, only a lot more broke!!! Somewhere else in the book it talks about having more fun. One of her friends mentioned that a lot of times things you find fun as a child are often things you will find fun as an adult.

As a kids I did two things a lot...1) Rollerblade and 2) horseback riding. So for mother's day I got myself a new pair of blades. I still love rollerblading and enjoy being able to share that experience with Zander who also inherited his moms love and skills. You should she him, he can Rollerblade like pro especially for his age!!! and right before Christmas I got the crazy idea to start horseback riding again. I brought up the idea to Zach and he was totally on board. He was excited for me to have something I can do in life that will be mine and mine only and also that I would have a chance to shine doing something I love. I started lesson last week and I look forward to tomorrow night when I will go for my 3rd lesson. I go 2 times a week in the evening after Zach gets home from work. After my first lesson she let each of the kids besides Carleigh go for a walk around the arena with me. They all loved it especially Zander. He is now saying when he grows up he wants to be a horseback rider. Unfortunately he will have to wait as for now I am spending all the extra money we have on my lessons.

What are things that you found fun as a child that might bring you more happiness as an adult?

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

Christmas Eve

This was my very first Christmas away from my family. It ended up being great because we got to go to my Grandmas house in Orange county and spent the night with grandma, uncles/aunts and my 3 baby cousins that are not very babyish any more. We had a fabulous time! It was the next best thing to being with my parents and brothers/sisters on Christmas Eve. The kids has a blast playing with my cousins. They were so sweet to play Lego's with them and watch them Rollerblade and ride bikes in the front yard!!!

Danielle and lissie
Uncle mark trying to get some love from little miss carleigh

Michael playing legos with Zander. Zander was in heaven!!

Christoper (my baby cousin) brody and Carleigh

My cousin Michael

Grandma and Uncle Make

Uncle Chris

Roberta (Uncle Marks special lady) and her son Jacob

Danielle, Zander and Brody

The best shot of the 4 of them. It is blurry and not looking so good.

Lissie changing Carleighs diaper!! Such a little mommy!!!

Group shot!

What a little handsome man he is becoming!