Blog changes coming!

Just a quick heads up: I'm going to be changing some things around here...

*If you read my blog regularly, please sign up under the Followers tool on the left - I'd love to know who reads my rants. ;)

*Redesign coming! Been checking out several blogs of family and friends....expect new colors and prettiness! lol...

*I may play with the safety/restrictions level on here - potentially considering making it private, so only those that I have given permission to can read it...especially now with Facebook friends showing up. Just want to be sure we have put in precautions for us and the kids...plus that would free me to post more and not have to be so anonymous....

I'll let you know!

Vacation Part 2...

So the next day was Wednesday, and Daddy and I decided to escape for the day. After all, we have celebrated our tenth anniversary this year! Time for just some us time...with a HUGE thank-you to Grammy and Papa!! :)

We drove up to LA, which was an experience in itself - driving up the coast was amazing, and let's just say that I had previously never been through a customs checkpoint before. Now I can say that I have been.... We went to Knott's Berry Farm and had a ever-loving blast!!! We rode roller coasters all day as we're both fans of the biggest, fastest, craziest ones you can find. I loved the one that shot you out at 60mph and went straight up and down, and Daddy loved the wooden one with all its shakes and shivers. We loved the shows there too - from the saloon couple (I even had a sasparilla!) to the authentic Indian storytelling experience (which gave us both goosebumps) to the fun Snoopy and gang show. Which brings me to the only low point of the trip - I lost the digital camera at Knotts! DOH!!!!

The next day we went to the San Diego zoo, and it is still just awesome, in case you were wondering. We started at the Sea Lion show (per Miss Az5's request - she was hung up on them all trip long)and walked all over that crazy zoo. And it's not small either! The kids loved all the birds and the bears and especially the arctic exhibit - with reindeers and polar bears. Here was one instance where the cooler weather worked in our favor - the animals were all out lounging around and comfortable. We were even able to see the new elephant exhibit that had opened the week prior and loved it!! They have done a great job putting together animals there that go together and the elephants have a gi-normous area now to wander around in and show off. Of course we saw the Pandas (for me!) and rode the bus around, which was sooooooo nice as little legs started faltering. At the end of the day we rode the sky trams back to the parking lot and declared it a wonderful time!

The last day of vacation, we kept it pretty low-key and stayed there at the property. We walked on the beach for a bit, went and saw Night at the Museum 2 (loved it!) and had Smore's that night on the beach. Too much fun! The next day we dropped Grammy and Papa off at the airport early and then headed to the Children's Beach in La Jolla. After some serious meandering we finally found it - it is a spot where you can get within 10 feet of almost 200 harbor seals. The kids loved it!

(pictures are view out of our room, kids flying kites while we were at Knotts's and the zoo)

Vacation

This year we went with Grammy and Papa to San Diego. Daddy and I were really excited, as we had been 2 years ago but the kids had not. We ended up staying in Oceanside - about 45 minutes north of San Diego proper - and were right on the Oceanside pier. It was fabulous! The weather was almost chilly while we were there - just a bit windy but highs only in the upper 70s the whole time. This made the water temps around 68 or so - not ideal for playing at the beach, but bearable for a few minutes.

The Cabrillo tidepools were first on our list (Daddy and I had only seen them briefly at the end of our last visit and wanted to be sure and take the kids.) We had a blast!! The kids loved finding the crabs in the crevices and watching to see when the next waves would hit, since we came right after low tide.

The next day was Memorial Day, and we had family over. Daddy's aunt and uncle came from downtown San Diego, his cousins came down from LA, and the cousins from Wyoming that were in for a UCSD graduation came over as well. What fun - almost 10 kids around to eat with and then play with on the beach! I don't have any cousins, so I love being able to get together with Daddy's l.a.r.g.e extended family. :)

The next day we went to Legoland, which was awesome! Our kids were the perfect ages for this - it's really designed for younger kids with just a few things for older kids. They loved the jousting ride, the aqarium there (which I didn't think was all that and a bag of chips, but whatever!), but the best thing of all was the "Dragon" ride. It's a pretty good little roller coaster - think basic, fairly fast with no loops, but just some ups and downs and turns - and even Miss Az5 got on there - TWICE! :)

Have You Ever Eaten Ostrich Eggs?

I can say I have now! Our zoo here has an annual fundraiser at the beginning of May where tickets get you breakfast, zoo admission, and entrance to the Sea Lion show. We all went and enjoyed all the pancakes, waffles, and ostrich egg omelettes we could stuff in ourselves. (And of course it poured all during breakfast, but then cleared up.)

We had a blast that day at the zoo - we hadn't really been since the year before. We loved the sealion show, exploring every nook and cranny of the zoo, and finding the albino peacock. Yep, you read that right - our zoo has an albino peacock, and he is gorgeous! Daddy wasn't able to get a picture of him with his feathers all spread out, but still he was amazing. A zookeeper walked by and mentioned that the albino is the Daddy of all the peacocks they have there at the zoo (about 10-12) and is exceptionally rare.

AZ4 Got Baptized

So back in February, our oldest daughter (Az4) got baptized. Understand, our belief is that not every one gets baptized - only when someone has accepted Jesus' free gift of salvation as the only way to Heaven. So since she accepted Jesus into her heart in November, we (Mom and Dad) went through the church's little book to be sure she understood her decision, and then she was ready for the next baptism night in February. Our church does a great job of this whole process - ensuring the candidate understands why baptism is important and what it means, showing them when and where it will be, and even having scores of people there to help that night. She was soooooo excited, and we got to church that night early, and got her dressed in her swimsuit, over which she wore loose shorts and a dark shirt. (Everyone wears a dark shirt, which just looks nice for continuity's sake from the sanctuary.) The church lets everyone tape a brief testimony that is played during the service, before your group goes up to be baptized. She stated that she was 5 and in Kindergarten, and she was praying by her parents' bed when she asked Jesus into her heart. The video says the rest....I was very proud of myself - only a few happy sweet tears that night.

Howdy back!

So I'm trying to play catch-up once again, due in part to being on Facebook like the rest of the world and updating life there. While you're waiting for me to get my act together, here's a beautiful/marvelous/uplifting link - you need to watch the WHOLE thing - it made me laugh and cry. (Thanks to my Heavenly Father who knows just what I need when I need it!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXut0HxncvY&feature=related