CA Trip, Days 2 & 3

Troy had gotten us all tickets to an Angel's game.  It was the girls' first professional game, and they did much better sitting and watching (or holding Kelsey while she napped) than I thought they would.

Trey, Brady, Gracie and Ella.  Irelynn photo bombing in the back :0)  Thanks, Uncle Troy for the Angel's shirts! 

Getting some time to chat while little people are distracted by the game.

Holding Kelsey was a favorite thing to do on this trip!  

Auntie Rochelle was pretty popular too!

Some of the crew in front of the "A".

 We had lunch at a few of the places we've seen featured on Food Network.  Slater's 50/50 was one of them.  Troy and Mark were brave enough to try the 50/50 burger with peanut butter, jelly and ice cream.

Lunching in the sunshine, surrounded by palm trees and good friends and family.  So wonderful.

After lunch we hit the beach again.  Because we only had half the sand on the shore in our van after our last trip to the beach.  We needed more...

Gracie with her collection of sand crabs.   

Ire, hangin' with grandma.

Ella liked to roll in the sand.  A lot.  Have you seen the movie, The Croods?  Well, she's kind of like a crood with a New Jersey accent.  Cleaning Ella up after the beach was...interesting.

All of the big kids.  I'm diggin' Trey's seaweed scarf.  He tried wrapping them all up in it, but the girls would have no part in that business.

Family beach pic.

More sand crab fun (unless you were a sand crab, then it was torture).  Irelynn's crab didn't make it.  She carried him around for a long time- at least he was a fresh kill. 

Gracie, trying not to get knocked down in the waves. 

Aaand...passed out.  After a long afternoon of sun and fun.

Ella's 6th Birthday!

California Vacation 2013, Our First Two Days

Watching a movie on the way to the airport.  

Ready to go!  It was a long day of travel.  We got to grandma's after midnight CA time.  Which felt like 2am to us!

First plane trip with the whole family.

Daddy and Ella.

We visited my dad's grave on our first day there.  It was Father's Day.

Leaving flowers for poppy.

First day at the beach.  The girls had never seen the ocean before!

Ella collecting shells.

Gracie splashing in the waves.

Irelynn liked collecting shells too!

Auntie Jena buried the girls in sand.

With grandma.

Parkston Swim Meet

What's New

Since the last time I got around to blogging, Valentine's Day has come and gone...

Our baby turned three!  Seriously?!  How can she be three already?  Here she is on the morning of her birthday practicing holding up 3 fingers instead of 2...

Irelynn had her birthday party and blew out 3 candles on her pony cake...

We found all the Easter eggs and celebrated Christ's victory over death...

We had our spring elementary concert at school and sang beautifully...

We celebrated Mother's Day.  Here we are, 4 generations, before church...

We cheered on Ella as she graduated from kindergarten, and Gracie said goodbye to 2nd grade...

And we clapped loudly at the girls' spring dance recital...

There you have it, a brief recap of the last few months at our house.  In less than three weeks, we will find ourselves in sunny California.  We are very excited for our first big family vacation.  First plane ride together, first time at the beach together, first time for my best friend to meet my kids and for me to meet hers, first time at Disneyland...  We're looking forward to visiting my family there.

Gracie's First Basketball Game(s)

Today Gracie played in her 1st basketball jamboree.  She played in 4 mini games here in Avon, and had a blast.  

A little pre-game stretching with dad.

Go Lady Pirates!

Here she is on the left...GO #2!

Ha!  Irelynn snuck into the picture.  She's proud of her big sister!  (back row, far right)

Proud of you, Gracie!  

Playing Catch Up

I am very behind on my blogging.  So here's a quick catch up of the last part of 2012 and the first part of 2013...

Santa stopped by for a visit and brought some goodies! 

Gracie @ the Christmas Eve children's program at church.  

Irelynn and Ella (in the middle).

Christmas presents from friends... matching owl pajamas.

Christmas morning... time to open stockings! 

Happy New Year, everyone!

Ice skating for the first time.  A big hit.

Ella finally gets her ears pierced after much anticipation :-)